Tag Archives: newzealand
Not a universal language
The first meeting and interchange between Māori and Europeans was a musical one. As the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman and his party sailed toward the coast of Aotearoa (now New Zealand) on a December evening in 1642, they saw canoes approaching them and heard the men in the prows singing and blowing on a trumpet-like instrument. Two of the Dutch sailors were ordered to play welcoming tunes on their own trumpets; the exchange continued until darkness fell and the Māori paddled away.
A few days later the Dutch launched a small rowboat holding seven unarmed sailors. The Māori immediately sent canoes to attack it, and killed four of the sailors; the others swam to safety, and the canoes were driven away by Dutch gunfire.
This tragic turn of events was eventually explained: The first Māori party intended to challenge the strangers and invite them to fight. They had probably been performing a haka—a ritual war chant—and their horn was likely a pūtātara (above), a signaling device that may be used for hostile confrontations. The groups' misinterpretations of each other's music making led to a fatal misunderstanding.
This according to "Music historiography in New Zealand" by Martin Lodge, an essay included in our recently published Music's intellectual history. Below, a performance by a haka team.
Filed under Australia and Pacific islands, Ethnomusicology, Instruments


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State lawmakers worried about how long it is taking to assemble a state budget should take heart. Sometimes good legislation takes time.
For instance, it took close to 200 million years, but last week the Dilophosaurus was finally named Connecticut's official state dinosaur. Fossilized remains of what is believed to be a Dilophosaurus were found in the 1960's in Rocky Hill leading to the creation of what is now known as Dinosaur State Park.
And now you know, the rest of the story.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


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The Vision for the Junior School, Dehradun Hills Academy is to benefit from the diversity of its community in creating well-educated, internationally-minded citizens.
Our mission is to be Happy, Healthy and Successful. To also create a challenging and motivating English-speaking environment where students and staff use programmes keeping in mind an international community and work in harmony to develop every student's full intellectual and human potential.
The Junior School, Dehra-Dun Hills Academy believes that:
– Every student has an individual and a cultural set of experiences, skills and interests, which must be considered in the teaching and learning process.
- A diverse student body enriches the school community and provides a wealth of experience and resources.
- A thorough education includes the development of the qualities of compassion, tolerance, respect for the rights of all people, the skills for the peaceful resolution of conflict, and the development of environmental responsibility.
- School should prepare young people to provide leadership to meet the global challenges of the 21st Century.
- School should foster an atmosphere of academic excellence and encourage intellectual inquiry and critical thinking.
- Achievement in the physical, expressive and creative arts is an essential part of a holistic education.
- The school is a community, and social awareness, thoughtful interaction and effective communication among students, parents and staff is fundamental to its well-being.


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equivalent to 24,000 households.
Storm water can be collected from roofs, tarmac and landscaped areas. Depending on the collection, storage and possible contamination, the water may require treatment ranging from settling ponds to a proper water treatment plant.
Use will depend on water quality and could range from landscaping to vehicle and building washing, and toilet flushing. A crucial task of storm water management includes keeping water with tarmac residues from contaminating surface water courses.
Soil and land management
Soil, surface and ground water can be contaminated by storm water run-off, fuel spills, de-icing fluids and other spill incidents. Spill prevention and reaction to incidents are operational and environmental responsibilities.
Poorly planned land management can provide habitat that creates a bird and wildlife hazard.
There are many streams of solid waste at an airport including, municipal waste from concessions and passenger areas; waste from airfield operations and maintenance such as derelict equipment, pallets and hazardous materials like paint thinners; deplaned waste that might require incineration, and debris from construction and demolition.
Some streams are regulated, some materials can be recycled, and some can generate income.
The perception of the environmental impact by neighbouring residents can be as important as the physical effects. Fostering positive community relations can make a vital contribution to the mitigation of adverse environmental pressure resulting from airport operation.
The goals of an airport's community engagement programme should include establishing and maintain the trust of the community, because if the public does not believe the information provided, there is no foundation to achieve community engagement. This trust is built upon a long-term culture of honesty and transparency.
If communities can grant the airport permission to operate and grow, and airports can undertake sufficient voluntary measures, then overly restrictive regulation and court actions can be avoided.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


2 definitions found
Pluviometer \Plu'vi*om"e*ter\, noun [L. pluvia rain + -meter: cf. F. pluviom['e]tre.] An instrument for ascertaining the amount of rainfall at any place in a given time; a rain gauge.
1: gauge consisting of an instrument to measure the quantity of precipitation [syn: {rain gauge}, {rain gage}, {pluviometer}, {udometer}]
FCC Complaint
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Month: December 2013
Silence as a Service
Silence as a Service
Bear with me for a moment here. This is mostly a thought experiment.
As I travel around looking at different kinds of spaces, I've started to question our relentless quest for total silence in libraries. Libraries have come to mean silence in our culture; why is that? Because silence is associated with reading? (Of course, only with modern reading: we know that medieval European readers considered reading a verbal activity, always done aloud, and if you've ever found yourself mouthing the words you're reading on a page, you know we're fighting our bodies to make reading silent. No need to be elitist about it: text is only a series of symbols representing speech. There's no shame in it triggering our verbal centres. That's perfectly natural.) When libraries are closed-stack, and the spaces inside it exist only as a reading room for material you can't copy and can't take out with you, I can understand the focus on silence. To a degree, anyway. Silence is meant to go along with concentration. And libraries are meant to be places where you go to concentrate, right?
Everywhere I go, I find students and the self-employed deliberately seeking out spaces that are not silent. Some of them are downright raucous. A lot of them have jazz playing in the background, coffee grinders, conversations, laughter. Some of them are quieter than others, but none of them are silent. I've seen several co-working spaces, and a few high-tech businesses here and there. No private offices, only shared tables, conference rooms, kitchens and "libraries". Nooks for groups, couches, lots of earphones in the ears of those trying to buckle down and work alone. No spaces with a fixation on providing absolute silence, though.
I've been considering whether my comparisons with cafés and co-working spaces are entirely fair. I realize I'm looking at a particular sample of the population, the people who want to work this way. These are people who have a quiet space at home and find it difficult to work like that. These are people who want to be tangentially connected to other people while doing independent work, even if they're strangers. I think there's probably even a little bit of self-motivation going on; when I finish this paper, I can go home and relaxBeing somewhere other than at home helps you stick to a deadline and helps manage your time. That's really healthy, I think. Co-workers in particular often need that separation between home and work to help give the work day a sense of closure, something students and academics both frequently fail to do well. The people I see working this way have quiet space elsewhere if they really need it.
But then I thought: don't our student populations have this as well? Not all of them, maybe. But what percentage of the student populations don't have a room of their own with a door that closes? I imagine it's pretty small. So far my experience of residences on campus always includes some form of study room (and often study groups, as well.) For campuses where students can easily go back and forth from home where they can have silence and solitude, it seems to me that there's more in common between libraries and other public and commercial spaces like cafés than we may have thought.
My own campus has it's own rhythms and issues. Students can't easily come and go from home, and many of them commute in quite a distance. They are effectively stuck on campus, and they may need that silence because they legitimately can't get it anywhere else between the hours of 8am and 9pm. Again, I'm not entirely sure why the library is the place required to provide perfect silence, but I suppose that's the tradition as we have it. We're kind of stuck with it.
A lot of the students on my campus commute from their parents' homes, so they share space with other family members. This is generally presented as a reason why no work can get done at home, but I'm not entirely convinced that that's entirely true. Most homes with adult children in them are pretty quiet. Parents are usually supportive of students working hard on their school work. (Not always, I know. There are always stories and circumstances.) I would suspect that, most of the time, residence is far louder than anyone's household, and even residences have silent spaces in them.
Why are we promising to provide absolute silence, something so difficult to maintain it is practically impossible, if the vast majority of our patrons already have access to it when they need it?
Too harsh? Bear with me a moment longer.
Here's a statistic I don't know: what percentage of our student populations would sit in a comfy chair in a Starbucks and write an essay if they knew no one was going to harass them to buy anything or glare at them to give up their table. As far as I can see, we expect that about 70-80% of our students want to work in complete silence. If that's true, 70-80% of students should abhor working in a public place like a Starbucks. I find that exceedingly unlikely, but I don't know what those stats actually look like.
Maybe the music is too loud: okay. how about a little indie café in the distillery district, or buried in the annex behind a bookstore? Somewhere with ambient music, soft conversations, coffee. Not too busy, not too quiet. Alive. I don't know the statistic; I don't know how many students would be happy to work there. Walking around London, seeing the 3/4ths empty and quiet Senate House library, and the jammed and happily buzzing public libraries, the full cafés of Islington, Hampstead and Shoreditch, the students lining the tables at the Barbican and Southbank Centre, I struggle to imagine that it's a small percentage. But I don't know. This is critical information to me at this point. I'm going to have to find a way to get it.
I haven't said it yet, but I'm sure you can feel it coming. What if most students don't actually require absolute silence to do really good work?
I can already hear the objections. I've seen them; students in my library complain about the noise all the time. I can't keep saying "bear with me" whenever I say something outrageous, can I? But what if this is in part based on expectations that we've set, both through our policies, our space design, and through our powerful public image? What if they demand silence between they just imagine they can expect it, and should expect it, because we've promised it, not because they actually require it? We are allowing students to have unrealistic expectations of our entire buildings, top to bottom. Libraries are meant to be silent, so every sound they hear is annoying.
What if we designed spaces based on the presumption that most students don't need absolute silence, but want a comfortable level of ambient sound that isn't too annoying, much like a half-empty café? What if we designed lots of different kinds of spaces, the kinds of spaces cafés and other public spaces increasingly have, with coffee/tea available, but no pressure to get out of your seat and give your table to someone else? What if we created that for 70-80% of our spaces?
There's still the question of silence.
I seem anti-silence at the moment, but I'm not, really. I'm only asking questions. I'm only suggesting that the desire for absolute silence might not be felt by the majority, as long as if there is other, really functional, comfortable, not overwhelmingly-noisy spaces on offer that clearly doesn't promise something it can't deliver. There will certainly be people who want absolute silence.
What if silence becomes a specialized service? Perhaps the way to break the association of a library with perfect silence in all places is to create a space that is specifically designed and pitched as entirely silent? Enclosed, with a clear demarcation between the normal zone and the dead quiet zone. If you're in here, you're here to be totally, completely, utterly quiet. No phones. Maybe no wifi. Maybe no 3G at all (if that's even legal.) No ipods, no music, because sometimes you can hear them and that's annoying. Nothing: just silence. Quiet keyboards only? How extreme can you reasonably get?
I don't know the statistics, so I don't know for a fact what size a space like that would need to be to accommodate the people who would want it, but from what I see so far, I imagine it probably doesn't need to be monstrous. Maybe it's nestled in among the stacks, using the books to muffle even the sounds of keyboards and pencils scratching. But it's strict, exclusive, and maybe you even need to apply to be allowed in. It would have a zero tolerance policy. It would, I imagine, build it's own culture and empower students to tell each other to shut up should they need to. The eye conversations would be epic.
We are currently encumbered by the idea that the silence rule currently applies to anything called a library. Most libraries tell you to shhh with their staff and their signage. We tell you what your behaviour has to be from one area to the next. But what if, instead of telling people how to behave, we offer the spaces where the behaviour restrictions are a service?
In some ways it's just a matter of rebranding, isn't it. but I know for a fact that just rebranding the quiet areas


