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Australian Bureau of Statistics 2901.0 - Census Dictionary, 2001 Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/04/2001 |Page tools: Print Page RSS Search this Product| This variable identifies holders of Australian citizenship. Citizenship data are used to obtain information on the tendency of different migrant groups to take out citizenship and to measure the size of groups eligible to vote. The data are useful cross-classified with birthplace, year of arrival in Australia and age data. This page last updated 27 July 2006 Unless otherwise noted, content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia Licence together with any terms, conditions and exclusions as set out in the website Copyright notice. For permission to do anything beyond the scope of this licence and copyright terms contact us.

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Migration and Citizenship Topics

War: The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 Date: 21st September 1745 (Old Style) (2nd October 1745 New Style). The dates in this page are given in the Old Style. To translate to the New Style (current dating system) add 11 days. “The Highland Attack” Place: South East of Edinburgh in Scotland Combatants: The Highland Army of Prince Charles and the Royal Troops of King George II Generals: Prince Charles, Lord George Murray and Sir John Cope Size of the armies: Royal Army: 2,300 men and 6 guns. Highlanders: 2,500 men. Winner: Prince Charles’ Army “A contemporary print showing Sir John Cope arriving at Berwick to announce his defeat at Prestonpans” British Regiments: This battle is not a battle honour for British Regiments. The regiments present at the battle were: Gardiner’s (13th) and Hamilton’s (14th) Dragoons, Guise’s (6th), Lee’s (44th), Murray’s (46th) and Lascelles (47th) Foot On 25th July 1745 Prince Charles landed near Moidart in the Highlands of Scotland with seven companions. He raised his standard at Glenfinnan and assembled an army from the clans that supported his bid for the throne. This army marched into Edinburgh on 17th September 1745. The two royal dragoons regiments fled at the highland approach in the infamous “Colterbrigg canter”. General Sir John Cope, the commander of the small royal force in Scotland, had marched to Inverness with his four regiments of foot. Cope brought his troops south to Dunbar by sea and met up with the dragoons. None of his troops, dragoons or foot, were experienced or even adequately trained. Cope’s artillery can only be described as a “scratch” force comprising invalids and seamen under headed by one aged gunner. Cope marched North along the coast road towards Edinburgh. The cavalry found the rebel army to be inland and to the south, causing Cope to form his army against the sea behind a marsh. During the night of 20th September 1745 the rebels made use of a path through the marsh to come up on the left flank of the royal army. Cope reformed his line to the left with the foot in the centre, the guns and mortars on their right and dragoon regiments on each end of the line. The highland army launched a charge at which the gunners fled leaving two officers to fire the six guns and six mortars. The Battle of Prestonpans On being threatened the dragoon regiments also fled and the foot began to give way. Finally under the impact of the highland attack the whole royal army, other than small groups of men under officers such as Lieutenant Colonel Peter Halkett, fled the field. Only the dragoons were able to get away in any numbers. All the foot bar some 170 were killed, wounded or captured. The injuries inflicted by the highlanders using broad swords and bill hooks are reported to have been horrific. Casualties: The royal casualties are said to have been: around 300 killed, 400 to 500 wounded and 1,400 to 1,500 captured. Only 170 of the foot got away. The highlanders probably lost less than 30 killed and 70 wounded. Following the battle most of Scotland was in Prince Charles’ hands bar Edinburgh Castle held by General Guest and Stirling Castle held by the stalwart General Blakeney. Regimental anecdotes and traditions:

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History and Geography Topics

paramagnetism n (Physics) the phenomenon exhibited by substances that have a relative permeability slightly greater than unity and a positive susceptibility. The effect is due to the alignment of unpaired spins of electrons in atoms of the material Compare → electron paramagnetic resonance n (Physics) another name for → electron spin resonance (Abbrev.) English Collins Dictionary - English Definition & Thesaurus Add your entry in the Collaborative Dictionary. - Create your own vocabulary list - Contribute to the Collaborative Dictionary - Improve and share your linguistic knowledge "Collins English Dictionary 5th Edition first published in 2000 © HarperCollins Publishers 1979, 1986, 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000 and Collins A-Z Thesaurus 1st edition first published in 1995 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995"

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Electrical Components and Phenomena

This interactive resource gives students practice in identifying and working with the parts of speech to improve reading and writing skills. The CD is divided into six sections, each focusing on a different part of speech: nouns/pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions. Each section: - Defines the part of speech and its usage - Gives examples to illustrate the definition - Provides a range of interactive exercises to develop and consolidate understanding - Offers additional printable activity sheets to extend the learning. Ideal for interactive whiteboards, or as individual activities on a computer, this engaging CD makes learning the parts of speech fun and challenging for the entire class. PC: Windows XP and up Mac: OS X (10.1) and up Resolution: 800 x 600 or higher

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Literacy and Reading Activities

A garden path needs to take you where you're going, but it can do so much more if properly designed. A path should enhance the experience of your garden, says Darcy Daniels of Bloomtown Garden Design and Nursery. The route of the path, the materials used to make it, the plantings along its sides and its scale all combine to send a message about the experience you want to have in your garden. A straight path, for example, allows people to move more quickly and might be fitting for the connection between the house and the everyday dining area. You'll also want to cover this area with smooth materials so you don't trip while balancing plates of food. On the other hand, a path with sinuous curves and a somewhat uneven surface will cause people to move more slowly and appreciate the journey. If there's no room for curves, Daniels suggests using screens or a trellis to break up the space; you can "green" them with climbing plants. Repeat plants or colors along the path to lure the eye forward and create continuity. For example, says Daniels, place a beautiful grass on one side of the path, then a bit farther down the path, an identical grass on the opposite side, and so on. Placing a taller plant -- say a hydrangea -- at the inside of a curve will help obscure the view and provide a bit of discovery as you walk along. Many designers recommend that paths be at least 3 feet wide, but Daniels doesn't abide by such rules. Instead, she recommends that you keep your path in scale with the garden and your plantings. Now that your head is full of these general concepts, Daniels suggests that you stand back and look at the space: • How will the trees develop over time? • Consider the existing hardscape, buildings and plants that you are working with. You also need to consider function: • The path has to get you to such places as the back gate and the compost pile, for example, so it has to be practical for the purpose. Now pull out all of your garden hoses and start defining your path: • Outline the path's route and leave it in place for a few days. • Walk the path as you use the garden -- take the trash out, go to your favorite sitting area, take the wheelbarrow for a spin. • You might even want to put empty pots or other objects along the path where you intend to place plants. Again, think about the experience: • Is this section going to have lush plantings and a jungle-like effect? • What does that mean for the path? • Adjust the hoses until you're comfortable with the route and width of the path. NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: We'll start the real work of building a path yourself. In the meantime, if you've got some design tips to share, please post a comment here. -- Kay Balmer; email@example.com

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Plant Descriptions and Care

U.S. Power Plant Carbon Emissions Zoom in 2007 WASHINGTON, DC, March 18, 2008 (ENS) – The biggest single year increase in greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants in nine years occurred in 2007, finds a new analysis by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Environmental Integrity Project. The finding of a 2.9 percent rise in carbon dioxide emissions over 2006 is based on an analysis of data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Now the largest factor in the U.S. contribution to climate change, the electric power industry’s emissions of carbon dioxide, CO2, have risen 5.9 percent since 2002 and 11.7 percent since 1997, the analysis shows. Texas tops the list of the 10 states with the biggest one-year increases in CO2 emissions, with Georgia, Arizona, California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Virginia and North Carolina close behind. The top three states – Texas, Georgia and Arizona – had the greatest increases in CO2 emissions on a one, five and 10 year basis. TXU’s coal-fired Martin Lake power plant in east Texas (Photo Director of the Environmental Integrity Project Eric Schaeffer said, “The current debate over global warming policy tends to focus on long-term goals, like how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent over the next 50 years. But while we debate, CO2 emissions from power plants keep rising, making an already dire situation worse.” “Because CO2 has an atmospheric lifetime of between 50 and 200 years, today’s emissions could cause global warming for up to two centuries to come,” he warned. Data from 2006 show that the 10 states with the least efficient power production relative to resulting greenhouse gas emissions were North Dakota, Wyoming, Kentucky, Indiana, Utah, West Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado, Missouri, and Iowa. The report explains why national environmental groups are fighting to stop the construction of new conventional coal-fired power plants, which they say would make a bad situation worse. “For example” the report points out, “the eight planned coal-fired plants that TXU withdrew in the face of determined opposition in Texas would have added an estimated 64 million tons of CO2 to the atmosphere, increasing emissions from power plants in that state by 24 percent.” Some of the rise in CO2 emissions comes from existing coal fired power plants, the analysis found, either because these plants are operating at increasingly higher capacities, or because these aging plants require more heat to generate electricity. “For example, all of the top 10 highest emitting plants in the nation, either held steady or increased CO2 output from 2006 to 2007.” Robert W Scherer Power Plant is a coal-fired plant just north of Macon, Georgia. It emits more carbon dioxide than any other point in the United States. (Photo credit unknown) Georgia Power’s Scherer power plant near Macon, Georgia is the highest emitting plant in the nation. It pumped out 27.2 million tons of CO2 in 2007, up roughly two million tons from the year before. In view of these facts, the Environmental Integrity Project recommends that the nation’s oldest and dirtiest power plants should be retired, and replaced with cleaner sources of energy. That will require accelerating the development of wind power and other renewable sources of energy. Another good solution is cutting greenhouse gases quickly by reducing the demand for electricity, the authors advise. Smarter building codes, and funding low-cost conservation efforts, such as weatherization of low-income homes, purchase and installation of more efficient home and business appliances will reduce demand and yield greenhouse gas benefits. Texas tops every state measurement in the report from the most carbon dioxide measured in total tons to the largest increases in CO2 emissions over the last five years between 2002 and 2007. Ken Kramer, director of the Lone Star chapter of the Sierra Club based in Austin, Texas, says his state not only has more emissions than any other state – it has solutions to offer, such as a recent boom in wind power installations. “The bad news is that Texas is #1 in carbon emissions among the 50 states, and our emissions have grown in recent years,” Kramer said. “The good news is that Texas has the potential to play a major role in addressing global warming if we embrace smart energy solutions such as energy efficiency and renewable energy, solutions which pose tremendous economic as well as environmental benefits.” In Des Moines, Mark Kresowik, Iowa organizer of the Sierra Club’s National Coal Campaign, said, “Energy efficiency and renewable energy are powering a renaissance in rural Iowa and creating thousands of new manufacturing jobs for our state. By rejecting coal plants and reducing pollution through energy efficiency and renewable energy our states will prosper and attract new businesses and young workers for the future.” The consumption of electricity accounted for more than 2.3 billion tons of CO2 in 2006, or more than 39.5 percent of total emissions from human sources, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Coal-fired power plants alone released more than 1.9 billion tons, or nearly one third of the U.S. total. The Department of Energy projects that carbon dioxide emissions from power generation will increase 19 percent between 2007 and 2030, due to new or expanded coal plants. An additional 4,115 megawatts of new coal-fired generating capacity was added between 2000 and 2007, with another 5,000 megawatts expected by 2012.

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Climate Change Policies

Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women The first Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women was held on May 9, 1837. Approximately 200 women gathered in New York City to discuss their role in the American abolition movement. Mary S. Parker was the President of the gathering. Other prominent women went on to be vocal members of the Women's Suffrage Movement, including Lucretia Mott, the Grimké sisters, and Lydia Maria Child. The attendees included women of color, the wives and daughters of slaveholders, and women of low economic status. The convention was a monumental step, both for the women's rights movement, and the abolition movement as a whole. Despite the event's significance, it receives very little historical attention.

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Historical Events and Figures

Humans are intimately connected with the physical environment, even though we have only been present for a fraction of the vast history of the Earth. We strive to understand how the Earth has evolved since its formation over 4 billion years ago and what types of processes have fostered these changes. Our knowledge of the Earth is critical, not only for piecing together its history, but also to aid in the understanding of issues relevant to our present-day lives, such as: availability of natural resources, pollution, climate change, and natural hazards. During this course, we will perform a general survey of the physical Earth. We will examine the minerals and rocks of which the solid Earth is composed, the processes that generate Earth's landforms, natural hazards associated with geologic processes, geologic time, and surface processes (e.g., glaciers, streams, groundwater). Final Exam (May 17: 10:30-12:30) The final exam will be on materials presented during the final quarter of the course (lectures and materials in chapters 16, 15, 18, 19, 12). The exam will be comprehensive and will include material from the entire course. To get the most recent copies of the study guides click at left. The field trip to Great Falls (MD) took place on Saturday April 22. About 100 students attended on a morning that set a record for rainfall at Dulles Airport (over 3 inches of rain). The field trip was teh only opportunity for extra credit in the course. To see some photos from previous trips, click here.

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Geological Hazards and Studies

The commerce of the ancient world was gathered into the warehouses of Tyre. "Tyrian merchants were the first who ventured to navigate the Mediterranean waters; and they founded their colonies on the coasts and neighbouring islands of the Aegean Sea, in Greece, on the northern coast of Africa, at Carthage and other places, in Sicily and Corsica, in Spain at Tartessus, and even beyond the pillars of Hercules at Gadeira (Cádiz)". In the time of King David (c. 1000 BC), a friendly alliance was entered into between the Kingdoms of Israel and Tyre, which was ruled by Hiram I. The city of Tyre was particularly known for the production of a rare and extraordinarily expensive sort of purple dye, produced from the murex shellfish, known as Tyrian purple. This color was, in many cultures of ancient times, reserved for the use of royalty, or at least nobility. It was often attacked by Egypt, besieged by Shalmaneser V, who was assisted by the Phoenicians of the mainland, for five years, and by Nebuchadnezzar (586–573 BC) for thirteen years, without success, although a compromise peace was made in which Tyre paid tribute to the Babylonians. It later fell under the power of the Persians. In 332 BC, the city was conquered by Alexander the Great, after a siege of seven months in which he built the causeway from the mainland to the island, but it continued to maintain much of its commercial importance until the Christian era. The presence of the causeway affected water currents nearby, causing sediment to build up, making the connection permanent. In 315 BC, Alexander's former general Antigonus began his own siege of Tyre, taking the city a year later. In 126 BC, Tyre regained its independence (from the Seleucids) and was allowed to keep much of its independence when the area became a Roman province in 64 BC.

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Ancient Civilizations History

Researchers report some success in using a gene therapy technique to treat one form of congenital blindness. Two teams of scientists have used modified viruses injected into the eye to partially restore vision to people suffering from Leber congenital amaurosis, or LCA, a congenital illness that results in the degradation of the retina. People with LCA slowly lose all vision, and typically are completely blind by their 20s or 30s. The modified virus used in the therapy carries a replacement gene to the retina, allowing it to produce a missing protein responsible for the disease. In this segment, Ira talks with one of the authors of one report on the research, which was published this week in two studies in the New England Journal of Medicine. Produced by Annette Heist, Senior Producer

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Brain Injury and Concussions

Answer the question referring to each photograph above the question. To find the answer, pass the cursor over the photo to see the "title" of the photo. 1. Identify the number of chomatids in this cell during this stage of mitosis 2. Identify the structure indicated by the arrow: B) Zona Occludens C) Junctional complex D) Mitotic Cell E) Terminal web 3. Identify the stage of cell division in this photograph. A) Prophase of mitosis B) Anaphase I of meiosis C) Metaphase II of meiosis D) Anaphase of mitosis 4. In this section through the testes, what is the C amount of DNA in the nucleus of the cell noted by the arrow? 5) In this section through the testes, what is the stage of cell division of the cell noted by the arrow: A) Anaphase of Meiosis B) Metaphase of Mitosis C) Prophase of Mitosis D) Metaphase of Meiosis E) Prophase of Meiosis 6) Identify the process shown by the arrowhead A) Gap junction formation C) Desmosome formation D) Spindle apparatus formation E) Formation of the nuclear membrane 7. Identify the structures noted by the horizontal arrows: A) Nuclear pore complex C) Gap junctions D) Zonula occludens 8. Identify the structures supporting and moving the chromosomes. A) Actin filaments D) Intermediate filaments

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Medical Topics

SINCE evidence of the existence of the belief that the soul lives on is so indubitable, the question arises--what is its condition? In what state does the discarnate spirit find itself after final separation from the body? And first, as to what we may be allowed to call, for want of a better term, its physical condition. We have already noted that soul is conceived as having both form and substance, the latter, so to speak, greatly rarefied. Moreover, it has been brought to our attention that the most common idea concerning form is that the soul is a replica of the body it inhabited. Consistency in primitive thinking is not to be assumed, as we have seen, nor are logical processes among primitives quite the same as ours. Yet when a disembodied soul took up its post-mortem residence in a serpent, for example, we may not suppose that that soul was still regarded as human in shape. But so far as the author has discovered, no decisive evidence exists on this point. The probabilities favor greatly the supposition that in such cases transformation of the soul shape was supposed to have taken place. Evidence of the common idea, retention by the soul of its human shape, has been before us. We have noted that some tribes mutilate the body of the dead, thinking that by so doing they inflict like wounds upon the soul and thus impose incapacity for harm upon the ghost, the double of the body. The Omahas slit the soles of a murdered man's feet that his spirit may be unable to return and cause damage to the people. Mangaeans prefer death in battle--men are then in their full strength; disease weakens them, and souls have the nature of the body at death. Barongo believe that souls are young or old, according to the age at death, and so do the Indians of Gran Chaco. Naga tribes of Manipur think that ghosts bear whatever tattoo marks, mutilations, or other blemishes or embellishments occurred on the body. Some people carry this idea so far as to prefer [1. Fletcher and La Flesche, 27th Report, etc., p. 215.] death before decay of natural powers sets in, and so commit suicide or are buried alive, that the soul may continue to exist in full vigor. Having form and substance, the soul has certain physical needs. It hungers, thirsts, feels cold and heat. The degrees of grossness of these wants vary greatly. Sometimes the hunger, thirst, and wants and passions may be appeased by the mere spirit or ghost of food, drink, etc.; and the ghosts are served by the spirits or (as our theosophical friends might be imagined as saying) the astral bodies of dishes, implements, or weapons which are destroyed (i.e., killed) that their spirits may accompany the ghost into the spirit land. Indeed, this is by all odds the most prevalent conception. Sometimes it is the more evanescent or the more vital elements, such as the blood, which are used by the ghost, as in the celebrated case of Tiresias in the Odyssey. The cases already cited of food, drink, weapons, utensils, and the like possessing souls and being offered or placed with the dead, oftentimes being broken or mutilated so as to "kill" [2. Cases are cited in Frazer's Dying God, pp. 9-14. 3 Book XI.] them, furnish direct testimony to the supposed needs of the ghost. The hunger felt by the disembodied soul is vividly expressed by most African tribes, whose belief is that ghosts can and do eat even human bodies A Ghosts also suffer from cold, hence New Guineans, and others, make fires at the graves, and even build huts, so that when the ghosts come up from the body they may find comfort.' Ghosts have voices, too, but thin and shadowy like themselves. They chirp like crickets or utter their words in whistling tones. So the wizards by ventriloquistic art impose upon the credulous, and by wheezing utterance produce the effect of communications from a shadowy being or from the ground. Note the indications of shamanistic practice in the Prophet Isaiah (8:19- 29:4). What we may regard as the disposition of the ghost is by most peoples held to be fixed by the character of the person while on earth. [4. Talbot, In the Shadow of the Bush, pp. 224-225, 232-233, 238, etc.; ERE, vi. 65 ff. The testimony is being exhaustively collected in Frazer, Belief in Immortality--see the Index, under "Food." 5. Brown, Melanesians and Polynesians, pp. 442 ff.; Neuhass, Deutsch Neu-Guinea, iii. S18; Frazer, Belief in Immortality, i. 150-152.] Was he cruel, warlike, passionate, generous, revengeful in the body, so will he be as a discarnate ghost. So, for instance, the New Guineans hold. Only account must be taken of a very common notion, that the ghost is endowed with increased power. One might find many reasons for this common idea. The general fearsomeness of the unknown and invisible, the fad that the ghost has joined the terrible host of free spirits, its very remoteness, combine to add the idea of power. That which is distant in space or time gains enchantment and enlargement from the imagination, which is the faculty most employed in this sphere. Australians credit to their ancestors deeds to themselves impossible, though they are themselves their ancestors reincarnate. The greed and liking for possessions which existed on earth are attributed in some parts to the spirit, and among the Bakongo, for instance, this desire is satisfied by placing all the deceased's wealth about the grave. The soul's assumed mobility, [6. Neuhass, Deutsch Neu-Guinea, iii. 142 ff. 7. Roscoe, Baganda, pp. 282 ff. 8. Spencer and Gillen, Northern Tribes, pp. 489 ff 9. Weeks, Primitive Bakongo, p. 278.] such as was displayed in its power to leave the body during life and to make investigations at even a considerable distance, is not lost but rather enhanced. It has become a free agent, no longer bound by the body's necessities and limitations of locomotion, at liberty to roam unfettered, to use in the wide universe its powers--those that remain or are acquired in its new condition. If it in earthly life could leave the body temporarily and like the lightning speed hither and thither, now, disfleshed, its mobility has gained by the change. Especially is it believed that spirits acquire a larger knowledge. Not only do they gain a completer survey of the past and the present, but a knowledge of the future becomes theirs. According as their dispositions prompt, they become helpers of their survivors or hostilely active against them. Particularly interesting in this connection is the relationship of the ghost and other beings to warning and prediction. Among the powers of the soul is that of return and manifestation to survivors. Melanesian, Andaman, and African ghosts, for instance, reappear to and converse with their people and become a medium of information. Particularly through dreams do they mediate--a performance recorded in antiquity and attested by present day belief over a large area. Indeed, it is through the dream that approach to human comprehension is most easily made by divine, superhuman, or discarnate powers, the spirit in this condition being loosed from fleshly trammels. The human spirit in sleep is regarded as not bound by quite the same inflexible laws to the bodily limitations. The employment of the dream as a means of information or warning at once occurs to the reader--Jacob, Joseph, Pharaoh, Nebucbadrezzar; clasctical cases will be found in Pindar, Olympiacs, XIII, 105 and Pausanias, X, xxxiii, II. It will be remembered that in an earlier section the importance of the dream as an index to animistic thought was dwelt upon at some length. One specimen of developed classical and philosophical thought on this has been summarized from Jamblichus. [10. Seligmann, Melanesians, pp. 190 ff.; Klosts, In the Andamans, p. 296; Weeks, Congo Cannibals, pp. 264-265. 11. Herodotus, IV, 172; Pomponius Mela, I. viii. 8; Mauss, Origines des pouvoirs magiques, p. 15; Haddon, Anthropological Essays, p. 179.] "There is nothing unworthy of belief in what you have been told concerning sleep and the meaning of dreams. I will explain it thus. The soul has a twofold life, a lower and a higher. In sleep the soul is released from the constraint of the body, and enters as one emancipated on its divine life of intelligence. Then as the noble faculty which beholds the objects that truly are, the objects in the world of intelligence, stirs within and awakens to its power, who can be surprised that the mind, which contains within itself the principles of all that happens, should in this, the state of liberation, discern the future in those antecedent principles which will make that future what it is to be? The nobler part of the soul is thus united by abstraction to higher natures, and becomes a participant in the wisdom and foreknowledge of the gods. Recorded examples of this are numerous and well authenticated; instances too occur every day. Numbers of sick by sleeping had their cure revealed to them in dreams. Would not Alexander's army have perished but for a dream in which Dionysius pointed out the means of safety? Was not the siege of Aphritis raised through a dream sent by Jupiter Ammon to Lysander? 'The night time of the body is the daytime of the soul.'" The student of anthropology will at once recognize here the advanced justification for beliefs which go back very far for their origins. But even in the advanced stage of thought represented by Jamblichus there are present elements that are duplicable today in the most primitive regions. Several doors open here to alluring bypaths--to inspiration, prediction, oracles, on the one side, these presuming a favoring: disposition on the part of the ghost; and, on the other, to necromancy and the "black art" or black magic, if the ghost or his control be evil. Melanesians and Africans say that the soul may return to seize and inspire the unconscious shaman or prophet to pregnant utterance. We have said "unconscious"--for it seems practically established that, in the earlier stages of culture, prediction and the delivery of the oracle took place only when the medium was in ecstasy. Vergil's description of the [12. Theurgia or the Egyptian Mysteries, Part III, chap. vii. 13. Codrington, Melanesians, pp. 218 ff.; Roscue, Baganda, p. 113.] raging sybil will recur to the classical student. Plato says that "inspired and true divination is not attained to by anyone in his full senses, but only when the power of thought is fettered by sleep or disease, or some paroxysm of frenzy." It is well known that the American Indians regarded the simple or mentally incompetent as peculiarly endowed and in closer touch with the supernatural than those possessed of all their mental powers. In the Old Testament there is an unconscious testimony to the veracity of many parts of the narrative, guaranteed by psychological conclusions, in the fact that the earlier phases of prophecy and prediction are described as involving the ecstatic state or a condition of unconsciousness. Such are the use of the dream, the case of Balaam, the prophets among whom Saul found himself, this form of affection being communicable or "catching"--compare the "dancing mania" of the middle ages-and Elisha, for whom music was in at least one case a prerequisite to the delivery of the oracle--the "hand of the Lord " (2 Kings 3:15) being the Old Testament expression for the modern psychological term [14. Æneid, V1, 45 ff., 77ff. 15. Timæus, 71.] "ecstasy" adopted from the Greek. So among perhaps most primitive peoples, like the Melanesians and Africans referred to above, warnings from the supernatural and even knowledge of other matters, as of charms, are supposed to be received under such conditions. Ghosts do not figure merely as indicators of coming events or as guardians against evil fortune. Their larger capacity for action may make them powerful intercessors with still higher supernatural beings or spirits, through shamans who control them or know them intimately. Or their own success in their earthly vocation makes them interested in survivors who follow their trade. In Africa the spirit of a dead hunter is powerful to help in the chase, and is propitiated to that end. In Melanesia the help of ghosts in securing the right kind of weather, in performing feats of healing, in success with the fishing net or line, and in agriculture is obtained by sacrifices [16. So the Australians: Howitt, Native Tribes, pp. 435-437. On the facts at large of Carpenter, Comparative Religion, pp. 181, 182. 17. Carruthers, Unknown Mongolia, i. 243. 18. Weeks, Primitive Bakongo, pp. 181-183.] and offerings. Indeed, from the inhabitants of Ghosttown may come some of the good gifts, agricultural, for instance, which make life worth living. The spirits of the dead may keep a watchful eye upon survivors, preventing or punishing infractions of tribal customs that involve offence to themselves, and warning against repetition by inflicting sickness or failure in various enterprises. Foundation sacrifice had the purpose of procuring for the structure the protection of the spirits of the dead. On the other hand, ghosts may be among the spirits whose malevolence needs to be guarded against. In fact, among the post mortem transformations may be that into ill disposed spirits. Usually, when this is conceived to be the case, the cause is found in some misfortune in life or death. Among the Ibo, for instance, a childless woman, a wifeless or moneyless man, or a suicide may as ghosts attempt to increase the population [19. Codrington, Melanesians, pp. 132. ff.: Lambert, Murs et superstitions, pp. 24, 26, 218, 224 ff., 293 ff.; Turner, Samoa, pp. 345 ff. 20. Talbot, In the Shadow of the Bush, pp. 238-239. 21. Seligmann, Melanesians, pp. 192, 310. 22, B. D. Eerdmans, in Expositor, Nov. 1913, p. 197.] of the underworld by attacks upon those left on earth. Similarly in New Guinea those who die in childbirth, suicides, and those who have lost their heads become maleficent. The Omahas hold that ghosts of the murdered return and inflict punishment by disease, or by causing the wind to blow from hunter to game and so to spoil his sport. Among Congo cannibals the soul seen in dreams is a wandering human spirit aiming at evil in its travels, and the witch doctor may be hired to kill it. The nostrils of the dead are plugged immediately after death to keep the spirit in the body as long as possible. If the ghost is for any reason unwelcome in the nether world and is driven out, it becomes malicious and aims at mischief, either inflicting positive ills by sending storms and like disasters or preventing success in various pursuits. In some cases ghosts are normally neutral, and their disposition and consequent actions depend upon the treatment they receive from [23. Thomas, Anthropological Report, p. 312 24. Frazer, Belief in Immortality, i. 212. 25. Fletcher and La Flesche, 27th Report, p. 212. 26. Weeks, Congo Cannibals, p. 263-264, 269.] the living. So that the well-being of survivors depends on propitiation by gifts and ceremonies or on manifestations of abiding affection. The duties of classic Greeks and Romans to their dead--careful and honorable burial, celebration by games at the funeral or on anniversaries--recur at once to the mind: and in these and other matters these peoples handed down in memory at least and often in ritual the doings and beliefs of far away ancestors. Close parallels to classic customs have been observed among African, Melanesian, and Polynesian peoples, where not only is the funeral offering placed on the ground, but dramatic performances in honor of the dead take place. Among some races, such as British New Guineans and the Mafulu, ghosts are always malevolent. Among the exercises of the enlarged powers [28. Williamson, South Sea Savage, pp. 65, 68, 74, 75, 76, 81 ff.; Roscoe, Baganda, pp. 116, 278, 286. 29. Taplin, Narrinyeri, p. 19; Curt, Australian Race, i. 87; Howitt, Native Tribes, pp. 461, 463, 473; Spencer and Gillen, Northern Tribes, p. 507, and Native Tribes, p. 511. 30. Talbot, In the Shadow of The Bush, p. 18; Brown, Melanesians and Polynesians, pp. 214 ff.; Milligan, Fetish Folk, pp. 233-236. 31. Williamson, South Sea Savage, p. 281 and Mafulu Mountain People, pp. 243 ff., 266 ff., 297 ff.; JAI, xxviii (1899), 216 ff.] attributed to ghosts by quite diverse peoples is one which, as we shall see later, they possess in common with non-human spirits. This is the infliction of disease in an access of malignancy. Such a belief is held by American Indians, South Sea islanders, Hindus, New Guineans, and many others. They may inflict lockjaw by a blow, cause death, induce phthisis, and bring pestilence. Shamans and medicine men may use them to secure revenge or haunt the living; and this again calls up the need for exorcism. This gives rise to various devices and taboos, aiming at propitiating or deceiving the ghosts, such as change of names assigned to things belonging to the dead, or dropping out of the language words which contained the name borne in life, this going so far in some cases as to involve the destruction of huts, plantations, trees, and other possessions." It is quite in keeping with the [32. Folk-lore, ii. 420 ff., 431; Kloss, In the Andamans, p. 305; Declé, Three years in Savage Africa, pp. 236, 344. 33. Talbot, In the Shadow of The Bush, p. 230; Weeks, Congo Cannibals, p. 266; Roscoe, Baganda, p. 100; Williamson, South Sea Savage, pp. 81 ff.; Crooke, Tribes and Caste, iii. 436. 34. Williamson, South Sea Savage, pp. 81 ff.; Roscoe, Baganda, p. 126. 35. Seligmann, Melanesians, pp. 631 ff.; Cambridge Anthropological Expedition, v. 250.] whole conception of things that ghosts should be especially dangerous at night. From all this, to anticipate slightly what is yet to come, fear of discarnate spirits may lead to a cult, a worship, which is apotropaic, deprecatory, or propitiatory in character. On the other hand, the sense of favors received or to come gives the rationale of a cultus which embodies more of gratitude and pleasure than of fear. With both these varieties of mental qualities attributed to ghosts, shared by them in common with non-human powers, it seems to require somewhat of ingenuity and a miscalculation or misappreciation of native human traits to force one to derive all worship from fear. Timor fecit deos is now hardly tenable in its original sense, in view of abundance of ascertained fads. Most of the animals, especially those domesticated, display amiable traits, including gratitude. We can hardly hold, therefore, that man, whether the product of evolution or of special creation, developed one of his noblest exercises, that of worship, from a sense of fear alone. [36. Neuhass, Deutsch Neu-Guinea, iii. 64, 147. 37. Chalmers and Gill, Work and Adventure, pp. 84 ff.]

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Philosophy and Literature Studies

WEDNESDAY, July 4 (HealthDay News) -- For safety's sake, Americans should avoid using fireworks of any kind this Independence Day, experts say. Prevent Blindness America urges consumers to attend only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators. Individuals should not buy, use or store fireworks, including sparklers, the nonprofit organization added. Although sparklers are sometimes considered to be safe, they were responsible for 17 percent of the injuries, including 36 percent of those sustained by children under 5 years of age, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Injuries from sparklers and other novelties also made up two out of five emergency room injuries, the CPSC found. Overall, an estimated 6,200 people went to the emergency room between June 17 and July 17, 2011, for injuries they sustained while using fireworks, according to the CPSC. Their 2011 Fireworks Annual Report noted that children younger than 15 accounted for 26 percent of those injuries. Prevent Blindness America announced it supports bans on the importation, sale and use of all fireworks and sparklers by non-licensed operators, such as bans established in Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Last year alone, there were also more than 1,100 reported eye injuries, according to the CPSC report. To help Americans avoid the emergency room this July 4th, Prevent Blindness America offered the following safety tips: If there are specks in the eye: - Do not rub the eye. - Allow tears to wash out the particles or use an eye wash. - Lift the upper eyelid outward and down over the lower lid. - If the speck doesn't wash out, see a doctor or visit the emergency room. If the eye or eyelid is cut or punctured: - Do not rinse the eye with water. - Do not try to remove any object stuck in the eye. - Cover the eye with a stiff shield, such as the bottom of a paper cup, without applying any pressure. - Visit a doctor or an emergency room immediately. "The 4th of July should be a time when we come together to honor our country by celebrating our great nation safely and responsibly," Hugh Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America, said in an organization news release. "We hope all Americans have a wonderful holiday with their loved ones, not in the emergency room." The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about eye injuries. SOURCES: Prevent Blindness America, news release, June 15, 2012; June 2012, 2011 Fireworks Annual Report, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. HealthDayNews articles are derived from various sources and do not reflect federal policy. healthfinder.gov does not endorse opinions, products, or services that may appear in news stories. For more information on health topics in the news, visit Health News on healthfinder.gov.

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Industrial Chemical Hazards

Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/21/mars_geysers/ Martian pole freckled with geysers Unlike anything on Earth Every spring, the southern polar cap on Mars almost fizzes with carbon dioxide, as the surface is broken by hundreds of geysers throwing sand and dust hundreds of feet into the Martian "air". The discovery was announced in the journal Nature by researchers at the Arizona State University, based on data from the Thermal Emission Imaging System on the Mars Odyssey orbiter. Images sent back by the probe showed that as the sun began to warm the pole, the polar cap began to break out in dark spots. Over the days and weeks that followed, these spots formed fan-like markings, and spidery patterns. As the sun rose higher in the Martian sky, the spots and fans became more numerous. "Originally, scientists thought the spots were patches of warm, bare ground exposed as the ice disappeared," said lead scientist Phil Christensen. "But observations made with THEMIS on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter told us the spots were nearly as cold as the carbon dioxide ice, which is at minus 198 degrees Fahrenheit." The team concluded that the dark spots were in fact geysers, and the fans that appeared were caused by the debris from the eruptions. Christensen said: "If you were there, you'd be standing on a slab of carbon-dioxide ice. Looking down, you would see dark ground below the three foot thick ice layer. "The ice slab you're standing on is levitated above the ground by the pressure of gas at the base of the ice." He explains that as the sunlight hits the region in the spring, it warms the dark ground enough that the ice touching the ground is vaporised. The gas builds up under the ice until it is highly pressurised and finally breaks through the surface layer. As the gas escapes, it carries the smaller, finer particles of the soil along with it, forming grooves under the ice. This "spider" effect indicates a spot where a geyser is established, and will form again the following year. ®

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Space Exploration and Astronomy

The United Nations Convention on Narcotic Drugs readmitted Bolivia into its fold on Friday, universally recognizing the right of Bolivians to chew the coca leaf. This gives President Evo Morales one of his most important victories thus far in his global efforts to decriminalize the coca leaf. Bolivia had voluntary withdrawn from the UN group a year ago because it classified the coca leaf as an "illicit drug." On Friday, however, a majority of the convention's members voted to allow Bolivia back into the committee and also approved a statute which says that chewing the coca leaf is legal within Bolivia's borders. It's a largely symbolic victory, as this UN commission lacks the power to regulate coca leaf consumption in Bolivia in the first place. But the UN declaration has been welcomed by the Bolivian government, which is planning to invite the country's coca growers to massive coca-chewing events in the cities of La Paz and Cochabamba next Monday. The coca leaf is the base material for cocaine. But for centuries indigenous people in the Andean mountains have chewed this leaf in its natural form to gain energy and decrease hunger. Some groups in the region also consider the coca leaf to be a sacred plant, and use it regularly for social and religious rituals. Evo Morales, who is himself a former coca grower, has championed the decriminalization of the leaf since he came into office in 2006, chewing coca in international forums, praising its nutritional qualities, and even asking Sean Penn to be his global ambassador for the coca leaf. But the UN's decision to tolerate coca leaf chewing in Bolivia was not well taken by U.S. diplomats, who claim that most of Bolivia's coca crops are being used for cocaine production, and not for traditional chewing. "We oppose Bolivia's reservation and continue to believe it will lead to a greater supply of cocaine," a senior U.S. State Department official, told the AP. "While we recognize Bolivia's capacity and willingness to undertake some successful counternarcotics activities, especially in terms of coca eradication, we estimate that much of the coca legally grown in Bolivia is sold to drug traffickers, leading to the conclusion that social control of coca (allowing some legal growing) is not achieving the desired results," the official said in a statement. Only a handful of UN member states voted against the readmission of Bolivia into the antinarcotics group. These included big cocaine consumers like the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom, but also Mexico, a key U.S. ally and the main transit point for most cocaine headed to the United States. Most member states did not object to Bolivia's readmission into the antinarcotics group or to the new statute which says that chewing, and growing the coca leaf, is fine within Bolivia. The non-objectors included Colombia and Peru which are the world's two biggest cocaine producers and also have very large crops of the coca leaf. U.S. diplomats may want to chew on that dilemma.

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Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation

Most of you probably don't remember. I don't, besides that I was in residency. I bet you have no idea how close you came to dying (it was 2 minutes). Or, if you didn't die, having your life dramatically altered. A Black Brant is a type of goose. It's also the name of a Canadian rocket routinely used for atmospheric experiments. It's launched with a bunch of instruments (depending on what's being studied) and the instruments are monitored during the flight. They then parachute back to Earth and are recovered for further data. Black Brants are commonly used by Canada, the U.S., and several other countries for research. And so it was on this day in 1995. A team of U.S. and Norwegian scientists launched a Black Brant from northwest Norway to study the Aurora Borealis. It contained standard scientific instruments. But things - almost - went horribly wrong. Routine notification of scientific and test launches is customary, and this one was no exception. 30 countries were told, including Russia. But due to layers of bureaucracy, the notice wasn't passed along their military chain. After all, the cold war had been over for 4 years. As the rocket climbed, it was picked up by Russian radar early warning systems. It was on a trajectory that matched a predicted Trident missile launch from U.S. nuclear submarines in the Arctic circle. As it flew it also crossed an air corridor between American ballistic missile silos in North Dakota and Moscow, which resulted in Russian satellites tracking it. The Russians read it as an American first strike. Both sides had practiced war games where a single high-altitude nuclear explosion from a submarine would be used to blind radar and satellites from the real attack, while the electromagnetic pulse would paralyze their defenses. The Russian military went to full alert. Their ballistic missile submarines in the Arctic were all ordered to prepare for immediate launch. Silo crews on land were notified. Their targets would be the major cities of North America and western Europe. They knew the American/NATO forces would respond in kind. The Black Brant used in this case was a 4-stage rocket. As it separated the radar pattern matched that of a ballistic missile with multiple re-entry warheads coming down, further convincing the Russians that an attack was underway. The nuclear briefcase, with its launching codes, was brought to Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Like the Americans, the Russians use a mandatory 10 minute launch window (the time needed for a submarine-launched missile to reach either country). Yeltsin activated his nuclear keys to launch a counterattack- but waited for final verification. At 8 minutes into the alert the rocket's course became clearer, and the Russians realized it was not incoming. With 2 minutes left before the mandatory nuclear launch time, Yeltsin deactivated the briefcase and ordered all nuclear forces off alert. The incident wasn't reported at the time. The Black Brant rocket completed it's planned flight, landing near Spitsbergen and recovered. The scientists involved had no idea what had happened. Did that story scare you? Then think about this: It's a single incident. On November 9, 1979 the U.S. military was testing a radar training tape of what an incoming missile strike would look like. Unfortunately, while being tested, the tape was accidentally broadcast on screens at the American nuclear missile headquarters (NORAD). The long range nuclear bombers in Alaska were ordered to take off to bomb Russia, while the command tried to verify the attack with other radar systems and satellites (which didn't show anything unusual). It took 6 minutes before an anonymous officer discovered the error, and the bombers were recalled. We've all heard of Yeltsin, but have you ever heard of Stanislav Petrov? He's a retired Soviet military officer, now living in Fryazino, Russia. In September, 1983 U.S.-Soviet relations were likely at their worst point since the Cuban Missile Crisis. To top it off, the Russians had just installed a new early-warning system. On September 26, 1983, Petrov was the shift officer in command of the Soviet early-warning radar defenses. The system twice reported an incoming nuclear strike from North America, once with a single missile, a second time with 4. Petrov, in a remarkably gutsy move, overrode the computer both times. He declared it an error and didn't pass the information to his superiors. His reasoning was based entirely on his gut instinct that the new system couldn't be trusted. As it turned out, he was right. Petrov himself couldn't launch a strike. But both sides were on such a hair trigger at the time that if he'd passed the information farther up the line, most historians agree that his superiors would have assumed the worst and ordered a retaliatory attack. You want more? During the Cuban Missile Crisis Vasili Arkhipov was First Officer on a submarine stationed in the Caribbean. His submerged boat was surrounded by American destroyers, who were trying to identify it. The captain thought war between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. had started, and wanted to launch a nuclear torpedo. To do so required a unanimous opinion of the boat's 3 top officers. The other 2 wanted to launch, and Arkhipov refused. He argued so forcefully against doing so that the captain decided to surface, identify himself, and check with Moscow. The movie "Crimson Tide" was based on his story. In only one incident was it actually a world leader who averted disaster. In the rest (and there are many others, read here, or over here) it was a few people (even one), considerably lower in the chain. On this day in 1995 it was only 2 minutes. Just 120 seconds. Less time than it took you to read this. Life on the edge is precarious.

