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Register your interest in PATH-SAFE surveillance project meetings
A new cross-government project to track foodborne pathogens brings together the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS), the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Public Health England (PHE) and the Environment Agency to test the application of genomic technologies in the surveillance of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistant (AMR) microbes in all four nations of the UK.
£19.2 million funding will support a three-year project to develop a pilot national surveillance network, using the latest DNA-sequencing technology and environmental sampling to improve the detection and tracking of foodborne and antimicrobial resistant pathogens through the whole agri-food system from farm to fork. The heart of this 'virtual' network will be a new database that will permit the analysis, storage and sharing of pathogen sequence and source data, collected from multiple locations across the UK by both government and public organisations.
The Microbiology Society will be hosting a series of online meetings between Monday 4 October and Thursday 7 October 2021, bringing together stakeholders from the foodborne pathogens and AMR in the environment and food-chain sectors, to brainstorm and get the science underway. The meetings will reflect a 'One Health' approach, recognising that health, food and environment are all linked and that AMR in the environment can have profound implications for other sectors. There will also be an opportunity to find out more about the project from the different stakeholders involved.
Details of the surveillance project meetings will be announced shortly. If you have any questions or would like to request more information please contact [email protected]. In the meantime, please register your interest in attending via the online form below:
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Yes, please send me information about the PATH-SAFE surveillance project meetings *
*By completing and submitting this form, you understand, and hereby consent that the personal data provided by you in this form will be collected, processed and used by the Microbiology Society to send you any communication relating to the meetings. You understand and hereby consent that the personal data provided by you in this form will be collected, processed and used by the Microbiology Society for the following additional purposes, but only if you tick the relevant box above. The Microbiology Society is the data controller for the purpose of Data Protection Legislation. The Microbiology Society is a charity registered in England and Wales (Charity Number 264017), a charity registered in Scotland (Charity Number SC039250) and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England (Company Number 1039582).
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Food & Drink Pictures
Waitrose Summer Recipes
A-Z of unusual ingredients: coconut oil
Rachel Smith on the little-known ingredients that will spice up your cooking. This week: coconut oil.
Star ingredient: coconut oil features in this Keralan fish curry recipe
By Rachel Smith
7:00AM BST 07 Aug 2013
Not that long ago chefs searching for a bottle of olive oil had to ferret about in chemists, somewhere between the TCP and cotton buds. It might seem like a scene from the past. But when my father was sent to find coconut oil for my mum's fish curry, he ended up in the beauty section of an Indian shop on Leicester's Belgrave Road, sheepishly picking out a pot from the rows of hair products. Despite its increasing popularity, coconut oil remains a somewhat elusive ingredient.
References to coconut oil are cropping up everywhere - from Gwyneth Paltrow's recent cookbook, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great, to the southern Indian episodes of Rick Stein's BBC series, In Search of the Perfect Curry. Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr supposedly "will not go a day without coconut oil", while Naamyaa Café chef Libor Dobis refers to it as "a must for anyone's pantry". Over the past year, sales of the 200g pots of Biona's Organic Virgin coconut oil have increased 112 per cent with the 800g pots experiencing an enormous 345 per cent boom in sales. All this begs the question - why has coconut oil suddenly got so big?
READ: How to use coconut oil
In the past, coconut oil has been the victim to nutritional misinformation. It does have very high levels of saturated fat - 92 per cent, compared to butter's 63 per cent. But the key difference is that the saturated fat in coconut oil is mainly made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These are far easier to burn off than the long-chain fatty acids found in other saturated fats, and have been said to actively increase metabolisms, rather than wallow round the waistline.
Coconut oil also contains lauric acid, which is otherwise found in human breast milk. It's known to have antiviral properties, and is another reason that coconut oil is a serious health food contender. Some claim it is capable of "melting away kidney stones" and even slowing the onset of Alzheimer's.
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"No other dietary oil comes close to matching the health benefits associated with coconut oil," says Dr Bruce Fife, director of the Coconut Research Centre. "As people in the UK learn more about, and experience the benefits of coconut oil, it will soar in popularity, just as it has in the US, Canada, and Australia."
Aside from its health benefits, interest in coconut oil has increased thanks to the raw food movement, and the growing popularity of vegan diets. The oil has a solid, lard-like consistency below 24°C, so can be used to replace butter in recipes where the texture is important - like rubbed crumble toppings, or pastry. When heated, the oil turns into a clear liquid, and remains stable at high temperatures, making it ideal for frying.
The nutty-sweet flavours of coconut oil mean that it's a popular ingredient in South Indian and South East Asian recipes. Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochar uses it in his meen moilee fish curry, saying that "it's really complimentary, and adds a distinct taste profile". Angus Denoon, founder of The Jhal Muri Express, uses it for cooking finger aubergines, flavouring the oil with mustard seeds, cinnamon bark, ginger and coriander stalks. And Rick Stein notes how "coconut oil is an important seasoning for dishes such as thoran" - a traditional Keralan dish of chopped and fried vegetables.
Not every coconut oil imparts big flavours though. 'Refined' oils are made from dried coconut kernels known as copra. They are "refined, bleached and deodorised" (symbolised by RBD on the label), meaning that the oil is unscented. Refined oils have a higher smoking point (230°C) than unrefined varieties (177°C) - so it's a good choice for deep-frying, or for using in recipes which wouldn't benefit from tropical coconut flavours.
Unrefined coconut oils - like Biona or Lucy Bee - are made from fresh coconut meat, and retain distinctive coconut flavours. The oil is made by either quickly drying the coconut meat and machine-pressing it, or 'wet-milling' - where the oil is separated from the coconut milk through boiling or fermentation.
"Unrefined coconut oil has a delicate coconut aroma, and can be used as a spread instead of butter," says Petrina Grint, from Lucy Bee's Coconut Oil Company. "Taste is, obviously, such a personal thing, but when coconut oil is heated and cooked with, it tends to enhance flavours rather than dominate a dish."
