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How to Tighten a Rattling Heat Shield
A car heat shield. Learn when to worry about a rattling heat shield.
For the most part, we associate a quiet car with a healthy car. Loose parts usually mean something is wrong, and could affect the reliability and safety of your vehicle. While some see a rattling heat shield as a mere annoyance, others may find it embarrassing. In some cases, a loose heat shield could be a major problem.
Because the primary purpose of the exhaust system is to route superheated gases away from the engine, everything around the exhaust manifolds, catalytic converter, exhaust pipes and muffler gets hot. Catalytic converters are particularly hot — they only begin functioning between 400 and 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and normally range between 1,200 and 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. The rest of the exhaust system typically measures 300 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Exhaust Heat Shields — What Are They Rattling For?
These heat shields were mounted to the body over the exhaust.Many car parts cannot manage such heat. Plastic and rubber parts can melt or become brittle, electric motors and sensors can fail, and dry grass or paper can spontaneously combust. Made of thin metal sheets, heat shields deflect much of the extreme heat, some affixed to the exhaust system and others affixed to parts needing protection.
Exhaust heat shields fail for a couple of reasons: rust and vibration. Fittingly, the parts the heat shields are designed to protect often cause their failure. All metal exposed to the atmosphere corrodes, but heat speeds up the process, so clamps, bolts or welds can rust to nothing, leading to a loose heat shield. Vibrations can weaken the metal, causing a heat shield to fall off, rattling against the exhaust or some other part of the vehicle.
How to Fix a Rattling Heat Shield
Some don't see much use for a rattling heat shield, so they simply remove them and discard them, but this can be a problem. Because the heat shields are designed to protect other car parts from the extreme heat of the exhaust, removing them completely could cause premature failure of other components or even fire. The best way to fix a rattling heat shield is to replace it or reaffix it. Here are a few ways to fix your rattling heat shield:
 - Weld: If you have access to a welder, you may be able to tack the heat shield to the exhaust. Be careful, as both the thin metal heat shield and exhaust pipe may burn through.
 - Bolt: In some cases, you may be able to install new nuts and bolts to reaffix a bolt-on heat shield. If the holes are too wide, fender washers can make up for that extra space.
 - Clamp: Stainless steel screw clamps can be used in some situations, such as where a heat shield was welded or clamped to an exhaust pipe.
 - Tie: Another way to fix a loose heat shield is with a stainless steel tie, which won't rust after installation. Link several together for larger components, such as muffler heat shields.
If a loose heat shield has you worried, you may not need new exhaust pipes, but one of these quick fixes can restore your sanity and protect your vehicle from the heat. Of course, if you're going to get under the vehicle, be sure it is securely lifted and supported by jack stands.
Check out all the exhaust parts and accessories available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on heat shields, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.
Benjamin Jerew View All
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Scientists Spend 27,000 Euros to Study the Ozzy Osbourne Genome
By: Jordan M - Published: • References: &
The Ozzy Osbourne genome is the target of a 27,000-euromapping procedure, making the rocker one of the few people in history to have the process done on them.
Scientists from the US company 'Knome' have chosen the Ozzy Osbourne genome because they feel his continued survival after decades of legendary drug and alcohol abuse might shed some light on how the human body adapts to drugs, and why some people like Ozzy Osbourne are more resistant to their negative long-term effects.
If they've already chosen Ozzy Osbourne, however, it definitely can't be long until Keith Richards gets the call as well. Stats for Rockstar Genome Mapping Trending: Older & Chilly
Traction: 1,066 clicks in 242 w
Interest: 4 minutes
Concept: Ozzy Osbourne
Related: 46 examples / 35 photos
Segment: Neutral, 18-55+
Comparison Set: 17 similar articles, including: 25 dna & art fusions, 40 dna and genome finds, and dr develops enzyme that destroys aids.


01 November 2008
Why Test 67 Markers?
People who wish to test their Ydna often ask which test its best. First you have to determine what your goal is and then find the test that best meets it.
As genealogists, we want our test to further our research; therefore, it is imperative that the test be helpful within a genealogical time frame. The following numbers of markers that are tested give results which are and are not within genealogical time. Although the following are the tests provided by Family Tree DNA, any testing company using about that number of markers will produce a similar result. However, note that at this time, no other company tests 67 markers on the Y chromosome, except Family Tree DNA.
Thus chart indicates the time frame for a match within a set of markers.
DNA TMRCA (Time to the Most Recent Common Ancestor) and Probability to the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA)
12 marker Ydna test tells you only about your most ancient ancestry....over 600 yrs ago and before surnames. The Genographic Project uses only the 12 marker for males as they are only interested in tracking the migration pattern of our most ancient ancestors. Their project is an anthropological study; not a genealogical one, but in time their data will help us.
37 marker match gives you a 95% probability of having a common ancestor within the last 300 yrs.
67 marker match gives you a 95% probability of having a common ancestor within the last 150-200 yrs.
This means that the 37 marker and the 67 marker are the genealogists' best choices as they fall withing a genealogical time frame. Prior to 600 years ago some cultures did not establish surnames. Actually, the Irish were probably the oldest culture and they began around 1000 years ago. However, the Welsh, the Jews and many others hae only had surnames for the last few hundred hears..
Although one can order the lesser number of markers (37) and upgrade at any time to a 67 marker test, the cost is a bit more than the difference between the two. There are also good reasons to update to a 67 marker and, in cases, reasons not to bother, at least until it is necessary.
So why upgrade to a 67 marker?
The following information will help the tester determine if a 67 marker is important to your goals.
It is important to know that a Ydna 67 marker test can:
* further refine the estimate of how closely related two individuals are.
* help groups of related testers find mutations which identify sub-branches in the family.
The following scenarios are good reasons to upgrade to a 67 marker:
If you are a member of a group of closely related testers with a good 37 marker match, but there is no paper trial to connect the croup, it may be wise to upgrade as:
* More mutations can result, giving you the opportunity to further subdivide the large group and look for more recent common ancestors.
(See Talley Project at _URL_
If you are a member of a group with many mutations (more than the usually number…i.e., more than 3 with a 37 marker) and you think you are closely related with the paper trail.
* The marker increase may not increase the mutations.
* The marker mutations may increase, pushing the common ancestor too far away from the group.
* The marker mutations may help bridge the mutations within the group. Often this happens when you find a family who has many mutations and the paper trail supports a good connection. Some families do mutate more often than others. Finding more testers for the family may bridge the gap between those who have greater genetic differences. A 67 marker may also show the testers re closely related as the markers from 38-67 have few to no mutations. The more markers tested the greater number of genetic differences can be accepted for still being a close relationship.
Probability for Most Recent Common Ancestor
The following times back to the MRCA when ALL the markers match are based in the latest results of the mutation rate study conducted by the University of Arizona.
For example, with 37/37 match there is a 50% probability that the MRCA was no longer than 2 generations, and a 90% probability that the MRCA was within the last 5 generations.
For a chart showing the Probability for Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA), see: _URL_
SO, in conclusion, if your test results fits within one of the above scenarios, it may be advantageous to upgrade to a 67 marker.
In time, there may be an increase in available markers to test so upgrading to a 67 marker may be only a step to the future and not the end.
©_EMAIL_, 1 Nov 2008
M. Richardson said...
Surely the better way to argue the case for more markers were if fewer markers weren't able to differentiate between the surname under research and other surnames. Even for the most common surnames (Smith, Walker, Brown etc.) it hasn't been necessary to go to 67 markers. The data at SMGF uses fewer markers with excellent resolution of groups.
I understand that additionally tested markers allow for additional chances to observe mutations and thus show sub-groups within a larger group, but is 67 the right number, or 670? Or could you have seen the same information at less than 67? What would you consider the best number and how would you quantify it?
In your own project, is there good evidence that 67 markers has resolved any further groups of significance? If so, at what cost? There was a time when genetic genealogists were told 12 markers was good enough. I believe by the same company. I guess I'm saying take caution in what you are being sold as it sounds like the message alters if you listen to the marketing dept vs. taking a hard look at data. There's a very good reason to question it as ultimately you are asking your own relatives to buy into it too.
Genealem said...
Thank you for your comments. I was not suggesting that everyone should upgrade to a 67 marker. I was only giving some reason why it could help. It surely isn't necessary to have 67 markers to know if one belongs to a particular surname.
Sixty-seven is the current maximum amount for Ydna in the genealogy area. Only if more markers are determined to be helpful in breaking people down into subgroups even further would it be necessary to increase the number of markers. I doubt that 670 on the Y-chromsome would be practical.
There is no "best number" for any one situation. Much of it depends upon the tester's goals and the findings within the project.
In one of my projects we have a large group who matches with some mutations. Some of them with perfect matches until they upgraded to a 67 marker. In particular, one person who couldn't determine the common ancestor to the larger group found he had a mutation in the markers between 38 and 67. Now when he finds someone with the surname who matches him, but has that unique marker, he will know there is a closer match than with the group. This can help focus the research to a more specific situation.
I also have a group who matched at a 12 marker, but was all over the place with a 37 marker upgrade. It was just a bit more than the average mutations for a 37 marker. They sworn their paper trails were solid. We tested more people and found the newer testers were bridging the gap. After upgrading to 67 markers we found a better percentage of markers matching and led us to resolve that this family mutated more than the average.
SO...yes, one needs to set their own goals for testing, work with their administrator to understand all this and whether any upgrade could be helpful or not.
Dave Cook said...
Emily - A little late to this conversation, but I discovered something tonight that makes me have more confidence in a very close 67 marker match my line has with another. My Cook line from KY has a 65/67 marker match with a Koch line from PA. One of my early Cooks went by "Dutch" and I could never figure out why. Then I found this tonight: "The Pennsylvania Dutch, are not Dutch, but are of German and German speaking heritage, They are the descendants of the early German speaking settlers of the inland counties of Pennsylvania who arrived in Pennsylvania prior to the Revolutionary War."
How much confidence can I have in a 67 marker match with 2 mutations?
Genealem said...
You can have a lot of confidence in the 65/67 match. That's very good. AND...with your line being German, it is possible that Koch and Cook really have the same roots. Often names were altered. To know the really pronouciation of the German Koch could help. I have German line with the ancester being Thones Kunders. Surprisingly, I have learned that his being called Dennis Cunard isn't far from the German pronouciation. I was shocked, but this comes from a person who knows German and German research.
Deborah Richards said...