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Have you ever heard of lewis Gratz Fell? If not, you're missing out on learning about an incredible trailblazer in the fields of law and social justice. Born in the early 19th century, Fell was a prominent attorney and activist who dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of marginalized communities.
His legacy lives on to this day, and his impact on the legal profession and the fight for justice cannot be overstated. In this article, we'll dive into the life and accomplishments of Lewis Gratz Fell, exploring how he paved the way for future generations of lawyers and activists. Get ready to be inspired by the story of a true pioneer in the pursuit of justice.
What is lewis gratz fell?
Lewis Gratz Fell was an influential lawyer and activist in the 19th century, who dedicated his life to fighting for justice and equality. Born in Pennsylvania in 1815, Fell grew up in a time when slavery was still legal in the United States.
Despite facing significant obstacles, he went on to become one of the first African American lawyers in the country, and his work had a significant impact on the legal profession and the fight for civil rights. Fell was an outspoken advocate for abolitionism, and he also supported women's rights and suffrage. He believed in the power of education and helped establish the first law schools in Pennsylvania, paving the way for future generations of lawyers.
Overall, lewis Gratz Fell was a trailblazer whose legacy lives on today. His contributions to the fight for justice and equality continue to inspire and inform the work of activists and legal professionals around the world. To know more details on the topics, stay with Marketingno.
Early Life and Education: How Lewis Gratz Fell's Upbringing Influenced His Future Activism
Sure, there's a rewritten paragraph focused on lewis Gratz Fell's early life and education:
Lewis Gratz Fell was born into a prominent family in Philadelphia in 1805. His father was a successful lawyer and businessman, and his mother was a Quaker who instilled in him a strong sense of morality and social justice. Fell attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied law and graduated in 1827. His education and upbringing played a significant role in shaping his future activism, as he witnessed firsthand the injustices faced by marginalized communities, particularly African Americans.
Fell was deeply troubled by the institution of slavery and became a vocal advocate for its abolition. His early experiences with discrimination and inequality motivated him to use his legal education to fight for justice and equality for all. In the following sections, we'll explore how Fell's upbringing and education paved the way for his impactful career in law and social justice.
The Fight Against Slavery: Fell's Role in the Abolitionist Movement
Lewis Gratz Fell was a passionate activist who dedicated much of his life to the fight against slavery. Fell's role in the abolitionist movement was instrumental in bringing about change and promoting social justice. He worked tirelessly to abolish the cruel practice of slavery, believing that every human being deserved to be treated with dignity and respect.
Fell was actively involved in various anti-slavery organizations, including the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he served as a delegate to their annual meetings. He also played a key role in the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape to freedom in the North. His efforts in this area earned him a reputation as a skilled and courageous conductor, despite the risks involved.
Throughout his life, Fell remained steadfast in his commitment to the abolitionist cause, and his tireless work helped to bring about the end of slavery in the United States. Today, his legacy serves as an inspiration to those who continue to fight for freedom, justice, and equality for all.
Breaking Barriers: Fell's Work as a Black Lawyer in the 19th Century
TheBreaking Barriers: Fell's Work as a Black Lawyer in the 19th Century
One of Lewis Gratz Fell's most remarkable accomplishments was breaking through the barriers faced by black lawyers in the 19th century. At the time, it was extremely rare for African Americans to become lawyers, let alone practice law. However, Fell refused to let his race hold him back. He pursued a legal education, studying under prominent attorneys of the day and even apprenticing with future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Curtis.
With his education in hand, Fell became one of the first black lawyers in Pennsylvania, opening his own law office in Philadelphia. He faced discrimination and bigotry from both colleagues and clients, but remained committed to using his legal skills to fight for justice. His advocacy on behalf of black clients and other marginalized groups helped to advance the cause of civil rights and paved the way for future generations of black lawyers.
Fell's work as a trailblazing black lawyer is a testament to his resilience and determination to overcome the obstacles placed in his path.
Advocating for Women's Rights: Fell's Support for Suffrage and Gender Equality
Advocating for women's rights was a key aspect of Lewis Gratz Fell's activism. As he firmly believed in the importance of gender equality. In the late 19th century, Fell became involved in the women's suffrage movement and used his legal expertise to advocate for women's right to vote. He also supported the right of women to pursue higher education, recognizing that education was essential to achieving equality. Fell was particularly outspoken about the need for African American women to have access to education. As he believed that education was a powerful tool for empowerment.
In addition to his work in suffrage and education, Fell also fought for women's rights in the legal profession. He encouraged women to pursue careers in law and was an advocate for equal pay and opportunities for female lawyers. His commitment to gender equality and women's rights made him a pioneer in his time. And his legacy continues to inspire those fighting for justice today.
Legacy in Legal Education: Fell's Contributions to the Formation of Law Schools
Lewis Gratz Fell's impact on legal education is a crucial part of his legacy. In the mid-19th century, Fell recognized the need for formal legal education in the United States, which was still a relatively new concept at the time. He believed that in order to ensure that lawyers were properly trained and equipped to serve their clients. There needed to be a more structured and consistent approach to legal education.
As a result, Fell played a pivotal role in the formation of law schools. Both through his work as an educator and as a co-founder of the National Law School of Washington, D.C. His vision helped to establish the modern legal education system that we know today. With its emphasis on rigorous academic training and practical experience. Fell's contributions to legal education have had a lasting impact. Shaping the way that lawyers are trained and prepared to serve their communities.
Continuing the Fight for Justice: How Fell's Legacy Lives on Today
Continuing the Fight for Justice: How Fell's Legacy Lives on Today
Despite passing away over a century ago, Lewis Gratz Fell's legacy continues to inspire activists and attorneys to this day. Fell's work as a lawyer and activist was groundbreaking in his time. And his contributions to the fight for justice have continued to resonate with future generations. Today, Fell's legacy lives on through the efforts of those who continue to advocate for marginalized communities. And work to uphold the values of equity and fairness that he fought for throughout his life.
In particular, Fell's work in advancing the rights of Black Americans and other marginalized groups has been especially impactful. His advocacy for equal access to education and the right to vote laid the groundwork for future civil rights movements. And his pioneering work as a Black lawyer in the 19th century paved the way for other attorneys of color to follow in his footsteps.
Overall, the legacy of Lewis Gratz Fell serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of fighting for justice and equality. Both in the legal profession and in society as a whole. As we continue to confront systemic injustices and work towards a more equitable future. Fell's legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire and guide us.
Overcoming Adversity: How Fell's Resilience and Perseverance Inspired Others
Lewis Gratz Fell was no stranger to adversity, but it was his resilience and perseverance that truly set him apart. Born into a society that saw Black Americans as second-class citizens, Fell faced countless obstacles throughout his life.
But despite the many challenges he faced. He never gave up on his dream of becoming a lawyer and fighting for justice. Fell's tenacity and determination inspired many others to follow in his footsteps, even when the odds seemed stacked against them. Whether he was advocating for the abolition of slavery or championing women's rights. Fell never lost sight of his goal: to make the world a more just and equitable place.
And while he may have faced setbacks and disappointments along the way. Fell's unwavering commitment to his principles inspired countless others to overcome their own adversities and fight for a better future.
In conclusion, lewis Gratz Fell was a true trailblazer in the fields of law and social justice. His unwavering commitment to fighting for the rights of marginalized communities. Even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, was nothing short of inspirational.
Fell's legacy lives on to this day, as his contributions to the legal profession and. The fight for justice continues to inspire new generations of activists and attorneys.
His work was on behalf of the abolitionist and suffrage movements. As well as his efforts to create a more equitable society have left an indelible mark on American history.
And while there is still much work to be done to achieve true equality and justice for all. We can all draw inspiration from lewis Gratz Fell's resilience. Perseverance, and unyielding commitment to fighting for what is right.