In her book Superfood Kitchen, Julie Morris notes that: "just like varieties of olive oils, different brands of coconut oil will vary in coconut-flavour intensity - some are mild and buttery, others richly tropical". So use a refined oil for a plain pie crust, but choose a big, punchy unrefined coconut oil if you're looking to introduce a tropical edge to a dish - whether that's a traditional Keralan fish curry or a superfood lemon and coconut breakfast bar.
Keralan fish curry with coconut oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
4cm piece of ginger, grated
2 green chillies, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
200g firm white fish, filleted and cut into large chunks (try halibut, pollock or coley - though red snapper is also delicious)
Optional: 1 teaspoon corn flour
Heat the coconut oil in a pan
Add the red onion to the pan, and cook on a low heat for around 10 minutes until it softens.
Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli to the pan - and stir over a low heat for 2 more minutes.
Add the turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, and cook for a further 2 minutes, until the spices start to darken in colour.
Pour the water and lemon juice into the pan, and bring up to a gentle simmer.
Season the sauce with the salt, and then place the chunks of fish into the pan.
Put on the lid, and simmer on a medium-low temperature for 10-12 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
If the sauce seems thin, then mix a teaspoon of corn flour or potato flour with some cold water in an egg cup, and then stir it into the sauce.
Serve with rice, and pickles.
Available in many health food shops or good Asian grocers - as mentioned, you may have to look in the beauty section.
The Asian Cookshop, £1.95/250ml, KTC Pure Coconut Oil (refined). Online only
Sous Chef, £5/200g, Biona Organic Coconut Oil (unrefined). Online only
Amazon, £9.95/500g, Lucy Bee Organic & Fair Trade Coconut Oil (unrefined). Online only
Rachel Smith blogs at The Food I Eat. Follow her on Twitter @The_FoodIEat
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What Are You Doing for the Indian Citizenship Act (1924) Centennial?
Indian Citizenship Act (1924) (constitutioncenter.org)
The 2020's is a decade of many historical anniversaries. One that has received little attention so far as best I can determine is the Indian Citizenship Act signed into law on June 2, 1924, by President Calvin Coolidge. As the very title of the legislation states, the act made all Indians in the United States citizens of the United States.
One should not confuse this action with various suffrage movements. This bill did not grant those newly designated citizens any voting rights. Such authorization was at the state level. Think of how New York State among others authorized female suffrage (2017 centennial) prior to the Constitutional amendment.
At first glance the need for the Indian Citizenship Act might seem strange. According to the act,
… all noncitizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided that the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property.
One might think that under the Fourteenth Amendment (1868) that the citizenship issue had been settled. People born in the United States were citizens of United States with all the rights such designation entails. This amendment has been bandied about in recent political fights about who is and who is not a citizen or if birthright citizenship should be revoked. For the purposes of this blog, that debate is not the subject. However one should note there was a debate following the ratification of the Amendment if it applied to Indians or not.
The debate was so pronounced that the Senate Judiciary Committee pondered the issue. In 1870 it rendered its verdict:
… the 14th amendment to the Constitution has no effect whatever upon the status of the Indian tribes within the limits of the United States…
Strangely enough in the infamous Dred Scott decision in 1857, the frequently reviled Chief Justice Roger Taney had argued that American Indians could in fact become citizens. The caveat was that it had to be under congressional and legal supervision. In 1924, that is exactly what Congress did.
In the interim, Congress had established rules whereby specific actions, such as participation in the Dawes Act, were sufficient to grant citizenship to individuals. The downside of that action was the exposure of previously protected lands to now be available for purchase by outsiders. In any event, by one estimate, in 1924 when the Indian Citizenship Act was passed, approximately 125,000 out of 300,000 Indians were not citizens. And then by the stroke of a pen, they were.
ISSUES – INDIVIDUALS
The action taken in 1924 raises multiple issues. They could be addressed at any time. The centennial affords an opportunity to do by focusing attention on the act.
For example, as noted, citizenship is derived from Congressional and not constitutional action. In theory, Congress could revoke or alter the act for whatever reasons it deems fit. I am not suggesting it has any intention of so doing. I am simply pointing out the potential power is there. I presume that this time the Fourteenth Amendment would be deemed to be applicable but who knows how the legal process would unfold. Of course, Congress could revoke the act by asserting the amendment does apply, that birthright citizenship applies across the board, and that the act is moot. The action might be symbolic but there are benefits to saying all American citizens are citizens under one of two methods: birth or naturalization.
That conclusion leads to a second observation. What about the 125,000 people who were not citizens in 1924, what choice did they have? There is a difference between extending the opportunity to become a citizen to someone versus obligating someone to be a citizen. I am not saying the any of the 125,000 did not want to become citizens or that any of the 175,000 had been coerced into becoming citizens by virtue of participating in the Dawes Act. I am saying that as we approach the centennial of the Indian Citizenship Act, we have the opportunity to do something better: to give people a free choice on whether or not they want to be citizens instead of imposing a decision on them.
In practice, this means two possible actions.
1. For individuals who do not want to be citizens of the United States, they should not be forced to be citizens. Instead they would be citizens of their particular Indian Nation and not dual citizens. I have no idea how many people would choose this route, but I do think it would be better if we do now what was not done in 1924 – offer people a choice.
2. Citizenship Ceremony of Belonging – When immigrants are naturalized as American citizens, they go through a process culminating in a ceremony where they take an oath of allegiance to their new country. Oftentimes family members are present. Oftentimes it is a very emotional experience for all the participants. There was no such ceremony of belonging for the 125,000 who became citizens in 1924 with the stroke of a pen. I doubt there was one or much of one for the 175,000 who preceded them. That oversight should be corrected. There should be ceremonies of belonging held throughout the land in 2024 where Indian Nations/Tribes exist. The ceremony could even be self-designed or local. It would have no legal status. Instead, through these ceremonies, people would have the opportunity to publically affirm their identity as American citizens. Ceremonies of belonging do matter.
Together these two actions would remedy what the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924 left open.