text:
Addictive Virtual Guard is an intelligent High Definition IP CCTV system that uses advanced video analytics to detect specific objects such as people and cars and match them with advanced rules such as the amount of objects or even time spent in a certain area.
The system acts as a 'Virtual Guard' enabling the automatic alerting of authorities such as a 24×7 secure monitoring facility who can intern 'visually verify' an activity and take the appropriate action which may involve advising the local police directly.
Features and Benefits
- Remove costly static guards and significantly reduce costs.
- Proactive protection stops damage before it occurs.
- Intelligent pattern-based video analytics for greater accuracy and fewer false alarms.
- Remotely monitored and recorded in High Definition.
- Lower insurance claims.
- Redundant reporting paths. The system can still transmit alarms if connectivity to the internet is lost.
- Integration with Alarm and Access control for further ROI and site security.
- Automated warning messages on site if a human is detected.
- Always on technology. Never miss a thing.
- Fully supported and monitored system.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text: Abstract : Hardware verification has become challenging due to ever-growing complexity of today's designs. We aim at assisting verification of hardware intellectual property (IP) modules at register transfer level (RTL) by means of data abstraction and static formal analysis techniques. We believe that before applying data abstraction, it is necessary to clearly define and separate the Control and Data processing of modules. The consideration of control and data in hardware has previously been a subjective judgment of the designer, based on the syntax. We intuitively define the "Control" as an entity responsible for the timings of the data operations in IP modules. The proposed definition was envisaged for separating Control and Data, independent of the subjective choice or the specific syntax. We have worked around a few semantic issues of the definition and demonstrated by reasoning, that an ideal separation of control and data is not achievable according to the proposed definition due to the syntax dependent boolean computations. We therefore, separate the Control and Data based on designer's knowledge. A control-data slicing algorithm is proposed to split the module into a control slice and a data slice which meets our desired goal of data abstraction. An abstraction is achieved in case of slicing with data-independent control. The bit accurate RTL data slice is replaced by a functional data computation model for fast simulations. The control slice being critical entity with timing information, remains intact during this process. This provides us a way of abstracting the data processing and considering only the timing information for formal verification. We have proposed the notion of significance to represent the intentional data in IP modules. Significance is used to represent boolean data dependencies in modules for formal verification of the data flows. Approximations to data dependencies in IP modules have been realized with demonstration of their correctness. The verification technique based on significance is realized which enables to formally verify properties related to the datapaths.


text:
GONDAN delivers Research Vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen
Today GONDAN has delivered the Oceanographic Research vessel "Dr Fridtjof Nansen" to the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research. After recently completing successfully the comprehensive sea trials program, the vessel is heading today to Bergen, her Port of Registry.
The vessel, outfitted according to the best shipbuilding standard for modern noise reduced Research Vessels, in compliance with the strict requirements of ICES 209, will mainly operate in tropic and sub-tropic areas in developing countries. Cutting edge technology has been used for the vessel to develop activities focused on marine ecosystem studies with emphasis on fish stock assessment. In addition, the vessel will be used for: data collection for studies and understanding of climate change effects, mapping of marine biodiversity, measurements of CO2 and the resulting acidification of the oceans, measurements of oxygen and de-oxygenation of the oceans and studies of pollution.


Visian ICL
Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens)
visian icl (implantable collamer lens)The Visian ICL™ is another type of Phakic Intraocular Lens which is manufactured from a soft foldable polymeric material called Collamer. The cornea is actually comprised of collagen and sothis material provides excellent biocompatibility and superior optical capability. It is readily implanted in your eye behind the iris, or colored part of the eye, by gently folding it and injecting into the anterior chamber through a tiny incision only 3.0mm in length placed by the eye surgeon at the clear edge of the cornea.
Advantages of the Visian ICL
 - Quality of Vision – The Visian ICL produces not only improved visual acuity (20/20 vision is considered normal visual acuity), but also excellent visual quality. Many patients experience the "wow" factor when they experience the immediate improvement in the quality of their vision.
 - Biocompatibility – Collamer, the 100% pure collagen copolymer lens material of the Visian ICL, is not viewed as a foreign object by the body's immune system.
 - Versatility – The Visian ICL offers a wider treatment range for myopia than LASIK and PRK procedures.
 - Removable – The Visian ICL was designed to be permanently placed in the eye. However, the lens can be removed if a patient's vision changes or if it otherwise needs to be removed or replaced.For more information on the Visian ICL™, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Visian ICL
The Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) has been gaining recognition as a phakic intraocular lens that produces exceptional quality of vision. It is revolutionizing the refractive correction industry. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about STAAR Surgical Company's implantable Collamer lens.
Q: Am I a candidate for the Visian ICL?
A. The implantable Collamer lens works best for patients who suffer from moderate to severe myopia, but have not had other ophthalmic surgeries. Those between the ages of 21 and 45 without a history of ophthalmic diseases such as glaucoma, iritis, or diabetic retinopathy make the best candidates for the Visian ICL.
Q. What are the advantages of the Visian ICL?
A. The Visian ICL can correct a wide range of myopia without removing or destroying the cornea's delicate tissue. During this surgical eye correction procedure, the doctor makes a tiny incision about 3 mm long. This incision will not require sutures. It is just large enough to insert the Visian ICL, a small, foldable, injectable lens. The lens is made of an advanced biocompatible material called Collamer. Because the Visian ICL is placed inside the eye, refractive outcomes and optical performance are consistent. The result is excellent quality of vision.
Q. What if a patient's vision changes?
A. The Visian ICL may be removed or replaced if eyesight changes. Another surgical eye correction can be done to correct the discrepancy. Eyeglasses and contact lenses may also be worn if correction becomes necessary. The phakic IOL cannot be used to treat presbyopia, the need for reading glasses due to age.
Q. Can the lenses dry out or get dirty like a contact lens?
A. No. The Visian ICL is designed to be a maintenance-free eye correction treatment. We recommend you continue to have annual ophthalmology exams to ensure that your eyes stay healthy.
Q. Can the Visian ICL be seen by the naked eye?
A. No. Your vision correction lens will be completely invisible to you and all observers. The Visian ICL is hidden behind the iris, resulting in a perfect cosmetic appearance. Only medical professionals will be able to determine that there is a lens in place.
Q. What is the Visian ICL made of?
A. The Visian ICL uses a collagen co-polymer material called Collamer, which is proprietary to STAAR Surgical Company. It contains a small amount of purified collagen and is very stable and biocompatible, which means it will not cause a reaction in your eye. Additionally, it contains an ultraviolet light filter.
Q. How long will the Visian ICL stay in the eye?
A. The Visian ICL is intended to remain in place without maintenance. If for any reason removal of the lens becomes necessary, it can be easily taken out by a trained ophthalmic surgeon.
Q. Can the Visian ICL be felt once it is in place?
A. Because the Visian ICL does not attach to any eye structures or move around in the eye, most patients do not feel it or notice that it is there.
Want more information about Visian ICL? Schedule your consultation or call _PHONE_ to learn more from our friendly, knowledgeable staff.


text:
The Gaussian assumption in second-order estimation problems in digital communications
Tipus de documentArticle
EditorIEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC
Condicions d'accésAccés obert
This paper deals with the goodness of the Gaussian assumption when designing second-order blind estimation methods in the context of digital communications. The lowand high-signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) asymptotic performance of the maximum likelihood estimator—derived assuming Gaussian transmitted symbols—is compared with the performance of the optimal second-order estimator, which exploits the actual distribution of the discrete constellation. The asymptotic study concludes that the Gaussian assumption leads to the optimal second-order solution if the SNR is very low or if the symbols belong to a multilevel constellation such as quadrature-amplitude modulation (QAM) or amplitude-phase-shift keying (APSK). On the other hand, the Gaussian assumption can yield important losses at high SNR if the transmitted symbols are drawn from a constant modulus constellation such as phase-shift keying (PSK)or continuous-phase modulations (CPM). These conclusions are illustrated for the problem of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation of multiple digitally-modulated signals.
CitacióVillares, J.; Vazquez, G. The Gaussian assumption in second-order estimation problems in digital communications. IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, 2007, vol.55, núm. 10, p. 4994-5002


text:
Support the EIC
Southeastern Michigan is situated in an industrial region facing difficult challenges, such as soil and water contamination, air pollution, suburban sprawl and a shrinking inner-city population, all of which have consequences for public health and quality of life. The integrated educational programs and research activities of the Environmental Interpretive Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn are focused on raising public awareness of these environmental issues and developing and implementing strategies for creating cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable communities. Maintaining and growing a project of this caliber requires tremendous dedication and help from the southeast Michigan community in the form of volunteers and financial assistance.
Since it first opened its doors in 2001, the Center has succeeded in providing effective and unique environmental study experiences at the University's unique urban setting.
- The Center provides free K-12 educational programs on the environment for more than 15,000 students each year. Our programs emphasize sustainability and environmental awareness and stewardship.
- It annually hosts 2,000 people for the Rouge River Water Festival, the oldest and largest water festival in southeast Michigan. The Festival introduces school-aged children to the concept of water conservation and stewardship.
- The Center oversees several sustainability initiatives including a Community Organic Garden, a mushroom garden, and two rain gardens that demonstrate and promote what citizens can do in their own backyards to make a difference concerning the environment of their community.
Today's difficult economic challenges have profoundly increased the demand for access to our free educational programming and sustainable living initiatives. With your interest and support, we can fulfill our pledge to offer environmental interpretation and education to as many students and community visitors as possible. Your gift will make a difference!
The Rouge River Bird Observatory is the longestrunning, full-time urban bird research station in North America.
University of Michigan – Dearborn
4901 Evergreen Road
Dearborn, MI 48128


text:
The correct answer to this problem is given by the binomial coefficient
which reaches a maximum of 252 for k = 5. The number of committees of k members equals the number of committees of (10 - k) members, because any committee of k members defines a unique group of (10 - k) non-members.
Answering this question without computation involves mentally constructing committees of k members and evaluating their number by the ease with which they come to mind. Committees of few members such as 2, are easier than committees of many members, such as 8. The simplest scheme for the construction of committees is a partition of the group into disjoint sets. It is easy to construct five disjoint committees of 2 members, but impossible to generate even two disjoint committees of 8 members. So, using imaginability alone, the small committees will seem far more numerous than larger committees, whereas in fact there is a bell-shaped function.