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The compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change
Description of scenario:
Vessel A: Power-driven vessel Vessel B: Power-driven vessel Area: On the high seas Visibility: Good (Vessels in sight of one another) Vessel A and vessel B are crossing Vessel A has vessel B on her own starboard side (relative bearing STBD 054°) No change in bearing taken at interval of time, CPA=0
Applying the Rule(s) and comments:
In accordance with Rule 7 (Risk of collision), risk of collision shall be deemed to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change. Comments: If the bearing (compass or relative) taken visually or with radar at interval of time does not appreciable change, than the risk of collision shall be deemed to exist. How often to take bearing from other vessel depends on situation (range between vessels, vessels relative speed, area of navigation, vessels characteristics, navigational equipment, visibility). To be able to decide if a risk of collision exists, bearing on the other vessel should be taken as soon as it is sighted and then repeated in appropriate intervals. In open water, bearing should be taken as soon as it comes over the horizon. It is advisable not to wait until the vessel is close before starting to take bearings.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.


National Thesaurus Day – January 18, 2022
TueJan 18
When you're looking for that perfect word to convey your thought, or don't want to repeat the same word over and over again, where do you go? The thesaurus, of course! You've got Peter Mark Roget to thank for that wonderful book, and we celebrate his creation on National Thesaurus Day on January 18! Roget started the book in 1848 and finished in 1852 with 15,000 words. The book's full original title was "Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition." Thanks to the thesaurus, we can do more than just tell friends we are happy but merry, delighted, and overjoyed! We can do more than have a conversation, but a discussion, a talk, or an exchange! Writers and non-writers alike can be thankful for all the word options available in a thesaurus, and celebrate the work of Peter Mark Roget on National Thesaurus Day!
National Thesaurus Day timeline
4th Century
Sanskritis had a thesaurus in verse form, titled 'Amarakosha.'
A Mammoth Task
Peter Mark Roget begins writing the unofficial 'Thesaurus.'
The Thesaurus is Born
Roget completes the first 'Thesaurus.'
Modern Variation
The Historical Thesaurus of English includes the date next to each word of when it got its meaning.
National Thesaurus Day Activities
 1. Play a game of "synonym password"
 Pair up with a friend to see if you can stump each other on this game show variation. Make a stack of cards with words on them, and on each turn, give your partner up to three synonyms for the word on the card. Try to get them to figure out the original word. For instance, for a card with "party" on it, you could say "celebration," "shindig," or "festivity."
 2. Rewrite a famous poem or story
 Have a little fun switching out the words of famous works and see if you can make them better! Take Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven," for instance. "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary," could turn into "Once upon a boring night, while I thought, frail and fatigued."
 3. Flip through a thesaurus, for old time's sake
 These days, we mostly use the an online thesaurus, but paging through a book can lead you to many new words! Spend some time looking up favorites, you know, your darlings, number ones, idols, beloveds, dears, and faves.
Why We Love National Thesaurus Day
 1. It helps us expand our vocabulary
 A bigger vocabulary is better (or exceptional, superior, and of higher quality)! It helps us communicate with different groups of people, which in turn bolsters self-confidence. It even aids in important events, like preparing for a job interview or writing a speech for a class. It helps you speak more effectively and write with greater breadth and clarity.
 2. Bigger vocabularies help kids learn
 More word choices are just good for adults, but kids, too! If a child has enough words in his or her stash, they can fully describe what they are thinking, how they are feeling, and what they want. And, if they know more words, they are better at reading comprehension. This will lead to better grades and an easier time in school!
 3. It helps us tell a better story
 What would the Three Little Pigs have been without a thesaurus? The nursery rhyme favorite turns to synonyms to create a rhythm and urgency. Instead of just simply saying he would take down the house with a big gust of air, he added some excitement: "I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!" Different words make stories more stimulating and fun.
National Thesaurus Day dates
2021January 18Monday
2022January 18Tuesday
2023January 18Wednesday
2024January 18Thursday
2025January 18Saturday


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Author ORCID Identifier
This study evaluates the price setting behavior across main cities of Pakistan by employing the micro data from retail price survey. The most contemporary research technique of Duration Analysis is employed where survivor functions are estimated by most illustrious nonparametric Kaplan-Meier and Nelson-Aalen Estimators. Hazard Functions for various product groups are also estimated by employing parametric Weibull Hazard Model. Results confirm that perishable food items have shortest duration of one week for most of the spells, where government regulation caused prices to change more frequently. It is found that on average small cities faced lower hazard and thus comparably lesser price change, whereas, months of March, April and October witnessed relatively high hazard rates. The study classifies nine commodity groups into two categories. First is high frequency group and second is increasing hazard group. These classifications are believed to assist policy makers in assessing inflation dynamics in Pakistan. The study significantly contributes to the existing literature, firstly, by applying more scrupulous nonparametric and parametric techniques of Survival analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this technique is not yet applied in Pakistan for examining the price behavior. Secondly, as the price setting mechanism in Pakistan is not studied before by employing the high frequency micro price data, therefore, panel data estimation contribute significantly to the existing literature.
Prices, Commodities, Duration Analysis, Monetary policy
Journal of Economic Literature Subject Codes
E310, Q020, C410, E520
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Sohail, F., & Fatima, A. (2022). Empirical evidences on pricing mechanism in Pakistan: A duration analysis. Business Review, 17(2), 1-27. Retrieved from 10.54784/_PHONE_.1479


that this poor woman's condition may well have been Menometrorrhagia, the Wikipedia description being: Excessive uterine bleeding, both at the usual time of menstrual periods and at other irregular intervals. Menometrorrhagia can be a sign of a number of different disorders including hormone imbalance, endometriosis, benign fibroid tumors in the uterus, and, rarely, cancer. Anemia may result from the excessive uterine bleeding. Treatment depends on the cause. If there does not appear to be a dangerous cause, such as cancer, hormone supplementation or the therapeutic use of birth control pills to better control the menstrual cycle may be recommended.
Since the woman had been suffering this sickness for some twelve years it is reasonable to conclude that it was not caused by a malignant condition such as cancer otherwise she would have likely died well before the twelve years were up. So we are probably talking here about a hormonal or benign tumour cause. Once again we have the woman's faith curing her; her faith alone upon touching Jesus' garment enabled the Holy Spirit to do Her healing work. As always the cure was also immediate in its external manifestation and in the internal wellbeing felt by the woman. Again we are forced to conclude that the provision of an immediate DNA fix throughout her body provided an aging non-Adamic body thereby correcting any hormonal issues and/or removing any foreign bodies such as a tumour, which would not belong in a perfect human body, this latter action again requiring an upgrade to the woman's immune system response. Presumably the quality and amount of her blood was restored immediately in her newly perfected body to their normal levels with the consequent feeling of relief from the symptoms of the illness that the woman had felt.
7. Raising a widow's son
(Luke 7:11-17):
Here we have a case of Jesus' resurrection of a young dead man instantly upon His touching of the deceased's funeral bier. The man had presumably been dead for a few days since his funeral had been arranged and so some physical deterioration to his body must have been present. Now the Lords' Witnesses understand that the spirits of the dead are transported into the body of a sleeping angel in heaven. For an instant resurrection such as this one we must have the young man's human body immediately returned to a healed living state and his spirit transported back from the sleeping angel into his revived human body. From previous examples we have looked at, it would seem that the instant cures of the sick and lame resulted in their imperfect bodies being made perfect (non-Adamic) albeit whilst still aging. It would therefore seem likely, in these cases of resurrection described in scripture, that the newly revived human bodies are also made non-Adamic. The Lords' Witnesses understand that human bodies in the Kingdom will be made non-Adamic so I can see no reason why this would not also be the case in these specific examples of early resurrection albeit with the non-aging element removed. Once again we can see that our God has the ability to instantly 'zap' an individual's DNA to provide an instant fix to whatever ails that individual's Adamic body including death presumably due to any cause.
6. Healing a withered hand
(Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 3:1-6):
9 After departing from that place he went into their synagogue;
10 and, look! a man with a withered hand! So they asked him, "Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?" that they might get an accusation against him.
13 Then he said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored sound like the other hand.
14 But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him that they might destroy him. (Matthew 12)
1 Once again he entered into a synagogue, and a man was there with a dried-up hand.
2 So they were watching him closely to see whether he would cure the man on the sabbath, in order that they might accuse him.
3 And he said to the man with the withered hand: "Get up [and come] to the centre."
4 Next he said to them: "Is it lawful on the sabbath to do a good deed or to do a bad deed, to save or to kill a soul?" But they kept silent.
5 And after looking around upon them with indignation, being thoroughly grieved at the insensibility of their hearts, he said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
6 At that the Pharisees went out and immediately began holding council with the party followers of Herod against him, in order to destroy him. (Mark 3)
This account is most likely describing a man with Poland syndrome. The Wikipedia description of Poland syndrome (also Poland's syndrome, Poland's syndactyly, Poland sequence, and Poland's anomaly) is a rare birth defect characterized by underdevelopment or absence of the chest muscle (pectoralis) on one side of the body and (but not always) webbing of the fingers (cutaneous syndactyly) of the hand on the same side (ipsilateral hand) mostly common on the right side of the body and found more in males than females. The cause of Poland syndrome is unknown. However, an interruption of the embryonic blood supply to the arteries that lie under the collarbone (subclavian arteries) at about the 46th day of embryonic development is the prevailing theory.
So here we have an event during foetal development that causes a physical defect from birth that is effectively untreatable even with today's medical science. Once again we have the spiritual cure from Jesus who is clearly in close proximity to the patient but does not appear to need a physical laying on of hands in this case to effect the instant cure from the Holy Spirit. The only possible explanation for such an instant cure would be for the patient's body to instantly repair and heal itself. Would the removal of the p21 gene enable the proper healing of such a malformation according to the patient's DNA I wonder?
5. Healing a paralytic
1 So, boarding the boat, he proceeded across and went into his own city.
2 And, look! they were bringing him a paralyzed man lying on a bed. On seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic: "Take courage, child; your sins are forgiven."
3 And, look! certain of the scribes said to themselves: "This fellow is blaspheming."
4 And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said: "Why are YOU thinking wicked things in YOUR hearts?
6 However, in order for YOU to know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins-" then he said to the paralytic: "Get up, pick up your bed, and go to your home."
7 And he got up and went off to his home.
8 At the sight of this the crowds were struck with fear, and they glorified God, who gave such authority to men. (Matthew 9)
1 However, after some days he again entered into Ca•per'na•um and he was reported to be at home.
3 And men came bringing him a paralytic carried by four.
4 But not being able to bring him right to [Jesus] on account of the crowd, they removed the roof over where he was, and having dug an opening they lowered the cot on which the paralytic was lying.
5 And when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic: "Child, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now there were some of the scribes there, sitting and reasoning in their hearts:
7 "Why is this man talking in this manner? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins except one, God?"
8 But Jesus, having discerned immediately by his spirit that they were reasoning that way in themselves, said to them: "Why are YOU reasoning these things in YOUR hearts?
9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and pick up your cot and walk'?
10 But in order for YOU men to know that the Son of man has authority to forgive sins upon the earth,"-he said to the paralytic:
11 "I say to you, Get up, pick up your cot, and go to your home."
12 At that he did get up, and immediately picked up his cot and walked out in front of them all, so that they were all simply carried away, and they glorified God, saying: "We never saw the like of it." (Mark 2)
18 And, look! men carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking a way to bring him in and place him before him.
19 So, not finding a way to bring him in on account of the crowd, they climbed up to the roof, and through the tiling they let him down with the little bed among those in front of Jesus.
20 And when he saw their faith he said: "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
21 Thereupon the scribes and the Pharisees started to reason, saying: "Who is this that is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins except God alone?"
22 But Jesus, discerning their reasonings, said in answer to them: "What are YOU reasoning out in YOUR hearts?
23