ISSUES – INDIAN NATIONS
The Indian Citizenship Act does not directly address the subject of Indian Nations. At present there are about 574 such groups recognized by the United States plus additional ones which are not. The 2024 Centennial also provides a chance to address what it means to be an Indian Nation today in the 21st century regardless of what it meant in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
For example, the normal means of discourse between nations is via the treaty. England and France entered in treaties with each other. They, the colonies, and the states also entered into treaties with Indian Nations. The issue here is not the violation of the treaties. It is the legal significance of treaties.
Suppose the signatories of a treaty have a dispute. How is it resolved? Possible there is some provision in a treaty specifying how disagreements are to be resolved, but most likely not. Rather the signatories themselves are supposed to negotiate a solution. If there is an issue with NAFTA or NATO, then the countries involved have to work it out. Even a nuclear treaty with Iran requires the participation of the signatories to discuss the open items or proposed changes.
One might think that the same process would apply to treaties negotiated between the Indian Nations and the United States or the individual states which inherited the colonial treaties. After all, the original agreement was between nations so should not those nations be the ones to resolve the disputes?
WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! In the United States, in 1831, in the time of the Trail of Tears, a dispute between the Cherokee Nation and the State of Georgia reached the Supreme Court. In that case, Chief Justice Marshall termed tribes "domestic dependent nations," with the federal/tribal relationship resembling "that of a ward to his guardian." I am not a lawyer yet alone a Constitutional lawyer. My question is under what Constitutional authority did the Supreme Court have to make that decision? Also on what basis did the independent Indian Nations like the Cherokee have to accept that diminution in status save by "might makes for what happens"?
The Cherokees, now in Oklahoma, recently made news in another Supreme Court ruling about jurisdictions in that state. The question I have is why are disputes between nations being resolved in the Courts? That is not the way treaty relationships work. The Supreme Court does not adjudicate treaties entered into by the United States. The Executive branch negotiates them and the Congress ratifies them. The Courts are not involved. Now is a good time to reassess the legal relationship between Indian Nations and the United States from the assertion enunciated by Chief Justice Marshall on "domestic dependent nations" status. I am not proposing a solution to this issue. I am suggesting that it needs to be addressed.
It would also be a good idea for ceremonies of alliance to be held between the United States and the Indian Nations. This is especially true as the county prepares for its 250th anniversary.
One might think how can these nations celebrate an alliance with a country that did so many horrendous things to them? We invaded Canada multiple times and it is our ally. We fought England and the Germans twice each and they are our allies. We dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan and it is our ally. It may well be that not all 574 nations want to be an ally of the United States. We will not know until we ask. States can take the lead if the federal government will not.
One last thought. From time to time the suggestion has been made that a given Indian tribe or tribes form a state starting with the Cherokees. Such a designation would give them a seat at the table for such issues as vaccines or voting rights among others. There are peoples of sufficient numbers on lands of sufficient size where new states could be created from one or more existing state. One would have to weigh carefully the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a state while retaining an identity as an Indian Nation.
In conclusion, the Indian Citizenship Act Centennial provides an excellent chance to think about old issues that really are still part of our heritage today.
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6 thoughts on "What Are You Doing for the Indian Citizenship Act (1924) Centennial?"
Cindy Amrhein, Wyoming County Historian says:
Discussion is always good, as historians we can't help it, its our nature to try and understand. But to celebrate? I'm not so sure the Indian Nations would look at it that way.
On this point, "1. For individuals who do not want to be citizens of the United States, they should not be forced to be citizens. Instead they would be citizens of their particular Indian Nation and not dual citizens. I have no idea how many people would choose this route, but I do think it would be better if we do now what was not done in 1924 – offer people a choice."
So do you mean, have them choose, so duel citizenship is not an option? From certain people of the Nations I know, the need to choose, is something on our end not theirs. Some don't consider themselves US citizens just because we say they are is correct, Its just another classification put on to them by us. Their attachment is to the land itself, something we don't seem to get. For the majority, any wars they fought for the US did not necessarily mean they were pro Untied States but to protect the country, the land itself.
As to this question you pose, "Suppose the signatories of a treaty have a dispute. How is it resolved?" If it is the State of New York, you ignore the treaties all together. Treaties or compacts become a mess when left in the hands of New York State. It was set up in 1790 on purpose that treaties were Federal level and not to be interfered with by the states.
George Washington wrote in a letter to Alexander Hamilton when he was displeased with the Livingston transaction in northern NY and states for "land jobbing" and "inter-meddling", he said, "To sum the whole up in a few words, the interference of States, and the speculation of individuals, will be the bane of all our public measures."
And if the statement comes up as to why we give the Indian Nations health benefits and social services if they need it, if they don't consider themselves citizens, it is because it is a treaty right. Schools, doctors, food, clothing etc its all in the treaties, which are often ignored.
Good topic for discussion, or displays for education but I'm just not sure it is something the Nations would appreciate a full on celebration over.
Peter Feinman says:
Thanks for your thoughtful response. No, I was not eliminating the option of dual citizenship which exists (which I think is what you mean although I am intrigued by the concept of "duel" citizenship). People would have three options: Indian Nation citizenship alone, American citizenship alone, or both. That is why it is important to clarify what it means to be an Indian Nation today. And yes there should be a full accounting on the treaties no matter how painful that may be. If an Indian Nation does not want to be an ally of the United States, that is a separate issue. What exactly would they be instead? I certainly do not speak for the Indian Nations. If New York State does create a Centennial Commission as I am recommending to the legislators, it would serve as a vehicle through which to discuss these questions.
Tom McGee says:
Unsubscribed: It has become too political. Save the anti-trump left wing political articles for another site. It just detracts from the historical intent of the website.
I mention Calvin Coolidge in this blog but no other President. I am stumped as to how you interpreted this as a left wing anti-Trump political blog.