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Geographic Information Systems

New Scientist has an article on the contenders for the Google Lunar X Prize. If you haven’t heard of this, it is a contest sponsored by Google to see who can land a rover on the Moon and accomplish a set of pre-assigned tasks. Do this and your team gets a great deal of recognition and $20 million. The Google Lunar X Prize site details what the rovers need to accomplish: “The Google Lunar X PRIZE is a $30 million international competition to safely land a robot on the surface of the Moon, travel 500 meters over the lunar surface, and send images and data back to the Earth. Teams must be at least 90% privately funded and must be registered to compete by December 31, 2010. The first team to land on the Moon and complete the mission objectives will be awarded $20 million; the full first prize is available until December 31, 2012. After that date, the first prize will drop to $15 million. The second team to do so will be awarded $5 million. Another $5 million will awarded in bonus prizes. The final deadline for winning the prize is December 31, 2014.” So, on the New Scientist site there photos of some of the more interesting and unique entries. They cover the range of hoppers, wheeled rovers, and, in one case, a sphere-shaped robot reminiscent of a hamster ball. You can see this planned lunar bot in the photo below. Click on the photo to go to the page in the New Scientist article about this creation by Team Frednet, one of the Google X Prize entrants. And look at the video on You Tube of the PicoRover, as it is called. This innovative approach to a lunar rover is very intriguing because it weighs only 500 grams. It certainly won’t need a Saturn 5 to get it to the Moon. And besides, if this design doesn't make it to the Moon, it certainly has a future as a cat toy. Image: Team Frednet/Joshua Tristancho More than a dozen teams are racing to claim a $30 million prize for landing a robot rover on the moon – see the most advanced prototypes so far… Hamster balls and lunar hoppers: meet the X Prize teams Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:50:14 GMT

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Space Exploration and Astronomy

King cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. Although its venom is not much powerful like Black mamba or other snakes. But his large size make him more deadly. This huge snake can grow up to (19ft) and 20 kg in weight which is a lot for venomous snake. In ancient times peoples worshiped king cobra and some peoples are still doing so. King Cobra mostly lives in forested areas. This huge snake can be found in Southeast Asia and some parts of India. It normally eats other small snake that’s why its genus name is Ophiophagus , which means “snake- eater”. It can also eat pythons which is size able snakes. Its color is pale olive, tan, yellow olive color or something like this. This huge snake mostly hunt at day time and very little at night time. It hunts with their long fangs which may be growing up to 0.5 inches which make this snake more deadly. It swallows its prey and his toxins help him in digestion of prey. King Cobra venom is also very dangerous. The bite taken from king cobra can lead you to death. Its mortality rate of a bite is 75%. Defense Against Enemy The great predator of King cobra is mongoose, which is quite resistance to neurotoxins. King cobra will try to fight with its hood flatten this help him in closed mouth strikes. If all fails, he will generally try to flee. But it is also hard for mongoose to defeat such a long snake. Due to king cobra long size and deadly venom make him perfect predator. Although his venom is not much powerful like black mamba or Russell viper. But it is five times faster reactive venom then black mamba. With every bite king cobra inject 6 mil of venom to prey with the help of its fangs. Which is enough for killing elephant in three hours. Venom is produced in salivary glands. When this huge snake injects his venom to a prey his fastest venom paralysis it in two minutes, thus the prey go in comma due to respiratory system failure and prey died. The female King cobra lay about 20 to 50 eggs but before laying eggs she make a nest or mound with leaf litter to lay eggs in it. She guards her eggs and prevents any big animal to come near it. When eggs hatch a new king cobras arise from it and the life cycle of king cobra remains continuous. - King cobra is the world longest venomous snake. - King Cobra average life span is 20 years. - King Cobra fastest venom allows him to kill elephant in three hours. - King Cobra is used by snake charmers for dancing and for fun. - King Cobra can smell blood from far away. - King Cobra is one of the snakes who create nest or mound. - The natural predator of king cobra is mongoose which is small mammal. - Ancient peoples worshiped king cobras some are still doing so.

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Reptile and Amphibian Information

On April 30, 1803, the United States government made one of the greatest land transactions of all time when it purchased from the French Republic for $15 million dollars, a piece of real estate extending from the Gulf of Mexico north to Canada, and from the Mississippi River Basin west to the Rocky Mountains. Called the Louisiana Purchase, this transaction added 830,000 square miles of uncharted wilderness to the territory of the United States. The Louisiana Purchase opened the west for settlement by Europeans and Americans and had grave implications for American Indians, who would soon find their ancestral homelands taken from them. It allowed for the extension of slavery, brought an end to French and Spanish domination in Arkansas and allowed a diversity of settlers to develop and perpetuate their own cultures in the six distinct geographic regions of the state. Play the games below or download the lesson plans and activity sheets to learn more about the Louisiana Purchase. Download these lesson plans and activity sheets for use in your classroom. All documents are in PDF Format. Play the Games Click on the following images to play the game! You'll need Shockwave Flash to play. ©2013 Department of Arkansas Heritage. All Rights Reserved Aristotle Web Design ®

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Historical Descriptions

Nappies and the environment Both reusable and disposable nappies have some environmental impact stemming from the production, cleaning and disposal of the both nappy products. - Many cloth nappies are made from cotton, which is a crop that uses large amounts of pesticides and water in its production. Two other choices are hemp and bamboo which are slowly becoming more popular choices. - The soaking, rinsing and washing of cloth nappies uses water and energy in the heating of the water. This process also releases detergents into the environment. You can educe the environmental impact of cloth nappies by: - Choosing to use biodegradable, phosphate-free detergents - Using a cold water cycle and then using solar power (on the washing line) to dry the nappies - Only wash your nappies when you have a full load, thereby avoiding wasting water - Choosing not to use a fabric softener - Buying affront-loading washing machine which uses less water than a top-loader - Considerably add to the world's landfill each year - use chemicals in their manufacture and disposal - can cause fecal pollution on disposal. - 1. Best pregnancy books and DVDs - 2. Bathing your toddler - 3. Your diet and healthy teeth and gums - 4. Best baby car seat guide - 5. Toy safety - 6. Water safety - 7. First aid and emergencies - 8. Your baby and immunisation - 9. Baby cold and cough - 10. Your baby and hot weather - 11. Teething - 12. Personal fitness for mums - 13. 10 benefits of exercise during pregnancy

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Waste Reduction and Recycling

The OED “is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words— past and present—from across the English-speaking world. As a historical dictionary, the OED is very different from those of current English, in which the focus is on present-day meanings. You’ll still find these in the OED, but you’ll also find the history of individual words, and of the language—traced through 3 million quotations, from classic literature and specialist periodicals to films scripts and cookery books.” For more information about this resource, visit their site. To access this database, please visit the Databases A-Z page or visit the English Literatures LibGuide. Contact Sue Samson, firstname.lastname@example.org, with questions or for more information on how this database can help you with your research or teaching.

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Linguistic explanations

During this week's close encounter with Earth, astronomers tracked the aircraft-carrier-sized asteroid 2005 YU55 with radar instruments, infrared cameras, visible-light telescopes — and an ultraviolet-sensitive space telescope as well. This video shows the view from NASA's Swift satellite, which trained its Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope on the space rock as it zoomed away from Earth at 24,300 mph on Wednesday. Swift is best-known for its observations of high-energy outbursts and cosmic explosions, but it turns out that the spacecraft has been involved in 10 asteroid-observing sessions as well. Swift's scientists had the satellite watch a couple of patches of sky that YU55 was predicted to pass through, and during the second observing opportunity, the telescope got a good fix on the asteroid. "We observed the asteroid with Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical and X-ray telescopes but, as expected, we saw it only in the UV," Dennis Bodewits, a Swift team member at the University of Maryland in College Park, said in today's video advisory from NASA. During the 27-minute long exposure, Swift detected short-term variations in brightness caused by the asteroid's rotation. "The result is a movie of 2005 YU55 at ultraviolet wavelengths unobtainable from ground-based telescopes," NASA reported today. "For planetary scientists, this movie is a treasure trove of data that will help them better understand how this asteroid is put together, information that may help make predictions of its motion more secure for centuries to come." More about the asteroid encounter: - Parting shots from the asteroid - Passing asteroid puts on a show - Your guide to the asteroid encounter - How to save our planet from a killer asteroid - Could the asteroid destroy the moon? (No) - Why radar's the best for tracking near-Earth objects - Interactive: Close encounters of the asteroid kind Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter or following the Cosmic Log Google+ page. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

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Space Exploration and Astronomy

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have developed a new type of miniature endoscope that produces three-dimensional, high-definition images, which may greatly expand the application of minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In the October 19 issue of Nature, the team from the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at MGH describes their prototype device and a demonstration of its use in a mouse model. "This new ultraminiature endoscope is the first to allow three-dimensional imaging of areas inside the body," says Guillermo Tearney, MD, PhD, of the MGH Wellman Center, the report's senior author. "Its ability to go places that other imaging tools cannot reach opens new possibilities for medical diagnosis and eventually treatment." Standard miniature endoscopic devices – which give physicians access to hard-to-reach internal organs and structures – utilize bundles of optical fibers to supply light to and transmit images from the areas of interest. Larger endoscopes that use image sensors to produce high-quality, two-dimensional images can be a centimeter or more in diameter. Existing miniature endoscopes using smaller fiber bundles may be more flexible but have difficulty producing high-quality images. The new device developed at MGH-Wellman uses a technology called spectrally encoded endoscopy (SEE). Multicolored light from a single optical fiber – introduced through a probe about the size of a human hair – is broken into its component colors and projected onto tissue, with each color illuminating a different part of the tissue surface. The light reflected back is recorded, and the intensity of the various colors decoded by a spectrometer, which analyzes the wavelengths of light. Another device called an interferometer, which calculates structural information based on the interaction between two waves of light, provides the data required to create three-dimensional images. To demonstrate the device's application in a live animal, the researchers used the system to image metastatic ovarian tumors on the abdominal wall of a mouse. The SEE probe was passed into the abdominal cavity through a fine-gauge needle. The resulting three-dimensional image showed several raised areas of tumor nodules, the presence of which was confirmed by histologic analysis of the tissue. "The most important feature of this new endoscope is the ability to obtain three-dimensional images, something we don't believe is offered by any commercially available miniature endoscope system," says Dvir Yelin, PhD, first author of the Nature paper. "While the image resolution we achieved in this demonstration is similar to existing small-diameter endoscopes, with further optimization of the optics it is possible to obtain images with 10 times the number of pixels provided by other miniature endoscopes." "This new technology will offer physicians and surgeons the capability to bring many more procedures into outpatient settings, reduce anesthesia requirements and minimize tissue damage," Tearney adds. "The device's size and flexibility should allow safer navigation through such delicate structures as the salivary ducts, the fallopian tubes and the pancreatic duct. Fetal and pediatric procedures may also benefit from this tool. Eventually, SEE could give rise to new procedures that permit diagnosis and microsurgery in previously inaccessible areas of the body." Tearney is an associate professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School. He and his colleagues are working on adapting the SEE device for human studies in the near future. Additional co-authors of the Nature report are Imran Rizvi, Matthew White, MD, Jason Motz, PhD, Tayyaba Hasan, PhD, and Brett Bouma, PhD – all of the Wellman Center. The research was supported by grants from the Center for the Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology, the National Science Foundation and the Whitaker Foundation. Massachusetts General Hospital, established in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, with an annual research budget of nearly $500 million and major research centers in AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, human genetics, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, transplantation biology and photomedicine. MGH and Brigham and Women's Hospital are founding members of Partners HealthCare System, a Boston-based integrated health care delivery system. Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 21 Feb 2009 Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

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Medical Topics

The loss of biodiversity affects us in many ways. For some of us, its loss is felt in the same way that we regret the destruction of a great work of art- it may not affect us directly, but the indirect impact is strong. For others, its loss is felt in changes in lifestyles and livelihoods- the measurable costs are high. Striking the right balance between the conservation/sustainable use and the loss of biodiversity requires accounting for all the impacts of its destruction. Weighing the loss against any potential benefits will ensure that the social, as well as economic, well-being of every one are at the best levels possible. Market based economic systems have the potential to ensure that such a balancing occurs, but require that all the impacts of its loss, or use, have been fully internalised into market transactions. This book shows how public policy in the form of market creation can be used to internalise the loss of biodiversity. It promotes the use of markets to ensure that our collective preferences for conversation and sustainable use are reflected in economic outcomes. Executive Summary available. How to obtain this publication Readers can access the full version of Handbook of Market Creation for Biodiversity: Issues in Implementation choosing from the following options: - Subscribers and readers at subscribing institutions can access the online edition via SourceOECD, our online library. - Non-subscribers can purchase the PDF e-book and/or paper copy via our Online Bookshop. - The report is available to journalists from the OECD Media Relations Division (Media Relations Division) Executive Summary Handbook of Market Creation for Biodiversity: Issues in Implementation

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Forest Management and Restoration

Serious illness or the death of a child is a tragedy that touches all of our hearts. Over this past week four seriously ill children have been hospitalized in Oregon after drinking unpasteurized milk contaminated with E. coli O157, and although the milk in question is no longer being distributed, additional cases may yet occur. The lives of these children currently hang in the balance. These tragedies are made even more distressing when one considers that those who gave this milk to these children undoubtedly believed they were doing what was best for them. As a parent, my heart goes out to those adults. Unpasteurized, or "raw," milk, like many unprocessed food products, may sound healthier, but it is not. Hundreds of years of experience have demonstrated that raw milk can carry many kinds of harmful bacteria that can make you very sick or kill you, and that's why pasteurization was invented in the 19th century. While it is possible to get food-borne illnesses from many different foods, raw milk is one of the riskiest of all, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pasteurization is a simple but very effective process. It involves heating up milk for a brief period. No chemicals are added, and pasteurization can be done on organic or regular milk. This simple heat treatment is enough to kill a host of bad germs that can get into the milk from the cow's skin, udder or feces, such as salmonella, listeria, yersinia, campylobacter, mycobacterium tuberculosis and staphylococcus aureus, in addition to E. coli. While there are occasional outbreaks from pasteurized dairy products, the rate of outbreaks from unpasteurized products, per unit consumed, is about 150 times greater than from pasteurized products. So pasteurization works. While there is great value in eating locally sourced foods and strengthening the connections between consumers and farmers, those strategies are not enough to prevent contamination of milk with dangerous bacteria. Nor is it a matter of preventing lax procedures used by farmers; it would be impossible for even the most conscientious farmer to prevent contamination, and that is why pasteurization is required for commercially distributed milk. The milk implicated in this outbreak came from a "herd-share," and so was legally distributed to 48 members, even though it was not pasteurized. In the wake of this outbreak, I had occasion to review some clippings from 1922 in The Oregonian documenting 13 deaths and many illnesses from an outbreak caused by a different type of bacteria transmitted by unpasteurized milk from the Pleasant View Dairy. But we don't have to go back to the 1920s to find these outbreaks. In the past two decades we have had at least six outbreaks linked to raw milk in Oregon alone, and many others nationwide. Milk is good for most people. It is packed with vitamins, calcium and protein. But history has taught us over and over again that milk needs to pasteurized to be safe. These latest events have taught us that painful lesson yet again. Mel Kohn is director of the Oregon Public Health Division of the Oregon Health Authority.

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Health and Food Safety

Hundreds of years ago, settlers who came to Fort Worth were greeted by rolling prairies for as far as the eye could see. Today, those welcoming fields have been replaced by growing cities and towns, but Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) remembers this heritage and culture with the annual celebration of Prairie Day. BRIT's Prairie Day offers family-friendly education about the beauty and importance of the North Texas landscape through hands-on events and activities that kids will love. Kids will be encouraged to get a little dirty as they help to make seed balls, a Prairie Day tradition. Using a Native American technique, visitors will combine seeds, humus, and red clay into tiny packets of life that will be tossed into the fields surrounding BRIT to populate the area with native plants. Imagine the fun of returning to the BRIT next spring to see the plants you helped to grow! Other activities throughout the day will combine fun family games with opportunities to learn about nature, including face painting, balloon twisting, and a variety of games provided by the Log Cabin Village. In addition, live music and cowboy poets will be on hand to entertain the crowd. Don't miss these other great activities: - Beekeeping demonstrations - Soap and candle making - Children’s coloring contest - Basket Weaving - Solar Cooking Demonstrations - Meet two special guest prairie dogs The 3rd annual Prairie Day event will be held on Saturday, May 18th from 10 am to 2 pm at BRIT Headquarters 1700 University Drive.

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Conservation and Biodiversity Efforts

No flood, no money. What a trade! When asked about his future, Nguyen Van Nghe, a fisherman in Dong Thap Province answered: “No flood, no money. What a trade!” He was referring to the fact that over the last 10 years the construction of high dykes in Dong Thap and the Long Xuyen Quadrangle has blocked the annual replenishment of freshwater, nutrients, and sediment on which fish depend. In turn, this has destroyed the wild fisheries on which the landless, including Nghe, who make up 20% of the Mekong Delta’s population, depend. Wild fish production has declined by 40% over the last 10 years and species that were once used as fertilizer now sell for VND180,000/kg. The predatory snakehead, which once occupied the top of the aquatic food chain, has disappeared. The high dykes have also greatly reduced the annual flushing. This has resulted in the accumulation of pathogens and toxins in the surface water and growing public health problems. High dykes were built to allow a third, or autumn-winter, rice crop to be grown because of the high prices this off-season crop can fetch on the international market. In 2011, 560,000 hectares of autumn-winter rice were planted, up from 520,000 hectares in 2010. But because of the loss of sediment, rice productivity can only be maintained through the heavy use of fertilizer. Nguyen Huu Thien, a wetland specialist based in Can Tho, questions whether the third rice crop is profitable once you take into account the increased use of fertilizer and pesticide, the cost of dyke maintenance, the loss of wild fish, and, inevitably, the cost of dyke failure: when dykes failed in 2011, 50 people were killed and tens of millions of dollars of houses, roads, and other infrastructure was destroyed. The intensification of rice production has also resulted in the virtual extinction of the traditional long-stem floating rice varieties, which in Brazil sell for $3,500/ton, almost ten times the price of autumn-winter rice. Dr. Ngo Van Be of the Dong Thap Muoi Institute of Research and Development says that the floods that used to be “mild” are now “fierce” and unpredictable. In hydrological terms, what the high dykes have done is to separate the Mekong River from its 1.5 million-hectare floodplain. According to Dr. Le Anh Tuan of Can Tho University, these dykes have narrowed the floodplain during the peak October-November flood from 150 kilometers to a few tens of kilometers. This has accelerated the water flow and displaced flooding to residential areas downstream. Reduction of the flooded area has also reduced groundwater recharge, reduced river base flows, and increased dry season saline intrusion, which increases the cost of drinking water supplies. The violent floods of 2011 call into question the value of the third rice crop and instead argue for a more natural hydrology that provides multiple benefits, including greater resilience to climate change, which is likely to result in more intense rainfalls and flash flooding. To learn more about these issues, watch this 30-minute file produced by the Center for Water Resources Conservation and Development (WARECOD) and VTC16.

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Water Quality and Management

Both the Crusades in the late eleventh century and the harsh persecution of Jews by the Bohemian king Vratislav II led to the migration of Jews from Bohemia, Germany and Austria to Hungary, where they found refuge; some of them settled in Slovakia. Under a "Jewish law" enacted by the Hungarian king Kalman, Jews were permitted to live only in cathedral towns and on bishops estates. In 1241 the Mongols (also known as Tartars) invaded Hungary, wreaking havoc and destruction. Jewish merchants made a major contribution to rebuilding the economy. A letter from King Bela IV refers to Jews in the cities of Pressburg (Bratislava), Senica, Trnava, Pezinok, Nitra, and Trencin. In 1251 the King granted the Jews a "privilege", a document promising them protection against attacks by Christians, a permanent legal status and other benefits. At the time, most Jews made their living in finance, a minority worked in commerce and the importing of goods, and others held positions in public administration or were involved in the minting of coins, to the displeasure of the Pope and Church leaders. From the thirteenth century on the Jews were wards of the king and paid taxes to the royal treasury. They lived primarily in the cities, on separate Jewish streets allotted to them by the authorities in order to segregate them from the Christians. In some towns there was an organized community life and Jewish public institutions. Nitra, a major administrative and economic center in the Middle Ages, had a longstanding Jewish community that is considered one of the oldest in Slovakia. A document from the year 1113 mentions Mons Judaeorum in Nitra, where there was a Jewish cemetery. In the thirteenth century Jews also lived in the nearby suburb of Parovce, which was known as Castrum Judaeorum, i.e., "fortified Jewish settlement". Jewish sources also mention the Jewish community in Nitra; for example, in his book Or Zarua, written in the late thirteenth century, a leading halakhic authority, Rabbi Isaac ben Moses of Vienna, refers to a question asked by the community regarding marriage laws. At about the same time, Jewish refugees from Bohemia and Germany founded a community in Pressburg. In the fourteenth century the Pressburg community numbered close to 800 people and seems to have been the largest in the kingdom. In the late fourteenth century the spiritual leader of Trnava was Rabbi Isaac Tyrnau (the German name of Trnava), known as the leading Torah sage in Hungary and the author of Sefer Ha-minhagim, which describes the religious practices of the Jews of Hungary and the neighboring countries. As the Christian population turned increasingly to religious extremism and social ferment in the fifteenth century, the Jews' situation grew worse. Anti-Jewish riots broke out in several places. In 1491 the authorities in Trnava spread a blood libel against the Jews, and twelve men and four women were burned at the stake on August 22 of that year. After the Turks defeated the Hungarians in 1526, the Jews were expelled from Pressburg, Trnava, and several other localities. In 1529 a blood libel was lodged against the Jews of Pezinok. Thirty members of the community were burned at the stake and the rest of the Jews fled the city. Mistreatment of Jews occurred in other communities as well. By the end of the sixteenth century the old communities of Slovakia had disintegrated, their members scattering in all directions. As a result of the severe persecution, the continuity of the community life in Slovakia was severely disturbed. The immigration of Jews, beginning in the mid-seventeenth century and intensifying during the eighteenth century, gave rise to the Jewish communities of Slovakia that existed until the Holocaust. Some members of the Hungarian aristocracy realized the advantages that might be gained from the Jews economic activity and, unlike the townspeople, made efforts to encourage Jews to settle on their estates. The Jewish immigrants came mainly from the neighboring countries of Moravia, Poland and Austria. Jewish refugees settled in Nitra County in 1649 and later in the counties of Pressburg and Trencin. New edicts in Moravia and hardships in Poland spurred migration to Slovakia, and the area of Jewish settlement expanded northward and eastward. Most inhabitants of the regions in which new communities were established were Slovakian subsistence farmers, serfs of Hungarian feudal lords. The socioeconomic conditions created an interdependency between the two sectors of the population, especially in economic affairs. A census from 1746 shows that almost half the Jewish heads of household in Slovakia were natives of Moravia and Bohemia, 10 percent of Poland, 5 percent of Austria, and 35 percent of various locations in Slovakia or elsewhere in Hungary. By the middle of the eighteenth century there were several fairly large Jewish communities in Slovakia, some with populations in the hundreds. As Jews resettled Slovakia, an interesting encounter occurred between Jewish ethnicities and cultures. The Jews in the west were chiefly of the Ashkenazi type, who tended to be more educated and more open to influences of the surrounding culture and society. The Jews in eastern Slovakia, in contrast, followed Hasidic customs, spoke Yiddish, and resembled the Jews of Poland and Galicia in their way of life and dress. The two cultures were slow to blend, completing the process only in the second half of the nineteenth century. The Jews' living conditions deteriorated drastically during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa (1740-l780). The regime promulgated various edicts and even threatened to expel the Jews from the empire. In 1749 the Jews were subjected to a special "tolerance tax" (taxa tolerantialis), a heavy burden for the immigrant families. However, their situation improved when Emperor Joseph II (l780-l790) instituted changes and innovations in the governance of the empire. In 1783 he issued an Edict of Tolerance (Sistematica Gentis Iudaicae Regulatio) for the Jews of Hungary, which referred mainly to place of residence, occupation, and educational matters. The Jews were granted permission to work in almost any occupation and to live in most parts of the empire, except in and around mining towns. Following the Edict of Tolerance, the areas of Jewish settlement expanded and new communities were founded. Jews became financially well off and in some places flourished spiritually and culturally. The Jewish community of Hungary also grew rapidly during this time, attaining a population of 83,000, about a half of them in Slovakia and the nearby Burgenland (Austria). Throughout most of the eighteenth century Jews lived in a relatively small area covering a few counties in the west and east. Large portions of central and northern Slovakia, defined as mining areas, were still off limits to Jewish settlement. In the early nineteenth century the Jewish population of Slovakia grew quite vigorously. In the 1820s the region contained about one hundred organized communities, mostly in small towns and rural villages. The increase in the Jewish population and the gradual improvement in their economic condition were accompanied by a thriving religious life and the emergence of the first Torah centers. At that time there were seven relatively large yeshivas in Slovakia, headed by well-known rabbis and scholars. The most important of them was the Pressburg yeshiva, headed by Rabbi Moses Sofer (Schreiber), known as the Hatam Sofer, who was considered the leading halakhic authority of his day. In the midst of a liberalization wave in 1840, the Hungarian parliament passed several important legislative amendments pertaining to the Jews, mainly concerning places of residence and economic matters. Many Slovakian Jews moved to other parts of the empire around that time, and the old, traditional Jewish communities began to decline in number. New communities were founded in central and northern Slovakia, and the map of Jewish settlement in Slovakia attained geographic contiguity. The "Spring of Nations" and the Hungarian uprising against Austrian rule (1848-1849) were not beneficial to the Jews. In March 1848 riots broke out in Pressburg (Bratislava) and nearby localities and spread to other regions. In many Jewish communities, especially in western Slovakia, houses were plundered and community institutions were destroyed; in some places there were casualties. Several localities were abandoned for some time. In the second half of the nineteenth century, after the situation had stabilized, there were about 115 major Jewish communities in Slovakia with recognized rabbinical offices and 200 smaller communities with their own public institutions, chiefly in villages. Several dozen yeshivas, with thousands of students, became important Torah centers. Slovakian Jews played a significant economic role as mediators between the agricultural sector and the growing cities and were involved in trade in agricultural produce. They included merchants, tenant farmers and estate managers, but many worked in petty commerce as artisans or peddlers occupations that Jews in the Oberland had practiced for generations. Whereas manifestations of socioeconomically motivated anti-Semitism that had erupted in the early nineteenth century declined when the revolution of 1848-1849 was suppressed, nationally based anti-Semitism increased over time. The Slovakian intelligentsia, which advocated a Slovakian national revival, regarded the Jews as tools of the hated Hungarian regime and, therefore, one of the causes of the plight of the Slovakian people. After Hungarian Jewry attained equal rights in 1867, anti-Semitic activity increased in Slovakia. Church representatives were actively involved in stirring up hatred of the Jews. In July 1882 some two hundred priests gathered in Topolcany to discuss the "Jewish question". The upshot of their deliberations was to urge the Hungarian parliament to revoke or limit the equal rights that it had granted to Jews in 1867. From the beginning of the eighteenth century the empire had been undergoing a modernization process that was paralleled by similar changes in Hungarian Jewry. The ideas of the Enlightenment that seeped into Hungary during those years influenced many Hungarian Jews to cast aside their traditions and seek their future in European culture. Hungarian liberals encouraged Jews to abandon their traditional lifestyle and adopt the customs of enlightened Hungarian society. Attempts to amend or reform religious rules were met with vigorous opposition from both the religious leadership in Slovakia and a large portion of the Jewish population, which was characterized by a conservative way of life and a strong affinity for religion and tradition. The opposition to the reform trends was led, from the very beginning, by Rabbi Moshe Sofer of Pressburg. As a result of his vehement stance Pressburg became the center of the struggle against the Haskala (Jewish Enlightenment) movement and religious reforms. In the mid-nineteenth century the Kulturkampf within Hungarian Jewry intensified; and in 1865 dozens of Orthodox rabbis gathered in Michalovce, Slovakia. They adopted stringent resolutions including a boycott of synagogues that had instituted changes, and a strict injunction against sermons in German and Hungarian, secular education, and the study of foreign languages. The resolutions were given the force of a halakhic ruling, thereby further deepening the fissure among Hungarian Jewry and precluding all attempts to heal the rift. At the initiative of the authorities, representatives of Hungarian Jewry were invited to Budapest in December 1868 to promote the emancipation and to establish a countrywide umbrella organization for all Jewish communities in the country. The Liberal Jews welcomed the initiative, but the Orthodox regarded it with great suspicion. They feared that such an organization, supported by the authorities and the Liberal Jews, would diminish the communities' independence and undermine the status of the rabbi as supreme religious authority and sole arbiter. After all attempts at compromise failed, the Orthodox delegates walked out of the congress. The conflict between the camps reached its peak, causing a rupture between the communities and a deep polarization of Hungarian Jewry. As a result, two separate organizations of communities were established one for the Orthodox and one for the Liberals (Neologs). Some communities did not join either organization and retained their previous status; these communities were known as status quo ante. The Jews of Slovakia were more united in their affinity for religion than those in the rest of Hungary. Two-thirds of the communities, especially the old, traditional ones in the small towns and villages, joined the Orthodox organization. In parallel, most new communities, primarily in central Slovakia, joined the Neologs. In several locations two communities formed, one Orthodox and one Neolog, and they vied for control of community institutions and assets that had previously belonged to the joint administration. On the eve of World War I the Jewish population of Slovakia numbered 140,000. Collectively they were quite diverse, comprising several religious factions whose members differed in their way of life, affinity for religion, origins, and cultural backgrounds. They spoke four different languages among themselves and with the Christians, belonged to various socioeconomic classes, and were divided among national groups. Most Slovakian Jews originated in villages and small towns and had traits characteristic of post-rural society. After World War I social agitation grew in Slovakia. Economic hardship increased following the return and demobilization of soldiers, and the frustration was soon vented in several weeks of violent acts against Jews. The burglary and looting of homes and businesses affected Jews of all classes, poor and rich alike. The new government adopted the Habsburg monarchies legislation regarding the Jews: namely, in the Czech province the Austrian laws remained in effect, whereas in Slovakia the Hungarian laws remained but with slight modifications. Attempts to establish a countrywide organization of communities representing all Jews in Czechoslovakia were foiled by the Orthodox leadership in Slovakia, which feared that this would undermine its hegemony among the religious Jews. Meanwhile, a new source of friction further exacerbated the tense relations between the factions. Under the Czechoslovakian constitution members of the Jewish religion could declare that they belonged to the Jewish nation. The Orthodox were vehemently opposed to defining Judaism as a national entity. To them Jewry was solely a religious community and would remain so until the Jews were redeemed from exile. Nevertheless, Jewish nationalism, represented by the Zionist movement, managed to establish itself and make inroads even among traditional Jews. Many Zionists, especially the young, came from Orthodox families; they joined Jewish national and Zionist organizations despite the opposition of the Orthodox religious leadership. After Czechoslovakia was established the organizations of Jewish communities formed their institutions. The Organization of Autonomous Orthodox Congregations in Slovakia (OAOCS) included 170 of 228 congregations and about 75 percent of Slovakian Jews. Over time it became one of the most authoritative, powerful and influential Jewish organizations in Czechoslovakia. Meanwhile, Agudath Israel, which had close ties to the OAOCS, complemented it by carrying out a wide range of activities in dozens of branches. Agudath Israel focused primarily on individual life and on education consistent with Orthodoxy. The ties between the two organizations, strong to begin with, became even stronger when Rabbi Samuel David Ungar, one of the leaders of the OAOCS, was named president of Agudath Israel in Czechoslovakia. Agudath Israel and its youth movements engaged in ramified social and welfare activities and educational initiatives, including preschools, a Beth Yaakov school system for girls, and camps for children and teenagers. At the end of World War I there were twenty-nine Neolog communities in Slovakia. Cut off from their center in Hungary, they encountered complex organizational problems that threatened their survival. In 1925 the Neologs decided to form a joint organization with the fifty-five Status Quo Ante communities, which since 1928 had been known as Jeshurun. In 1920 there were seventy-seven Jewish primary schools in Slovakia and two high schools. Forty-six of the schools were Orthodox; the rest were liberal. Noteworthy, only 45 percent of Jewish children attended Jewish schools; the majority attended public schools. Due to the growing percentage of students in schools that taught in Slovakian, the language spoken by the young Jews changed. Instead of German and Hungarian, the main languages used by Slovakian Jews in the past, the young people adopted Slovakian as their vernacular. Alongside the formal educational system, an extensive system of Torah education institutions functioned in Slovakia, including boys' schools (cheder and Talmud Torah), Beth Yaacov seminaries for religious girls, and more than thirty yeshivas that were accredited as religious educational institutions. In 1930 the Pressburg (Bratislava) yeshiva and three other yeshivas were accredited by the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Education as institutions of higher education. Vibrant Zionist activity was enjoyed in inter-war Slovakia and new branches of the movement were established in dozens of cities and towns. In addition to the Zionist Organization, there was a Jewish National Party (Zidovska Strana) that focused on domestic Jewish policy and representation of the Jews national, religious, economic, and social interests vis-a-vis the authorities. The party did well in elections for town councils and county and regional assemblies. Although the Orthodox establishment doggedly fought Zionism and the Jewish National Party, the Zionists penetrated even the Orthodox communities. In the mid-1930s about 20 percent of Slovakian Jews purchased the Zionist "Shekel", thereby becoming formal members of the Zionist Movement. Zionist youth movements predated World War I. In 1919-1920, after the wartime turmoil in Slovakia had waned, Zionist youth groups reorganized and opened clubs in all the major cities and some small towns. In 1924, representatives of Zionist youth groups met in Nitra and together founded He-haluts. Religious teenagers established Mizrachi Youth. Organizational and social activity in the Zionist youth movements reached its peak in the 1930s, with tens of thousands of young members from all strata of Jewish society. Hundreds of them emigrated to Palestine after undergoing training for this purpose in Slovakia. The Maccabi sports association launched social and cultural activity with Zionist national leanings. Thousands of youngsters and adults, Orthodox and Liberal alike, were active in clubs throughout Slovakia. During the period of the Republic of Czechoslovakia, Slovakian Jewry did not undergo any major demographic changes. In the 1930s about 140,000 Jews lived in 2,337 localities. Some 55 percent of them lived in villages and small towns with populations of less than 5,000; 18 percent lived in the two largest cities (Bratislava and Kosice), and only 25 percent lived in cities of l0,000-25,000 residents. The socioeconomic status of Slovakian Jews also remained constant during this period: 72 percent of Jewish breadwinners were self-employed, 15 percent were wage earners, and 13 percent were practitioners of liberal professions, white-collar workers, and brokers. In the second half of the 1930s, as political tensions mounted in Czechoslovakia, anti-Semitic sentiments increased among large segments of the Slovakian people. The nationalist parties that agitated for Slovakian national autonomy, especially the Slovak Peoples Party, held strong anti-Semitic positions and incited against the Jews. On October 6, 1938, after the Munich agreement in late September had forced Czechoslovakia to cede territory to the Third Reich, the Slovak Peoples Party declared extensive autonomy in Slovakia and instituted a one-party totalitarian regime. On November 2 large portions of southern Slovakia home to more than 45,000 Jews were annexed to Hungary. The Slovakian government blamed the Jews regarding their supposed support of the annexation and started removing thousands of Jewish families who held foreign citizenship to the Hungarian and Polish borders. Few of the deportees were permitted to return to their homes. While the deportations were in progress, an underground cell known as the Working Group, headed by Rabbi Michael Dov Weissmandel and Gisi Fleischmann, formed within the Center of Jews in an attempt to stanch the deportations and aid the deportees. The Working Groups success in halting the deportations from Slovakia encouraged its members to intensify their efforts to save all of European Jewry by negotiating with the Nazis. The resulting initiative, devised by Rabbi Weissmandel, was known as the Europa Plan. In April 1944 two Slovakian Jews, Alfred Wetzler and Walter Rosenberg (Rudolf Vrba), escaped from Auschwitz. The Working Group took detailed testimony from them about the nature of the Auschwitz camp and the extermination methods used there. A sketch of the extermination facilities, based on the description given by the two men, was attached to their testimony. The Auschwitz Protocols, as the document was known, were sent from Slovakia to the free world, where they reached Jewish organizations. The Working Groups purpose in releasing the Protocols was to sound an alarm and marshal worldwide public opinion in favor of extensive rescue activities and bombing of the railroads leading to Auschwitz and the extermination facilities themselves. Jews joined the first resistance groups that organized in Slovakia in 1942. Most of them were active in the Communist and Czechoslovakian underground movements. A Jewish underground group was also formed in the Novaky labor camp in 1942. These groups tried to prevent a resumption of the deportations and started preparing for active resistance. On August 29, 1944, an armed uprising broke out in Slovakia in an attempt to overthrow the pro-Nazi regime and reestablish the Republic of Czechoslovakia. As the partisan attacks intensified, the German army invaded Slovakia. The Jewish group from the Novaky camp was assigned to halt the advance of the SS troops along one of their main attack routes. The German invasion of Slovakia augured ill for the last remaining Jews. Many tried to reach the rebel-controlled area in the hope of surviving, and thousands of destitute Jewish refugees gathered in the rebels main stronghold, Banska Bystrica. Parachutists sent by the Yishuv (the pre-Israel Jewish community in Palestine), headed by Haviva Reik, mobilized to help them. Although the uprising was quelled two months after it began, rebel units, including Jews, fled to the mountains, where they continued to engage the enemy until the liberation. About 1,600 Jews fought in various partisan units; approximately 170 of them were killed. After the uprising was suppressed, the Germans took over the authority for Jewish affairs. SS officer Alois Brunner, one of Eichmanns assistants, went to Slovakia to deport all Jews irrespective of their status or their "certificates of exemption". Those Jews who were captured by the Nazis and their Slovakian accomplices were taken to the Sered camp. The deportation of the remaining Jews in Slovakia resumed on September 30, 1944. From then until March 31, 1945, some 12,000 Jews were deported from Slovakia; only half survived. Another 2,500 Jews were murdered on Slovakian soil during this period. Additional victims among Slovakian Jews were those who had fled to Hungary and were deported from there to the extermination camps. The Jews in the territories annexed to Hungary in 1938-1939 met the same fate as those in the rest of Hungary. After the annexation of these territories, Hungarians began to persecute the Jews and accused them of supporting Czechoslovakia. Of the 10,600 business owners only 4,500 were permitted to keep their establishments going. Beginning in 1940, close to 7,500 men from southern Slovakia were taken to work in labor battalions; few survived. Several thousand Jews lacking Hungarian citizenship were deported in 1941 to the occupied part of Ukraine, where most of them were murdered. After the Germans occupied Hungary (March 19, 1944), new anti-Jewish edicts were promulgated. Ghettoization of the Jews began in the second half of April 1944. The first transports from the territories annexed to Hungary left for Auschwitz in the second half of May 1944; the rest of the deportations occurred in June of that year. Of some 45,000 Jews who lived in those territories, 10,000 survived. About 100,000 Slovakian Jews 73 percent of their number in 1938 perished during World War II. JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions. Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited. Pinkas Hakehilot, Slovakia Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page Copyright © 1999-2013 by JewishGen, Inc. Updated 23 Dec 2006 by LA

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European History Narratives

Welfare state in capitalism Since the eruption of the sub-prime mortgage crises of 2007 to 2009, there have been hot debates on how the current “greedy capitalism” must change into sustainable capitalism. The “Occupy Wall Street” protests were against the far-reaching negative consequences of neo-liberal capitalism. In the wake of the global financial meltdown, the notion of Capitalism 4.0 has suddenly made headlines and the Davos Forum early this year also addressed how to make capitalism sustainable. To what extent is this debate and the search for a new version of capitalism relevant to Korea? Unlike advanced Western capitalist states with more than 300 years of history, Korea’s modern development of capitalism occurred in the past half century but is regarded as the representative economy of East Asian miracle performers. Korea formally adopted capitalism in the post-liberation era after 1945 by formulating a constitution containing a market economy as its basic tenet to promote economic freedom and encourage creativity. As a corollary of this fundamental principle, the Korean constitution dictates that the government can regulate and adjust economic matters to supplement market economic principles to achieve social justice and economic democracy. Empirical analysis suggests that the Korean economy has achieved both growth and equity. Ironically, at the outset of Korea’s modern economic development, the Korean War (1950-1953) allowed everyone in Korea to be on equal footing. Furthermore, Korea, with the birth of a new democratic government, carried out two institutional reforms: land reform based on owner-cultivator principles and a compulsory education system for school-age children to be enrolled at a primary school, at the very least. In the past half century, Korea’s rapid economic growth has evolved around the creation of chaebol (large conglomerates), administered credit allocation with easy monetary policies from banks to priority sectors and export-oriented outward-looking policies to concentrate economic power highly in favor of them. However, in the post-1997/98 Asian financial crisis era, and with the recent global crisis, Korea’s compressed growth model has resulted in worsening income polarization and jobless growth. Korea now faces serious challenges on its way to introducing a welfare state paradigm. As part of the campaigns for the general elections concluded last week, left-wing opposition parties introduced a series of free programs involving everything from school lunches, school tuition, universal welfare and college tuition reduction to tax hikes for the rich and a chaebol tax. The conservative government party also put forward its own welfare policy platforms largely based on selective and prudential principles. What type of welfare state Korea should design is likely to be a key issue in the December presidential election. Korea should consider a welfare state as a distinct combination of democracy, welfare and capitalism, as implemented with different degrees of emphasis by Germany, all the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Given Korea’s transition to a matured advanced economy and ongoing income polarization, the country must address how to balance growth dynamism and equity. Above all, the government should do its best to construct a social safety net for those in need. Without due consideration of fiscal sustainability, we should avoid the popular approach to embrace “something for nothing.” Korea may also consider privately channeled welfare measures within corporate social responsibility mandates as given in the United Nation’s new norm for shared growth. In this regard, Korea’s large conglomerates need to be proactive in nurturing human capital for a high-tech society. Indeed, highly skilled manpower is the core element to ensuring a sustainable endogenous growth model. Koreans should keep in mind that the provision of welfare should not discourage the incentive to work. We should not let our next generation bear the burden of financing excessive welfare expenditure for the present generation. We should be aware of the fact that capitalism is not a static set of institutions but an evolutionary system that reinvents and reinvigorates itself through challenges and crisis. The present case of Greece’s demise makes this clear.