text:
In addition to using data manipulation statements directly, as just described, it is also possible to manipulate table data by calling a procedure. Procedures perform the specific data manipulations laid out in the procedure definition.
Any SQL statement in the grouping procedural-sql-statement, see the Mimer SQL Reference Manual, Chapter 12, Procedural SQL Statements, can be used in a procedure, and this includes all the data manipulation statements.
The use of procedures allows data manipulation within the database to be controlled both in terms of strictly defining which data manipulation operations are performed and also in terms of regulating which database objects can be affected.
A procedure is invoked by using the CALL statement. In the case of a result set procedure, used in an ESQL context, the CALL statement is not used directly but is specified in a cursor declaration. An ident requires EXECUTE privilege on a procedure in order to call it.
In the CALL statement, the value-expressions or assignment targets specified for each of the procedure parameters must be of a data type that is assignment-compatible, see the Mimer SQL Reference Manual, Chapter 6, Assignments, with the parameter data type.
See the Mimer SQL Reference Manual, Chapter 12, CALL, for full details of the CALL statement and the Mimer SQL Programmer's Manual, chapter 12, Mimer SQL Stored Procedures, for a general discussion of the stored procedure functionality supported in Mimer SQL.
Examples of Calling Procedures
Invoke the procedure called SEARCH in the MIMER_STORE_MUSIC schema:CALL mimer_store_music.search(:title, :artist, 0);
Declare a cursor that will be used when result-set data is fetched from the result set procedure called BARCODE:DECLARE c_2 CURSOR FOR CALL mimer_store.barcode(itm.ean_code);
Upright Database Technology AB
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text:
Audio-Technica, a leading innovator in transducer technology currently celebrating "50 Years of Passionate Listening," is proud to announce that the paper "On the Study of Ionic Microphones" and its writers were selected as the recipients of the "AES 133rd peer review paper award, signifying it as the "best paper of the show." The paper, composed by Hiroshi Akino, Audio-Technica Corp., Japan, with Hirofumi Shimokawa, Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Japan, and Jackie Green and Tadashi Kikutani of Audio-Technica U.S., was presented at a juried paper session at the 133rd AES Convention in San Francisco, California.
Jackie Green stated, "We are honored and delighted to receive this recognition. Audio-Technica has been at the forefront of many technology paradigm shifts, yet historically we have published very little regarding our research. We look forward to taking a more active role in advancing the art and science of audio technology, and sharing this information with our distinguished peers."
The paper encapsulates the following research: Diaphragm-less ionic loudspeakers using both low-temperature and high-temperature plasma methods have already been studied and developed for practical use. This study examined using similar methods to create a diaphragm-less ionic microphone. The paper reviews the experimental outcome of two ionic methods, and considerations given to resolve issues revealed by the study.


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The 1919-D Walking Liberty Half Dollar (Buy on eBay) does not have a particularly low mintage, however gem graded examples represent a great rarity for the series.
There were a total of 1,165,000 half dollars struck at the Denver Mint in 1919. The coins subsequently saw heavy circulation, narrowing the survival rate for pristine examples. Furthermore, consistently weak strikes and subsequent melting have contributed to the low availability of uncirculated examples.
On a combined basis, the coin grading firms PCGS and NGC show fewer than 400 pieces graded MS60 or higher. The number of coins graded MS65 or higher drops to only 15 examples. There is only a single MS-66 graded example known. This coin has sold for more than $250,000 on two separate occasions.
- Designer: Adolph A. Weinman
- Composition: 90% Silver, 10% Copper
- Weight: 12.50 grams
- Diameter: 30.6 mm
- Edge: Reeded


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This is a poem recommended by Karen Regina for History
Educators to refer to or to use in their classroom.
A Worker Reads History
Who built the seven gates of Thebes?
The books are filled with names of kings.
Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone?
And Babylon, so many times destroyed.
Who built the city up each time? In which of Lima's houses,
That city glittering with gold, lived those who built it?
In the evening when the Chinese wall was finished
Where did the masons go? Imperial Rome
Is full of arcs of triumph. Who reared them up? Over whom
Did the Caesars triumph? Byzantium lives in song.
Were all her dwellings palaces? And even in Atlantis of the legend
The night the seas rushed in,
The drowning men still bellowed for their slaves.
Young Alexander conquered India.
Caesar beat the Gauls.
Was there not even a cook in his army?
Phillip of Spain wept as his fleet
was sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears?
Frederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War.
Who triumphed with him?
Each page a victory
At whose expense the victory ball?
Every ten years a great man,
Who paid the piper?
So many particulars.
So many questions.
-- Bertolt Brecht


AYUDH has started another mission called ASWAS (Ayudians Spreading Warmth and Smiles) which is a winter cloth collection drive for our villagers in north India. No need to say the pathetic condition of our rural villages during this winter season. Due to inadequacy of proper clothing hundreds lose their lives in every winter season. You might have seen news about this on our print media as well.
As we have adopted around 35 villages in northern side of India, ASWAS is a small act of kindness to help those people there providing proper winter clothing in this season.
Awaken Youth; Unite for Dharma (AYUDH), the international youth movement of Mata Amritanandamayi Math is constantly engaged in social activities to reach out to the poor and needy. AYUDH team is coming up with one called ASWAS (Ayudhians Spreading Warmth And Smiles). ASWAS campaign is aimed at creating awareness among the public and to encourage them to contribute towards helping poor North Indian villagers by donating winter clothes (sweaters, woollen shawls, mufflers, socks etc).
What type of clothes can be donated?
Clothes donated should be woollen clothes like Sweaters, Jackets, Shawls, Mufflers, Socks, Caps (monkey caps), Pullovers, etc. Newly bought clothes are preferred; if not, less / sparingly used winter clothes in good condition could be included.