Specify conditions for ordering
 ORDCOND([FOR ]
 [ALL] [WHILE <;lCondition>]
 [EVAL [EVERY ]]
 [RECORD ] [NEXT ]
 [REST] [DESCENDING])
 FOR specifies the conditional set of records on which
 to create the order. Only those records that meet the condition are
 included in the resulting order. is an expression that may
 be no longer than 250 characters under the DBFNTX and DBFNDX drivers.
 The maximum value for these expressions is determined by the RDD. The
 FOR condition is stored as part of the order bag and used when updating
 or recreating the index using the ORDCREATE() or ORDREBUILD() functions.
 Duplicate key values are not added to the order bag.
 Drivers that do not support the FOR condition produce an "unsupported"
 The FOR clause provides the only scoping that is maintained for all
 database changes. All other scope conditions create orders that do not
 reflect database updates.
 ALL specifies all orders in the current or specified work area. ALL
 is the default scope for ORDCOND().
 WHILE specifies another condition that must be met by
 each record as it is processed. As soon as the record is encountered
 that causes the condition to fail, the ORDCREATE() function terminates.
 If a WHILE clause is specified, the data is processed in the controlling
 order. The WHILE condition is transient (i.e., it is not stored in the
 file, not used for index updates, and not used for index updates and
 ORDREBUILD() purposes). The WHILE clause creates temporary orders, but
 these orders are not updated.
 Drivers that do not support the WHILE condition produce an "unsupported"
 Using the WHILE clause is more efficient and faster than using the FOR
 clause. The WHILE clause only processes data for which is
 true from the current position. The FOR clause, however, processes all
 data in the data source.
 EVAL evaluates a code block every , where
 is a value specified by the EVERY clause. The default value
 is 1. This is useful in producing a status bar or odometer that
 monitors the indexing progress. The return value of must be a
 logical data type. If returns false (.F.), indexing halts.
 EVERY is a clause containing a numeric expression that
 modifies how often is EVALuated. The EVERY option of the EVAL
 clause offers a performance enhancement by evaluating the condition for
 every nth record instead of evaluating every record ordered. The EVERY
 keyword is ignored if you specify no EVAL conditions.
 RECORD specifies the processing of the specified record.
 NEXT specifies the portion of the database to process. If
 you specify NEXT, the database is processed in the controlling order for
 the number of identities. The scope is transient (i.e., it is
 not stored in the order and not used for ORDREBUILDing purposes).
 REST specifies the processing of all records from the current
 position of the record pointer to the end of file (EOF).
 DESCENDING specifies that the keyed pairs be sorted in decreasing
 order of value. If you create a DESCENDING index, you will not need to
 use the DESCEND() function during a SEEK. DESCENDING is an attribute of
 the file, where it is stored and used for ORDREBUILDing purposes.
 ORDCOND() is designed to set up the conditions for creating a new order
 (using the ORDCREATE() function) or rebuilding an existing order (using
 the ORDREBUILD() function). Do not use the ORDCOND() function if you
 wish to create or rebuild an entire index file; it is only used for
 setting particular conditions for the order.
 ORDCREATE() or ORDREBUILD() should be used immediately following the
 ORDCOND() function.
 If the DESCENDING clause is not specified, the order is then assumed to
 be ascending.
 The EVAL clause lets you specify a code block to be evaluated as each
 record is placed in the order. The EVERY clause lets you modify how
 often is called. Instead of evaluating each record as it is
 placed in the order, evaluation only occurs as every records
 are placed in the order. This can be used, for example, to create a
 gauge that displays how far the ORDCREATE() or ORDREBUILD() has
 progressed so far.
 The FOR clause provides the only order scoping that is permanent and
 that can be maintained across the life of the application. The string
 passed as the FOR condition is stored within the order for later use in
 maintaining the order. Though only accessing part of the database,
 orders created using this clause exist as long as the database is
 active. The FOR clause lets you create maintainable scoped orders.
 The WHILE, NEXT, REST, and RECORD clauses process data from the current
 position of the database cursor in the default or specified work area.
 If you specify these clauses, the order list remains open and the active
 order is used to organize the database while it is being created. These
 clauses let you create temporary (non-maintainable) orders. orders
 created using these clauses contain records in which is
 true(.T.) at the location of the record pointer.
 . The following example creates a conditional order based on a
 FOR clause. This index contains only records whose field TransDate
 contains a date greater than or equal to January 1, 1992:
 USE Invoice NEW
 ORDCOND(FOR (Invoice->TransDate >= CTOD
 ORDCREATE("InvDate",, "Invoice->TransDate")
 . The following example creates an order that calls a routine,
 "MyMeter," during its creation:
 USE Invoice NEW
 ORDCREATE("Invoice",, "Invoice->Customer")


text:
Hi all. I am currently taking a beginning class in C programming and am working on an assignment where I need to prompt the user to enter an expression then display the expression and the result. e.g
Enter INT Expression: 6 / 2
Result: 6 / 2 = 3
I know how to store the INT values using the scanf function, but I'm not sure how I should go about storing the operator. Also once I have the operator stored, how should I go about writing an expression to store the result. I know how if the operator was a constant, e.g. "x + y = result", but how should I approach it when the operator is a variable. Thanks in advance for the help.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
Gravissimum Educationis (Declaration on Christian Education)
October 28, 1965
Gravissimum Educationis (Declaration on Christian Education) is a declaration released during the Second Vatican Council in 1965 that primarily addresses education, particularly by the Catholic Church. Gravissimum Educationis reaffirms the Church's commitment to provide a Catholic education for children at every level (from primary school to universities). It argues that every person has a right to an education, including a religious one, and that the Church has a responsibility to educate in both religious and secular terms. The declaration also states that it is the responsibility of the parents to educate and create an atmosphere of learning about religion, secular subjects, and civic virtues. In addition, Gravissimum Educationis calls for moral teachings in public schools and the placement of Catholic schools in and for non-Catholic regions.


text:
The story of Ovation guitars—and the groundbreaking technology behind them—begins with Charles H. Kaman, an aeronautical engineer known for his pioneering work in helicopter and aerospace design.
In 1945, Charles Kaman founded Kaman Aircraft, and in 1947 his company developed a radical helicopter that used inter-meshing rotors and Kaman's patented servo-flap control. Through intense research and development, Kaman's engineers made discoveries about the physics of vibration and acoustics—critical factors in the design and fabrication of helicopter rotor blades and other components exposed to high vibrational stress. After achieving many aviation firsts and setting world records with his helicopters, Charles Kaman—himself a dedicated guitar enthusiast—decided his aerospace division should apply its technology and know-how to the centuries-old art of guitar making.
To pursue this goal, Kaman founded Ovation Instruments, and in 1965 the engineers and luthiers began their quest to determine whether an acoustic guitar could be sonically improved by modifying its shape and construction. The R&D team spent months building and testing prototype instruments, and by mid-1966, they had the answers they sought. Their research conclusively proved that a semi-parabolic shape yielded the most efficient and responsive guitar body.
Once the engineers had settled on the body design, they turned their attention to developing a substance that could be molded into this bowl-like shape. Using their knowledge of high-tech aerospace composites, they developed Lyrachord, a patented material comprising interwoven layers of glass filament and bonding resin. The lab team also discovered how to tune Lyrachord at the molecular level so it would resonate musically.
The first Ovation guitar made its debut in November 1966. Its Lyrachord body gave the instrument unprecedented projection and ringing sustain. Based on this initial success, Ovation developed an entire line of roundback models to provide guitarists with the world's finest acoustic/electric instruments.
Today, the skilled luthiers and designers continue to make beautiful, high-performance roundback guitars with painstaking attention to detail—the way they have for more than almost half a century, with the spirit of New England craftsmanship and restless American innovation embodied in every instrument they build.


Defend or Rescue are map objectives used throughout the Fire Emblem series
Overview[edit | edit source]
Defend and Rescue are similar in nature as both require the player to complete a map by preventing an enemy unit from reaching a certain tile.
In Defend maps, players must prevent the enemy from reaching a specific tile on the map, usually one that is positioned behind the player's starting position or at a far side Village. If an enemy unit ends their turn on that tile or next to the village, a Game Over immediately triggers. To clear the map, players must either Survive a certain number of turns before the enemy is force to retreat or must rout all enemies that appear.
Rescue requires that the player kill specific units on a map before they reach a certain tile which is usually a distance away from both the enemy and allies. Maps that feature this objective usually revolve around an character being kidnapped. If the objective is solely Rescue, only the highlighted unit must be defeated. Occasionally, this is paired with Rout the Enemy as well.