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Criminal Justice and Law

If you take your ears for granted, listen up: hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the U.S. It's also on the rise. Compared to a 1971 federal survey that estimated 13.2 million Americans had hearing loss, up to 36 million Americans now report lost hearing. When hearing goes, it may affect quality of life and relationships. In this article, WebMD looks at the causes, symptoms, and treatment of hearing loss. If you have lost some of your hearing, you'll find strategies to keep lines of communication open with friends and family. If your hearing is still intact, this article could help you keep it that way for years to come. The following suggestions will help you care for hearing aids: Keep hearing aids away from heat and moisture. Replace dead batteries immediately. Clean hearing aids as instructed. Do not use hairspray or other hair care products while wearing hearing aids. Turn off hearing aids when they are not in use. Keep replacement batteries and small aids away from children and pets. Certain conditions, including age, illness, and genetics, may contribute to hearing loss. Over several generations, modern life has added a host of ear-damaging elements to the list, including some medications and plenty of sources of loud, continuous noise. Advanced age is the most common cause of hearing loss. One out of three people aged 65-74 has some level of hearing loss. After age 75, that ratio goes up to one out of every two people. Researchers don't fully understand why hearing decreases with age. It could be that lifetime exposure to noise and other damaging factors slowly wear down the ears' delicate mechanics. Genes also play a role. Noise wears down hearing if it's loud or continuous. In some workplaces, ears are exposed to dangerous noise levels every day. To understand the impact of noise, consider this: 44% of carpenters and 48% of plumbers report some hearing loss. Other noisy lines of work include the military, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation. Even musicians, who literally create music for our ears, are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss. Some now wear special earplugs to protect their ears when they perform. The earplugs allow them to hear music without harming their ears' inner workings. Certain medications can impair hearing and/or balance. More than 200 medications and chemicals have a track record of triggering hearing and/or balance side effects in addition to their disease-fighting capabilities. These include some antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs, aspirin, loop diuretics, a drug used to treat malaria, and several drugs for erectile dysfunction. Sudden hearing loss, the rapid loss of 30 decibels or more of hearing ability, can happen over several hours or days. (A normal conversation is 60 decibels.) In nine out of 10 cases, sudden hearing loss affects only one ear. Though there are about 4,000 new cases of sudden hearing loss a year, the cause can only be found in 10% to 15% of cases. Certain illnesses, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, put ears at risk by interfering with the ears' blood supply. Otosclerosis is a bone disease of the middle ear and Ménière's disease affects the inner ear. Both can cause hearing loss. Trauma, especially that which involves a skull fracture or punctured eardrum, puts ears at serious risk for hearing loss. Infection or ear wax can block ear canals and reduce hearing.

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Hearing and Ear Health

- Consul (abbrev. cos.; Latin plural consules) was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic. — “Consul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”, - Roman Consuls - names and dates of the consuls of Rome during the Roman Republic. — “Consuls of Rome”, - Below is a list of the consuls of the Roman Republic from its foundation until the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. There were normally two consuls elected for each year. If during that year a consul resigned from office or died, a "suffect" (replacement) consul was elected in his place. — “Consuls of the Roman Republic”, ualberta.ca - Welcome to the Website of the Federation of European Associations of Honorary Consuls - F.U.E.C.H ! Ses objectifs – précisés a l'article 2 de nos statuts – sont de promouvoir l'harmonisation des droits, tâches et devoirs des Consuls Honoraires en Europe. — “Index”, - Consuls definition, an official appointed by the government of one country to look after its commercial interests and the welfare of its citizens in another cou See more. — “Consuls | Define Consuls at ”, - Consuls 1st Century AD. List of Consuls. The following list of Consuls, beginning with the foundation of the Republic in 509 BC, is taking largely from the list of Varro compiled in the 1st century BC. Prior to 300 BC, the list has some known. — “List of Consuls”, - During the time of ancient Rome as a Republic, the consuls were the highest civil and military magistrates, serving as the heads The Napoleonic Roman Republic (15 February 1798 – 23 June 1800) was headed by multiple consuls:. — “Consul - Reference”, - Roman Magistrates: Consuls, Tribunes, Praetors, Censors and Aediles Consuls. After the last king Tarquin the Proud was expelled the rule of Rome was awarded to two elected Consuls and a pyramid of more or less. — “Roman Magistrates: Consuls, Tribunes, Praetors, Censors and”, - Consul: Roman magistrate, comparable with a prime minister or a president. The consuls were the chairmen of the Senate, which served as a board of advisers. — “Consul”, - Under the Republic, two (2) elected consuls shared the head of government. Consuls were members of the Senate, who had been elected to serve for a one year term in the position of Consul, the highest position in government under the Republic. — “Ancient Rome for Kids - Government under the Republic - the”, - During the Roman Republic, the consuls were the highest civil and military magistrates, serving as the heads of government for the Republic. New consuls were elected every year. There were two consuls and they ruled together. However, after. — “Consuls”, - Genius - the dynamic portal engine and content management system. — “CONSUL-ONLINE - Web Links”, - Definition of Consuls in the Legal Dictionary - by Free online English dictionary and encyclopedia. What is Consuls? Meaning of Consuls as a legal term. What does Consuls mean in law?. — “Consuls legal definition of Consuls. Consuls synonyms by the”, legal- - The Consuls were the chief executives of the Republic. In them were vested broad powers to arbitrate, legislate adjudicate, and govern. They were the chief military officers, they represented Rome in foreign matters, and they led the Senate. — “Consuls”, - Home / Foreign Policy / The 4th Conference of the Hungarian Honorary Consuls / The Institution of Honorary Consuls - The Hungarian Honorary Consular Corps / Honorary Consuls - Short History. The short history of honorary consular representations. — “Honorary Consuls - Short History”, mfa.gov.hu - Multiple words are searched together as one phrase. Example : world health organization for 1-5 characters, '**' for open-ended truncation, '?' to replace a single character. — “CONSULS | Catalog of the CSU Libraries & The CT State Library”, - consul n. ( Abbr. Con. or Cons. ) An official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country and represent his or her government's. — “consul: West's Encyclopedia of American Law (Full Article”, - Under the Republic the minimum age of election to consul for patricians was 40 years of age, for plebeians 42. Two consuls were elected each year, they served together with veto power over each other's actions, and the year of their service was known by their names. — “Consul - Wikinfo”, - Under the Republic, the minimum age of election to consul for patricians was 40 years of age, for plebeians 42. Two consuls were elected each year, serving together with veto power over each other's actions. Consuls executed both religious and military duties; the reading of. — “Consul - Definition”, - Consuls & diplomats in Australia from the German-speaking countries. — “Consuls & diplomats in Australia from the German-speaking”, .au - The Consuls will be responsible for publishing the first Roman newsletter after entering office. No Consul may be removed from office before the end of his/her term. — “Roman Consuls”, related images for consuls - PTJ13 220609 CONSULS jpg - photo02 600 jpg time=1240696876 - Représentants des collectivités locales De g à d B Casaurang CG 30 J P Boré Région D J Valade Ville Consuls généraux De g à d Espagne Italie Allemagne - quai consuls big img 2 jpg - Saint Antonin Noble Val Tarn et Garonne Maison des Consuls which housed a court of justice ferocious mutual beard pullers on a capital The best of all from the ruined Abbey of La Sauve Majeure Gironde and now in the Cloisters - Les Consuls - PTJ11 220609 CONSULS jpg - The Maison des Consuls Mirepoix proposes you its 8 rooms Secured online booking La Maison des Consuls is situated in a beautiful and widely visited medieval square in the heart of Mirepoix - consuls jpg - agrandir le plan masse - with no separate chassis and MacPherson front struts were used for the first time on a British car It had a live axle with leaf springs at the rear hydraulic drum brakes front rear The Consul had a 1508cc 4 cylinder engine which developed 48bhp mated to a 3 speed column change gearbox with synchromesh only on second and top gear The handbrake was operated by a pull - poisson jpg - Nous allons voir la cathédrale Saint Maurice qui possède la nef la plus large de France Sa flèche de pierre est très belle mais nous apprécions aussi les très nombreuses gargouilles - consuls jpg - PTJ10 220609 CONSULS jpg - photo06 600 jpg time=1240696876 - Une délégation conduite par S E l ambassadeur Richard Zady a pris part aux travaux de la première Conférence des Consuls Honoraires de la Cote d Ivoire du 17 au 22 septembre Palais des - http i108 photobucket com albums n b dscf0008 jpg http i108 photobucket com albums n ob consuls jpg http i108 photobucket com albums n e2b0735c b jpg - Tiberi jpg - Deseas contactar con esta empresa - JPEG 111 7 kb - Klik voor meer foto s Consuls zijn vrijwilligers die inzetbaar zijn voor allerlei verschillende taken op de werkterreinen van de ANWB Zij spelen al sinds de oprichting van de ANWB een - Gubbio le palais des consuls - Ajoutez cette photo à votre Facebook - Girsa Consuls Apt 3 172140446 large JPG - 700 garde des consuls 1775 jpg - Consuls From the Capitoline Hill Museum - cohen jpg - photo07 600 jpg time=1240696876 - XIIème siècle le péché et le châtiment du péché La rédemption n est pas représentée la justice n étant pas concernée par ce concept Sur la gauche de l image on peut voir Adam et Ève vus en gros plan sur la page précédente symbolisant l acte de pécher - > Voir tous les programmes - Mr Howard James Pym Honorary Consul Of Latvia attended the 4th meeting of Honorary Consuls in Riga on the 3rd and 4th of July Latvias Consuls of the World Mr Howard J Pym Honorary Consul of Latvia Pictured above 1st from right 2nd row together with His Excellency Ivars Godmanis Prime Minister of Latvia pictured - la royauté Le Conseil d État eut une activité très importante sous le Consulat et le Ier Empire 1799 1814 C est à lui que l on dut notamment la préparation des codes napoléoniens - Ajoutez cette photo à votre Facebook - The Boys - St Front La cathédrale St Front Centre ville 640x480 640x480 640x480 - moustachus étant punis par les aigles symboles du pouvoir divin d autres pécheresses leurs tresses postiches faits avec les cheveux de religieuses et d indigentes saisies par les becs des aigles aux - Other capitals show a sinful woman in the clutches of a monster though in the context of the Maison des Consuls it might be Justice triumphing over Injustice a pair of mutual beard pullers symbol of strife - Ajoutez cette photo à votre Facebook related videos for consuls - Lake tahoe with the consuls lake tahoe, with the consuls!! me falling!!! Funny - University of Pangasinan: Consuls of Goodwill Faculties/CI's Dance Presentation bonggah! lots of yells! watch it! wink! - British Ambassador & consuls chat to Phuket press Comments by new British Ambassador, Asif Ahmad, on first visit to Phuket; recorded at Millenium Hotel, Patong, on Sunday 27 February 2011 Video starts with his comments on free trade area in ASEAN; then new requirement for UK visa residency applicants who are spouses of British citizens having to pass an English language test before entry is given; then on safety issues for tourists, jet skis and tuk tuks, to be raised with the Phuket Governor in a meeting today; the quarterly meeting of Hon Consuls with Governor; declining comment on Thai PM's possible dual nationality status; Thai visa rules on foreign resident's applications; help for Thai police who lack English skills; (after about 15 mins) British Hon Consul Martin Carpenter joins in with comments on tourist & normal police assistance; his contact details not currently being on Embassy website; any upgrading to consulate level & requests for visa applications in Phuket; police help in accidents; (after 20 mins) Ambassador said Consular staff would soon visit Phuket for temporary services 'surgery' (after 21 mins) British Consul Micheal Han*** comments on UK staff being cut back and replaced by local staff; decision on whether to upgrade to a consulate here; (after 23 mins) Hon Consul on the number of British residents, prisoners, and tourists in Phuket & region; assistance in other southern provinces (after 27 mins) Ambassador on Locate system for British residents to register on but increasing use of social media ... - Massey - Shout (Little Ceasar and the Consuls) - two pro street consuls at classic ford - MFA met Hon Consuls in Phuket pt 1 of 2 (raw video footage of beginning of meeting) International diplomatic representatives in the Andaman region met with senior officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Phuket authorities to lay out clear channels of communication, strengthen relations and enhance mission efficiency It was a busy day on Monday for Consul-Generals and Honorary Consuls representing at least 18 foreign countries as they attended two important meetings in Phuket, both gearing towards improving communication channels among themselves and the Thai authorities. In the morning about 17 Consul-Generals and Honorary Consuls, who are mostly covering Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi, had a friendly session with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Protocol Department at the Adamas Resort and Spa on Nai Yang beach. The session was chaired by the Chief of Protocol Department, Mr. Bansarn Bunnag. German Ambassador to Thailand, HE Dr. Hanns Heinrich Schumacher was also present. The meeting discussed clear channels of communication, both in normal times, but with contingency plans in case of emergencies, following international practice. The meeting was shown what's called a 'Phuket Model' design with concise channel of contacts and communication in the wake of any needs to handle stressful situations. The Thai Chief of Protocol told the international representatives that the ministry designated the Chief of the Passport Office in Phuket, Thanawat Sirikul, as the first contact person in the Andaman ... - CONSULS AND YOU.mov Elihu Burrit Library instructional video about Consuls. - Amadou Ballaké et Les 5 Consuls - Ligda remba. 45 rpm disc : Amadou Ballaké et Les 5 Consuls - A la mémoire du regretté Demba / Ligda remba. Amadou Balaké was born in 1944 in Ouahigouya, in the northern-east of Burkina Faso. After the death of his father, he relocated with his mother in the capital of the country, Ouagadougou, where he began to meet several local musicians. Shortly after he went to Mali to work as a chauffeur apprentice, and only returned to Ouagadougou six years later. He worked some time in construction, and then became a taximan. After the loss of his vehicle, he went to Mali and was engaged as a professional musician in the Grand Hotel orchestra. In 1963 he left Mali to play in the Tropicana orchestra in Abidjan, capital of the Ivory Coast, but only six months later he went to Guinea. Leader of the Bafinf Jazz band, he participated there in many musical competitions, and regularly played for president Sékou Touré meetings across the country. He returned to Burkina at the end of the 60's, and became very popular in the country thanks to his work with the Harmonie Voltaïque band. Convided by the Nigerian producer Aboudou Lassissi, he went back to Abidjan at the beginning of the 70's . - Balitang America: Opera Consuls Don Tagala meets up with French Consul Members who are trained by Filipinas to take the stage. - Interview with Bryan Mejia model and the consuls of new york ... Bryan Mejia MODEL INTERVIEW WITH CONSULS SHARING OF NEW YORK AND SOME COMMUNITIES New Yorker,Bryan Mejia MODEL INTERVIEW WITH CONSULS SHARING OF NEW YORK AND SOME NEW COMMUNICATORS YORKEL speech on the launch of his book''ME DETUVE EN EL TIEMPO'' - MFA met Hon Consuls in Phuket pt 2 of 2 (raw video footage of beginning of meeting) International diplomatic representatives in the Andaman region met with senior officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Phuket authorities to lay out clear channels of communication, strengthen relations and enhance mission efficiency It was a busy day on Monday for Consul-Generals and Honorary Consuls representing at least 18 foreign countries as they attended two important meetings in Phuket, both gearing towards improving communication channels among themselves and the Thai authorities. In the morning about 17 Consul-Generals and Honorary Consuls, who are mostly covering Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi, had a friendly session with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Protocol Department at the Adamas Resort and Spa on Nai Yang beach. The session was chaired by the Chief of Protocol Department, Mr. Bansarn Bunnag. German Ambassador to Thailand, HE Dr. Hanns Heinrich Schumacher was also present. The meeting discussed clear channels of communication, both in normal times, but with contingency plans in case of emergencies, following international practice. The meeting was shown what's called a 'Phuket Model' design with concise channel of contacts and communication in the wake of any needs to handle stressful situations. The Thai Chief of Protocol told the international representatives that the ministry designated the Chief of the Passport Office in Phuket, Thanawat Sirikul, as the first contact person in the Andaman ... - Consuls General iftar Dinner,August 2010 - Little Caesar & the Consuls - (My Girl) Sloopy One of many versions of this song (originally by the Vibrations), this was a #1 hit in Canada in July of 1965. It peaked at #50 in the US. This version is slower and more emotional than the McCoys more pop oriented version (retitled Hang on Sloopy) which went to #1 in the US later that same year. - (Part 1 of 2)Call by the Delegates of the 5th Ambassadors/Consuls General and Tourism Directors Rizal Hall, Malacanang Palace July 11, 2009 - Jump Jeremiah - Mike Ford & the Consuls British group formed in the 1950s - my handsome and talented nephew, Geoffrey, was part of the group. - Consuls - Runaway Doo Wop - The evolution of gaming consuls Most of the popular consuls and their prices at retail. Final multimedia project. You'll notice i left out the Wii and computer systems. sorry i was time limited when i made this. - university of pangasinan-phinma consuls of goodwill-muriel's talent single ladies - Massey Hall - Hey Baby, Lets Hang On (Little Ceasar and the Consuls) - Consuls Meeting Following the success of the honorary consuls' meetings in Phuket, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that a nationwide gathering of al honorary consuls will be held at the ministry in Bangkok next month. - The Dancing Consuls Philippine Independence Day Party June 15, 2008, Osaka Japan. Can you find Consul General Garcia? - 24 February 2010 The Society of Foreign Consuls in NY NYSE Euronext Opening Bell. The Society of Foreign Consuls in New York rang The Opening Bell. - 4th Ambassadors'/Consuls' General and Tourism Directors' Tou at the Philippine Consulate - SBC Seychelles: Closure of the Honorary Consuls Conference 22-10-09 - HSE 200 Med Relay - 2010 HS State Meet - Consuls Molly Milborn and Kate Henry's Last HS Swim. - CLANS YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBE FOR 10TH LOBBY AL CONSULS SUBSCRIBE - 5th Ambassadors Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour of the Philippines Join us as we embark on another unforgettable trip to the Philippines: The 5th Ambassadors, Consuls General, and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT) of the Philippines. The one-of-a-kind tour takes place on July 9-17, 2009. For only $1399, inclusive of round trip international airfare, to and from Manila and San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Las Vegas, 3-night hotel accommodations at the Dusit Hotel in Makati with daily breakfast, Dinners with cultural shows and entertainment, city tour of Manila, choice of day tour to famous out of town destinations, business opportunities activities, a visit and lunch at Malacanang Palace with tour of the museum, and a photo opportunity with Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Log on to www.experiencphilippines.ph for more details. - French Military March Marche Garde Consuls - Massey Hall - Hang on Sloopy (Little Ceasar and the Consuls) - Former Consuls SMK Sacred Heart '09 / '10 This video is about former consuls at SMK Sacred Heart Sibu( '09 / '10). This video is ONLY for those who knows about it. - university of pangasinan-phinma consuls of goodwill-edcell's talent beautiful in my eyes - Penang set up Council of Foreign Consuls Komtar, June 1st 2010 - Penang has set up the Council of Foreign Consuls which consist of 19 foreign Hon. Consul, Consul-General and other representatives. At the same time, CM Lim Guan Eng also introduced Khoo Kay Peng and Liew Chin Tong as two of several members who will represent Penang in Kuala Lumpur to promote Penang with all the diplomatic offices. - Green Man - Mike Ford & the Consuls 1960s British group. Lead guitar played by the talented Geoff Rich. - Consul Li, Qing and Consul Zhang, Yan At Davis NewStar Chinese School Chinese New Year Celebration 2010 Video by Xu, Feng - Sri Lankan Consuls urged to counter ill informed charges 19/01/2009 President Rajapakse has called on Sri Lankas Consuls abroad to inform the world of the achievements made towards restoring democracy and freedom in the North. They should do so and counter the ill informed charges being made about the plight of the innocent Tamil people there.. - Los consuls - Governor met Hon Consuls in Phuket (raw video footage of beginning of meeting) International diplomatic representatives in the Andaman region met with Phuket authorities to lay out clear channels of communication, strengthen relations and enhance mission efficiency (story continued from 2 videos of morning meeting) In the afternoon, the group had a meeting with the Phuket authorities, chaired by Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa-Ngob at the Provincial Hall. The Chief of Protocol Department, MFA, his deputy and German Ambassador to Thailand were again present. The governor told the foreign envoys that he will make sure that his Thai officials are efficient and friendly to welcome tourists and visitors starting from the airport, emphasizing safety as a main priority for visitors and residents. Apart from establishing concise channels of communication to facilitate work efficiency, the focal issue in the afternoon centred around cases concerning foreigners in Phuket and how people involved are treated. The Provincial Police Commander Pikad Thantipong reported the number of cases concerned with foreign nationals. It was agreed earlier that the ambassadors, consuls or representatives be notified in writing when such cases occurred. Pol. Major General Pikad however admitted that there may be delays in some cases. He pointed out the comparative figure of fatal cases for foreigners in Phuket, stating that in 2008 there was 61 cases, in 2009 there was 28 cases and this year up to August there was 52 fatal cases. In ... - Little Ceasar & The Consuls - You've Really Got A Hold On Me Oldies - National Security Interview: Pro Consuls Frank Sesno talks with Dana Priest and Admirals James Loy and Charles Abbot about the national security issues facing the next administration. - (Part 2 of 2)Call by the Delegates of the 5th Ambassadors/Consuls General and Tourism Directors Rizal Hall, Malacanang Palace July 11, 2009 twitter about consuls Blogs & Forum blogs and forums about consuls “Archived from groups: rec.games.miniatures.warhammer (More info?) Howdy, with the release of 4th, I've divorced the Angels of Vengeance I had from the DA codex, and turned them into Black Consul” — Black Consuls, force review request - Games-General, “Gideon's Blog. Girl On The Right. Glaivester. Gringo Malo's Blog. HBD Books. Hibernia Girl Press Society. Internet128. Issues & Views - The Blog. Jerry Pournelle. Joanne Jacobs. John Derbyshire. John Ray” — : Blog Articles " Mexican Consuls Increase Budget, “ Rome, Historic Battles, History Blog, World History. The senate, considering that the great difficulty and danger, viz. The Consuls. The Roman consuls, in time of war, took command of the armies. The name of the consul upon whom it devolved to carry” — History Blog " Roman consuls, “TRAINING WORKSHOP AND UPDATES FOR CONSULS OF ECUADOR IN THE UNITED STATES updates are directed towards the Consuls of Ecuador in the United” — Embajada de Ecuador - Washington, DC " Blog Archive, “Dallas Fort Worth Architecture, Urban Development, City Issues, City Planning, Public Policy, Public Affairs, Urban Photos, Skyscrapers, High Rises, Towers, Buildings, Discussion Forum with Chat” — Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum - Dallas Protocol to host, “Re: Update on your consuls. hadji hadji@- New provinces II "Antonio Grilo" amg@- Re: The Plebeian cults of Ceres, Liber and Libera. jmath669642reng@-) Alexander I.C.P.M.. Claudia Aprica Re: Update on your consuls. SFP55@- Re: Praefecti/Hispania” — Forum Romanum, “Website design and marketing firm, serving Orange County, Los Angeles County, blog posts about SEO, search engine optimization, social media optimization, SMO, blogs, audio and video podcasts, mobi sites, google, and social networks” — How much does a website cost?: Facebook and Internet Explorer 8, “Groups: Accreditation Editors, Railway Construction, Regional Consuls, The GrapeVine, Turner & Townsend Groups: Brazil, IT Engineering Projects, Regional Consuls. Hello, I think that besides the forum, we need an agenda. We should” — This Regional Consul Forum | The world-wide leader in planning, “this blog. Email. a friend. Contact. Us. Navigate. Site Map. Tuesday 2nd November 2010. Posts Tarn in the beautiful Hotel des Consuls, right in the centre of the” — Hotel Des Consuls | Gordon Frickers' Blog, “New Phuket governor meets honorary consuls on first day at work Gov Tri Augaradacha pays his respects at the statue of King Rama V in front of Phu” — New Phuket Governor Meets Honorary Consuls On First Day At, similar for consuls - state library - csu libraries - ct state - search tips - boolean operators - the connecticut - state university libraries - connecticut state university - the box - press enter - submit button - indian food - together as one - world health organization - roman consuls - roman republican - head of state - list of roman consuls - free encyclopedia - the roman republic - city states - ancient rome - chief magistrates - first consul - roman consul - consul suffectus - the roman - suffect consul - foreign country - american law - britannica concise encyclopedia - titus flavius vespasi*** - titus flavius domiti*** - tiberius claudius nero - military officers - military command - legal term - classical literature - unanswered questions - roman magistrate - the roman empire - highest office

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Ancient Historical Figures

An EV’s speed controller is the equivalent of the carburetor or fuel-injection system in an ICE vehicle. To control the vehicle’s speed, the controller takes the energy from the battery pack and feeds it to the motor in a regulated manner. Modern controllers do this by pulse-width modulation, taking the full voltage from the battery pack and feeding it to the motor in thousands of tiny on–off pulses per second. The longer the duration, or “width” of the “on” pulses, the more electricity the motor receives and the faster the vehicle moves. Because the pulses are so tiny, the process feels completely smooth to the driver. EVs can have AC motors or DC motors, and each needs its own kind of controller. In EVs with AC motors, an AC controller must first convert the DC from the batteries into AC before feeding it to the motor. How does the controller know how much energy to give the motor? The potbox tells it. This linear potentiometer is a sensor that produces a resistance output proportional to its displacement or position. It responds to the driver’s foot pressure on the throttle pedal and sends a corresponding signal to the controller. The throttle pedal in an EV works just as it does in an ICE vehicle—the more you depress it, the faster you go. The motor is the brawn of the EV, converting electrical energy from the batteries into mechanical energy to propel the vehicle. Instead of invisible electrons flowing through wires, we now have rotating components. It’s the relationship between electricity and magnetism that enables the motor to do work. Passing electricity through a wire creates a magnetic field around the wire. By winding wire in a motor and running electricity through it, magnetic poles that repel each other are created, causing the shaft of the motor to spin. If the EV has regenerative braking, the motor can also act as a generator. When the vehicle is coasting or braking, the momentum of the car drives the motor—rather than the motor driving the car. The magnetic fields induce current in the wires, the flip side of the process described above. The electricity flows backward through the controller (which rectifies it from AC back into DC) and into the battery pack. This process also creates drag on the motor—the “braking” part of regenerative braking, which is very similar to what happens in an ICE car when you lift your foot off the throttle in a low gear. Though it’s an intrinsic part of AC drive systems, regenerative braking is more rare in DC systems, where a special controller and extra wiring are required to allow the motor to serve as a generator. The energy output from the spinning shaft of the motor now needs to reach the drive wheels. On a very small EV, the motor might drive the wheels directly, but with full-size vehicles, at least one level of gear reduction is necessary to reduce the revolutions per minute (rpm) of the motor to a usable speed at the wheels. A “direct-drive” vehicle will have a single gear reduction, which might be a gearbox or a belt-and-pulley arrangement. No shifting is necessary. This is common with AC motors that have upper limits of 8,000 to 13,000 rpm. DC motors with limits of about 5,000 to 6,000 rpm usually use the same kind of multiple-gear manual transmissions found in ICE cars. In EVs with manual transmissions, the clutch is usually retained and works the same as in an ICE vehicle.

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Technological Processes and Materials

Towards the end of the XIXth century, the Eaton’s and Simpson’s department stores in Toronto and, slightly later, that of Dupuis Frères in Montreal, published magnificent catalogues which were distributed practically everywhere in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. Some stores went so far as to publish a special Christmas catalogue. This new way of shopping, by mail-order, turned consumers’ habits upside down. From now on they could buy their gifts in advance without having to wait for the frantic rush in the last days before Christmas. This new sales promotion tool also reached a completely different clientele in rural areas. Dupuis Frères (the only Montreal department store managed by French Canadians) used this sales method to make massive inroads in retail sales, betting quite rightly on the loyalty of Quebec Francophones. Canadian Heritage Information Network Mission de la recherche et de la technologie, Direction des Musées de France, Musée de la civilisation, Provincial Museum of Alberta, Musée national des arts et traditions populaires, Département de l'organisation des systèmes d'information,

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Historical Narratives and Artifacts

|Catechism of the Catholic Church| IntraText - Text IN THE AGE OF THE CHURCH 2623 On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of the Promise was poured out on the disciples, gathered "together in one place."92 While awaiting the Spirit, "all these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer."93 The Spirit who teaches the Church and recalls for her everything that Jesus said94 was also to form her in the life of prayer. 2624 In the first community of Jerusalem, believers "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and the prayers."95 This sequence is characteristic of the Church's prayer: founded on the apostolic faith; authenticated by charity; nourished in the Eucharist. 2625 In the first place these are prayers that the faithful hear and read in the Scriptures, but also that they make their own - especially those of the Psalms, in view of their fulfillment in Christ.96 The Holy Spirit, who thus keeps the memory of Christ alive in his Church at prayer, also leads her toward the fullness of truth and inspires new formulations expressing the unfathomable mystery of Christ at work in his Church's life, sacraments, and mission. These formulations are developed in the great liturgical and spiritual traditions. the forms of prayer revealed in the apostolic and canonical Scriptures remain normative for Christian prayer.

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Bible Study and Lessons

The study was carried out by researcher Rosa Binimelis of the UAB Institute of Environmental Science and Technology. Binimelis is working on the European project ALARM (Assessing Large Scale Risks for Biodiversity with Tested Methods) and analyses the application of the concept of coexistence between Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and conventional organic agriculture in the European Union. The results of the research have been published in the Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics (April 2008). Since GM cultivation was introduced in Thus the concept of coexistence, after applying technical measures, should make it possible to operate freely in the market while reducing the political conflicts linked to GMOs. The European Commission is planning this year to evaluate how the policy of coexistence has been implemented in the past ten years.

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Agricultural Research and Innovations

- Reading Rockets: Classroom Strategies (MUST SEE includes teacher examples) The classroom strategy section is designed to share with teachers what research suggests are the most effective ways to build fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing skills. Not ESL specific, see Colorin Colorado for ESL bilingual, but helpful strategies. Well organized, includes teacher examples. You can submit your own. in Literacy > Reading Strategies - 6+1 Trait® Spanish Writing Scoring Guides 6+1 Trait® Spanish Writing- Rúbricas para la evaluación The 6+1 Trait Spanish Writing model is not a direct translation of the 6+1 Trait (English) Writing Model. While some aspects and traits of English and Spanish correspond, not all do. This model is intended for native Spanish speakers who are not fluent in English, yet need to learn the basic principles of writing without the additional challenge of being forced to use an unfamiliar language. Read examples of real student papers that have been assessed with the 6+1 Trait scoring guides. in Bilingual Resourses > Bilingual Literacy - Brent Loken Student Videos Brent Loken's website with student videos from his classes. Links to related articles and blogs that support creative, student-centered, project-based learning. in Student Projects - FlamingText.com Examples in Technology by 3 users examples from all users

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ASL & Language Instruction

March 1996 – The United Kingdom's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the main government agency responsible for licensing U.K. embryo research, issues its first license for human embryonic stem cell research to the University of Edinburgh's Institute for Stem Cell Research. February 1997 – Ian Wilmut and other scientists from Scotland's Roslin Institute announce the creation of the sheep Dolly, the world's first successful clone of an adult mammal. March 1997 – Don P. Wolf and a team of researchers at the federally-funded Oregon National Primate Research Center announce that they have produced rhesus monkeys from cloned embryos, the first successful use of cloning-related technology in primates. March 1997 – Citing the technology used to create Dolly as raising "profound ethical issues," President Clinton prohibits the allocation of federal funds for human cloning. June 1997 – The Group of Eight, consisting of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom, adopts a resolution agreeing on "the need for appropriate domestic measures and close international cooperation to prohibit the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer to create a child." November 1997 – UNESCO adopts the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights. Article 11 specifically prohibits the reproductive cloning of human beings. January 1998 – Physicist Richard Seed announces he has formed a team to attempt human cloning before the advent of legislation banning the technology. January 1998 – The Council of Europe amends its Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine to prohibit reproductive and therapeutic cloning of human beings. To date, the revised convention has been ratified and implemented by 14 countries. January 1998 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration claims authority to regulate, and pre-approve, experiments involving human cloning in the United States. June 1998 – Michigan becomes the first state to enact a law prohibiting human cloning. November 1998 – Two separate teams of scientists, one led by James A. Thomson of the University of Wisconsin and Joseph Itskovitz-Eldor of Israel's Rambam Medical Center, the other by John D. Gearhart of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, announce that they have successfully isolated human embryonic stem cells for the first time. November and December 1998 – In claims greeted with skepticism, researchers at Advanced Cell Technology in Massachusetts and Kyunghee University Hospital in South Korea separately announce the successful creation of the first cloned human embryos. Neither organization has ever provided proof to verify their claims. November 2000 – Japan becomes the first Asian country to pass comprehensive legislation outlawing human reproductive cloning. January 2001 – Italian fertility specialist Severino Antinori and U.S. scientist Panayiotis Zavos provoke world-wide condemnation following the announcement of their goal to be the first scientists to clone a human being. January 2001 – Gerald P. Schatten and a team of researchers at the federally-funded Oregon National Primate Research Center create a rhesus monkey named "ANDi," the world's first genetically altered primate. July 2001 – The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Human Cloning Prohibition Act to outlaw both reproductive and therapeutic cloning, but the bill dies in the Senate, the closest any national ban has yet come to enactment in America. August 2001 – President Bush restricts federally funded human embryonic stem cell research to existing stem cell lines. The announcement receives criticism both from pro-life advocates opposed to any use of human embryos and from health and research advocates who claim that it will severely limit the development of treatments for various diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and juvenile diabetes. November 2001 – Scientists at Massachusetts-based Advanced Cell Technology announce that they have successfully created human embryos using the process of somatic cell nuclear transfer. December 2001 – Britain passes the Human Reproductive Cloning Act, outlawing reproductive cloning. December 2001 – The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution creating a committee to address the issues of reproductive and therapeutic cloning. March 2002 – An article published in the Wall Street Journal details various advances in human cloning research being carried out in China. Chinese scientists, led by Lu Guangxiu of Xiangya Medical College, have been successfully cloning human embryos for two years while Sheng Huizen of Shanghai No. 2 Medical University has created embryonic stem cells from human-animal hybrids. September 2002 – California becomes the first state to approve a law legalizing therapeutic cloning. October 2003 – Both Costa Rica and Belgium introduce competing resolutions addressing cloning in a United Nations committee. The Costa Rican resolution, backed by the United States and 43 other countries, calls for an international treaty banning all cloning while the resolution sponsored by Belgium and 13 other countries seeks a treaty that would allow for the possibility of cloning for research. In December, the General Assembly moved to address the issue in its Autumn 2004 session. December 2003 – Clonaid, the biotechnology company founded by the leader of the Raelian religious movement, announces the birth of its first successful clone, a girl, Eve, but provides no proof to substantiate its claims. January 2004 – China and South Korea each adopt regulations that would ban reproductive cloning but would permit human embryo cloning for research. February 2004 – Veterinary professor Hwang Woo-suk of Seoul National University in South Korea and a team of researchers announce that they have succeeded in cloning human embryos and extracting stem cells from them. May 2004 – Singapore unveils a draft law that would allow embryo cloning for research but would ban attempts at reproductive cloning, providing a maximum possible penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of S$100,000. May 2004 – The world's first embryonic stem cell bank opens in Britain. The government's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority also announces that a developer of one of the bank's stem cell lines, the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life, has filed the first-ever application for permission to conduct therapeutic cloning research. The HFEA has yet to issue a license for therapeutic cloning. Alexander Cohen put together this timeline.

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Medical Topics

17 entries found for ball. The first 10 are listed below. To select an entry, click on it. Main Entry: 1ball Etymology: Middle English bal "ball" 1 a: something round or roundish <a ball of twine> b: a usually round object used in a game or sport c: a usually round shot for a firearm d: the rounded bulge at the base of the thumb; also: the rounded wide part of the bottom of the human foot between the toes and arch 2: a game or sport (as baseball) played with a ball <play ball> 3: a pitched baseball that fails to pass through the strike zone and is not struck at by the batter

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Sports and Recreational Activities

The riveting stories of two former slaves Recently surfaced manuscripts recount the rigors of both slavery and freedom. "Slave narratives, some of the most powerful records of our past, are extremely rare," David Blight tells us on the first page of A Slave No More. Only 55 post-Civil War narratives exist and of these, Blight notes, "a mere handful" are first-person accounts by slaves who ran away and freed themselves.Skip to next paragraph Subscribe Today to the Monitor So it is remarkable indeed that two such accounts should now surface – and almost at the same moment. Both had been handed down over the years by family and friends and both finally landed in the lap of Blight, who is director of Yale University's Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition. Even for Blight, with his expertise in the field, these manuscripts were a revelation. Reading them, he says, "I have come to understand emancipation as never before." "A Slave No More" contains both the unedited manuscripts and analysis by Blight, which gives the manuscripts context and offers additional information about the lives of the narrators, John Washington and Wallace Turnage. As far as is known, Washington and Turnage never met. They have much in common – yet there is also much that divides them. Washington was an urban slave, living in Fredericksburg, Va. He was 24 on the day in April 1862, when he slipped across Union Army lines and won his freedom. Turnage was a field hand on an Alabama cotton plantation. Four times he attempted escape and finally, on his fifth try in 1864, he succeeded in reaching the Union Army in Mobile Bay. Both men had white fathers, although Turnage knew his while Washington did not. Both men went on to live for many years as free men. Washington settled in Washington, D.C., and became a house painter, enjoying a reasonably comfortable life. Turnage had a more hardscrabble existence in New York City, where he worked as a watchman, waiter, and other occupations. Their narratives are powerful and poignant and help to fill in the cracks of history in voices too rarely heard. Washington describes the day the Union Army marched toward the Rappahannock River. Every white person in Fredericksburg, he says, was in the streets, attempting to flee, while all the black people were "out on the house top looking over the River at the Yankees for their glistening bayonets could Easily be seen." Inside, Washington writes, "I could not begin to Express my new born hopes, for I felt already like I was certain of My freedom Now." When he crossed the river and met the Union soldiers, one asked him where his master was. In the Rebel Navy, he replied. "Well you don't belong to anybody then," the soldiers told him, explaining that two days earlier the District of Columbia had freed its slaves. "I did not know what to say for I was dumb with joy and could only thank God and laugh." Both men's narratives depict the ugliness of slavery, but Turnage's experience was far harsher than Washington's. Washington recalls, as a small boy, waiting all day for the commands of an elderly white woman, even as he could see other children playing outdoors. But Turnage was whipped and beaten in the fields. He was also, for a time, forced to work in an auction house, where he saw his fellow slaves flogged, chained, cataloged, and sold. Yet he begins his account: "I do not mean to speak disparagingly of those who sold me, nor of those who bought me. Though I seen a hard time, it had an attendency to make a man of me." While nothing can match the power of the men's own words, Blight's commentary does much to round out the portrait of the slave and former-slave experience. He tells of the "contraband colonies" that for many former slaves were the first stop after escape. He notes the eagerness of even the best-treated slaves to find their freedom, quoting a Georgia slave owner who confessed, "Those we loved best, and who loved us best – as we thought, were the first to leave us." He also describes the netherworld of urban blight through which many former slaves – Turnage included – struggled to make their way after emancipation. Washington offers a heartbreaking account of being separated from his mother as a boy. The night before, she came to his bed. "Her tears mingled with mine amid kisses and heart felt sorrow ... I would rather die" than leave her. Both Turnage and Washington did eventually reunite with their mothers. Of Turnage's mother, Blight writes, "her story, like her son's so ordinary and yet so extraordinary, makes us wish we could know her even better." Readers will agree – and yet will also be powerfully grateful for the fascinating bits and pieces that they are given here.