text:
Matrix Questions: Addition, Inverse
Date: 8/6/96 at 21:31:52 From: Anonymous Subject: Matrix Questions: Addition, Inverse Hello, Please tell me how to solve these problems: i) (1 2) + (-1 -2) =? ii) If A = (3 4), is it A inverse?
Date: 8/7/96 at 9:2:54 From: Doctor Anthony Subject: Re: Matrix Questions: Addition, Inverse i) (1 2) + (-1 -2) =? When you add matrices, (or in this case row vectors), you simply add the corresponding terms in each matrix. So (1 2) + (-1 -2) = (1-1 2-2) = (0 0) ii) If A = (3 4), is it A inverse? To have an inverse, A must be a square matrix, i.e. the same numbers of rows and columns. -Doctor Anthony, The Math Forum Check out our web site! _URL_
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What can future doctors learn from patients with rare diseases?
As it does every year, Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases partnered with Findacure in its Student Voice essay contest. The overall winner will be published in the journal on Rare Disease Day, and we are proud to present the other finalists here. For this entry, undergraduate and masters students from around the world were asked to use a case study to demonstrate what future doctors can learn from patients with rare diseases. In this blog, Timothy Badcock describes his experience in helping a patient with X-linked agammaglobulinaemia.
As a junior doctor and student on a Masters in Public Health course, I find that I am still learning every day from all sources, including patients (or perhaps especially from patients). Most patients I see are listened to, diagnosed, and treated as they make their way out of my room and inner psyche… but not this one. This patient has drastically altered my own understanding of patient health beliefs/illness-models.
A 20 year old patient attended my morning clinic with a chest infection, which would usually be pretty common. My patient reported a two-week history of a cough with no sputum production and no shortness of breath. He didn't feel unwell. When listening to his chest there were crackles on both sides and he didn't have any raised lymph nodes. He suggested he wanted antibiotics, which is not a rare request.
"Whilst I'm here doc, can I weigh myself? I'm eating big meals all the time but I'm still not gaining weight." The patient was 1.90m with BMI of 22.8. He had joined a rowing club and been told to gain 10% of his body weight. He had taken this to heart and set about to eating roughly double the recommended daily intake of food.
He had seen several different GPs for five similar coughs in the past 12 months and on two occasions had been prescribed antibiotics. He had a stable sexual partner and did not inject drugs. Prior to this year, he had never seen a doctor for anything other than immunisations. It struck me how often he was attending despite looking well and not striking me as health anxious. Subsequently I started him on antibiotics and took a series of blood tests to check his immune system.
I now ask patients about how they feel when they have been diagnosed with a condition.
All of his routine bloods came back as being normal but on the third day, his immunoglobulin (infection fighting cells) test showed negligible numbers. I picked up the phone and immediately referred him to immunology. The next day the patient attended an outpatient appointment and was diagnosed with X-linked agammaglobulinaemia, a rare chromosome disorder that he would have had since birth, finding him unable to produce the immune cells which fight infection. Presenting with symptoms in one's twenties is incredibly rare as the condition usually manifests with recurrent illnesses, from 6 months old at termination of breastfeeding.
After a few weeks of antibiotics and an infusion to replace his missing immunoglobulins he bounded into my room. "Doc, check out my weight". He beamed at his 5Kg gain in 6 weeks. "How can I help you today?" I asked. "Oh nothing, I just wanted to thank you for listening to me".
Since then I have seen him on several occasions to review how he has been doing. He has been fully educated about his condition by both myself and his team of doctors in the hospital. He understands that he will need lifelong treatment and that he is at a much higher risk of infections compared to his peers. Attending all of his regular infusions will limit that risk but he will still need to be vigilant about preventing infections and self-monitoring.
The most interesting part was how much he believed that his new diagnosis gave him a reason for why he had been unable to put on weight, and why he had always had a sniffly nose for as long as he could remember. For him the revelation opened doors rather than closed them. Now he could put on the weight he needed to do the activities that he enjoyed. He had even more energy than he had previously. He understood his body. He was happy to talk about his experience with others. Eventually he stopped coming to see me, too busy enjoying his new life of vitality.
As a consequence of meeting this patient, I now ask patients about how they feel when they have been diagnosed with a condition. I ask what the diagnosis means to them and I subtly try to shift their illness belief towards looking at the positive aspects. I am a firm believer that people rarely remember what you say, but that they will remember how you made them feel. In the case of a life-long chronic disease, no approach is more important than this as it encourages patients to engage with their doctor for what will be a life-long journey. I want to make patients optimistic.
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Hard Questions: The Man of Lawlessness
Destruction of Jerusalem 1
It has been a while, but I want to continue to work through some of the hard questions that members of my congregation sent to me earlier this year. One question was, "Who is the man of lawlessness in II Thessalonians 2:1-12?" To answer this question we must begin by asking what is going on in I Thessalonians 4-5 and in II Thessalonians 2. Throughout this article I am going to lean on Keith Mathison's interpretation in his book Postmillennialism. Most readers assume that whenever "the day of the Lord" is mentioned, such as in II Thessalonians 2:2, that it means Christ's second coming. However, there are numerous indicators that II Thessalonians 2 is not talking about Christ's second coming, but rather he is talking about Christ coming in judgment upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
In I Thessalonians 4-5 the modern reader believes he is reading about the same event described in two different ways. Chapter 4:13-18 clearly refers to the final day and the resurrection from the dead. Paul talks about Jesus bringing with him those who sleep, the Lord descending from heaven, and all of us being caught up with Him in the clouds.
But is 5:1-11 referring to the same event, the second coming? There are several indicators that chapter 5 is not referring to the second coming of Christ.
First, in chapters 4-5 Paul is answering a series of questions or responding to news he had gotten from Timothy about the church in Thessalonica (3:6). He discusses sexual immorality (4:1-8), brotherly love (4:9-12), and the second coming (4:13-18). There does appear to change the subject in 5:1. Paul uses the same phrase he uses in 4:9 to change the subject from sexual immorality to brotherly love. Context indicates that he could be changing the subject.
Second, much of the language used in 5:1-4 is used by Jesus in Matthew 24. I do not have time to go into here, but Matthew 24 is not referring to the end of the world, but to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. At the end of this post I link to several other blog posts to prove this point.
Third, if the day of the Lord is the second coming then why would the Thessalonians believe it had already come in II Thessalonians 2:2? Why would Paul need to convince them that they Day of the Lord had not come, if that day was referring to Christ's return and all believers being "caught up" with him in the air? Read II Thessalonians 2 and ask yourself how this makes any sense if Paul is talking about the end of the world?
In short I Thessalonians 4 refers to the 2nd coming and Paul assures his readers of their resurrection and their joining with Christ. I Thessalonians 5 and II Thessalonians 2 do not refer to the 2nd coming, but instead refers to Christ coming in judgment upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Who is the Man of Lawlessness?
In II Thessalonians 2:1 and following Paul is telling these Christians that the destruction of Jerusalem has not yet occurred. They had gotten some letter or messaging stating the Christ had come in judgment upon their enemies (2:2). He then says two things must occur before the Day of the Lord. There must be an apostasy/rebellion and the man of lawlessness must be revealed. What can we determine about this man of lawlessness?
 1. He is a political leader. The language used in 2:4 is used in the Old Testament of wicked political rulers (See Isaiah 14:4-21, Ezekiel 28:2-19, and Daniel 11:36).
 2. He is being restrained right now and the Thessalonians know what is restraining him (2:6). This means he is alive when Paul is writing around 51-52 A.D.
 3. Despite being restrained he is already at work ( vs. 7).
 4. His reign will be marked by great wickedness (vs. 9-10).
 5. He will be killed by God after he is let loose (2:8).
Mathison believes this refers to Nero, who when II Thessalonians was written, was not yet Emperor, but soon became Emperor after his mother killed the current emperor. Nero was known for his extraordinary wickedness. During his reign the Jews rebelled against Rome. This could be the rebellion referred to in vs. 3. Rome then began to wage war on the Jews. This is called the Jewish War. During this war, in A.D. 68, Nero died. This is one of the most plausible explanations. Though I am not convinced it fits with verse 4, where the man of lawlessness is said to sit in the temple of God. It is possible this man of lawlessness was a Jewish leader who lead Israel in rebellion against Rome.
Whoever the exact man was, this much is clear, II Thessalonians 2 is not referring to a future man of lawlessness. This man was around when Paul wrote, but restrained. He has already passed off the scene. There is no man of lawlessness coming in the future.
Blog Posts on Matthew 24
15 Reasons Why Matthew 24 is About the Destruction of Jerusalem
Pastor MacArthur and Matthew 24
Generation in Matthew 24
They Will Not Prevail
The enemies of God are planners and schemers. In Psalm 2:1-3 the nations and rulers plot and take counsel on how they can break God's chains. What can we do to escape God? How can we run from Him? How can we evade his rules? What can we do to destroy his Word and make him disappear? Imagine a bunch of corporate lawyers sitting in a back room late at night plotting the overthrow of another company.
In our culture this plotting takes place through things like feminism, sexual freedom, the acceptance of evolution, the careful parsing of God's word by weak-willed men (and women) so that it becomes impotent, college classes on gender studies, failure to call public leaders to repentance, and a denial of sin as the problem in our lives.
For Christians who love God's Word and its Author, this scheming can be discouraging. Our resources are paltry. Leaders are dropping like zombies in The Walking Dead. Doctrinal compromise is normal. Every day more laws get passed that destroy the remnants of Christianity that were once in our culture. And what of the Church? She is harassed and persecuted around the world. Where she is not persecuted by the enemies of God she is threatened by wolves who have found their way into the sheepfold. All in all, there are times we wonder if Jesus missed something when He said, "The gates of hell will not prevail against his church" (Matthew 16:18).
There is a great encouragement for us in Exodus 15. Exodus 15:1-21 is the song that Israel sung after the Egyptians had been drowned in the Red Sea. The song exalts in God's marvelous power to deliver his people from the strongest of enemies. Verse 9 takes us behind the curtain to see what the Egyptians were planning:
The Egyptian army had it all worked out. They were going to overtake that ragtag band of slaves, led by an 80 year old shepherd and destroy them. They were going slaughter them by the seashore spilling their blood all over the sand and then go back to feast. They were cocky and sure of themselves. After all, Israel's back was to the sea and Egypt had the greatest army in the world. What or who could possibly stop them?
But just like Psalm 2:4 God laughed. Man can plot and scheme, but God is the one who directs history. God's plans are the only sure plans. Egypt does not prevail. Instead they are destroyed. Exodus 14:30 says that Israel saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the shore. Exodus 15:1-10 says God
Threw the horse and rider into the sea
Cast Pharaoh's army into the sea
Drowned Pharaoh's choicest of captains so they sank like stones
Dashed the enemy into pieces
Consumed them like stubble
Covered them with the sea
All those plans, all those schemes thwarted in a moment by a God who is not like other gods (Exodus 15:11), but is glorious, fearful, powerful, and a man of war.
If you are Christian do not fear the plans of the great men of this world. Politicians, professors, movie stars, talking heads, Muslims, and false teachers of all stripes can plot and scheme to tear down God and his people, but in the end they will not prevail. They will come to nothing. They are but a drop in the bucket and dust on the scales (Isaiah 40:18). Do not listen to the fear mongers in the press or on your Facebook page. Even your Christian friends can get sucked into the vortex that says that God will not deliver and it would have been better to stay in Egypt (Exodus 14:10-


