text:
International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 26, 2012, p. 99-130
In pursuit of achieving Education-For-All goals of universal primary education and improving quality of education, the Indian Government has been providing substantial resources to Indian states. The responsibility for providing access and quality remains with the states. Assessment of educational development will therefore become a focal point of the Center for Education Policy & Guidelines Formulation. While educational development indices help in ranking states, they do not help in capturing best practices and assessing the efficient utilization of resources. Assessment of Educational Development Efficiency can augment educational development indices in vogue. The purpose of this paper is to develop an Educational Development Efficiency (EDE) model to benchmark the Indian states. This paper uses an input-process-output conceptual framework to identify the dimensions of educational development. It employs Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to compare relative efficiency of 28 states and seven Union territories in India and benchmark them. In order to strengthen the discriminatory power of DEA, a cross-efficiency model was used. Factor analysis was performed to determine the inter-relationships between variables. The efficiency impacting variables were identified using multiple regression analysis. This paper benchmarked Indian states on educational development based on their performance. Gross enrolment ratio, students' academic performance and infrastructural investments were identified as the three key variables impacting states' EDE. This paper has shown that educational administrators can use the EDE model to identify the best practices from efficient states. Insights into utilization of input resources to enhance educational development and consequent improvement of state efficiencies are presented. Four components have been identified to analyze the states' educational development progress - namely, financial adequacy, school resource strength, educational quality and educational access.
International Journal of Human Rights, vol.16, 2012, p. 337-357
The issue of whether and how religion should be taught in state-funded schools in secular democracies remains crucially important. Given the sustained presence of religion in the public sphere, children need to possess an in-depth knowledge and critical understanding of its role in the modern world. At the same time they need to be safeguarded from indoctrination through religious education programmes offered in schools that aim to teach belief and commitment to a faith. Using international human rights frameworks and the relevant case law in assessing the different pedagogical approaches to religious education, this article maintains that non-confessional multifaith religious education is the model which best conforms to international human rights law, given its focus on conveying a body of knowledge about religions to children in an objective and critical manner, without indoctrination.
B. A. Nalavan, L. W. Carawan and L. J. Brown
British Journal of Special Education, vol. 38, 2011, p. 191-200
While increasing attention is being paid to the influence of specialist and traditional school settings on the emotional well-being and self-esteem of children with dyslexia, there appears to be a need for more attention to how different educational settings may impact adulthood. To respond to this gap, this US study explores how the role of traditional and specialist school settings may have long-term effects in adulthood. The findings reveal that educational experiences have a compelling impact on the emotional health and self-esteem of adults with dyslexia. Implications are that there are important lessons to learn from specialist schools that can benefit traditional school settings.
M.A.B. Bakah, J.M. Voogt and J.M. Pieters
International Journal of Training and Development, vol. 16, 2012, p. 67-76
The development of new curricula as a means to curriculum reform is a common event in countries across the globe. Successful curriculum reform, however, requires active involvement of teachers in the design of the new curriculum. This study investigated the knowledge needs of teachers in Ghana's polytechnics arising out of the process of curriculum reform. To realise successful curriculum reform, teachers need to be appropriately prepared as they are the most influential factor in the change process. Forty-four teachers and four heads of mechanical engineering departments and representatives of the leadership of four polytechnics granted interviews and responded to questionnaires. Pursuing postgraduate programmes was the training and development priority for the leadership due to the polytechnics' policy of maintaining the master's degree as the minimum qualification for their teachers. Teachers argued for industrial attachments to enable them to update their subject knowledge.
A. Siddiqi and others
Journal of Public Health Policy, vol. 33, 2012, p. 1-15
This study is premised on the notion that public health policy should address not only health issues, but also the primary determinants of health, such as education. It examines the effect of national policies on educational outcomes, in particular adolescent reading literacy (ARL). Data from the 2000 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) were used to compare the effect of traditional indicators - national income and education spending - on educational outcomes with that of income inequality, a measure of redistributive policies. Results showed income inequality to be a significant determinant of ARL scores, whereas direct spending on education and overall national prosperity were not.
A. C. K. Cheung and P. M. Wong
International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 26, 2012, p. 39-54
The objective of this paper was to examine key hindering and facilitating factors in schools during the first stage of the curriculum reform (2001-2006) in Hong Kong and to identify key strategies to address these challenges. A total of 150 primary and 120 secondary schools with 7,869 key stakeholders including principals, curriculum leaders, teachers, and students participated in the study. The data for the study were collected using the following two major methods: survey questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The response rate was 95 percent. In spite of the different roles played by each stakeholder in the curriculum reform, the perceptions of school principals, curriculum leaders, and teachers were very similar with regard to the factors that facilitated and hindered successful implementation. Consistent with the current literature, the findings clearly indicated that the recent curriculum reform in Hong Kong was still facing several key obstacles and challenges that were common in many other countries, in the implementation stage, such as teachers' heavy workloads, learning diversity in class, and teachers' inadequate understanding of the reform.
Educational Management, Administration and Leadership, vol. 40, 2012, p 21-36
A primary goal of many educational systems in different countries of the world is the offering of equal opportunities in education. My engagement with the literature that relates to inclusive education as well as the literature that relates to educational leadership leads to the conclusion that if we are interested in moving towards more inclusive practices one of the factors that has to be studied in depth, is leadership and its role in the development of these practices. This article studies, through four cases studies of Cypriot schools, the forms of leadership that promote inclusive education and how these forms of leadership manifest in the practices, activities and behaviours of the schools' headteachers. By studying the four schools it became apparent that the patterns of leadership that supported inclusion were not static. Leaders were trying to understand the local context and then developed their own strategies. They also supported learning in informal learning environments and took into consideration children's voices.
A. P. Jakobi
Journal of International Relations and Development, vol. 15, 2012, p. 31-64
This article analyses the role of international organisations in policy diffusion, using lifelong learning as an example and focusing mainly on the OECD and the European Union. Drawing on the distinction between agenda setting and policy implementation, it shows that international organisations are important vehicles for disseminating policy ideas, but reforms, even if stimulated by international debate, are first and foremost implemented following a national logic. A quantitative study of 99 countries from 1996 to 2004 shows how the idea of lifelong learning has been disseminated by international organisations and how states have reacted to this development.
S. Y. S. Yeung
Educational Management, Administration and Leadership, vol. 40, 2012, p. 37-68
This article reports research conducted recently into evaluation policy. The research comprises two parts: a questionnaire survey and qualitative interviews. Drawing from data collected in a survey of 65 curriculum leaders and interviews with 12 from the group, the research explores how school evaluation policy functions to help make schools accountable to the community. This article reports findings from the study, which include the purposes, features and impacts of the policy as perceived by the curriculum leaders; and the strategies adopted by school teachers to deal with the evaluation procedures.
International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, vol.36, 2012, p. 29-48
The dismantling of New Orleans' public education system has proceeded apace in the years since Hurricane Katrina. The education experiment currently underway in the city incorporates many of the core tenets of the school choice movement. The introduction of charter schools and education vouchers has radically altered public education in the city by bringing in market-based systems that require parents to act as consumers while exposing their children to the whims of the market place. Government funded charter schools are using selective admissions to take the top performers while excluding those with behavioural issues and special needs. In addition to the expansion of charter schools, the state introduced a voucher programme in 2008 that pays for pupils to attend private schools, thus further reducing the funding available for the remaining state schools, which serve a disproportionate number of the city's poorest students. This article argues that prior efforts to undermine public education at the state and municipal level were key to the speed and scope of post-Katrina change in New Orleans.


text:
Lepra offers a range of services and interventions for lymphatic filariasis (LF) that transform the lives of people affected by this disease.
Our technical experts work directly to support people with LF, as well as supporting national programmes to address the disease through the health system. Our interventions range across the full continuum of care, from vector control and Mass Drug Administration (MDA) to complication management and rights-based advocacy.
Together, we can break the cycle of ill health, isolation and poverty.
LF affects more than 36 million people and is costing developing economies hundreds of millions of dollars every year. It is a leading cause of avoidable disability (WHO LF Progress Report 2016). Without proper care, LF leads to chronic organ damage, mental and physical health problems and sexual disabilities. These in turn result in social isolation, economic hardship and family breakdown for people affected.
Lepra breaks the negative cycle of disease, poverty and prejudice for people with LF. Working with our wide network of grassroots level healthcare workers and community volunteers, we find, treat and rehabilitate people with LF.
Our LF programmes are based on:
- A holistic range of LF services and interventions
- Bringing in the voice of people affected
- Evidence-based programming
- Grounded in communities
- Working in hard-to-reach areas
What we do
- We find, diagnose and care for new LF cases
- We work with local health systems to ensure quality Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention for people affected by LF by supporting a minimum package of care
- At the heart of strengthening the health system is capacity-building of frontline workers, both public and private, to plan MDA campaigns and to detect and care for people with LF
- People affected and their families learn how to manage their disease, so they avoid complications and further disabilities
- We promote behaviour change and social mobilisation to interrupt the transmission of LF
- Having LF is not just about having a disease that affects someone physically. LF affects a person's mental health, their economic and their social opportunities. Therefore, we also support counselling, livelihood development and rights-based advocacy
Why our approach is different
- Lepra is a recognised leader in the field for our combined leprosy-LF approach, which tackles two neglected tropical diseases with shared interventions and resources
- We bring our experience in eliminating leprosy and bringing in the voice of people affected
- We operate a grassroots level by using a bottom-up approach to strengthen local health systems
- Our LF work concentrates on the country with the highest single LF burden: India, where 30% of the global LF burden is placed
- Our approach is evidence-based, for example by collecting data on patients through our unique LF patient card or through KoboCollect
- Lepra's technical and research expertise on LF supports stakeholders at local, sub-national and national level.
- The Blue Peter Health Research Centre in India is part of Lepra and its research capacity continually informs our LF programme