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Historical Events and Figures

Start Your Visit WithHistorical Timelines General Interest Maps Al Capone was born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 17, 1899, to Neapolitan immigrants Gabriel and Teresa Caponi. Originally named Alphonse Caponi, his name was Americanized to "Al Capone." In 1904, at the age of five, young Alphonse started his school career at Public School 7 in Brooklyn. School was tough for Capone. The teachers were not tolerant of immigrant children and often used physical force as a means of discipline. Capone always had a problem with authority, and by the time he entered sixth grade, his grades began to drop drastically. At 14, Capone started a fist fight with a teacher, was expelled, and never returned to school again. Shortly after he was expelled, his father moved the family to 21 Garfield Place, in the neighborhood that would influence the direction of Capone's life and ultimately, his future. Capone joined two local street gangs, the Brooklyn Rippers and the Forty Thieves Juniors. Among the members were Johnny Torrio and Lucky Luciano. As a young man, Capone held many odd jobs, from a candy store clerk to a bowling alley pinboy. Capone entered organized crime when he went to work for gangster Frankie Yale, at his club the Harvard Inn. It was here that Capone received his nickname, “Scarface,” after being attacked by a man for insulting his sister. It also was here that Capone was arrested for the first time. While attending a dance in 1918, Capone met Mary “Mae” Coughlin. On December 4, 1918, she gave birth to their son, Albert “Sonny” Francis. Shortly after, they were married and Capone moved his family to Chicago. Once in Chicago, Capone went to work for Johnny Torrio, an influential lieutenant in the Colosimo Mob. Soon after, the leader, Big Jim Colosimo, was murdered and Johnny Torrio took over with Capone at his side. By 1922 Capone had become a full partner with Torrio in his gambling houses, saloons, and brothels. In 1925, after being seriously wounded, Torrio retired and Capone became boss. By then, rival gang members considered Capone ruthless, and posed little threat to his plans for taking over the Chicago “racketeering rights.” Any rival gang posing a threat to his plans was either destroyed, or diminished greatly in size, leaving full reign to Capone. Between 1925 and 1930, Capone controlled the majority of Chicago's vice industry, including speakeasies, bookie joints, brothels, horse and race tracks, gambling houses and distilleries. His reported income was estimated to be $100 million a year. Along with all his illegal holdings, Capone also held a large interest in Chicago's largest cleaning and dyeing plant chain. Although Capone was responsible for several murders, he always had an alibi and was usually out of town when the killings occurred. The most notorious killing was committed on February 14, 1929, which became known as “The St. Valentine's Day Massacre.” Capone ordered four of his men, dressed in police uniforms, to enter a garage on North Clark street. This was the headquarters of George “Bugs” Moran's bootleg operations and North Side Gang. When the Moran gang dropped their guns and put their hands against the wall, Capone's men gunned them down. Six Moran gang members and an innocent friend were shot. Moran, who was the intended target, was across the street at the time. Although Capone both ordered and committed murders himself, he also had another side. Shortly after the stock market crash of 1929, he opened soup kitchens and arranged for local merchants to give away food and clothing to needy people, at his own expense. Due to gangland's traditional refusal to press charges, Capone was neither charged nor tried for many of his crimes. In 1926 he was arrested for murdering three people, spent the night in jail and then was released due to lack of evidence. Capone's first jail sentence was in May 1929, but he was charged only for carrying a gun. By 1930, Capone topped Chicago's list of the 28 worst criminals and designated as “Public Enemy Number One.” In 1931, after years of criminal activity, Capone was indicted on twenty-three counts of income tax evasion. Judge James H. Wilkerson found him guilty on five of the twenty-three counts and sentenced him to 10 years in federal prison and fines in the amount of $50,000. He also was sentenced to one year in county jail for an earlier contempt-of-court charge. In May 1932, Capone was sent to Atlanta State Prison, where he quickly established himself as a kingpin within the prison and began taking control. In order to stop his influence, he was transferred to Alcatraz to finish out his sentence. Alcatraz was cut off from the rest of the world, and with no other gang members residing there, Capone soon found there was nothing over which to gain control. Capone tried to earn time off for good behavior by becoming the model prisoner. During his stay at Alcatraz, Capone began to show signs of syphilitic dementia and spent the balance of his felony sentence in the hospital. On January 6, 1939, he was transferred to Terminal Island to carry out his misdemeanor sentence. On November 16, 1939, Capone was released from prison. After a short stay in the hospital, Capone returned to his home in Palm Island, Florida, to spend the rest of his life in peace and quiet. Due to his dementia, his mind was rapidly deteriorating and he was no longer strong enough to run the outfit. On January 21, 1947, Capone suffered an apoplectic stroke and was hospitalized. On January 24, pneumonia set in and Capone died the next day. Capone was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery between the graves of his father and brother until March 1950, when the remains of all three were moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery on the far West Side of Chicago. ---- Selected Quotes ---- Quotes by Al Capone. You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone. I make my money by supplying a public demand. If I break the law, my customers, who number hundreds of the best people in Chicago, are as guilty as I am. Everybody calls me a racketeer. I call myself a businessman. Comment in 1925 - - - Books You May Like Include: ---- Cicero Revisited by Douglas Deuchler. Strategically located seven miles west of Chicago’s Loop, multifaceted Cicero is one of the oldest and largest municipalities in Illinois. In the late... Only Yesterday by Frederick L. Allen. Prohibition. Al Capone. The President Harding scandals. The revolution of manners and morals, Black Tuesday. These are only an inkling of the events a... Get Capone: The Secret Plot That Captured America's Most Wanted Gangster by Jonathan Eig. Based on newly released government documents and wiretaps, Get Capone tells the story how the nation's most-wanted criminal was really caught. This bo...

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Historical and Genealogical Records

Small businesses are starting smaller and staying smaller. That’s the conclusion of a study released by entrepreneurship advocate Kauffman Foundation. “Starting Smaller; Staying Smaller: America’s Slow Leak in Job Creation” said its analysis of government data shows that since the middle of the last decade and perhaps longer, the growth path and survival rate of new businesses means they are generating fewer new jobs. The businesses that started in 2009, for example, are on course to create 1 million fewer jobs in the next decade than historical averages would predict, the study says. The trend started long before the Great Recession and is likely to continue into the future, the study says. That trend signals an important shift for the U.S. economy, which needs to create a minimum of 125,000 new jobs a month merely to keep up with adult population growth. The Kauffman research distinguishes between numbers of businesses and numbers of businesses that have employees. Citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the study found that the number of new employer businesses has fallen 27% since 2006. The total number of startups (employer businesses and self-employed) has increased since the recession, according to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity. But “firms that support only the self-employed owner do not scale to generate the new jobs needed to support overall economic growth.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics says startups created about 4.65 million new jobs annually from 1997 to 2000 compared to 2.5 million in 2010, the study notes. The Census sets the drop off from 7 million jobs in 2006 to 4.5 million in 2009. Part of the decline is that about 27% fewer businesses with employees are being started, the study says. A second significant factor is that new small-business survival has declined. Before the recession, 45% to 50% of new businesses survived five years, the study says. Now fewer than 45% of businesses started in 2004 were still in business in 2009. And a third factor is that new businesses are hiring fewer employees than in the past. In the 1990s, new establishments opened with an average of 7.5 jobs. By 2010, the number of jobs at the average startup was 4.9 jobs, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. And those businesses that survive never accelerate their hiring to make up for their smaller initial staffs, the study says. So over their lifetimes, these businesses created fewer jobs. The study does not address why businesses are making do with fewer workers. Are they using technology instead of human labor? Are they doing work that requires fewer employees? Do minimum wage laws and health insurance mandates affect staffing levels? The study concludes: “In many cases, companies or individuals that once would have been hired as employees of a business now are performing the work on a temporary basis as contractors through other professional service organizations or under their own self-employment contracts. … No matter how laudable their individual efforts, these sole proprietors… are not likely ever to be major employers. “The clear challenge for the U.S. economy instead is to start more employer businesses, ensure that they are starting larger, and nurture their growth.” The study doesn’t suggest how. Click here to read the entire report. Want the latest on small business? Text OCRSMALLBIZ to 56654 to get free news alerts for small businesses. Other business stories…

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Childrens Educational Resources

How to grow a reader Tips for turning a fledgling reader into a voracious one. By Peg Tyre Once your child has figured out how to decode words and can actually read in a sustained way, then a chunk of his schooling should be focused on helping him squeeze meaning and richness out of the experience. You may remember the whole-language ideas about exposing kids to print through fiction, poetry, newspapers, and drama? It is the wrong way to teach kids to read. But getting kids excited about the written word is a great way to turn fledgling readers into voracious readers. And here's where all parents should step up to the plate. You've been reading to your child, great. Don't stop. Books on tape in the car work, too. But now that she is a reader, surround her with print. Get a newspaper delivered. Get her a library card and make the library a regular stop, like the grocery store and the dry cleaner. And get over your view of what "proper" book reading looks like — fiction, nonfiction, comic books, how-tos, mysteries, sports biographies, magazines about current events, fast cars, sleek airplanes, or video gaming. Open the door wide. Find ways to bring what she is reading into the conversation. Ask questions like: What kind of book is it? What is the setting? What happens? What do you like/not like about the way the author writes? Word by word Similar but more formal versions of this should be happening at school, but parents can reinforce this learning at home. Watch for it. If your child is reading and sampling a wide enough variety of material, he will be encountering a lot of words in print that he doesn't know. He should be able to sound out unfamiliar words. First, encourage him to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words from their context, for example, what could propulsion mean based on the words that came before and after it? Then, see if he can tease out the meaning of the word by finding its root. For instance, the word propel is hidden in propulsion and gives a strong hint for the meaning of the word. Teachers help students build comprehension through the systemic study of words. Yes, weekly vocabulary words. Kids who study words — by this I mean systematically learning their meanings — have larger vocabularies but are also better readers. It's not too effective for the teacher to hand out a list of ten words and have kids look them up and then take a test. They need to hear the words, see them, speak them, and write them that week and in the weeks that follow. Word lists alone, though, aren't enough. Kids encounter an average of three thousand new words a year — more than eight a day. Unless the entire school day is going to be given over to word study (and no one thinks this is a good idea), teachers must instruct children on how to shave off chunks of an unfamiliar word and tease out its meaning by studying suffixes, prefixes, and the meaning of common root words. Comprehension, fluency, and stamina should be growing steadily stronger as your child moves through school. Schools need to ensure that happens. So do parents. Do your part.

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Literacy and Reading Activities

Seeing wildlife when on a camp out can be a real highlight of your adventure. These sightings can be a real treat but can also be dangerous. Attacks by mountain lions on humans have happened but are rare. Knowing what to do when you’re caught in this situation is very important. Mountain lions are also known as pumas, panthers, or cougars. Another name for them is catamount. These creatures are shy and isolated so they are seldom seen. If you happen to come upon one of these cougars, think smart. Cluster together with your hiking companions, representing yourself as a big, noisy group. If you’re hiking alone, extend your arms or pack up as high as you can so you look bigger. Wave your trekking poles and shout. Never run or bend down as this will make you look like prey. Call children to come next to you. These cats roam anywhere from central Canada down to Patagonia. They can be anywhere from sea level up to the high alpine areas. They can survive from swamps to forests to timberline. The female will fiercely protect its young. Don’t even approach that darling, little kitten. Back away slowly if you happen to come upon an adult or baby. If the cat continues to follow you, throw sticks or rocks while backing away. A camper’s fear of mountain lions is unjustified. They’re not going to come and get you in your tent while you sleep. These animals are rarely seen, but you may be able to catch a fleeting glimpse of one. Even though sightings are rare, be sure to use caution at all times. These cats’ stealth and adaptability allow them to survive well in a wide environment. They’ve been known to jump 20 feet in one leap. The puma creeps up on its prey until it’s close enough to leap upon it. Their diet consists of deer, rabbits, turkeys, and grouse. Juvenile cats are trying to establish their territory while the mother cats will protect their young. My own personal sightings have occurred in areas with an abundance of young rabbits. My sightings have been in the morning hours or at dusk. When my wife and I were in the High Uintahs, we witnessed a Canadian Lynx. It was in an area where lots of naïve, young cottontail rabbits abound.

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Mammals and Conservation

A new anti-bullying program combats an ever increasing issue among Utah schoolchildren: bullied because of body-size issues, either being overweight or underweight, a University of Utah study released Sunday concluded. Maya Miyairi, a College of Health doctorate-candidate student, said that a survey found a 7 percent decrease in reports of students being bullied after the new, eight-week anti-bullying program. Miyairi said that now is more important than ever for kids to understand body-image and racial issues related to bullying, citing a recent suicide by a Taylorsville teen. Family members said David Phan, who shot himself in front of peers two months ago, could not deal with the bullying and the burden of being a gay Asian student in a school they believe did not support him. Miyairi created the new anti-bullying program specifically to address these issues. "It's important for [students] to understand the media messages and how our society views men and women," Miyairi said Sunday. "Those students were not too young to be educated about treating everyone equally regardless of appearance, color of skin, or body size." The new program met with applause from other counseling professionals. Miyairi conducted the new program at the beginning of the school year at Albion Middle School in Sandy. "Middle school is such a difficult time for most students and weight-body image concerns make this time even more challenging," said Albion counselor Cathy Nelson in an email. "This program's goals were to address weight-related bullying and to empower students with the confidence that they are beautiful just the way they are. This is a message that all students need, and need often." At the beginning of the program, 41 percent of students reported experiencing bullying, while 34 percent did so after the two-month program. Moises Prospero, a Utah research consultant on criminal and social justice issues with a doctorate in social work, said many students take their messages about the body from the media. "People don't remember how many factors are related to body images and the role models being pushed upon our children," said Prospero, who was a mentor of Miyairi. "The social norm has been females anorexic looking and males extremely muscular, but now we're seeing some of the men being extremely thin." "The message is it's your fault if you're overweight or underweight because we're an individualistic culture," Prospero said. "But we've taken away PE, there are preservatives in food, and we have these extreme views of what is the look of health ⦠rather than the mental health of the individual. Maya's intervention is trying to address those issues." Miyairi, who is finishing up her research for a doctorate in health promotion and education, said her program highlights the gap between what children know about bullying and how they actually behave in school around peers. "We're educating the kids that this is not acceptable and to become leaders for others," Miyairi said. "We want to teach empathy as a core value. We tell the students: Next year, new students will come here and copy what you do now." Miyairi, who came to Utah from her native Japan, said a significant component of her program includes healthy communication skills. "We role-play," she said. "The students are shy at first but then they get into it. They learn how to express their emotions in healthy ways." Albion Middle School does not have more of a bullying issue than other schools, Miyairi said, but school officials were open to her conducting her research an openness that is not always easy to find. Albion Middle School has other anti-bullying programs: anti-bullying lessons, Internet safety/cyber-bullying lessons, and anti-bullying video clips delivered through home-room classes.  "We are so fortunate to be able to partner with Maya and the University of Utah to provide this intervention program for our students," Nelson said. "With only two counselors for 900 students, it's wonderful to take advantage of as many resources as possible to address the needs of our students." Before pursuing her doctorate, Miyairi worked for four years at Avalon Hills in Logan, where she helped treat those with eating disorders. "I'm hoping more school districts and researchers can work together," said Miyairi, who will get her doctorate sometime this summer. "My next plan is to expand this project to educate parents, teachers and school administrators. If we create a nonjudgmental environment in the community, I believe bullying incidents will be reduced." People in need of help with bullying or other issues can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Utah CrisisLine 1-801-587-3000. New anti-bullying program As part of her University of Utah doctorate thesis, Maya Miyairi created a two-month anti-bullying program designed to address issues not often found in such programs: ideal-body image, body esteem and racial issues, among others. Her study at a Utah middle school measured students' perceptions on teasing as well as bullying experiences, which decreased by 7 percent after the program. The new anti-bullying program had the following schedule. Week 1: Introduction and ground rules. Week 2: Helping students claiming their strengths. Week 3: Core values such as empathy. Week 4: How the media manipulates ideal-body images. Week 5: Media literacy and how it stigmatizes weight. Week 6 & 7: Role playing to foster healthy communication. Week 8: Students finishing by creating bullying-awareness posters.

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Autism and Related Conditions

Stretching from Céadaoin an Spiaire to Máirt Chásca, there are enough special days surrounding Easter to give a specific Irish name for each day of the week. Since there are already several forms for each day, aside from Easter usage, let’s look at them grouped together in a chart. That will enable us to focus on changes like initial mutation (séimhiú, urú), h-prefixation, and endings (an tuiseal ginideach) Even for ordinary purposes, each day has at least two forms, one for the day as a subject or concept (like “An Luan,” Monday, lit. “the” Monday) and one used to say when something is happening (like “Dé Luain,” lit. “on the day of” Monday). This chart has four columns, the first one giving forms that would rarely occur on their own. For these, I have followed the linguistic practice of putting a réiltín in front of them. It’s not that these forms are completely hypothetical (as we might find in historical linguistic reconstruction), it’s just that they would almost always be part of a two-word phrase, sometimes an even longer phrase. From this “root,” we get the subject form (An Luan), and, by following genitive case rules, we get the preposition form (Dé Luain). Hmmm, you might ask, why genitive case (possessive) rules when using a preposition phrase? It’s because “Dé,” when preceding a day of the week, functions as a preposition but is really a noun. This “Dé” comes from the word “dia” (note lower-case), which is an alternate word for “day” in Irish, now somewhat archaic, or, we could say, fossilized. This process is much like what happens with “cois” in the phrase “cois na tine,” where “cois” (from “cos,” foot, leg) is really a noun but functions like a preposition, resulting in the meaning “by the fire” (lit. “at the foot of the fire”). Some of the words in the chart will also be changed if they’re in a prepositional phrase starting with “ar an,” as in “ar an gCéadaoin” (lit. on “the” Wednesday). Ulster Irish will have lenition in these cases (Chéadaoin). Unlike “lá,” which seems to be unique in the Indo-European panorama of languages (except for Scottish Gaelic “latha” and Manx “laa”), the word “dia”/”dé” is a cognate to other European words for “day,” such as “dies,” “dydd,” “tag,” and even “day” itself (plus, less directly, “jour” from Latin “diurnus”). So, somewhat unusually, the word “lá” isn’t used in the names of the days of the week. But you probably noticed that already! The “dia” form of “day” also shows up in the old spellings of the Irish words for “today” and “yesterday,” which are “indiu” and “indé.” So here’s the chart. Hope you find it helpful. There are additional notes for three of the terms below. |“Root”||Subject Form||“Dé” Form (w “tuiseal ginideach” ending)||“ar an” Form||Easter Terms| |*Domhnach||An Domhnach||Dé Domhnaigh||ar an Domhnach||Domhnach Cásca| |*Luan||An Luan||Dé Luain||ar an Luan||Luan Cásca| |*Máirt||An Mháirt||Dé Máirt||ar an Máirt, alt., ar an Mháirt (U)||Máirt Chásca (2)| |*Céadaoin||An Chéadaoin||Dé Céadaoin, or alt., Dé Céadaoine (U)||ar an gCéadaoin, alt. ar an Chéadaoin (U)||Céadaoin an Spiaire, (? Céadaoin Naofa) (3)| |*Déardaoin||An Déardaoin||Déardaoin (1)||ar an Déardaoin, ar Déardaoin||Déardaoin (na) Mandála| |*Aoine||An Aoine||Dé hAoine (h-prefix)||ar an Aoine||Aoine an Chéasta| |*Satharn||An Satharn||Dé Sathairn||ar an Satharn, alt. ar an tSatharn (U)||Satharn Cásca| 1) Although it’s not often explicitly stated, “Dé” is not needed before “Déardaoin” because it’s already built into the word. Having said that, a recent Google search brought up about 300 hits for “Déardaoin” with “Dé” in front of it! Either the usage is changing, or these are all just slip-ups. Bhur mbarúlacha, a léitheoirí? 2) I noted last year (http://blogs.transparent.com/irish/?s=Eastertide) that I found no instances of “Máirt Chásca” being used online for “Easter Tuesday,” but, interestingly, this year I found three hits. The three are duplicates (sigh!) and all refer to the founding of the Kilkenny branch of the Gaelic League in 1897. However else the phrase may be used or not used, it’s interesting to note this designation as opposed to just saying “April 20th,” which was the date of Easter Tuesday in 1897, if http://www.easterbunny.com/date-of-easter/easter-date-for-1897.html serves me right. Go raibh maith agat, a Choinín Cásca! An ceann ponc com, that is! Of course, there is a long-standing tradition in both Irish and British writing of dating certain events by referring to a holiday, instead of a date, as in the réamhráite of “An Fear Eagair,” in Myles na gCopaleen’s parody An Béal Bocht being written on “Lá an Ghátair” [Day of Distress] and “Lá an Luain” [Day of Doom]. Or, more straightforwardly, the preface to C. S. Lewis’s That Hideous Strength, dated “Christmas Eve, 1943.” It’s not a practice I’ve seen used much in American literature. As for the general significance of Easter Tuesday, as noted last year, I still see it listed as a public holiday in just one place, An Tasmáin. There it is described as a “restricted public holiday currently observed by certain awards/agreements and the State Public Service (http://www.wst.tas.gov.au/employment_info/public_holidays). Suimiúil! A New Zealand site (http://www.principalskit.org.nz/support-staff/) discusses Easter Tuesday as a potential holiday for employees of New Zealand Educational Institute, but they must have served 10 years and they must incorporate it into their annual leave. I don’t quite get that last bit, but I guess it doesn’t really matter. Suffice it to say that Easter Tuesday may have greater recognition elsewhere than seems apparent in 21st-century America. Many American school districts simply make their Spring Break surround Easter and avoid all discussion as to whether the break has anything to do with Easter at all. 3) There are plenty of references to the Wednesday before Easter being called “Céadaoin an Spiaire” (Wednesday of the Spy) in Irish, but for “Céadaoin Naofa” (the presumed form for “Holy Wednesday”), my search online turned up one questionable reference (in a very mixed-up hybrid site) and in dictionaries I found nothing. As I understand it, the term “Spy Wednesday” has been changed to “Holy Wednesday,” but I simply don’t find much evidence of this usage in Irish and I also can’t find an exact year for the change. Vatican II? If it were that long ago, I’d expect to find more evidence of “Céadaoin Naofa” online. Maybe I’m just barking up the wrong tree, but between Google searches, online dictionaries and hard-copy dictionaries, I usually find some evidence of what I’m looking for, vocabulary-wise. Of course, I always try to build on what I’ve heard and read in everyday usage for years, but I do like to check these sources for more specific information. Btw, I also found nothing under the old spelling, which would be “Céadaoin Naomhtha,” but of course, the formal date of the change, assuming there is one, might preclude that. Hmmm. Lenited and eclipsed versions of the above? Amas ar bith! (No hits) and no luck in dictionaries. Sin sin go dtí an bhliain seo chugainn, is dócha. And, last but not least, a bit of Google-based trivia that some of you may find amusing as I did. When I tried searching for “Máirt Chásca” without comharthaí athfhriotail and without sínte fada, the first hit (of 7,360,000!) that came up was for the K-Mart in Chaska, Minnesota. Wonders never cease! On that bemused note, SGF, Róislín P.S. Anyone still wondering about the phrase “Aimsir na Cásca”? Why “weather”? Answer: here it’s not “weather.” “Aimsir” can mean “time,” “tense,” or “tide” in the sense of “time.” So “Aimsir na Cásca” is “Eastertide.”

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Historical and Genealogical Records

History of Rapa Nui Your location: Welcome! (Main page) / Culture, history / History of Rapa Nui Was the first highest rank leader of Easter Island, he is believed to have brought his people on 2 boats more than 1.000 (perhaps even 1.700) years ago to the island. Western literature refers to Hotu Matu'a as to "Rapa Nui's first king", although it is known that there were no real kings, but rather tribal rulers in Polynesia, we continue to use this term. Hotu Matu'a was considered the "Ariki Mau" by the locals, this meaning sort of a "major leader" or "highest ruler". The settlement of the island With certainly we can affirm that Easter Island has been inhabited for over 1.200 years. But, specialists still debate on when the first settlers lead by the legendary Hotu Matu'a arrived. Specialists consider that the island was colonized sometime between 300 BC and 800 BC. Pollen analysis, DNA analysis and also the studies of local legends point out to various periods between this interval. Of course, some people might have arrived later and others earlier, but it is generally accepted by the great public that the island was uninhabited before 300 BC, despite the fact that there is scientific evidence that Easter Island was inhabited before Hotu Matu'a's arrival. According to the legends, the Ariki Mau, Hotu Matu'a arrived from an island or group of island called Hiva. Linguistic analysis of the Rapa Nui language suggests that the place of origin was the Marquesas Islands. Legends say that a person called Hau-Maka (Haumaka) had a dream in which his spirit travelled to an island located far away in order to look for new land for the ruler Hotu Matu'a. Hau-Maka's dream trip took him to the Mata Ki Te Rangi, meaning "Eyes that look to the Sky", an island located in the center of the Earth. This piece of land was called "Te Pito 'o the Kainga", meaning "center of the Earth". After Hau-Maka woke up, he told about his dream to Motu Matu'a, the supreme leader who ordered 7 men to travel to the island. So they did and they return to Hiva with the news that indeed, there is new land far away. Following this discovery, Hotu Matu'a traveled with 2 boats with settlers and colonized what we call today "Easter Island". Several hundreds of years ago a bloody conflict had broken out on Easter Island. This is attributed to a variety of factors: remoteness, overpopulation, deforestation, tribal rivalry. Easter Island is one of the most isolated islands in the World. Even today, if you fly with a modern airplane from Santiago, Chile, it takes 5-6 hours to get there. Imagine how difficult it was about 1.500 years ago! It is believed that this island was formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. Roggeveen, the Dutch discoverer of the island had estimated a number of 2.000 - 3.000 inhabitants in 1722. But specialists analyzed the bones, the legends and have come to the conclusion that around the 1500s and the 1700s there could have been as many as 10.000 - 15.000 people living on the island. Overpopulation could have been the primary reason why the locals started fighting each other. This is believed to have lead to the splitting of the population into several tribes, families. Some think there were 2 tribes fighting, others believe there were multiple families. During the fights, many moai statues and ahu platforms were destroyed, magnificent statues pulled down. Perhaps it was a revenge against the god(s)? Or just because of anger at the constructors? Perhaps the towards the ancestors who had cut down so many trees in order to move the statues? The tribal wars have even lead to cannibalism. During Roggeveen's visit it was noticeable that life on the island has degenerated due to deforestation and the depletion of the island's natural resources. Today, Easter Island has very few trees, this is due to the fact that the locals had used up all wood for firewood, boat and house construction, but certainly have irresponsibly cut down large amounts of trees for building tools to move and put the moai into place. Once there were forests of palm trees on Rapa Nui, now the only palm trees that exist were planted. So are all other trees which were brought here from other islands and the Americas. The disappearing of forests has coincided with the conflict on the island. There was not enough wood to make fishing boats, therefore the islands could forget about going out for fishing and also about leaving the island! The disappearance of wood has also led to the decrease of the number of bids, which could not construct nests anymore. The locals found themselves stuck for good on what they believed to be the "Center of Earth". The discovery of Easter Island On Sunday, April 5th, 1722, the first Europeans arrived to the island called by locals "Te Pito 'o Te Henua". Because it was discovered on Easter, it was named "Easter Island". The discoverer was Jacob Roggeveen, a Dutch captain. The name we hear so often, "Rapa Nui" is a newer one, given to the island by Polynesians in the mid 1800. The oldest name known for this island is "Te Pito 'o Te Henua". Over 800 statues are today on the island, but when Roggeveen discovered Easter Island, these were in pretty good shape, many in place. Afterwards many have fallen. It is generally believed that there were revolts, conflicts and the islanders pulled them down. There even are theories that point out to the possibility of tsunami tidal waves, which could have demolished moai statues, for example it is strongly suggested that the site of Ahu Tongariki was destroyed by such a force coming from the ocean. Recovery from the conflicts, colonization and more tragedy Following the drastic decrease of population induced by the tribal violence and famine, Rapa Nui had recovered only by the mid 1800s, when about 4.000 people lived there. But in the 1800s and the 1900s, more and more Europeans and South Americans arrived to Easter Island, which had become part of Chile in 1888. Tragically many Rapa Nui people were forcefully deported to Peru and Chile, many others died of diseases brought in by the white man. All these have almost lead to the extermination of the whole population. In 1877 only 111 Rapa Nui people existed on the island. Later, the island's population took a positive turn and many Polynesians, Amerindians and white men from Chile and Peru came to settle here. Today tourism, fishing, some agriculture account for the main economic resources of the island. In fact, tourism which so far helped the island may be its biggest threat as more and more people flock to this tiny triangular land on a weekly basis.

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Global Cultural Heritage

In a commentary in the February issue of the journal Nature, a team of scientists from University of California, San Francisco has suggested that sugar should be regulated like alcohol and cigarettes. In an article entitled ‘The toxic truth about sugar’, the UCSF group suggests that like alcohol and tobacco, sugar is a toxic, addictive substance that should be highly regulated with taxes, laws on where and to whom it can be advertised, and even age-restricted sales. In response, the American Beverage Association issued the following statement: "The authors of this commentary attempt to address the critical global health issue of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. However, in doing so, their comparison of sugar to alcohol and tobacco is simply without scientific merit. Moreover, an isolated focus on a single ingredient such as sugar or fructose to address health issues noted by the World Health Organization to be caused by multiple factors, including tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, an unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity, is an oversimplification. “There is no evidence that focusing solely on reducing sugar intake would have any meaningful public health impact. Importantly, we know that the body of scientific evidence does not support that sugar, in any of its various forms - including fructose, is a unique cause of chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease or metabolic syndrome." Source: American Beverage Association - If you enjoyed this article, you may also like this: ABA puts calorie information at your fingertips - Caffé Culture 2013, in pictures - Tetra Pak receives DuPont Continuing Innovation Award - Pom-Bear Zoo snacks from Intersnack

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Healthy Eating and Obesity Strategies

Date: September 16th 2006 Hair loss is experienced by all of us at one or the other time. To know the causes of hair fall, it is very essential to know the structure of hair and its normal growth cycle. Structure of hair The hair on our scalp can be divided into two parts, the root and shaft. The root part of hair is in the skin (epidermis) of scalp. The hair root is surrounded by a pouch like structure called follicle. The base of hair root is in the shape of a bulb. This bulb is indented by capillaries and nerve fibers. The cells in the center of bulb divide. The newly divided hair cells push the previous cells up. The cells which move upwards die slowly forming hard hair shaft. The hair shaft has three layers the cuticle, medulla and cortex.Cuticle is the outer layers and protects the inner layers. It is transparent. Healthy cuticle gives a shiny appearance for hair and unhealthy cuticle gives lifeless look. The medulla is the innermost layer composed of large cells. The cortex is the layer between cuticle and medulla. This contains pigment and keratin. Cortex determines the bulk and strength of hair. The hair follicle contains oil secreting glands which make the hair shiny .Stress and illness diminish secretion of oil and pigments causing graying of hair.According to Ayurveda the hair is considered as a tissue which uses the same nutrients of bone and considered as a tissue which is formed as bi-product of bone tissue. Normal cycle of hair growth. About 10 % of the hair on the scalp is in a resting phase at any given time. The resting hair falls after 2 to 3 months and new hair starts growing in its place. The growing phase continues for 2.25 to 6 yrs. During this phase each hair grows approximately 1 cm per month. At any given time about 90% of the hair on scalp will be in growing phase. Few strands of hair fall as the part of normal hair growth cycle. But some people may experience excessive hair fall which is more than normal cycle. Excessive hair loss can affect men, women and children. Causes of hair loss 1. Hormonal imbalance in men and women: In men high concentration of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in hair follicles causes hair fall. In women hormonal imbalances during pregnancy and after delivery cause hair fall. 2. High amount of sebum in scalp clogs pores of scalp and prevent nutrition to hair follicle. 3. Inadequate nutrition causes hair fall. 4. Stress, worry, lack of sleep, worry and anxiety cause hair fall 5. Long standing diseases like typhoid, viral infections, anemia, surgery etc cause general debility which lead to hair fall 6. Some medicines used for gout, chemo therapy of cancer , birth control pills , antidepressants etc cause hair fall 7. Diseases like lupus, diabetes cause hair fall. 8. Tying hair tightly pulls the hair from follicles and cause traction alopecia. 9. Heredity also causes hair fall. 10. Dandruff or Fungal infection of scalp. 11. Accumulation of dirt on scalp causes blocking of pores and weakens hair roots. This leads to hair fall. According to ayurveda the causes of hair loss are described as follows:- 1. Too much exposure to dust, sunlight, water and other pollutants. 2. Too much of sweating. 3. Irregular sleeping pattern. 4. Anxiety, depression, insomnia. 5. Unhygienic way of living 7. Alcohol consumption. Hair Loss Remedies 1. Liberal intake of vitamins. 2. High protein and iron rich diet. 3. Consumption of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green leafy vegetables regularly. 4. Washing hair regularly ( twice weekly ) with suitable shampoo. 5. Using relaxing techniques to overcome stress, anxiety and sleeplessness. 6. Preventing fungal infections of scalp. 7. Preventing hairstyles which pull hair. Due to these causes the tridoshas get vitiated and cause hair loss. The vitiated doshas affect the scalp skin and cause hair fall occurs. Medicated oil with the herbs Bhringaraja ( Eclipta Alba ), Amalaki ( Embelica officinalis ), Haritaki ( Terminalia chebula ) and Vibhitaki ( Terminalia bellirica ) is a best remedy for hair fall. Leave a Reply You must be logged in to post a comment.

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Skin Health and Disorders

WILDLIFE organisations have issued a reminder about the impact of recent hot waves on native birds. With sweltering conditions, and temperatures in the 40s predicted again over the coming weeks, head of research at Bird Life Australia James O’Connor is encouraging people to fill their birdbaths and leave water out. Mr O’Connor said over the past few weeks, thousands of native birds had felt the effects of the heat wave, both in the city and in the country. “Hot weather always takes its toll, but if it only lasts for a day or two, birds can usually survive until the weather cools down again,” he said. “However, when it’s hot for day after day, like the rest of us they start to feel the effects.” He said, like everyone else, birds needed to drink lots of water and shelter from the heat during the hot weather. “Unlike the rest of us, they can’t turn on a tap for some cold water, or switch on an air-conditioner to cool down,” he said. “Just a few months ago, wetlands were brimming with water, but now many are just parched expanses of cracked mud. “Birds need water to drink every day, and when the wetlands dry out, they need to find water somewhere else or they will die.” Mr O’Connor suggested the best thing people could do to lend the birds a hand was to place a dish of water in the shade. “So that the birds can have a drink or cool off in it,” he said. “And make sure it’s not too deep so that birds won’t drown in it! “Also, if you have a birdbath in your garden, make sure it’s topped up regularly and placed in the shade so the water doesn’t heat up too much.” He added it was important to keep the water out of the reach of the neighbourhood cats. “Heat-stressed birds are easy prey for them,” he said.

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Bird Species Profiles

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) was established in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences to provide educators, policymakers, and the public with a central and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education. The WWC is administered by the Department, through a contract to a joint venture of the American Institutes for Research and the Campbell Collaboration. To provide information needed by decision-makers, the WWC reviews and reports on existing studies of interventions (education programs, products, practices, and policies) in selected topic areas. WWC reviews of the evidence apply a set of standards that follow scientifically valid criteria for determining the effectiveness of these interventions. The WWC provides its findings in accessible, user-friendly, online reports, which include the following: - Reports on evaluation studies that pass the WWC standards - Reports on the research base for each identified intervention - Reports that synthesize the evaluation studies of interventions within defined topic areas A Technical Advisory Group (TAG) composed of the nation's leading experts in research design, program evaluation, and research synthesis advises on the standards for evaluation research reviews and monitors and informs the methodological aspects of WWC reviews and reports. The WWC is committed to ensuring that its products and services meet user needs and invites input from educators, policymakers, researchers, and members of the public. All products are available through the WWC website at www.whatworks.ed.gov

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Child-Focused Learning Techniques

Do you cringe at the word “xeriscape”? Does that mean boring, thin-leaved, un-colorful plants to you? Well think again. Xeriscape gardening can look lush, colorful and be a snap to maintain. To help people learn how to have a beautiful garden while being water consious, Colorado Springs Utilities has created two xeriscaped demonstration gardens for denizens to learn about and apply water thriftiness in their own gardens. The display at these gardens provides a lesson for everyone, even if you don’t live in a drought prone area. Can you imagine not having to water much *at all* between rains? (Editor's Note: This article was originally published on September 1, 2008. Your comments are welcome, but please be aware that authors of previously published articles may not be able to promptly respond to new questions or comments.) Even if you don't live in Colorado Springs, the Rocky Mountains, or even in a dry climate, the suggestions from these demonstration gardens will help you save time watering and money on your next water bill. Colorado and areas like it have wonderfully dry climates due to low humidity and unfortunately sometimes high winds.For most gardeners, this means both dry skin and dry soil.Besides a good moisturizer, here's how to cope.Plant water-wise plants and irrigate intelligently! Once the plants on this list get established (one-two weeks) they don't need much water, if any, at all.With the growing water shortage in Colorado and many other states, this is an important feature for sustainability in the coming years.The Mesa Road Xeriscape Garden (one of CSU's featured demonstration gardens) is actually a lush, colorful and peaceful place that requires very little water.Come along for a tour and a xeriscaping lesson, Colorado style. Why should you xeriscape? The biggest and most widely misunderstood lesson of xeriscaping is planting in water-usage zones, or hydrozones. That is, putting plants that need lots of water next to ones that need lots of water, and putting plants that can don't need any water with the like. Seems logical right? If you put an iris next to a nasturtium, you are bound to do one of three things: overwater the iris, underwater the nasturtium, or kill both. It just makes sense to put your irises with your Blanketflowers and your Nasturtium next to your cannas. That doesn't sound all that boring, right? When you really get down to it though, xeriscaping does mean planting flora that does not require much additional water than the average rainfall of your area. Once established, they should practically grow themselves. CSU (the utilities company, not the university) has created two demonstration gardens to showcase how good xeriscaping can look: the Mesa Xeriscape Demonstration Garden and the Cottonwood Creek Park Xeriscape Garden in Colorado Springs. Along with some planting tips and the right plants, xeriscaping never has to be humdrum. Bee Balm - Monarda Blanketflower - Gaillardia Texas Red Yucca surrounded by other colorful xerics Lavender and Creeping Thyme Plants you'll find at the Mesa Xeriscape Demonstration Garden (and you should try!) Silver Blade Evening Primrose Dwarf Garden Phlox Rocky Mountain Sumac Mullein 'Southern Charm' Mexican Feather Grass Dwarf Goldenrod 'Goldenbaby' Blue Mist Spirea Pale Purple Coneflower Gray Creeping Germander California Fuchsia 'Orange Carpet' Some more hardy xeric plants to check out: Red Hot Poker Autumn Joy Sedum The Mesa Garden also has a demonstration rock garden, which usually are made up of small xeric plants. Some great xeric rock garden plants are sedums, Penstemon, Dwarf Barberry, Edelweiss, Lamb's Ear, Oregano, Hens and Chicks, Rupturewort, and Cattail Iris. The list of attractive rock garden plants is just about endless. For more information on fantastic, hardy xeric plants, here is a great link: Xeric gardening does not have to be colorless or boring as you can see from all of these beautiful flowers showcased at the Mesa Xeriscape Demonstration Garden. Even if you just put in a few xerics, you can benefit from the decreased water usage. All photos taken at Mesa Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Copyrighted to Susanne and Kyle Talbert About Susanne Talbert I garden in beautiful Colorado Springs, half a mile from Garden of the Gods. Since we bought our first house two years ago, I have been busy revamping my 1/4 acre of ignored decomposed granite. My garden passions include water gardening, vines, super-hardy perennials, and native xerics. By day, I am a high school ceramics teacher as well as a ceramicist and painter.