Bob Ulrich says:
Very timely article. The Town of Fishkill up here has been planning to dedicate a statue to a local sachem, Daniel Nimham, the last of the Wappingers (Algonquin nation) tribe. They had several hundred thousand acres stolen from them thru phony land deeds while they volunteered to leave the area to fight the F&I War. Returned home tor find the Phillips and Robinson (son in law) families had "purchased" their lands and rented it to tenant farmers who wouldn't move. They were forced to resettle to the mission town of Stockbridge, MA. Sad story, as they were later forced out "west" to the Oneida reservation to resettle there once their lands grew too valuable to waste on "those Indians". Then, another forced move to Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The library at Stockbridge has a nice exhibit running there January which you should see on a visit to the Rockwell museum, Tanglewood, or the Clark or Mass, MOCA before it closes. They are not hiding the ugly way the natives were treated by those land hungry New Englanders.
The Nimham statue dedication date is not yet frozen, but will be in late fall or early winter. I have a lecture I included in my 10 biography series I titled "Unknowns …but Unforgettables". Little studied names who helped us win the Rev War. Fishkill will be video taping my lecture this week for inclusion on their Town website for pre-dedication ceremony local awareness. Very little of what I present is ever taught in our schools. Once edited and on their site, I'll send you the URL address for access.
bob ulrich
Pingback: The Indian Citizenship Act centennial in 2024 – Ramblin' with Roger


ecological web, anthropogenic...didn't start coal...need to go back to colonial movement...philosophy of enlightenment...made ecosystems...humans as instruments...it started with people being okay with doing colonialism...lots of there is only one way to do things...unpick cathars...how Catholic Church wanted only one way.
key is not to let "biggest", frustrating but worth it...don't tie to a specific tradition...non-violent direction is a good idea...maybe not allow to be victimized...can work when hypocracy laid bare...doesn't always work.
make it fun....can't be just chore..


Baylor football is headed to its eighth bowl game in the last nine years as it travels to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl at 8 p.m. on Dec. 27 in Houston to face Vanderbilt.
Head coach Matt Rhule lead the Bears to a 7-17 record over his first two years as Baylor football's head coach and has turned the program from a one-win team into a bowl contender. Rhule said going to a bowl game for the seniors is something the class deserves and is a great way to end their time with the team before graduating.
Facing an SEC team is never easy and that is exactly what the Bears will have to prepare for going into the next couple weeks of bowl practice. Vanderbilt is coming off winning three out of their four previous games, ending its season with a 38-13 win over Tennessee. Vanderbilt senior quarterback Kyle Shurmur threw for a season high three touchdowns and 367 yards, completing 31 of his 35 passes for a completion percentage of 88.6 percent, all season highs. With all three touchdowns going to different receivers, Shurmur knows how to spread the ball around.
Now that Rhule and the Bears know who the opponent will be, he said in the end it doesn't matter who they face because it is something out of their control and they knew they were going to have to get ready to face a solid team either way.
Baylor is dealing with a couple players who are out with injury beginning with senior punter Drew Galitz who tore his ACL and will be out for the remainder of the year. Junior kicker Connor Martin will fill in to take over some of the duties in place of Galitz on special teams. In the Texas Tech game, senior wide receiver Jalen Hurd banged up his knee and despite Rhule telling him he "shouldn't play because he has a big NFL future ahead", he still competed in the game. His status for the bowl game will not be officially determined until the coaches see how he looks in practice.
Senior offensive lineman Blake Blackmar has been on three teams, including this season, that made bowl eligibility. He had to go through last year only winning one game and came into this season knowing he might not be able to go to another bowl game. Now that the Bears are playing Vanderbilt in the Texas Bowl, Blackmar said this shows just how far the team has come and how encouraging this is for the program going into the upcoming years.
During the practices, Rhule and the coaching staff are going to try to get as much preparation and confidence instilled in the players for them to be ready for Dec. 27. Playing players at different positions is going to be a main focus for the team.
The coaches know this is the last game for the seniors before some aim to make it to the NFL and will also be putting them in those different positions to best make that happen. One thing Rhule did on the first day of bowl practice was get the younger players to understand how competitive the game will be and how hard they need to practice in order to be successful.
"There are recruits sitting around and you would think that I would be shaking hands, but no, I want them to know even though you are not playing, I want you to understand that they need to feel the pressure and I want them to produce and perform and I was proud they responded and they did … When you go out to be the quarterback, when you go out to be the left tackle, there is one standard we want you to play," Rhule said.


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Wikipedia The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or the hydrological cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth. The mass of water on Earth remains fairly constant over time but the partitioning of the water into the major reservoirs of ice, fresh water, saline water and atmospheric water is variable depending on a wide range of climatic variables. The water moves from one reservoir to another, such as from river to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, and subsurface flow. In doing so, the water goes through different forms: liquid, solid (ice) and vapour.
The water cycle involves the exchange of energy, which leads to temperature changes. When water evaporates, it takes up energy from its surroundings and cools the environment. When it condenses, it releases energy and warms the environment. These heat exchanges influence climate.
The evaporative phase of the cycle purifies water which then replenishes the land with freshwater. The flow of liquid water and ice transports minerals across the globe. It is also involved in reshaping the geological features of the Earth, through processes including erosion and sedimentation. The water cycle is also essential for the maintenance of most life and ecosystems on the planet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_cycle
Biogeochemical Cycle
Take Climate Action in the South Hams
Are you worried about climate change? Do you live in the South Hams? Here are some ways to take climate action in the South Hams.
Take action in how you shop. Take action in how you travel. Take action by joining groups. Take action by supporting each other. Take action in non-violent protest.
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Read more: Take Climate Action in the South Hams
Great Conjunction 2020
Wikipedia A great conjunction is a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn, when the two planets appear closest together in the sky. Conjunctions occur every 19.6 years, on average, when Jupiter 'overtakes' Saturn in the sky due to the combined effect of Jupiter's approximately 11.9-year orbital period and Saturn's 29.5-year orbital period.