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Janet DukePrimary School
'Together We Learn, Together We Achieve, As One'
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History of the School
The Upper School building was originally opened in 1933 as the "Markhams Chase Primary School". At this time Laindon was a scattered rural community. Children came to the school from a large surrounding area.
It continued to serve the community until the building of the "Basildon New Town" caused a change to the intake area of the school. As the New Town reached Markhams Chase, hundreds of new families moved into the area and we became one of the largest schools in the town
The original Headteacher, Janet Duke, retired in 1964; this was when the current lower school building was opened as the Infant School. The schools were renamed Janet Duke Infant and Janet Duke Junior in recognition of the lifetime work and contribution that Miss Janet Duke had made to the school and community.
The Upper School building is traditional, being built of red brick with modern classrooms and the original hall. The lower school building is a more modern structure with large classrooms complete with cloakroom facilities. The school has a light, spacious hall that is used for assembly times, physical education lessons and as a dining hall.
The kitchen is an integral part of the school building. Meals are cooked here for the whole school.
There is a link corridor that was opened in April 2012 that joins the lower and upper school buildings allowing for free flow movement of pupils and staff across the school. This corridor is named 'Willets Walk Way' in recognition of Chris Willets, the school's site manager, on his retirement after 19 years service to the school.


text:
Chapter 3. Configuring the Date and Time
- A real-time clock (RTC), commonly referred to as a hardware clock, (typically an integrated circuit on the system board) that is completely independent of the current state of the operating system and runs even when the computer is shut down.
- A system clock, also known as a software clock, that is maintained by the kernel and its initial value is based on the real-time clock. Once the system is booted and the system clock is initialized, the system clock is completely independent of the real-time clock.
timedatectlutility, which is new in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and is part of
systemd; the traditional
datecommand; and the
hwclockutility for accessing the hardware clock.
3.1. Using the
systemdsystem and service manager and allows you to review and change the configuration of the system clock. You can use this tool to change the current date and time, set the time zone, or enable automatic synchronization of the system clock with a remote server.
3.1.1. Displaying the Current Date and Time
timedatectlcommand with no additional command line options:
NTP) configuration, and additional information related to DST.
Example 3.1. Displaying the Current Date and Time
timedatectlcommand on a system that does not use
NTPto synchronize the system clock with a remote server:
timedatectlLocal time: Mon 2016-09-16 19:30:24 CEST Universal time: Mon 2016-09-16 17:30:24 UTC Timezone: Europe/Prague (CEST, +0200) NTP enabled: no NTP synchronized: no RTC in local TZ: no DST active: yes Last DST change: DST began at Sun 2016-03-31 01:59:59 CET Sun 2016-03-31 03:00:00 CEST Next DST change: DST ends (the clock jumps one hour backwards) at Sun 2016-10-27 02:59:59 CEST Sun 2016-10-27 02:00:00 CET
ntpdwill not be immediately noticed by
timedatectl. If changes to the configuration or status of these tools is made, enter the following command:
systemctl restart systemd-timedated.service
3.1.2. Changing the Current Time
NTPservice is enabled. See Section 3.1.5, "Synchronizing the System Clock with a Remote Server" to temporally disable the service.
Example 3.2. Changing the Current Time
timedatectl set-time 23:26:00
timedatectlcommand with the
1). To configure the system to use UTC, replace boolean with
0). The default option is
3.1.3. Changing the Current Date
Example 3.3. Changing the Current Date
timedatectl set-time 2017-06-02 23:26:00
3.1.4. Changing the Time Zone
Example 3.4. Changing the Time Zone
timedatectlcommand with the
list-timezonescommand line option. For example, to list all available time zones in Europe, type:
timedatectl list-timezones | grep EuropeEurope/Amsterdam Europe/Andorra Europe/Athens Europe/Belgrade Europe/Berlin Europe/Bratislava …
Europe/Prague, type as
timedatectl set-timezone Europe/Prague
3.1.5. Synchronizing the System Clock with a Remote Server
timedatectlcommand also allows you to enable automatic synchronization of your system clock with a group of remote servers using the
NTPprotocol. Enabling NTP enables the
ntpdservice, depending on which of them is installed.
NTPservice can be enabled and disabled using a command as follows:
NTPserver, replace boolean with
yes(the default option). To disable this feature, replace boolean with
Example 3.5. Synchronizing the System Clock with a Remote Server
timedatectl set-ntp yes
NTPservice is not installed. See Section 17.3.1, "Installing chrony" for more information.


text: We explore how households insure themselves against consumption volatility. We asked households how they would fund an unexpected emergency consumption expense equivalent to one month's income. Answers reveal a range of consumption insurance mechanisms, including borrowing from credit markets and social networks. Despite this, more than one quarter of households have no plan to insure their consumption. The likelihood of non-insurance increases with poor financial literacy and is highest among households most at risk of experiencing a financial shock. Among these households we see large effects of poor financial literacy on non-insurance.


G/G full form
Meaning : Ground-to-Ground communication
Category : Telecommunication
Sub Category :Military
Type : Abbreviation
What does G/G mean or stand for?
Ground-to-Ground communication as opposed to ground to air which is used by air traffic controllers to aircraft.G/G can be used in various situation and is mostly used by military units that need a secure communications channel to relay important information.


Study OF Rheological Properties Of (PEO-PMMA) ) Blends.
This study includes measurement of some rheological properties of polyethylene oxide (PEO), (polyethylene oxide + Polymethyl methacrylate( (PEO + PMMA ) polymers by using solvent Dimethylformamide (DMF) at room temperature such as density and shear viscosity. Other types of viscosities, viscosity average molecular weight and effective molecular radius were theoretically calculated. These samples were prepared in different concentrations (0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4,0.5,0.6,0.7,0.8 g/ml) % as solutions then the additive (PMMA) as (0.25 g ) and ( 0.5 g) respectively, where the samples were prepared by liquids mixture. Results show that there are an increases in the density values, shear viscosity, relative viscosity and intrinsic viscosity, with increasing concentration of (PEO) before and after adding (PMMA) polymer. However it was found that the reduced viscosity of (PEO) and its additive are inversely proportional with concentrations.


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'First commando' raid on occupied Guernsey
Le Jaonnet and La Bette Bay's from Icart
Hubert landed at Le Jannoet bay following a two mile paddle by canoe
On 8 July 1940, barely a week after the start of the Occupation, Hubert Nicolle landed at Le Jaonnet Bay near Icart on a fact-finding mission.
Guernseyman Hubert was a member of the Royal Hampshire Regiment and was tasked with learning more about the island under German control.
He was picked up from the same place by the Royal Navy after three days.
He returned, less successfully, in September 1940 and was a prisoner of war for the rest of WWII.
Hubert was 20 in July 1940 and before its dissolution had served in the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry before joining the Royal Hampshire Regiment.
As a Guernseyman he was selected to head back to the island by submarine, under cover of darkness where he selected the hard to read south coast bay as a prime landing point for him and his newly acquired canoe.
He clambered up the cliffs and over three days gathered information from friends about the state of the island before returning to England, again via submarine at night.
This mission led to him being dubbed 'the first commando' for the comparison between his activities and those of the officially named commandos in later months and years.
His second trip though was less successful and after the arranged rendezvous with the naval submarine did not occur Hubert was trapped in Guernsey where he was forced to surrender fearing the death sentence for being a spy.
Stone unveiling
A large crowd gathered for the unveiling of the commemorative stone
However, this sentence never came to be thanks to the work of Ambrose Sherwill, the president of the States Controlling Committee, and the German authorities.
Hubert spent the rest of the Second World War in a PoW camp in Europe after a stay in the Parisian Cherche Midi Prison where he celebrated his 21st birthday in solitary confinement.
Whilst in Spangenberg PoW camp Hubert managed to escape by tunnelling only to be recaptured and was held until he was liberated by American forces in 1945.
Hubert was awarded the Military Cross for having "displayed the highest qualities of fortitude and bravery throughout" his escapades.
After the war he left the army and returned to Guernsey where he worked as a life assurance salesman and was heavily involved with his old school, Elizabeth College.
He died in 1998 but on the 70th anniversary of his first mission to Guernsey a stone was unveiled on the cliff above La Jaonnet commemorating his military service.
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Date of Award
Fall 2019
Document Type
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Educ Foundations & Leadership
Community College Leadership
Committee Director
Mitchell R. Williams
Committee Member
Felecia Commodore
Committee Member
Jennifer Johnson
Over the past decade, for-profit career colleges have faced significant scrutiny and increased governmental regulation. Even with the skepticism of critics, for-profit enrollments surged and had one of the fastest enrollment growths among higher education sectors. For-profit career colleges are typically known for their predatory marketing practices and exorbitant costs. However, there is a significant concern surrounding why students would attend an institution with such a high cost and a socially perceived low-probability of return on investment (Cellini, 2012; Iloh & Tierney, 2013). This study employs a case study methodology to examine the decision-making process of students who selected for-profit career colleges instead of community colleges in northeast Florida. The researcher utilizes Levin and Milgrom's Rational Choice Theory which is based upon the premise that individuals have preferences and make decisions based upon those preferences (Levin & Milgrom, 2004). In this qualitative study, the researcher utilized document evidence, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups to examine how students arrived at their choice to attend a for-profit career college instead of a lesser expensive community college. The findings of the study provide a framework for higher education practitioners and leaders to utilize the information gathered to improve or modify their current admission and recruitment strategies to increase enrollment in community colleges among non-traditional students.