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Teach your baby the signs for the words pacifier and binky in baby sign language with the following description and videos. Use the same sign for both English words.
Pacifier and Binky
Shape the index finger and thumb a modified C. Hold the hand in front of the mouth with the thumb and index finger parallel to the lips. Move the hand in towards the mouth.
Porpora, Tracey. 2011. The complete guide to baby sign language: 101 trips and tricks every parent needs to know. Ocala, FL: Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.


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15 million LEGO components are made every year. Have you ever wondered how they are made? Business Week takes a look at the production process of how classic LEGO bricks are produced. LEGO has been named Toy of the Century twice and their popularity has been cemented ever since they were introduced back in 1958. Check out how they start from granulated acrylitrile butadine styrene, a type of shiny plastic and finished off as minted bricks. The production of LEGO bricks are extremely accurate where only 18 out of 1 million LEGO elements are considered defective.
Link: Business Week


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Clever Ways to Use Cannabis Leaves & Trim
Clever Ways to Use Cannabis Leaves & Trim
What should you do with cannabis leaves, trim, and roots after harvest? Don't throw them away! There are ways to recycle and reuse every part of the marijuana plant.
The goal for many when growing marijuana is to produce the beautiful, potent buds that get smokers as lifted as possible. But when grow season has ended, and all those dank buds are harvested, growers are often left with a variety of extra cannabis parts. What are you supposed to do with cannabis leaves, stems, and roots after harvest?
Don't throw away these valuable cannabis plant leftovers! Almost every part of the cannabis plant can be used in a productive way, and it definitely doesn't belong in the trash.
Valuable Cannabis Leftovers
The entire cannabis plant, from the leaves all the way down to the roots and soil, can be repurposed for future use. Below are some examples of how each part of the marijuana plant can be recycled and reused.
Sugar Leaves
Sugar leaves are the small leaves that form around the bud as the cannabis plant grows. These leaves are coated in trichomes and contain concentrated traces of THC.
This potency makes sugar leaves a fantastic base for cannabutter and bubble hash. Marijuana tea, juice, or oil are also excellent uses for these leaves.
Fan Leaves
Fan leaves are the large leaves on marijuana plants that create the iconic symbol of a pot leaf. These leaves are typically more abundant on sativa plants than on indicas or hybrids. While fan leaves don't have as much residual THC as sugar leaves, they still have many great uses.
Raw, freshly trimmed fan leaves are popular for turning into salves. Alternatively, they can be juiced and added to a smoothie. When dried, fan leaves can be incorporated into cooking oil or used to brew your own special tea.
Stalks & Stems
Marijuana stalks are strong and fibrous. Cannabis companies often use this part of the plant to make hemp-based products.
For at-home growers, the most common way to repurpose stalks and stems is to turn them into mulch. This mulch can be added as a soil topper in your garden to help retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and stop weed growth. By boosting your soil, your next harvest will hopefully be more potent too!
The most obvious way to repurpose cannabis seeds is to grow more plants with them. Alternatively, these seeds can be mixed into food or drinks for a nutritional boost. Marijuana seeds are packed full of vitamins, minerals, protein, and Omega fatty acids. Consuming cannabis seeds can have health benefits for your heart, skin, digestion, and more.
Humans have been using the roots of marijuana plants as medicine throughout history. There's evidence of cannabis roots being used in the 17th century to treat inflammation, gout, joint pain, and various other conditions. Unfortunately, many growers today, being unaware of these therapeutic properties, disregard the roots.
The ideal preparation for cannabis roots is to boil them into a tea. Alternatively, these roots can be dried and ground into a fine powder. This powder can be mixed into oil or butter for cooking, or into a topical balm.
After a successful harvest, there's no reason to get rid of the used soil. Instead, consider reusing it for your next grow. First, purchase a soil testing kit from a garden supply or hardware store. This test will tell you what nutrients are missing from your soil.
After finding out what nutrients are lacking, you can amend your soil. This means that you can add materials to the soil to improve its chemical and nutritional properties. Amending your soil can also help improve properties like water retention and permeability. Pre-mixed nutrients and soil amendment kits are widely available to purchase.
Repurposed Cannabis Products
One of the quickest and easiest ways to get use out of stems, stalks, and leaves is by brewing them into a tea. Dry and grind up your trimmings before wrapping them in a coffee filter, tea strainer, or reusable tea bag. Then, steep it in hot water or brew it with your favorite tea blend.
If you need an extra little kick in the morning, grind the stems and leaves into you coffee beans. Adding a high-fat liquid like half-and-half, cream, or coconut oil aids in the body's absorption of cannabinoids.
Cannabutter is a staple of the edibles community since it can easily be used in the place of regular butter for any recipe. With cannabis-infused butter, you can make some truly dank dishes. Sugar leaves are ideal for creating cannabutter, since they have a high concentration of THC.
THC is an oil soluble cannabinoid, meaning it can be extracted using any fat-based substance. Coconut oil, olive oil, or any cooking oil of your choosing can be used. The best plant leftovers to use when creating cannabis oil are the trichome-coated sugar leaves.
Loose, resinous trichome crystals that have been collected from marijuana plants through a screening process is called kief. If you use a grinder with a kief catcher, you've probably unscrewed it before to find a treasure trove of kief.
You can use this same grinder to turn cannabis trimmings into more kief, although it may take a significant amount of plant material.
Bubble Hash
Bubble hash is a potent and pure cannabis concentrate. This hash can be created using marijuana leaves, stems, and other trimmings. Creating bubble hash is an involved process that requires drying and curing the plant material before submerging it into ice cold temperatures. The plant matter is then sifted through screens until all that's left is trichomes. Bubble hash is a great product to sprinkle into joints or on top of a bowl for a heightened smoking experience.
Make the Most of Your Marijuana
There are so many ways to repurpose marijuana plant material; it makes no sense to just throw it away. Repurposing cannabis leaves, stems, and other trimmings is smart, valuable, and eco-friendly. If you're willing to put in a little extra time and effort, you can get the maximum yield out of your cannabis harvest.
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You couldn't make it up – Japanese grid can't solve nuke power loss due to 50/60 Hz split
Despite the West of Japan having a power surplus it can't help the East, which is short if power thanks to the post-tsunami nuclear power problems.
Incredibly Japan is split by a 50 Hz/60 Hz incompatibility. The West based its power generation on 60 Hz American standards while the East uses 'European' 50 Hz. There are few interconnects and they can handle little power.
Neither choice explain Japan's unique decision to standardize on 100 volt power rather than US 110 or EU 240 volts.


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method for finding numerical roots of equations. You start with an estimate
of the root, you then replace the function by its tangent (a linear
approximation) find the zero of the equation of the tangent, to give a
new approximation to the root. Repeat this process as often as needed.
Because the computation with a linear approximation to a function is2.why would you use the linear approximation of a function than the actual function
usually simpler than with the function itself. Or to use known results from
a linear theory to give an approximate result in a non-linear case.
A nice example which is probably beyond your current experience is the
Kalman filter, which is an optimal estimator for certain types of linear
systems. With mildly non-linear systems one linearises about an appropriate
estimate, and then uses the KF equations to give a sub-optimal but good
estimator for the non-linear case (known as the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF)).


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The instruction to "cut in fat" is a common instruction in baking recipes. The process of cutting in fat is very simple and a necessary skill for beautiful flaky and tender baked goods such as biscuits, scones, pie and pastry crusts.
In the Ask BB Series, I answer reader questions regarding baking science, techniques, and troubleshooting. If you have a question you would like addressed in depth in the series, email the question to _EMAIL_ with the subject of "Ask BB."
"What does it mean when a recipe says to 'cut in the fat' and what is the purpose of this step? "
I have been obsessed with baking for almost 10 years now, and because I bake so darn frequently I often forget that many people who are a bit newer to baking recipes may not understand instructions such as "cut in the fat." This instruction assumes you understand what the action of "cutting in fat" actually means. And I know as well as anyone that when you are new to this world of baking, that instruction isn't quite so self-explanatory. So let's talk about what cutting in fat means and what the purpose of this is in baking.
What Does Cutting in Fat Mean?
When a baking instruction states to "cut the fat into the dry ingredients" it assumes that you know a few things. Cutting in the fat in a baking recipe is the process of working fat (typically butter, lard, or shortening) into the dry ingredients until it is starting to coat the flour and the pieces of fat are very small and so the fat is evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients before the liquid is added to the recipe.
What is the Purpose of Cutting in Fat?
Have you ever wondered how shortening got it's name? Well believe it or not, shortening got it's name precisely because of what it does to flour when it is worked through before liquid is added. The process of cutting fat into the flour serves the purpose of shortening the protein strands in the flour. When liquid is introduced to flour, those protein strands begin developing into what we all lovingly know as gluten. This cutting process helps to shorten the protein strands and reduce the gluten development once the liquid is added. Therefore, the main purpose of cutting fat into the flour is to shorten the protein strands so that you can have a more tender and flaky baked good. This is also why professional bakers often refer to fat in general as shortening, and not just the product that is called shortening.
When Do You Cut in Fat?
Recipes that call for the step of cutting fat into the flour are recipes where the desired end result is a product that is incredibly tender and flaky. The most common times you will cut fat into a flour in a baking recipe is with pie crust and pastry crusts, biscuits, and scones.
How Do You Cut in Fat?
The process of cutting in fat is actually extremely simple, especially once you know what you are looking for. Typically, when a recipe calls for fat to be cut into the flour it will also call for the fat the be cold. Not always, but most of the time. If the fat you are using is butter, you will want to start by cutting it into small pieces. This will help you to work it into the flour more easily and evenly. If the fat you are using is lard or shortening, then it is already very soft and there is no need to break it up before you start the cutting process.
There are several tools you can use to cut in fat. I personally use a pastry cutter, also known as a pastry blender, which is just a tool with thin metal wires attached to the handle. To use this tool, you press down on the fat with the wires as you move around in the bowl. If you do not have a pastry cutter, then I find the next best tool is a fork and the technique is virtually the same. Another technique that I often see, but do not recommend, is to use your hands and break the fat up between your fingers. I personally do not suggest this method as you almost always want your fat to stay cold when you are cutting it into the flour and your hands will start to warm it. Some people also pulse the flour and fat in a food processor to cut it in. This can work well if you are careful about how much you pulse and do not let the fat get too warm. I also do not prefer this method because I don't think it is necessary to get your food processor dirty for this, and it is more difficult to control this way.
As you are cutting in the fat, remember that the more thoroughly the fat is incorporated into the flour the more you "shorten" the dough. Recipes where you are looking for a very tender, but homogeneous product, such as pie or pastry crust, you will cut the fat in until it resembles coarse cornmeal. However, for recipes where the desired product is more flaky, such as biscuits and scones, then you will cut the fat in a little less. You want some of the fat to remain in larger, pea-sized pieces.
Recipes to Practice Cutting in Fat
I hope this helps you understand the technique of cutting in a fat a little better and the reasons for it. If you have a question you would like addressed in depth in the series, email the question to _EMAIL_ with the subject of "Ask BB."