The great conjunction of 2020 will be the closest since 1623. It will occur seven weeks after the heliocentric conjunction, when Jupiter and Saturn shared the same heliocentric longitude. On 21 December at 13:30 UT, Jupiter will be 0.1° south of Saturn and 30° east of the Sun, meaning both planets will be visible in the same telescopic field of view (though they will be distinguishable from each other without optical aid). The two planets will be visible low above the southwestern horizon in the constellation of Capricornus after sunset. From mid-northern latitudes, the planets will be less than 15° in altitude, one hour after sunset.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_conjunction
Read more: Great Conjunction 2020
Iron Cycle
Wikipedia The iron cycle (Fe) is the biogeochemical cycle of iron through the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere. While Fe is highly abundant in the Earth's crust, it is less common in oxygenated surface waters. Iron is a key micronutrient in primary productivity, and a limiting nutrient in the Southern ocean, eastern equatorial Pacific, and the subarctic Pacific referred to as High-Nutrient, Low-Chlorophyll (HNLC) regions of the ocean.
Iron is an essential micronutrient for almost every life form. It is a key component of hemoglobin, important to nitrogen fixation as part of the Nitrogenase enzyme family, and as part of the iron-sulfur core of ferredoxin it facilitates electron transport in chloroplasts, eukaryotic mitochondria, and bacteria. Due to the high reactivity of Fe2+ with oxygen and low solubility of Fe3+, iron is a limiting nutrient in most regions of the world.
Iron exists in a range of oxidation states from -2 to +7; however, on Earth it is predominantly in its +2 or +3 redox state and is a primary redox-active metal on Earth. The cycling of iron between its +2 and +3 oxidation states is referred to as the iron cycle. This process can be entirely abiotic or facilitated by microorganisms, especially iron-oxidizing bacteria. The abiotic processes include the rusting of iron-bearing metals, where Fe2+ is abiotically oxidized to Fe3+ in the presence of oxygen, and the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ by iron-sulfide minerals. The biological cycling of Fe2+ is done by iron oxidizing and reducing microbes.
Iron cycle - Wikipedia
Calcium Cycle
Wikipedia The calcium cycle is a transfer of calcium between dissolved and solid phases. There is a continuous supply of calcium ions into waterways from rocks, organisms, and soils. Calcium ions are consumed and removed from aqueous environments as they react to form insoluble structures such as calcium carbonate and calcium silicate, which can deposit to form sediments or the exoskeletons of organisms. Calcium ions can also be utilized biologically, as calcium is essential to biological functions such as the production of bones and teeth or cellular function. The calcium cycle is a common thread between terrestrial, marine, geological, and biological processes. Calcium moves through these different media as it cycles throughout the Earth. The marine calcium cycle is affected by changing atmospheric carbon dioxide due to ocean acidification.
Calcium cycle - Wikipedia
Sulphur Cycle
Wikipedia The sulphur cycle is the collection of processes by which sulphur moves between rocks, waterways and living systems. Such biogeochemical cycles are important in geology because they affect many minerals. Biochemical cycles are also important for life because sulphur is an essential element, being a constituent of many proteins and cofactors, and sulphur compounds can be used as oxidants or reductants in microbial respiration. The global sulphur cycle involves the transformations of sulphur species through different oxidation states, which play an important role in both geological and biological processes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Wikipedia The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Unlike many other biogeochemical cycles, the atmosphere does not play a significant role in the movement of phosphorus, because phosphorus and phosphorus-based compounds are usually solids at the typical ranges of temperature and pressure found on Earth. The production of phosphine gas occurs in only specialized, local conditions. Therefore, the phosphorus cycle should be viewed from whole Earth system and then specifically focused on the cycle in terrestrial and aquatic systems.
On the land, phosphorus gradually becomes less available to plants over thousands of years, since it is slowly lost in runoff. Low concentration of phosphorus in soils reduces plant growth, and slows soil microbial growth - as shown in studies of soil microbial biomass. Soil microorganisms act as both sinks and sources of available phosphorus in the biogeochemical cycle. Locally, transformations of phosphorus are chemical, biological and microbiological: the major long-term transfers in the global cycle, however, are driven by tectonic movements in geologic time.
Humans have caused major changes to the global phosphorus cycle through shipping of phosphorus minerals, and use of phosphorus fertilizer, and also the shipping of food from farms to cities, where it is lost as effluent.
Phosphorus cycle - Wikipedia
Oxygen Cycle
Wikipedia The oxygen cycle is the biogeochemical transitions of oxygen atoms between different oxidation states in ions, oxides, and molecules through redox reactions within and between the spheres/reservoirs of the planet Earth. The word oxygen in the literature typically refers to the most common oxygen allotrope, elemental/diatomic oxygen (O2), as it is a common product or reactant of many biogeochemical redox reactions within the cycle. Processes within the oxygen cycle are considered to be biological or geological and are evaluated as either a source (O2 production) or sink (O2 consumption).
Oxygen cycle - Wikipedia
Wikipedia The nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which nitrogen is converted into multiple chemical forms as it circulates among atmosphere, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems. The conversion of nitrogen can be carried out through both biological and physical processes. Important processes in the nitrogen cycle include fixation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification. The majority of Earth's atmosphere (78%) is atmosphere nitrogen, making it the largest source of nitrogen. However, atmospheric nitrogen has limited availability for biological use, leading to a scarcity of usable nitrogen in many types of ecosystems.
The nitrogen cycle is of particular interest to ecologists because nitrogen availability can affect the rate of key ecosystem processes, including primary production and decomposition. Human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, use of artificial nitrogen fertilizers, and release of nitrogen in wastewater have dramatically altered the global nitrogen cycle. Human modification of the global nitrogen cycle can negatively affect the natural environment system and also human health.
Nitrogen cycle - Wikipedia
Carbon Cycle
Wikipedia The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth. Carbon is the main component of biological compounds as well as a major component of many minerals such as limestone. Along with the nitrogen cycle and the water cycle, the carbon cycle comprises a sequence of events that are key to make Earth capable of sustaining life. It describes the movement of carbon as it is recycled and reused throughout the biosphere, as well as long-term processes of carbon sequestration to and release from carbon sinks.