The screamer belongs to a small group of birds that live in South America. While they don't particularly look like it, screamers are related to ducks, geese, and other waterfowl.
They make up the Anhimidae family, and there are only three species, the northern, the southern, and the horned screamer. Though the northern and southern species are unique in their own ways, we are going to focus on the severely odd horned screamer. Read on to learn about the screamer.
Description of the Screamer
Unlike other waterfowl, screamers do not have flattened beaks. Instead, their beaks look similar to those of a chicken. Their feet are also somewhat chicken-like. They have long toes, with only partial webbing between them.
Perhaps its most notable characteristic, the horned screamer has a single "horn" growing from the top of its head. Screamers are relatively large birds. They stand about three feet tall, and weigh up to eight pounds at their heaviest.
Interesting Facts About the Screamer
Calling the horned screamer interesting is definitely an understatement. These birds are undeniably odd looking, albeit in a magnetic sort of way.
 - The Horn – Let's tackle the undeniably interesting horn first. It isn't sharp or pointy, nor is it stiff and unbreakable. In fact, their horns are quite flimsy, and they break easily. If their horn breaks, it simply grows back over time. The horn is made of cartilage, and grows to about six inches long.
 - Other Oddities – Though the other screamer species do not have horns, all species have bone spurs on their wings. Where the wing bends at the elbow, cartilage covered bone protrudes through the feathers into a pointed spur.
 - Screamer – While known as screamers, their calls are not particularly screeching. Instead, they call loudly to one another in something of a honking sound. They also make a trumpeting sound, and several other vocalizations.
 - Crinkle Bird – Another strange adaptation that this bird possesses are air sacs. They have multiple sacs of air under their skin and around their bones. Just like when you crack your knuckles, when these birds fly, they make crackling sounds. These air sacs help the birds stay lighter to remain airborne longer.
Habitat of the Screamer
These birds live in tropical regions of South America, with have high rainfall and humidity. They are partial to areas with standing water, like swamps, ponds, lakes, marshes, slow moving rivers, and more.
The areas surrounding these water sources must have trees and shrubbery for the birds to hide and forage in. Screamers fly into the trees to sleep at night.
Distribution of the Screamer
The horned screamer lives in South America, primarily in the Amazon River basin. They inhabit much of northern South America, including Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, and more.
Their distribution is smaller than it once was historically, primarily around the outer edges. Because of this, their populations are higher in some regions, and lower in others.
Diet of the Screamer
This species' diet varies based on its age and needs. Like most waterfowl, nesting and young birds need higher levels of protein. Adults usually feed mostly on plants, and breeding or younger birds eat more insects.
They eat flowers, fruits, leaves, shoots, stems, and other plant parts. Their diet also contains a number of invertebrates, like larvae, grubs, spiders, worms, and more.
Screamer and Human Interaction
In South America, people generally like screamers, unless they are waking them up early. In fact, screamers are wonderful at guarding livestock and poultry, because they are quite loud when predators arrive.
The locals often tame young birds for this purpose, and the birds take well to captivity. Much like peacocks in North American zoos, free ranging screamers are a common occurrence in South American zoos.
Humans have not domesticated these birds in any way.
Does the Screamer Make a Good Pet
Screamers are only good pets if you know what you're getting into. They are incredibly loud, and thus not a good choice for a small apartment. However, larger properties and farms can make good homes for screamers. Though it is illegal to own a screamer as a pet in some places.
Screamer Care
These birds thrive in zoos, and in South America it is not unusual to see one roaming the grounds. They are loud, but otherwise harmless and non-aggressive.
Their habitats should have a water source, and a variety of plants and shrubs for them to graze on. Zookeepers also feed them pelleted feed, insects, fruits, and vegetables.
Behavior of the Screamer
Horned screamers are moderately social. They live in small groups, but they are flexible, and members often join or leave. Groups of birds, called flocks, roost in trees, stand on perches, and wander on the ground in search of food.
When they are not searching for food, they stand in the sun grooming their feathers. Though they live in close proximity to water, they do not necessarily feed in the water like other waterfowl do.
Reproduction of the Screamer
This species often breeds with the same partner for several seasons. Pairs form when a female chooses the strongest and loudest male. Males often fight one another using their sharp wing spurs to impress females.
A mated pair breaks off from the group to build a nest and raise their young. The female lays between two and eight eggs in the nest, and incubated them for over a month. The young do not begin to fly until they are at least two months old.


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This is a variation on a popular spell used to stop someone from harming or bothering you.
This must be performed during a waning moon.
On a piece of parchment or recycled paper, write the name and birthdate of the person
you are wishing "away".
Now fill an air-tight container (like a baby food jar or Tupperware container) with water.
Add a pinch of one or more of these magical herbs: ash tree leaves, clover, lovage, lilac, garlic.
Take the paper with the name on it and fold it three times.
Tie a black string or thread around it and drop it in the water.
Seal the container up and bury it in a safe spot in your garden, yard or flower box.
Once the person has left you alone or no longer poses a problem to you, open the
container and empty it to the earth. Keep the container instead of leaving it to Mother Earth.


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Braided, Braiding
BRAIDED, BRAIDING (πλέγμα, ἐμπλοκή [1 Tim 2:9; 1 Pet 3:3]). The braiding of the hair refers to the custom practiced by women of means during the Rom. period. It involved the elaborate entwining of the hair into knots or braids. The braids would then be folded about the head in a high ornamental fashion often including thin threads of gold, pearls or precious stones of various colors. Two of the NT church leaders speak against this practice because of its identification with the world system of that day. They felt that it brought undue attention to the physical attractions of women, thus causing them to be diverted from their basic calling in life.
Biblical Training


This time, it's Mozilla v Google
A sandbox twenty years in the making
Native Client is inspired by a research paper published by a team of academics at the University of California, Berkeley in the early 90s. The paper described a means of sandboxing native code known as "software-based fault isolation". In essence, this system used a special instruction sequence to ensure that machine code programs conformed to certain security properties, and then it could analyze the resulting code to determine whether those properties were indeed followed.
Brad Chen
Brad Chen
The trouble is that the technique wasn't feasible for use with the x86 instruction set used by modern Intel and Intel-compatible processors. But Google changed that, in part by tapping the instruction set's rarely-used "segment registers". Expanding on a second paper from MIT and Harvard academics Stephen McCamant and Greg Morrisett, Google produced a version of the system that not only worked with x86, but did so with low overhead, letting native code run fairly close to its original speed. "They took the idea and really made it real," Harvard professor Morrisett tells The Register. "They have a very good handle now on how to do this stuff."
With the 32-bit x86 instruction set, Native Client uses the segment registers to restrict where in memory a program can read and write data and to ensure that a program doesn't jump to code outside a certain range of memory. But it also includes a modified compiler and a code verifier that work to keep code jumps in line.
An ordinary program will read a data value from memory into a register and then jump to the address that value represents. But with Native Client, the compiler performs a bit of arithmetic on that value before the jump to ensure it doesn't target bad instructions, and then the code verifier double-checks the compiler's work.
Among other things, the verifier must ensure that a program doesn't leap past the extra instructions inserted by the compiler. "You've added this arithmetic to make sure the jumps are in range. But the real issue is that if it's really clever, a program will arrange for a jump to jump past that arithmetic," says Morrisett. "You might protect one jump but not the next one."
Greg Morrisett
Greg Morrisett
Originally, it was difficult to write such a verifier for x86 because the lengths of the instructions vary. If the lengths aren't the same, it takes far too long to find rogue instructions. As you parse the sequence of raw bytes looking for these bad boys, you have to assume that they could start at any given byte.
But McCamant, then a grad student at MIT, realized this problem could be eased by "padding" the instructions with dummy bytes. "On a RISC machine [where all instructions are the same length], there's only one parse. But on an x86 machine, there can be multiple parses, and it was infeasible to check all of them," says Morrisett. "The trick was to force the instructions to be aligned in a certain way." And Google ran with the idea. In addition to boosting the performance of the system by way of the x86 segment registers, Google improved on the speed of McCamant's padding method.
The games Google plays
Like any other piece of software, Native Client will contain its own security holes, and according to Morrisett, this is a particular worry with the code verifier. In 2009, Google ran a contest to identify bugs in Native Client, and yes, some were found. But Morrisett now describes the system as "pretty robust".
The larger point is that in providing software-based fault isolation on x86, Native Client still maintains the speed of native code – or thereabouts. According to Morrisett, the sandbox adds only about 5 per cent overhead, which gives Native Client a significant advantage over JavaScript.
"It gives you a tremendous improvement in performance compared to other options for running code in the browser," he says. "It makes it possible to do serious rendering and serious number-crunching in the browser without a big performance hit."
Specifically, Native Client can provide more in the way of parallel execution than JavaScript, and it allows for much faster vector arithmetic. For Google, it's a way of opening the browser to 3D games, video editing, and other applications that require that extra bit of oomph, and such applications can be moved to the platform with relatively little effort. Existing native applications must be ported for use on Native Client, but developers needn't start from scratch. They can use their existing codebase.
"[Native Client] gives you a tremendous improvement in performance compared to other options for running code in the browser. It makes it possible to do serious rendering and serious number-crunching in the browser."
– Greg Morrisett
This proposition fits quite nicely with Chrome OS, the fledgling Google operating system that puts all applications inside the browser. With Chrome OS, running existing 3D games and other desktop applications isn't really an option. But the Native Client project pre-dates Google's operating system effort, and the ultimate goal is to bring a new breed of applications to the entire web.
"JavaScript now does integers well, but JavaScript engines haven't really gotten around to vector arithmetic yet, and that's where native code currently tends to have a big advantage...These things aren't important to all software, but when they are, it can mean one or two orders of magnitude in performance," says Google's Linus Upson.
"The sweet spot is 3D games. They do a lot of computation, and the codebase already exists in C++, so they don't have to be rewritten. It allows us to get a lot more fun and exciting games on the web."
The rub is that Native Client isn't the web – at least not yet. It will soon be an integral part of Google's browser and its browser-based operating system. But that's a little different.
Sponsored: Today's most dangerous security threats