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Sound Waves Give Tropical Trees a Checkup
Measuring how fast sound travels through a tree trunk can reveal whether it's rotting from the inside.
Like a book and a cover, you can't always judge a tree by how it looks. Fungus can rot a living tree from the inside, leaving behind a healthy-looking but hollow trunk. Typically the rot is only seen when the tree is cut down.
When a tree decays, it releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. And the tropics are home to 96 percent of the world's tree diversity, according to researchers, and those trees store a quarter of the world's terrestrial carbon.
To get a better read on the health of tropical forests, researchers are now using sound to measure decay in trees.
The research, published in the journal Applications in Plant Sciences, was conducted collectively by a group of college professors, grad students and high school teachers and students, who used a new way to examine 1,800 live trees in the Republic of Panama.
The group used a method for sending a sound wave through a tree and measuring how fast the sound wave travels - a process called sonic tomography. Sounds waves travel faster through solid trees, a measure of their health. In a decayed tree or one with cavities, where molecules are packed less tightly, sound waves travel more slowly.
The process provides insights into how rotting affects tree mortality overall in a forest, said Greg Gilbert, lead author of the article and chair of the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in a statement.
"Most of the decay is hidden," Gilbert said. "The tomography now allows us to see how many apparently healthy trees are actually decayed inside."
And while the method won't work with some trees - including palms or any species that uses internal tissue to store water - it has benefits outside of the forest. The team used sonic tomography to perform a checkup on trees in Panama City, in part to highlight which ones might snap off in storms or heavy winds and cause injury or damage to property.
WATCH: How Astronauts Grow Plants in Space


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This article is divided into 3 parts:
A "dit name" is an alias given to a family name. Compared to other alias or a.k.a. that are given to one specific person, the dit names will be given to many persons. It seems the usage exists almost only in France, New France and in Scotland where we find clans or septs.
I have a photocopy of a 1471 land record rented by my ancestor Barthelemy Hugon dit Jarret which is called Bartelemeo Hugonis alias Jarreti in this record and some others. There is another Jarret in the area at this time with another dit name, so we can say the dit name was given, in that case, to distinguish the 2 different families. Barthelemy was living in Dauphine, like many soldiers of Carignan Regiment who came here in _PHONE_. While they were not the only ones nor the first to use dit names in New France, it seems those soldiers are responsible for the great extent the dit names reached in Quebec compared to France, Acadia or Louisiana. This would explain, for example, why there is a concentration of families with dit names around Lac St-Pierre where seigneuries belonged often to retired officers from Carignan regiment (Vercheres, Sorel, Contrecoeur, etc. to name a few).
Among some reasons of dit names, we find:
A generic person's name is built like this:
Joseph Jarret dit Beauregard
Joseph is the first name
Jarret is, in this case, the patronym or ancestral family name
Beauregard is, in this case, the dit name
After some generations, it is no more obvious what is the specific patronym or dit name, so we will find Beauregard dit Jarret. Moreover, it is also possible both family and dit names are switched the first time someone used a dit name.
In the records, dit names are actual alias, that is, they can be legally used to replace the original patronym. Because of this, one will find the same person known as:
Joseph Jarret dit Beauregard
Joseph Beauregard dit Jarret
What this means? If you are looking for the marriage of a Joseph Beauregard married with Jeanne Joachim, you may find it as Joseph Jarret married with Jeanne Laverdure (a dit name for Joachim).
Dit names are not the only method of combining or changing family names.
There are also errors like switching first name and family name in one record (for example, I have a Richard VINCENT who is actually Vincent RICHARD), changing a first name to a family name (there is a Claude VINCENT who is Claude-Vincent MENNESON). The only difference with dit names in this case is that the combination happened only one time. There are spelling variations so that a Bourgault would be name Beauregard in a record. There is also a modern concept in Quebec that consists in giving both the names of the father and the mother.
I proposed to use the following convention to distinguish usage:
= for specific dit names (Beauregard=Jarret)
/ for spelling variation (Jarest/Charest)
- for other kinds of name combinations (modern combining of names)
I would suggest this when using standardized names (i.e. not names as found in the record, but names that a searcher would look for) in databases when you are building them in view of exchanging them. You should also write the actual name as found in the record and good genealogy softwares should allow for both names (standard name for search and actual name for printing of charts). If your software supports one name, I suggest to write the standardized name and to put the name read in the record in a note; if it supports many names, the first name would the standardized name and the next would be alternatives. How to find what shall be the standardized name? Micheline Lécuyer, who worked with René Jetté to produce a list of dit names ("Répertoire des Noms de Famille du Québec" des Origines à 1825) suggests, when the name is not the Jetté's dictionary, to use a phone book (usually Montréal or Québec City) and to select the more common form.
Last update: Dec. 19th, 1995


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Němčice and Pistiros: Glass Beads as Historical Markers in the Third Century BC
Languages of publication
The largest known collection of La Tène glass from Němčice in Moravia dating to the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC also includes glass beads originating in southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean. As in Pistiros, the beads could have been related to the same events of a military, trade or other nature. The relative scarcity of imported beads in Němčice is explained by the glass‑working activities at this site, which covered the needs of the local population.
Publication order reference