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Agriculture and Horticulture Knowledge

Simply begin typing or use the editing tools above to add to this article. Once you are finished and click submit, your modifications will be sent to our editors for review. use in Native American music ...Native Americans developed lingua francas in order to facilitate trade and social interaction; in these areas, song texts may feature words from a lingua franca. Many Native American songs employ vocables, syllables that do not have referential meaning. These may be used to frame words or may be inserted among them; in some cases, they constitute the entire song text. Vocables are a fixed... What made you want to look up "vocable"? Please share what surprised you most...

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Music Themes and Theory

Blocking production of a pyruvate kinase splice-variant shows therapeutic promise Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. – Cancer cells grow fast. That’s an essential characteristic of what makes them cancer cells. They’ve crashed through all the cell-cycle checkpoints and are continuously growing and dividing, far outstripping our normal cells. To do this they need to speed up their metabolism. CSHL Professor Adrian Krainer and his team have found a way to target the cancer cell metabolic process and in the process specifically kill cancer cells. Nearly 90 years ago the German chemist and Nobel laureate Otto Warburg proposed that cancer’s prime cause was a change in cell metabolism – i.e., in cells’ production and consumption of energy. In particular cancer cells have a stubborn propensity to eschew using glucose as a source to generate energy. This is known as the Warburg Effect. While metabolic changes are an important feature in the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells they are not now thought to be cancer’s primary cause. Despite this, metabolic changes remain an attractive target for cancer therapy, as Krainer and colleagues show in a paper published online today in Open Biology , the open-access journal of Great Britain’s Royal Society.This image compares glioblastoma cells untreated or treated with antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) that modulate splicing for PK-M. The cells are visible under light microscopy in the left column, and the DNA in their nuclei shows up when using the blue dye DAPI in the second column. PK-M2 is visualized using a red stain in the third column, with the merge of the images in each row in the forth column. The 2nd and 3rd rows show cells that have been treated with ASOs. The red dye is nearly all gone indicating that there is less PK-M2 and that the ASOs have worked. Image courtesy of Zhenxun Wang and Adrian Krainer. (click to enlarge) One difference between metabolism in cancer and normal cells is the switch in cancer to the production of a different version, or isoform, of a protein produced from the pyruvate kinase-M (PK-M) gene. The protein version produced in normal cells is known as PK-M1, while the one produced by cancer cells is known as PK-M2. PK-M2 is highly expressed in a broad range of cancer cells. It enables the cancer cell to consume far more glucose than normal, while using little of it for energy. Instead, the rest is used to make more material with which to build more cancer cells. PK-M1 and PK-M2 are produced in a mutually exclusive manner -- one-at-a-time, from the same gene, by a mechanism known as alternative splicing. When a gene’s DNA is being copied into the messenger molecule known as mRNA, the intermediate template for making proteins, a cellular machine called the spliceosome cuts and pastes different pieces out of and into that mRNA molecule. The non-essential parts that are edited out are known as introns, while the final protein-coding mRNA consists of a string of parts pasted together known as exons. The bit that fits into the PK-M1 gene-coding sequence is known as exon 9, while it is replaced in PK-M2 by exon 10. In this way alternative splicing provides the cell with the ability to make multiple proteins from a single gene. Krainer, an authority on alternative splicing, previously published research on the protein regulators that facilitate the splicing mechanism for PK-M. His team showed that expression of PK-M2 is favored in cancer cells by these proteins, which act to repress splicing for the PK-M1 isoform. In the study published today the team explains that it decided to target the splicing of PK-M using a technology called antisense, rather than target the proteins that regulate the splicing mechanism. Using a panel of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small bits of modified DNA designed to bind to mRNA targets, they screened for new splicing regulatory elements in the PK-M gene. The idea was that one or more ASOs would bind to a region of the RNA essential for splicing in exon 10 and reveal that site by preventing splicing of exon 10 from occurring. Indeed, this is what happened. “We found we can force cancer cells to make the normal isoform, PK-M1,” sums up Krainer. In fact, a group of potent ASOs were found that bound to a previously unknown enhancer element in exon 10, i.e., an element that predisposes for expression of the PK-M2 isoform, thus preventing its recognition by splicing-regulatory proteins. This initiated a switch that favored the PK-M1 isoform. When they then deliberately targeted the PK-M2 isoform for repression in cells derived from a glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer, all the cells died. They succumbed through what is known as programmed cell death or apoptosis -- a process whereby the cell shuts down its own machinery and chops up its own DNA in committing a form of cellular suicide. As to why the cells die when PK-M2 is repressed: the team found it was not due to the concomitant increase in PK-M1 (the cells survived even when extra PK-M1 was introduced). Rather, it was the loss of the PK-M2 isoform that was associated with the death of the cancer cells. How this works is still unclear but a subject of investigation in the Krainer laboratory. The next step will be to take their ASO reagents into mouse models of cancer to see if they behave the same way there. While there are some technical and methodological obstacles to overcome, Krainer is optimistic. “PK-M2 is preferentially expressed in cancer cells, a general feature of all types of cancer -- it’s a key switch in their metabolism,” he says. Thus targeting the alternative splicing mechanism of PK-M2 using ASOs has the potential to be a cancer therapeutic with many applications. The paper can be obtained online at the following link: Zhenxun Wang, Hyun Yong Jeon, Frank Rigo, C. Frank Bennett and Adrian R. Krainer. 2012 Manipulation of PK-M mutually exclusive alternative splicing by antisense oligonucleotides. Open Biology 2: 120133. http://rsob.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/2/10/120133.full The research described in this release was supported by the National Cancer Institute grant CA13106, the St. Giles Foundation, and a National Science Scholarship from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore. About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. CSHL is ranked number one in the world by Thomson Reuters for impact of its research in molecular biology and genetics. The Laboratory has been home to eight Nobel Prize winners. Today, CSHL's multidisciplinary scientific community is more than 360 scientists strong and its Meetings & Courses program hosts more than 12,500 scientists from around the world each year to its Long Island campus and its China center. Tens of thousands more benefit from the research, reviews, and ideas published in journals and books distributed internationally by CSHL Press. The Laboratory's education arm also includes a graduate school and programs for undergraduates as well as middle and high school students and teachers. CSHL is a private, not-for-profit institution on the north shore of Long Island. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu. Written by: Edward Brydo n, Science Writer

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Plant Care GuidesPerennials | Bulbs | Trees and Shrubs | Vegetables | Fruits | Herbs Mesclun and Salad Greens About This PlantSweet corn varieties include yellow, white, and bi-colored types. Because corn is wind-pollinated, it should be planted in blocks of at least four rows rather than in long single rows. By planting early, mid, and late-season varieties you can extend the harvest over several weeks. Plant corn on the north side of the garden to prevent it from shading nearby crops. Site SelectionSelect a site with full sun and well-drained soil. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost and/or aged manure. Planting InstructionsPlant corn directly outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and the soil temperature is about 60 degrees F. Corn requires a good deal of nitrogen for optimum growth, so work plenty of aged manure into the soil the previous fall and plan to fertilize with additional nitrogen during the growing season if necessary. Plant corn seeds in blocks of at least four rows with 2 to 4 feet between rows, sowing the seeds 1-1/2 to 2 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches apart. CareThin the corn to stand 12 to 16 inches apart when the plants are 4 to 5 inches tall. Provide at least 1 inch of water a week. Control weeds with frequent shallow cultivation until the plants are knee high. Then apply a 3- to 5-inch layer of mulch. Watch for signs of nitrogen deficiency (yellowing leaves) and respond with quick side-dressings of a nitrogen-rich fertilizer such as fish emulsion. Contact your local County Extension office for controls of common corn pests such as corn earworms and European corn borers. HarvestingSweet corn should be harvested when its ears are completely filled out and a pierced kernel shows a milky white liquid. Sweet corn varieties (except for supersweet varieties) lose their sweetness soon after harvest. Immediately after picking prepare the ears for eating or preserving.

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Agriculture and Horticulture Knowledge

The talk, made available by the Center for Design Innovation (via The Next Web), was from 1983's International Design Conference at Aspen, at which a 20-something Steve Jobs spoke to how personal computers would change the world forever. His insight was eerily prescient as he described a day when email would dominate the communications landscape, people would use portable network-connected computing devices and users would be able to interact with machines in new and innovative ways. In about 20 minutes, Jobs summarized the then-current state of personal computing, noting that the market was about to see a significant boom. He also said that computers would likely be poorly designed, a theory that became reality with the early beige boxes of the 80s and early 90s, including Apple's own Apple II. Jobs' vision of "good design" meant not only building aesthetically pleasing machines, but devices that had a utility of function like user-friendly GUIs akin to those seen on early Macs. Near the end of his talk, Jobs looked even further into the future, hinting that technology like artificial intelligence and predictive computing could one day be a possibility. He recalls how books helped him learn straight from the source instead of being filtered through interpretation when he was in school, citing Plato and Aristotle as two examples. The problem, Jobs said, was that the great minds couldn't be tapped once they were dead. To this, he proposed a machine that can collect data, compiling it into a type of artificial intelligence. "I think as we look toward the next 50 to 100 years, if we really can come up with these machines that can capture an underlying spirit, or an underlying set of principles, or an underlying way of looking at the world so that then when the next Aristotle comes around?" Jobs said. "Maybe if he carries around one these machines with him his whole life and types in all this stuff, then maybe someday after the person's dead and gone we can ask this machine, 'Hey, what would Aristotle have said?what about this?' And maybe we won't get the right answer?but maybe we will. And that's really exciting to me." A video of the speech as well as an accompanying audio file can be found at the Center for Design Innovation's blog.

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Technology and AI Trends

Individual differences | Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a method of therapy which blends features of two disciplines: - Cognitive therapy aims to identify and alter cognitive distortions (warped or inaccurate thoughts); - Mindfulness is a meditative practice from Buddhism, which aims to help people identify their thoughts, moment by moment, but without passing judgement on the thoughts. In MBCT, the patient is urged to recognize and accept undesired feelings as they come and go instead of trying to push them away. Traditional cognitive therapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), focuses on changing negative content of thoughts while MBCT emphasizes the process of paying attention to thoughts and feelings moment by moment and without judgment. Changing the patient's relationship to the suffering caused by negative thoughts is the key because there is no possible way to alleviate all suffering. No therapy or meditation will prevent unpleasant things from happening in our daily lives but the two practices combined may provide more objectivity from which to view these unpleasant things. MBCT's main technique is based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) eight week program, developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Research shows that MBSR is enormously empowering for patients with chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as for psychological problems such as anxiety and panic. People often misunderstand the goal of therapy and especially mindfulness. Relaxation and happiness are not the aim, but rather a "freedom from the tendency to get drawn into automatic reactions to thoughts, feelings, and events" . Patients change the relationship to chronic pain so the pain becomes more manageable. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy grew largely from Jon Kabat-Zinn's work. Zindel V. Segal, J. Mark G. Williams and John D. Teasdale helped adapt the MBSR program so it could be used with people who had suffered repeated bouts of depression in their lives. Currently, MBCT programs usually consist of eight-weekly two hour classes with weekly assignments to be done outside of session. The aim of this program is to enhance awareness so we are able to respond to things instead of react to them. "We can respond to situations with choice rather than reacting automatically. We do that by practicing to become more aware of where our attention is, and deliberately changing the focus of attention, over and over again". The structure of MBCT requires strong commitment and work on the clients' part but the rewards can be lasting. Effectiveness of MBCT Edit Research is now showing the effectiveness of mindfulness in the prevention of relapse. The UK National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recently endorsed MBCT as an effective treatment for prevention of relapse. Research has shown that people who have been clinically depressed three or more times (sometimes for twenty years or more) find that taking the program and learning these skills helps to reduce considerably their chances that depression will return. In a study conducted with 145 participants, all the patients had previously recovered from depression and then relapsed. These sufferers were split randomly into groups providing different methods of treatment. Within a year, patients who were undergoing MBCT "reduced relapse from 66% (control group) to 37% (treatment group)". "Whereas most people might be able to ignore sad mood, in previously depressed persons a slight lowering of mood might bring about a potentially devastating change in thought patterns". The core skill of MBCT is to teach the ideas of recognizing these thought patterns in order to break away from the false constructs of our mind. Relapse is avoided because the onset of depression is recognized before it has fully developed. The vicious cycle is stopped before it even gets started. Benefits of MBCT and mindfulness practice Edit Mindfulness meditation is a useful tool in dealing with many different scenarios. Practicing mindfulness aids patients, laypersons, and therapists. This approach to meditation focuses our attention back to the present, to what is happening right now in this exact moment. When one is mindful, the attention is focused on the present so judgment cannot be placed. Often, our pain and mental discomfort are caused by the judgment placed on the present moment and not by what is actually happening. This judgment and negative thinking is what can possibly lead to depression. MBCT prioritizes learning how to pay attention or concentrate with purpose, in each moment and most importantly, without judgment. Segal and his partners found that "thoughts and feelings could interact with each other in a damaging, vicious spiral". Through the practice of mindfulness, we recognize that holding onto some of these feelings is ineffective and mentally destructive. Viewing things mindfully requires not turning away from any feeling but instead being open to the experience while trying not to engage defense mechanisms. All thoughts are welcomed into the mind equally so that one does not judge the thought or herself for thinking the thought. Gaining perspective on one's own thoughts allows us to escape the mental grooves and ruminative thinking that plagues us. Through mindfulness practice the spiral of negative thought is stopped before one finds herself at the bottom looking up. Not only is this practice helpful to laypersons but to the actual therapist doing this type of MBCT. As a therapist, mindfulness can be implemented into therapy sessions, and used as a means of self-care in the therapist's personal life. "Meditating therapists often report feeling more 'present', relaxed, and receptive with their patients if they meditate earlier in the day". Mindfulness incorporates not judging thought. By having that non-judgment, the therapist allows the patient to fully express true feelings by having that openness. "As the therapist learns to disentangle from her own conditioned patterns of thoughts that arise in the therapy relationship, the patient may discover the same emotional freedom". The concentration development from mindfulness also helps the therapist be able to stay fully engaged with the patient. The mind naturally wanders to other things but mindfulness is the answer to being unfocused. There is a degree of perspective that also comes with mindfulness meditation. This new perspective allows a therapist to see other solutions or options to a patient's problem he or she may not have been originally aware of. "Having this [perspective] enables the therapist to have some flexibility in finding a formulation that accords with the patient's understanding". As therapists help their patients come to these solutions and become more fully functioning, it may be easy to think they are powerful and all knowing. Maintaining perspective prevents therapists from 'buying their own press'. As means of self-care, P. Fulton and his fellow authors would say "offering love and care to ourselves replenishes the physical and emotional reservoirs that are necessary to care for others" (p. 87). When looking at burn-out rates in the social service fields, one can see that self-care is absolutely necessary whether one thinks they need it or not. Meditating saturates these reservoirs so compassionate, sincere work can continue. Also by dealing with personal suffering through this practice, therapists develop greater empathy and become more openhearted to the needs of their clients. Depression as the inspiration of MBCT Edit Depression is a more serious problem than how it is presently seen. The World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a study and came up with the following projection for the year 2020: "of all diseases, depression will impose the second largest burden of ill health worldwide". Research shows that at any given time, ten percent of the United States has experienced this type of clinical depression in the last year alone. Women being affected at a significantly higher rate (20-25%) than men (7-12%). The people who are affected with this common mental disorder are also the least likely to get help or treatment. Depression is a severe and prolonged state of mind in which normal sadness grows into a painful state of hopelessness, listlessness, lack of motivation, and fatigue. Depression can vary from mild to severe. When depression is mild, one may find himself brooding on negative aspects of himself or others. He may feel resentful, irritable or angry much of the time, feeling sorry for himself, and needing reassurance from someone. Various physical ailments could also occur that have no correlation to physical illness. Depression is classified as clinical when the episode inhibits a person's ability to accomplish routine daily tasks for at least two weeks. If suddenly 'normal' activities become difficult to do or the interest to do them is lost completely for a sustained amount of time, clinical depression could be a possibility. A change in basic bodily functions may also be experienced. The usual daily rhythms seem to go 'out of kilter'. One can't sleep, or one sleeps too much. One can't eat, or one eats too much. Others may notice that the sufferer may become agitated or slowed down. One may find that required energy for activities that used to be enjoyed is now gone. He or she may even feel that life is not worth living, and begin to develop thoughts that he or she would be better off dead. Currently the most commonly used treatment for major depression is antidepressant medication. These medications are relatively cheap, and easy for family practitioners (who treat the majority of depressed people) to prescribe. However, once the episode has past, and the client has stopped taking the antidepressants, depression tends to return, and at least 50% of those experiencing their first episode of depression find that depression comes back, despite appearing to have made a full recovery. After a second or third episode, the risk of recurrence rises to between 80% and 90%. Also, those who first became depressed before 20 years of age are particularly likely to suffer a higher risk of relapse and recurrence. The main method for preventing this recurrence is the continuation of the medication, but many people do not want to stay on medication for indefinite periods, and when the medication stops, the risk of becoming depressed again returns. People are turning to new ways of helping them stay well after depression. To see what it is most helpful to do, we need to understand why it is that we may remain at high risk, even when we've recovered. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy seems to be a complementary method to treating acute and chronic depression. Why do we remain vulnerable to depression? Edit New research shows that during any episode of depression, negative mood occurs alongside negative thinking (such as 'I am a failure', 'I am inadequate, 'I am worthless') and bodily sensations of sluggishness and fatigue. When the episode is past, and the mood has returned to normal, the negative thinking and fatigue tend to disappear as well. However, during the episode a mental association has formed between the mood that was present at that time, and the negative thinking patterns. This means that when negative mood happens again (for any reason) a relatively small amount of such mood can trigger or reactivate the old thinking pattern. Once again, people start to think they have failed, or are inadequate - even if it is not relevant to the current situation. People who believed they had recovered may find themselves feeling 'back to square one'. They end up inside a rumination loop that constantly asks 'what has gone wrong?', 'why is this happening to me?', 'where will it all end?' Such rumination feels as if it ought to help find an answer, but it only succeeds in prolonging and deepening the mood spiral. When this happens, the old habits of negative thinking will start up again, negative thinking gets into the same rut, and a full-blown episode of depression may be the result. The discovery that, even when people feel well, the link between negative moods and negative thoughts remains ready to be re-activated, is of enormous importance. It means that sustaining recovery from such depression depends on learning how to keep mild states of depression from spiralling out of control. Future of MBCT Edit Further research is being conducted to identify all the different uses of MBCT. Significant decreases in anxiety, depression, with a resulting increased sense well being, have been found so far. Research being conducted will evaluate MBCT as a useful technique with patients who are diagnosed with cancer or haematological illness. Mindfulness practice is being done over various cultures and demographics. Ellen Langer has been focusing on the future of mindfulness. - Jon Kabat-Zinn - Dialectical behavior therapy - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy References & BibliographyEdit - REDIRECT Template:Reflist - Segal, Z.V., Williams, J.M.G. & Teasdale, J.D, 2002, Mindfulness–based Cognitive Therapy for Depression. A New Approach to Preventing Relapse. Guilford Press. - Teasdale, JD, Segal, ZV, and Williams, JMC. How does cognitive therapy prevent depressive relapse and why should attentional control (mindfulness) help? Behav Res Ther (1995) 33:25-29. - Teasdale, JD, Segal, ZV, Williams MG, Ridgeway, VA, Soulsby, JM, Lau, MA. Prevention of Relapse/Recurrence in Major Depression by Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. J. of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (2000) 68:615-623. - Williams JMG, Teasdale JD, Segal ZV and Soulsby J. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy reduces overgeneral autobiographical memory in formerly depressed patients. J Abnorm Psychol (2001). - [http://www.mbct.co.uk/ Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (UK). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Homepage. Very complete website with information on books, founders, and workshops. - What is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction? - The Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice - Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre - MBSR & MBCT - How to do Mindfulness Meditation[[Category:Mindfulness |This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).| <ref>tags exist, but no <references/>tag was found

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Mental Health Issues

POMEROY — George Wright has always been somewhat of a conservationist at heart, so it was no surprise to see him transplanting king-sized hickory nuts into a tub of dark soil. “King hickory nut trees are scarce here,” he says. “My goal is to help get them re-established in this part of the country.” Asked where he got his “seed” hickory nuts, he said a couple of places, one being underneath a tree near Annie Chapman’s Morgan Rest Bed and Breakfast on Lincoln Hill in Pomeroy. The whole process of starting King hickory nut tree starters began a number of months ago. George said it takes storage of the nuts in a cold place six to eight months in order for them to germinate. So they remained refrigerated until the weather began to warm a few weeks ago at which time he planted them in a tub and then waited and watched until little sprouts finally came up and growth began. His goal has always been to plant enough so he could keep a few for himself and have enough left to give away to others interested in propagating the king-sized hickory nuts. The plants have now grown into little trees four to six inches high and are ready to be planted in areas large enough to accommodate a tall tree which in a dozen or more years from now will yield hickory nuts. George is ready to give them away to someone like him who wants to see the King Hickory Nut trees more plentiful in Meigs County. Anyone interested in getting one of the dozen or so tree plants can leave their name and telephone number with his daughter, Susan Clark Dingess, at Clark’s Jewelry Store and George will get in touch with them. He has some specific instructions on how to handle the planting and care for the delicate plants so that they will survive.

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Plant Descriptions and Care

National Conservative Political Action Committee The National Conservative Political Action Committee (NCPAC; pronounced "nick-pack") was a New Right political action committee in the United States that was a major contributor to the ascendancy of conservative Republicans in the early 1980s, including the election of Ronald Reagan as President, and that innovated the use of independent expenditures to circumvent campaign finance restrictions. In 1979 Time magazine characterized NCPAC, the Conservative Caucus and the Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress (headed by Paul Weyrich) as the three most important ultraconservative organizations making up the New Right. NCPAC was founded in 1975 by conservative activists John Terry Dolan, Charles Black and Roger Stone, with help from Richard Viguerie and Thomas F. Ellis. The group got its start through direct mail solicitations. "The shriller you are, the better it is to raise money," explained co-founder Terry Dolan. NCPAC became one of the first groups to circumvent the contribution limits of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) by exploiting the "independent expenditure" loophole permitted under a 1976 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Although federal law restricted political action committees' expenditures to $10,000 per candidate, an organization could spend unlimited amounts of money supporting or opposing a particular candidate as long as their campaign activity was not coordinated with a candidate. NCPAC pooled independent contributions in order to make independent expenditures on campaign attack ads. Not only did this circumvent campaign finance restrictions, but it prevented candidates from being associated with advertising created on their behalf. NCPAC Chairman Terry Dolan was quoted as saying, "A group like ours could lie through its teeth, and the candidate it helps stays clean." Dolan later said he was describing a hypothetical situation, not NCPAC's actual tactics. 1978 election NCPAC's first major target was Democratic Senator Dick Clark of Iowa in the election of 1978. Three weeks before the November 1978 election, incumbent Clark had a 30 percentage-point lead in campaign polls, but he lost to Republican Roger Jepsen, 52 to 48 percent. Clark's defeat was attributed to intense anti-Clark campaigning conducted by direct mail, mailgrams, and leaflet distribution during the final weeks of the campaign, attacking Clark for his positions on abortion, gun control, and the Panama Canal Treaty. NCPAC took credit for Clark's defeat and was encouraged to expand its efforts in the 1980 election. 1980 election Clark's defeat, for which NCPAC took credit, encouraged NCPAC and other allied organizations to expand their efforts in the 1980 election, when NCPAC spent at least $1.2 million. Four of the six incumbent Democratic Senators targeted by NCPAC in 1980, John Culver (Iowa), George McGovern (South Dakota), Frank Church (Idaho), and Birch Bayh (Indiana), were defeated. Senators Alan Cranston of California and Thomas Eagleton of Missouri were also targeted, but achieved re-election. 1982 election NCPAC hoped to repeat its success in the 1982 election. Initially the group targeted a list of 20 Senators for defeat, including Pat Moynihan of New York, Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, and John Melcher of Montana. The organization later trimmed its target list to five incumbents, and spent $4.5 million in the 1982 elections. However, only one of its targets, Democrat Howard Cannon of Nevada, failed to win re-election. Sarbanes was charged with being "too liberal for Maryland," but voters did not respond to the NCPAC message. Sarbanes made NCPAC's tactics a major issue in his campaign. Democratic Senator John Melcher, a veterinarian, countered a commercial that claimed he was "too liberal for Montana" by running a TV commercial of his own featuring cows. After a shot of "out-of-staters" carrying a briefcase full of money off an airplane, one cow remarked, "Did ya hear about those city slickers bad-mouthing Doc Melcher? One of 'em was stepping in what they've been trying to sell." Later years L. Brent Bozell succeeded Dolan as the group's head after Dolan's death in 1986. The organization is based in Alexandria, Virginia. - The New Right Takes Aim, Time magazine, August 20, 1979 - Thomas Frank, "The Tilting Yard: Charlie Black's Cronies" Wall Street Journal July 2, 2008 - Running with the PACs Time magazine, October 25, 1982 - The Washington Post, August 10, 1980, p. F1, as cited at http://www.bartleby.com/73/150.html - Richard F. Fenno, Jr., Richard F. Fenno, Senators on the Campaign Trail, University of Oklahoma Press, 1998 ISBN 0-8061-3062-8, ISBN 978-0-8061-3062-0, page 111 - Richard F. Fenno, Jr., Richard F. Fenno, Senators on the Campaign Trail, University of Oklahoma Press, 1998 ISBN 0-8061-3062-8, ISBN 978-0-8061-3062-0, page 114 - Richard F. Fenno, Jr., Richard F. Fenno, Senators on the Campaign Trail, University of Oklahoma Press, 1998 ISBN 0-8061-3062-8, ISBN 978-0-8061-3062-0, page 115 - No Thunder from the Right, by Jane O'Reilly, Time magazine, Nov. 15, 1982 - A Bag of Tricks: Independent Expenditures, Center for Responsible Politics opensecrets.org website, archived January 13, 2008. - New Resolve by the New Right, by Edwin Warner, Time magazine, December 1, 1980 - NCPAC's Waterloo, by Chuck Lane, The Harvard Crimson, September 25, 1982 - Attack PAC Time magazine, Oct. 25, 1982

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Historical Events and Figures

Dating photos relies on a combination of: - internal evidence - clothing, subject matter, composition, props, etc - identification of people in it - what age were they when the photo was taken? how does this fit with known birth dates? - production processes - different materials (eg. type of photographic paper) and chemical processes resulted in characteristic types of photo. Standard sizes of commercial prints have changed over time. - photographer - photographer's marks and advertising can be used to identify the photographer, hence the period the business operated. Jayne Shrimpton and Maureen Taylor's books are good references, but they concentrate on the 1850-1950 period. The scanned image shows a black-and-white print. The informal outdoor setting suggests it was taken by an amatuer photographer. I think this print has been cut down from a larger original because prints usually had white borders on all sides. Commercially processed prints tended to come in standard sizes, which is derived from the size of the negative. Typically commercial processesing produced contact prints (exactly the same size as the negative) and enlargements of the whole negative, which maintain the aspect ratio of the negative. Unfortunately in this case, we do not know the size of the original print, so we can't deduce the size of the negative. As othe answers have suggested, the 1950s is strongly indicated. At that time, colour photography existed, but was not as widely popular and affordable as black-and-white.

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Engineering, Color Theory, Photography, Printing

Open source software is becoming more popular and its price is certainly drawing raves. Open source software is software that is distributed along with its source code. This is usually done free and it is done with the purpose of allowing the improvement of the software be driven by the general user and developer base. This way, the software can definitely apply to user needs and interests as well as draw closer to perfection in the most efficient way possible. Many organizations have adopted the open source philosophy in order to produce the premier software of their markets and many nonprofit organizations have coalesced in support of open source software. Even governments have heralded their support of open source software and some have even gone as far as to initiate mandates that render the distribution of open source software all but compulsory. Free? Free? Free? Corporations benefit from open source software as it gives them the capacity to penetrate the market in one of the most effective and cost-efficient ways. These entities can garner loyalty, market presence, and increased stability with the proliferation of open source as opposed to proprietary software. Developers benefit from open source software in that they have the capacity to learn and perfect their methods as well as apply their methodologies and innovation to other large-scale enterprises. This can benefit them as both something they can put on their resume as well as something that they can apply to later projects. Individual users benefit from open source software in that they desires and needs are what drives the development of software that is usually free, especially during its initial stages. Managing Free Software? Open source management is usually handled cooperatively, but can also be taken care of through several software tools. On one hand, the Open Source Initiative and the debian-legal mailing list offer networking solutions to open source software management, while on the other, individual teams and firms can track the development of open source software through tools created for that purpose. There is a multitude that is available on the market, many of which also happen to be open source. The Asian open source software movement has been gaining steam almost at a faster rate than in the Western World. Not only are there many organizations that are dedicated to the development and distribution of open source software, many Asian governments have spearheaded initiatives to make open source software the most-used software development approach. These initiatives have largely been due to a desire to become technologically independent of proprietary software from United States-based corporations. As a result of these pursuits, though, many essential sectors of Asian society, including education and healthcare, have been improved through open source software. Open source software differs from free software or “freeware” in that it is distributed with the source code and with the intention to initiate the gradual improvement of such software. As a result, open source software is often distributed to a larger segment of the market and is not normally used as an advertising method, while freeware is. Accordingly, open source software is available to and can be used by absolutely anyone. The development of open source software is contingent on each respective program or platform’s developers. Alternately, its presentation, purpose, and distribution are based on the open source philosophy, which may alter how the software is initially presented. For example, while proprietary software is often produced as a “finished version,” open source software is presented as a work-in-progress, with the expectation that members of the market base will work to gradually improve the software.

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GNU Project Tools

Butter Flavoring Linked To Alzheimer's If you've been looking for one more thing to worry about, here it is. If you're a fan of butter-flavored microwave popcorn, a new study finds a flavoring used in the product may trigger Alzheimer's disease. University of Minnesota drug-design expert Robert Vince, PhD, and colleagues found that diacetyl causes brain proteins to misfold into the Alzheimer's-linked form called beta amyloid. Vince's team also found that diacetyl has an architecture similar to a substance that makes beta-amyloid proteins clump together in the brain -- clumping being a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Even more, the popcorn butter flavorant can pass through the blood-brain barrier and can inhibit the brain's natural amyloid-clearing mechanisms. Diacetyl, already linked to lung damage in people who work in microwave popcorn factories, is also used to produce the distinctive buttery flavor and aroma of margarines, snack foods, candy, baked goods, pet foods, and even some chardonnays.(Tipped by JMG reader SIdan)

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Brain Health and Memory

MYSTIC, Conn. (AP) — Oceanographer Robert Ballard, best known for discovering the Titanic wreck, has new plans to plumb the depths of the seas. Ballard said Thursday that his latest deep-sea venture will send crews combing through the Black, Aegean and Mediterranean seas for artifacts from ship wrecks and ancient civilizations. His research vesse set out from a port in Turkey last week on a four-month mission that will use four remote-operated vehicles and sonar technology to explore lost cities. At a news conference, Ballard said that while he has a general idea what his crew might find, the exploration is about looking for the unknown. "We're fascinated by extremely confusing parts of our planet and we say 'let's go there and see if we can figure it out,' " said Ballard. The 211-foot ship, carrying a team of about 15 scientists, will travel through waters including the Hellenic and Aeolian Arcs, the Gorringe bank and the Straits of Sicily — a course that will take it near deep trenches, continental faults and cities under the surface of the Mediterranean that are more than 2,000 years old. The journey is expected to wrap up in November off the coast of Israel. Ballard, who is also a professor at the University of Rhode Island, founded the Institute for Exploration at the Sea Research Foundation, the nonprofit environmental organization that also runs Mystic Aquarium. In addition to leading an international team that discovered the RMS Titanic in 1985 on the floor of the North Atlantic, Ballard found the wrecks of the battleship Bismarck and the PT-109 torpedo patrol boat that John F. Kennedy commanded during World War II. The 69-year-old explorer said his ship will dispatch video and audio feeds from this newest venture to connect with the public as he pursues new discoveries. The material will be available online and at a theater at Mystic Aquarium, and teams of educators will rotate aboard the ship to host information sessions and explain the latest finds. Mission co-leader Katherine Croff Bell said the live technology lets the ship expand beyond the knowledge of the scientists onboard. "If we don't have the proper expertise on the ship we can call somebody on shore and have them be a part of the exploration in real time," Bell said. Paul Johnson, an oceanographer at the University of Washington who has worked with Ballard, said these types of expeditions help stir public interest in deep-sea research. He said the voyage was not a traditional research mission and would likely involve a mixture of education, entertainment and "probably some science mixed in there." The ship's primary mission is to make discoveries, not try to extract artifacts or disturb the seabed. For Ballard and the E/V Nautilus, that means setting themselves up for to find something new by planning trips over unusual or unknown areas. "What really excites me is when you go looking for one thing and find something more important," Ballard said. "So we are all about creating moments of discovery by trying to get a little lucky," he said. On the Web: E/V Nautilus website: http://nautiluslive.org/

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Polar and Climate Topics

The man behind ‘Twin Bridges,’ Gen. Thaddeus Kosciuszko, remembered as the Revolutionary War hero he was HALFMOON — To countless Northway travelers, the span over the Mohawk River is simply a way to get to and from work, or fun Adirondack vacations. Most people call it the “Twin Bridges.” To veterans advocate Carol Hotaling, of Clifton Park, the structure has a much deeper meaning – a tribute to the Revolutionary War hero that it’s officially named after — Gen. Thaddeus Kosciuszko. The bridge, which first opened in 1959, underwent a major reconstruction project this fall. “I would like to propose a rededication of this bridge,” she said. “He (Kosciuszko) was born in Poland, came to a struggling America, volunteered his services to the Continental Army and became chief engineer.” Hotaling, the “Yellow Ribbon Lady,” has made countless yellow decorations for veterans-themed events, celebrations and observances, and works tirelessly to support troops stationed overseas. Kosciuszko’s accomplishments were many, including the fortification of West Point. But his most important contribution was designing the American defenses for the 1777 Battles of Saratoga, which proved to be the Revolution’s turning point. Gen. Horatio Gates, the American commander, gets most of the credit for the victory at Saratoga. Without Kosciuszko, though, it never would have happened. “It was his use of topography and design of defenses that gave Americans an extremely strong and defensible position,” said Bill Valosin, a Saratoga National Historical Park ranger. Specifically, artillery placed atop Bemis Heights stopped the flow of British supplies on the Hudson River, directly below, and kept them from using the main north-south river road. Continued... The southward advancing British army, under Gen. John Burgoyne, was trying to reach Albany, where it would meet British forces moving up the Hudson Valley led by Gen. William Howe. The goal was to split the colonies in two, and bring the American rebellion to a quick end. At Saratoga, however, the river forms a bottleneck and thanks to Kosciuszko’s well-designed defenses, the Americans controlled it. Burgoyne’s army split up into three separate columns – one near the river; the other two about a mile and two miles inland, respectively. However, Kosciuszko built an L-shaped three-quarter-mile long line to the west, and another about two-thirds of a mile to the south and west, to hold off attacks from those directions, too. None of this work began until Sept. 12, one week before the first battle. “He (Kosciuszko) wasn’t directly in the (battle) lines,” Valosin said. “But his fortifications, where and the way that he placed them, forced the British to abandon the direct route south.” Born in February 1746, Kosciuszko came to America looking to gain experience and make a name for himself, which he unquestionably did. In Europe, he’s considered one of the Revolution’s greatest heroes, perhaps second only to George Washington. After the war, he helped lead an insurrection against the Russian occupation of Poland. In August 1797, still suffering from battle wounds during the insurrection, he came back to the U.S. and lived in Philadelphia. That historic home is now the smallest site, one fifth of an acre, in the entire National Park system. The next spring, Kosciuszko left Philadelphia for France. He dreamed of seeing a unified and free Poland, but Napoleon’s rise to power dashed those hopes. He spent the last two years of his life in Soleure, Switzerland where he died in 1817. Recently, there’s been some debate because of constantly changing European borders, about whether Kosciuszko was born in Poland, Lithuania or Belarus. Continued... Regardless, there is no question about his role as a hero during the American fight for independence. His good friend Thomas Jefferson called him “as pure a son of liberty as I have ever known.” Hotaling would like people to remember that during the course of their busy travels over the bridge that bears Kosciuszko’s name. “It’s one way we can show him the respect he deserves,” she said. See inaccurate information in a story? Other feedback and/or ideas for us to consider? Tell us here. What should we investigate? Have a tip you want us to look into? Tell us here. Location, ST | website.com National News Videos - Police & Courts: May 19, 2013 (744) - Corinth woman dead, two injured in Lake Luzerne crash (698) - Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee endorses slate of candidates (342) - Skidmore College's Class of 2013 celebrates commencement (278) - Public to vote Tuesday on Saratoga Springs City School District's proposed $113 million budget, choose board of education members (267) - High school athletes, coaches survive respective budget proposals (205) - Police & Courts: May 17, 2013 (177) - Creating jobs a goal for Wilton town board in 2010 (5) - PHOTOS: Saratoga Springs High School Prom 2013 (1) - Corinth woman dead, two injured in Lake Luzerne crash (1) - Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee endorses slate of candidates (1) - Saratoga Rowing Association takes 4 gold medals in early stages of championship regatta (1) - Skidmore College's Class of 2013 celebrates commencement (1) Recent Activity on Facebook Barbara Lombardo is the managing editor of The Saratogian. Updates on Spa City and Saratoga County business news and trends. This blog aims to supplement the daily coverage published online and in the paper. Reporter Caitlin Morris offers insights into the issues affecting Saratoga County residents.