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15 Reasons Why Cats Make The Best Pets
15 Reasons Why Cats Make The Best Pets
15 Reasons Why Cats Make The Best Pets
There may be more than enough reasons to show how and why cats can make the best pets of all time.
Most importantly their solitary nature does not demand as much attention as any other pet would do. They don't bark like dogs at everything passes by your house.
Let's bring some practical reasons to light:
1. Low maintenance
This kind of pet cannot make you bankrupt overnight as they need less quantity of food, they groom themselves so fewer trips to the groomer and loves to hang out with their hooman making more room for cuddling and lesser need for toys.
2. Ideal pets for apartments
Cats are the ideal pet for apartments in busy cities as cats are not very loud and would not disturb your neighbor in any sense.
3. They do not make a fuss
When you leave for work, just leave them with their favorite toy and when bored, they prefer to sleep and can sleep at max 15 hours a day.
4. Good Companion
Cats live for a good period of time, that is why they make a very good companion to live with. They are sharp, playful and it's really easy to make a cat happy.
5. Pleasing Appearance
Their pleasing appearance sums up to the reasons, you must realise that they are very cute by appearance irrespective of different breeds.
6. Greatly Admired
From History their existence is greatly admired and adopted by Islamic religions. They are thought to be ritually clean, unlike dogs, and are thus allowed to enter homes and even in mosques.
7. Reduce your Stress
A gentle and pleasing purr can actually relax you after a busy day at work. If you want to minimize your stress level, then you must buy a cat for yourself. if you have ever listened to a cat purr, it is one of the most delightful and soothing sounds.
8. Most cats are litter-box trained
The best habit any animal can have, you won't have to walk them on cold, rainy days, moreover for a new kitten, adopting a litter box quickly is instinctual.
Though they do prefer doing their business in a clean box, so it is your part to keep their litter box tidy and clean without any smell of detergents.
Also Read: How To Check Your Cat For Fever
9. They are actually good for your health
Many studies show that cats can calm hypertension with their kind behaviour, can lower the blood pressure and reduce the risk of dying from a heart attack. If any cat can do that for you other than medicinal supplements then they are worth caring for.
10. Very sophisticated
They are very sophisticated beings mostly the domesticated ones as they are very gentle in front of people and your guests. They may even leave you to greet your guests well or can hang out a little with them without creating a mess.
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11. Training is easier
With little treats you can teach your new kitten to come when called, to not scratch the furniture, and to retrieve a toy. Just like clicker training with dogs, you can teach cats with a clicker too.
12. They are good with small kids
As they look very cute and adorable already and can have a bunch of positive effects on children. Owning a cat can teach kids many social skills, emotional well-being, and most importantly respect for every creature of mother nature from a very young age.
Also Read: How To Check Cat For Worms
13. Save your time and energy
They groom themselves saving you time, energy, and money for a goober too frequently. Cats generally take care of themselves. They are very clean by nature and also likes the surrounding very clean.
14. They can understand well
They may not be very intelligent as a dolphin but they are constantly learning and have an excellent memory.
15. Playful
They are playful with any game you provide to them. The reason behind that is cats are filled with lots of energy and they didn't get much to hunt.
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The P value or calculated probability is the estimated probability of rejecting the null hypothesis (H0) of a study question when that hypothesis is true.
Levels are CK-12's student achievement levels.
 - Study Guide
 Hypothesis Testing
 Hypothesis Testing
 by Danielle Pintz //advanced
 covers all steps of hypothesis testing, specific to significance test of a mean and significance test of a proportion
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Original text


William McKinley, Optimal Reneging, and the Spanish-American War
34 Pages Posted: 7 Mar 2017 Last revised: 24 May 2019
Date Written: March 6, 2017
President William McKinley's decision to go to war with Spain is not well understood. Since McKinley kept very few written records, little is known about his actual thought process. As a result, historians have struggled with the apparent contradiction between McKinley's initial commitment to peace and subsequent decision to go to war and tend to focus on identifying outside forces that can explain the reversal. In this paper, I develop a model of optimal reneging. Contrary to conventional narratives among historians that McKinley's decision to go to war was a contradiction of his earlier position, my model suggests that McKinley's decision can be understood as an optimal timing problem. I start with the premise that a country would prefer to enter conflict only when its military capability is sufficient to make a victory likely. Thus, a country will commit to peace until its military capability reaches some threshold. Once military capability reaches this threshold, it is optimal to renege on a commitment to peace. I conduct simulations of the model to determine the likelihood that McKinley would renege during his first term. I find that if the ex ante estimate of the benefits of war were 2 - 2.6 times the ex ante estimate of cost, then the probability of reneging after one year is approximately 1% - 18%. If the perceived benefits were 2.7 times the ex ante estimate of cost (or greater), entry during McKinley's first term is certain.
Keywords: War, Political Economy, William McKinley, Spanish-American War
JEL Classification: H56, N41
Suggested Citation
Hendrickson, Joshua R., William McKinley, Optimal Reneging, and the Spanish-American War (March 6, 2017). Available at SSRN: _URL_ or _URL_
Joshua R. Hendrickson (Contact Author)
University of Mississippi ( email )
Oxford, MS 38677
United States
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text:
Thermal imaging tools can be used for so much more
By Carl Nix
The use of thermal imaging in the fire service continues to evolve as firefighters look to expand the technology to every aspect of firefighting. We know how valuable the technology is for interior fire operations and direct fire suppression activities, but how can we apply this tool to help firefighters with aerial attack applications? A thermal imaging camera (TIC) can be extremely helpful to firefighters on the ladder crew. This group of firefighters is responsible for placing the apparatus in the right spot, opening vent holes, and positioning the master stream. The decisions made by the ladder crew are critical to attacking the fire aerially and on the ground.
Placing the apparatus for attacking the fire from above depends on many factors, including the type of structure, building construction, obstructions overhead and on the ground, the size of the area needing to be contained, and access points. Knowing the best place to position the ladder truck is a critical one as hazards, scene coordination, and overall effectiveness are impacted. The greatest concern with apparatus placement is the presence and location of overhead electrical lines. Inadvertent contact with electrical lines can have catastrophic consequences for anyone on or touching the apparatus. When fighting a fire at night, power lines can be difficult to see. Add inclement weather, and it can be even harder to determine where these lines are. This is where your TIC is a valuable tool. Using a TIC can help the truck operator determine the best placement of the apparatus to help with search and rescue, extrication, ventilation, and overhaul.
Aerial ladders are often used in fighting fires where high-rise buildings are often affected. Add smoke and darkness to this scene with zero visibility, and it's nearly impossible to see the structure's upper windows and roof line for hidden dangers. Your TIC can help identify electrical lines because electricity generates heat as it travels through the line. This heat is identifiable by the TIC, making the power lines easy to locate. Now, scan the scene using your TIC to help locate problems such as electrical service wires, window-mounted air conditioners, and a host of other hazards you need to avoid. The TIC can also help detect people who are at the windows but obscured by smoke from the fire below. Be aware, however, that your TIC should never be used to determine whether down lines are energized. Although the TIC can provide reliable identification of the presence of power lines, it should not be used to evaluate energized vs. nonenergized.
Using your TIC to perform a variety of ventilation tasks is also an effective use of the tool. Use your TIC to identify the warmest area of the roof. If you are in the bucket, be sure to scan the roof from your elevated position with the TIC to identify the area of the roof where the heat is collecting or the warmest part of the roof. Now that you've scanned the roof area, you know where to start making your cuts. Remember, during the day warm spots can easily be mistaken for higher temperatures under the roofing material. Also, use your TIC to scan the overall structure to monitor the effectiveness of vent operations. If you notice that one area of the roof is warmer than another and that location is supported by visible fire conditions, you may be able to move the ventilation hole to a more appropriate spot. Your TIC can help you identify the most effective place for your ventilation hole.
Elevated master streams for fighting fires is a technique deployed because a fire is present in an upper floor and water is being sent down from above. How often have you seen the gallons of water streaming from a ladder pipe shooting over the top of the building, never hitting the fire? Give the firefighter a TIC, and now you have a more precision aim at the fire and a much better chance of suppressing it quickly and safely.
Heavy smoke conditions, or simply darkness, can impede the ability of the crew to effectively place the stream where it is needed. Using a TIC lets you direct the stream to its intended target. You can use the TIC to place the stream with pinpoint accuracy and get the water exactly where it needs to go—no more guessing involved. Operations will be quicker and more efficient while using less water. Be sure the TIC is properly secured to the firefighter in a way that wouldn't impede his movements while fighting the fire.
It's a good idea when fighting a structure fire that involves more than one ladder company that a TIC is equipped on each apparatus. Ladder companies often split up on the fireground to simultaneously work together to fight the fire, and having an apparatus without a TIC impacts the safety and efficiency of all the responding crews. Having multiple TICs on the apparatus lets the crews operate at a much higher efficiency level than if they only had one TIC available.
A TIC provides firefighters with many uses and shouldn't be thought of for only interior fire suppression. It is a valuable tool to firefighting crews on ladder companies, who benefit greatly from the technology a TIC offers.
Carl Nix is a 32-year veteran of the fire service and a retired battalion chief of the Grapevine (TX) Fire Department. He serves as an adjunct instructor for North Central Texas College and a thermal imaging instructor for Bullard. Nix has a bachelor of science degree in fire administration and is a guest instructor for Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service's (TEEX) annual fire training in Texas.