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Here we provide NCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 1 Bricks, Beads and Bones The Harappan Civilisation for English medium students, Which will very helpful for every student in their exams. Students can download the latest NCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 1 Bricks, Beads and Bones The Harappan Civilisation pdf, free NCERT solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 1 Bricks, Beads and Bones The Harappan Civilisation book pdf download. Now you will get step by step solution to each question.
|Chapter Name||Bricks, Beads and Bones The Harappan Civilisation|
|Number of Questions Solved||9|
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 1 Bricks, Beads and Bones The Harappan Civilisation
List the items of food available to people in Harappan cities. Identify the groups who would have provided these.
(a) The following items of food were available to people in Harappan cities : Wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea, sesame, millets, rice, fish, and goat.
- Animals such as cattle, sheep, buffalo and pig were domesticated. So, they could get meat from these animals.
- The evidence of a ploughed field at Kalibangan and knowledge of bull prove that harvesting was done by the Harappans.
- Regarding hunting of wild animals such as boar, deer and gharial, there is no proof whether the Harappans hunted these animals themselves or obtained meat from other hunting communities.
How do archaeologists trace socio-economic differences in Harappan society? What are the differences that they notice?
Following examples can be cited to show the existence of social and economic variations : in the Harappan society:
(i) Study of burials is one example. In the Harappan sites, the deads were usually laid in pits. There were differences in the Way burial pits were made. At some instances, the hollowed-out spaces were lined with bricks. But these may not be taken as an indication of social differences.
(ii) In some graves pottery and ornaments have been found. Jewellery has been found from the graves of men and women as well. These findings can point out social and economic differences. '
(iii) The artefacts have been classified into two categories, Utilitarian and Luxurious. Objects of daily uses and objects made of ordinary materials made of clay or stone come under utilitarian category. Ordinary articles consisted of querns, pottery, flesh-rubbers and needles. These have been found distributed throughout settlements.
(iv) Objects of luxuries were rare and made from precious, non-local materials. The technology used was advanced and complicated. Little pots of faience were considered precious. They were also not easy to make. These show the existence of social and economic variations in the Harappan society.
Would you agree that the drainage system in Harappan cities indicates town planning? Give reasons for your answer.
The drainage system in Harappan cities indicates town planning as is clear from the following reasons :
- It was planned drainage system. In the Lower Town, the roads and streets were laid out along an approximate "grid" pattern, intersecting at right angles.
- It seems from the plan of the Lower Town that streets with drains were laid out first and then houses built along them.
- The drains of every house were connected to the street drains. Very long drainage channels were provided at intervals with sumps for cleaning. Drainage system has been found in smaller settlements like Lothal.
List the materials used to make beads in the Harappan civilisation. Describe the process by which any one kind of bead was made.
(a) The materials used to make beads in the Harappan civilisation were as given below:
- Stones like carnelian of a beautiful red colour, jasper, crystal, quartz, and steatite;
- Metals like copper, bronze, and gold;
- Shell, faience, and terracotta or burnt clay.
- The process or technique for making beads differed according to the material.
For example, steatite, a very soft stone, was easily worked. Some beads were moulded out of a paste made with steatite powder. This permitted making a variety of shapes, unlike the geometrical form that were made out of harder stones.
- Red colour of carnelian was obtained by firing the yellowish raw material and beads at various stages of production.
- Nodules were chipped into rough shapes, and then finely flaked into the final form.
- Grinding, polishing, and drilling completed the process.
Look at figure and describe what you see. How is the body placed? What are the objects placed near it? Are there any artefacts on the body? Do these indicate the sex of the skeleton?
(a) A dead body has been laid in a pit.
(b) Some objects of pottery are placed near it.
(c) There seems to be some ornaments on body but these do not indicate the sex of the skeleton because jewellery has been found in burials of both men and women.
Describe some of the distinctive features of Mohenj odaro.
Describe the features that justify that Mohenjodaro was a planned urban cetnre.
Some of the distinctive features of Mohenjodaro were as given below :
- Mohenjodaro is the most well known site. It was divided into two sections – one smaller but higher and the other much larger but lower. These are known as the Citadel and the Lower Town, respectively. Both the sections were walled.
- Several buildings were built on platforms which implies that the building activity was restricted on the platforms. It seems that the settlement was first planned and then implemented accordingly.
- The standardised ratio of bricks – sundried or baked – is also a sign of planning. The length and breadth of bricks were four times and twice the height, respectively.
- There was well-planned drainage system. The roads and streets were laid out along an approximate "grid" pattern, intersecting at right angles. It appears that streets with drains were laid down first and then houses built along them.
- Residential buildings were centered on a courtyard, with rooms on all sides. There were no windows in the walls along the ground level to have privacy. The main entrance too did not give a direct view of the courtyard.
- There was a bathroom in everyhouse. The drains were connected to the street drains.
- Some houses had staircases to reach a second story or the roof.
List the raw materials required for craft production in the Harappan civilisation and discuss how these might have been obtained.
Following is the list of materials required for craft production in the Harappan Civilisation:
Stone, clay, copper, tin, bronze, gold, faience, shell, camelian, jasper, crystal, steatite, quartz, timber.
Some of the raw materials were locally available whereas some were purchased from the distant places. Soil and wood were locally available raw materials. Stones, fine quality wood, metals were procured from distant places.
Settlements of the Harappans were situated at such places where raw materials were easily available. Nageshwar and Balacot were famous for shell. Some places were famous for Lapis Lazuli like Shortughai in Afghanistan. Rajasthan and Gujarat were famous for copper. Lothal was famous for camelian.
Another way of obtaining raw material was sending expeditions to different places.
Evidences show that expedition was sent to Khetri region of Rajasthan for copper and to South India for Gold. Through these expeditions local communities were contacted. Harappan evidences found at these places indicate contacts between each other. Evidences found at Khetri region were given the name of Ganeshwar Jodhpura Culture by archaeologists. Huge reserves of copper products were found here. It is assumed that inhabitants of these area sent copper to Harappan people.
Discuss how archaeologists reconstruct the past.
It is the material evidence by which the archaeologists reconstruct the past. This material could be pottery, tools, ornaments and household objects. It is done in the following ways:
- Classifying finds : The archaeologists classify their finds in terms of material, such as stone, clay, metal, bone, ivory, etc. and in terms of function i.e., an artefact is a tool or an ornament or both or something meant for ritual use.
- The archaeologists try to reconstruct religious practices because certain objects which seemed unusual or unfamiliar may have had a religious significance. For example, terracotta figurines of women, heavily jewelled, some with elaborate head dresses were regarded as mother goddesses.
- Religious beliefs and practices are reconstructed by examining seals, depicting ritual scenes, animals (one, horned animal) cross-legged yogic figure.
- Many reconstructions are made on the assumption that later traditions provide parallels with earlier ones because archaeologists move from present to the past. The example is 'proto-Shiva' seal which can be compared with Rudra mentioned in Rigveda.
Discuss the functions that may have been performed by rulers in Harappan society.
The functions that may have been performed by rulers in Harappan society whereas mentioned below –
- There are indications of complex decisions being taken and implemented in Harappan society. For example, the extraordinary uniformity of Harappan artefacts as evident in seals, pottery, weights and bricks would have due the authority of the rulers. A large building has been found in Mohenjodaro. It might be a palace for the rulers. A stone statute has been labelled as 'priest-king'. Thus, he may be a ruler who exercised authority for taking various decisions.
- Whether the ritual practices were performed


Mocking Xamarin.Essentials
If you never heard about Xamarin.Essentials you should get familiar with it as soon as possible! It is a great collection of APIs that is very easy to use and integrate to your projects. You can find more information in the official documentation.
In order to keep the things as simple as possible and easy as possible to pick up for new contributors, all the APIs are written in a static way. The first reaction of developers would be to immediately raise their eyebrows and ask: "Why so? How are we going to unit test that?". The answer in most cases is easier than you may think at first. Continue reading "Mocking Xamarin.Essentials"
Anatomy of Code snippets in Visual Studio for Mac
Code snippet is a shortcut that can be used to generate a code from a specific template. Example of a built-in code snippet:
Type cw and double press the Tab key will result in Console.Writeline();
Thats a pretty simple example, however we pressed only 4 keys instead of 19 (ignoring the autocompletion of IntelliSense). In more advanced cases it might be a code snippet to generate a BindableProperty or a simple property in a ViewModel that should notify the binding engine about updates. Sounds like we can increase our performance by letting the code snippets generate boring repetitive code for us.
Visual Studio for Mac is shipped with a default code snippets that can be used as a great example. Let's take a look on the cw code snippet. First let's open the editor by clicking on Visual Studio > Preferences > Text Editor > Code Snippets. Now select the cw code snippet under C# group:
Screenshot 2018-11-29 at 00.26.55
#1. Shortcut – is the shortcut we have to type in order to generate the code from the template. In this example it is cw (Console.WriteLine).
#2. Group – there are different available groups including F#, Python and Razor.
#3. Variables – on the screenshot #3 appear twice to demonstrate the definition of the $SystemConsoleWriteLine$ variable and its properties.
#4. Default – stands for the default value of the variable. Please note that in order to avoid confusion we should also provide a namespace.
#5. Function – we can apply built-in functions like GetSimpleTypeName("System#Console.WriteLine"). It will make sure to remove the namespace before Console.WriteLine if using System is already in place otherwise it will use the default value (#4). The list of supported functions can be found here.
The template is just a XML file that live in ~/Library/VisualStudio/{version}/Snippets directory, which means that you can easily import and export code snippets that you create.
Earlier today I created a GitHub repository with a couple of handy code snippets for Visual Studio for Mac and especially for Xamarin. You are welcome to check and contribute by sharing your own code snippets!
Immutable Models in MVVM
10-22-04 025
Source: flickr/ Jeff Attaway
The first M stands for Model – an implementation of the application's domain model that includes a data model along with business and validation logic. Examples of model objects include repositories, business objects, data transfer objects (DTOs), Plain Old CLR Objects (POCOs), and generated entity and proxy objects.
definition source
In object-oriented and functional programming, an immutable object(unchangeable object) is an object whose state cannot be modified after it is created. This is in contrast to a mutable object (changeable object), which can be modified after it is created.
definition source
Why bother?
Imagine the next simple situation, your application downloads a JSON, deserialises it to an object and then presents the downloaded data. You would expect the downloaded data to be one-to-one to the data on the remote server, however the data can be accidentally or intentionally mutated. Continue reading "Immutable Models in MVVM"
The ultimate guide to Emojis 🤹♂
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
It is very common nowadays to express ourselves by using emojis. Instead of typing few words, we prefer to send one emoji that will express our feelings and emotions. Not sure that the other side will always get what we mean by sending a 🧞 , but that is another story.
In this article we will learn:
 1. How to use emojis in static content like Labels and Buttons
 2. How to define and use emoji in XAML only
 3. How to define and use emoji using C#
Continue reading "The ultimate guide to Emojis 🤹♂"
Entity Framework DB First and Computed Columns
Imagine you have a lovely DB first approach in place. There is a table "Fruits" with a column "WikiLink". This column is getting populated on insert, using a trigger on the DB level. Can you spot "the" problem here?
Let's try to understand how EF returns the DB generated entity Id from the DB right after the insert. The code below demonstrates a standard way to insert a new entity with EF:
var fruit = new Fruit { Family = "Rosaceae", Name = "Apple" };
await dbContext.SaveChangesAsync();
// fruit.Id is auto-generated on the DB level and accessible after insert
// fruid.WikiLink is null
The Id column marked as identity, therefor it is recognised as a value generated on DB level. If you will use a DB profiler you will actually see:
— T-SQL Pseudocode for -> dbContext.Fruits.Add(fruit);
INSERT INTO [dbo].[Fruits] (Family, Name)
VALUES ("Rosaceae", "Apple")
It is insert and select in one query. Now back to our problem with 'WikiLink'. What we would like to achieve is:
VALUES ("Rosaceae", "Apple")
When you use a code first approach, you have an option of explicitly marking an entity's property as db generated with an attribute:
public string WikiLink { get; set; }
However, with DB first approach you don't have that option, and since there is a trigger behind this column, there is no way for EF to understand that it is generated on the DB level.
Unfortunately, it is not easily solvable with DB first approach. There are a couple of workarounds we could think about:
 1. We can try to manipulate "manually" the auto-generated edmx file and set the "WikiLink" to db computed. Which is a bad idea, because this change will get lost with the next model update as it is being regenerated on each change.
 2. Another option will be to query the DB right after the insert, to get the full row data:
await dbContext.SaveChangesAsync();
await dbContext.Entry(fruit).ReloadAsync()
// fruid.WikiLink is not null anymore
The disadvantage is obvious – additional db query:
VALUES ("Rosaceae", "Apple")
— T-SQL Pseudocode for -> await dbContext.Entry(fruit).ReloadAsync()
SELECT FROM * [dbo].[Fruits]
WHERE Id = 99;
However, it could be good enough for some projects.
If you can modify the DB scheme, the solution is quite simple – replace the trigger by a computed column:
— T-SQL Pseudocode for
alter table [dbo].[Fruits]
add [WikiLink] as concat(N'_ttp://', Id )
This way you may gain more performance. Since you may have a 'RowVersion' column which will be calculated twice because of the trigger. Not to mention that the DB structure is much more readable, compare to unnecessary trigger.
There might be another workarounds for this issue if you don't have access or you can't modify the DB. I would like to hear about your experience, so please share via comments.
Web.API 2 centralised model state validation
Model state validation is easy with DataAnnotations. However, you will find repeating the next line of code very soon:
if(!ModelState.IsValid) return BadRequest(..);
Luckily, there is a pretty simple solution – to use ActionFilter:
using System;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Web.Http.Controllers;
using System.Web.Http.Filters;
namespace MyAwesomeWebApi.ActionFilters
///
/// Returns 400 if the ModelState is invalid.
///
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.All, AllowMultiple = false, Inherited = true)]
public class ValidateModelAttribute : ActionFilterAttribute
public override void OnActionExecuting(HttpActionContext actionContext)
if (actionContext.ModelState.IsValid)
actionContext.Response = actionContext.Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, actionContext.ModelState);
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Web.Http;
using System.Web.Http.Description;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
namespace MyAwesomeWebApi.Controllers
public class ValuesController : ApiController
public IHttpActionResult Post(MyModel model)
var valService = new ValService();
var result = valService.Create(model);
return Created($"api/values/{result.Id}", result);
public class MyModel
public int Id { get; set; }
view raw ValuesController.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub
All you have to do is to add the ValidateModel attribute to your controller methods that require model state validation.
Entity Framework Database First Generalising Timestamps
Using Entity Framework is extremely easy and straight forward unless you have a large amount of entities and business rules to apply. You are lucky if you have a code first approach, however some times database first approach is in place and there are some limitations. For example,