Humans have disturbed the biological carbon cycle for many centuries by modifying land use, and moreover with the recent industrial-scale mining of fossil carbon (coal, petroleum and gas extraction, and cement manufacture) from the geosphere. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had increased nearly 50% over pre-industrial levels in 2020, forcing greater atmospheric and Earth surface heating by the Sun. The increased carbon dioxide has also increased the acidity of the ocean surface by about 30% due to dissolved carbon dioxide, carbonic acid and other compounds, and is fundamentally altering marine chemistry. The majority of fossil carbon has been extracted over just the past half century, and rates continue to rise rapidly, contributing to human-caused climate change. The largest consequences to the carbon cycle, and to the biosphere which critically enables human civilization, are still set to unfold due to the vast yet limited inertia of the Earth system. Restoring balance to this natural system is an international priority, described in the both the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goal 13.
Carbon cycle - Wikipedia


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Kim Busch (Dordrecht, 16 de junio de 1998) es una deportista neerlandesa que compite en natación, especialista en el estilo libre.

Ganó una medalla de bronce en el Campeonato Mundial de Natación de 2017 y siete medallas en el Campeonato Mundial de Natación en Piscina Corta entre los años 2016 y 2022.

Además, obtuvo dos medallas en el Campeonato Europeo de Natación, en los años 2018 y 2022. y dos medallas en el Campeonato Europeo de Natación en Piscina Corta de 2021.

Participó en los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio 2020, ocupando el cuarto lugar en la prueba de 4 × 100 m libre.

Palmarés internacional

Referencias

Nadadores de los Países Bajos
Nadadores de los Países Bajos en los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio 2020
Nadadores de estilo libre
Nacidos en Dordrecht

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The World's First Porno Reality Show Just Premiered — And It's Super Problematic
By Leigh Cuen
Last week, the porn website xHamster's new reality show competition for aspiring porn stars, The Sex Factor, finally debuted after more than two years in development. Produced by former software salesman Buddy Ruben, the show purports to be an America's Top Model-style opportunity for young people wanting to break into the adult film industry, complete with a million dollar prize and an exclusive modeling contract.
The Sex Factor
But right after both the trailer and the first episode of the series debuted, The Sex Factor has already garnered some criticism. Some cast members told ABC News they were unpaid, received scant mentorship and no TV exposure. (It's worth noting that not paying cast members is considered fairly standard in reality television.)
Ruben told Mic contestants were compensated for their appearance on the show with exposure, mentorships and networking opportunities, but some cast members don't agree.
"Initially it was great," former contestant Allie Eve Knox told ABC reporters on Nightline. "[But then] it just turned into shooting straight porn." Knox pointed out on her blog that several of the cast members don't list any Sex Factor information on their social media profiles, and although her contract prevents her from discussing her experiences on set, she has now chosen not to publicly associate herself with the show.
The Nightline segment also suggested that executives failed to deliver on the alleged "million dollar prize," which was featured heavily in the show's promotional materials. Ruben told Mic in a phone interview that the actual amount of money the winner walked away with is "confidential," but there was a "cash component."
"I'm contractually not allowed to say much," another contestant, Kaelin Blake, said in an interview with Mic via Twitter direct message. Yet she added that "the level of professionalism [on the show] was not what I expected."
"I know I was competing to be a porn star, but it would've been nice to have been treated with more respect."
It's also worth noting that the show's first episode propagates many of the less female-friendly tropes associated with the porn industry. The trailer and first episode of the series focus heavily on porn industry tropes like blow jobs, men ejaculating on women's faces and cliche role-play like the subservient maid, or the macho plumber penetrating a woman with his plunger.
Thus far, at least, there hasn't been much deliberate focus on female sensuality on The Sex Factor. Ruben said challenges like the the blow job competition, which provided a hefty chunk of the penis-centric footage broadcast so far, was just one part of the "battle of the sexes," but declined to elaborate further on the show's gender dynamics.
Blake said that while shooting the show, her "pleasure was definitely never a priority" — which is somewhat to be expected, in an industry where many female performers claim to frequently fake orgasms.
However, while Blake did note that the crew was accommodating when she got sick and that it strictly enforced industry standards for STI testing, she described performing on the set as "uncomfortable."
"I realized during the filming how much weirder porn is than sex," Blake said. "I knew very early on I didn't want to be in the industry." She left before shooting wrapped up.
The cast of "The Sex Factor." The Sex Factor/YouTube
Perhaps one of the most disturbing things about The Sex Factor, however, is the moment in the first episode in which a male contestant, David Caspian, is seen repeatedly exposing himself to female contestants, despite their frequent requests to stop. Several female contestants say that Caspian routinely follows them around naked while masturbating and makes them uncomfortable (something that Mic's EJ Dickson also noticed when she met the cast in 2015). His behavior is laughed off and the judges are disappointed when Caspian gets eliminated.
As Lux Alptraum wrote for The Verge: "The show's lax attitude toward his complete disrespect for his housemates' boundaries is rather appalling." Ruben declined to comment about how the behavior was handled behind the scenes and how much of it was known to the judges who praised Caspian. "All that's intended to be seen is what's in the episode," he said.
Fellow female contestant Dani Darko told Mic via Twitter direct message that some crew also exhibited problematic behavior. In an interview published on the adult industry forum AdultDVDtalk, contestant, Darko said she felt "creeped out" on set because the men were "pervy."
"I know I was competing to be a porn star, but it would've been nice to have been treated with more respect," Darko said. "I would hear the film crew say judgmental things about other contestants and it just wasn't cool at all."
When asked about Caspian's behavior, Ruben said there were "many conversations" on set about consent and safety, but declined to comment further on any details or context.