Eliminate Nonessential Content
by Patti Shank
Key Chapters
 1. A roadmap for learning
 Traveling the learning road, tasks and realities, an example, writing for instruction, series organization.
 2. Learning objectives
 Use five tactics for removing excess words and content from your instruction. Then, practice the five tactics in examples and your own content.
 3. Introduction
 When should you apply these tactics?
 4. Tactic 1
 Prefer simpler words and phrases to complex words and phrases.
 5. Tactic 2
 Avoid phrases with no value.
 6. Tactic 3
 Use technical terms only when they are needed or expected.
 7. Tactic 4
 Replace long descriptions with graphics.
 8. Tactic 5
 Move less essential content to non-prime space.
 9. Eliminate words and content checklist
 Use the checklist to analyze your content.
 10. Wrap-up
 Top 10 takeaways
How we write learning content is as important as what we write. For example, complex writing makes the message hard to understand or mixing unnecessary content with important content makes it difficult to find and remember the most critical messages.
Successful eLearning content is synonymous to customized eLearning content. This eBook is the ultimate Go-to tool to help you achieve that.
Christopher Pappas photo
Christopher Pappas
Founder of the eLearning Industry's Network


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Why do girls need Friendly PEERsuasion?
Girls Inc. Friendly PEERsuasion® is a program, specially tailored for the needs of girls 11-14 years old, that allows girls to learn about the causes, appearance and effects of peer influence. These three areas of knowledge are the foundation for decision making and resistance skills. By approaching drug abuse prevention as a peer issue, this program allows girls real world experience in using positive, healthy behavior to influence peers. In addition to learning communication skills and stress indicators, this program teaches girls to combat stress in healthy ways.
Girls are able to model behavior with this two-part program:
- Part I: Girls are given foundation skills (communication, decisionmaking, and assertiveness) so that they can practice saying no to negative, dangerous behaviors/activities. Girls play games, have group discussions, role play, learn about the effects of drug use/abuse on the body and mind, and recognize indicators of peer pressure and better ways to manage stress.
- Part II: Girls who have completed Part I work together to create prevention activities for girls 6 – 10 years old.
These activities allow girls to act as role models and leaders and reinforce their commitment to avoid illegal substances, tobacco, and alcohol.
Peer pressure is a staple of youth. The pressures felt by girls are often perceived as being greater those felt by boys. Girls have a plethora of reasons for turning to drugs and alcohol, like pressure to stay slim, be popular, appear mature, or escape overwhelming problems. Standard prevention programs are not tailored to the specific needs of girls, rendering them ineffective.
- Among young women who currently smoke, 92.3% believe persons can get addicted to cigarettes, and yet 23.8% think it is safe to smoke one to two years and then quit.
- Of high-school-aged young women who currently smoke, 20% think smokers have more friends; 12.4% think smokers look cool.
- More adolescent girls than boys reported feeling a lot of stress and more say they use cigarettes (66% versus 49%) and alcohol (38% versus 27%) to deal with stress.
- 41% of girls in the 9th grade use alcohol.
- By the time girls reach their senior year in high school, 34% report periodic heavy drinking.
- In the United States, an estimated 4.6 million women abuse or are dependent on alcohol.
After participating in Friendly PEERsuasion training,
- Only 22% of girls ages 11 to 12 reported smoking, drinking, or using other drugs, compared with 34% of girls who did not participate.
- One month after completion of the program, the same group of participants showed no increase in substance use, while those who did not participate increased substance use by 6 percentage points, from 34% to 40%.
- Only 4% of participants ages 11 and 12 reported staying in situations where peers were smoking, drinking, or using other drugs; 14% of girls who did not participate reported staying in situations where peers engaged in such behavior.
- Girls were more likely to avoid situations where peers were smoking, drinking, or using drugs.
Friendly PEERsuasion was named an Effective Program by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention in their 2001 Exemplary Program Awards.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


Feelings: to nature(Environment), nature is dynamic as
Feelings: Watching the video instigated me to appreciate the beauty of nature and how it affects us as human when we appreciate and allow nature to affect our lives positively in enriching our totality as humans
What I value most: As humans, our lives are tied to nature(Environment), nature is dynamic as such, nature has a way of influencing and impacting lives.
The ecosystem in Social work. The ecosystem in social work is applying a perspective that focuses on families, persons, cultures, policies, communities and to recognise and intercede in areas relating to strength and weaknesses in the relationship among the systems. This perspective enables for a better understanding of humans and the environment in a way to accelerate the relationship that exists between among ecosystem. It is interesting to know that one of the guiding frameworks in social work practice is focused on the person in the environed.
Services: This is what humans benefit from the natural environment such as climate control and diseases, waste management, food supply, flood regulation, recreational benefit, clean potable water etc.
Feelings watching the Fiji and Serbia videos: I feel very devastated haven't seen how climate change has deprived vulnerable people, negatively affecting them economically, emotionally and socially. Thus, subjecting them to poverty and low standard of living.it also applies to Serbia, the environment is polluted and hazardous to health, however, destabilised economic activities especially for farmers and fishermen since the waters and soil are heavily polluted by toxic chemicals.
Application of Environmental Justice: From a social work perspective, the people of Fiji have gone through economic, psychological, Social deprivation because of climatic change that has displaced them resulting in poverty and low standard of living, government should provide basic needs such as shelter, food, relief materials and food as a way in ameliorating hardship experience by habitat of Fiji.
Government owe it as a duty to implement and enforce strict laws that will guide the environment with the aim to checkmate the activities and practices that are detrimental to the environment and wellbeing of humans. E.g. It will reduce pollution and waste generated by big and influential companies in mining, production and manufacturing. Thus, promote policies and governance geared in achieve development and sustainability.
However, the technical assistant can be provided by Eco social workers in collaboration with government and foreign organizations in legal advice, organize community workshop training for sensitization awareness about the dangers and practices that are dangerous to the environment. Collective effort to enforce that green lands are preserved and the need to plant trees around. Equip and orientate them on how to manage devastation because of climate change if in the even it reoccurs in the future with the aim to reduce the effect of devastation.
I'm Alfred!
Check it out


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Students are taken to the greenhouses and asked to explore them looking for a plant to adopt. The students have to explain why they have adopted that plant: food, water, camouflage, to protect, for protection, or to pollinate.
Materials Needed: Students, Greenhouses
- Docent leads students to the greenhouses.
- Docent explains activity and prompts students to think why a plant-insect relationship could be important.
- Students are told they have to 1)have a good reason why they want to adopt that plant: food, protection, shelter, etc. and 2) tell 3 people why they chose that plant. One person has to be a teacher or Docent.
- Students are told they have seven minutes to explore the greenhouses and choose a plant.
- Students are then sent into the greenhouses to explore.
Alabama Course of Study for Science
This activity meets goals specified for grades:
- K–_TAG_ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 19
- 1st–_TAG_ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27
- 2nd–_TAG_ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 20, 23, 25, 26
- 3rd–_TAG_ 1, 2, 3, 4, 32, 37
- 4th–_TAG_ 1, 2, 3, 4, 43, 46
- 5th–_TAG_ 1, 2, 3, 4, 30, 31, 39
Students will look at plant-insect relationships from a different perspective, from the perspective of the insect they have become and understand better why plants could be important to them as an insect and as a human.
Students will be able to:
- identify and discuss why plants are important to insects.
- distinguish at least three important relationships between plants and insects.
- verbalize why a plant is important to them as a specific insect.


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Moving and Resizing Tiles
When adding an item to a Dashboard, Customer Insights adds the new item to the "end" of the Dashboard, using a size based on both the type of item being added and the amount of space available on the Dashboard. For example, suppose you have a Dashboard that looks like this:
If you add a new Look to that Dashboard, the Dashboard will then look similar to this:
That may or may not be where you wanted the new tile to go, and that may or may not be the size you wanted for the tile. Fortunately, that doesn't matter: Customer Insights makes it easy to move and (or) to resize elements on your Dashboards.
If you click an element on your Dashboard, you'll see several items appear on that element, including a Move handle (the three bars in the upper left corner) and a resizing handle (the solid triangle in the bottom right corner):
If you want to move an element to a new location on the Dashboard, click the Move handle, hold the mouse button down, and then drag the tile to its new location. As soon as you have the tile positioned correctly, release the mouse button, and the Dashboard will rearrange the other elements as needed:
To resize an element, click the resizing handle, hold the mouse button down, and drag the mouse until the tile is the desired size. When you release the mouse button, the tile will change size and the other elements on the Dashboard will automatically be moved to make as much room as is needed:


Why Is Our Tree Not Growing?
Why Is Our Tree Not Growing?
With the arrival of spring several weeks ago, many Houston property owners have begun to see increased growth in lawns, gardens, and trees. Unfortunately for some Houston homeowners, spring may have revealed a lack of growth, causing concern for these owners. There are several causes for why a tree might not be growing new leaves or branches, which we will discuss in today's blog post. Hopefully, if your tree is experiencing little to no spring time growth, you can get your tree the help it needs to recover and begin growing again.
Tree Diseases
One of the most common causes of lack of growth for trees is a tree disease such as oak wilt or hypoxylon cankers. These diseases can diminish the health of a tree in a short time, causing leaf wilting, crown dieback, and damage to the trunk and limbs. Tree diseases can usually be treated by Certified Arborists to save the life of a tree, but early detection is crucial. Regular tree maintenance and inspection by Certified Arborists can help catch the warning signs early and prevent major damages or even tree death. Amateur tree crews or landscapers will often overlook or ignore a tree's warning signs, and the tree will likely die to the disease.
Poor Soil Health
Trees depend on healthy soil in order to gain essential nutrients and soil minerals for tree and root development. When soil is compromised, it can have a detrimental effect on the immediate and long-term health of the tree. Common causes of poor soil health include contamination from nearby construction, soil compaction from construction or foot traffic, dry conditions from a lack of moisture, or standing pools of water from poor drainage. Correcting these issues can help trees regain their ability to get water, sunlight and minerals from the soil, and ultimately restore their health.
Insect Damages
Insects can cause widespread destruction to otherwise healthy lawns, gardens, and trees, especially younger trees. Tree insects can attack the leaves, bark, and even root systems, and early detection is key to preserve the tree's health and prevent the spread of the insects to other nearby trees and plants. Property owners will benefit from having regular tree maintenance and inspection by Certified Arborists to check for insects and prevent infestations.
Root Girdling
One of the less common threats to tree health comes from root girdling, which occurs when tree roots begin to circle back around the tree trunk under the soil instead of expanding outward. Root girdling can choke the life out of a tree and cause it to diminish in health and stability. This commonly occurs when the tree is planted at a very deep depth and too much of the trunk is buried under soil. To correct the issue and save the tree, Embark Services's Certified Arborists will gently remove soil surrounding the tree to inspect for girdling roots wrapped around the trunk, root color deterioration, and wires or twine still left from initial planting. The Root Flare Excavation process involved removing any roots, wires or other hindrances around the base so that the tree health can be sustained without damaging the existing root system.
Trees are important assets of any residential property, so protecting their health and stability is essential for Houston property owners. Embark Services can help protect tree health and treat existing tree issues with their full range of exceptional tree care services, including tree pruning, tree planting, deep root fertilization, irrigation installation, root flare excavation, soil aeration, disease and insect treatment, and tree removal. Contact Embark Services's team of Certified Arborists today for more information, or go online to request a free consultation.


Taguchi designs
Use this tool to generate Taguchi designs and improve your products or processes. Available in Excel with the XLSTAT software.
What is Taguchi method?
The Taguchi method is a method introduced by Genichi Taguchi (Genichi and Wu, 1980) which is a method of design of experiment providing an improvement to full and fractional factorial designs.
Two steps are needed to apply that method:
 - A step of generation of the Taguchi design during which it is possible to choose from a list of designs according to the number of factors and the levels of these.
 - Once the Taguchi design is obtained, you can analyze it to identify the control factor parameters that minimize the variation of the response. This second step is achievable with the tool Analysis of a Taguchi design.
Taguchi design options within XLSTAT
Depending on the number of factors and their levels, XLSTAT offers a list of appropriate designs. These designs have a particular notation defined such as: L(nbRuns)(nbLevel^nbFactor).
Where nbRuns = number of runs, nbLevel = number of levels for each factor, and nbFactors = number of factors.
If the notation is of this form: L(nbRuns)(nbLevel^nbFactors), the design contains mixed-levels factors.
For example, a L9(3^3) design is a design having 9 runs and 3 factors at 3 levels. A L18(3^3 6^1) design is a design having 18 runs, 3 factors with 3 levels and 1 factor with 6 levels.
Taguich design output within XLSTAT
Variable Information: This table summarizes all information about the selected factors.
Design of experiment: This table shows the Taguchi design. Empty columns are used to fill in the responses.
Start the analysis: Once the responses columns are filled, you can click on the "Run the analysis" button to open the prefilled dialog box allowing to perform the analysis of the Taguchi design.
Coded design: This table displays Taguchi's coded design, containing 1, 2, 3,... rather than the categories of your factors.
ternary diagramneural network diagram
analysieren sie ihre daten mit xlstat
kostenlose 14-tage-testversion


Bob Bickler
How many times can I reuse my flash chromatography column?
November 21, 2019 at 3:40 PM / by Bob Bickler
Flash chromatography – a purification tool for both organic chemists and natural product researchers. This tool is essential when you need to remove impurities from your targeted product, or products, in order to get them pure. To reduce the costs associated with flash chromatography, some chemists try reusing the same column over and over, not always with success.
A question I am frequently asked is "how many times can I reuse my flash column?" Although I have previously addressed this topic, I feel it is worth another look. In this post, I will attempt to address this question by providing a bit more science behind the cartridge reuse question.
Column reuse is an issue of both economics and chemistry. With reversed-phase chromatography, column reuse is a given. Why, because the hydrophobic stationary phase is washable with organic solvents to remove highly retained contaminants and the columns can be stored in acetonitrile or methanol for long time periods. Though reversed-phase columns cost more than silica columns, their reusability soon pays for the cost difference.
But, what about reusing normal-phase flash columns? Well, normal-phase flash chromatography does pose some reuse challenges. Unlike reversed-phase columns, which come to you "deactivated", normal-phase columns packed with dry silica are "active".
So, what does active mean? Well, as you know, silica is a drying agent as well as a chromatography sorbent. Its active nature allows it to adsorb water, among other solvents.
Have you ever noticed how warm a new, dry silica column gets when solvent is introduced? This phenomena is the heat of adsorption and as more solvent is pumped through the column the heat dissipates as the silica becomes "deactivated".
However, solvent chemistry plays a role with the amount of deactivation taking place. Hydrocarbons such as hexane or heptane are very non-polar a do not generate nearly as much heat or deactivation as, say, ethyl acetate or an alcohol. Much of this stationary phase wetting exotherm has to do with solvent polarity, as you can imagine – and that is where the problems regarding reuse start.
The more polar the organic solvent, the more deactivated the silica becomes and the less likely it is to provide the same quality separation as previously achieved. As an example, I used two different brands of silica columns three consecutive times running a hexane-ethyl acetate gradient with a 5-component sample, Figure 1. The results show decreasing compound retention of the three most polar compounds along with decreased separation with each consecutive run with both brands. Brand R actually degraded enough by the third run that the third and fourth peaks co-elute!
Figure 1. When polar solvents are used in gradients with silica columns the silica becomes deactivated. Even with flushing with a weaker solvent silica activity cannot be restored resulting in continually decreased compound retention and separation.
Once silica deactivates, it is virtually impossible to reactivate it. No amount of washing with hexane or other solvent will remove the adsorbed polar solvent, regardless of its concentration.
Are there exceptions? Of course, including running isocratic methods and using solvents with low polarity, such as dichloromethane. Under these conditions it may be possible to re-use your silica column.
So, the answer to the original question - how many times can I reuse my flash column depends on the type of stationary phase and the solvents used. For practical purposes, to avoid potentially adding contaminants to subsequent normal-phase purification, use the silica column only once - its just good science.
For more information on flash chromatography tips and tricks, please download our white paper - Successful Flash Chromatography.
Read The White Paper
Topics: Chromatography Fundamentals, Sfär, Cost, Normal Phase
Bob Bickler
Written by Bob Bickler


Tech, Productivity, Online Education
QOTD: Jerome on Studying and Teaching Holy Scripture
Read the divine scriptures constantly; never, indeed, let the sacred volume be out of your hand. Learn what you have to teach. Hold fast the faithful word as you have been taught that you may be able by sound doctrine to exhort and convince the gainsayers. Continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;"[1] and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope and faith that are in you."[2] Do not let your deeds belie your words; lest when you speak in church someone may mentally reply Why do you not practise what you profess? Here is a lover of dainties turned censor! his stomach is full and he reads us a homily on fasting. As well might a robber accuse others of covetousness." In a priest of Christ mouth mind, and hand should be at one.
Jerome Letters 52.7
 1. Titus 1:9; 2 Tim 3:14 ↩
 2. 1 Peter 3:15 ↩


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The Panic Virus: Unmasking the Truth About Vaccines and Autism
Discover the Facts and Unravel the Myths
Are you seeking reliable, evidence-based information about the controversial connection between vaccines and autism? Look no further than "The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear" by Seth Mnookin. This thought-provoking PDF book provides a comprehensive exploration of the history, science, and media narratives surrounding this contentious issue.
Unmasking the Truth
In "The Panic Virus," Seth Mnookin delves deep into the vaccine-autism controversy, separating fact from fiction. With meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Mnookin exposes the myths and misinformation that have fueled public fears and shaped public perception. Drawing on interviews with parents, scientists, public health advocates, and anti-vaccine activists, Mnookin presents a balanced and nuanced perspective on this complex topic.
Understanding the Devastating Consequences
The ramifications of vaccine misinformation are far-reaching and profound. Mnookin highlights the real-world consequences of vaccine hesitancy and declining vaccination rates, including the resurgence of deadly diseases such as measles, whooping cough, and Hib. He reveals how the spread of vaccine-related fears has led to wasted resources, ineffective "miracle cures," and tragic deaths from preventable illnesses.
An Eye-Opening Cautionary Tale
"The Panic Virus" serves as a cautionary tale for our time, shedding light on the mechanisms that perpetuate misinformation and the manipulation of public opinion. Mnookin explores the role of media personalities, celebrities, and journalists in amplifying unfounded claims about vaccines and autism. He examines the cognitive biases and conspiracy theories that contribute to the persistence of such beliefs and their impact on public health.
Empower Yourself with Knowledge
By reading "The Panic Virus," you will arm yourself with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about the health and well-being of your loved ones. Mnookin provides a critical analysis of scientific studies, debunking false claims and highlighting the overwhelming consensus among experts that vaccines are safe and crucial for public health. This book empowers readers to navigate the noise and separate fact from fiction.
Convenient PDF Format
Enjoy the convenience of accessing "The Panic Virus" in PDF format. Whether you are a concerned parent, a healthcare professional, or simply interested in understanding the dynamics of vaccine controversies, this accessible and engaging book is a valuable resource.
Don't miss out on this enlightening exploration of medicine, science, and fear. Order your copy of "The Panic Virus: Unmasking the Truth About Vaccines and Autism" today and embark on a journey towards informed decision-making and a deeper understanding of this critical issue.