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Historical Descriptions

Stuttering: Risk Factors During an evaluation for Reference stuttering Opens New Window, a health professional will consider a child's risk factors to help find out whether the problem is temporary (normal disfluency) or likely to persist (developmental stuttering). Risk factors (things that increase risk) for stuttering include:Reference 1 - Having a family member whose stuttering did not resolve on its own. - Being male. Boys are more likely than girls to keep stuttering. - The age that it starts. Children who start to stutter before age 3½ are more likely to outgrow it than children who start to stutter at an older age. - The amount of time that it's lasted. A child who has stuttered for at least 6 months may be less likely to outgrow it on his or her own. If it's lasted longer than 12 months, there's even less of a chance that a child will outgrow it on his or her own. - How clear the speech is. A child who speaks clearly with few, if any, speech errors may be more likely to outgrow stuttering than a child whose speech errors make him or her hard to understand. - Having speech irregularities that have lasted 18 months or more. Usually each risk factor taken individually is not significant. Rather, the strength of each risk factor and how many are present can help a health professional determine whether stuttering is likely to be a long-term problem. |By:||Reference Healthwise Staff||Last Revised: Reference August 7, 2012| |Medical Review:||Reference Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics Reference Louis Pellegrino, MD - Developmental Pediatrics

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Disabilities and Special Needs

My Child Has These Odd Behaviors! Autism in Children with Down Syndrome by Cyndi Ringoen Austin’s parents have taken him to the doctor. They have a few concerns to discuss. Austin rejects hugs and kisses from them; he won’t leave his shirt on; he screams every time his mom needs to vacuum the house; he sits for hours by himself quietly humming while lining up cars in a neat row. The doctor observes the child in front of him. Austin won’t make eye contact. He isn’t responding to directions (seems almost not to hear), instead he is quietly sitting while continually flipping the pages of a book. “Ah hah!” thinks the doctor. His diagnosis is Autism. There is a small, but consistent and significant portion of children with Down syndrome who also become labeled as autistic. Once parents have come to terms with the diagnosis of Down syndrome and all it entails, the addition of yet another label, another set of obstacles often becomes overwhelming. In this article I hope to provide families with demystifying information regarding the label of “autistic,” proactive observation techniques to detect autistic-like or sensory behaviors, and practical ideas for eliminating the behaviors. |Understanding the Autism Label||What Parents Should Look For| |What Can a Parent Do?||Conclusion| The label of “autistic,” whether for a person with Down syndrome or not, is a symptomatic label. This means you receive this label if you have a certain number of symptoms on a list. It is important to know that “autism” is not a disease that you can take a blood test or x-ray to detect. What I see in my work with children and families is that many doctors throw around this label rather haphazardly because of a few symptoms. Having the label or not having the label doesn’t change the fact that the family is dealing with a number of behaviors and symptoms that need to be addressed. The earlier that parents can identify and eliminate the symptoms, the better the chance of the child developing without autistic-like behaviors. Autism is basically a dysfunction of the sensory channels. This means that some senses are hyperactive (over active) and some are hypoactive (under active). Because of this there are atypical responses to different stimuli. We have five main sensory channels and each of them may be affected with hyper- or hyposensitivities. Sound. For example, it is common for those affected with autism to be hypersensitive to sound. Sound can actually cause pain and discomfort. Parents may notice the following: covering of ears with hands to block out the sound, extremely negative behavior in certain locations, physical withdrawal or auditory shut down in noisy environments, inconsolable crying that only stops when the child is removed from the noise, or hearing and reacting to sounds before others can even perceive them. If the sounds are too uncomfortable the child will learn to totally turn off the hearing and then cease to make progress in speech and language development—sometimes almost appearing deaf. Often when a person is hypersensitive to certain sounds there are other sounds to which they are hyposensitive, or that they do not process at all. This greatly affects speech, as it is the ability to hear and process tones well that culminates in the ability to produce sound and speech effectively. To onlookers this behavior appears strange and inappropriate but most people would react the same way if they were dealing with auditory hypersensitivity. The solution is to address the problem of the hypersensitivity to sound. Then the “strange” behavior will dissipate. Touch. Touch, or tactility (the ability to interpret tactile input) can be oversensitive causing withdrawal or reactions to deep touch (hugs) or light touch (tickling, tags, clothing material), discomfort with haircuts or hair combing, aversion to water at certain temperatures, aversions to textures—both on the skin and in the mouth, or overactive gag reflex. Tactility can be hyposensitive, meaning the brain doesn’t even acknowledge that something has touched the body. Instead of overreaction there is a lack of reaction. Parents may notice falling and bruising without the normal response, lack of response to hot and cold, lack of ticklish response, and lack of mouth response to hot and cold. Smell. Hypersensitivity to odors can cause odd behaviors such as hand sniffing, object and person sniffing, aversion to food odors causing gagging or rejection of food. Hyposensitivity to odor can cause problems with lack of motivation to eat, and inability to distinguish between edible and inedible objects. Taste. Hypersensitivity to taste can cause gagging or rejection of food. Hyposensitivity to taste can cause lack of motivation to eat, and inability to distinguish between edible and inedible objects. Problems with appropriate sensory information for odors and smell can cause serious eating difficulties. Sight. We have two main types of vision, peripheral and macular/central. Peripheral vision picks up on edges and motion. Central or macular vision is what we use to learn with, we see details with it, we are able to line up rows and columns, and clearly distinguish letter, numbers, words etc. When a person has overdeveloped or hyperperipheral vision they attend to “odd” things–things which have edges and movement: dangling strings, fans, open and shutting doors/drawers, edges of walls, and often their hands and fingers. Underdeveloped macular vision or hypomacular vision causes difficulties such as lack of eye contact, lack of interest in pictures, books, and television. Persons diagnosed with “autism” have a combination of the above sensory dysfunctions. One of the most common profiles I find in a person labeled autistic is: hypersensitive to light touch, hyposensitive to deep touch, hyperauditory, hyperperipheral vision and hypomacular vision. Austin, described above, has this set of dysfunctions. This type of person is not receiving information in the same way as you and I, and therefore, is not responding to stimuli in their environment as you and I would. The most likely reason a child with Down syndrome would begin to be labeled “autistic” is because of something called “sensory play.” Sensory stimulation, self-stimulation behaviors, self-stim, and sensory play are all terms referring to the same type of actions. They are behaviors that a child engages in that are “odd,” repetitive, sometimes obsessive, but they are all inputting information into the “broken” sensory channel. This is so negative because it reinforces what is already wrong. Sensory play does more than just stop the positive development for the moment. It seems to create endorphins in the brain. Endorphins produce happy feelings. As the child engages in sensory play he wants to do it more and more; he craves it; and often it can become an addiction. There are many, many types and variations of sensory play. A majority of sensory play is visual, often stimulating the peripheral vision. But sensory play can also be auditory or tactile, too. Following is a list of some common sensory play activities: |Repeatedly opening and shutting doors or drawers, flipping pages of books, flipping books or toys, flicking toys with fingertips, wiggling fingers in front of face, wiggling fingers at side of face, hand flapping, holding toys to the side of face and shaking, twirling or shaking strings and ropes, nose up to the TV, watching TV sideways, spinning wheels of cars, spinning toys, spinning self, head shaking, rocking, continuous humming, echolalia (repeating videos, ads, or conversation but not communicating), hand wringing, excessive touching/sweeping with fingertips, wall walking, non-language repetitive auditory sounds, banging, pounding, tongue sucking, tongue play, excessive picking of their own skin, pacing/walking in patterns or circles, lining up toys.| This is not meant to be a complete list, but rather a general description that may help parents when observing the behavior of their children. Most of these activities are not inappropriate in and of themselves. Some are even developmentally appropriate at certain stages. They become inappropriate and turn into sensory play when they are done repeatedly or obsessively. I have found that parents usually are very good judges of what might be potential sensory play. If I point out some behavior that they should try to eliminate, they often confess that they had a funny feeling about it, or thought it wasn’t positive. As the child spends more time in sensory play they are undoing the positive developmental input that their parents or caregivers are trying to impart to them. Sensory play does more than just undo current input. It can actually cause significant regression in the developmental and cognitive ability of a child. One of the most severe examples I ever assessed was a child who had a very involved family. They were spending a lot of time each day with him on his developmental progress. In addition, they were ensuring that he was supervised almost constantly so he could not engage in any type of sensory play. His short-term memory was growing; he was able to speak to me in short sentences; he was reading some words and he was very tuned in and following directions. I saw him about four months later. He was not following any directions; he was totally tuned out, engaging in sensory play constantly. His short-term memory had regressed by two to three years, and he wasn’t able to communicate at all with me. What happened during the four months to cause this? His mother had given birth to a baby who was understandably taking up much of the family’s time and energy. The older child was then left to engage in sensory play as much as desired for four months. No blame should be put on the family. They were dealing with a real life situation. But this situation illustrates the extreme urgency and importance of stopping any and all sensory play so that a child’s development will continue progressing in a positive manner. My suggestion is for parents to become expert observers of their children’s play. If you notice some of the above-mentioned repetitive behaviors, try to immediately distract and redirect the child’s attention to something more appropriate. Changing this behavior at the beginning is relatively easy compared to the task of trying to change it after it becomes addictive and obsessive. Along with eliminating the sensory play, it is of the utmost importance to have a neurodevelopmental evaluation of the child, which can then pinpoint any sensory dysfunctions and provide you with specific methods of stimulation and activities to normalize the sensory channels. This will offer you the very best possibility of eliminating the “autistic” symptoms, thereby providing your child with the best possible opportunities for continuing in their development. Normalizing the sensory channels is part of the plan for anyone with sensory dysfunction. What follows are some quick, general ideas regarding appropriate sensory input for helping children develop optimally. Hearing. I suggest the use of Samonas Sound Therapy, which has a proven track record in reducing sound sensitivities. It can also help normalize the hearing of any frequencies that the child is not hearing well. Used correctly, Samonas or Sonas Therapy should be done very gently with short durations for optimal results. In addition, parents can provide lots of good quality auditory input—reading stories to the child, the child listening to stories on tape, talking face to face to the child. Touch. Parents can provide tactile input to their child for a few minutes several times a day. Provide deep pressure (squeezing), starting at the fingertips and working toward the shoulders and starting at the toes and squeezing up to the thighs. Deep pressure often calms children who display autistic-like symptoms. Give deep hugs (bear hugs) lots of times a day. You can also provide light touch with tickling (fingertips) or a feather on the limbs. Smell. Provide the child with the opportunity to smell a variety of pleasant odors, i.e. orange oil, peppermint, coffee grounds. Provide the input for a few minutes, several times a day. Taste. Allow opportunity to taste sweet, sour and salty tastes to stimulate the taste buds. Use only minute amounts for a child that is hypersensitive to taste. Provide the input for a few minutes, several times a day. Vision. Provide lots of opportunity to develop good central/macular vision. Talk face to face as much as possible. Play catch; pop bubbles. Practice visual tracking by holding small toy away from face and moving it slowly side to side and up and down for child to follow. Discourage inappropriate use of peripheral vision (described above as sensory play). High interest television and videos, if monitored by parents, can be used to help develop central vision. The child must sit at least three feet away and be looking directly at the TV, and not out of the corner of the eyes. Looking at books and picture cards is also a positive visual stimulation exercise. Stopping Sensory Play. By far the most important thing you can do for a child with autistic behaviors is to stop all the sensory play and spend as much one-on-one time with them as possible. If you detect sensory play early, then all you need to do is to distract and redirect the child’s activity and it will not likely develop into anything more serious. However, if you are the parent of an older child who has done some of these behaviors on a consistent basis your job will be more difficult. By structuring the child’s down time so that someone is with them, interacting and playing with them, you will reduce the sensory play because there will be less time for the child to engage in it. Sometimes it means removal of certain types of toys that seem to increase the sensory play. Inputting the appropriate information to the sensory channels will help the child to gradually become interested in their environment in a more typical way. Stopping sensory play in a child for whom it has become a way of life is difficult. But usually this only lasts a certain amount of time, until the “addiction” quality wears off from lack of stimulation. As the sensory play decreases, the parents start to enjoy interacting with and discovering a new side of their child—a child who is more “tuned in,” less withdrawn, more interactive, and easier to teach. Autism is just a word. It is a word for a group of symptoms. If your child acquires the “autistic” label or begins to display sensory dysfunctions, you will need to address each of the individual issues. The good news is sensory problems respond very well to intervention, thereby eliminating the original symptoms. Cyndi Ringoen is a certified neuro-developmentalist who writes individual, home-based educational programs for parents to do with their children. Her expertise covers a range of disabilities and “labels” including Down syndrome and autism. As a mother and foster mother of many children with disabilities over the years, she has conducted neurodevelopmental programs in her own home with her children. She is a founding member of ICAN, an association of neuro-developmentalists, and through ICAN can refer parents to a neurodevelopmental practice near their home.

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Autism and Related Conditions

Major depression and other mood disorders account for a substantial proportion of medical disabilities in the United States. They can also worsen the outcome of other medical disorders, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. This has led Washington University physicians to practice and develop new and more effective treatments for this devastating disorder, focusing on the use of brain stimulation methods. These include electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a core treatment for severe and refractory mood disorders. Researchers are developing new methods for use of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), two novel approaches that have received FDA approval in recent years. Several physicians also have expertise in deep brain stimulation (DBS), a form of treatment that is in its infancy as a tool for treating highly refractory psychiatric disorders. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS): Brain activity is triggered through weak electric currents, changing the excitability of corticospinal and corticocortial pathways.

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Brain Health and Memory

Cyber Bullying Leaflet Launch Sue Ball Consultant for BRAG and Parents from Nechells Parents Forum launched a leaflet of advice for parents and carers about how to prevent and tackle cyber-bullying. Cyber-bullies use the internet, mobile phones or any other form of digital technology to threaten, tease or abuse someone. This useful resource, produced by Birmingham City Council’s Young People and Families Directorate, in association with Nechells Parents Forum and the POD, helps parents understand how to be cyber-safe, how to spot the signs if their child is a victim of or an instigator of cyber-bullying and what steps to take to stop it. The leaflet provides useful, practical advice with local and national contacts for further support and guidance. The launch took place at Nechells Zone Olympics at the Alexander Stadium on June 15th Noran Flynn, Director of the POD, and organiser of the Olympics Event said “Nechells parents are keen to support their children at our Olympics, and promote the values of respect, excellence and friendship. They are also very concerned about the rise in cyber-bullying and have worked hard, with Birmingham’s Bullying Reduction Action Group (BRAG) to produce this leaflet to help parents across Birmingham deal with cyber-bullying and keep their children safe” How to tackle cyber-bullying: New technologies are amazing. Mobile phones, smart phones, the internet and social networking slites like facebook allow us to keep in touch with our friends and family more easily and to have access to a wide range of information on the world-wide web. They can help children with their learning, prepare them for life in a technological world and improve their communication skills. But as well as the positives, we all know that there are some negatives and that cyber-bullying is on the increase. Because many children and parents are worried about cyber-bullying Nechells Parents Forum have worked with Birmingham City Council’s Bullying Reduction Action Group (BRAG) to produce an advice leaflet for parents called How to Tackle Cyber-bullying. This leaflet helps parents understand what cyber-bullying is, how to spot the signs if their child is a victim of or an instigator of cyber-bullying and what steps to take to stop it. It also gives useful, practical advice with local and national contacts for further support and guidance. Sue Ball said “The Olympic values of respect, excellence and friendship are important to us all. Thank you to the POD and all the members of Nechells Parents Forum, who helped to create this leaflet. It gives great advice to parents and carers across Birmingham about how they can best help their children to lead happy and bully-free lives, build respectful friendships and stay safe from cyber-bullying.” For more information about Anti-bullying work in Birmingham Events This Month Latest Blog Posts Tue, 14th May 13 at 4:00pm Some pupils from year 5 in our Nechells EAZ schools: Cromwell, Nechells, St Clement's, St Joseph's and St Vincent's all went to Aston University today for a day of fun, experiments, experiences and inspiration for their future careers. The young people learnt all about team work, had a tour of the campus and then became mini scientists extracting DNA from kiwi fruits. The Nechells Schools and their pupils would all like to say a big thank you to Bal and her team of student volunteers at Aston University for the opportunity they give every year to some our most Gifted and Talents pupils, they really enjoy this fantastic experience, we hope that our pupils will all continue to study hard and in time become the graduates of the future.

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Disabilities and Special Needs

There are many interactions between fisheries, including aquaculture and capture fisheries as well as their intermediate forms in freshwater and marine environments, and other uses of the aquatic systems such as agriculture, flood control, power generation, tourism, mining, transportation, land development (e.g. housing), and urban and industrial effluent disposal. Synergistic interactions between fisheries and agriculture are primarily derived from the recycling of livestock or farming wastes and nutrients and optimal use of scarce land and water resources. In aquaculture, the active search for synergies has led to a number of development and management concepts such as Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture (IAA), Integrated Irrigation-Aquaculture (IIA), as well as to livestock-fish or rice- fish production systems. These synergies have been enhanced by improving the use of water and reducing agricultural impacts on aquatic systems, e.g. through the Integrated Pest Management concept (IPM). These improvements have been beneficial in improving water and fish quality and productivity. Unexpected synergies have also been detected in marine fisheries where the nutrients of continental origin (e.g. phosphates, nitrates), often a source of eutrophication and red tides, are believed to have increased productivity (e.g. in the Mediterranean and the North Sea).The development of reservoirs and other small-water bodies for agricultural and other purposes offers additional opportunities for both aquaculture, culture-based fisheries through stocking, and capture fisheries. Antagonistic interactions between agriculture and fisheries occur where these two sectors compete for the same kinds of resources, especially land and water, where rising productivity in one production system leads to reducing productivity in the other. For example, bad farming practices and deforestation impact on aquatic habitats and water resources - and therefore on fishery resources productivity and quality - through erosion, siltation, pollution and eutrophication (and red tides) resulting from excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers. Similarly, extensive saltwater or brackish water culture on coastal land areas affects the quality of soils (salinization, water logging) and the quality and level of the water table. Dams established for the purpose of irrigation, flood control or energy production impair fish migration and reproduction routes and change the qualitative nature of the habit which in turn influences the aquatic communities, e.g. changing species composition from riverine to lacustrine species. Efficiency in the use of water, primarily fresh water, and land resources is becoming of central importance to sustain increases in fisheries so as to provide for rural village communities and supply urban areas with the needed quantity, quality and variety of food. In many areas where human activities have rapidly expanded during the last decade, there is increasing pressure on limited land and water resources. There are also interactions between capture fisheries and aquaculture. Development of aquaculture may adversely impact capture fisheries through habitat change associated with farming systems or impacts of introduced species. There is competition for space between the production systems; for habitat and resources between wild and farmed species; for the market between respective harvests and products; for wild seeds. Pollution from aquaculture may also be a problem. On the other hand, aquaculture may provide alternative employment in overexploited areas or additional resources for fishing through enhancement, and may be an important alternative source of fish for rural communities thus reducing the fishing pressure and helping in the rehabilitation of wild fish stocks. The negative sides of these numerous interactions is progressively being recognised by Governments and industry and integrated management of natural resources is the strategy of choice to improve efficiency despite obvious implementation difficulties. The integrated management of watersheds, river basins and coastal areas (and of productive ecosystems in general) aims at managing sectoral components as parts of a functional whole. The overall objective of better integration between fisheries and other sectors in policy development and management is to maximize synergistic interactions and minimize antagonistic ones. Awareness of inter-sectoral dependencies, through the environment and the global economy, is rapidly rising, stimulated inter alia by growing media coverage of ecological catastrophes, advances in data processing and information technology, development of ecological economics, increased mobilisation of social forces through NGOs communications. The abilities of local communities to participate in information gathering, analysis, decision-making and enforcement is better recognised together with the need to involve them directly in decisions regarding common property resource use. All of this has created favourable conditions to fully realize the benefits of better integration between fisheries and agriculture as well as of these sectors with the rest of the economy. Numerous difficulties remain on the way towards better integration. Among these: - the technical difficulty of integrated development planning; - the political and economic difficulty of an equitable allocation of resources; - the organisation of a balanced leadership of the interaction between sectors; - the decentralisation of rights and responsibilities; - the development of the human resources necessary for effective decentralisation; - the cost of better understanding of the ecosystems functioning and resilience; - the application of the precautionary approach when information is lacking; - the development of integrated indicators of sustainability.

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Marine Life Studies

From a hotel room in Vancouver, Krista and Diamond discuss education, cognitive neuroscience, the importance of play, and more What Adele Diamond is learning about the brain challenges basic assumptions in modern education. Her work is scientifically illustrating the educational power of things like play, sports, music, memorization and reflection. What nourishes the human spirit, the whole person, it turns out, also hones our minds. An improvisational storytelling class of 5th and 6th graders draw on Adele Diamond's educational philosophy and demonstrate three important executive functions. Pertinent Posts from the On Being Blog Previous "On Being" guest, Adele Diamond, tells a story about meeting the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India at a Mind and Life Institute dialogue. We highlight some of the passages Adele Diamond presented to the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala — including texts from Rabbi Heschel, Bashevis Singer, Rachel Naomi Remen, and Henri Nouwen. A bit of the backdrop for producing a slideshow about executive function. Karen Armstrong prefers Hillel's version; Adele Diamond prefers Jesus' variation. Both take away a call to action. Hear them both. A New York Times article features Adele Diamond's work the weekend before our interview. About the Image Voices on the Radio Host/Producer: Krista Tippett Managing Producer: Kate Moos Associate Producer: Nancy Rosenbaum Associate Producer: Shubha Bala Technical Director/Producer: Chris Heagle Senior Editor: Trent Gilliss Associate Web Developer: Anne Breckbill A renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher shares his thoughts on the meaning of happiness, and how he understands spirituality as "contemplative science." Stuart Brown, a physician and director of the National Institute for Play, says that pleasurable, purposeless activity prevents violence and promotes trust, empathy, and adaptability to life's complication. He promotes cutting-edge science on human play, and draws on a rich universe of study of intelligent social animals.

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Child-Focused Learning Techniques

Indigenous Websites:Information Networks Indigenous Websites: Opinion Aborigines Milton- Ulladulla region Produced in consultation with the Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta, the Senior Aboriginal Women from Coober Pedy, South Australia. Documents their knowledge of atomic tests in the 1950's and 60's and their continued struggle against the proposed waste dump in their traditional lands. for Native Title and Reconciliation; their site has some great information, and things you can join in on, - the Sea of Hands etc. Events, newsletters, competitions and more, organised by ANTaR and Lets Talk, all for the purpose of reconciliation. Australia National reconciliation body with partners in each State - includes archives of the old Council sign in if you still want to say sorry... Native Title Another group doing things, including the Sorry Books, Sea of Hands, and Fax Direct. National Public Discussion - Native Title and Reconciliation . Media Coverage of Indigenous Issues: ABC Indigenous Online NATIONS) RECENT PRESS RELEASES Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - in particular covering UN comments on Australia's racism. The Koori Mail Excellent coverage of current Indigenous issues. It is a newspaper, so students needing published articles: this is for YOU! Australian Native Title Documents World Indigenous Links: back to AAR Homepage text marked up by Sarah last updated 12th Feb 2006 Begun February 1996.

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Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation

Over the top of the atomic stitch is the main song line, and these patterns are recognized holistically by the shaman as the main identifying characteristic of the corresponding icaro. When I observed the shamans singing a cloth, they would trace their index finger along this main song line pattern, the melody rising or descending in general accordance with the rise and fall of the line. Again we see the visual metaphor of the shamanic staircase, represented as a descending song line. Along the main song line itself and at various points of intersection along its path, can be seen the beautiful geometric designs called the floras. These flowers represent turning points where the song may take a new direction, such as a new verse or chorus. According to Herlinda, it is also the point where new life is born into the cosmos. The colors of these flowers have significance as well, and they are woven in eight colors; black and white as the base colors of the cloth and primary stitch patterns; red corresponding with blood, childbirth, and the historical conflict between the Amazonian tribes; yellow for sunlight; green for the jungle; and blue for the rivers and lakes. Other colors include purple and orange their significance is not yet known. *Source: "Woven Songs Of The Amazon" (Icaros and Weavings of The Shipibo Shamans) by Barrett H. Martin Write Your Own Review Shipibo-Conibo, Village of San Francisco, Amazon, Peru The Shipibo are one of 14 indigenous tribes living in the Amazon basin in Peru and at present consist of around 35,000 people living in over 300 villages in the Pucallpa area situated mainly along the Rio Ucayali. They believe that the universe was sung into being by a giant anaconda, and as she sang, the patterns of her skin covered the universe. The intricate weavings created for centuries by the Shipibo are an ornate representation of the serpent's skin and, at the same time, are the actual, written music for the songs (icaros). Traditionally, the knowledge of the weaving patterns and songs has been passed down through the women, but due to the recent presence of western influences on the younger generations of women, these traditions are rapidly being lost. The textile you see here is from the family of the late Herlinda Augustine and other women of the village of San Francisco. Herlinda Fernandez Augustine was one of a few Shipibo-Conibo indigenous woman healers – onaya or auahuasca shaman, whose life work is a unique repertoire of ancient songs (called icaros) which she uses to affect healing of her people and change in the world around her. Her songs speak of the power of plants and the importance of harmony between Man and Nature. She was featured in the award winning documentary film by Anna Stevens and her icaros are featured in a CD by the same name. Herlinda is survived by her husband Enrique, mother Manuela, daughter Magdalena and son Henry. View other products from Herlinda

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Global Cultural Heritage

Some folks laugh at the notion of Uncle Sam reaching his hand literally into our backyards and regulating almost every drop of water. But, a bill in Congress would do just that. And if it passes, not just farmers and ranchers would be affected, but all landowners. The Clean Water Restoration Act, or S. 787, gives the government the right to extend its reach to any body of water from farm ponds, to storm water retention basins, to roadside ditches, to desert washes, even to streets and gutters. The legislation leaves no water unregulated and could even impact standing rainwater in a dry area. Private property owners beware. While it has "restoration" in its title, it does anything but. The Clean Water Restoration Act is not a restoration of the Clean Water Act at all. It is a means for activists to remove any bounds from the scope of Clean Water Act jurisdiction to extend the government's regulatory reach. But, what the activists won't tell you is that the Clean Water Act is working, and has been for the last 36 years. Put simply, this legislation would replace the term "navigable waters" from the Clean Water Act with "all interstate and intrastate waters." Farm Bureau supports the protection of U.S. navigable waters, as well as rivers and streams that flow to navigable waters -- all of which are already protected under current law. But, if the Clean Water Act is applied to all waters, farmers and ranchers would be significantly impacted due the number of farming activities that would require permits. Under this new law, areas that contain water only during a rain would be subject to full federal regulation. Further, not only would many areas not previously regulated require federal permits, those permits would be subject to challenge in federal court, delaying or halting these activities resulting in a huge impact on rural economies. Farmers and ranchers do a good job taking care of the land. As I often say, they are America's first environmentalists. They use modern conservation practices to protect our nation's water supplies. Many times these efforts are put in place voluntarily because farmers are driven by a strong stewardship ethic. However, the restoration bill largely disregards the positive conservation role farmers and ranchers are playing. It replaces good works with strict rules. Rather than restore the Clean Water Act, it just brings a new truckload of restrictions for the people who do most to protect our water. The Clean Water Restoration Act is regulatory overkill. It is written to give the federal government control of structures such as drainage ditches, which are only wet after rainfall. Taking these changes one step further, it would likely give federal regulators the ability to control everyday farming activities in adjacent fields. Hard-working farm families can't afford, nor do they deserve, Uncle Sam's hand reaching into their backyards, their fields or even their puddles of rainwater. Bob Stallman is president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

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Water Quality and Management

Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities History of Congregation B'nai Israel, Little Rock B’nai Israel congregation was first organized at the close of the Civil War, as increasing numbes of Jewish merchants and businessmen settled in Little Rock. In the summer of 1866, residents raised money to purchase a Torah scroll and ram’s horn for the upcoming High Holy Day services. Originally called the Little Rock Congregation, the group formally incorporated as B’nai Israel in 1867 and elected Morris Navra as its first president. Samuel Peck joined the congregation as a spiritual leader the following year. Many early congregants were adherents to Reform Judaism, and in accordance with the practices of some Reform congregations at the time, they referred to their leader as Reverend Samuel Peck. B’nai Israel was one of the founding members of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, now the Union for Reform Judaism. The group met in a small room on East Markham Street during its early years. The single room was officially dedicated on July 13, 1867. Soon, the young congregation began to work toward to building a suitable synagogue. In 1869, they purchased land on Center Street. In 1871, they laid the cornerstone for their first building. The congregation hosted a benefit ball to raise funds for a temple at 304 Center Street, which was dedicated in September of 1872. That same year, the congregation acquired land for a cemetery. Congregants also established a Sabbath School called Talmud Yelodim. The school enrolled 69 students in the first six months and began holding confirmation classes the following year. B’nai Israel also offered other communal organizations, including a Temple choir and a Board of Relief established to care for Jewish burials and illnesses. Rabbi Jacob Block served B’nai Israel from 1872 to 1880. Disagreements about religious observances and liturgy led to a rift in the 1870s as the Jewish community of Little Rock began to divine along denominational lines. After disagreements over religious observances and liturgy, a group of more traditional members left to establish a separate Orthodox service. In time, this group evolved into the congregation Agudat Achim. During this same period, B’nai Israel was finding it hard to keep a rabbi in Little Rock. From 1881 to 1891, they had three different rabbis, and went over a year without a full-time rabbi. Rabbi Charles Rubenstein came in 1891, and stayed for six years, playing a leading role in convincing the congregation to build a new home. The increasing arrivals of Jewish newcomers to Little Rock swelled the congregation’s ranks. By the close of the 1800s, B’nai Israel had nearly 200 members and had outgrown the Center Street Temple. In 1897 the congregation erected a large ornate structure on the corners of Broadway and Capitol Streets. The magnificent yellow-bricked edifice bore a Byzantine-inspired dome capping a Romanesque tower as well as tall Gothic windows and spires. The interior, designed to seat up to 700, incorporated elements of Grecian and Roman theater architecture. Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, founder of the UAHC, dedicated the new temple on May 9, 1897. Rabbis from Memphis, Camden, Pine Bluff, and Fort Smith were also part of the dedication ceremony. The congregation continued to grow under a series of capable and popular rabbis trained at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. Under the leadership of Rabbi Louis Wolsey, who served from 1899 to 1907, the congregation was so successful that in 1907 the temple was enlarged to accommodate the new members. That same year, B’nai Israel had 220 member families, and an annual income of over $7000. They had 156 students in their weekly religious school. A Ladies Temple Aid Society had been founded in 1903, and boasted 170 members by 1907. B’nai Israel grew over the next decade, and by 1917 it had 300 members. The pulpit at B’nai Israel continued to experience high turnover during the first quarter of the 20th century. Rabbi Louis Witt had the longest tenure, serving from 1907 to 1919. In 1926, Rabbi Ira Sanders assumed the pulpit at B’nai Israel. He had formerly served as associate Rabbi at a large, cosmopolitan synagogue in New York. On Decoration Day of that year (now called Memorial Day), Sanders gave a speech titled: “Why the North and the South Should Meet Together.” Members of the Little Rock community happened to be in the audience, and they were so impressed that they enticed Sanders to accept the rabbinate at B’nai Israel. Sanders agreed and served as the beloved rabbi of B’nai Israel for the next 37 years. The days of the revolving door rabbis were over, another sign in the development of B’nai Israel. During the Civil Rights era, Sanders was an eloquent and vociferous advocate of integration, at a time when many of his congregants avoided the subject for fear of reprisals. The late 1950s saw a spate of synagogue bombings across the south, and in October of 1958 Sanders received a threat that B’nai Israel would be bombed the following Friday eve. Rabbi Groner of Agudat Achim received a similar threat. Sanders decided to proceed with services, and that Shabbat undoubtedly became one of great joy for the Jewish community when the appointed hour passed without incident. The congregation flourished under Sanders inspired leadership. The physical structure continued to expand, adding an education wing in 1949, a memorial library and an art gallery. The Temple was remodeled in 1953 and 1954, and the congregation continued to see strong attendance even as the Jewish population dwindled in smaller Arkansas towns. Rabbi Sanders retired in 1963 and assumed the role of Rabbi Emeritus, a role he served until his passing in 1985. His replacement as the congregation leader, Rabbi Elijah E. Palnick, maintained Sanders legacy of supporting civil rights and facilitating dialogue between Little Rock residents of diverse religious and racial backgrounds. Palnick was followed by Rabbi Eugene Levy, who has led B’nai Israel since 1987. In 1975, congregants made the difficult decision to leave their building and build a new temple in West Little Rock. Many of the furnishings and even edifice stones from the old temple were lovingly preserved. The spacious, modern structure better served the community’s needs, and today the congregation continues to offer a complete range of educational, religious and social programming.

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Ancient Civilizations History

Nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood in Long Beach, Calif., are 4.7 acres of Spanish, Mexican and American history, where families helped transform southern California from its ranching beginnings to a modern, urban society. Rancho Los Cerritos includes an 1844 adobe building, formal gardens and landscaped grounds. It is a national, state and local landmark, owned and operated by the city as a public museum and historic site since 1955. As the country’s economic crisis works its way to the regional and local municipal forefront, the Rancho has found itself on the list for possible budget cuts. It begs the question, “Can one put a price on historic culture?” While the answer seems obvious, the reality from a fiscal viewpoint is that this rare community treasure does not sustain itself financially. From The Start The original Rancho site was 27,000 acres of pastures for cattle and sheep that, starting in the late 19th century, gave way to development of the cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, Bellflower and Paramount. The site boasts a two-story adobe building with 22 ground-floor rooms and a serene central courtyard. It possesses outstanding potential for an interpretation of historical themes, beginning with the period of Native American occupation and continuing through the romanticized Spanish Colonial Revival Period of the 1920s and 1930s. The rich artisan materials of the area are present throughout the building. The 2- to 3-foot thick walls tell the story of the Native Americans who made adobe blocks using mud from the site. The beams were hand-hewn redwood from the Monterey area, and a majority of the rooms in the east wing contained redwood planked floors. The construction of the ranch house began in 1844 by then-owner John Temple. The building was one of the largest and most impressive domestic adobes of its time for colonial Southern California, and its extensive gardens were unique for the time period. Temple built the ranch house as a country home and headquarters for his cattle-ranching operation. Its second owners, Flint, Bixby & Co., stocked the land with sheep. During the 19th century, horses, carriages and buggies were saddled and prepared in the courtyard. There were troughs and hitching posts, and blacksmithing and cooking facilities. The ”milk room” opened onto a second courtyard north of the house, and contained rows of shining pans filled with cream both for churning and for the table–“clotted cream, thick enough to spread with a knife upon hot baking-powder biscuits, or a steaming baked potato.” Other original buildings on the site were a barn, corn crib, adobe brick oven, wool barn, a dip for the sheep after they had been sheared, a sheep barn and a granary. The large, 2-acre garden planted by Temple appeared to be a mixture of New England and subtropical influences. In 1930, the well-known landscape architect, Ralph Cornell, created a garden plan for the new owners of Rancho Los Cerritos. He incorporated native plants, preserved many of the trees and plants surviving from previous owners, and reintroduced some plant species from the 19th-century garden. Surviving landscape elements included an osage orange, three pomegranate, two citrus, two olive and three Italian cypress trees. Several black locust trees also survived, along with a large Moreton Bay fig. Cornell’s overall plan called for a sweeping driveway for the southern entrance and western boundary, bordered by curving layers of trees and shrubs. Outside the south wing, he planted a grid of both familiar and exotic fruit trees. A central lawn surrounded the Moreton Bay fig, bordered by trees and shrubs along a walkway. Through his use of rich materials and plantings, Cornell created a pleasant garden atmosphere to surround the remodeled living quarters. Even today, over 80 years after he created the gardens, many of the historic plantings are still alive and well. A Red-Carpet Reputation In March 1934, a Historic American Building Survey was made of Rancho Los Cerritos. Three years later, it was designated by the Department of the Interior as possessing “Exceptional historic or architectural interest,” being “most worthy of careful preservation for the benefit of future generations.” In 1943, the city began working to acquire the Rancho as a historic site. The city opened a museum, and completed the purchase in 1956 for use as a historical monument, park and library. Rancho Los Cerritos was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1970. Presently, the city administers the Rancho through the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine. The city holds title to the site and provides the entire funding for its operations. The Friends of Rancho Los Cerritos is a volunteer support group, which assists the site with its programming, and supports the educational and preservation mission. The Rancho Los Cerritos Foundation, a non-profit arm of the organization, was established in 1994, and is tasked with fundraising and development for restoration, capital projects and educational enhancements. As the city faces a looming $52-million budget deficit next year, policymakers will be faced with difficult decisions. What public programs and services can be eliminated with the least impact? With public health and safety as a priority, fire, police and health services should take precedence. Libraries and parks are further down the list. How important are the cultural and historic resources to overall city operations and function? Many say these resources are “optional” and not core services. In 2007 and 2008, Rancho Los Cerritos raised $37,700 in revenue from programs, donations and gift-shop sales. The operational cost has a $467,000 price tag, subsidized by the city. Can the city afford to keep the site open during a financial crisis? These are extraordinary times. Numbers on a spreadsheet tell a very different story than the one that is tangible at the Rancho. Translation is lost between profit and loss statements and the general atmosphere of the site. Gazing at the magnificence of the 130-year-old Moreton Bay fig that sits on the back lawn area of the Rancho, one wonders about the Native Americans, the families and visitors who have enjoyed its grandeur and elegance over the centuries. This place, which represents a lifestyle reminiscent of the earlier tranquil days of ranch living. This place, where the owners entertained guests and played bridge after Sunday dinner, lit the large, two-story Christmas tree with real candles, and was the site of the annual Easter-egg hunt. These were real experiences, of real people. It is the story of many generations from all walks of life–entrepreneurial businessmen, close-knit families, people who helped shape the community and region. Theirs are stories about land and economic development, cultural diversity and the growth of the city. And if there remains no choice but to close down this historic landmark, what is in store for this tree and these buildings that have survived and been a part of so much? Despite the engaging history of Rancho Los Cerritos, these modern times force us to deal with funding realities. Rancho Los Cerritos will soon turn a new page in its history book. One can only hope that the vivid memories can be kept alive through continued education about this neighborhood jewel, and a bookmark will steadfastly remain in its place until we are again able to forge ahead in better times. Sandra Gonzalez, FASLA, is the manager for the Planning & Development Bureau for the city of Long Beach’s Parks, Recreation and Marine Department. She can be reached via e-mail at email@example.com

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Historic Places and Events

OLMOS CREEK (UVALDE COUNTY) OLMOS CREEK (Uvalde County). Olmos Creek rises (at 29°08' N, 100°04' W) in far southwestern Uvalde County two miles southeast of Dabney and runs south for twelve miles to its mouth (at 29°01' N, 100°04' W) on Muela Creek, fourteen miles northwest of La Pryor in northwestern Zavala County. The creek name is Spanish for "elm trees." The stream rises in flat to gently sloping terrain with local depressions or sinkholes; the land here is surfaced by very shallow to shallow and stony clays and loams that support scrub brush and grasses. The creek continues through low-rolling hills and prairie with deeper clayey and loamy soils that support chaparral, some mesquite, and grasses. Toward the mouth of Olmos Creek the terrain becomes low relief, surfaced by deep loams and clays that support pecans and other hardwoods and various grasses. The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this article."OLMOS CREEK (UVALDE COUNTY)," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbo19), accessed June 19, 2013. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

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Historic Places and Events

Researchers at the EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) have created a way to store data in the form of DNA a material that lasts for tens of thousands of years. The new method, published today in the journal Nature, makes it possible to store at least 100 million hours of high-definition video in about a cup of DNA. There is a lot of digital information in the world about three zettabytes' worth (that's 3000 billion billion bytes) and the constant influx of new digital content poses a real challenge for archivists. Hard disks are expensive and require a constant supply of electricity, while even the best 'no-power' archiving materials such as magnetic tape degrade within a decade. This is a growing problem in the life sciences, where massive volumes of data including DNA sequences make up the fabric of the scientific record. "We already know that DNA is a robust way to store information because we can extract it from bones of woolly mammoths, which date back tens of thousands of years, and make sense of it," explains Nick Goldman of EMBL-EBI. "It's also incredibly small, dense and does not need any power for storage, so shipping and keeping it is easy." Reading DNA is fairly straightforward, but writing it has until now been a major hurdle to making DNA storage a reality. There are two challenges: first, using current methods it is only possible to manufacture DNA in short strings. Secondly, both writing and reading DNA are prone to errors, particularly when the same DNA letter is repeated. Nick Goldman and co-author Ewan Birney, Associate Director of EMBL-EBI, set out to create a code that overcomes both problems. "We knew we needed to make a code using only short strings of DNA, and to do it in such a way that creating a run of the same letter would be impossible. So we figured, let's break up the code into lots of overlapping fragments going in both directions, with indexing information showing where each fragment be |Contact: Mary Todd-Bergman| European Molecular Biology Laboratory

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Medical Topics

In the above applet, there is a pull-down menu at the top to select which function you would like to explore. The selected function is plotted in the left window and its derivative on the right. 1. Exponential function with a fixed base The initial example shows an exponential function with a base of k, a constant (initially 5 in the example). What does the derivative look like? It sort of looks like the original exponential function, but rising more steeply. Move the k slider around and notice what happens to the shape of the derivative. Are there some values of k for which the derivative rises less steeply than the original curve? What value of k makes the two curves look similar? You can get even closer to this magic value for k by setting x = 1 and then watching the value of f '(1) (shown in a box in the right hand graph) as you move the k slider. Since f (1) = k, when f ' (1) = k, the two curves are identical. Once you get close using the k slider, you can also fine tune the value of k using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard. You should find that for k ≈ 2.718 the function and its derivative are the same. The exact answer is k = e. In fact, you can type "e" into the k input box to make the curves the same. So, What about when the base is a number other than e? It appears that the derivative is like the original exponential, but stretched or squished. In fact, that is what happens, and the shortcut is 2. Exponential function with a base between 0 and 1 What about for 0 < k < 1? Select the second example from the drop down menu. This is the same function, but now the k slider will let you select values from 0 to 5 (instead of just from 1 to 5, as in the previous example). What happens to the derivative curve? Why? What is the sign of the logarithm of a number between 0 and 1? The rule given above still works in this case.