The Curious Origin of the Word 'Robot'
The interesting origins of a ubiquitous word
Here's a question for you: when did the word 'robot' first enter the English language? And where did it come from? There are a few misconceptions about the origins and various meanings of the term 'robot', so the issue is worth examining a little more closely. The most common definition of 'robot' is the one provided by the Oxford English Dictionary: 'An intelligent artificial being typically made of metal and resembling in some way a human or other animal.' But the story of how the word came to have this meaning is a curious one. Its origin, indeed, takes us back to nineteenth-century Europe.
'Robot' makes its debut in the English language, perhaps surprisingly, during the Victorian age: the first citation is from 1839. But it doesn't refer to the humanoid machines of a million science-fiction novels and films made since, but rather to a 'central European system of serfdom, by which a tenant's rent was paid in forced labour or service' (OED). This word came to English via the German, though the word ultimately derives from the Czech robota Rossum's Universal Robotsmeaning 'forced labour' or 'slavery'. Not a very pleasant etymology; though the Austrian Empire banned slavery in 1848, which is something.
The modern meaning of the word 'robot' has its origins in a 1920 play by the remarkable and fascinating Czech writer Karel Čapek. The play, titled R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), begins in a factory which manufactures artificial people, the 'universal robots' of the play's title. The robots are designed to serve humans and work for them, but the robots eventually turn on their masters, wiping out the human race (shades, or rather foreshadowings, of The Terminator here). This sense of 'robot' is taken from the earlier one defined above – namely, the Czech for 'slave worker' or 'drudge'. But Karel Čapek himself didn't coin the word. As we've already seen, the word was in existence before he wrote his play. But nor did Čapek come up with the idea of taking the word 'robot' and using it to describe the man-made beings that feature in R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots). He originally called them labori, from the Latin for 'work', but it was his brother, Josef Čapek, who suggested roboti.
Curiously, the robots which feature in Rossum's Universal Robots aren't really robots – at least, not if we're being picky and technical. They are closer to androids or cyborgs than robots, because they can be mistaken for real people (again, think of the Terminator in his/her many incarnations). So the first 'robots' in literature to be so named were, in a sense, misnamed – or rather, we've been misusing the term ever since. Such is the way language develops.
In 1938, Čapek's play was adapted by the BBC, and became the first piece of television science fiction ever to be broadcast.
Science fiction author Isaac Asimov is credited with inventing the spin-off word 'robotic' – Asimov famously formulated the Three Laws of Robotics. Curiously, there are technically four Laws – a 'zeroth' law was added later (no doubt inspired by the Laws of Thermodynamics).
So there we have it: the origin of 'robot' is stranger than it might first seem. You can continue to explore the unusual stories behind well-known words with the surprising history behind the word 'blatant' and the long history of the now ubiquitous word 'unfriend'.
 1. Pingback: A Short History of the Word 'Serendipity' | Interesting Literature
 2. I'm fond of robots and am intrigued by the current debate regarding artificial intelligence.
 3. As I understand it, 'robota' is Russian for 'to work' so maybe the precursor of Czech word.
 4. there free download of r u r in many format at manybooks dot net. here link.
 5. Very interesting! I had no clue about the real meaning of the word robot.
 6. Thanks for the insight.
 7. I hear that South-Africans use "robot" to refer to stoplights. Would be interesting to see how that meaning came about.


text:
In Focus: Aging and Housing Instability (2013) | This issue of In Focus provides a synthesis of recent literature on homelessness among older (age 50-64) and elderly (age 65 and older) adults in the United States. Much of the recent literature and policy focus has been placed on the plight of unstably housed youth and families. However, strong demographic trends, economic insecurity, and lack of affordable senior living have contributed to increased housing instability among those over age 50. Differences in pathways into homelessness, health care utilization, and age-specific clinical issues necessitate further consideration of the graying homeless population and will be discussed in this publication.
Homeless Over 50: The Graying of Chicago's Homeless Population (2008) | In 2006,the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness teamed with Loyola University's Center for Urban Research and Learning to undertake a nine-month study of people in Chicago who were homeless and aged 50 to 64. Funded by the Retirement Research Foundation, the study was undertaken in response to reports from homeless service agencies that this cohort of people was growing. Agencies had reported a fast-growing number of people aged 50 – 64 using homeless services, and that they seemed to both share issues with the rest of the homeless population and face circumstances unique to their age and stage of life. The study's objectives were to:
- obtain a demographic profile of people who are homeless in Chicago and are between the ages of 50 and 64;
- understand how the various systems designed to serve this population do and do not meet their needs; and
- begin to suggest a range of policy and programmatic responses to the needs of this population.
Homeless & Elderly: Understanding the Special Health Care Needs of Elderly Persons Who Are Homeless (2003) | This paper was developed by the Office of Minority & Special Populations in the Bureau of Primary Health Care in an effort to describe the unique challenges that homeless elderly people face in accessing primary health care. Program Assistance Letter 2003-03.
Healing Hands Newsletters
- Aging on the Streets (2008)


SSA logo: link to Social Security Online home308. How does a divorce affect your marital status?
A divorce decree has one of three possible effects:
 1. In some States, divorce immediately returns your status to that of a single person, without restriction as to remarriage;
 2. In other States, while you are no longer a husband or wife after the judgment of divorce, State law or the divorce decree prohibits you from remarrying for a certain period; e.g., during a stated waiting period; or
 3. In still other States, the dissolution of your marriage is postponed for a stated period following the judgment of divorce. Sometimes, the parties to the divorce or the court must take additional action to make a divorce final and thereby dissolve the marriage.


How do I set up my own LPL web page?
How do I set up my own LPL web page?
To set up a web page you must have a collection of HTML files that are the content of your pages. To create these, you'll need to know how to write HTML. It's quite easy to learn HTML. Take a look at the pages for the HTML Class that we gave a while ago for some places to start.
So if you have the HTML and other files for your web page, how do you get it up on the LPL web pages?
Begin by using ssh to connect to and log in to your LPL UNIX account. In your LPL home directory, create a directory called public_html (you can do this with the command mkdir public_html). You have to make this directory world readable, so that everyone can see your webpage. To do this, you can use the command chmod a+r public_html, from your home directory. Now put all of the HTML files into this directory (or make more directories under this), and you'll be able to see them on the web.
The address of your new web pages will be:
where username is your username.
For example, the web address for rbeyer's web page is
Those are the basics! If you have questions, please email
LPL Webmaster / webmaster