Accounting procedures for dealing with uncashed checks will vary in detail from state to state, but the general procedures are similar. They begin with frequent check reconciliation and the establishment of a separate uncashed checks register. Good internal controls and record-keeping are advisable, because several years may pass before you can remove these contingent liabilities from your company's accounts.
Identifying Uncashed Checks
The necessary first step in keeping track of checks your company has written is reconciling your checkbook. These days, the reconciliation is more likely to take place in QuickBooks or another digital accounting program. After accounting for bank charges that may not have been posted internally and any unrecorded payments to the bank, the two accounts -- your account of checks written, and the bank's account of checks cashed -- should match -- that is, they should "reconcile." The difference between them identifies the dollar amount of uncashed checks. If this is done regularly -- monthly in small companies and one-person operations and weekly in other companies -- it usually takes only a few minutes to identify which uncashed checks account for the difference.
Setting the Policy
A company policy regarding uncashed checks may vary in accordance with state unclaimed property laws, but the overall structure will have these elements: identification and enumeration of uncashed checks in a separate "uncashed checks" register; tracking of checks subsequently cashed, which will show up as a discrepancies in later reconciliations; removal of cashed checks from the uncashed checks register; appropriate postings in the profit and loss accounts; and required transmission of money from uncashed checks to the state authority.
Accounting Treatment
Uncashed checks are treated as contingent liabilities on account records. If there is a state requirement for the eventual transmission of money from uncashed checks to the state authority -- and increasingly there is -- when the money is sent, the contingent liability becomes a payment and you can remove the contingency from the books. You also remove the contingent liability if and when the unclaimed money eventually reverts to the company. A 2004article on unclaimed property in "The Journal of Accountancy" notes that strong internal controls and data retention are particularly important, because eventually the information must be passed on to the state authority.
Communication Policy
In most businesses, the number of uncashed checks is small. It's often easier to contact the recipient of the check after 60 days to understand why the check hasn't been cashed than to keep track of it on the books for several years, then mail the money to the state. Customers will also appreciate it. A 2009 Bankrate article warns that some states are aggressive about collecting unclaimed property, but not diligent about returning it to intended recipients.
Eventual Disposition
If your state has no requirement that money from uncashed checks be passed to a state authority, you may have an eventual right to recapture this money. The timing of this right differs from state to state; consult your attorney or an appropriate state authority, often the office of the Secretary of State. Otherwise, when according to state statute the money must be turned over to the state, do so promptly. The Journal of Accountancy article warns that failure to do so may even trigger a state audit.


Turning GitHub Into A URL Shortening Service
URL shortening services like TinyURL or Bitly have long become an essential part of the modern web, and are popular enough that even Google killed off their own already. Creating your own shortener is also a fun exercise, and in its core doesn't require much more than a nifty domain name, some form of database to map the URLs, and a bit of web technology to glue it all together. [Nelsontky] figured you don't even have to build most of it yourself, but you could just (ab)use GitHub for it.
Using GitHub Pages to host the URL shortening website itself, [nelsontky] actually repurposes GitHub's issue tracking system to map the shortened identifier to the original URL. Each redirection is simply a new issue, with the issue number serving as the shortening identifier, and the issue's title text storing the original URL. To map the request, a bit of JavaScript extracts the issue number from the request, looks it up via GitHub API, and if a valid one was found (and API rate limits weren't exceeded), redirects the caller accordingly. What's especially clever about this is that GitHub Pages usually just serves static files stored in a repository, so the entire redirection logic is actually placed in the 404 error handling page, allowing requests to any arbitrary paths.
While this may not be as neat as placing your entire website content straight into the URL itself, it could be nicely combined with this rotary phone to simply dial the issue number and access your bookmarks — perfect in case you always wanted your own website phone book. And if you don't like the thought of interacting with the GitHub UI every time you want to add a new URL, give the command line tools a try.
11 thoughts on "Turning GitHub Into A URL Shortening Service
 1. That's a great reason not to use a link shortener for technical discussions like we might have here ore really anything that someone might want to reference later. On the other hand, if you are having a less serious discussion with a friend (think Facebook, not Stack Exchange) you might want to show them something but you want it to have the full impact when they see it. You don't want the punchline given away but the url. Of course, with the FB example, if you use any of the well known link shorteners FB's software will scrape it and generate a preview but that could be a great reason to use this github hack.
 2. Best practice is for a URL redirection system to always return a 301 "Resource moved permanently" response code with the destination URL.
 Best practice for a crawler is to follow 301's and store the URL that finally returns a 200 OK.
 IMHO this should even be what is done with intermediary services, and some do.
 If something is going to present a user-supplied link to others, I do like seeing it present some combination of the target link along with the anchor text. Even if it's just the final domain name. Sites doing that (IMHO) should be using the final URL for this, not any of the URLs returning 301's.
 It's a minor safety thing, and yes very minor, but also a curtesy thing too. As well as completely removing the link breakage problems that URL shorteners add in.
 1. I hate these shortened URL's.
 It's just a completely unnecessary extra layer of indirection and on top of that the links break all the time and are probably also used to track people over the 'net.
 Just yuck.
 2. Using a shortener is like using some stranger's warp calculation. You would't know the destination until you are there. Also the Universe is in flux so when it expires, you might be somewhere else. It could be the middle of a star or a black hole.
 It is one of those noobie things that should not be encouraged.
 1. what a ridiculous statement. Sometimes obnoxiously long URL's need to be shortened. If you use itty.bitty for example (where the content is stored in the url) link shortening is a god send.
 3. My company (ISP provider) actively discourages customers from using URL shorteners, and more specifically, avoid clicking on them, because they're too easy to abuse. One has to go through extra steps to find out where they ultimately go without clicking on them first. Just a bad thing all around.
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text:
History of Textiles: The Ancient World through 1700
Significant developments in the style, technology & function of textiles from Antiquity through the 17th century. The understanding & appreciation of fabrics, their historical significance, & their importance as indicators of status & wealth is examined through surviving evidence as well as representations in the other arts & literature. Emphasis is placed on the European context, while including the impact of cultural exchanges, primarily with the East & Asia. The main fabric categories covered are pattern-woven silks, tapestry, carpets, embroidery, lace, & printed/painted fabrics.
- Old Course Number: E93.2077
This site, and all its contents, are Copyright ©
by New York University. All rights reserved.
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development - 82 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003


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$ -base +pretty
Above, except that if the last line of the first argument stops at least one position before the first line of the second begins, these two lines are overlapped. For example:
> text "hi" $$ nest 5 (text "there")
lays out as
> hi there
$$ is associative, with identity empty, and also satisfies
* (x $$ y) <> z = x $$ (y <> z), if y non-empty.
Above, with no overlapping. $+$ is associative, with identity empty.