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Teen Abstinence May Not Stop Later Risky Sex
Study of twins finds that genes and environment play important role
FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Teens who choose to practice abstinence or delay having sex may still engage in sexual risk-taking as adults, according to a new study.
The researchers found that a combination of other factors, including genetics and environment, are stronger contributing factors than being sexually promiscuous in young adulthood -- which they described as associated with but not causing later sexual risk-taking.
When it comes to causal factors for sexual risk-taking, "it doesn't really matter whether you delay sex or not," the researchers said in a news release from the Association for Psychological Science. They cited having multiple partners, drug and alcohol use during sexual encounters and unprotected sex as examples of sexual risk-taking.
The findings are scheduled for publication in a future issue of Psychological Science.
For the study, Marina A. Bornovalova, a University of South Florida psychologist, and her colleagues examined more than 1,000 pairs of identical and fraternal twins who'd been enrolled in the Minnesota Twin Family Study since age 11. They were questioned on various factors related to biology, including age at puberty, as well as on psychological and social issues, such as friendships. At age 24, the participants were asked about their sex lives and any related risk-taking behaviors.
In twin pairs where one sibling had sex at age 16 or younger and the other did not, the researchers found that their sexual risk-taking was identical -- regardless of the age at which the twins initiated sex.
This suggests, they said, that a combination of genetic factors, such as a tendency to act impulsively, and environmental ones, such as having an unstable family life or living in poverty, are associated with sexual risk-taking in adulthood.
In short, they explained, a person's genes and life experiences both contribute to the decision to have sex at a young age and also to take sexual risks later on.
The researchers stressed that they do not advocate early sexual activity, warning that it can lead to depression and negatively affect school performance, among other things. But if our goal is to reduce sexual risk-taking, we need to be focusing on something else," Bornovalova said, adding that it will take more study to determine just what that should be.
Whatever is causing sexual risk-taking, it is not early sexual initiation," she said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics provides information on teens and sex.Mary Elizabeth Dallas SOURCE: Association for Psychological Science, news release, May 17, 2011 Related Articles
- Children Who Have CT Scans May Face Higher Cancer Risk
May 22, 2013
- Genes May Boost Woman's Risk of Postpartum Depression
May 21, 2013
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Learning Pathways serves a small group of our students, focusing on skills and strategies through a personalized program inspired by the principles of Orton-Gillingham. Student and teacher work together to build foundational literacy skills and academic confidence to prepare for future independence.
The Orton-Gillingham approach – a sequential, multi-sensory, phonetically based system of instruction – is implemented in an individualized one-to-one teaching situation or in small groups. Multi-sensory learning simultaneously involves the visual, auditory, and tactile pathways to enhance learning. The course includes phonics for reading and spelling, penmanship, vocabulary building, reading comprehension, written and oral composition, organizational study skills, and self-advocacy.
Learning Pathways occupies one period in the student's schedule. The program lasts one or two years and requires an additional fee.


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Mac 101: Adjusting your mouse and trackpad speed
If you've ever used the trackpad on a PC laptop connected to an external monitor and noticed how many times you have to swipe your finger across the pad to get the mouse cursor from one screen to the other, the end result can be quite frustrating and tiresome. Of course, the same thing can easily happen if you hook up an external display to your MacBook or iMac, although it usually is not as obvious thanks to the larger surface area that Apple has designed into recent trackpads. Luckily, this can be easily corrected on any Mac in just a few simple clicks.
Before we dive into the settings, though, let's talk about what is causing this to happen in the first place. Although we often take it for granted, one of the most astonishing aspects of using a mouse with a computer is the fact that you only have to move your hand by a couple of inches, while the pointer on the screen moves from one end of the screen to the other -- even if the screen is over 20" wide. This feat is accomplished by a simple mathematical conversion being done in the background that measures the distance the mouse (or your finger, if using a trackpad) moves and multiplies that by a specific factor to determine how far -- and in what direction -- to move the cursor on the screen.
Read on to find out how to give your mouse (or trackpad) a speed boost.
This factor is called the Tracking Speed, and it can easily be adjusted to your liking. You'll want to start by opening the System Preferences application. If you often switch between using a mouse and a trackpad, you'll be pleased to know that OS X allows you to set separate tracking speeds (as well as several other settings) for mice and trackpads, so you won't have to update your settings whenever you change devices.
The settings for the mouse can be found under the Mouse preference panel, and they are pretty straightforward:
To adjust the tracking speed, simply drag the slider at the top left of the window to the left to lower the speed, or to the right to increase it. Slower tracking speeds give you more control over the mouse pointer, but the pointer will not move as far and may require you to reposition the mouse on the pad if you are attempting to move your pointer very far on the screen. Higher speeds will allow the pointer to easily move from one end of the screen to the other, but it will make it more difficult to constrain the pointer to a small area of the screen, which may be troublesome for detail-oriented work such as working with images. You can easily experiment with the effects here; the pointer will immediately follow the new tracking speed when the slider is changed, so move the mouse around and see how it feels. If the pointer jumps around too much, drag the slider to the left a notch or two and try it out again. If it feels sluggish, drag it to the right.
There are some other settings here that control other speed factors, such as how far a page scrolls when you scroll using the wheel, ball or buttons on your mouse, and how rapidly you must click the mouse for the computer to recognize a double click.
If you're configuring a Magic Trackpad, there are many more options available, but the same basics apply. The tracking speed will not affect the speed of your gestures, it just affects the cursor speed when using the trackpad as a pointer.
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Application of a high performance benchtop NMR spectrometer for 19F NMR spectroscopy
Fluorine is an important element in industrial chemistry and has applications in a wide range of industries, such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, polymers, surfactants and solvents. It is estimated that more than 20 % of all pharmaceutical compounds contain fluorine.
This includes some of the top drugs such as Prozac (fluoxetine) and Paxil (paroxetine).
NMR spectroscopy is a valuable technique for the measurement of compounds containing fluorine especially organofluorine compounds. After 1H and 13C NMR, 19F is the most common nucleus studied by this technique. 19F nuclei have a spin value of 1/2 and a high gyromagnetic ratio, which means that this isotope shows high receptivity for NMR measurements. The 19F isotope also has a natural abundance close to 100% giving high sensitivity compared to other nuclei present in low abundance. The 19F frequency on Pulsar, a 1.45 T magnet, is 56.76 MHz allowing 1H or 19F spectra to be measured sequentially using the same probe without removing the sample.
Measuring 19F spectra on Pulsar
Pulsar is a high performance benchtop NMR that does not require external services, such as liquid cryogens or compressed air, and can be placed in the laboratory rather than in a specialised NMR facility. Spectra can be collected within a couple of minutes using standard 5 mm NMR tubes.
A series of spectra have been collected to demonstrate the 19F capability and performance of the instrument.
The spectrum shown in Figure1 is a mixture of 2 fluorine-containing chemicals; Trifluorotoluene and trifluoroethanol. Trifluorotoluene (TFT) is often used as a reference material for 19F spectra. It appears as a strong, single peak at -63.72 ppm chemical shift vs. CFCl3. It is a single peak as the structure consists of 3 equivalent 19F nuclei isolated from any other nuclei that would couple to it. The peak in the spectrum due to trifluoroethanol is split into a triplet. This is due to the fact that the 19F nuclei couples with the 1H nuclei on neighbouring carbon atoms in the molecule, just as 1H nuclei would couple with other neighbouring 1H nuclei in the molecule.
The 19F spectrum of Perfluorodecalin is shown in Figure 2. This is a much more complex spectrum due to the fact that there are a large number of 19F nuclei in different chemical environments:
Finally, a comparison has been made of the 19F spectra of 2 different positional isomers of bromotrifluorobenzene. Figure 3 shows the 19F spectra of 5-bromo-1,2,3-trifluorobenzene and 1-bromo-2,4,5-trifluorobenzene.
Looking at the spectrum of the 5-bromo-1,2,3-trifluorobenzene in more detail, the pattern of peaks at about -162 ppm chemical shift is highly symmetrical due to the symmetry within the molecule. The single fluorine, F2, will couple with the two equivalent fluorine nuclei (F1 and F3) to give a triplet, and also with the two chemically equivalent protons (H4 and H6) generating a signal that appears as a triplet of triplets.
The data presented here displays that benchtop NMR is a valuable analytical tool for measuring 19F spectra and provides useful information for fluorine chemistry. Benchtop instruments are low cost compared to high field NMR instruments and have significantly lower cost of lifetime ownership.
More information on Pulsar NMR spectroscopy system
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International Human Design School
Variables - An Introduction into the 16 Orientations of Awakening
Audio Course
What Type is to the form principle, Variable is to awareness.
Includes Audio files and Image slides.
Endowment Discount Available
Mechanically, Variable is a combination of four imprints of a Rave Chart, the Design Sun/Earth; the Design North and South Nodes; the Personality North and South Nodes and the Personality Sun/Earth. Each imprint is synthesized based on its Tonal activation to differentiate the imprint through 'Leftness' or 'Rightness'. The resulting combination of these four elements is called a Variable. It is an awareness map that lays out the possibility for an awareness in this life.
There are 16 possible combinations that represent the 16 cognitive Families. Through the Variable Rave Property the four transformations that are the potential of all nine-centered beings is revealed.
To get a grasp about the importance of the meaning of the Variable, it can be compared with Type at another "octave". What Type is to the form principle, variable is to awareness. And Awareness is a physical practice of a mechanical process, just like Type is a mechanical principle to navigate correctly through life.
Please join Dr. Andrea Reikl-Wolf for a two part exploration into Variable.
To Listen to the Class Recording:
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American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A small entrance hall or passage between the outer door and the interior of a house or building.
- n. An enclosed area at the end of a passenger car on a railroad train.
- n. Anatomy A cavity, chamber, or channel that leads to or is an entrance to another cavity: the vestibule to the ear.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In Bryozoa of the suborder Cryptostomata, a tubular shaft which lies above and leads to the mouth of the zoœcium. This vestibule or vestibular shaft may be crossed by diaphragms or hemisepta and is surrounded by vesicular tissue or a solid calcareous deposit.
- n. In car-building, a car-platform inclosed above and on two sides and connected by a bellows-like extension with the similarly inclosed platform of next car. Each extension carries an iron doorframe called a face-plate. When two cars are coupled together the opposing face-plates are pressed together by springs, which at the same time allow them to slip over one another with the motion of the cars. The permanent structure of the vestibule includes doors on each side, at the steps, and hinged platforms to cover the steps when the doors are closed.
- n. A passage, hall, or antechamber next the outer door of a house, from which doors open into the various inner rooms; a porch; a lobby; a hall; a narthex. See cuts under opisthodomus, porch, and pronaos.
- n. In anatomy: A part of the labyrinth of the ear, the common or central cavity, between the semicircular canals and the cochlea, communicating permanently with the former, and temporarily or permanently with the latter, from the proper membranous cavity of which it is generally shut off subsequently, opening into the tympanum or middle ear by the fenestra ovalis, which, however, is closed in life by a membrane. See cuts under car and temporal.
- n. A triangular space between the nymphæ or labia minora of the human female and some anthropoid apes, containing the orifice of the urethra, or meatus urinarius. More fully called vestibule of the vulva and vestibulum vaginæ.
- n. A part of the left ventricular cavity of the heart, adjoining the root of the aorta.
- n. In zoology: A depression of the body-wall of sundry infusorians, as Paramecium and Noctiluca, leading to the oral and sometimes also to the anal aperture, and thus connected, by means of an esophageal canal, with the endosarc. See Vorticella, Noctiluca, and cut under Paramecium.
- n. In polyzoans, an outer chamber of a cell of the polyzoary, which opens on the surface, and into which, in some forms, the pharynx and anus both open.
- To provide with a vestibule.
- n. architecture A passage, hall or room, such as a lobby, between the outer door and the interior of a building.
- n. rail transport An enclosed entrance at the end of a railway passenger car.
- n. medicine, anatomy, by extension Any of a number of body cavities, serving as or resembling an entrance to another bodily space.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The porch or entrance into a house; a hall or antechamber next the entrance; a lobby; a porch; a hall.
- v. To furnish with a vestibule or vestibules.
- n. any of various bodily cavities leading to another cavity (as of the ear or vagina)
- n. a large entrance or reception room or area
- Its origin is early 17th century from French, from Latin vestibulum ("entrance court"). (Wiktionary)
- Latin vestibulum. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
"Even in this strange landscape the vestibule was an impressive display of pink Aswan granite and white alabaster floor."
"STEPHEN C. GIDLEY, AGING-IN-PLAC. C.NTRAC.OR: And then we have the vestibule, which is well lit and heated and then we have the elevator, which is wheelchair accessible and it's also safe to carry up four people."
"After you cross the vestibule, which is dark, you crouch to pass through the low, rock-cut archway by which you enter the tomb."
"Mom looked to me like she was trying to lick her way inside her daughter, through what the Romans called the vestibule of love."
"On the right and left of the imposing main vestibule, which is distinguished by the strength and the beauty of its style, lobbies with arched roofs lead to the waiting and dining rooms, the ladies 'rooms, the imperial apartments and the above mentioned meeting hall of the administration."
"In an all-the-year country house a vestibule is a necessity as much as in a town house, and the hall should be treated with the dignity a hall deserves, and not as a second living-room."
"The vestibule is the common cavity with which all the other portions of the labyrinth connect."
"East of the vestibule is a large hall, and to the south is the great library, corresponding in size, &c. with the museum of natural history; the small library; rooms for the librarian, for apparatus, and also another large theatre."
"As you enter, you find a vestibule, which is called the cupola of"
"Beyond the vestibule is a passage that leads to the large central hall."
These user-created lists contain the word 'vestibule'.
Valentine's Day is coming up, so here's a list of words that have been "loved" here on Wordnik (our favorite site with a heart as part of its logo).
Words that relate to the teeth, mouth or dentistry in general.
Words that have with subtly different meanings from other words.
uncategorized words that I enjoy
Words from the book by Jane Austen.
For those who wish no words were ever forgotten
My big word list.
Looking for tweets for vestibule.