The sex industry has a reputation for being exploitative and misogynistic. But the reality is much more complex than that. Many women feel empowered through their work in porn and see the industry as a professional platform for fighting gender inequality. Yet some contestants on the show reported that their experience on The Sex Factor propagated all of the negative tropes associated with the industry and left a bad taste in their mouths.
"Instead of a reality show, showing porn stars behind the scene, they just wanted to film a giant orgy," said Darko. "I didn't learn a damn thing from being on the show."
Regardless, producers are moving forward with plans for a second season. "We are accepting applications [now on their website]," Ruben said. "We will have an open casting call in January."


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Clinton Presidential Center Virtual Tour
Clinton Presidential Center
Experience the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock
Take a virtual tour of the Clinton Presidential Center! The Clinton Presidential Center is the home of the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation, the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, and the Clinton School of Public Service. The Center is a world-class educational and cultural venue offering a variety of educational programs, special events, exhibitions, and lectures, presenting a unique perspective of the work – past, present, and future – of the 42nd President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton.
(VIDEO) Little Rock Rocks
(Video) Murfreesboro, Arkansas: A Gem of a Place
Explore the Hot Springs and Diamond Lakes Region
Cruising for a brewsing
A to Z Guide to Summer Fun in Arkansas
(Video) Arkansas Road Trip


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IAF Editorials: Americas: North America: United States
1-30 IAF Editorials articles displayed
for the Americas/North America/United States Region
Making a Meal out of a Mess
The U.S. ended participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and then tried to cut off Iran's access to the international oil market. So, what's the next step to fix the s... Read More...
Mississippi Blues Aren't Music, They're Trade Deficits
The China-American trade war is pounding Mississippi's economy and farmers. By Anne Allen Hodge. (01/16/2019)
From Vicious Cycle to the American Dream: Sect 201 of the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act
Section 201 of the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2018 is an important and necessary step forward. By April Xiaoyi Xu. (11/26/2018)
How US- North Korean Diplomacy Should Have Really Worked
Making the summit counterfactual case. By Carlos Ramirez. (07/02/2018)
The End of Trump and Tillerson: A Discordant Relationship
The Trump-Tillerson relationship: what went wrong? By Benjamin Moore. (03/15/2018)
What Needs To Be Done On Gun Control In The US?
Steps for advancing gun control in the US. By Dr. Sohail Mahmood. (03/09/2018)
MCC 2.0: A new approach to take America's premier global development agency through and beyond 2020
A vision of MCC 2.0 that represents an approach to practically reorient the agency toward greater relevance and effectiveness. By Mumukshu Patel. (02/27/2018)
Foreign Aid: 8 Bucks or 80 Cents a Benjamin?
What are the real numbers for US foreign aid and what do they mean? By Mitali Patel. (11/20/2017)
Two angry children with lit matches on the brink of causing destruction
Looking at the U.S.-North Korea nuclear situation. By Tahi Izumi. (10/30/2017)
Trump's Iran Policy Only Hurts the US
The dangers in decertifying the Iranian deal. By Shannon Tawoos. (10/16/2017)
N Korea again: US caught napping, war a real threat
They say war is a sin, but sometimes, a necessary one. America must declare an all-out war in case all else fails. By Sartaj Chaudhary. (09/06/2017)
Open Borders or Build a Wall? The Democratic Party's Crisis of Vision
The Democrats in the wake of the Trump travel ban. By Heather Alexander. (03/19/2017)
What Kind of Political Realignment, and What Kind of Leader, Do We Need In The United States Today?
What kind of leader do we need in the United States today? By Jack Pearce. (03/13/2017)
A Common Populism: Trump, Le Pen and Putin
Do they portend the beginning of the end for the EU? By Dr. Emanuel L. Paparella. (01/24/2017)
China's Counter-Enlightenment Approach to Taking Control of Afro-Eurasia
Author argues that China intends to use leverage to dominate Afro-Eurasia, and to relegate both the US and Europe to minor roles in geopolitical power and influence. By Timothy Bovy. (01/24/20... Read More...
So who REALLY won the election: Vladimir Putin, perhaps?
As it stands, the ultimate winner of the alleged Russian cyber hack on US elections is Vladimir Putin. By Tim Holmgren. (12/20/2016)
Power and Opportunity: Turkish Strategic Positioning from Northern Syria through Iraqi Kurdistan
A look at Turkey's strategic positioning in the Middle East. By David Davidian. (11/28/2016)
The Next Pearl Harbor
What is the future of naval warfare? What preparations should the U.S make to avoid a disastrous naval battle loss in the next few decades? By Tim Holmgren. (05/05/2016)
On the US Presidential Elections
In support of Hillary Clinton's nomination. By Dr. Cornelia Beyer. (04/25/2016)
U.S. Should Conclude the Negotiation on Rules for Aerial Encounters with China
Author argues that the United States should conclude the negotiations with China on an agreed code of conduct for aerial encounters. By Han Guo. (11/17/2015)
The U.S. Rebalance to the Asia-Pacific and Sino-U.S. Relations
The U.S. needs a more constructive approach to Sino relations to achieve a prosperous and secure Asia-Pacific. By Qi Lin. (11/09/2015)
Relooking the Current Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program
The Environmental Protection Agency's Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program undermines US goals on climate change and needs to be re-examined. By Monique Baskin. (11/06/2015)
NATO, Russia, and the Security Dilemma
Is a security dilemma moving forward between NATO and Russia? By Robert Souza. (07/17/2015)
China's Lucky Decade
From Bush to Obama: Has the U.S. failed to contain China? By James Yan. (06/25/2015)
Competing Orientations for the Near and Middle East
How can the United States best promote a peaceful and productive Middle East? By Jack Pearce. (03/23/2015)
Was Ukrainian Crisis a result of NATO Eastward Expansion?
Ukraine is a primary comopent of Putin's concern against NATO's expansion policy towards the CIS. By Sandeep Tripathi. (03/16/2015)
What does Putin Want, and How To Handle Him?