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Date: 02/22/99 at 01:24:35 From: Mari Subject: Algebraic Structures A friend and I are stuck on two homework problems. Please help us. 1) Suppose that N and M are two normal subgroups of G and that (N intersect M) = (e). Show that for any n element of N, m element of M, nm = mn. We began by manipulating what we wanted and have e = m^-1 n^-1 m n, where we have the 2 forms of elements being in N and M. Is this a correct start? 2) Let G be defined as all formal symbols (x^i y^j), i = 0, j =0, 2, 3,..., n-1, where we assume (x^i y^j) = (x^i prime y^j prime) iff i = i prime, j = j prime x^2 = y^n = e, n>2 xy = y^-1 x. a) Find the form of the product (x^i y^j)(x^k y^L) as (x^alpha y^beta). b) Using this, prove G is a non-abelian group of order 2n. c) If n is odd, prove the center of G is (e), while if n is even, the center of G is larger than (e). For a) do we did cases applying n > 2, n < 2 since we tried to substitute the given into what we wanted, but we could not get it. For b) and c) we really did not have a clue. We thank you for your time and consideration.
Date: 02/22/99 at 13:25:05 From: Doctor Rob Subject: Re: Algebraic Structures In 1), you have made a good start. Set z = m^(-1)*n^(-1)*m*n. You want to prove x = e. Now look at this formula like this: z = m^(-1)*[n^(-1)*m*n]. The quantity in brackets is something you should be able to say something about because M is a normal subgroup (review the definition of a normal subgroup). Use that to say something about x. Now look at the formula like this: x = [m^(-1)*n^(-1)*m]*n. Say something about the quantity in brackets using the fact that N is a normal subgroup. Use that to say something about z. Combine these two facts about z to conclude that z = e. In the second problem, the key to (a) is to use x*y = y^(-1)*x in the form x*y*x^(-1) = y^(-1), and so x*y^n*x^(-1) = y^(-n). Therefore, y^n*x = x*y^(-n). That will allow you to write y^j*x^k = x*y^(-j)*x^(k-1) = x^2*y^j*x^(k-2) =... = x^k*y^([-1]^k*j) (proof by induction on k). That will allow you to complete part (a). To prove part (b), prove that the elements e, y, y^2,..., y^(n-1), x, x*y, x*y^2,..., x*y^(n-1) are all distinct, and that every element of the group is equal to one of them, and that the group is not an abelian group because the pair of elements x and y do not commute. To prove part (c), take the list of 2*n elements above, and see which ones commute with x, and which ones commute with y. Those which commute with both will constitute the center. - Doctor Rob, The Math Forum _URL_
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Engineer Load Management
The Engineer Load Management is responsible for researching, evaluating and recommending software and hardware solutions to deliver existing load management and demand response programs. Assists the Load Management Program Manager with designing and implementing new demand response programs. Serves as subject matter expert (SME) and leads the testing and implementation of new technologies and supporting databases. Also responsible for daily monitoring of demand response software and hardware to ensure reliability and takes appropriate steps for corrective action when deficiencies are identified.
The Engineer Load Management performs under minimal guidance and provides mentoring and training to the Load Management Analysts, Load Management Technicians and Contractors performing load management and demand response work.
**A valid driver's license is required **
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Responsible for testing and monitoring the reliability and accuracy of the hardware and software utilized to deliver the Energy Planner demand response program both in a lab and field environment. Working knowledge of software and firmware designs embedded within smart thermostats and control devices for electric water heaters and pool pumps.
- Advanced knowledge of vendor's home area network communications protocol and programming design to monitor both administrative and customer portals for integrity and reliability; identifies and communicates any inconsistencies or failures to the vendor for corrective action as outlined in Software License Agreement, Commercial Terms, and Master Agreement.
- Tracks hardware and firmware failures; documents reasons and alerts Program Manager of trends or patterns that would indicate potential defects that would negatively impact program performance.
- Evaluates critical pricing events and provides feedback on system performance. Also develops technical reports that describe system performance, communication failures, hardware failures, trends, root cause analysis and reliability.
- Develops training materials and administers training to the Load Management Analysts and Contractors completing load management and demand response (Energy Planner) work.
- Remains current with industry trends, emerging technologies and conservation programs introduced in the market place to achieve load management and demand response goals; participates with the evaluation, recommendation, and implementation of test and production solutions.
- Promotes awareness of new/emerging technologies for home automation and control of appliances to deliver load management and demand response programs.
- Develops presentations to educate peers, contractors, vendors, employees and the public on load management and demand response programs. Provides Emergency Management or Company support as determined by Manager and Company guidelines during severe storms or any other Company emergency.
EDUCATION, LICENSES, AND CERTIFICATIONS:
- Degree must be from an institution accredited by the Commissions on Colleges
- Required: Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited institution.
REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Minimum of 5 years' experience supporting the evaluation, development, testing and delivery of load management and/or demand response programs including Smart Grid products and services.
- Develops and maintains industry knowledge and expertise in the areas of load management and demand response technologies.
- Working knowledge of end-user platforms and smart grid technologies to deliver demand response programs.
- Ability to evaluate, monitor and diagnose load management technologies and corresponding software and firmware enhancements embedded in devices for control.
- Utilization of diagrams and schematics to replicate home area networks in a lab environment for testing and evaluation purposes.
- Ability to communicate and present technical information effectively.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Business process flow definition and documentation, software configuration and customization.
- Knowledge of HVAC systems, water heaters and pool pumps installed in residential applications.
- Some extended and after hours, weekend and holiday work is required.
- Sitting for long periods of time, walking, bending, stooping, and climbing.
- Repetitive use of fingers and hands to operate computer software and keyboard, build test boards and test devices.
- The ability to work in customer homes, outdoors, in the sun, rain and sometimes inclement weather conditions.
- Business & Job Knowledge, Communication/Presentation Skills, Judgment, Ownership & Excellence, Produce Results & Vision and Strategy.


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Four species, two extant (L. hopei and L. peroffskyana) and two (Tertiary) extinct, endemic to Australia. Described 1857 based on a living plant (L. peroffskyana) in the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden (Jones 1993). The most recent systematic study was by Johnson (1959).
Large plants with a stout, erect trunk. Notable features include:
Australia: New South Wales and Queensland, near the coast, in rainforest or similarly sheltered forest sites. Soils are well-structured loams (Jones 1993).
Both species are popular ornamentals suitable, when young, for indoor container plantings. The leaves are used for decoration (Jones 1993). Aboriginal use for food is not cited but seems likely in view of the size and local abundance of these plants.
Have seen both species in native habitat. Both are easily located; see species descriptions for details.
First known from Eocene sediments in New South Wales. Propagation is solely from seed, which takes 12 to 24 months to germinate (Jones 1993).
Last Modified 2012-11-23


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The Best Way To Raise A Single Child
Raising a single child can be a tricky venture. All kinds of urban myths can get latched on to the idea of raising a single child leading many parents to worry about the right ways of raising their only child. Most of these stereotypes about raising a single child started in the late 1 890s and most of them revolved around suggestions that a single child would grow up to be aggressive, maladjusted and lonely.
Over the following century, multiple studies have been conducted on the subject and it has proven beyond doubt, that none of these stereotypes are true. Even then, urban myths still exist, making the endeavour of raising a single child seem like a risky one. Here, we take a look at some aspects parents need to keep in mind, while raising a single child.
It is important for parents of a single child to remember that they would occasionally need to engineer social situations to help their child make friends. This should be part of the child's early development and should be facilitated by arranging play dates and bringing the child to preschools. These moments are what would enable a single child to understand the values of sharing and socializing and is a very important factor in this regard.
Teach Social Skills
Sibling rivalry can often end in tears or even skinned knees. But part of what makes it important for a child's development is that sibling rivalry helps children garner social skills and an understanding on how to deal with peers. This is invaluable for a child as he/she grows up. In the absence of a sibling, it becomes the parent's responsibility to teach the children essential social skills. This should be done by making a child understand ideas of compromise, sharing etc. Values can be reinforced in a child by rewarding him! her specifically for being considerate towards others.
An important aspect to consider about a single child is that too much attention as they grow can render them too reliant on their parents to meaningfully become independent. Therefore, it's important to encourage the child to do things on his/her own. Parents of a single child should also keep in mind not to give in too much to their child by gratifying his/ her every whim. Understanding that they can't get everything they want, is also an integral part of growing up.
Have Realistic Expectations
Some parents who have a single child have the idea that they will eventually mould a specimen out of the child who is perfect in every way. This sort of expectation from a single child, or any child for that matter, is counterproductive. A parent of a single child needs to set realistic expectations that are attainable without becoming a burden.


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for National Geographic News
Millions of students around the world are getting ready to take a virtual expedition to the glaciers of Alaska in the hope of unraveling the mysteries surrounding one of Earth's most peculiar creatures, the ice worm.
"Worms occupy the most diverse niches on the planet," said Daniel Shain, an evolutionary biologist at Rutgers University. "They live near hydrothermal vents in the ocean at temperatures that can exceed 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit), and they're living in ice on Alaskan glaciers at zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). That's about as extreme as you can get."
Shain, one of the few scientists in the world studying ice worms, is participating in Frozen World, the 13th expedition of the Jason Project. The expeditions take students on the "ultimate field trip," allowing them to conduct field work, participate in experiments, and communicate with scientists in real time using satellites and Internet technology.
"Our mission is to spark a lifelong passion for science and technology in students," said Tim Armour, executive director of the Jason Foundation of Education. "The focus of this year's expedition is really the polar regions. We came to Alaska because many of the leading indicators of climate change can be seen in both the Arctic and Antarctic."
Students and scientists will be working on glacier ice core studies"aging the glaciers, studying their advance and retreat, mostly retreat right now, and the science of why and how ice core sampling is done," said Armour.
Other research being conducted during the two-week expedition, which runs from January 28 to February 8, includes studies involving plant and animal life, ocean circulation, and atmospheric measurements. Laced throughout the program is the human cultural aspectexploring how people have adapted to the environment.
"And then there's ice worms, which could turn out to be hugely important," said Armour.
Learning how ice worms evolved, and what adaptations they made to survive in such extreme conditions, could lead to breakthroughs in space travel, advances in tissue preservation for organ transplants, and insight into the possibility of life on other planets.
New Look at Ice Worm
George Frederick Wright, a glacial geologist and theologian, reported finding ice worms on Muir Glacier in southeast Alaska in 1887. But the intriguing creatures basically disappeared from the scientific radar screen for more than 100 years. There have been a few scattered scientific reports over the years, but no one has studied them in-depth.
Shain first learned about the existence of ice worms from a placemat in a restaurant in Alaska. "I was in Alaska on a trip with my Dad, and we went out to eat," he recalled. "They had a little blurb on ice worms, and like most people, I thought it was a big joke."
A couple of days later, Shain went to the Portage glacier visitor's center, which had some actual ice worms. "One of the women working there was extremely enthusiastic about them and sent me about 50, and it all started from there," he said.
SOURCES AND RELATED WEB SITES