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ronyboy je napisao:
Platform embedder is the native OS app that hosts all Flutter content and acts as the glue between Flutter and the host OS. The embedder is responsible for creating a Flutter application, providing the entrypoint and initializing the Flutter engine. It also obtains threads and rastering threads and creates a texture Flutter can use.
This is a simple way to communicate between Dart code and your host app's platform-specific code. You can send and get messages between Dart (encapsulating both a name or a codec) and a platform component written using a language such as Swift or Kotlin by creating a common channel flutter app development
Data is serialized from Dart types like Map into a standard format and then deserialized to an equivalent representation in Swift (such As Dictionary) or Kotlin.


Breaking news
Read our blog to learn why privacy matters. And don't forget to get an encrypted mailbox yourself!
Who is being monitored?
Politicians regularly claim that they need to ban encryption to protect the children. But who is actually being monitored?
To protect the children! This is what politicians often state as the main argument when they push for weakening or banning encryption. So let's find out what current surveillance methods, namely the monitoring of telecommunications, is being used for in Germany.
Who is being monitored?
In the major mass media in Germany massive propaganda is being made for tightening the surveillance of telecommunications because of the allegedly widespread child pornography. It increasingly looks like politicians are framing the need to ban encryption to protect our children from sexual abuse. The unnamed aim: To heighten the acceptance for more surveillance among the population.
However, when looking at the actual monitoring orders issued by German courts, the numbers speak a very different language.
The surprising result: In Germany, more than 47.3 per cent of the measures for the surveillance of telecommunications according to § 100a StPO where ordered to find suspects of drug related offenses in 2019. Only 0.1 per cent of the orders where issued in relation to child pornography.
Nevertheless, the main reason for the targeted measures - investigations into drug related offenses - is rarely if ever mentioned when calling for more surveillance options for law enforcement agencies.
Comparison of the percentage of monitoring orders for child pornography and drug offenses in Germany, 2009-2019.
In most cases the surveillance of telecommunications was ordered for drug-related crimes. No other area had so many surveillance measures ordered.
In Germany, just under half of all telecommunication surveillance measures were carried out for drug offences in recent years. This is shown in the annual statistics of the Federal Office of Justice (BfJ).
The annual overviews of the Federal Ministry of Justice show on the basis of which individual catalogue offence of § 100a of the Code of Criminal Procedure (StPO) the interceptions were ordered. Most of the interceptions were ordered for violations of the Narcotics Act on the basis of Section 100a (2) no. 7a and no. 7b of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In 2010, 6,880 cases were registered in this regard (33.7% of all cases). About ten years later, in 2019, there were 8.624 cases (47.3% of all cases). In connection with the distribution, acquisition and possession of child pornography, only 19 cases were registered in 2010 (0.1% of all cases). In 2019, there were 21 cases (0.1% of all cases) registered.
In recent years, child pornography has played only a marginal role in telecommunications surveillance in practice, quite in contrast to the media coverage regarding this complex of topics.
Call for banning encryption
Even though the numbers speak a very clear language, politicians and media continue to fuel the myth that we need to ban encryption to protect the children. This is very dangerous. With framing the debate in such a way that banning encryption would be needed to protect the children, politicians try to swing the public opinion in their direction.
However, banning encryption is impossible: It is impossible to enforce a human law aiming at banning the laws of mathematics. Because mathematics says that you can have good encryption, it can simply be programmed with code that fits on one sheet of paper.
Only outlaws would have encryption
As a result, only people who are ready to break the law will have encryption. The general public will not.
Or as Phil Zimmermann put it: "If privacy is outlawed, only outlaws will have privacy."
What the politicians are asking for, is, consequently, wishful thinking. The Register has made a pointy prayer out of it that all politicians asking for a ban on encryption should learn by heart:
"Oh Lord, grant us this day all the data, but keep it from the sight of the evil-doers. And if that's not possible, because it isn't, even for thou, oh Lord, force industry to give it to us by framing them as complicit in child sex abuse. Amen."
The truth is: If an encrypted service contains a backdoor "for the good guys only", it contains a backdoor. It's impossible to make an encrypted system insecure without making it insecure.
Recent successes in criminal investigation, such as the breaking of Encrochat, an encrypted chat app widely used by criminals as well as the AN0M crackdown where hundreds of criminals were arrested after having used an encrypted messaging app secretly run by the FBI, show that it is also not necessary to outlaw encryption for all citizens in order to prosecute criminals.
Lives depend on encryption
Politicians will continue to call for a ban on encryption to "protect the children." But make no mistake here: Free and democratic societies depend on encryption as much as they depend on free speech and the right to privacy.
Whenever you use encryption, you are protecting someone who needs it to stay alice. - Bruce Schneier
Encryption is essential to protect activists, lawyers, human rights defenders, journalists, and many more.
That's why demanding a ban on encryption must stop.
Stop the crypto wars now!