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Advanced Mathematical Concepts

By 2003, plenty of data suggested that pesticide drift was harming communities, but the pesticide industry and regulators refused to act. For 20 years, the California Air Resources Board had been conducting experiments, looking for pesticides in the air around fields sprayed with pesticides. They found them. In 2003, PAN pulled together and analyzed this information in a breakthrough report, Secondhand Pesticides. We found that many pesticides remained in the air near fields at high levels for hours, or even days after application. Anyone in the vicinity of such applications faced exposure. Sept. 9, 2008 Drift Catcher selected as 2008 Tech Awards Laureate by the Tech Museum of Innovation PAN's air monitoring device, invented by chemist and senior scientist Dr. Susan Kegley, was designated a 2008 Tech Awards Laureate, one of 25 global innovations recognized each year for applying technology to benefit humanity and spark global change. The Tech Awards, a signature program of The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California, selected the Drift Catcher from among hundreds of nominations representing 68 countries, for "empowering communities for health and sustainability" to measure concentrations of hazardous pesticides as evidence to prevent exposure to pesticide drift. In over 20 years of our own direct field work with agricultural communities, PAN's international network had heard countless stories about how drift-affected communities had come to expect illness, nausea, rashes, and worse in the hours and days after fields had been sprayed. So, with communities across the country asking us to do something about drift, we invented the an air monitoring system we call the "Drift Catcher." It's affordable, robust and based on the same technology used by the California Air Resources Board in its studies. The big idea? Put the tools necessary to prove pesticide drift into the hands of people who live through it. Make sure those tools are reliable and useable - the rest is just science. Since its 2003 launch, Drift Catchers have been used in 27 projects in nine states by scores of trained volunteers and community leaders. Below are two case studies. South Woods Elementary School in St. Johns County, Florida, is bordered on three sides by a large seed farm that sprays pesticides throughout the school year. Motivated by concerns about the health of the children at the school, residents of the county have been using the Drift Catcher to monitor the air near the school since 2006. Exposure to the chemicals we found by South Woods Elementary are associated with a wide range of adverse health effects: endosulfan interferes with hormones and is linked with autism, birth defects and delayed puberty; diazinon is neurotoxic; and trifluralin and chlorothalonil are suspected to cause cancer. All are particularly dangerous for children. Maybe now the school board will recognize the pesticide problem & take more serious actions to prevent future drift.– Alex Lowe, student in Hastings In addition to focusing local, regional, and national media attention on the issue of pesticide drift, the reports on the 2006 and 2007 sampling have led the formulation of state policy recommendations on school siting and have been used by PANNA it’s campaign for the phaseout of endosulfan. Lindsay, CA, is a predominately Latino community in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley. The town grew up around orange trees, and most of its homes and schools are situated right next to groves where neurotoxic organophosphates are routinely sprayed. Acute exposure to these insecticides can cause nausea and vomiting, tremors and seizures, and even death; studies link chronic exposure with asthma and learning disabilities. A local group, El Quinto Sol de America, used Drift Catchers from 2004 to 2006 to document the movement of chlorpyrifos (a neurotoxic, organophosphate insecticide) out the groves and into their yards. Here's a map of the Lindsay project, and a 4-pg summary of the results. Results from biomonitoring and drift catching in Lindsay have since become the bedrock of efforts to win no spray buffer zones around schools and residential areas. Local activists in Tulare, Kern, and other agricultural counties across California have used these result to successfully push their County Agriculture Commissioners for buffer zones around schools and other sensitive sites.

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Agricultural Research and Innovations

Man vs. Meltdown Will Japan's nuclear crisis end in catastrophe? When the unexpected happens, even at a nuclear power plant, don't freak out. All you have to do is cool the cores. Just add water. If you can't deliver it through a pump, you can spray it from a truck or dump it from a helicopter. If pressure builds up, you can vent it. Yes, that might entail releasing some radiation. But releasing radiation isn't the end of the world. It's better to go nuclear in small doses than in a catastrophic blast. While the workers at Fukushima wage this fight, the rest of us should rethink power plant construction with the same innovative urgency. American plants built with a container design similar to Fukushima's have already been upgraded to relieve pressure in the event of overheating. The Japan crisis suggests other fixes as well. Put diesel generators on higher ground. Require longer-lasting batteries to power the cooling system when the electrical grid goes out. And for crying out loud, build some robots. Nothing is more exasperating than reading reports about all the things that can't be done at Fukushima—fixing valves, pumping water, ascertaining damage, dousing spent-fuel pools—because of heat, radiation, or the risk of explosion. Last year, BP plugged an oil leak a mile under the Gulf of Mexico with the aid of remotely operated vehicles. Why doesn't Japan, the world's most robotically advanced country, have unmanned vehicles on hand to do simple but dangerous jobs at a radiation-contaminated nuclear power plant? Ten minutes ago, I got a newsletter from the unmanned-vehicles industry about all the cool things robots are doing to help Japan. It has not a word about the nuclear reactors. That's disgraceful. To head off the next nuclear accident, we need to rethink the parameters of plant design. Why do we build backup cooling pumps for reactors but not for spent-fuel pools? And we need layers of protection that are truly independent. If some safety mechanisms require electricity, others should be functional without it. Store cooling water above the reactor so you can deliver it with plain old gravity if you lose power. And diversify the layers. At Fukushima, all the gizmos failed, but the containers have largely held firm. Build in different kinds of protection—barriers, gizmos, training, manual tools—so that if one kind fails, another can intercede. If everything goes wrong, and your reactor melts down, don't give up. You still have evacuation and iodine. And even if Fukushima becomes another Chernobyl, nuclear energy still has a much better safety record than fossil fuels, just as stocks have a better track record than bonds over the long term, despite the occasional crash. But that safety record depends on us. We have to learn from Fukushima, just as we learned from Chernobyl. We have to diversify our means of managing disasters and averting meltdowns. We have to give ourselves a fighting chance when things go wrong, as they sometimes will. Fukushima's workers haven't surrendered. We shouldn't either. Human Nature's latest short takes on the news, via Twitter: Will Saletan covers science, technology, and politics for Slate and says a lot of things that get him in trouble. Photograph by Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images.

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Nuclear Power and Safety Issues

Harvard economist Andrei Shleifer has a new paper on The Age Of Milton Friedman that begins with: The last quarter century has witnessed remarkable progress of mankind. The world’s per capita inflation-adjusted income rose from $5400 in 1980 to $8500 in 2005.Schooling and life expectancy grew rapidly, while infant mortality and poverty fell just asfast. Compared to 1980, many more countries in the world are democratic today. The last quarter century also saw wide acceptance of free market policies in both rich and poor countries: from private ownership, to free trade, to responsible budgets, to lower taxes. Three important events mark the beginning of this period. In 1979, Deng Xiao Ping started market reforms in China, which over the quarter century lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. In the same year, Margaret Thatcher was elected Prime Minister in Britain, and initiated her radical reforms and a long period of growth. A year later, Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States, and also embraced free market policies. All three of these leaders professed inspiration from the work of Milton Friedman. It is natural, then, to refer to the last quarter century as the Age of Milton Friedman.

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Finance Education

Cruisin' Comet (December 21, 2004) Hi-res TIF (3.0M) Casually arcing above the Sun (from right to left in these SOHO LASCO views) this week, comet SOHO-884 was first seen by SOHO on Dec. 16, 2004. For the first couple of days in the video clip the comet's tail is clearly discernible, but then due to our viewing angle it seems to fade.| The comet was first spotted in four images taken by SOHO's ultraviolet, interstellar medium-viewing SWAN instrument by Michael Mattiazzo, but he was not certain about it. On Dec. 16th, a bright comet entered C3 and was first reported by John Sachs. Shortly after, Sebastian Hoenig pointed out that this comet had the very real possibility of being Michael's SWAN comet, a connection that was soon confirmed. So many hands were involved in making the discovery. The comet is not a member of any known group of comets, but instead one that does not appear on a regular schedule as some do. SOHO has now discovered over 160 comets this year alone and as can be seen in the name "SOHO-884", this is the 884th comet discovered by SOHO since its launch in December, 1995. Comets are frozen balls of ice and dust that are believed to have been created when the universe was very young. In fact, scheduled for July 2005, NASA's Deep Impact's spacecraft will arrive at Comet Tempel 1 and become the first mission to impact the surface of a comet. You can learn about this mission at http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov/. SOHO began its Weekly Pick some time after sending a weekly image or video clip to the American Museum of Natural History (Rose Center) in New York City. There, the SOHO Weekly Pick is displayed with some annotations on a large plasma display. If your institution would also like to receive the same Weekly Pick from us for display (usually in Photoshop or QuickTime format), please send your inquiry to email@example.com.

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Space Exploration and Astronomy

10 Tips for Parents of Prospective College Students 1. Choosing a Career/Choosing a Major Ultimately, your son or daughter should make the choice. Of course, you may want to mention factors to consider, such as job market demand, salary ranges, long-range opportunities, skills required, etc. Just because an occupation is "hot" now does not mean it will be equally in demand in 10 years or that your child has the aptitude or motivation for it. 2. Choosing to Double Major/Choosing a Major and Minor Most employers do not place a premium on a double major. It usually requires an extra one or two semesters to obtain a second major and does not particularly enhance a student's marketability. Exceptions would be a second major or a major and minor chosen for a specific career, such as English and chemistry for technical writing, or a health policy major and business minor for hospital administration. 3. Grade Point Average (GPA) Some students who get off to a rocky start eventually pull up their grades; however, this can be very difficult to do. Many employers stress the student's overall background: work experience, number of hours worked during the school year to finance college, leadership activities, etc. Encourage your son or daughter to make academics a high priority beginning with his or her freshman year. It is important to remember that it may take him or her a while to adjust to the rigorous academic demands of college. 4. Obtaining Marketable Skills Most employers today put more emphasis on graduates' skills than on their academic majors. Encourage your son or daughter to develop strengths in at least two or three of the following areas: - Computer skills (e.g., programming, word processing, spreadsheets, data base management, e-mail, Internet); - Quantitative skills (e.g., accounting, statistics, economics); - Communication skills (e.g., written and oral); - Marketing/selling skills (e.g., sales, publicity, fundraising); - Scientific skills (e.g., lab skills, scientific research); - Foreign language skills (e.g., especially Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, or Russian); - Leadership skills (e.g., supervisory, extracurricular leadership roles, teamwork/team leader). 5. Leadership Activities Many employers rate leadership activities even more highly than GPA. Students who were very active in high school activities may be less involved in college extracurricular activities. However, employers regard high school as "ancient history" for a college senior. It is more valuable for a student to be involved in a few meaningful leadership roles on campus than to be in a "laundry list" of many campus clubs. You may want your son or daughter to work in his or her hometown every summer. However, the experience gained as a lifeguard or ice cream shop counter clerk does not compare to that which comes from an internship (paid or unpaid) in the career field that he or she aspires to enter. Future employers will seek graduates with relevant, real-world work experience. Some students have little to write about on a resume if their summers were spent in school, traveling, or working at low-level jobs. We strongly suggest that students seek career-related experience for their sophomore and junior summers even if they must live away from home or accept an unpaid internship. Students needing financial support can combine an unpaid internship with a paid job such as waiter/waitress, etc. 7. Graduating Early, Graduating Late Some students graduate early through advanced placement credits, heavy course loads, and summer school courses. The advantages are lower educational expenses and the ability to start employment or graduate school earlier. The disadvantages may include the sacrifice of academic honors, work experience, and extracurricular and volunteer activities that may contribute to a student's maturity level and qualifications. Other students graduate late due to light course loads, academic difficulties, changing majors, poor academic advising, lack of direction, or reluctance to leave the cocoon of the college environment. Advantages to late graduation include the ability to improve grades with light class loads, extra time to change majors, the ability to take additional electives to improve marketability, and extra time to gain more career-related or leadership experience. Disadvantages to late graduation are increased college costs and possible disapproval of employers and graduate schools. 8. Planning for Graduate/Professional School About 88 percent of the nation's college freshmen indicated in a recent survey that they plan to go to graduate or professional school, yet only about 24 percent do so within a year of completing their bachelor's degree. Students aspiring to graduate or professional school should: Be clear about the reasons they want to go on for further education; research the qualifications required for admission and be realistic about their chances of acceptance; and always have a "Plan B" or back-up plan in case they are not accepted. Students should discuss their interest in graduate or professional school well before their senior year with their academic adviser; the college's graduate or professional school adviser (e.g., the pre-law or pre-med adviser); and a college career adviser to obtain advice and guidance from three different perspectives. 9. Taking Time Off Many students want to take time off after college graduation from college before attending graduate school or taking a career-related job. Future employers will want to know how the student has spent the intervening time. Do activities during this period demonstrate relevance to future career goals and/or a good work ethic? While short-term travel may be personally broadening, it does not increase a student's marketability to employers unless it is seen as career related. Therefore, the time off may result in a longer job search. For example, management trainee programs, which often begin shortly after graduation and hire large numbers of new graduates, may be filled by the time your child is ready to begin a job search. 10. Using the College Career Services Office Students should begin using their campus career office in their freshman year. Virtually all career offices provide individual career counseling/advising, career planning workshops, internship assistance, and career fairs and programs. Your son or daughter should seek help early with choosing a career and preparing for it. Competition for good jobs, particularly in certain fields, is stiff. The career office can advise students about how to become a strong candidate for their field of interest. Source: Article by Marcia B. Harris and Sharon L. Jones

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Child-Focused Learning Techniques

The Future of Salmon and Trout Stocking in Lake Michigan Five species of salmon and trout support a world-class recreational fishery in Lake Michigan. Stocking has played an important role in maintaining the balance between predators and forage fish, such as the non-native alewife, since the late 1960s. If too many salmon and trout are in the lake, forage fish decline and salmon starve or fall prey to disease. If too few salmon and trout are in the lake, the non-native alewife could foul beaches and affect native species populations. Ongoing research is being used to investigate the possibility that changes to stocking policy could improve fisheries and limit the risk of predator-prey imbalance. Fisheries managers in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana will set a stocking policy for Lake Michigan salmon and trout by fall of 2012. LAKE MICHIGAN SALMON STOCKING SURVEY RESULTS Survey results are now available and are being considered along with biological data and other factors as managers move toward a decision on future stocking policy. See: Survey Results Lake Michigan Salmon Stocking Workshop Lake Michigan College, Benton Harbor, Michigan Saturday, April 14, 2012 This half-day workshop was free and open to the public. Participants learned more about specific options for stocking policy and had the opportunity to speak with fisheries managers about the future of Lake Michigan fisheries. Check out the recorded webinar for more details. - Lake Michigan Salmon Stocking Strategies Briefing (PDF) Includes overview of collaborative decision-making process, status of fishery and forage base, and stocking options under consideration.

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Marine Life Studies

Elementary School • Holidays Encyclopedia of American Holidays and National Days: Volume 1 http://0-ebooks.abc-clio.com.ilsweb.lvccld.org/main.aspx?l=E&t=title Encyclopedia of American Holidays and National Days: Volume 2 http://0-ebooks.abc-clio.com.ilsweb.lvccld.org/reader.aspx?isbn=9780313014918 Holidays - Kids InfoBits http://0-galenet.galegroup.com.ilsweb.lvccld.org/servlet/KidsInfoBits?subTopic=Social%2BStudies&locID=lvccld_main&failover=0&topic=History%252C%2BGovernment%2B%2526%2BSocial%2BStudies&c=1&searchTerm=Holidays&ste=5&tbst=tsrch&tab=1&bConts=55 More of the Best Holiday Crafts http://ebooks.lvccld.org/ContentDetails-Subject7.htm?ID=EADCA235-983B-45A5-916E-06827FD39655 A collection of 65 holiday-based craft projects. In addition to Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and Christmas, a number of new holidays have been added, including Flag Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, President’s Day, and St. Patrick’s Day. There are creative decorations, favors, cards, and gifts designed to enhance holiday celebrations throughout the year. Hooray for Halloween! http://whyfiles.org/097halloween/index.html This site examines "the science of Halloween: bats, brains and cemeteries" (THE WHY FILES). Learn about the biology of bats, the study of the human brain, and the archaeology of burials through this humorous, Halloween-themed article. New Crafts for Thanksgiving http://ebooks.lvccld.org/ContentDetails-Subject7.htm?ID=F513FEF0-6D4C-4DE2-BF26-4E3A2E82016F It features crafts such as gourd turkeys, pilgrim place cards, and a stick trivet. Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary http://0-go.galegroup.com.ilsweb.lvccld.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE|9780780809826&v=2.1&u=lvccld_main&it=etoc&p=GVRL&sw=w Describes 2,500 holidays, festivals, commemorations, holy days, feasts and fasts, and other observances from all parts of the world. Entries cover popular, ethnic, religious, and historic events of international, national, regional, and local significance. World Holidays: A Rosen Guide for Children http://0-go.galegroup.com.ilsweb.lvccld.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE|5QVJ&v=2.1&u=lvccld_main&it=aboutBook&p=GVRL&sw=w A guide to celebrations and holidays around the world, including religious, civic, and cultural practices.

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Childrens Educational Resources

HAND-HELD computers have many uses -- but who would have thought they could take art home from a museum? That is just what is happening at the current Biennial exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. At a special kiosk, visitors can download ''Tap,'' a digital artwork by James Buckhouse, into electronic organizers equipped with the Palm operating system, and with that download, receive their own digital dancer (male or female, the viewer picks). The dancer practices, learns from other dancers and gives recitals. Technology in museums, especially the artistic kind, has traditionally meant audio guides. This was not a deliberate oversight; many museums began testing an array of Jetsons-style gadgetry a few years ago, but the dot-com bust and the economic downturn have delayed progress. Museums are now slowly recapturing their momentum. Many are experimenting with the latest technology, and soon their galleries may be wired (or go wireless) for the Internet, allowing visitors to use their hand-held computers to download information about an entire collection or a single object, to explore a museum's hidden archives or bookmark Web pages. The Exploratorium, a science and art museum in San Francisco, is developing the Electronic Guidebook Project, which will not only allow visitors to download additional material on their hand-held computers, but also create a password-protected personal Web page, meaning people can revisit their own selection of the museum's collections from any computer. The American Museum of the Moving Image in New York is testing eDocent, a wireless network in its galleries that will allow visitors to download information into their hand-held computers and bookmark Web pages. The network may also give audiences viewings of what they cannot see in the gallery. Like many museums, the Museum of the Moving Image can display only a small percentage of its collection, 1,200 of 90,000 objects. When eDocent becomes a reality, which is not expected until 2003, audiences could see much of this hidden collection. ''Because our collection is so extensive, we have a huge amount of material to link,'' said Rochelle Slovin, the museum's director. ''The ultimate goal of eDocent is for the information to be so rich and extensive that you could go deeper and deeper into the layers.'' The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis is preparing for a $90 million renovation and expansion project, which will break ground in 2003. Central to the renovation is a wireless network that will provide visitors with more information about objects in the museum, said Andrew Blauvelt, the museum's design director. He thinks that hand-held computers will not be the only way to download material. Indeed, Mr. Blauvelt is interested in what he calls ''social computing,'' which is a shared or collaborative computer experience. This could involve a group sitting at a ''smart'' table, where touch screens embedded in the tabletop would allow many users to tap into Walker's collections and resources, and simultaneously interact and discuss the information with others. To explore other social computing possibilities, Mr. Blauvelt has invited more than 30 artists, designers and architects to submit ideas. He is also interested in futuristic options, like wearable computer guides. ''Technically, the iPAQ is wearable,'' he said, referring to Compaq's hand-held device. ''This is more radical, where circuitry is stitched into a fabric or a scarf.'' Many museums hope that the new technology lures younger audiences. ''We have an entire generation coming up speaking digital as a first language,'' said Leonard Steinbach, a program creator at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

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Historical Events and Figures

When you lose weight, you not only feel better, but your fat cells are much healthier. So says endocrinologist Andrew Greenberg, director of the Obesity Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston. Your body needs fat cells to be healthy, but in obese individuals when fat cells get very big, those cells are at risk of dying, he says. "A fat cell is 95% fat. If it dies, it leaves behind insoluble fat, and the body views it as a foreign body, much like it would splinter," Greenberg says. That excess fat is scooped up by macrophages, scavenger cells that are part of the immune system. During this process, some of the fat and other inflammatory proteins get released into the blood stream, which can significantly increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes, he says. However, there is evidence that if you lose weight, you have fewer dying fat cells and significantly fewer fat-engorged macrophages, Greenberg says. Think fat just hangs around and does nothing? It doesn’t By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY PHOENIX — Most people think of fat as an inert blob, but fat cells release powerful chemicals. In obese people, the fat tissue often produces too many bad hormones and too few good ones, says Susan Fried, director of the Clinical Nutrition Research Unit of Maryland at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. BETTER LIFE: The skinny on losing weight Fried and other scientists discussed the latest research on fat cells here at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society. Fried talks about the relationship between obesity and fat cells. Q: Do people have different numbers of fat cells? A: A person at a healthy weight might have 10 billion to 20 billion, and an obese person can have up to 100 billion. Babies are born with about 10 billion. You naturally increase the number of fat cells, like other kinds of cells, as you grow. Q: Is everybody born with the same number of fat cells? A: No. There is a genetic component to how many you have, but I would say less than 5% of obese people have a genetic tendency to have a greatly excess number. It appears in animal experiments that animals that are overnourished in the womb and shortly thereafter tend to have more fat cells. The number can increase at any time if you overeat long enough and hard enough. When your fat cells get to a maximum size, they send a signal to (fat-precursor) cells to become full-fledged fat cells. It may be that having too many hungry fat cells somehow makes us eat more. But overweight people (those who are not obese but are one to 30 pounds over a healthy weight) don’t generally have an excess number. You can gain 30 pounds easily by increasing the size of current fat cells and not adding new ones. Q: What do white fat cells do? A: White fat cells store energy and produce hormones that are secreted into the blood. In theory, if we overeat, our fat cells will produce a little more of the hormone leptin, which will go to our brain and tell us we have plenty of energy down here; not to eat any more. If it worked perfectly, no one would get fat, but it doesn’t work perfectly, so many of us do get fat. When fat cells are small, they produce high amounts of some hormones such as adiponectin. It is a good guy because it keeps the liver and muscles very sensitive to insulin and fights diabetes, heart disease and other diseases. But in obese people, fat cells tend to shut down the production of adiponectin, and that has bad effects on health, and it’s one reason people develop diabetes and heart disease. Q: Does losing weight shrink the size of your fat cells? A: If you are eating less energy than you require, your cells release fat for fuel and then shrink. If you are obese and have 100 billion fat cells and you lose a lot of weight, your fat cells may go down to a normal size, but you still have 100 billion. So you may still be overly fat, but you will be healthier since small fat cells produce more of the good fat hormones like adiponectin. Q: Can you explain the new discoveries about brown fat? A: While a white fat cell stores energy, a brown fat cell’s job is basically to generate heat. We always thought brown fat was only in human babies and helped keep them warm. Now there is more evidence that there are more brown fat cells in adults than we originally thought. Brown and white are not really related because they don’t come from the same precursor cell or stem cell. Brown fat cell comes from the same kind of precursor cell as a muscle cell. Even though there are very few brown fat cells in adult humans, it looks like there is a lot of variability between people. There is increasing evidence that some humans, particularly lean ones, tend to have brown fat cells mixed in with their white fat cells in some regions of their body. So if we can figure out how to persuade the body to make more brown fat cells, we may be able to fight the tendency to gain excess weight.

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Healthy Eating and Obesity Strategies

Next: My Tiles are Cracking in the Corners My tiles are wearing out Tiles are well known for their durability and wear resistance. But, we need to always remember that tiles are not indestructible. If mistreated, or subjected to harsh conditions, or wrongly selected for purpose, the glaze on a ceramic tile will scratch or it can wear. There needs to be an understanding of the difference between 'wearing' and 'scratching.' Wearing is where the glazed surface is thinning and eventually actually work through. Scratching is damage to the surface from a harder substance that scratches the glaze. Heavy scratching can actually dull the surface of a glazed tile. It is damage to the surface, but it is not actually wearing through. Much like granite in a heavy traffic area will dull off from scratching, but is not worn. The best way to avoid tiles becoming worn is to get good advice when selecting them. This way, tiles that are suited to the area can be chosen and that includes for reasons such as colour, ease of cleaning, durability, and resistance to wear. The other way is to keep the floor clean and free from sand and abrasive dirt. This is especially important at doorways to the outside of a home or building. Abrasive grit is brought in under shoes and if there is a doormat, this grit is removed and left on the doormat. Even gravel (which can be equally as hard as granite) can be trapped under a shoe and then trodden onto the tiled surface. What can cause the problem? • Absense of doormats at doorways to the outside of a home. These remove grit and sand from shoes which can be very abrasive on tiled surfaces. Think of sandpaper, which can actually just be sand trapped on the paper, yet is highly abrasive. • Incorrectly specified tiles that are not suited to the traffic conditions of an area. Always heed the advice of the Beaumont Tiles consultant and explain clearly the conditions to which the tiles will be subject. • Keep your tiles clean. A clean tile won't have a film of accumulated grinding dirt on the surface. • Avoid the use of unnecessary chemicals, especially acid based ones and the use of hard cleaning implements such as steel wool. These too will deteriorate the surface of a tile. So what can I do now? Once the glaze on tiles has worn, it can't be rejuvenated in any way. Likewise, damage by harsh scratching cannot be reversed. Scratched tiles will continue to perform as a tile should. But, once a tile surface has worn through, and the protective glazed surface is gone, the tile will need to be replaced.

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Buildings and Materials

Chronic diseases such as asthma, arthritis, cancer, heart disease and diabetes are ongoing, generally incurable illnesses. Collectively, chronic diseases are the number one cause of death and disability in the U.S. With a better understanding of the molecular basis of health and disease, biotech scientists are developing improved methods for diagnosing, treating and preventing chronic disease. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., and the number of new cases continues to rise by epidemic proportions. Diabetes patients use insulin, a biotech therapy, to control their critically important glucose levels. Insulin use can also reduce the risk of diabetes complications like eye, kidney and nerve disease by 40 percent. Scientists have been studying the cone snail since the 1970s to better understand our nervous system. Through this research, scientists were able to isolate the peptides in the venom of the cone snail, A synthetic version of one of those peptides, manufactured by Elan under the brand name PRIALT®, was approved by the FDA in 2004 as a treatment for adults with severe chronic pain.

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Medical Topics

Who's most likely to get Parkinson's disease? In the U.S., the disease is more likely to affect men than women, more likely to affect white or Hispanic individuals than black or Asian people and much more likely to affect those over sixty than those younger, according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2003. Other research suggests that globally, you're more likely to get Parkinson's if you live in an industrialized country like the U.S. than if you live in a less developed nation. However, there's no clear-cut data on the demographics. "It's hard to believe that we don't have that data now," says Dr. J. William Langston, founder and director of the Parkinson's Institute, "but ... it's not available anywhere in the world." In part, this is because Parkinson's disease affects a relatively small population -- at most one to two percent in the United States -- and because of difficulties in consistently diagnosing the disorder. Is the risk of getting this disease growing? There's even less data on how the rate of Parkinson's cases have changed since it was first identified in 1817. The number of cases is rising as the global population ages, but it's not clear whether Parkinson's is affecting a larger percentage of the population than it has in the past. Some research has found that the risk of getting Parkinson's in the U.S. rose slightly between 1935 and 1985, but when it comes to tracing the history of the disease, major data holes remain. "Certainly, there have been individuals described hundreds and hundreds of years ago that have what sounds very much like Parkinson's disease," says Dr. Michael Zigmond, a Parkinson's researcher at the University of Pittsburgh. However, he adds, "We can't easily evaluate people who are not here now, even through the eyes of a neurologist 50 or 100 years ago." What we call Parkinson's today, doctors might have diagnosed differently in the past. What doctors used to call Parkinson's we may now have identified as something else. However, there are some new projects underway on the demographics of the disease. For example, the California Parkinson's Disease Registry will collect detailed information on every Parkinson's diagnosis in that state. Says Dr. Langston, "This will tell us for the first time, is the disease increasing, changing with time? Are there pockets or clusters of the disease? Are there differences in rural versus urban areas, socioeconomic differences, etc.?" What causes Parkinson's? Even though Parkinson's was formally identified almost 200 years ago, scientists are still trying to find out what causes it. "We still don't have a smoking gun, that's for sure," says Dr. Langston. "But that's what we're looking for." The greatest obstacle to pinpointing what causes it is that there seems to be no single cause. In some cases, the disease appears to be a genetic defect, while in others, exposure to toxic substances or certain viruses seems to be a factor. Some scientists believe a mix of environmental exposures and underlying genetic sensitivities may ultimately explain what triggers the disease. What about environmental factors? Sorting out the possible environmental influences on Parkinson's disease is a big challenge. In the early 1980s, after discovering the toxin MPTP -- very similar to a compound found in a common pesticide -- could induce Parkinson's virtually overnight, scientists expected to track down the chemicals responsible for causing the disease in a matter of a few years. Nearly three decades later, "Very few individual specific compounds have been identified," says Dr. Langston. "Most of these are modest risk factors, two to threefold increase in risk." Scientists have tracked disparate leads in search of an environmental explanation. They've researched Parkinson's-like symptoms in an individual who ingested petroleum products, in Taiwanese women who'd contracted a herpes virus and in people from Guam who eat a type of seed known to contain a neurotoxin. While finding a common thread among these scenarios has proved nearly impossible, much of the research has led back to pesticide exposure as the leading suspect in causing a large number of Parkinson's cases. How clear is the link between pesticide exposure and Parkinson's? According to Dr. William Langston, "I don't think we're yet at the point of being able to say unequivocally that if you live in an area where there's more pesticides than other areas, you're at a higher risk." But new research may illuminate the link. One study is mapping Parkinson's cases in California against areas known to have high pesticide use. Another is collecting data from over 50,000 licensed pesticide applicators in two states to track whether these individuals face an increased risk of getting Parkinson's. "This, I think, may really answer the question of not only whether pesticides are an increased risk, but also, specifically, which pesticides," Dr. Langston hopes. "Because it's their profession, they know what they use, as opposed to, I couldn't tell you what I sprayed with in the garage last week." Is there a gene, or genes, that causes Parkinson's? So far scientists have identified six forms of genetic Parkinson's and are searching for more. However, the number of cases with a genetic link is a tiny portion of the overall number of cases. Still, doctors hope that better understanding the genetic form of the disease could help unravel the mysteries about other forms of Parkinson's. But the genetic component of Parkinson's has also proved more complicated than once thought. Scientists have determined there's no single gene for Parkinson's -- one gene may trigger the disease in one family, while a different gene triggers it in another family. Scientists also suspect that in some cases, developing genetic Parkinson's may require having multiple trigger genes, because studies of families with a high incidence of the disorder have shown that some individuals can carry the main gene identified as causing Parkinson's yet never develop symptoms. How far along are scientists in figuring out the interaction -- the connection -- between genes and the environment? A large study of over 20,000 identical twins -- who share the same genetic code -- is underway to trace when different environmental exposures can trigger Parkinson's in one twin but not the other and under what circumstances both twins develop Parkinson's. Why is Parkinson's so hard to diagnose? Diagnosing Parkinson's can be a challenge in part because some mild Parkinson's symptoms at first just seem like the universal effects of aging -- a tremor in the hand, difficulty balancing and shuffling the feet. "I think everybody gets a little Parkinsonian as you get older," says Dr. Clive Svendsen, who is studying stem cell therapies for Parkinson's at the University of Wisconsin. "And in fact, most of the literature points out a gradual reduction in dopamine neurons" -- the neurons whose death causes Parkinson's best-known physical symptoms -- "over time in everybody." What are the hallmark symptoms? Do all patients have the same symptoms? There's no clear epidemiological record of whether the specific symptoms doctors look for and patients express have evolved over time, but the hallmark of Parkinson's has always been tremors throughout the body. Making a definitive diagnosis has often proved difficult, however, because the exact nature of the symptoms can vary widely from patient to patient. Recent studies show that even members of the same family who share a single genetic form of Parkinson's may display very different symptoms. One patient may have foot tremors accompanied by difficulty sleeping, while another may have hand tremors and difficulty keeping his balance. What are the new discoveries about Parkinson's symptoms? In recent years scientists have found that Parkinson's is much more than a disease of shaking limbs. "When I started my residency, this was a very simple disease," recalls Dr. William Langston. "A number of cells die in a small area of the brain that made a chemical called dopamine. When they died, you had no more dopamine. Without dopamine, it's difficult to move. ... And that's the way we diagnosed it. When dopamine's down, you got rigid, you developed a tremor, gait became slowed and shuffling, etc. Any neurologist can diagnose that." But now, says Langston, "At this point in time, we know that Parkinson's is a much more complicated disorder. Many different areas of the brain can be affected. It probably evolves in a very specific order, starting in the low brain stem and then eventually affecting other areas, including the nigra, which causes Parkinsonism [the tremors]. But all of these other areas of the brain that are affected can also cause symptoms." These newly-recognized symptoms range from loss of the sense of smell to digestive problems to depression. Why has it taken doctors so long to recognize the wide array of symptoms now connected to Parkinson's? "Because [patients] don't come to neurologists if they have, say, sleep disorders or loss of sense of smell or even constipation, which is a very bothersome symptom in Parkinson's," says Langston. How close are we to having an earlier, more accurate diagnosis of Parkinson's? The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health, is working on improving its guidelines for diagnosing Parkinson's to reflect the latest science. Other researchers are focusing on finding new ways of identifying the disease altogether. Some are searching for a Parkinson's biomarker -- a biological trait displayed only in people who have or are at risk of developing the disease. And now that sense of smell has been tied to Parkinson's, a study led by the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders and the University of Pennsylvania is seeking to determine if how well a person performs on a test to identify 40 common odors can predict the individual's likelihood of developing Parkinson's. So far, they've found the average person can identify 35 of the odors, while the average diagnosed Parkinson's patient can only correctly name 20. How close are scientists to finding a cure? As scientists learn more about the great complexity of Parkinson's disease, hopes for finding a cure within the next few years is fading. But all the new information is paving the way for inventing better treatments that won't cure Parkinson's completely but will minimize the disease's effects. "What we have to think about is whether the patient would be happy with still having constipation, still having other side effects of the disease, but being able to maintain a movement without arresting tremor and being able to initiate their own movement," says Dr. Clive Svendsen. "We're looking for a treatment that ... isn't curing it, but it's making the quality of life better." If there's no cure in sight in the near future, what are the treatment options? Since the 1960s, the leading treatment for Parkinson's has been the drug Levodopa, or L-dopa, a compound that can counteract the loss of dopamine neurons that causes the tremor symptoms of the disease. In the past couple of decades, deep brain stimulation -- a treatment that involves implanting a pacemaker-like device to deliver electric shocks to the parts of the brain that are damaged in Parkinson's patients -- has become another widely-employed treatment that generally produces positive results. But the effectiveness of L-dopa decreases the longer a patient uses it, and deep brain stimulation requires a highly invasive operation, so scientists continue to look for better Parkinson's treatments. As explored in My Father, My Brother and Me, doctors have recently started studying the power of exercise as a therapy to not only keep Parkinson's patients physically healthy but beneficially alter their brain chemistry. What are some of the newer treatments being pursued? Another area that offers great promise is neuroprotection, explained by Dr. Langston as "the idea of protecting nerve cells from dying or damage, ... another great Holy Grail in the field of neurology." Scientists studying neuroprotection are looking for chemical substances that, when introduced into the brain, could either blunt the effects of Parkinson's disease on a patient after he is diagnosed or, better yet, prevent Parkinson's altogether. "The problem is," according to Dr. Langston, "I think it's a laboratory concept that jumped into the clinical all too quickly. In a laboratory animal, you can actually measure nerve cells after an experiment. We can't do that in humans. We have no way to really show we've slowed down the progress of cell death in living humans." With thousands of potentially helpful chemicals to test, and without the scientific ability to widely screen substances for their ability to protect human brains against damage, Langston suggests researchers focus less on the effects of these substances on the brain itself and more on their effects on the patient as a whole. "For the moment, where I think we need to focus in clinical trials is delaying disability. We clinicians can measure that. So start a patient on your neuroprotective agent. We can't prove [the neuroprotection], but if disability is really delayed or completely stopped, I think that would be very compelling." Other scientists are working on refining the mode of delivery for a known neuroprotective substance. "There are some very powerful drugs for Parkinson's disease that are very difficult to get into the brain," says Dr. Svendsen. "GDNF [glial cell derived neurotrophic factor] is one of those drugs. ... Even at late stage Parkinson's, you have lots of neurons left, they just don't have any dopamine left in them, and they're very shrunken. And in that sense, [growth factors like GDNF] might again be like the fertilizer. Put it onto those cells, and even though they've practically disappeared, the growth factor will make them rejuvenate and start to produce dopamine again." The problem, says Svendsen, is, "You can give [GDNF] peripherally in the blood, but it doesn't penetrate the blood-brain barrier [to get into the brain]. The idea is to design stem cells that make this drug, put the stem cells in the brain, and then they'll deliver it -- rather like a Trojan Horse. The brain accepts the stem cell because it's [a brain cell] and it's going to integrate and migrate and get into the brain tissue. ... And that's how we can sneak drugs into the brain, [overcoming] this powerful blood-brain barrier, which usually blocks this process." The major obstacle Svendsen needs to solve to implement this type of therapy is creating an off switch of sorts for the cells that will produce GDNF. "It does remind me of the Walt Disney Fantasia movie and 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice,'" he says, "when Mickey Mouse is in the basement with the sorcerer and he gets a great way to make the broomsticks carry the water up and down. And, of course, it goes horribly wrong because [they] carry too much water, and it's overflowing, [so he] chops the broomsticks in half [but] they just keep carrying the water up and down. "I wake up at night with that dream in my head, thinking, boy, if we put cells in the brain that produce [GDNF] that we think it's great and then it has a toxic effect, we can't switch it off. ... But on the other hand, we need to move forward in these diseases. ... It's a difficult one." Could Parkinson's be a "gateway disease?" Could solving it clear the way to understanding -- even curing -- other neurological conditions? "I think there's a general sense in the scientific and medical community that solving any of these major diseases -- Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig Disease, Alzheimer's -- could have an enormous impact on the others," says Dr. William Langston. But for many years, Parkinson's received special attention. "For many years, the thought was Parkinson's was the perfect disease to lead the way in terms of solving these diseases," Langston explains. "The main reason for that is we were totally focused on one small area of the brain known as substantia nigra -- literally, black stuff -- [a] small pigmented dark area in the brain that sits atop the brain stem. Now, that looked like a pretty easy target, not a big nucleus. We fix that, we get more of the normal chemistry restored in the brain, and we fix the disease. To some degree, I think, that's still true. But we're now learning that Parkinson's is actually much more complex." As scientists have learned that the symptoms of Parkinson's go far beyond the movement problems linked to the decay of the substantia nigra, they've realized that the simplicity that once made this seem like an easy neurological disorder to crack -- the best candidate for a cure -- was an illusion. Does that mean what's learned about Parkinson's will have no effect on our ability to solve neurological diseases? No. The complex nature of Parkinson's doesn't rule out the ability of breakthroughs studying this disease to have an impact on the understanding and treatment of other disorders. "I think you're going to see most surgical therapies carried out first in Parkinson's disease," says Langston, citing the disease's pronounced effect on a small area of the brain. "And that's already happening with gene therapy, where genes are inserted in the brain to try to make cells healthier. ... If we get to the point of stem cells going in, all of that will probably be done with Parkinson's first." Dr. Clive Svendsen is studying how to use stem cells to deliver growth factor -- a chemical that can regenerate important nerve cells in the brain -- as a treatment for Parkinson's. He points out that, "The Department of Defense has funded work in Parkinson's disease for a number of years. ... I think some of this comes through lobbying of people like Muhammad Ali and Michael J. Fox, and certain senators, to try and get funds appropriated specifically for Parkinson's disease. A number of veterans get Parkinson's disease. [With] Gulf War syndrome, there's an increased performance of ALS [another neurodegenerative disease]. And just neuro injury in wartime conditions is important to the Army. They're looking to stem cells releasing growth factors as a potential treatment for their troops on the field and for their veterans." Solving even a part of Parkinson's could still help solve parts of other brain disorders. Are stem cells key to finding a cure? Theoretically, stem cells should be able to replace the damaged brain cells whose degeneration leads to Parkinson's symptoms. "We have shown very clearly that our basic science work in the laboratory ... proved that we can restore ... brain function in patients," says Dr. Ole Isacson of the Parkinson's Research Center at Harvard Medical School. "But we do need a lot of work to overcome the obstacles of making this happen [in] every case and in a reliable way." "When we started with neurotransplants -- and we started with fetal cells first, and eventually the hope was stem cells would replace those -- we thought this was gonna be easy," Dr. William Langston explains. "We just put the cells in, fix this one small area of the brain, and we cure the disease. And we were very disappointed when that didn't happen. I think now with our evolving concept of Parkinson's disease, treating this one small area of the brain that we can already treat pretty well with surgical therapies, [stem cell therapy is] important but I think it is no longer the Holy Grail." Some patients who've received experimental cell transplants have seen their symptoms improve, while others have experienced no change or even gotten worse. "Some more extreme critics of this field," says Dr. Clive Svendsen, "would say that we now have two types of Parkinson's. We have Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's plus transplant disease." [Editors' Note: Researchers at MIT's Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have developed a new method of reprogramming the skin cells of Parkinson's patients into "an embryonic-stem-cell-like state," using "the resulting cells to derive dopamine-producing neurons, the cell type that degenerates in Parkinson’s disease patients." According to The New York Times, this method, "would in principle allow the brain cells that are lost in Parkinson's to be replaced with cells that carried no risk of immune rejection."] Why haven't stem cell transplants worked so far? There are many reasons scientists have encountered obstacles in engineering successful stem cell treatments for Parkinson's. "The comparison I always use is, imagine trying to wire your house after it was built," says Langston. "I mean, when you build a house, all the wiring goes in very early. When the house is built, if you had to do all the wiring afterwards, that would be pretty tricky. Now imagine you're trying to do that in a living brain with 4 billion neurons." Some stem cells revert from the type of cells they've been cultivated to become -- generally dopamine neurons when dealing with Parkinson's -- back into generic stem cells when they're placed in the brain. And an adult brain seems to have ways of recognizing embryonic stem cells as not belonging. "We're learning there're all types of signals in the adult brain that tell these little guys to go away," says Langston. Furthermore, a stem cell's inherent ability to develop into any kind of cell -- the property that makes them useful -- can also be a hazard. Says Isaacson, "While we know that we can generate the dopamine neuron, it also tends to generate other cell types, including skin, and maybe even bone. So the challenge is, even though we can get the cell we want, [we need] to eliminate the other unwanted cells, lest they would grow into tissues that would be very problematic and even dangerous to the patient." In some cases, says Langston, "We don't even understand the reasons why the attempts we've already done have failed." The risk of stem cell procedures compared to the safety of other relatively effective Parkinson's treatments gives some scientists pause. "The patients will have [to] think about this," says Svendsen. "Am I gonna risk a new procedure that hasn't been tried or go with the steady state procedures which we know work?" Two perspectives on the promise of stem cells... Because of the practical difficulties surrounding stem cell procedures, some scientists no longer think of them as a potential wonder cure-all. "It's not popular to say that stem cells aren't the answer, but I now believe they are not," says Langston. "I don't think we should give up with them. I think they're gonna help other diseases, and eventually they may really help Parkinson's. But I don't think that should be our major focus. The brain is not a pincushion. We can't keep plucking cells in all over the place." Others are more optimistic, although they point out it may take many years to fix the current problems with stem cell transplant technologies. "What we're facing is the same kind of problems that you see almost in engineering. If you think of the early development of airplanes, or flight, the first airplane crashed very quickly," says Ole Isacson. "But many years, in a way, is still a short time in my world, because if you think about the kind of discoveries that are necessary to make a medical treatment available to a large group of patients, decades is the norm rather than the exception." "We're looking at this through the Parkinson's window," says Clive Svendsen, "but if you look outside the Parkinson's window and go to the rest of the world, [there are] lots of places that this technology will be used, I'm sure."