Can a Glass of Water Change Your Life?
It is the blueprint of our reality, which can change with a single, positive thought.
Dr. Masaru Emoto
In this this latest episode of the Leading in the Light Podcast we delve into and explore the hidden consciousness of water, and how water can be used to create a transformational shift in our thinking, consciousness, personal resonance and results.
In this episode you'll learn why water is a powerful conduit for thought and consciousness, how water holds and retains energy, and why the latest research into water is proving that our thoughts have the capacity to influence our lives, and why they directly impact our personal and professional performance.
Best of all I'll also be sharing with you a simple 5 minute practice that you can embed into your day that will help you reprogram the consciousness of water and use it to create greater levels of happiness, joy, success and fulfillment in your life.
About Les Price
Les Price is a transformational coach, intuitive healer, professional speaker and published author who has been helping aspiring individuals, business owners and leaders create greater levels of success and fulfillment for over twenty years.
At the tender age of 8 Les discovered that there was a 'hidden magic' and potential within all of us.. Since then he has been on an enduring quest to help even more people find their path and awaken and their own personal, professional and spiritual potential.
Les is based in Melbourne, Australia, and is director of The Greatness Connection, a peak-performance consultancy that assists companies, businesses and aspiring leaders to realise their goals in an enlightened and visionary way.
In this conversation I share:
 - The hidden consciousness of water
 - Why our thoughts create our reality
 - How to harness the energy of water and use it to reprogram your consciousness
 - How our body is bathed in neurotransmitter and how it impacts your wellbeing
 - A simple daily practice to change your life with a glass of water
 - How intention impacts our consciousness and that of water
 - How plants connect energetically with the human realm of consciousness
 - Why the Prana and life-force of our food and vegetables is so important
Introduction 0:01
Thank you for joining us on the leading in the light Podcast the place where vision, heart and spirit connect to help you awaken your purpose, liberate your greatness and stand more fully in your life. Now, here's your host, transformational coach, author, speaker and intuitive Les Price.
Les Price 0:35
Well, welcome back everybody to this episode of the leading in the life podcast. And today, I must admit, I've actually got something a little bit different for you. You see, over the last few weeks, I've been starting to delve into exploring this realm of how do we access our extraordinary consciousness? How do we tap into that true element of who we really are, and the ability to shape our destiny, the results that we experience in our life, and how we can actually use thought energy to manifest our desires.
And today, I want to share a technique that I've actually been using for a number of years, it was a powerful tool and technique that I learned in the early 80s. And it revolves around a simple glass of water. At the start of this new year, I made a commitment to myself to do a detox and a two week cleanse using Ayurveda, the old ancient traditions of healing and restoration with natural food and substances. I knew at the time that one of the things that I was lacking in my life was actually drinking enough water, this water that we need to hydrate ourselves in our body to keep our mind active.
And so over the last month, I've actually been listing down each day, how much water I've been drinking and reminding myself that it's important to get that water intake in. But you know, water in its own self is one of the driving forces of nature. It was even renowned as being so by the legendary Leonardo da Vinci. But sadly, on a physical level, many of us simply just don't get enough water in our diet. It's the one element that when we consume it helps improve our overall metabolism, helps clean out all the toxins and actually rehydrate our skin, and even a 10% increase in hydration to the brain increases our ability to optimize our functioning, our thinking and our intuition.
But what if there was a way that we can harness the energy of water, and you use it to improve the quality of our lives? What if there was literally a way to reprogram my consciousness on a daily basis that would allow us to attract, create and realize the results we really want. And all it required was five minutes a day, and a simple glass of water. So, stay tuned in this episode as I share more, and I encourage you to take up this 21 Day Challenge practice that will literally revolutionize your own life.
Les Price 3:05
It's often been said that our bodies are actually made up of almost 60 to 70% of water. In fact, the brain and the heart have often been recognized as having up to 73% of water, why the lungs have 83%. And the skin is often up to 64% water. Water has the amazing capacity to hold energy.
It's a transmitter and receiver of energy and consciousness. And it literally shifts with our own state and energy of being. But what's important is that over the last 20 years investigation into quantum research and into the quantum field has found that our thoughts literally have power. That the moment we set an intention for a particular goal or a particular direction now live that the energy within us, including the element of water in our body literally changes as our thoughts change our body and mind change with it.
You know, as human beings we have an amazing capacity to create. It's one of the things that literally sets us apart from the animal kingdom, from the cats and the dogs in the trees is that we as human beings can create an intention to make a change or a shift in the direction of our life. And simply by holding that intention, we set a new direction and a new path. How powerful is that? That the moment we begin to conceive of a new purpose, a new direction a greater vision that that prefrontal cortex begins to attract to us the people, places and situations that are part of our destiny.
There's been a great body of research done over the last 20 years into the power of water. Russian scientist and researcher and a popover even created a documentary on the basis of water being the great mystery We're case scientists from around the world who studied the energy of water in the field of water actually revealed that water specifically could carry a footprint or even a memory on a molecular level.
Even medical doctor, an immunologist, Jacques Buenevista, recognized as the father of homeopathy that if any substance is actually diluted in water, the water still has the ability to carry the memory of that substance, even if the molecules of that added substance are no longer present. So, what we're finding is that water is a transducer and a receiver of information actually responds to the consciousness of the people around it. That by focusing our energy and intention on energizing water for a particular purpose can create a result and shift the energy of that water.
So how can we harness this energy? Well, what I'd love to do is just share with you a small story that I think demonstrates just how powerful our own energy and consciousness can be.
Les Price 6:11
Many years ago, I came across a great book, which was back in the 1980s, that really opened my mind to this concept of how our thinking how our thoughts can influence our own lives and destiny. And funnily enough, this book was actually called The Secret Life of plants, written by two authors Peter Tompkins, and Christopher Bird, who basically in the 60s and 70s, began to do work with lie detection equipment, equipment that was only being used at that time by the CIA, as lie detection. And instead, what they decided to do was to hook up these lie detectors to a number of plants.
Interestingly enough, the moment they hooked these detectors to the plants, the plants could almost sense people who entered the room. In fact, one person who had actually destroyed the plant early in the day, as soon as he entered in the room, that lie detector went crazy. It was almost as though another plant could actually pick up the energy of this being and realize that it was a threat.
One of the greatest stories, however, that really blew my mind was the similar research they did with a couple who had actually travelled away for a weekend, this gentleman actually had a greenhouse of plants that his wife simply adored. So what he decided one day was that he would treat his wife by hooking up all of these plants, to a simple piece of equipment that would allow these plants and their energy to sing. It converted the electrical frequency of how the plants were feeling at any one time in that greenhouse into beautiful sounds. one weekend, the couple decided to travel away to another state.
And they had a young friend stay over and look after their house. In the middle of the night, at almost two or three in the morning. All of a sudden, these plants in this greenhouse started to go crazy. Sounds were emanating music was playing as these plants in the greenhouse were picking up on the energy of something else that had been connected. Not fully understanding why this was, the scientists decided to really do a bit more of an investigation. What they found out was that the two owners who had taken that weekend away, were making love at that same


40 Children Hurt By Lightning In France And Germany
Close to 30 children at a children's soccer match in Germany, and about 10 children at an outdoor birthday party in Paris, were reportedly injured when lightning struck this afternoon. A number of adults were also hurt. Some of the adults and children have suffered serious injuries and are being hospitalized.
Lightning Hits Paris Birthday Party
In Parc Monceau, an upscale park in Paris, France, party goers taking part in birthday celebrations took cover under a tree when a storm suddenly disturbed the festivities. One of the most dangerous places to be during a lightning storm is under a tree; the tree serves as a lightning rod since it is higher than its surroundings, it draws the electric current toward it and anything under the tree is in danger of electrocution. However, it appears the lightning was unexpected and the rains were very heavy, which explains why they huddled under the tree for cover.
The average age of the injured children was 9 years. Different reports give different numbers of victims. What is clear, however, is that at least 8 children and 3 adults were seriously harmed by the lightning. Off-duty fireman Pascal Gremillet was in the vicinity of the park and quickly arrived at the scene; he found 11 people lying on the ground. Gremillet gave them first aid and heart massages. Still, about four of those struck by the lightning remain in serious condition and are fighting for their lives. That number could have been higher had the fireman not run to the scene when he saw the lightning hit the park.
Lightning Struck Referee as He Blew the Final Whistle of the Game
Toward the end of a children's soccer match in western Germany, one of the referees, aged 45, was directly hit by lightning that seemed to come out of nowhere. 29 children were on the playing field. Some reports state none were hurt, but that they were taken to the hospital as a safety measure. In other reports, however, some children were experiencing an irregular heartbeat.
Lightning is Magnificent and Deadly
Lightning provides a beautiful display of the powers of nature. Sometimes those powers can be deadly.
Some places in the United States, such as Florida, are more prone to lightning than others. There are, on average, about 49 lightning deaths a year in the USA. According to the Geoscience News and Information website, Florida is fourth in the world regarding frequency of lightning storms; Central Africa has the greatest electrical activity, followed by the Andes, the Himalayan region, Florida, the Argentinian Pampas region, and Indonesia. Just 2 weeks ago, about 64 people were killed in Bangladesh by a lightning storm.
You can check out this website to see where lightning storms are taking place in real time around the world.
Lightning storms, and hence lightning warnings, are most frequent in the summer, building up from May and reaching a peak in July. August sees a much lower rate of thunder and lightning storms than take place in July.
Lightning kills animals, as well as humans. There can be much property damage as well. Power lines and other constructions can be destroyed and buildings damaged. Airlines sometimes have to delay or reroute flights because of lightning storm warnings. Human fatalities from lightening have significantly decreased over the years because of the move from rural to urban areas, where large buildings offer better protection, improved medical interventions, and enhanced warning systems.
Best Practices During a Lightning Storm
To be safe, as soon as you hear thunder, you should run inside a building. Buildings are equipped with lightning rods and can withstand the electric surge even if they may suffer some damage. If you are in a car, you should remain in the car unless you can quickly run into a nearby building. Remain inside the building or car until a few minutes after the last thunder, in order to make sure the electric storm has come to an end.
It is important to stay indoors during an lightning storm. If you have no other option, lay down on the ground in order to prevent the lightning from striking you. Lay far from trees, because their roots can serve as conductors.
[Image via Pixabay]


text:
Revista Brasileira de Biologia
Print version ISSN 0034-7108
ARENZON, A.; PERET, A. C. and BOHRER, M. B. C.. Growth of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Regan, 1912) based in a temporary water body population in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae). Rev. Bras. Biol. [online]. 2001, vol.61, n.1, pp. 117-123. ISSN 0034-7108. _URL_
The growth of the annual fish Cynopoecilus melanotaenia was studied in its natural environment, in order to obtain information about its biology. A total of 797 specimens of C. melanotaenia were collected on a monthly basis between April 1994 and March 1995 in a temporary water body, located in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The growth curve in total length suggests, to both sexes, a fast initial growth. Males present a smaller growth rate than females, but they attain a higher average maximum length than the females.
Keywords : annual fish; growth; Cynopoecilus melanotaenia; Brazil.