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Definitions for objectˈɒb dʒɪkt, -dʒɛkt; əbˈdʒɛkt
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word object
object, physical object(noun)
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
"it was full of rackets, balls and other objects"
aim, object, objective, target(noun)
the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)
"the sole object of her trip was to see her children"
(grammar) a constituent that is acted upon
"the object of the verb"
the focus of cognitions or feelings
"objects of thought"; "the object of my affection"
(computing) a discrete item that provides a description of virtually anything known to a computer
"in object-oriented programming, objects include data and define its status, its methods of operation and how it interacts with other objects"
express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent
"She never objected to the amount of work her boss charged her with"; "When asked to drive the truck, she objected that she did not have a driver's license"
be averse to or express disapproval of
"My wife objects to modern furniture"
To make opposition in words or argument; to express one's displeasure; -- usually followed by to; as, she objected to his vulgar language. Sir. T. More.
(Computers) Any set of data that is or can be manipulated or referenced by a computer program as a single entity; -- the term may be used broadly, to include files, images (such as icons on the screen), or small data structures. More narrowly, anything defined as an object within an object-oriented programming language.
(Ontology) Anything which exists and which has attributes; distinguished from attributes, processes, and relations.
Origin: [L. objectus. See Object, v. t.]
A thing that has physical existence.
The goal, end or purpose of something.
The noun phrase which is an internal complement of a verb phrase or a prepositional phrase. In a verb phrase with a transitive action verb, it is typically the receiver of the action.
A person or thing toward which an emotion is directed.
In object-oriented programming, an instantiation of a class or structure.
To disagree with something or someone; especially in a Court of Law, to raise an objection.
Origin: From obiectum literally "thrown against", from obiectus, perfect passive participle of obicio, from ob + iacio.
to set before or against; to bring into opposition; to oppose
to offer in opposition as a criminal charge or by way of accusation or reproach; to adduce as an objection or adverse reason
to make opposition in words or argument; -- usually followed by to
that which is put, or which may be regarded as put, in the way of some of the senses; something visible or tangible; as, he observed an object in the distance; all the objects in sight; he touched a strange object in the dark
that which is set, or which may be regarded as set, before the mind so as to be apprehended or known; that of which the mind by any of its activities takes cognizance, whether a thing external in space or a conception formed by the mind itself; as, an object of knowledge, wonder, fear, thought, study, etc
that by which the mind, or any of its activities, is directed; that on which the purpose are fixed as the end of action or effort; that which is sought for; end; aim; motive; final cause
sight; show; appearance; aspect
a word, phrase, or clause toward which an action is directed, or is considered to be directed; as, the object of a transitive verb
opposed; presented in opposition; also, exposed
Origin: [L. objectus. See Object, v. t.]
In computer science, an object is a location in memory having a value and referenced by an identifier. An object can be a variable, function, or data structure. With the later introduction of object-oriented programming the same word, "object," refers to a particular instance of a class.
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'object' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1942
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'object' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3524
Rank popularity for the word 'object' in Nouns Frequency: #462
Rank popularity for the word 'object' in Verbs Frequency: #732
Sample Sentences & Example Usage
Images & Illustrations of object
Translations for object
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- كائن, مفعول, هدفArabic
- прадмет, аб'ектBelarusian
- предмет, обектBulgarian
- objecteCatalan, Valencian
- objekt, předmět, namítnoutCzech
- objekt, ting, indvendeDanish
- Objekt, Gegenstand, Einwände haben, dagegen sein, einwendenGerman
- αντικείμενο, σκοπός, αντιτίθεμαι, ενίσταμαι, αντιτείνω, διαφωνώGreek
- complemento, objeto, objetarSpanish
- چیز, شیء, مفعولPersian
- kohde, olio, objekti, esine, vastustaa, väittää vastaanFinnish
- objet, objecter, opposerFrench
- cuspairScottish Gaelic
- אוביקט, חפץ, מושאHebrew
- चीज़, कर्मHindi
- objèHaitian Creole
- tárgy, ellenezHungarian
- խնդիր, իր, օբյեկտArmenian
- objekto, objecionarIdo
- hlutur, andlag, andl., mótmæla, malda í mórinn, mæla á mótiIcelandic
- oggetto, obiettareItalian
- 物, 物件, オブジェクト, 目的語, 対象, 物体, 反対Japanese
- កម្មបទ, វត្ថុវិស័យKhmer
- 물건, 物件, 목적어Korean
- zavatra, mitohitra, tsy manaikyMalagasy
- предмет, објект, приговараMacedonian
- कर्म, वस्तुMarathi
- voorwerp, lijdend voorwerp, object, meewerkend voorwerp, ertegen zijn, protesterenDutch
- gjenstand, objekt, tingNorwegian
- przedmiot, obiekt, dopełnienie, sprzeciwiać sięPolish
- objeto, objetivo, objetarPortuguese
- obiect, lucru, obiecta, opuneRomanian
- объект, дополнение, предмет, возражать, возразитьRussian
- वस्तु, कर्मSanskrit
- وَٿَ, وَکَرُ, مفعول, نشانو, شَيSindhi
- objekat, objekt, објект, предмет, објекат, predmetSerbo-Croatian
- predmet, objekt, namietaťSlovak
- objekt, predmetSlovene
- föremål, objekt, protestera, invända, motsätta sigSwedish
- కర్మ, వస్తువుTelugu
- nesne, obje, cisim, karşı çıkmak, itirazı olmakTurkish
- об'єкт, предметUkrainian
- đồ vật, vật thể, tân ngữ, đối tượng, phản đốiVietnamese
Get even more translations for object »
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The skin script allow to describe skins the engine will use for actor models (at the moment, only for human skins). It is not used for the gameplay, but only for the look and feel.
Model file embed a list of skin name. The engine only use the first one to find image file name. Others are not used, but can be, anyway, useful for third party model viewers and editors. The engine
Each skin is describe with the keyword actorskin. It contain a string id (used to find image file name), a name (displayed in the user interface) which is translatable, and some properties.
V_BOOL: Describe if we can use this skin in single player mode.
V_BOOL: Describe if we can use this skin in multiplayer mode.
This example register a foo skin to the game. The game will search for skins using _foo suffix. This skin is available in both multiplayer and singleplayer game.
actorskin foo {
 name "_My foo skin"
 singleplayer true
 multiplayer true
Resolution of image skin name
The engine use three things to found the file name used for a skin.
 - The first image defined of the embedded skin defined inside model file. Most of the time it is the name of the model itself.
 - The separator _ (underscore) for readability.
 - The actor skin id as suffix.
For example: It exists a model called body.md2. It embedded the skin file name body. And it exists an actor skin name called forest. The engine will check the image filename body_forest. If this image do not exists, the engine will use the default skin name.
 - base/models/soldiers/foo
 - body.md2
 - body.jpg
 - body_forest.jpg
Script order
The engine use the first embedded skin from models. It is a special case cause here - it doesn't use any suffix. To avoid loading error, the engine must read this skin entry on first, and this skin must be called default.
actorskin default {
 name "_Urban"
 singleplayer true
 multiplayer true
It is anyway an artificial order limitation. We should fix it with code. Patch is welcome.
Sharing actor skin
Elite skin by turkana.
We can share an own actor skin with a pk3 file. You can check _URL_ for an example of skin.
To use this file, we can move it on the game base directory, or on the home base directory. It add a new "Elite" skin, for the multiplayer mode only.
Some notes:
 - A pk3 can contain more than one new actor skin.
 - It should not overwrite official content.
 - The script should be prefixed with skins_.
 - Actor skin name and script should avoid conflict name.
Multiplayer limitation
The game engine only share numerical skin id, and not named skin id. If a player use a custom actor skin, we don't know if other people will see the same model. Anyway the player himself will see the right model. Patch is welcome.
If all players use the same pk3 files, and the same game content, all players will have the same right result.


Why I am leaving medicine for good
When I tell people that I left a career in medicine to go into the church they usually respond in one of two ways. The majority cannot quite understand why someone would leave a high-flying and respectable career to chose something far lower down the socioeconomic ladder. Perhaps in a previous generation, a move to the church would have been generally well received, but not so today.
The second response is one of indifference. 'Well, whatever makes you happy,' people say to me. They have obviously never worked in a church. I can safely say that church ministry is far more difficult, gut-wrenching and emotionally draining than the busiest day on the wards.
So why have I left the medical profession? Simply put, it's this: no scalpel can cut deep enough. Spend enough time in A&E and you may come to understand what I mean. A reasonable number of people seek medical attention through various access points across our healthcare system, get the help they need at the time, and recover from their ailments. All well and good. But there are so many other people whose primary issue is not physical at all, it is located much deeper, who look to the healthcare system to help them in areas that the medical profession is helpless to do anything.
This may sound very naive or regressive, but let me explain. Most people will acknowledge that to be a human being one must possess not only a certain collection of cells and atoms, but a mind also – a psyche – that cannot be explained on the basis of cells and atoms alone. Whereas the body is the realm of physiology, of anatomy and pharmacology, the mind is responsible for decision-making, memory, control mechanisms. In addition to body and mind – the physical and the psychological – humans also possess a spiritual component, a soul. The soul concerns one's character, it gives humankind immense significance above all other life forms, and allows an ability for us to relate to something 'out there'. In reality, things aren't so neat. Humanness transcends these simple groupings and they are all inter-related.
Human disease therefore is never limited to one particular sphere but since all are connected – body, mind and spirit – all are related. A disease primarily of the physical realm will impinge on the psychological and spiritual. A psychological issue can often have physical symptoms and so on. Both will have a spiritual effect.
This one core teaching of the Bible came home to me a few years ago: as humankind, our primary problem is spiritual, not physical or psychological. After mulling over the implications of this for many months, I came to the conclusion that no scalpel can cut deep enough to cure the ultimate human disease – that which is caused by dysfunction in the human spiritual realm – a disease that the Bible diagnoses as sin.
All we can ever do as doctors is prolong life. None of us saves life. At best we can give someone a few more months or years. People keep getting sick.
I found the Bible's answer to the disease of sin utterly compelling – compelling enough for me to walk away from a medical career in a heartbeat. There is a cure for our most basic and ultimate problem, and that is found in the Christian gospel. Bringing this message to those around me became my life's ambition. My payscale has taken a definite nose-dive. My career choice is generally seen as crazy by people who don't know the gospel. I now drive a Volvo and not a twoseater sports car. Small prices to pay to be able to make known the most radical, life-saving treatment that the world has ever seen.