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Health and Wellness Tips

Dermatology is the a branch of medical science dealing with the skin, its structure, functions, and diseases. Dermatologists specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions related to the skin, hair, and nails, including concerns related to cosmetic issues, such as sun damage and aging, as well as skin cancer, and other medical skin conditions. Dermatologists who have additional interest and skill in performing surgical procedures are referred to as dermatologic surgeons or dermasurgeons. Specialty terms like "dermatologist" and "dermatologic surgeon" are often unregulated and may be used in some states by any doctor, regardless of their training and credentials. So, for instance, a doctor who has an active medical license and is board certified in Internal Medicine but who has not undergone any specialty training in dermatology may refer to him or herself as a dermatologist or dermasurgeon, despite the fact that their training and credentials may not reflect specialization in this area of medical practice. The skin is the largest organ of the human body, and as a result, dermatologists typically offer a wide variety of treatments for it. Whether you wish to correct wrinkles, crepey skin, or razor bumps, a board certified dermatologist or dermasurgeon may help you by offering a single treatment or any combination of the following: Cosmetic dermatology - Non-surgical procedures - Laser treatments - Chemical peel - Injectable fillers - Botox and Dysport - Lip augmentation - Non-surgical nose job - Non-surgical facelift - Acne treatment - Acne scar removal - Vein treatment - Scar removal - Skin tightening Cosmetic dermatology - Surgical procedures Most dermatologists and dermasurgeons also offer treatments for a variety of medical skin conditions, in addition to cosmetic treatments. Although most skin problems can create aesthetic concerns, the following conditions are usually considered medical issues, and treatment may be covered by insurance. Medical dermatology - Conditions treated - Skin cancer

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Skin Health and Disorders

Dec. 8, 2011 "Dressing" atoms with laser light allows high angular momentum scattering to be seen for the first time in long-lived atomic Bose-Einstein condensates at ultracold temperatures. Scientists at the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI) have for the first time engineered and detected the presence of high angular momentum collisions between atoms at temperatures close to absolute zero. Previous experiments with ultracold atoms featured essentially head-on collisions. The JQI experiment, by contrast, is able to create more complicated collisions between atoms using only lasers. This innovation may facilitate the creation of exotic quantum states that can be exploited for practical applications like quantum computing. The key to the JQI approach is to alter the atoms' environment with laser light. They "dress" rubidium atoms by bathing them in a pair of laser beams, which force the atoms to have one of three discrete values of momentum. In the JQI experiment, rubidium atoms comprise a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). BECs have been collided before. But the observation of high-angular-momentum scattering at such low energies is new. The new JQI results are being reported in the journal Science. One of the cardinal principles of quantum science is that matter must be simultaneously thought of as both particles and waves. When the temperature of a gas of atoms is lowered, the wavelike nature of the atom emerges, and the idea of position becomes fuzzier. While an atom at room temperature might spread over a hundredth of a nm, atoms at nano-kelvin temperatures have a typical wavelength of about 100 nm. This is much larger than the range of the force between atoms, only a few nm. Atoms generally collide only when they meet face to face. However, to study certain interesting quantum phenomena, such as searching for Majorana particles -- hypothetical particles that might provide a robust means of encoding quantum information -- it is desirable to engineer inter-atomic collisions beyond these low-energy, head-on type. That's what the new JQI experiment does. Scattering experiments date back to the discovery of the atomic nucleus 100 years ago, when Ernest Rutherford shot alpha particles into a foil of gold. Since then other scattering experiments have revealed a wealth of detail about atoms and sub-atomic matter such as the quark substructure of protons. A convenient way of picturing an interaction between two particles is to view their relative approach in terms of angular momentum. Quantized angular momentum usually refers to the motion of an electron inside an atom, but it necessarily pertains also to the scattering of the two particles, which can be thought of as parts of a single quantum object. If the value of the relative angular momentum is zero, then the scattering is designated as "s-wave" scattering. If the pair of colliding particles has one unit of angular momentum, the scattering is called p-wave scattering. Still more higher-order scattering scenarios are referred to by more letters: d-wave, f-wave, g-wave, and so on. This model is referred to as the partial waves view. In high energy scattering, the kind at accelerators, these higher angular-momentum scattering scenarios are important and help to reveal important structure information about the particles. In atomic scattering at low temperatures, the s-wave interactions completely swamp the higher-order scattering modes. For ultralow-temperature s-wave scattering, when two atoms collide, they glance off each other (back to back) at any and all angles equally. This isotropic scattering doesn't reveal much about the nature of the matter undergoing collision; it's as if the colliding particles were hard spheres. This has changed now. The JQI experiment is the first to create conditions in which d-wave and g-wave scattering modes in an ultracold experiment could be seen in otherwise long-lived systems. Ian Spielman and his colleagues at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) chill Rb atoms to nano-kelvin temperatures. The atoms, around half a million of them, have a density about a millionth that of air at room temperature. Radiofrequency radiation places each atom into a superposition of quantum spin states. Then two (optical light) lasers impart momentum (forward-going and backward-going motion) to the atoms. If this were a particle physics experiment, we would say that these BECs-in-motion were quantum beams, beams with energies that came in multiples of the energy kick delivered by the lasers. The NIST "collider" in Gaithersburg, Maryland is very different for the CERN collider in Geneva, Switzerland. In the NIST atom trap the particles have kinetic energies of a hundred pico-electron-volts rather than the trillion-electron-volt energies used at the Large Hadron Collider. At JQI, atoms are installed in their special momentum states, and the collisions begin. Outward scattered atoms are detected after the BEC clouds are released by the trap. If the atoms hadn't been dressed, the collisions would have been s-wave in nature and the observed scattered atoms would have been seen uniformly around the scattering zone. The effect of the dressing is to screen the atoms from s-wave scattering in the way analogous to that in some solid materials, where the interaction between two electrons is modified by the presence of trillions of other electrons nearby. In other words, the laser dressing effectively increased the range of the inter-atom force such that higher partial wave scattering was possible, even at the lowest energies. In the JQI experiment, the observed scattering patterns for atoms emerging from the collisions was proof that d-wave and g-wave scattering had taken place. "The way in which the density of scattered atoms is distributed on the shell reflects the partial waves," said Ian Spielman. "A plot of scattered-density vs. spherical polar angles would give the sort of patterns you are used to seeing for atomic orbitals. In our case, this is a sum of s-, p-, and d- waves." Simulating Solids Using Gases Ultracold atomic physics experiments performed with vapors of atoms are excellent for investigating some of the strongly-interacting quantum phenomena usually considered in the context of condensed matter physics. These subjects include superconductivity, superfluids, the quantum Hall effect, and topological insulators, and some things that haven't yet been observed, such as the "Majorana" fermions. Several advantages come with studying these phenomena in the controlled environment of ultracold atoms. Scientists can easily manipulate the landscape in which the atoms reside using knobs that adjust laser power and frequency. For example, impurities that can plague real solids can be controlled and even removed, and because (as in this new JQI experiment) the scattering of atoms can now (with the proper "dressing") reveal higher-partial-wave effects. This is important because the exotic quantum effects mentioned above often manifest themselves under exactly these higher angular-momentum conditions. "Our technique is a fundamentally new method for engineering interactions, and we expect this work will stimulate new directions of research and be of broad interest within the physics community, experimental and theoretical," said Spielman. "We are modifying the very character of the interactions, and not just the strength, by light alone." Other social bookmarking and sharing tools: - R. A. Williams, L. J. Leblanc, K. Jiménez-García, M. C. Beeler, A. R. Perry, W. D. Phillips, I. B. Spielman. Synthetic Partial Waves in Ultracold Atomic Collisions. Science, December 8 2011 DOI: 10.1126/science.1212652 Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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Electrical Components and Phenomena

Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. is about to replace all residential gas and electric meters with smart meters, saying the meters manage consumers' energy usage better, and in time, save money. Some customers are questioning whether the new technology would be bad for your health. Smart meters basically reads itself then sends the energy usage reading wirelessly to BGE. The utility company has touted the benefits to customers, eventually saving customers money. "You are going to be able to actually go onto your computer, you are going to be able to see in near real time -- 24 hours, roughly -- your energy usage," BGE spokesman Rob Gould said. But not everyone is looking forward to smart meter technology, including Junghie Elky, who said she suffers from something called electromaganetic sensitivity, and believes radio frequencies make her sick. "I'm a little bit nervous about that, a bit worried about the health effects," Elky said. "At my worst, I was so sensitive, I could not touch things with electricity without feeling pain. I couldn't watch TV because the radiation from the screen would make me dizzy." Elky said she would experience headaches, fatigue and ear aches that forced her to take a leave of absence from work. Magda Havas, an associate professor of environmental and resource studies at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, has studied electromagnetic sensitivity for decades. She said 3 to 5 percent of the population suffer severe symptoms, and up to a third of the population have mild to moderate symptoms. "There are so many sources of radiation, so smart meters are just one additional source," Havas said. "We have a lot of it in our home. We live near cell phone antennas and they all emit radio frequency. What seems to happen is once the smart meters go in, people seem to be fine, and then a few of them become quite ill."

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Brain Health and Memory

Guest blogger Jon Bowermaster is a writer and filmmaker. His most recent documentary is "SoLa, Louisiana Water Stories" and his most recent book is OCEANS, The Threats to the Sea and What You Can Do To Turn the Tide. Typically at this time of year a certain breed of shopper purposefully wanders the fish stalls of their favorite grocer taking stock of the piles of fresh oysters carefully arranged on crushed ice or to pick up and judge the heft in their hands of tightly packed tins of caviar, which sell for anywhere from $50 to $2,000. But maybe this is the year to lay off those two favored treats and replace them with something slightly less traditional: squid. I know, a big bowl of calamari hardly compares to one of caviar… but, man, there’s a lot of squid out there these days. I’m sure some of those very popular sustainable fish chefs have already dreamed up some special calamari entrée to take advantage of the boom. How much squid is out there? It’s estimated that around-the-world squid in mass outweighs the human population. And that’s with sperm whales alone munching down more than 100 million tons of squid each year.Squid are one of the most important foods in the ocean, along with other prey like sardines and pollock. Whales and seabirds depend on abundant squid to raise their young, particularly during breeding season. Along the coast of California, the market squid season has been so abundant the state Department of Fish and Game reports its annual limit of 118,000 tons has already been taken and the squid season is now closed until March 31. Marine biologists credit a rush of colder-than-normal water for the banner year; usually February is prime time. At the same time, certain squid are booming thanks to a slight warming of sea temperatures, in places like Alaska and Siberia. Many squid, octopuses and other sucker-bearing members of the cephalopod family don't appear to be too troubled by the minor increase. In fact, when it's a little warmer, some thrive. The populations are thought to be exploding because of the overfishing of other fish that used to dine on young squid. Warmer waters can help squid “balloon” in size because their enzymes work faster when warm. A young giant squid can grow from 2 millimeters to a meter in a single year, the equivalent of a human baby growing to the size of a whale in twelve months. There’s also been a boom in Humboldt squid along the Pacific coastline ranging from Peru to California, now expanding northward to places they’ve never been seen before. The big tentacled variety can grow more than seven feet long and weigh more than one hundred pounds. A feisty fish, once on the line, the big squids can be slightly dangerous to haul into your boat. They have a nasty, pecking beak, like to spray black ink and have the ability to expel up to two gallons of water into the faces of unsuspecting fishermen (“like a giant squirt gun”). A downside to the boom in giant squid is that they also have giant appetites, which means they are making a big hit on salmon, for example, thus reducing the amount of the pink fleshy fish for human tables. The giant squid are also proving to be a menace to divers, being both aggressive and carnivorous, a mean combo when the tentacles of one of the rust-colored, six-foot long creatures latches onto your air tank, or leg. Editor’s note: It’s typical for squid and other prey species to boom and bust in response to changing environmental conditions. Oceana is working to establish regulations that adapt fishing to this rollercoaster, fishing more during the boom and cutting back during lean times to protect food for whales. As an added complexity, cephalopods are seeing their numbers expand as the fishing industry captures more and more of the big predatory fish that eat squid, such as tuna. - Stocks Show Signs of Recovery, But Still Work to Do Posted Fri, May 17, 2013 - What Do Historic CO2 Levels Mean for the Oceans? Posted Tue, May 14, 2013 - U.S. Coast Guard Captures Illegal Fishermen in Texas Posted Tue, May 14, 2013 - Victory! Delaware Becomes Seventh State in U.S. to Ban Shark Fin Trade! Posted Thu, May 16, 2013 - It's Endangered Species Day! Posted Fri, May 17, 2013

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Marine Life Studies

Climate change is the defining human development challenge of the 21st Century. Failure to respond to that challenge will stall and then reverse international efforts to reduce poverty. The poorest countries and most vulnerable citizens will suffer the earliest and most damaging setbacks, even though they have contributed least to the problem. Looking to the future, no country—however wealthy or powerful—will be immune to the impact of global warming. Climate change is not just a future scenario. Increased exposure to droughts, floods and storms is already destroying opportunity and reinforcing inequality. Meanwhile, there is now overwhelming scientific evidence that the world is moving towards the point at which irreversible ecological catastrophe becomes unavoidable. Business-as-usual climate change points in a clear direction: unprecedented reversal in human development in our lifetime, and acute risks for our children and their grandchildren. In a divided but ecologically interdependent world, it challenges all people to reflect upon how we manage the environment of the one thing that we share in common: planet Earth. It challenges us to reflect on social justice and human rights across countries and generations. It challenges political leaders and people in rich nations to acknowledge their historic responsibility for the problem, and to initiate deep and early cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Above all, it challenges the entire human community to undertake prompt and strong collective action based on shared values and a shared vision. The IPCC2000 report, based on the work of some 2,500 scientists in more than 130 countries, concluded that humans have caused all or most of the current planetary warming. Human-caused global warming is often called anthropogenic climate change. Industrialization, deforestation, and pollution have greatly increased atmospheric concentrations of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, all greenhouse gases that help trap heat near Earth’s surface. Humans are pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than can be absorbed by plants and oceans. It is expected that environmentally friendly methods of electricity generation will help to lower the CO2 being produced during power generation. Some of this methods include solar and wind energy power generators. THE SUN IS NOT TO BLAME It’s global warming, it’s climate change, it’s our fault, no it’s volcanoes… wait, actually it’s the sun! Or maybe not. The arguments about climate change have been raging for years. Some say that the warming is a natural occurrence, some blame humanity and then others simply say ‘what warming?’ One idea now at least can be put to rest – the sun is not to blame. It has been very popular to cite that the planet goes through many warming and cooling periods as a direct result of changes in solar activity. It sounds fair enough, if the sun produces more heat we get warmer. And this was very much the idea put forward by Britain’s Channel 4 in their documentary called ‘The great global warming swindle.’ There is one main problem with blaming the sun – it’s just not true. It is true that up until about 1980 all the information showed that solar activity was increasing. This is exactly what they showed on all of their graphs, and it looks both convincing and logical. The sun was outputting more energy, the planet was getting warmer, bingo, we have our culprit! But this is just not the case, the trend in solar activity changed. “This paper is the final nail in the coffin for people who would like to make the sun responsible for present global warming,” Stefan Rahmstorf, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, told the journal Nature. GLOBAL MEAN TEMPERATURES Mike Lockwood, from Oxford’s Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory and Claus Fröhlich, from the World Radiation Centre in Switzerland recently published their paper in the UK’s Royal Society’s journal, stating clear evidence that the warming of the past two decades is not due to the sun – we need to look elsewhere. Not only does the sun fail to explain any rise in temperature but it would actually suggest a cooling, as clearly stated in the abstract of the paper, “There is considerable evidence for solar influence on the Earth’s pre-industrial climate and the Sun may well have been a factor in post-industrial climate change in the first half of the last century. Here we show that over the past 20 years, all the trends in the Sun that could have had an influence on the Earth’s climate have been in the opposite direction to that required to explain the observed rise in global mean temperatures.” COUNTERING GLOBAL WARMING This study has compiled data about solar activity spanning the last one hundred years and have shown that solar activity peaked between 1985 and 1987. “This is an important contribution to the scientific debate on climate change. At present there is a small minority which is seeking to deliberately confuse the public on the causes of climate change. They are often misrepresenting the science, when the reality is that the evidence is getting stronger every day. We have reached a point where a failure to take action to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions would be irresponsible and dangerous,” said a representative of the Royal Society. Even though one theory countering global warming has been overturned new ones will come up every day. People will continue to say that the whole idea of climate change is nothing but government propaganda and a dozen or so other conspiracy theories. Now more than ever it is important for the public to be properly educated about what is going on. There are far too many places citing ‘scientific’ reasons as to why global warming is nothing but a lie. And sadly, with the way the media and the internet works, this is unlikely to change. Let’s just hope the politicians listen to the scientists and not to members of the public who are being confused and misled by far too many sources. SHEEP BLAME HUMANS Two years after scientists concluded that a breed of wild sheep on a remote Scottish island was shrinking over time, a study released Thursday revealed why: milder winters tied to global warming. Due to milder winters, lambs on the island of Hirta do not need to put on as much as weight in the first months of life to survive to their first year, according to the study in the peer-reviewed journal Science. As a result, even the slower-growing ones now have a chance of surviving. “In the past, only the big, healthy sheep and large lambs that had piled on weight in their first summer could survive the harsh winters on Hirta,” lead author Tim Coulson, a researcher at Imperial College London, said in a statement. “But now, due to climate change, grass for food is available for more months of the year, and survival conditions are not so challenging — even the slower growing sheep have a chance of making it, and this means smaller individuals are becoming increasingly prevalent in the population.” EVOLUTIONARY THEORY UPENDED The study upends the belief that natural selection is a dominant feature of evolution, noting that climate can trump that card. “According to classic evolutionary theory,” Coulson added, the sheep “should have been getting bigger, because larger sheep tend to be more likely to survive and reproduce than smaller ones, and offspring tend to resemble their parents.” The sheep on Hirta have been examined closely since 1985 and experts concluded in 2007 that average body size was shrinking. By this year, it had decreased by 5 percent since 1985. Coulson’s team analyzed body-weight measurements and key life milestones for a selected group of female sheep. They then plugged the data into a computer model that predicts how body size will change over time due to natural selection and other factors. The results suggest that the decrease in average size is primarily an ecological response to warming, the authors said, and that natural selection has contributed relatively little.

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Climate and Weather Events

The election of Egypt’s president Muhammad Mursi momentarily threw a spotlight on the long-forgotten Palestinians exiled to Gaza after the Israelis’ infamous siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the West Bank 10 years ago. Still kicking their heels in Gaza the exiles called on Mursi to continue efforts to end the squabble between political rivals Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank. They were optimistic that the new Egyptian president would work towards easing Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip and press for Palestinians rights, including the right of exiles to return home. It is expected Mursi will at least allow greater freedom to travel across Gaza’s Rafah crossing into Egypt, the besieged enclave’s only door to the outside world. How did the exiles find themselves in the prison Gaza has become? In 2002 a young girl from a refugee camp triggered events that led to a 40-day siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. This is probably the oldest Christian church in the world, built by Constantine the Great and dating from AD330. A member of the girl’s family had been killed by Israeli occupation troops. Grief-stricken, she took revenge by turning herself into a suicide bomber. The Israelis responded by sending 250 tanks and armoured personnel carriers, F-16 fighter jets, Apache gunships and hundreds of soldiers into West Bank towns like Nablus, Jenin and Bethlehem late at night. In Bethlehem they cut the electricity supply and invaded the old township with helicopter gunships and occupied all key points around Manger Square. Many innocent Palestinians were killed by shelling and army snipers, and the market and some shops were set on fire as troops tried to hunt down suspected ‘fighters’. Civilians tried desperately to hide from the troops and a large number of people took refuge or arrived for other reasons at the Church and found themselves trapped, unable to leave. A few years ago I interviewed one of the survivors, who recalled that “248 took refuge there. They included 1 Islamic Jihad, 28 Hamas, 50 to 60 Al-Aqsa Martyrs. The remainder were ordinary townsfolk and included 100 uniformed Palestinian Authority workers, also 26 children and 8 to10 women and girls. The Israeli soldiers would not allow them to leave, but they escaped in the first week by a back door.” Priests and nuns – Armenian, Greek and Catholic – from the adjoining monasteries brought the number to over 300 at the beginning. “Some of them went back to the monasteries but some stayed with us every day for the 40 days.” The Vatican was outraged. The Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem called on Christians worldwide to make the upcoming Sunday a “solidarity day” for the people in the Church and the Church itself, and urged immediate intervention to stop what it called the “inhuman measures against the people and the stone of the Church”. The Israelis set up cranes on which were mounted robotic machine-guns under video control. According to eye-witnesses eight defenders, including the bell-ringer, were murdered, some by the armchair button-pushers playing with their video joysticks and some by regular snipers. From the start, said my survivor, the Israeli troops used psychological warfare methods – for example, disorienting noise to deprive them of sleep, bright lights and concussion grenades. They paraded the families of the besieged in front of the Church to pressure them to surrender. They also used illegal dum-dum bullets which cause horrendous wounds and trauma. “Most of those who were killed… it was because of the dum-dums… so much bleeding, and it took so long to arrange to send them to a hospital.” He said the soldiers fired tracer rounds into two of the monasteries and set the ancient fabric of the buildings alight. 15 days into the siege those inside managed to recharge their cellphones using the mains that supplied the Church towers and call for help. The Israelis had overlooked the fact that this was a separate supply coming from the Bethlehem municipality. Friends responded by sending food to the medical centre. From there it went by ambulance, along with authentic casualties, and was delivered to houses near the Church. At night young girls carried the food in plastic bags from house to house until supplies reached the dwellings nextdoor to the Church. The bags were then thrown from roof to roof. This went on for 6 days until one girl dropped a bag, which the soldiers found. The Israelis, now alerted, shot and paralysed another young man. It put an end to the food operation. “Inside the Church we vowed not to harm the soldiers unless they actually broke in. When soldiers did gain access and killed one of the resisters, 4 of them were shot.” Those trapped inside the Church were surprised to discover an old lady living within the complex. She had a small horde of olives and wheat, with which they made bread. So they managed to eke out the food for 28 days. The Governor of Bethlehem and the Director of the Catholic Society were among those holding out in the Church. According to my survivor’s first-hand account, those inside only opened the door if someone died or was injured. He recalled watching through a peephole and seeing people approaching across the forecourt. “They were from the Peace Movement, 28 of them. By now the world media were watching. 17 were arrested but 11 took a big risk, managing to bluff their way in and bringing food in their rucksacks, which lasted another 4 days, and basic medicines. The worst time, he said, was the final week – no food and only dirty water from the well. They resorted to boiling leaves and old chicken legs into a soup. He ate only lemons and salt for 5 or 6 days. “Many were so ill by this time that they were passing blood.” Outside some 15 civilians had been indiscriminately shot in the street or in their homes. The Israelis refused to allow the dead in the Church to be removed for decent burial. “In the end, the Governor decided it was better to be in jail than die. So we opened the door and surrendered on the 40th day. 148 had survived. We were promptly arrested and interrogated. “13 were exiled to the EU, 26 were exiled to Gaza, 26 were wounded, 26 had surrendered because they were under-age. 8 were killed inside the Church, and with Samir (the bellringer) makes 9. They shot Samir in front of the Church as he came out to surrender.” The rest were allowed home, including my survivor. “The Israelis said to me, ‘Do you know why you are going home? Because America wants it’.” The adverse publicity had prodded the CIA and EU into taking a hand in deciding the fate of the survivors. The whole disgraceful episode would no doubt have ended in more carnage if the world’s media hadn’t tuned in and ten international activists, including members of the International Solidarity Movement, hadn’t managed to enter the Church. I hear that the exiles have not been allowed to work since or receive visits from their families. According to some reports they were not even allowed to say goodbye to their loved ones before being packed off. What exactly were they guilty of? They may have been Palestinian gunmen but the last time I checked it was perfectly OK to put up armed resistance against an illegal military occupation. Israel’s gunmen happen to wear uniform and are equipped with the best weaponry American tax dollars can buy. They are fond of saying, “We have a right to defend ourselves.” So do the Palestinians. Obviously. So why did America and the EU lend themselves to this shameful act of exiling… a helpful little boost to Israel’s ongoing programme of ethnic cleansing of the West Bank? And having got their hands dirty isn’t it time, after 10 years, they cleaned up and insisted that these forgotten men be re-united with their families? A few weeks ago the Israeli press was practising their usual distortions and telling readers that “the terrorists took shelter in the famous church, and used about 40 priests and nuns as a shield, knowing Israel would not take a chance on inadvertently hurting priests and nuns”. But for Israel’s gunslingers it had been open season on bellringers and other innocents. (Stuart Littlewood / www.eurasiareview.com / 30.06.2012) Filed under: Terrorism | Tagged: Palestine, Revolution, Terrorism | Leave a Comment »

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Middle East History & Politics

This following chronology looks back at the problem of xenophobia since South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994. The Zulu-based Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) threatens to take “physical action” if the government fails to respond to the perceived crisis of undocumented migrants in South Africa. IFP leader and Minister of Home Affairs Mangosutho Buthelezi says in his first speech to parliament: “If we as South Africans are going to compete for scarce resources with millions of aliens who are pouring into South Africa, then we can bid goodbye to our Reconstruction and Development Programme.” In December gangs of South Africans try to evict perceived “illegals” from Alexandra township, blaming them for increased crime, sexual attacks and unemployment. The campaign, lasting several weeks, is known as “Buyelekhaya” (Go back home). A report by the Southern African Bishops’ Conference concludes: “There is no doubt that there is a very high level of xenophobia in our country … One of the main problems is that a variety of people have been lumped together under the title of ‘illegal immigrants’, and the whole situation of demonising immigrants is feeding the xenophobia phenomenon.” Defence Minister Joe Modise links the issue of undocumented migration to increased crime in a newspaper interview. In a speech to parliament, Home Affairs Minister Buthelezi claims “illegal aliens” cost South African taxpayers “billions of rands” each year. A study co-authored by the Human Sciences Research Council and the Institute for Security Studies reports that 65 percent of South Africans support forced repatriation of undocumented migrants. White South Africans are found to be most hostile to migrants, with 93 percent expressing negative attitudes. Local hawkers in central Johannesburg attack their foreign counterparts. The chairperson of the Inner Johannesburg Hawkers Committee is quoted as saying: “We are prepared to push them out of the city, come what may. My group is not prepared to let our government inherit a garbage city because of these leeches.” A Southern African Migration Project (SAMP) survey of migrants in Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe shows that very few would wish to settle in South Africa. A related study of migrant entrepreneurs in Johannesburg finds that these street traders create an average of three jobs per business. Three non-South Africans are killed by a mob on a train travelling between Pretoria and Johannesburg in what is described as a xenophobic attack. In December The Roll Back Xenophobia Campaign is launched by a partnership of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), the National Consortium on Refugee Affairs and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The Department of Home Affairs reports that the majority of deportations are of Mozambicans (141,506) followed by Zimbabweans (28,548) A report by the SAHRC notes that xenophobia underpins police action against foreigners. People are apprehended for being “too dark” or “walking like a black foreigner”. Police also regularly destroy documents of black non-South Africans. Sudanese refugee James Diop is seriously injured after being thrown from a train in Pretoria by a group of armed men. Kenyan Roy Ndeti and his room mate are shot in their home. Both incidents are described as xenophobic attacks. In Operation Crackdown, a joint police and army sweep, over 7,000 people are arrested on suspicion of being illegal immigrants. In contrast, only 14 people are arrested for serious crimes. A SAHRC report on the Lindela deportation centre, a holding facility for undocumented migrants, lists a series of abuses at the facility, including assault and the systematic denial of basic rights. The report notes that 20 percent of detainees claimed South African citizenship or that they were in the country legally. According to the 2001 census, out of South Africa’s population of 45 million, just under one million foreigners are legally resident in the country. However, the Department of Home Affairs estimates there are more than seven million undocumented migrants. Protests erupt at Lindela over claims of beatings and inmate deaths, coinciding with hearings into xenophobia by SAHRC and parliament’s portfolio committee on foreign affairs. Cape Town’s Somali community claim that 40 traders have been the victims of targeted killings between August and September. Somali-owned businesses in the informal settlement of Diepsloot, outside Johannesburg, are repeatedly torched. In March UNHCR notes its concern over the increase in the number of xenophobic attacks on Somalis. The Somali community claims 400 people have been killed in the past decade. In May more than 20 people are arrested after shops belonging to Somalis and other foreign nationals are torched during anti-government protests in Khutsong township, a small mining town about 50km southwest of Johannesburg. According to the International Organisation of Migration, 177,514 Zimbabweans deported from South Africa pass through their reception centre across the border in Beitbridge since its opening in May 2006. In March human rights organisations condemn a spate of xenophobic attacks around Pretoria that leave at least four people dead and hundreds homeless. Sources include: IRIN, Human Rights Watch, SAMP, SAHRC, Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation

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Migration and Citizenship Topics

BRCA1 mutations account for only 5% of breast and ovarian cancers, but loss-of-function mutations in the BRCA1 gene confer up to an 82% risk of breast cancer and up to a 54% risk of ovarian cancer. Because BRCA1 is involved in DNA repair, loss of a functioning BRCA1 gene may make a cell more vulnerable to chemotherapy agents that damage DNA, such as platinum-based compounds. In addition, BRCA1 has also been shown to be involved in the regulation of cell division, and loss of the gene has been proposed to protect a cell against spindle poisons, a group of chemotherapy agents, such as taxanes and vinca alkaloids, that disrupt cell division. To determine whether the level of BRCA1 function in a patient could be used to predict response to chemotherapy for breast and ovarian cancers, D. Paul Harkin, B.Sc., Ph.D., and Richard D. Kennedy, M.D., Ph.D., of The Queen's University of Belfast in Northern Ireland, and colleagues reviewed published preclinical and clinical evidence. Preclinical studies included research in both animal models and cell lines. Clinical studies were all retrospective in nature, because no prospective trials have been designed to study the role of BRCA1 in chemotherapy response. The researchers found that BRCA1 inactivation through mutation appears to confer sensitivity to DNA-damaging chemotherapeutic drugs commonly used to treat breast and ovarian cancers. However, preclinical evidence suggests that BRCA1 function is necessary for spindle poisons to work. The authors recommend that prospective studies be conducted to evaluate BRCA1 expression and chemotherapeutic res Contact: Sarah L. Zielinski Journal of the National Cancer Institute

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Medical Topics

Invalid Forensic Science Testimony and Wrongful Convictions Flawed testimony by forensic experts contributed to the conviction of innocent defendants, according to a new study co-written by University of Virginia Law School professor Brandon Garrett. The findings are featured in an article, "Invalid Forensic Science Testimony and Wrongful Convictions," published in the March, 2009 issue of the Virginia Law Review. Read the article in Garrett and Peter Neufeld, co-director of the Innocence Project, studied the transcripts of 137 trials in which prosecution forensic analysts testified, and the defendants were exonerated years later by post-conviction DNA testing. The pair found that in 60 percent of those wrongful conviction cases, forensic analysts gave "invalid testimony that overstated the evidence," Garrett said. "What we mean by 'invalid' is simply that the testimony was unscientific or contrary to empirical data," he said. "Just because a wrong statistic was offered, does not mean that the testimony necessarily caused the wrongful conviction. However, these powerful examples support efforts to adopt and enforce scientific standards governing forensic reporting and testimony." The flawed testimony uncovered by Garrett and Neufeld included erroneous or unsupported testimony about the accuracy and results of forensic techniques, including hair comparison, bite-mark comparison, fingerprint comparison and even DNA testing. The study originated with a request to Garrett — who conducted previous research on wrongful convictions — from a National Academy of Sciences committee examining the needs of the forensic science community, asking him to present at one of the committee's public hearings. Garrett and Neufeld then spent more than a year compiling and analyzing trial transcripts from the cases of people later exonerated by DNA evidence. Several scientists and forensic scientists also reviewed the categories used for analysis and examined transcripts in particular cases. The majority of the cases were rape cases from the 1980s, and many included testimony about forensic techniques that are still used today, said Neufeld, co-founder of Innocence Project, a national litigation and public policy organization that uses DNA testing to exonerate wrongfully convicted people and seeks to reform the criminal justice system to prevent injustice. The National Academy of Sciences report, "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward," was released in February, and recommends the establishment of a national institute of forensic science, an independent scientific entity to adopt and enforce standards for forensic report writing and testimony. "With the exception of nuclear DNA analysis ... no forensic method has been rigorously shown to have the capacity to consistently, and with a high degree of certainty, demonstrate a connection between evidence and a specific individual or source," the National Academy of Sciences report says. In their study, Garrett and Neufeld found that forensic analysts often testified that a particular piece of evidence — such as a hair or a fingerprint — was closely connected to the innocent defendant, despite the fact that no scientific data permitted analysts to reach such conclusions. For example, in one case an analyst told a jury that only 5 percent of the population had a certain type of hair pigment discovered at a crime scene, and that the defendant was among them. But there is no empirical data about the frequency of particular hair pigments, Garrett said. "These trial transcripts were fascinating to read, because in retrospect we know that all of the defendants were innocent," he said. "Yet few have looked at these records. Even after these wrongful convictions came to light, crime laboratories rarely conducted audits or investigations to review the forensic evidence presented at the trial." The study doesn't speak to the state of mind of analysts; it's impossible to tell from trial materials whether they were simply inexperienced or poorly supervised or acting in bad faith, Garrett said. "Nor do we know how many cases involved concealment of forensic evidence," he said. "In 13 exonerees' cases it has since come to light that forensic evidence was concealed that would have helped to prove innocence. Similarly, we do not know from reading trial transcripts in how many cases errors were made in the laboratory, although in a few exonerees' cases in which the underlying evidence was re-examined, gross errors have come to light." The study also notes that the criminal justice system is not well-suited to prevent unscientific testimony. Reasons include that the presentation of forensic evidence is almost entirely one-sided, Garrett said. "Defense counsel rarely cross-examined analysts concerning invalid testimony and rarely retained experts, since courts routinely deny funding for defense experts." Only 19 of the eventual exonerees whose cases were examined had defense experts. "Prosecutors, moreover, presented erroneous accounts of the forensic evidence during closing arguments," Garrett said. The study's authors agree with the National Academy of Sciences report's assessment that a set of national scientific standards should be established to ensure the valid presentation of forensic analysis. Neufeld called the report "a major breakthrough toward ensuring that so-called scientific evidence in criminal cases is solid, validated and reliable."" ||Truth in Justice

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Criminal Justice and Law

The island nation of Rhodes was an immensely successful commercial power of the Aegean. They strategically sided with Athens but, when in jeopardy, negotiated favorable surrenders to Sparta, Alexander the Great, and Demetrios Poliorketes, allowing them to sustain at least some degree of independence based on neutrality. Rhodes was named for the rose, depicted on the reverse of this coin. A portrait of Helios, the sun god, wearing a crown of rays graces the obverse. This image was based upon the head of the great statue of Helios, better known as the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Colossus memorialized the war with Demetrios Poliorketes. He unsuccessfully attacked the city for over a year, around 305-304 B.C. Eventually, a settlement was negotiated and Poliorketes abandoned his siege towers constructed from valuable timbers that the Rhodeans in turn sold off for shipbuilding. The proceeds from this sale were invested in the huge (105 ft.) bronze statue of Helios standing at the entrance of the harbor. While the famous statue served as a reminder of the city's fortitude during the siege and became a tourist attraction, it only stood until 227 B.C. when it was toppled by an earthquake. How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after us. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and place, whether currency in the age we live or an artifact of a long forgotten empire. This ancient coin is more than an artifact; it is a memorial to the glories of Rhodes passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation. - (C.7323)

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Ancient Historical Figures

- Cooking Time: 0 - Servings: 0 - Here are some recipes I have collected over the years and I am thrilled to share them with you. - There are some dangerous dog treats which can be fatal to dogs. - Even if you're creating your own healthy dog treats, you would like to look at out for sure ingredients. Here's an inventory of toxic foods you would like to avoid. - Chocolate is one among a lot of renowned toxic human food a dog will eat. Here may be a list of different toxic foods. - *Is Garlic Healthy or Toxic for Dogs? - Naturaldoghealthremedies.com claims that garlic boosts immunities, fights infection, enhances liver perform, lowers blood fats, and repels ticks and fleas, nevertheless cautions that giant doses given to dogs on a daily basis will cause oxidative injury to red blood cells resulting in Heinz-body anemia and even death. They additionally caution that puppies below the age of eight weeks, dogs scheduled for surgery, and people with pre-existing anemia mustn't be given garlic. - Dr's Foster and Smith of peteducation.com are in agreement that garlic causes a breakdown of red blood cells in dogs though they permit that garlic in terribly tiny amounts in some industrial pet foods has not been shown to cause any issues. Their web site states that a toxic dose is unknown which cats are a lot of sensitive to garlic than dogs are. - Wikipedia says that green or un-ripened tomatoes should not be included in your dog's diet as a result they contain ptomaine, that is harmful to our pets; however red tomatoes are fine. - It says that moldy food may also create dangerous dog treats. - Small balls, toys, and chicken or turkey bones will be choked on by dogs. Cooked bones also are too brittle for a dog to eat safely - it's safer to stay to raw bones. - If your dog eats an excessive amount of food, obesity can develop which may be fatal. - If you're thinking that you pet has been poisoned by one among the on top of foods, then call your vet or the Emergency Vet - particularly if he's vomiting or showing signs of lethargy. - How sick he could get can relies on the amount ingested. My pet has had tiny amounts of onion and garlic and it hasn't caused any issues. He once additionally stole an After-Eight! Mint, once more - this was simply a tiny low quantity of chocolate therefore he was fine. However it will pay to stay an eye fixed out - and keep the incorrect style of dangerous ingredients out of reach. - As well as these dangerous foods, there are different ingredients that will not be terribly healthy for your pet. Dog food allergies will be caused by things like wheat or diary product. And similar to humans - an excessive amount of sugar can create an overweight pet. - Grapes and Raisins - Macadamia nuts - Seeds (such as apple seeds) - Turkey skin - Green or sprouting potato skins - Apricot – Stone - Apple – Seeds - Cherry – Seeds - Peach Stone - There are voluminous safe foods which will be used to create simple homemade dog treats. A few things, like pumpkin for dogs will truly be a super food. - It is simple to keep your pet safe and healthy once you recognize what to avoid. Safe and nutritious treats, served up with love, can invariably be appreciated!

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Pets and Veterinary Care