What are Putin's objectives and what's limiting him? And how should the West respond? By Jack Pearce. (02/25/2015)
How to Stop the Crime of Ungrateful Children?
Repercussions of arming insurgents still resonate. By Ali Reza Sarwar. (01/14/2015)
The New Leaders are the EU's Response
Contrary to many who belive the EU has done little in reaction to the Ukrainian crisis, its response has been made. By Panos Chatzinikolaou. (09/08/2014)
US Policy Options for Iraq and the ISIS Threat
Recent development in Iraq leave the US in a precarious place. What are its options? By Andrew Kelly. (07/04/2014)


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President Emmerson Mnangagwa
Home Election News Elections In Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa Mnangagwa Nelson Chamisa Politics Politics of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa President-Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's Lawyers In Panic Mode?
President-Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's Lawyers In Panic Mode?
05:53:00 Election News, Elections In Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mnangagwa, Nelson Chamisa, Politics, Politics of Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa's lead lawyer Thabani Mpofu claims the evidence they submitted to the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) was indisputable and would likely embarrass both the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) and President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa, hence the latest move by Zanu-PF lawyers to have the matter dismissed on technical grounds.
This came amid reports that Mnangagwa's lawyers were now in a panic mode and clutching at straws to have the court challenge dismissed on a technicality, instead of being heard on its merits when the ConCourt sits to hear the matter.
Mpofu claimed that his team had submitted a bundle of evidence, including V11 forms from all the polling stations that were set up by Zec which, if tallied, showed Chamisa polled 2 674 032 votes against Mnangagwa's 2 008 639 votes.
Chamisa said Mnangagwa was "fraudulently" declared winner of the July 30 presidential polls, and wants the ConCourt to declare him the winner, instead.
"You can see that the intention is to access the data that we have, that data cannot be accessed, that data is going to be seen for the first time in the application, but those desperate attempts speak to the fact that there is something which these people want to hide and it is that something which they want to hide which we are going to fully expose," Chamisa's lawyer said.
"So many people are going to be embarrassed, but ultimately the will of the people is going to prevail. I am satisfied that the evidence we have is not only overwhelming, but embarrassing."
In the petition filed by Chamisa on Friday, he accused Zec of disenfranchising over 40 000 voters, among them teachers and other civil servants who were deployed to polling stations outside their wards and hiding 21 polling stations, and generating a huge number of assisted votes in areas where Mnangagwa won by wide margins.
But, Mnangagwa's lawyers led by Zanu-PF's legal secretary Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana last week indicated that they wanted the case dismissed for late filing, among other technicalities.
The 12-member Zanu-PF legal team claimed that Chamisa's lawyers missed the deadline to file the application and to timely serve Mnangagwa and the other respondents with the court papers.
Highly-placed sources told NewsDay that the Zanu-PF lawyers were desperate to keep a lid on the evidence gathered by Chamisa's team, hence their bid to push for the case to be dismissed on technical grounds.
Mangwana could not be reached for comment yesterday afternoon although he had earlier been spotted at the ConCourt building ostensibly to submit the response.
Law lecturer and human rights lawyer, Valentine Mutatu, however, described the Zanu-PF legal team's bid as futile, saying the ConCourt would likely not give in.
"Read the judgment by Justice [Luke] Malaba in the petition by the late [MDC-T leader] Morgan Tsvangirai, where he said that the issue of validity or otherwise can only be decided on merit. He denied withdrawing the matter insisting on hearing the merits," Mutatu said.
In 2013, Tsvangirai approached the ConCourt seeking to overturn the electoral victory of former President Robert Mugabe, but before the case was heard the late MDC-T leader sought to withdraw the case before it was determined, and the court refused.
In his judgment CCZ 20/17, Justice Malaba, said the issue of challenging the results of presidential elections was integral to protecting the Constitution of Zimbabwe and once brought before the attention of the courts should be heard and be determined.
"Section 93 (3) of the Constitution provides that the court 'must hear and determine the petition or application lodged under subsection (1) with 14 days after the date of lodgement'. The word 'must' is not used to mark only the obligation in respect of the time limit within which the acts designating the duty imposed must be carried out. The word is also used to indicate to the court that it is under obligation to treat the petition or application in the manner prescribed and not in any other way.
"What is imposed is the duty to obey the order first. Obedience is doing that which is required by the law. In other words, the women and men exercising judicial authority must appreciate the meaning of the provisions to the effect that the court with the power with which they are imbued 'must hear and determine' the petition or application lodged with it," Justice Malaba ruled then.
Justice Malaba in his ruling also said it was sufficient for the court to require full knowledge of the matter brought before it to ensure a just, fair, final and binding decision by the highest court in the land on the merits of the question of the validity or invalidity of an election of a President.
"Considering that the court, which is the final court in the land, has been given original and exclusive jurisdiction on all matters relating to an inquiry into the validity of an election of a President brought to it by means of a petition or application, it makes sense to require it to acquire full knowledge of the facts before making final and binding decisions, the intention was obviously to reduce the risk of an erroneous decision to a tolerable minimum," Justice Malaba ruled.
In cementing his ruling, Justice Malaba said a decision on whether a President was elected in the manner desired by the Constitution and that the rights of the people of Zimbabwe were protected merits of the matter that should be heard.
"It is clear that the final and binding decision on the validity or invalidity of the election of a President is required to be based on the merits of the case. The mandatory hearing and determination of the petition or application on its merits is the means required to be used to produce the final and binding decision on the validity or invalidity of the election of a President," the judgment read.
Mutatu said based on the judgment made by the now Chief Justice in 2013, it was highly unlikely and most improbable for the case to be dismissed on technicalities as raised by Zanu-PF lawyers.
"It is clear without delving in other issues that the Zanu-PF and Zec legal teams should stop nit-picking on technicalities and address the issues raised by Chamisa, their prayer that it's dismissed on technicalities is a bit far-fetched," he said.
Source - NewsDay
Labels: Election News, Elections In Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mnangagwa, Nelson Chamisa, Politics, Politics of Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa