INTELLECT-1 Dataset
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INTELLECT-1 Training dataset
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ter, tir, (getah tembakau)
1. A dark, oily, viscous material, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons, produced by the destructive distillation of organic substances such as wood, coal, or peat.
2. Coal tar.
3. A solid residue of tobacco smoke containing byproducts of combustion.
from: Merriam Webster
Etymology:Middle English tarr, terr, from Old English teoru; akin to Middle Low German tere tar, Middle Dutch tar, terre, Old Norse tjara, tar, Gothic triu tree, wood * more at TREE
1 a : any of various dark brown or black bituminous usually odorous viscous liquids or semiliquids that are obtained by the destructive distillation of wood, coal, peat, shale, and other organic materials and yield pitch on distillation *road tars* see COAL TAR, WATER-GAS TAR, WOOD TAR b : a substance resembling tar in appearance and formed by chemical change *tars in tobacco smoke*
As seen from origin of the term we could also say tar with ter or tir (see in KBBI (Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia))
Or in more easy to understand (a little bit traditional), Indonesian could say "getah tembakau" (tobacco sap) (Lingusitic dictionary)
Local time: 00:39
Native speaker of: Indonesian
PRO pts in category: 4 |
On November 11,
we will celebrate Veteran's Day to honor those Americans, both living
and dead, who have served with the United States armed forces during
wartime. The contributions of such people cannot be truly appreciated
until one realizes that the ranks of those who have served and died
are as diverse as this country is. Of the various ethnic groups, the
African Americans are no exception and, from the opening salvos of the
Revolutionary War to Operation Desert Storm, they have contributed
their fair share, frequently against a backdrop of segregation,
discrimination, and racism.
In the Revolutionary
War (1776-1783), 10,000 African Americans -- some of them slaves
-- served in the continental armies, participating in the defeat of
the British at several famous battles. In one case, a female African
American disguised herself as a man and served in the Fourth
Massachusetts Regiment. She was later cited for bravery. Black
Americans also helped defend American sovereignty in the War of 1812
and made up between ten and twenty percent of the fighting navy. On
January 8, 1815, as General Andrew Jackson met the British army
outside of New Orleans, six hundred Black soldiers in his ranks held
their end of the line under massive British attack, then surged
forward to help inflict a mortal blow on the enemy.
In the American Civil
War (1861-1865), the Confederacy declared that captured Black Union
soldiers would be hanged or pressed back into slavery. In spite of
that declaration, 186,000 soldiers of African descent served in 150
regiments of the Union army, making up about almost 13% of the Union
army's combat manpower. Another 30,000 were in the Navy. In four years
of fighting, it is believed that 37,000 African Americans died in
battle or from disease. Twenty Black soldiers were awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor for their services in the Civil War.
In the Indian Campaigns
(1866-1890), African-American soldiers took part in many of the
hostilities and twenty of them were awarded the Congressional Medal of
Honor for service above and beyond the call of duty. Several years
later, the Buffalo soldiers of the 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment fought
side by side with Teddy Roosevelt's celebrated Rough Riders in Cuba
during the Spanish-American War of 1898. Eight Black soldiers were
awarded the Medal of Honor for their role in that war.
participation in World War I (1914-1918), 367,000 Black Americans
served their country both at home and overseas. Eventually they would
comprise 11% of the troops that went overseas. The two thousand
African-American soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment served in
France along the Western Front. The 369th won the respect and
admiration of their French comrades for their tenacity in fighting off
incessant German attacks. The men of the 369th called themselves the
Black Rattlers, but their German adversaries, in recognition of their
ferocity, called them the Hellfighters. Suffering heavy casualties
after 191 days in combat -- more than any other American unit -- the
369th was awarded 170 medals by the French for their courage and
In the years preceding
World War II, Black labor battalions in the Army were assigned to
loading ships and general maintenance. When war finally came in
December 1941, most African-American volunteers were initially placed
into segregated Army units and denied overseas combat duty. According
to Ulysses Lee of Howard University, author of "The Employment of
Negro Troops," Black Americans "asked with increasing frequency for
the opportunity that they believed to be rightfully theirs in the
first place: the opportunity to participate in the defense of their
country in the same manner ... as other Americans." Under pressure
from African-American leaders and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the
military was persuaded to change its policy and, by the end of the
war, 500,000 African-American soldiers had been sent to overseas duty.
In all, 1,154,720 Black soldiers served in the armed forces, 909,000
of them in the Army.
At the Tuskegee
Institute in Alabama, a group of highly-talented, college-educated
Black soldiers attended a special flying school. In April 1943, the
graduates of this school, later known as the Tuskegee Airmen, crossed
the Atlantic into the war zone. Flying escort for heavy bombers over
European skies, the pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group flew 15,533
sorties in the course of 1,578 combat missions. The Tuskegee Airman
destroyed 261 enemy aircraft and caused great damage to the enemy on
the ground. After gaining widespread recognition for their exploits,
they received a total of 900 medals, including a Presidential Citation
for the group.
In the Battle of the
Bulge (December 1944), Nazi forces launched a fierce winter
counterattack and broke through the Allied defenses in the area of
Belgium and Luxembourg. In desperation, the American military
recruited and sent 2,500 black soldiers into the First Army's
counterattack to replace lost soldiers. According to Colonel John R.
Ackor, these hastily-assembled platoons of African-American soldiers
"performed in an excellent manner at all times while in combat. These
men were courageous fighters and never once did they fail to
accomplish their assigned mission."
The all-Black 761st
Tank Battalion fought 183 consecutive days with General George S.
Patton's army in Europe and was credited with killing 6,266 enemy
soldiers and capturing another 15,818. During the Battle of the Bulge,
the 761st "entered combat with... conspicuous courage and success." In
April 1945, the 761st Battalion liberated the Nazi death camps at
Buchenwald and Dachau, where they were greeted as heroes by the
According to the noted
author William Loren Katz, 71% of African-American troops in World War
II were confined to quartermaster, engineer, or transportation duties
and denied combat experience. However, many of these troops also
performed their duties admirably and conscientiously. Ten thousand
Black troops constructed the 1,044-mile Ledo Road, which connected
China with India and proved vital to the American war effort.
Operating in hostile territory, where they came under constant fire by
Japanese snipers and had to contend with pounding rains, disease and
attack by wild animals, the soldiers completed the road in 25 months.
There was literally a fallen soldier's grave for each mile of road.
In World War II, 3,902
African-American women answered the call of their country and enrolled
in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WACS); another 68 joined the Navy
Auxiliary (WAVES). During the Cold War years, sixteen African-American
soldiers received the Congressional Medal of Honor for duties
performed in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The exact number of
African-American troops who have served their country cannot be
determined with any degree of certainty. However, their record of
courage under fire was irrefutable proof of their loyalty to America.
|1. Chappell, Kevin.
Blacks in World War II. Ebony, Vol. 50, No. 11 (September 1995),
|2. Katz, William
Loren. A History of Multicultural America: World War II to the New
Frontier, 1940-1963. Austin, Texas: Raintree Steck-Vaughn
|3. Ploski, Harry A.
and Williams, James. The Negro Almanac: A Reference Work on the
Afro-American. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1983 (4th ed.).
|4. Time-Life Books.
African Americans Voices of Triumph: Perseverance. Alexandria,
Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1993.
|5. Wright, David K. A
Multicultural Portrait of World War II. New York: Marshall
Mr. Schmal is a senior editor
at a publishing company in Chatsworth, California. His hobby, and
passion, is that of a genealogist who specializes in
African-American Southern lineages as well as Puerto Rican and
Mexican lineages. He has written several articles about ethnic
contributions to American life, usually military contributions or
Copyright ©1999 by
John P. Schmal. Reprints require approval by the |
The waters in and around Australia contain many perils, from living things and other dangers:
The white pointer or great white shark is well known in Australian waters. Their fierce reputation is well earned.
When we visited my wife’s sister in Perth, Western Australia, we swam at the well-known City Beach.
The newspapers reported that the City Beach Surf Life Saving Club spotted a European swimmer far away from the shore. They rowed out to rescue him, but he refused to be brought into the boat. He said he was training to swim to Rottnest Island, about twelve miles offshore.
Every day he was seen at the beach, swimming farther out each day. The newspapers dubbed him ‘Mr. Shark bait’ and published cartoons of sharks talking about him and licking their lips.
One day he went out on his swim and disappeared. He has not been seen since.
The swim to Rottnest Island had been made by swimmers that swam in cages to protect them from predators. (More recently, the swim has become an annual event with hundreds of people swimming, while attending boats keep predators well away.)
The greynurse shark is ubiquitous in Australian waters. It has had a reputation as attacking people, but it is largely undeserved.
Many popular Australian beaches have shark nets to protect swimmers from roving sharks.
The Blue-ringed Octopus is a cute little thing, about the size of a human hand. They turn bright blue when angry. Their bite is almost always lethal. There is no known antivenom. Click here for first aid information.
Sea Wasps and other jellyfish live in tropical waters around Australia. A sting from their tentacles can be extremely painful or fatal.
Sea snakes should all be regarded as poisonous.
Rip currents are fast-moving currents along a beach that can sweep in and carry swimmers out to sea. Any beach can have them. Bondi beach, Australia’s most famous beach, has them regularly. If caught in one, don’t fight it, just wait for the surf life saving club to rescue you. Typically, the current might sweep you half a mile out to sea. |
A Guide To Treating Common Soccer Injuries
Given the popularity of soccer and the fact that most soccer injuries involve the lower extremity, this author offers pertinent treatment tips on ankle sprains and strains, pearls on proper shoe fit and keys to orthotic modifications.
A large-scale 2006 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) survey shows that soccer is the world’s number one sport. There are 265 million male and female players, and 5 million referees and officials. A grand total of 270 million people — or 4 percent of the world’s population — are actively involved in the game of soccer.1
Of the 18 million Americans who play soccer, 78 percent are under the age of 18. In the 1990s, soccer was recognized as the fastest growing college and high school sport in the United States.2 The popularity of soccer has grown, especially among women, since the U.S. women’s soccer team won the World Cup in 1991 and 1999. In the United States, 35 percent of soccer players are women, one of the highest percentages of female participation in soccer in the world. Female participation in high school soccer has risen by more than 177 percent since 1990.3
Previous studies have shown that soccer has a high injury rate and injury percentage. More injuries occur in soccer than field hockey, volleyball, handball, basketball, rugby, cricket, badminton, fencing, cycling, judo, boxing and swimming. Most soccer injuries occur to the lower extremities, especially the ankle.4
Player to player contact is reportedly a contributing factor in 44 to 74 percent of soccer injuries. Most ankle sprains occur during running, cutting and tackling activities. Sixty-seven percent of foot and ankle injuries occur from direct contact. Significantly more injuries involve a force from the lateral or medial direction in comparison to an anterior or posterior direction. Researchers have noted that the weightbearing status of the injured limb is a significant risk factor.5
High school soccer participation in the United States increased fivefold over the last 30 years. With increased participation comes increased injury incidence. Overall, the most frequent diagnoses were incomplete ligament sprains (26.8 percent), incomplete muscle strains (17.9 percent), contusions (13.8 percent) and concussions (10.8 percent). The most commonly injured body sites were the ankle (23.4 percent), knee (18.7 percent), head/face (13.7 percent) and thigh/upper leg (13.1 percent).6 Sprains, contusions and strains of the lower extremities were the most common injuries in men’s collegiate soccer with player-to-player contact the primary injury mechanism during games.7 Ankle ligament sprains, internal derangements of the knee and concussions were the most common injuries in women’s collegiate soccer.8
Based on the prevalence of soccer injuries, it is important for podiatrists to be aware of common treatments for soccer injuries as well as recommended rehabilitation after injury.
How To Address Ankle Sprains
The single most common injury in soccer is the ankle sprain. Most ankle sprains are inversion sprains (85 percent), mainly involving the lateral ligament complex.9
In addition to standard radiographic views for ankle injuries (weightbearing AP, medial oblique and lateral ankle and foot), our office utilizes musculoskeletal ultrasound to aid in the diagnosis. We have found musculoskeletal ultrasound to be invaluable in the diagnosis of sports medicine foot and ankle injuries. Magnetic resonance imaging usually confirms ultrasound findings, especially when you cannot easily visualize or determine the degree of ligament tear. We will also use MRI when we suspect intra-articular, osteochondral lesions or when there is a history of ligamentous laxity due to chronic sprains in the absence of acute injury.
Podiatrists can manage minor acute lateral and medial ankle injuries conservatively with compression, analgesics, home exercises and time away from the playing field for a period of two to four weeks. For more severe injuries including anterior talofibular, calcaneofibular or deltoid ligament tears, or ruptures with or without intra-articular osteochondral defects, initial treatment will consist of immobilization and edema reduction. One may accomplish this by applying an Unna Boot soft cast for five days if the edema is severe. We will also use a CAM walker for immobilization for an additional four to six weeks. This will be followed by physical therapy twice a week for an additional six to eight weeks. Physical therapy, which includes proprioceptive coordinative training, helps with both injury prevention and rehabilitation, and is essential in returning injured players back to the field.11
The most common risk factor for ankle sprain in sports is history of a previous sprain.9 Our clinic dispenses an Air-Stirrup® Ankle Brace (Aircast) to soccer players suffering a moderate or severe sprain. They wear the brace during play for at least six months after an ankle injury. This simple treatment can mean the difference between patients being able to continue to play uninjured and having to withdraw from soccer entirely due to chronic, worsening instability or pain.
Conservative Care Tips For Tendon Strains And Plantar Fasciitis
We commonly see soccer strains of the posterior tibial tendon, anterior tibial tendon, peroneal tendons, Achilles tendon and plantar fasciitis. Again, in these cases, treatment is symptomatic and includes compression sleeves, rest, ice, compounded topical anti-inflammatories and modified activity.12 In more severe or chronic cases, immobilization, bracing and taping can be effective as well as physical therapy.
For taping, we instruct our players on how to use RockTape for injury prevention and rehabilitation. During the 2008 Summer Olympics, taping came to the forefront when Olympians competing in sports ranging from volleyball to water polo sported a brightly colored athletic tape called Kinesio Tape®. In 2009, Rocktape (www.rocktape.com ) became a major competitor to Kinesio. However, while one needs to be certified to promote and use Kinesio taping, this is not the case with Rocktape.
Rocktape has how-to videos on its Web site as well as a brochure packaged with each roll offering instructions on how to apply the tape. Rocktape also sells wholesale to podiatrists so patients can purchase this directly from your office rather than buying it somewhere else.
Rocktape primarily markets to athletes and our soccer players routinely respond favorably to this easy, inexpensive, treatment. Similar to Tensoplast® (formerly Elastoplast®), Rocktape is an elastic tape that one can use for support and compression. The best part is you can teach your patients how to do this themselves and the tape stays on for four to five days.
In addition to the aforementioned treatments of bracing, compression sleeves, taping and physical therapy, there are additional considerations for soccer players that can significantly reduce the likelihood of injury.
What You Should Know About Soccer Shoes
Soccer shoes are typically designed to fit tight for better feel and control of the ball. Unfortunately, too many players select shoes that are too narrow and/or too short, and this contributes to injury. When the fit is too tight, neuroma pain, bunion pain, hammertoe pain, heloma molle or heloma durum can occur. When the fit is too short, ingrown toenails, subungual hematoma, onychodystrophy, plantar fasciitis, turf toe and sesamoiditis can occur. An improperly fitting or excessively worn soccer shoe can cause ankle instability, sprains, strains or even fractures in an otherwise healthy foot.
The majority of soccer shoes are purchased online through recommendations from athletic trainers, sponsors, teammates or advertisers. The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine (www.aapsm.org/ ) currently lists 94 recommended shoes for running and only four for soccer. It is shocking to me the lack of information available to patients to help them find appropriately fitting soccer shoes. Fortunately, this is an area of injury prevention that podiatrists can significantly impact. All that is required is applying the same principles for running shoes to selecting soccer shoes.
1. Size/fit. Easily 85 percent of patients whose feet are measured in our office are wearing the wrong size shoe. In those cases in which we cannot directly measure foot size in the office, we send patients to a running shoe store or other specialty shoe store to be properly measured and sized. One can subsequently apply this information to fitting soccer shoes.
Soccer cleat sizes do not indicate widths and this can make it difficult to obtain a good fit. Since many medium width cleats will run either wide or narrow, you can use a side-by-side comparison to identify volume differences among different pairs of shoes.
The Adidas Predator Absolion TRX TF has a narrow lasted cleat (see the cleat on the left of the photo at left) and the Nike Mercurial Victory II has a wide lasted cleat (see the cleat on the right of the photo at left). The differences in width are highlighted. Comparing the uppers, notice how the throatline (opening) of the Nike is so much wider than the Adidas. Also notice the difference in toebox shape and width. The Adidas is more tapered around the toes and the Nike is more rounded, accommodating a wider forefoot.
In evaluating the lower, you can also see how much wider the forefoot and waist are in the Nike than in the Adidas. If your patients are having difficulty finding the perfect fit, showing them this method should help. These principles also apply to other shoes (tennis, basketball, football, etc.) that only come in medium widths.
2. Design. There are soccer shoes designed for firm ground, hard ground, soft ground and indoor fields, and turf depending on the intended playing surface. Most non-professional players own both a pair of firm ground cleats and a pair of non-cleated turf shoes. Firm ground cleats have molded studs for traction and stability, and are the most common type of soccer shoe worn. Turf shoes have a firm rubber outsole with raised patterns on the outsole designed for indoor soccer or turf. Many players wear these different types of soccer shoes interchangeably. However, similar to snow versus road tires, each type is designed for a specific playing surface and should only be used on that surface.
3. Wear. Running shoe companies have emphasized the need for running shoe replacement after 500 miles of wear. Soccer players have no such advocate to help them determine when to replace their shoes. Players can easily sustain injury if the shoes are not replaced when they have been excessively worn. Again, similar to educating runners on running shoes, the podiatric physician or staff can teach patients how to evaluate their soccer shoes for excessive wear.
Keys To Successful Custom Orthoses For Soccer Players
I always ask my patients who wear custom orthoses what sports they play. If soccer is one of their sports and they have biomechanical issues that could potentially contribute to a delay in healing or injury, I almost always prescribe custom orthoses for their soccer shoes. Soccer injuries for which I have found orthoses to be useful include plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial tendinitis, medial tibial stress syndrome, sesamoiditis and second metatarsophalangeal joint pre-dislocation syndrome.
The only challenge an orthosis may pose is fitting into a soccer shoe. Considerations such as a medial heel skive, inversion or minimal cast fill with prescription orthoses should first and foremost be based on patient pathology. Then one may proceed to consider modifications to a standard orthoses prescription to ensure fit into a soccer shoe. I prefer a soccer orthoses shell to be manufactured out of semi-rigid polypropylene. This makes it easy to modify (including grinding) in the office if necessary. Due to the low profile of a soccer shoe, I will prescribe a 8 to 10 mm heel cup depth, normal width, with or without a medial flange and a strip post. Alternatively, you can send the shoe with the orthoses prescription to the lab for an exact fit if you desire.
If the orthosis does not need additional forefoot padding, I will order the device without a top cover. Otherwise, I will extend the topcover to the sulcus to minimize excess forefoot bulk.
Soccer injuries are not unique from most other sports medicine injuries podiatric physicians diagnose and treat. What is somewhat unusual however is the lack of knowledge our patients have regarding soccer injury treatments and prevention. With the ever increasing numbers of new players to the sport, it is important that our offices and clinics develop protocols as well as patient education tools to minimize injury and maximize injury prevention in this popular American sport.
Dr. Sanders is an Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Department of Applied Biomechanics at the California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt University. She is in private practice in San Francisco. Dr. Sanders writes a monthly blog for Podiatry Today. For more information, please visit www.podiatrytoday.com/blogs/594 . Dr. Sanders also blogs at www.drshoe.wordpress.com .
1. 2006 Big Count: A FIFA Survey. Available at http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/bigcount/index.html . Accessed July 30, 2012.
2. Sports in America — soccer. Available at http://usa.usembassy.de/sports-soccer.htm Accessed July 23, 2012.
3. Levitan P. Watching soccer: a popular U.S. pastime. Available at http://usa.usembassy.de/etexts/sport/feature_soccer4.htm . Published July 9, 2008. Accessed July 23, 2012.
4. Wong P, Hong Y. Soccer injury in the lower extremities. Br J Sports Med. 2005;39(8):473-482.
5. Giza E, Fuller C, Junge A, Dvorak J. Mechanisms of foot and ankle injuries in soccer. Am J Sports Med. 2003;31(4):550-554.
6. Yard EE, Shroeder MJ, Fields SK, et al. The epidemiology of United States high school soccer injuries, 2005-2007. Am J Sports Med. 2008;36(10):1930-1937.
7. Agel J, Evans TA, Dick R. Descriptive epidemiology of collegiate men’s soccer injuries: National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System, 1988-1989 through 2002-2003. J Athl Train. 2007;42(2):270-7.
8. Dick R, Putukian M, Agel J. Descriptive epidemiology of collegiate women’s soccer injuries: National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System, 1988-1989 through 2002-2003. J Athl Train. 2007;42(2):278-85.
9. Surve I, Schwellnus MP, Noakes T, et al. A fivefold reduction in the incidence of recurrent ankle sprains in soccer players using the sport-stirrup orthosis. Am J Sports Med. 1994;22(5):601-606.
10. Milz P, Milz S, Steinborn M, et al. Lateral ankle ligaments and tibiofibular syndesmosis: 13-MHz high-frequency sonography and MRI compared in 20 patients. Acta Orthop Scand. 1998;69(1):51–55.
11. Ergen E, Ulkar B. Proprioception and ankle injuries in soccer. Clin Sports Med. 2008;27(1):195-217.
12. Mazières B, Rouanet S, Velicy J, et al. Topical ketoprofen patch (100 mg) for the treatment of ankle sprain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Am J Sports Med. 2005;33(4):515-523. |
CICLing 2012, www.cicling.org/2012, will be held in New Delhi, India, on March 11–17, 2012. Submission deadline: October 31. Keynote speakers: Srinivas Bangalore, John Carroll, Salim Roukos, Bonnie Webber.
What is computational linguistics?
Computational linguistics is the scientific study of language from a computational perspective. Computational linguists are interested in providing computational models of various kinds of linguistic phenomena. These models may be "knowledge-based" ("hand-crafted") or "data-driven" ("statistical" or "empirical"). Work in computational linguistics is in some cases motivated from a scientific perspective in that one is trying to provide a computational explanation for a particular linguistic or psycholinguistic phenomenon; and in other cases the motivation may be more purely technological in that one wants to provide a working component of a speech or natural language system. Indeed, the work of computational linguists is incorporated into many working systems today, including speech recognition systems, text-to-speech synthesizers, automated voice response systems, web search engines, text editors, language instruction materials, to name just a few.
Popular computational linguistics textbooks include:
- Christopher Manning and Hinrich Schütze (1999) Foundations of Statistical Natural Language Processing, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. MIT Press.
Also see the book's supplemental materials website at Stanford.
- Daniel Jurafsky and James Martin (2008) An Introduction to Natural Language Processing, Computational Linguistics, and Speech Recognition, Second Edition. Prentice Hall. |
A newly-opened dining hall in Zhejiang University offers a card less dining experience at lunchtime.
Using a facial recognition scanner in the dining hall, a diner is paired with a chip-embedded food tray and can start taking food from the buffet.
Each dish has a sensor recording the price, while the table the tray is placed on works as a scale. By walking through the buffet area, the price of the meal is calculated and money is automatically deducted from a corresponding campus card which was previously registered by the user.
And it gets even better!
Once the meal is taken, a report specifying total calories and proportion of protein, carbohydrates and fat will be sent to the diner's mobile device, to encourage them to eat a more balanced diet.
"It is very convenient and reminds us to save food and eat healthily," said Wang Kai, professor at the university. "The new technology has also improved the efficiency of dining."
"The new system weighs food accurately and can help remind people to treasure food and reduce waste," said Xia Xuemin, a researcher with the Public Policy Research Institute of Zhejiang University.
The system was jointly developed by the center and the school of public health at the university. |
TRT Podcast #27: What every teacher should know about dyslexia
Do you suspect that one of your students has dyslexia? Here’s what every teacher should know about this common learning disability!
Listen to the episode here
Full episode transcript
As I look back to the students that I taught, I can picture one particular little boy who I'm sure had dyslexia. He was bright, articulate, and very kind.
I remember, on one particularly rough day of teaching, he gave me this little blue gem shaped like a heart and said, "This is for you because you're the nicest teacher I've ever had." I'll admit I was not feeling like a nice teacher that day, but this sensitive little guy knew that I needed some encouragement.
He was all ears during whole class read alouds, and his language comprehension was excellent, but he struggled to get words off the page.
At the time, I was a balanced literacy teacher. I advised his parents to read to him more, which they were already doing, and I gave him more practice with leveled texts. He was a hard worker, and he had committed parents, but nothing we did made a whole lot of difference. That little boy is now in his mid-twenties, and I sure hope he found a teacher who gave him more help than I did.
Today's episode is what I wish that I knew about dyslexia.
Number one, dyslexia is real and it's more common than you might think.
Recently, a friend of mine shared with me that her graduate school professor told her that dyslexia doesn't exist. Lest you think this was decades ago, it was 2015. 2015! Dyslexia is real. People can have mild, moderate, or severe dyslexia. The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity says that up to 20% of students have it. It is the most common learning disorder. There is much we can do for students with dyslexia, but there's no cure. Our students will not grow out of it.
Number two, dyslexia is a language-based learning disorder.
Old myths die hard, but dyslexia is not about seeing letters or words backward. It's most commonly due to a difficulty in phonological processing. This is the International Dyslexia Association's official definition,
"Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge."
Phew! If that felt like a mouthful, that's because it is! Dyslexia is difficult to define, and experts don't always agree on the definition.
Number three, early screening helps us know which students are at risk for dyslexia.
Clues for dyslexia can appear even before a child starts school, so it's imperative that teachers use a screener to detect red flags. Screeners do not diagnose dyslexia, but they do tell us which students would benefit from more testing. I'll make sure to link to some screeners you could try in the show notes.
Number four, it's a big mistake to take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to dyslexia.
Early identification is crucial so students can get the help they need. We've learned that the brain responds best to intervention when children are young. As we get older, our brains get less plastic. We can still help older dyslexic readers, but the process will be harder than it would've been when they were young, and, by that time, children have often become very discouraged, making it harder to reach them. Many students with dyslexia need one-on-one tutoring so they can move forward. As a teacher, it's your job to alert parents to this need.
Number five, students with dyslexia can learn to read with the right approach.
Students with dyslexia need a structured literacy approach. The good news is, all students benefit from structured literacy. It uses explicit, systematic teaching to teach phonology, sound-symbol relationships, syllables, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Structured literacy is very different from the way I used to teach reading, using predictable leveled texts and three-queuing. Balanced literacy approaches will not teach dyslexic students to be successful readers.
Number six, students with dyslexia need reasonable accommodations. Here are some that make sense in a primary classroom: allow more time for test-taking, repeat directions as needed, use daily routines so it's easier for students to know what's expected, gives small step-by-step instructions, build in daily review, and provide books on audio.
Finally, number seven, YOU can be the teacher that makes all the difference. When you educate yourself about dyslexia, point parents in the right direction, and change the way you teach so you reach all learners, you will make an incredible lasting impact on a child's life.
Here's how to learn more, read "Conquering Dyslexia" by Jan Hasbrouck. It's short, easy to read, and practical. You can read it in a weekend. Read "Dyslexia Advocate!" by Kelli Sandman-Hurley to know how to help a child with dyslexia in the public education system. Bookmark the International Dyslexia Association's website; its printable fact sheets are super helpful. And finally, read my blog series, all about dyslexia, which I'll link to in the show notes for this episode. You can find those show notes at themeasuredmom.com/episode27.
See you next time!
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Recommended dyslexia screeners
- Lexercise Screener for schools
- This Reading Mama’s Screener for teachers and parents
- EarlyBird Education
Recommended dyslexia resources
- Conquering Dyslexia by Jan Hasbrouck
- Dyslexia Advocate! by Kelli Sandman-Hurley
- The International Dyslexia Association website
Check out my blog series about dyslexia with This Reading Mama!
- Misconceptions about dyslexia
- What is dyslexia?
- Signs of dyslexia
- Getting tested for dyslexia
- Using explicit instruction
- Systematic teaching
- Repetition and review
- Multi-sensory teaching
- What every teacher needs to know about dyslexia |
Prosodic features are features that appear when we put sounds together in connected speech. It is as important to teach learners prosodic features as successful communication depends as much on intonation, stress and rhythm as on the correct pronunciation of sounds.
Intonation, stress and rhythm are prosodic features.
In the classroom
One way to focus learners on various aspects of prosody is to select a text suitable to be read aloud - for example a famous speech - and ask learners to mark where they think pauses, main stress, linking, and intonation changes occur. They can then practise reading this aloud. |
“Little did the Mitchell family know that their furry family members had other plans. They were coming on holidays too! Milly and Molly liked the thought of lying in the sun by a pool every day – it sounded a lot more exciting than the cattery. They couldn’t wait to see if Hawaii had catnip cocktails and rooms full of scratching poles.”
Writing prompts are a great way to engage students with writing and encourage creativity. They provide students with choices and the opportunity to draw on ideas from known stories and personal experiences.
Effective writing prompts create situations that interest students and provide them with some direction for their writing. Selecting prompts that are consistent with the interests and life experiences of the students in your class will assist them in achieving their writing goals.
Writing prompts can be used for independent writing, guided writing, quick writes, partner writing, homework tasks and daily warm-ups. They can also be used to help identify different text types, genres and purposes for writing.
When using writing prompts in the classroom, start by modelling how to use the prompt by brainstorming ideas and planning a piece of text. Jointly construct a text with the students before carrying out independent writing tasks. Encourage students to gather their ideas and plan their piece of text before writing.
Five ways to spark imagination in the classroom using writing prompts include the use of stimulating photographs, sentence starters, videos, story generators and story boxes.
Photographs can be fantastic writing prompts. Search the internet for a range of writing prompt photos, or simply choose an interesting photograph from a magazine or newspaper. Display the photograph on the board or print off a smaller copy for students to glue into their books.
Photographs encourage students to think about who or what is in the photo, when and where the photo was taken, what happened before the photo was taken and what might have happened after the photo was taken. Students will use their imaginations to write a range of interesting stories. Alternatively, use the photo as the lead for a newspaper article or topical debate. For choice, provide students with a variety of photographs with the same theme.
Fortunately, we have created an easy to use Visual Writing Prompts widget that allows your students to select a photo at random.
2. Sentence Starters
Sentence starters are a great resource for setting the scene for an imaginative piece of text. They encourage students to think about the main character, the complication and the resolution of a story. Sentence starters provide students with the responsibility of continuing or finishing a story in an interesting way.
Using sentence starters as a writing prompt can be as simple as providing students with a copy of the first sentence of a piece of text. For variety, you can read the start of an unknown text to the students and ask them to write about what they think might happen next.
Videos are another great source of writing prompts to engage students with their writing. Select an appropriate video snippet from a movie, television show, documentary, news story, YouTube clip or music video. Play the short section of video to your class and then discuss with your students the topics and events that they viewed in the video. Use the video as a stimulus for writing a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive text types for a variety of current topics.
Students may also like to use their written texts to create their own videos. Encourage them to demonstrate what might have happened before or after the video they viewed, or to create their own version of the snippet shown.
4. Story Generators
Story generators are fun writing prompts to use with your class when writing imaginative texts. Use a range of electronic generators, posters and story board games to select a genre, character, setting and complication. Encourage students to use the selected elements from the generator, along with their imagination, to create an interesting story.
As a class, create your own story generator using people and places of interest to the students in your class. By helping to create their own story generator, students will be more engaged with their writing and show a greater interest.
Check out our Random Sentence Starter generator. Along with the story starter text, the generator has gorgeous visuals to inspire your students. You can even add in your own custom story starters to the generator.
5. Story Boxes
Story boxes are another fun way to prompt students with their writing. Collect a range of items including pictures, toys and games on a particular topic that will interest the students. Prior to writing activities, place the items in a decorative box and make it accessible for students to explore. By handling the items in the box, students will be encouraged to use their imagination to write an interesting piece of text.
Alternatively, allow students to bring in items from home to make their own story boxes to use in the classroom as a writing prompt.
I hope that these ideas will help you to get creative with writing and engage your students in the writing process. Do you have any other creative ways to kick-start your students’ writing? Share them in the comments below! |
One of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s (D-MA) last legislative fights was about the overuse of livestock antibiotics. “It seems scarcely believable that these precious medications could be fed by the ton to chickens and pigs,” he wrote in a bill called the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2007 (PAMTA). Over 70 percent of antibiotics go to livestock, not to people, said the PAMTA bill, a figure the drug industry refutes. “These precious drugs aren’t even used to treat sick animals. They are used to fatten pigs and speed the growth of chickens. The result of this rampant overuse is clear: meat contaminated with drug-resistant bacteria sits on supermarket shelves all over America,” said Kennedy.
This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared to be “Get Smart About Antibiotics Week” and is meeting with a coalition of 25 health organizations to address overuse of antibiotics. Excessive use of antibiotics in livestock operations and health care settings creates “superbugs” which no longer succumb to the antibiotics which once destroyed them.
Anyone who has rented an apartment which has both an exterminator and bugs has firsthand experience with the principle of antibiotic resistance. Organisms can become impervious to what is supposed to kill them and bigger and stronger. Resistant mosquitoes, it is said, when you slap them, they slap you back.
Antibiotics are overused by hospitals, clinics, schools, public facilities and households, and are unnecessarily put in dish and laundry detergent, soap, and even toothpaste by the chemical industry. In fact, antibiotics are overused and misused anytime they’re used preventatively, for potential infections instead of for existing bacterial infections. Doctors and patients who “treat” colds and viruses with antibiotics also encourage antibiotic resistance because these conditions are not caused by bacteria. And people who stop taking antibiotics (when conditions are bacterial) before the medication is gone because they feel better also contribute to antibiotic resistance. The few bacteria that survive the antibiotic “bath” are stronger for the challenge and go on to cause more trouble. It is the ultimate biological demonstration of the maxim “That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Still, most health professionals agree that the use of antibiotics in livestock operations is the biggest source of resistance. The pills are used to make animals grow faster and keep infections from erupting in the crowded, “factory” conditions and they do not appear on food labels. Efforts by medical organizations and the FDA to curtail farm use of antibiotics have gone nowhere even though they include the same drugs needed to treat urinary tract, intestinal, respiratory, ear and skin infections in humans, not to mention TB and STDs. Livestock antibiotics are a big source of revenue for Big Pharma.
Thanks to the overuse of antibiotics, MRSA, (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections) kills 20,000 people a year and Clostridium difficile, a serious intestinal bug is developing resistance. Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii so afflicted US troops in Iraq it was dubbed “Iraqibacter,” and Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) has developed because of the use of the antibiotics virginiamycin and Avoparcin in livestock. VRE infections have been reported in 33 states and in commercial chicken feed, reported the Hartford Advocate.
And there is another worry. “Overuse of antibiotics could be fuelling the dramatic increase in conditions such as obesity, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and asthma, which have more than doubled in many populations,” writes Martin Blaser, professor of microbiology at New York University’s Langone Medical Center in the journal Nature. “Indeed, large studies we performed have found that people without the bacterium are more likely to develop asthma, hay fever or skin allergies in childhood,” writes Blaser.
As H. pylori, one bacterium, “has disappeared from people’s stomachs, there has been an increase in gastroesophageal reflux, and its attendant problems such as Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal cancer. Could the trends be linked? “writes Blaser. The proton pump inhibitors such as Prilosec, Prevacid and Protonix makes matters worse–altering the composition and capacity of bacteria in the colon, researchers report.
Because of their links to resistant infections and possibly obesity, asthma and gastrointestinal problems, it is good to see health professionals curtail the use of antibiotics. When will livestock operators follow suit? |
Sep, 01, 2012
While reading Franco Moretti’s Graphs, Maps, Trees: Abstract Models For A Literary History I came across his use of geometric (and geographic) radial maps to document the development of a small village. These village story maps lead Moretti to visualize the arrival of industrialization to the village among other events.
An example of the radial geographic visualization.
Moretti’s examples made me wonder if the same mapping technique could be applied to other literature outside the village story genera. To test this idea I built a semi-automated system that uses text extraction to pull out the possible geographic names. Using n-gram frequency the tool then pins frequent words to that location in order to provide some context surround what happened at that location. The system then uses GPS lookup to find and place that location in relation to each other. I say semi-automated because it still is too much noise to select the location and look them up automatically. I made a crude command line input system to present the results allowing for approval of the location, its GPS and the terms associated with it.
The result is a data file that can be read by my d3.js SVG mapping tool that plots the locations in a radial configuration similar to Moretti’s maps. The maps are to scale, although that scale changes (the geographic distance involved in Around the world in 80 days is quite different than The Dubliners). The inner circle is the most mentioned location, which becomes the center of the map. The outer ring represents the second most mentioned location.
The results are interesting. I feel they do not work as well as Moretti’s map but by visualizing the story geographically, useful patterns emerge that define the novel. Joyce’s Dubliners graphs to a small group of tightly related points. This makes sense as the novel is about the local neighborhoods and people. As opposed to Verne’s Around the world in 80 days which presents an elongated string of locations spanning thousands of miles. |
Republic Day: February 23
Republic Day is a public holiday in Guyana.
Guyana celebrates Republic Day or Mashramani (abbreviated as ‘Mash) on February usually on the 23rd. Guyanese citizens enjoy festive and colourful parades much like that of a carnival, music, and games. Guyanese cook on this special day to mark the birth of a new country.
Mashramani should not be confused with the country’s Independence Day on May 26. After it gained independence from the British in 1966, the Guyanese people established itself as an independent nation or a democratic sovereign country as stated in the British Commonwealth of 1970.
The word Mashramani is an Amerindian word which means to celebrate/celebrating a job well done. It is the most celebrated holiday in Guyana as floats, parades and masquerade party and dancing flood the street a scenery which reflects the country’s proud African heritage.
History of Guyana’s Republic Day
For most foreigners, the idea of celebrating Guyanese Republic Day might be construed with celebrating Independence Day. While the country’s Independence Day marks the act of the British in relegating the sovereignty Guyana have long been wanting for, it is the Republic Day where the Guyanese commemorates the establishment of a sovereign republic after being granted independence from the British rule.
Carnival-like celebration in Guyana has long been practiced in Mackenzie by local members of Junior Chamber International (JCI) or Jaycees. The celebration of Guyana’s Republic Day coincided with the establishment of Jaycees Republic Celebrations Committee headed by Basil Butcher but it was Jim Blackman was appointed to do the job because Butcher had to join the West Indies Cricket Team during that time. Blackman, along with other personnel, organized the first formal government-sponsored carnival activity to happen in Guyana.
Butcher was the one to initially suggest that the name of the festival be based on Amerindian word. Amerindian is a language spoken by indigenous people of the Americas who are sometimes called upon as Native Americans or American Indian. One of Butcher’s personnels, Mr. Allan Fietdkow, a native Amerindian, helped Butcher in coming up with a name for the festival through his consultation with his grandfather. Ultimately, the word Mashramani was suggested.
The first Mashramani in February 23, 1970 was a huge success and well-accepted by the locals; because of that, a government official named David Singh suggested that the festival be brought to the country’s capital – Georgetown. It later was given approval by the president of Guyana back then (President Forbes Burnham).
The celebration of Mashramani is done in various regions in Guyana including Berbice, Linden, and Georgetown but due the largest concentration of events usually happen in Georgetown due in part to sponsorship both from private and public institutions and individuals..
Guyana’s Republic Day: Traditions, Customs and Activities
Guyana’s constitutional milestone is celebrated with float parade, dancing and singing, and other fun activities. It aims to mobilize professionals, private individuals, and the youth in participating in the country’s celebration of the country’s political success. The three-day festival is joined by people from all walks of life coming from different regions in Guyana. The Mardi-Gras like celebration encourages both men and women to participate in street dancing and parade wearing colourful costumes. There is no other holiday to look forward to in Guyana other than the fun-filled carnival-like celebration of Republic Day. |
The ADHD-Autism Link in Children
ADHD and autism share many common traits and behaviors. Download this 42-page guide to learn how to differentiate between ADD and ASD, and how to ensure an accurate diagnosis and helpful supports for your child.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) share many overlapping behaviors. In fact, most families of children with the condition previously known as Asperger’s syndrome (AS), an autism spectrum disorder, receive an ADHD diagnosis — or misdiagnosis — before a pediatrician correctly identifies autism. Most children on the autism spectrum have at least some symptoms of ADHD.
Use this free 42-page download as a guide to understanding the distinctions and similarities between ASD and ADHD in children. Access case studies illustrating the ADHD-autism link and learn:
- How to receive an accurate diagnosis for your child
- Strategies to overcoming your child’s social challenges
- How to determine if your child with ADHD is on the autism spectrum
- Effective supports for children with autism and ADHD
- The relationship between autism, ADHD, and anxiety in children
NOTE: This resource is for personal use only. |
In the Case of Wholesale Food Distributors, It’s All About Location
Posted: December 11, 2013
“Our model addresses the problem of how to move food from producers to consumers efficiently,” said Hamideh Etamadnia, a member of the Distribution Team and lead author of the study. “In the case of farmers’ markets, producers bring their products directly to consumers themselves. But most products are trucked from processing facilities to wholesale distributors, and then on to retail stores. Our model will help identify the optimal locations of these intermediary distributors so as to minimize transportation costs and to maximize the number of producers and retailers that they serve.”
Etamadnia and her colleagues developed the mathematical model to consider transportation and distributor-construction costs, as well as several possible constraints that will allow them to look at various “what if” scenarios.
“The constraints that we built into our model allow us to understand how certain changes might affect the optimal locations of wholesale hubs,” she explained. “For example, officials who want to promote regional agriculture could place constraints on the distance food travels, to see how their region’s existing distribution structure would need to change for such a policy to succeed.”
To test their model, the researchers applied it to the meat supply chain in the Northeastern U.S., which comprises 433 counties. Using County Business Patterns data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, they identified which counties contain slaughtering or meat-processing facilities, and which counties contain retail meat markets. Inserting these data into their mathematical model, they conducted several simulations to determine the optimal locations for wholesale distributors connecting these slaughter and processing facilities with retail markets. Their results show how optimal distributor locations change based on a number of variables, including distributor size and capacity, road conditions, and gas prices.
“Our team can use this model to conduct simulations with other supply chains, such as those for fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Distribution Team Leader, Miguel Gomez. “These simulations will help us to identify the kinds of changes that would be required of the Northeastern U.S. food supply chain in order to support increased regionalization, and what kinds of economic effects such changes would have.” |
Micro- and nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems are revolutionizing medicine, from minimizing the toxicity of therapeutics to improving their efficacy.
Through the noise, a class of stars reveals its inner workings; poor ‘social distancing’ identified using NASA space telescope
Convolutional neural networks provide stronger predictive performances for pharmacological assays compared to traditional machine learning models.
Scientists are finding safer ways to keep drug-loaded microrobots attached to cancer tissue.
A new approach drastically improves the amount of energy harvested from microalgae for sustainable bioenergy.
A new technique opens up new possibilities in membrane fabrication.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope, which has opened a new eye onto the cosmos and has been transformative for our civilization.
Scientists have developed a method for precise, fast, and high-quality laser processing of halide perovskites, promising light-emitting materials for solar energy, optical electronics, and metamaterials.
Novel graphene‐reinforced elastomeric isolators are a viable, low‐cost alternative to reinforce buildings against earthquake damage.
Uranus, its moons, and rings are all “tipped”, suggesting they formed during a cataclysmic impact early in its history. |
We all like a bit of a scare. As children we’ve gathered under blankets with flashlights and spooked each other with ghost stories. Even while in diapers and growing sea legs we threw on a sheet and screamed “Boo!” As far back in human history fairytales have been scary. On All Saints Day we satiate the desire to scare and be scared. At other times we indulge in films like The Shining. There’s nothing like a good scare!
This strange enjoyment comes from the primal nature of fear. Probing the hidden part of us that lives in fear has always been an important human experience. As the author Lovecraft wrote, “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” Ghosts are the embodiment of this fear and since imagination is part of being scared, ghosts can be whatever we want them to be.
One definition of a ghost is someone who hasn’t quite made it. They died, but don’t know that yet, so they wander in a confused state. Regardless, whether they’re malevolent or benevolent, ghosts are the principle of life: the spirit of a departed person.
In Buddhism they’re called “Hungry Ghosts” and are portrayed with a large belly and a very skinny throat. They want to eat and feel full, but cannot. No matter what they eat or how much, they’re always hungry. They didn’t adequately provide themselves with what they needed to flourish in the afterlife.
The Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh uses the Hungry Ghost to describe a psychological condition that plagues many. When there’s a disconnection from our source of life, we begin to wither and become a hungry ghost, wandering and looking for something to revive us.
As much as we like to be scared, we also enjoy a good laugh. Ghost stories and jokes are similar—both lead up to the point where either you laugh or shiver! |
© Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
The idea to build a museum to commemorate the history of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama began with Mayor David Vann in 1978. Inspired by his trips to Israel, Vann believed that healing could begin with remembrance. His successor and Birmingham’s first African American mayor, Richard Arrington Jr., appointed a Civil Rights Museum Study committee and created the first organization to begin planning the city sponsored museum.
In 1986, the idea of a museum expanded into a Civil Rights Institute to imply action oriented ideals. Arrington created a task force that crafted a mission statement and an architectural firm was hired along with planning consultants to begin laying the ground work on property where the 1963 marches and civil rights demonstrations had been held in efforts to document strides towards freedom.
The Institute opened to the public in 1992 and has since welcomed over 2 million visitors and provided educational programing to more than 140,000 students and adults. The BCRI believes that social problems and divisiveness are perpetuated through silence and indifference and encourages the exploration of morality, law and justice, and responsible citizenship.
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am until 5pm and Sunday’s from 1pm until 5pm. BCRI is closed all major holiday.
From Martin Luther King Day, on which admission is free, through the month of February, BCRI is also open on Mondays from 10am until 5pm. Details on cost of admission can be found online.
The permanent artifacts displayed in the Birmingham Civil Rights institute chronical the history of the civil rights movement in Birmingham Alabama and nationwide. The block that the institute is located on was the Killinger Park site where hundreds of people demonstrated for civil rights in 1963.
There is a total of 27,000 square feet of exhibition space at the institute that includes the historic colored and whites only water fountains which have come to be a power symbol of segregation and the civil rights movement in Birmingham. Other exhibits show the difference between black and white classrooms in the 1950’s, a black church in the center gallery that talks about REVEREND FRED SHELTERSWORTH., one of the prominent leaders of the civil rights movement in the area.
There are also exhibits that showcase the prominence and flourish of black owned businesses such as barbershops and other businesses on 4th avenue. The law and justice system is also reflected upon in exhibits that mimic court room scenes and trials of the south. Another popular exhibit space features how racism exists and is progressed through pop culture and images presented through the media and advertisements. The Ku Klux Klan and history of hate crimes in Birmingham and around the country is also talked about and remembered at the institute. |
Blue dragons, also known as storm dragons, are among the most vain and prideful of an arrogant race. They take great pleasure in wielding their power, engaging in combat or lording over humanoids and other lesser creatures to prove that they can do so, rather than out of any real desire for results. A blue dragon might forgive insults, but it reacts with rage to any insinuation that it is weak or inferior.
Blues are also extremely territorial dragons. They rarely give intruders, even accidental ones, the opportunity to explain themselves. Blue dragons are more likely than other varieties of chromatic dragons to battle powerful enemies or other dragons over violated borders. This can prove particularly problematic, given that blue dragons are also more finicky about their environment than their cousins.
When other creatures give due respect to blue dragons’ pride and territorial claims, however, blues can be the most reasonable of the chromatic dragons. Blues lack the cruelty of black dragons and the ambition of greens and reds. Some blue dragons live as peaceful neighbors of humanoid communities or even, on occasion, of other dragon varieties. Blues might also employ humanoids to perform tasks for them, because blues enjoy both the opportunity to command others (thus showing their superiority) and the accomplishment of goals without having to exert themselves.
Blue dragons savor large prey such as cattle and herd animals, preferring meals of fewer, larger creatures over many small meals. Blues have no particular desire to hunt sentient prey, but neither have they any compunction about doing so if opportunities present themselves. Blues prefer their meat charred but not cooked through: “lightly kissed by the lightning,” as one blue reputedly put it.
Blue dragons rarely land during combat, preferring flight and far-reaching attacks to lumbering over land in close melee. Because they like to fight from a distance, blue dragons consider combat a long-term engagement. They fly near enough to their opponents to unleash a few barrages, then vanish, and then return—sometimes minutes or hours later. On rare occasions when a blue dragon hunts from the ground or rests away from its lair, it conceals itself beneath the terrain, burrowing with powerful claws. Because most stormy regions have soft ground, such as the sand of a coastline or the rich soil of a rain forest, blue dragons find it easy to hide in this fashion.
Lairs and Terrain
Sages maintain that blue dragons prefer coastal regions. More precisely, blue dragons prefer areas subject to frequent, violent storms. Although coastal areas and seaside cliffs fit this description, so too do certain tropical isles and mountainous highlands not terribly distant from the pounding sea.
If a blue dragon cannot find a properly stormy region in which to settle, it can make do with whatever terrain is available. As long as it has its own territory, a blue dragon might locate its lair on a mountaintop, in a jungle, in the Underdark, or in a desert—anywhere except perhaps the coldest of arctic climes—but any blue living in a location that lacks frequent storms thinks of that location as temporary, even if it ends up dwelling there for a few hundred years. Ultimately, a blue dragon finds happiness only in a place where it hears regular thunder beating on the horizon and where it can soar between clouds with the lightning.
For their lairs, blue dragons favor enormous stone ruins or caves in the sides of hills, cliffs, or mountains. Blues enjoy taking over structures built by other races. They make their lairs as lofty as possible to survey their domains from the heights. Elevation makes them feel truly part of storms that roll through. Even if a blue dragon cannot find or construct a lair at high altitude, it will likely choose a lair in which it can easily access the main entrance only by flight. Would-be intruders on land must undertake difficult, if not nearly impossible, climbs.
Blue dragons favor treasures as visually appealing as they are valuable. Blues love gems, particularly sapphires and other blue stones. They equally admire lovely works of art and jewelry. Although such an event is rare, given blues’ innate draconic greed, blue dragons have been known to leave behind treasures they find unattractive, feeling that the presence of such treasures would sully the magnificence of their hoards and thus the magnificence of the dragons themselves.
- Also see: Dragon Life Cycle
Blue dragon eggs incubate for approximately twenty months, the last fifteen in the nest. An average clutch numbers two to four, and most eggs hatch into healthy wyrmlings.
Blue dragons grow from wyrmlings into youth after about seven years. They become adults around age 160 and elders after about a thousand years. They become ancient at about 1,800. The oldest known blue dragon died at approximately 2,300 years of age.
A blue dragon that undergoes environmental diffusion after death creates a permanent storm in the vicinity. This effect happens even underground, though cramped conditions might slacken the strength of the winds. Although the severity of wind and rain rises and falls, ranging from gentle gusts and mild showers to hurricane-force torrents, the storm never dissipates entirely, regardless of the prevailing weather conditions outside it.
The scales of blue dragons are slightly more reflective than those of other chromatic dragons. A person could not use a blue dragon’s scales as mirrors, but in blue or dark environments, the scales take on the surrounding hue and blend into the sky or elements around them.
The horns and brow ridge of a blue dragon funnel rainwater and other precipitation away from the eyes. When combined with a blue dragon’s keen vision, this feature enables the dragon to see better in inclement weather than most creatures do.
The wings of blue dragons are more flexible than those of other chromatics. Blue dragons use winds to steer and to boost their speed, like sailors tacking a ship.
A blue dragon might smell of ozone, though the presence of a storm or even a mild wind can mask this scent.
Jump to another chromatic dragon: |
I don’t know about you, but ever since I started reading all about pillows and the fantastic innovations there have been so far, I have become fascinated with how pillows began in the first place.
I mean, whose idea was it anyway to stick something under their heads when they sleep, and why? Was it for comfort, or were there other reasons why the pillow was invented. And speaking of the pillow itself, where did the name “pillow” come from?
We hardly ever think about the origin stories of everyday things, however, it’s always nice to know how these things began. It’s likely that we’ll encounter some pleasant (or not so pleasant) surprises along the way.
Pillow history: The story behind it all…
Well, can you imagine that people are said to have used pillows from as early as 7000 BC? The humble little bed accouterment that we all love got its start in early Mesopotamia, and were made of stone.
Stone? You might well ask.
Yes, stone. Apparently, the first pillows were not made for comfort but for a more practical reason. Since the early Mesopotamians were sleeping on the floor, small insects used to crawl into their hair, noses, mouths, and ears, and in order to prevent this, the richer ones among them put stones under their heads, since only the rich people in that society had these “pillows”. These, my friends, were the first pillows.
These pillows actually became sort of a status symbol. The more pillows you had, the more people looked up to you. It’s also possible that the Mesopotamians used these stone pillows to help relieve back pain with certain ones, but, keeping bugs away was the bigger reason to use them.
Pillows were used as well a few centuries later, in ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians used stones for pillows just like the early Mesopotamians did, but they sometimes used blocks of wood, too. These pillows had special significance for the dead in that society, who were entombed with pillows under their heads since the ancient Egyptians believed that the human head was the most sacred part of the body. Of course, these “pillows” also saved to support the heads of the deceased and were said to cause demons to flee.
Pillows became significantly softer during the times of the Greeks and Romans, who put straw, feathers or reeds inside a casing in order to have something soft to lie on. But then, it was only the rich who were able to afford these soft pillows, even if everyone else used something to lean or lie on. Later on, pillows were used for kneeling in church, or as a place to lay holy scriptures. In some places, this is still done today. The Greeks and Romans also put pillows under the heads of their dead, a practice that they may have gotten from the Egyptians.
As for the ancient Chinese, their early pillows were also made of hard materials, such as porcelain, wood, jade, bronze, bamboo or even ceramics, which actually was the most popular material for pillows. Sometimes, however, a softer material such as cloth was placed on these pillows to make them more comfortable. During the Sui Dynasty in the fifth and sixth centuries, ceramic pillows were introduced to society, and then became mass produced in the dynasty that followed, the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
These Chinese ceramic pillows, which are now collectors’ items, were colorfully and intricately decorated with paintings of plants, animals, and people. They reached the height of their popularity in the 10th to 14th centuries, during the time of the Song, Jin, and Yuan dynasties. Later on, as better pillow materials were developed, the production of ceramic pillows was eventually halted. Today, these items would fetch a high price in the art market.
In Japan, Geishas used small hard pillows to keep their head from touching the ground at night. Since Geishas had beautifully and elaborately designed hairstyles, it was important that they slept with something that elevated their heads, in order to keep their hair from getting messed up. Incidentally, Geishas-in-training slept with rice surrounding their pillows, so their trainers could tell who fell off their pillows in the middle of the night, by counting the grains of rice in their hair.
During the Middle Ages, people almost stopped using pillows altogether, since they were considered to be a sign of weakness. There were two exceptions to this, however. Expectant mothers normally used pillows for their health and comfort, and so did King Henry VIII. Legend has it that he banned everyone else from using pillows. Everyone else was expected to spend the night flat on their backs.
But this mindset began to change over the years and centuries that followed, and more and more people began to use pillows in their beds at night.
By the Industrial Revolution, things had changed completely. Pillows became more and more a part of comfort and rest every night, and pretty much every man, woman, and child in the western world was sleeping on a soft pillow.
And today, there is an increasing variety of pillows available to fit your needs and desires. And more and more pillows are developed every day. A bed pillow is no longer just a big block of softness that you rest your head on – it can play music, wake you up with an alarm, be a smart pillow that can track your sleep patterns, make a movement when you snore, as well as all sorts of other functions that would surprise you.
There are pillows of all shapes and sizes and colors and fabrics and functions – from a boyfriend pillow complete with a movable arm to hug you at night, to a black pillow called NIGHT, which is supposed to reflect darkness and let you sleep longer and more restfully.
I will be writing about these pillow innovations in the weeks to come, so stay tuned! In the meantime, if travel is your interest and you’re interested in an article that compares the different kinds of travel pillows, check out what I wrote here.
By the way, if you need a rundown of Best pillow for neck pain – check out my article:
Pillow history: What’s in a name?
Oh, you may be wondering if I ever found out where pillows got their name. Yes, I did – and here’s the etymology of the word, “pillow.” It comes from the Middle English word “pilwe”, which in turn came from the Old English word “pyle”. All of these came from the Latin word “pulvinus” which means cushion. Pretty straightforward, don’t you think? The word “pillow” itself was first used sometime in the eleventh century, and we’ve never stopped.
Today pillows are made of a variety of materials. In many countries cotton is the most popular filling, if not, synthetic fibers or some kind of foam. Some people use feathers or down for filling, the even softer feathers on the underside of geese and other types of birds, although others feel that the practice of taking down from live geese is unkind to these animals.
Pillows also come in different standard sizes and shapes. Americans use rectangular pillows, while Europeans use much larger, square pillows. The most common sizes are regular or standard, which is 51 x 66 cm. Next in site is Queen sized, at 51 x 76 cm, and then King, at 51 x 92 cm. There is also a Jumbo size, which falls between the standard and Queen sizes.
European pillows, which I find huge and haven’t gotten used to until now, are 66 x 66 cm. You can find a helpful chart for all sizes and types of pillows here, and if you’re unsure about the sizes of pillowcases, you can check out handy guidelines and charts here.
Certified clinical sleep educator, Terry Cralle, says this about pillows and I totally agree:
I have heard the saying that a pillow is a bed for your head and I could not agree more! In fact, I think a pillow is just as important as the mattress when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep.
Our heads and necks need to be supported while we sleep. The right pillow can make a big impact on your quality of sleep, your health and ultimately your well-being. Pillows probably don’t get the attention they warrant, as they can be instrumental in getting a good night’s sleep or be the cause of a terrible night of sleep, which will lead to a terrible day!
A pillow helps keep your neck and spine in comfortable alignment as you sleep. Yet pillows that do not fit the sleeper, for example [which] are too thin or thick, can leave you with neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain or headaches.
So you see, pillows are important! An excellent pillow spells all the difference between waking up in pain and waking up refreshed, with a smile on your face.
I hope that this short pillow history will cause you to be thankful that someone invented these contributors to our nightly comfort. Having a good pillow is like being hugged by your best friend every day!
Pillow history: Minute of humor: |
The mimicry of the Black-cowled Orioles (Icterus prosthemelas (AKA I.dominicensis prosthemelas)) is similar to the mimicry of the Hooded Oriole in North America.
Douglas Von Gausig (recordist; copyright holder), Naturesongs.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Help us improve the site by taking our survey.
To cite this page: Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2016. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at http://animaldiversity.org.
Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control. |
Ed Thomas, PhD student on the CoG3 project, explains the importance of cobalt to a group of school children in Manchester.
As a Widening Participation Fellow I am often involved with outreach events encouraging school children in to science, technology, engineering and maths subjects. My workshops are usually based on an aspect of Earth Sciences that the children have come across before; the rock cycle, dinosaurs, volcanoes…
However, the most engaging part of science is not what we already know, but the unsolved problems we face as a society. It is one of these unanswered questions I posed to year 9 children from four schools in Greater Manchester.
On 3 February, sixty pupils attended a Gateway’s Day at the University of Manchester where I ran a workshop discussing the importance of my research for the CoG3 project.
The main aim of the session was to introduce children to the idea of sustainability and security of supply of certain minerals. We discussed which metals are used in smartphones, where these metals come from, and why China dominates the smartphone production industry.
For most of the children this issue of where the materials in their smartphones come from was something they hadn’t thought about before.
The session finished in an engaging debate on alternative sources of minerals and metals including whether or not the seafloor or asteroids are potential solutions in the future.
The children all agreed upon the importance of creating a sustainable and secure supply of metal resources for the UK in the future, and hopefully many of them were inspired to pursue a career in Earth Sciences to help us find an answer to how we will ensure one.
The CoG3 (Cobalt: Geology, Geometallurgy and Geomicrobiology) consortium is investigating the recovery of cobalt, a metal of great strategic and economic importance. Follow them on Twitter. |
by James R Booth and Tali Bitan, Science Direct
Research shows conclusively for the first time that there is a biological basis for gender differences in learning, particularly in language acquisition.
“Reconcilable Differences: What Social Sciences Show About the Complementarity of the Sexes & Parenting“
by W. Bradford Wilcox
Wilcox claims that social science shows that each sex has different strong points when it comes to parenting, and each should be allowed to fulfill the role in which they excel. Mothers are more adept at breast-feeding, understanding, and nurturing/comforting their children. Fathers are better at disciplining and playing with their children, as well as equipping them to face life’s challenges and opportunities. Research has shown that the structure of families and the roles played by parents do produce measurable results in children’s lives. |
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|Title: ||Size of the West Antarctic ice sheet at the last glacial maximum: new constraints from the Darwin-Hatherton glacial system in the Transantarctic Mountains.|
|Authors: ||Storey, B|
|Issue Date: ||1-Jul-2009|
|Citation: ||Storey, B., Hood, D., Fink, D., Shulmeister, J., & Riger-Kusk, M. (2009). Size of the West Antarctic ice sheet at the last glacial maximum: new constraints from the Darwin-Hatherton glacial system in the Transantarctic Mountains. Annual Antarctic Conference 2009 - "Sustaining the Gains of the International Polar Year", 1st – 3rd July 2009. In Proceedings of the Annual Antarctic Conference 2009 (p. 14). Auckland, New Zealand: University of Auckland.|
|Abstract: ||An understanding of how the Antarctic ice sheet has reacted to natural global warming since the last glacial maximum (LGM) 18 to 22 thousand years ago (kya) is essential to accurately predict the response of the ice
sheets to current and future climate change. Although global sea level rose by approximately 120 metres since the LGM, the contribution from and rate of change of the Antarctic ice sheets is by no means certain. Mackintosh et al (2007) have suggested that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) made
an insignificant contribution to global sea-level rise between 13 and 7 kya raising interesting questions about the initial extent and response of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) during that time frame. Terrestrial evidence of these changes is restricted to a few ice-free areas where glacial landforms, such as moraines, show the extent of former ice advances. One such area is the Darwin-Hatherton glacial system where spectacular moraines preserve
the advance and retreat of the glacial system during previous glacial cycles.
Previous researchers have suggested that the WAIS was more than 1000 metres thicker than it is today at this location at the LGM.
As part of the Latitudinal Gradient Project, we mapped the moraines of the Lake Wellman area bordering the Hatherton Glacier and collected samples for cosmogenic nuclide dating, a technique that is widely used to calculate the exposure history of the glacial landscape and the amount of time that
the glacial debris has been exposed to cosmic rays and not covered by ice or
other glacial debris. While the technique is very successful in mid latitudes, it is more challenging in Polar Regions. Our mapping has shown that ice in the past was at least 800 metres thicker than current ice levels in this area. Our cosmogenic data suggest that this was at least 2 million years ago but for the most part our data record, as
expected, a complex history of exposure and re exposure of the ice free regions in this area in accordance with advance and retreat of the ice sheets. However, a cluster of ages of 35 to 40 thousand years record a single exposure event and indicate that the ice in this area was not as thick as
previous estimates for the extent of ice at the LGM. These ages are recorded from moraine boulders that are located below a prominent moraine feature mapped as representing the LGM. These results raise further questions about the size of the Antarctic ice sheets at the LGM, their contribution to global sea level change and how the Antarctic ice sheets respond to global warming.|
|Appears in Collections:||Conference Publications|
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Bladder inflammation is a very painful experience that many individuals have suffered from in their lives.
There are many different reasons why one may develop this condition, which is also referred to as “Cystitis”.
Here, you will learn a number of important facts that are related to the condition of Cystitis. The intent of this article is to educate, and equip you with the essential knowledge you need to better understand bladder inflammation, and all of the circumstances surrounding this condition.
One of the most common culprits is a buildup of bacterium that results from an infection that develops in the urinary tract.
This tract starts at the bladder and is the canal that urine travels in so that it may be eliminated from the body.
One of the reasons for this build up of bacterium is where our bladder is located. Like the prostate gland the bladder is very close to the rectum.
What does that have to do with anything?
Everything when it come to how the bacteria gets to be in our bladder. If we do not get enough water and fiber in our diet our colon becomes very underactive and toxic. When that happens then harmful bacteria from the rectum can make there way to the bladder. It's very important to take VitaMarks probiotic friendly flora. When the bowel becomes overloaded with bad bacteria this will allow bacteria into the blood stream which will infect the kidneys and the bladder. When this continues an inflammation response will take place and stay on as long as the bacteria is present.
What are the Symptoms Associated with Inflammation of the Bladder?
A number of symptoms are associated with inflammation of the bladder. The most common symptom is that of pain. This pain can develop in many different forms; however, the most common forms are that of extreme pressure and also a sensation of burning and irritation.
It is not uncommon for one who suffers from this form of inflammation to feel a constant urge or sensation that they need to urinate. When visiting the restroom, the individual may or may not be able to relieve themselves.
Traces of blood lingering in the urine after it has been eliminated from the body may be experienced. Furthermore, once the urine is eliminated from the body many will experience a type of uncomfortable cramping.
Limu Plus is an anti-inflammatory. Limu has the phytochemical called focoidan, which is one of its promary active ingredients. It will assist with joint care, improves digestion, helps support the liver, improves blood function [blood flow] and enhances cells and skin growth and much more. Limu also has 12 other adaptagen plants that are active ingredients and enzymes. These enhance other body functions.
Who Is At Risk for Bladder Inflammation?
Anyone can suffer from the effects of Cystitis, however, there are many who are more prone to this condition than others. Despite popular belief that women are more susceptible to complications of the urinary tract and bladder, it is men who are actually more prone to this type of medical condition.
Those that experience problems with their immunity (lymphatic system) and are susceptible to various types of infections may suffer more than the average person.
For example, auto-immune diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis patients may find that they experience inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract frequently.
Children also stand a risk of developing this condition. This is especially true of children who are developing bathroom hygiene habits, are prone to infections, and suffer from immune disorders.
What Should One Do To Overcome This Condition?
People who are informed that they suffer from inflammation in the bladder are often directed to avoid certain items that may act as an irritant to the condition.
These items may include various types of soaps that contain high levels of perfume, and even feminine cleansing products.
In addition to these approaches, sufferers are often encouraged to increase their fluid intake of clear liquids on a daily basis to help flush out the bladder and the urinary tract.
Bladder inflammation can be a very challenging and uncomfortable condition to endure. With whole anti inflammatory foods like cranberries, greens and fresh fruit like grapefruit will help you overcome bladder inflammation. |
Historically, candles were made in numerous small workshops from expensive beeswax or cheap tallow (purified animal fat) which gave a poor light and released smoke and unpleasant smells. Candles can also be made using vegetable fat including palm nut oil. One of the British government’s alternatives to the slave trade was the encouragement of palm nut production in West Africa. The nuts were processed locally and the dark orange-brown coloured palm oil was exported to Britain where it was used in the soap industry.
William Wilson, a London-based Scotsman and former Russian trader, took out a licence on an 1829 patent for the hydraulic separation of coconut fats and in 1830 set up as candle makers with a partner, Benjamin Lancaster, under the made-up name of Edward Price & Co. (It is thought that they did not use their own names as they did not want to be associated with a very low-class trade that involved dead animals and unpleasant smells.) The pair built a candle factory at Vauxhall with a crushing mill at Battersea and invested in a 1,000-acre coconut plantation in Sri Lanka.
Initial sales of the coconut candles were not impressive but by 1840 Price’s had developed a composite candle made from a mixture of refined tallow and coconut oil. It was introduced just in time for the public to celebrate Queen Victoria’s wedding in the then tradition way of putting a candle in their windows. Later William’s son George experimented with discoveries made by the French chemist Chevreuil. Chevreuil had found that mixing strong alkalis with vegetable or animal fats caused the liquid to separate from the solid components. This process, known as saponification, was already used by soap makers but had not been applied to candle making. George added a further distillation using heat and high pressure to produce a harder, pure fat known as stearine. This was excellent for candle making as it burned brightly without smell or smoke.
By-products of the stearine process included light oils and glycerine. Price’s soon found uses for these by-products, which made valuable contributions to the company balance sheets. Using the new process, candles could also be made from other raw materials including skin fat, bone fat, fish oils and waste industrial grease. The original Edward Price & Co. became the Price’s Patent Candle Company in 1847 with about 84 staff. In October 1849 Price’s produced twenty tons of coconut candles worth £1,590, and about twelve tons of other candles worth £1,227.
Palm oil was landed at Liverpool and in 1853 the company decided to save on transport and handling costs by building a second factory on a green field site at Bromborough Pool. Price’s was a benevolent company, so when setting up the Liverpool factory it started building a village for its employees. This model village was built in stages but eventually comprised 147 houses, a church, institute, shop and library. The Price’s concept of model villages inspired Port Sunlight (Lever 1880s) and Bourneville (Cadbury 1890s). Prices also introduced an educational programme for staff, a profit-sharing scheme in 1869 and in 1893 a contributory employee’s pension scheme.
Price’s developed and improved methods of mass production and by October 1855 the quantity of candles the firm made in a month had risen dramatically to 707 tons, worth £79,500. Paraffin wax was first used in candles during the 1850s but initially take-up was slow with only about a 12% share of the market in 1870. But by 1900 paraffin wax candles had a 90% share of the market. In the late 1850s Price’s cracked oil from the oil fields of Burma into various products including paraffin and kerosene which the firm exported to the USA. In 1859 oil deposits were found in Pennsylvania and the market collapsed, leaving Price’s with a huge stock of crude oil. Using their experience in light oil production, Price’s developed many new lubricants including Motorine, a brand that dominated the UK motor oil industry in the early 1900s.
What had started as a relatively small operation in 1830, twenty-five years later had become a national household name employing 2,300 staff of which 1,200 were boys. By the end of the 19th century it was the world’s largest manufacturer of candles exporting to all parts of the empire. But UK demand was beginning to lose out to other energy sources, and starting in 1910 Price’s set up candle factories in Johannesburg, Shanghai, Chile, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Morocco, Pakistan, New Zealand and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to serve local demand. In 1919 Price’s was taken over by Lever Brothers, which wanted to diversify into a wide range of fat-based products and saw Price’s as a direct competitor with a good range of products, extensive industry knowledge – and a factory next door to Port Sunlight. |
QUESTION: I want to build a super-energy-efficient house using building products that are made from recycled materials or are made by energy-efficient methods. What specific types of building products should I use?
ANSWER: If you shop carefully, you should be able to find recycled or low-energy-intensive building products to meet most your material needs. Many of these energy-efficient products use more than 50% recycled materials and require little additional energy for processing.
These new "earth-friendly" building products include structural framing, foundations, walls, roofs, sheathing, insulation, interior wall and floor coverings.
For exterior wall or roof framing, chose products that use as little lumber from old-growth trees as possible.
Instead of using 2x10 floor joists, you can use "I-joists," which require less wood for the same strength. Also glue-laminated lumber and laminated veneer lumber use smaller pieces from second-growth trees to make large defect-free lumber.
To even further reduce the amount of lumber, use super-insulated stress skin wall panels. These use only 5% wood as compared to 20% wood in a conventional studded wall.
Another new wall panel uses a super-strong and efficient honeycomb structure made from recycled resin-impregnated paper.
Producing cement for foundations and slabs is very energy intensive. ACC (autoclaved cellular concrete) uses small amounts of aluminum in the concrete. This creates small bubbles causing the concrete to expand and become less dense as it cures. It is still very strong, but requires less cement. Waste fly ash from power plants can replace about 20% of the cement.
Many organic asphalt shingles contain recycled mixed waste paper. Some of the residential aluminum "shake-looking" roofing is made from 100% recycled beverage cans. Metal roofing also can cut your cooling costs. If you like the look of wood shakes, select ones made from remanufactured wood fibers.
Many types of insulation are made from recycled and fireproof treated newsprint or waste mineral slag. One type of blowing wool fiber insulation is made from 100% recycled telephone books. Rigid insulating foam wall sheathing is now made from recycled foam containers.
You can use gypsum-like wallboard made from waste ryegrass straw. Another type is made from waste paper and rice hulls or peanut shells. Some resilient tile flooring is made from recycled car tires. One company makes solar ceramic tiles from recycled waste glass from a light bulb factory. Some attractive carpeting is made from recycled plastic bottles.
You can write for Utility Bills Update No. 355 listing addresses and telephone numbers of 70 manufacturers of "earth-friendly" building and home improvement products and descriptions of their products. Please include $1.50 and a self-addressed business-size envelope. Send to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.
Using Heat Escaping From Clothes Dryer
Q: During the winter, I moved my electric clothes dryer far from the window vent. This should have allowed some heat to transfer to the utility room before it blows outdoors. Was this a good idea?
A: In theory your idea is a good one. However, there are some potential problems. First check with your dryer manufacturer about the maximum duct length. A very long duct can cause excessive back pressure.
Another potential problem is a fire from accumulated lint. For a long duct, over 20 feet, always use an aluminum duct, not plastic.
Letters and questions to Dulley, a Cincinnati-based engineering consultant, may be sent to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244. |
The flying bombs (V-1s) started raining down on Antwerp one month after the city was liberated. The German command wanted to prevent the Allies from capturing Antwerp unscathed and supplying their troops on the front line, by dropping thousands of these vengeance weapons on the city. But the bombs were not always that reliable, which is how they ended up spreading terror throughout the city. They killed 3,560 people, injuring more than 9,000 other people. And the port? Wonder by wonder, it was captured almost intact by the Allies, going on to play an important role in the end of the war. Are you curious to find out more?
Then download the Antwerp Museum App via Google Play Store (Android) of App Store (iOS) to your smartphone or tablet. You find the app at 'Tours' and 'V-bomb walk'. Head out for a walk through the city or take a virtual tour on your PC.
If you can't make the walk, you can see the film and map with the stories behind every location. |
Defined in header
char* ctime( const std::time_t* time );
Www Mmm dd hh:mm:ss yyyy
Www- the day of the week (one of
Mmm- the month (one of
dd- the day of the month
The function does not support localization.
|time||-||pointer to a std::time_t object specifying the time to print|
Pointer to a static null-terminated character string holding the textual representation of date and time. The string may be shared between
std::asctime and std::ctime, and may be overwritten on each invocation of any of those functions.
This function returns a pointer to static data and is not thread-safe. In addition, it modifies the static std::tm object which may be shared with std::gmtime and std::localtime. POSIX marks this function obsolete and recommends std::strftime instead.
The behavior may be undefined for the values of time_t that result in the string longer than 25 characters (e.g. year 10000)
Tue Dec 27 17:21:29 2011
C documentation for ctime |
books on law enforcement history and the history of policing were authored by state and local law enforcement officials.
A Concise History of American Policing explores the foundation of modern American
police officers from their distant cousins in the Iron Age. Find out how the Draco, Caesar Augustus, the Hue and Cry, the
Rattle Watch and Old West Gunslingers influenced today’s police operations. How did policing finally get to Broken Windows,
Technology and Community Policing?
Sergeant Sven Crongeyer
has been employed with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for 17 years. His passion for historical research
led him to write Six Gun Sound: The Early History of the Los Angeles County
Sheriff’s Department, which “traces law enforcement efforts to meet the challenge of public safety
that from the beginning were both enhanced and hampered by the influx of ranchers, cowboys, farmers, miners, gunfighters,
and gamblers. Los Angeles was a den of iniquity that rivaled even the most famous towns of the Old West: Silver City, Tombstone,
Dodge City, and Wichita.”
Sergeant Kevin S. Foster, Fort Worth Police Department (Ret.) is the co-author
of Written in Blood: The History of Fort Worth's Fallen Lawmen, Volume 1, 1861-1909.
According to the book description of Written in Blood: The History
of Fort Worth's Fallen Lawmen, Volume 1, 1861-1909, “Another line of duty death” is a chilling headline
that serves as an obituary for too many “first responders.” In 2002 Fort Worth joined the ranks of other communities
across the nation in building a memorial to its fallen heroes, an elaborate, million-dollar Police and Firefighters Memorial,
dedicated in 2009, that recognized fifty-eight policemen going back to the city’s beginnings. Written in Blood is a
more inclusive version of that idea because it covers more than just members of the Police Department; it is about the men
from all branches of local law enforcement who died defending law and order in the early years: policemen, sheriffs, constables,
“special officers,” and even a police commissioner. All were larger-than-life characters who took an oath to “preserve
and protect” and therefore deserve to be remembered.”
Lieutenant George J. Wren, Jr., New Jersey State Police (ret.), “enlisted
in the New Jersey State Police in February 1982, and enjoyed postings at several Troop "A" duty stations including
an eighteen-year stint in the Intelligence Bureau. Lieutenant Wren attained a BS and Masters Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson
University. He resides with his wife, Sandy, on the Jersey shore.” Lieutenant George J. Wren is the
author of Jersey Troopers II: The Next Thirty-Five Years (1971-2006).
Robert Kirby was born
in Fontana, California. His father, who was a criminal investigator for both
the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force retired and moved his family to Salt Lake City Utah.
Kirby began his law enforcement career with the Grantsville Police Department, in Utah.
After a year, he moved to the Springville Police Department where he worked for ten years. After leaving law enforcement, Kirby has worked as a newspaper editor, correspondent and columnist. He is currently a columnist for the Salt Lake City Tribune. His book, End of Watch: Utah’s Murdered Police officers
from 1858-2003 chronicles the murders of law enforcement officials in Utah.
James Lardner is a
senior fellow at Demos was a police officer for the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, DC) for two and half years
during the early 1970s. Today, he is a well-regard researcher and writer. As
a journalist, he has written for the New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and The Nation, among
other publications. He is the author of Crusader: The Hell-Raising Police Career of Detective David Durk; and, the co-author
of NYPD: A City and Its Police.
said of NYPD: A City and Its Police, “A comprehensive and elegant history of the New York Police Department,
this book, written by a journalist (Lardner) and a former cop (Reppetto), charts the department's development, from its origins
as a collection of unorganized watchmen in the 1820s to its recent past. In crisp, anecdote-rich prose, Lardner (a New Yorker
contributor) and Reppetto (now president of New York's Citizens Crime Commission) take readers on a chronological tour through
the years when the department reluctantly adopted firearms and uniforms and when police applicants depended on patronage,
through wave after wave of anti-corruption ferment, and through years of controversy.”
Albert S. Kurek, a
retired New York State Police trooper wrote two books on the history of the New York State Police in The Troopers Are
Coming: New York State Troopers, 1917-1943 and The Troopers Are Coming II: New York State Troopers, 1943-1985.
Wayne Knight 19 year law enforcement career included being a police officer in Newport Beach (California), a deputy sheriff
in Washoe County (Nevada) and a Deputy Marshal for the Los Angeles County Marshal’s Department. Steven Knight is the author of 1857
Los Angeles Fights Again and 1853 Los
to Midwest Book Review, “1853 Los Angeles
Gangs by Steven W. Knight is an impressively written, historical novel of the lawless gangs of Los Angeles, and the
determined Rangers who stood against them. The superbly drawn story of a turbulent "yesteryear" city is populated with such
memorable characters as Juan Flores who intends for his gant to dominant a rapidly expanding and ethnically diverse city by
first killing off the Chinese, and then the Americans; Don Thomas Sanchez struggling to preserve political power in the face
of American landgrabs; and Horace Bell with his implacable dedication to the law. Drama, action, bloodshed, love and great
courage fill the pages of this exciting and entertaining saga from cover to cover.”
Steve R. Willard is
a 20-year member of the San Diego Police Department. A writer for law enforcement periodicals, Steven Willard also serves
as the vice president of the San Diego Police Historical Association, which supplied the vintage photos for his Images of America, San Diego Police
Department. Since joining the San Diego Police Department in 1985, Steve
Willard has worked “patrol, crime prevention and the detective bureau. In addition to extensive expertise in forensic
video and composite artistry and covert alarm systems, Vice President Willard holds a certificate in intermediate Crime Scene
Investigation from California State University Long Beach and an advance certificate from the California Department of Justice.
He has also obtained certificates in intermediate and advanced courses in fingerprint classification and identification through
the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” He is also the author of America’s Finest: The History of San Diego City Law Enforcement.
According to the book
description of Images of America, San Diego Police Department, “The San Diego Police Department dates to 1889, when out-of-control crime
forced the end of the highly ineffective city marshal’s office. With violence on every corner and Tombstone’s
venerable Wyatt Earp running the marshals’ gambling interests, change was desperately needed. But the first days of
the SDPD weren’t easy. Within two years of its formation, the city’s economy tanked, 36,000 of the town’s
40,000 citizens left, and the department’s newly appointed chief refused to take the job. Still, San Diego eventually
developed into one of the nation’s largest cities and most popular tourist destination—a multifaceted metropolis
perched between the extremes of Los Angeles and Mexico, the Pacific Ocean and the desert. Today more than 2,000 highly trained
sworn SDPD officers, 700 support staff, and more than 1,000 volunteers form one of the world’s most innovative and internationally
recognized police forces.”
Kevin J. Mullen served
for more than twenty-six years with the San Francisco Police Department and retired at the rank of deputy chief. He has written
extensively in magazines and newspapers on criminal justice issues. He is the author of Let Justice Be Done: Crime and Politics in Early San Francisco, Dangerous Strangers: Minority
Newcomers and Criminal Violence in the Urban West, 1850-2000 and The Toughest Gang in Town: Police Stories From Old San Francisco.
According to the book
description of Dangerous Strangers: Minority
Newcomers and Criminal Violence in the Urban West, 1850-2000, “Have newcomers to American cities been responsible
for a disproportionate amount of violent crime? Dangerous Strangers takes up this question by examining the incidence of criminal
violence among several waves of immigrant/ethnic groups in San Francisco over 150 years. By looking at a variety of groups--Irish,
German, Italian, and Chinese immigrants, primarily--and their different experiences at varying times in the city's history,
this study addresses the issue of how much violence can be attributed to new groups' treatment by the host society and how
much can be traced to traits found in their community of origin.”
Arthur W. Sjoquist
and Thomas G. Hays are retired Captains from the Los Angeles Police Department as well as members of the Los Angeles Police
Department Historical Society Board. They are co-authors of a pictorial look at the Los Angeles Police Department.
According to the book
description of Images of America: Los Angeles Police Department, “No police force in history has gained as much fame
and notoriety as the Los Angeles Police Department. The acronym LAPD is practically synonymous with the idea of professional
law enforcement. The men in blue who patrol Hollywood and the sprawling metropolis of L.A. have been investigated by screenwriters
more times than vice versa. With more than 9,300 sworn officers today, the LAPD endures seemingly endless controversies and
media circuses. But then there’s the other side of L.A.’s protective shield—the story of the force’s
evolution alongside the spectacular growth of its unique melting-pot city. This book’s rare and often never-before-published
photographs focus on that side: the excitement, danger, tragedy, and comedy of everyday beat cops and workaday detectives—with
concessions to their limelight representations, including Jack Webb’s Dragnet and Adam-12.”
Shulman is a seven-year member of the Napa Police Department, currently serving as a detective. An avid historian, Todd Shulman
founded the Napa Police Historical Society in 2006 and has culled their archives for many of the photographs included in his
book, Napa County Police. According
the book description of Napa County Police, “with dazzling vintage imagery and rich historical text, Todd Shulman tells
the tale of policing Napa County - from the Wild West days of the 1850s, through the boom era of the 1940s, and into the 21st
of organized law enforcement in Napa County begins with the very first meeting of the board of supervisors in 1850 and the
appointment of a county sheriff and marshals for each township. The foundations for progress and prosperity in place, Napa
County grew from a remote agricultural outpost to the preeminent wine-growing region in the United States and a booming tourist
destination—and policing has kept pace. Today, in addition to the Napa Sheriff’s Department, the county is protected
by the California Highway Patrol and three police departments: Napa, St. Helena, and Calistoga. Specialized police agencies
have also grown out of unique needs, including the Napa State Hospital Police, Railroad Police, and Community College Police.”
Schulz is Professor of Law, Police Studies, and Criminal Justice Administration at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
She was the first woman captain to serve with the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Police Department and its predecessor department,
the Conrail Police Department. Dorothy Schulz is a member of numerous police and academic associations, and has spoken at
conferences of the International Association of Women Police, Women in Federal Law Enforcement, the National Center for Women
& Policing, the Senior Women Officers of Great Britain, and the Canadian Police College. Dorothy Schulz is the author
of From Social Worker to Crimefighter: Women in United States Municipal Policing and Breaking the Brass Ceiling: Women Police Chiefs and Their Paths to the Top.
to a review of From Social Worker to Crimefighter:
Women in United States Municipal Policing, in Law Enforcement News, “Schulz offers a solid social history of
the roles women filled in policing American communities from the 1820s through the 1980s. Not intended to be a theoretical
or analytical treatment of either gender or law enforcement, it offers interesting narrative and presents with appropriate
praise many actual women who faced high risks and high challenge as they sought first to improve policing and then to gain
equal footing on patrol. This much-needed book will doubtless remain the authoritative work on the subject for some time and
is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the development of women police or, indeed, the history of social control
in the United States.
J. Carlin is the Chief Deputy of Uniformed Operations with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, with more than 24 years
of law enforcement experience. Chief Deputy Carlin began his law enforcement career with the United States Army Military Police
in Germany. He joined the sheriff’s department in 1982 as a road patrol deputy. He served in that position until 1989
when he was promoted to Sergeant. In 2004, Sheriff Thomas Beilein appointed Carlin to the position of Chief Deputy
Christopher Carlin is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the FBI Law Enforcement Leadership Development Course. He
has obtained his Associates in Applied Sciences Degree in Criminal Justice from Niagara County Community College and a Bachelor
of Sciences Degree from Empire State College in Criminal Justice Public Administration.
Carlin is a thirty year veteran of the military, serving on active duty with the U. S. Army from 1976 to 1979. He has served
in the NY Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve since 1981. Deputy Chief Christopher Carlin is the author of Protecting Niagara: A History of the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office. |
1. There are objective, mind-independent truths of different kinds;2. By starting from the way things initially appear to us, we can use reason collectively to achieve justified beliefs about some of those objective truths;3. Those believes in combination can directly influence what we do;4. These processes of discovery and motivation, while mental, are inseparable from physical processes in the organism.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Nagel 4: Reason & A Rational Kosmos
In Chapter 5 of Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False, Thomas Nagel takes a decisive (though unacknowledged) step in the direction of Socratic rationalism.
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle all assumed that the brute fact of logos, the human capacity for rational thought and speech, implied a certain view of the Kosmos. In the Phaedo, Socrates grounds the fundamental turn in his thought (how Socrates became Socratic) in the insight that if reason is to be reliable, this can only be because K is rational.
I heard someone reading, as he said, from a book of Anaxagoras, that mind was the disposer and cause of all, and I was delighted at this notion, which appeared quite admirable, and I said to myself: If mind is the disposer, mind will dispose all for the best, and put each particular in the best place; and I argued that if any one desired to find out the cause of the generation or destruction or existence of anything, he must find out what state of being or doing or suffering was best for that thing, and therefore a man had only to consider the best for himself and others, and then he would also know the worse, since the same science comprehended both.
And I rejoiced to think that I had found in Anaxagoras a teacher of the causes of existence such as I desired, and I imagined that he would tell me first whether the earth is flat or round; and whichever was true, he would proceed to explain the cause and the necessity of this being so, and then he would teach me the nature of the best and show that this was best; and if he said that the earth was in the centre, he would further explain that this position was the best, and I should be satisfied with the explanation given, and not want any other sort of cause. And I thought that I would then go on and ask him about the sun and moon and stars, and that he would explain to me their comparative swiftness, and their returnings and various states, active and passive, and how all of them were for the best.
For I could not imagine that when he spoke of mind as the disposer of them, he would give any other account of their being as they are, except that this was best; and I thought that when he had explained to me in detail the cause of each and the cause of all, he would go on to explain to me what was best for each and what was good for all.
Socrates supposed that, if K is rationally comprehensible, then K must involve the rationally good.
Whether Nagel must move in that direction is not clear to me yet; though I see some signs of it. He argues in Section 5 of Chapter 4 that the human capacity for rational thought is as big a problem as the big problem of consciousness. Consciousness that divides the world into self and not-self is one thing. A grasp of objective reality and objective value, independent of the subjective position, is quite another. Here is how he lays out the implications.
If there is such a thing as reason, then:
If reason is what it appears to be, then two big consequences about K follow: there are objectives truths about the parts and the whole of K and the history of K includes the appearance of creatures that can discover those truths.
This was the basic assumption of classical philosophy and perhaps of all possible philosophy: that the human mind and the Kosmos operate according to the same (or mostly the same) basic principles. Otherwise all rational investigation (including all scientific investigations) would be vain. That means that mind belongs not only to human beings but to Being itself.
What this commits us to is not clear. Do we have to believe, as Socrates clearly does, that any explanation of astronomical phenomena must include the concept of what is best? That would require a very big leap beyond the boundaries of modern scientific thought.
It is not altogether out of the question. The cosmological constants argument for the existence of an intelligent designer rests on the claim that K is fine-tuned for the existence of life on earth. If gravity were just an infinitesimal bit weaker or stronger (along with a considerable number of other cosmological constants), there would be either no K at all or a K without the possibility of life.
Apart from the theological implications of this argument, it is conceivable that they prove Socrates right. Whether or how we conceive of G, it might be the case that we cannot explain K without the concept of what is best. I’m not buying in just yet, but I think that the possibility is open.
Without deploying teleology on a cosmic scale, it remains a fact that the universe is rational if indeed it exists as science imagines it. The fact that such creatures as ourselves exist in it is central to understanding it, as Nagel argues. |
Adapted from the article “Site preparation for walnut planting”, by Bill Krueger UCCE Farm Advisor Emeritus, Glenn County in the August 2008 Sacramento Valley Walnut News.
Preparation for planting a new walnut orchard should start with a soil evaluation. Walnuts have traditionally been planted on class one soils, the deepest most uniform well drained soils. Recent research and grower experience has shown that with the right preparation and planting system walnuts can be successfully grown on less than ideal soils. Soil evaluation will help determine the steps to take prior to planting to insure successful results.
Starting Point: Soil Survey Maps
Soil survey maps are a good place to start. A soil survey for the area of interest is available at your local NRCS office or online. The soil survey will provide information on the type of soils present and their distribution and acreage. It describes each soil type and provides information about drainage, flooding, exchangeable sodium content and other details important to orchard success.
Learning More: Backhoe Pits
The soil survey cannot provide all of the necessary details. Using a backhoe to further explore the soil can provide valuable information necessary for orchard development. Digging backhoe pits 5 to 6 feet deep in strategic locations where soil differences are expected will allow for a first hand examination of the soil. Look for stratified soil, compacted zones, hard pans, clay pans etc. Your local Farm Advisor may be able to provide assistance in the evaluation of the backhoe pits. Abrupt changes in soil texture can result in a perched water table which is unhealthy for walnut roots.
If soil modification is necessary it will be much easier to accomplish before planting. It should be done in the late summer or fall when the soil is dry to insure the most disruption possible while allowing winter rains to settle the soil before planting. Touch up leveling or smoothing can be done in the spring before planting. Leveling to smooth out low spots or improve surface drainage should be done to keep the future orchard healthy.
Deep uniform soils may only require shallow ripping (1.5 to 3 ft.) to loosen the soil. Stratified soils or soils with hardpans or claypans will require deep ripping or slip plowing (3 to 6 ft.) to disrupt layers. Ripping is less effective for clay pan soil because the clay which will flow around the ripper and soon reseal. A slip plow, a ripper shank with an iron plate at a 45 degree angle, can lift soil at the bottom of the shank to the soil surface and permanently disrupt a clay layer. Ripping and slip plowing are typically done in two directions, with the second pass being diagonal to the first.
Soil physical characteristics can to some extent be overcome by the use of low volume irrigation, especially under close tree spacing. Soil can be modified to a depth of 6 feet but large equipment is necessary and it is expensive. Backhoeing tree sites to mix the soil may be practical on sandy soils where it can be done quickly but will probably be cost prohibitive on heavier soils. Planting trees on berms is recommended on heavier soils. Ridge berms in the fall after soil preparation to allow for settling over the winter. |
Pump Knowledge Menu | Fluid Pumps Suppliers
Pump Impeller Types
Impellers of pumps are classified based on the number of points that the liquid can enter the impeller and also on the amount of webbing between the impeller blades.
Impellers can be either single suction or double-suction. A single-suction impeller allows liquid to enter the center of the blades from only one direction. A double-suction impeller allows liquid to enter the center of the impeller blades from both sides simultaneously. The illustration below shows simplified diagrams of single and double-suction impellers.
Impellers can be open, semi-open, or enclosed. The open impeller consists only of blades attached to a hub. The semi-open impeller is constructed with a circular plate (the web) attached to one side of the blades. The enclosed impeller has circular plates attached to both sides of the blades. Enclosed impellers are also referred to as shrouded impellers. Figure 5 illustrates examples of open, semi-open, and enclosed impellers.
The impeller sometimes contains balancing holes that connect the space around the hub to the suction side of the impeller. The balancing holes have a total cross-sectional area that is considerably greater than the cross-sectional area of the annular space between the wearing ring and the hub. The result is suction pressure on both sides of the impeller hub, which maintains a hydraulic balance of axial thrust. |
When mentioning digestive problems, most of us probably automatically think of complaints such as stomach ache, diarrhea, and constipation. While these are all genuine issues, they are sadly only a few of the many symptoms of digestive problems.
There are several debilitating and severe digestive issues that some of us don’t know about. From irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, gastrointestinal disorders can be serious. They can also have a massive impact on the lives of those who suffer from them.
This often leads to individuals becoming reclusive and isolated; in some cases, it can even lead to mortality. This informative post will discuss the different types of digestive problems and how CBD can potentially help alleviate common symptoms.
What Are Digestive Problems?
Approximately 40% of people have at least one symptom of a digestive issue at any one time. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that many over-the-counter medications claim to treat these common digestive issues. Known as functional disorders, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, and bloating are common and usually temporary digestive problems.
A typical long-term gastric issue is IBS, which affects the large intestine. While many medications can treat IBS, symptoms can be uncomfortable and range from cramping and bloating to gassiness, constipation, and diarrhea.
An even more severe digestive problem is Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While it is more severe than IBS, it is no less common. Statistics show that approximately 700,000 people in the US have the disease.
If symptoms are severe enough, it is unlikely that the sufferer would want to leave the house for work or to socialize.
IBD causes inflammation of the digestive tract, leading to a variety of symptoms. These can range in severity from abdominal pain, tenderness, and discomfort to persistent vomiting, high fever, or even abscesses.
Not only are these symptoms damaging physically, but the side effects can also interfere with an individual’s daily life and mental health. If symptoms are severe enough, it is unlikely that the sufferer would want to leave the house for work or to socialize.
However, what causes these issues? Gastric problems can stem from something as small as a change in diet or increased stress levels. They can also arise from things like lack of exercise, medication use, or pregnancy.
What Are the Current Treatments Available for Digestive Problems?
Depending on the problem one has, there are a variety of things they can buy to help. However, this can become expensive, and the long-term side effects of taking the medication regularly can be damaging.
An over-the-counter antiemetic can relieve nausea and vomiting if they have a common and less severe digestive issue. There are also antacids, which will help relieve indigestion. There is also a wide range of aminosalicylate drugs for long-term intestinal inflammation and antidiarrheal drugs to relieve severe symptoms of diarrhea.
For more severe conditions such as Crohn’s, patients can look at a whole host of different medications prescribed to control the disease. These include antibiotics, steroids, and immune modifiers, which suppress the body’s natural immune response.
As you can probably imagine, the side effects of taking such a range of medications could result in new problems from weight gain to a lack of immunity and thinning of the bones. It is not uncommon for patients to seek alternative treatment to avoid these nasty side effects.
Every condition of the body, including those affecting the digestive system, can be helped through dietary modification and proper supplementation. CBD is one of those potentially essential supplements.
Living with Digestive Problems
A staggering 20 million Americans suffer from chronic digestive diseases. As such, it is no shock that this type of disease is one of the most expensive to treat in the US. With hundreds of prescription medications on the market, it can be a costly and overwhelming thing to treat for long-term sufferers.
The common side effects that most treatments have on the body can cause further physical issues for the user and ultimately impact mental health.
Why Choose CBD for Digestive Problems?
There is a growing trend towards the use of CBD for a variety of digestive issues. This cannabinoid influences human health by interacting with something known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
The ECS comprises chemicals called endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors such as CB1 and CB2. They trigger various responses that help maintain a state of balance throughout the body, and CBD influences the activity of the ECS and other various receptors.
There is a high concentration of cannabinoid receptors in the digestive system. Therefore, CBD could have a significant impact on digestive health. One of the primary ways in which it does this is by reducing inflammation. It achieves this by preventing the production of interleukins and cytokines. These are proteins that give our immune system the signal to begin an inflammatory response.
CBD could also lower cortisol, which is a catabolic hormone. Cortisol breaks down tissues in the body and has a destructive impact on the lining of our GI tract. Keeping cortisol levels in check is a key factor in maintaining a properly functioning digestive system.
Now, let’s look at the studies that show CBD has a positive effect on stomach problems.
CBD for Stomach Issues
Research into CBD’s digestive system benefits goes back over a decade. While studies involving human subjects are limited, with mainly small sample sizes, the results are promising.
An Israeli study published in 2012 involved 292 patients receiving treatment for IBD. Around half of them used cannabis in the past or were using it at the time of the study. Overall, 32% of MMJ users said they tried it for poor appetite, diarrhea, and nausea. The researchers found that the current cannabis users reported a significant improvement in those symptoms.
A 2016 review of studies looked into the role of cannabinoids in inflammation and gastrointestinal mucosal defense. The researchers wrote that direct activation of CB1 receptors by cannabinoids helped reduce gastric acid secretion and gastric motor activity. The process also decreased the formation of gastric mucosal lesions induced by alcohol, stress, and NSAIDs.
The researchers concluded that the ECS represented a promising target in the treatment of IBDs. They also said preliminary clinical studies confirmed the assumption.
One of the most recent relevant reviews was published in 2020. It looked into CBD products and other non-intoxicating cannabinoids for the prevention and treatment of GI disorders. The researchers concluded that CBD, particularly, was potentially useful for helping with different conditions and diseases of the GI tract. However, more research is required to confirm the link.
CBD Oil for Digestion
Another reason to consider CBD for digestion is its apparent capacity to regulate appetite. This is extremely helpful if you eat too frequently or too much and suffer from bloating as a result. Ideally, you will leave a minimum of 3-4 hours between meals and snacks for optimal digestion.
In general, CBD could lead to weight loss as it reduces appetite. This was the finding of a 2012 study published in Psychopharmacology (Berlin). The researchers found that CBD usage led to a significant reduction in food intake amongst rats compared to CBG and CBN.
Does CBD Oil Help with Constipation?
Certain gastrointestinal issues impact the frequency of bowel movements, known as motility. A study from 2005 found that CBD could potentially help regulate GI motility. However, it depends on an individual’s specific symptoms. This is positive news if you suffer from constipation.
There is evidence that CBD could also alleviate symptoms of constipation, such as a stomach ache, nausea, and bloating. For example, this 2011 study found that cannabinoids could regulate nausea and vomiting.
There are many forms of CBD worth considering for digestive problems. CBD oils and gummies are among the most popular. However, there is an age-old remedy for stomach issues that could provide extra relief when infused with CBD.
Peppermint Tea for Digestive Problems
Peppermint is an herb that people frequently use for digestive problems. It is a plant that is native to Europe and North America, and humans have used it therapeutically for centuries.
Peppermint is rich in active compounds such as flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, and menthol, among others. Therefore, it has a variety of potential benefits.
People often apply it topically to relieve symptoms like headaches and muscle aches. However, the most famous medicinal use of peppermint is as a digestive aid. It has anti-spasmodic actions, and research has shown that it can be useful for relieving IBS symptoms.
Most of the studies on peppermint for IBS have focused on its essential oil in the form of enteric-coated capsules. Results suggest that peppermint oil can alleviate abdominal pain and improve global IBS symptoms too.
It does not seem to cause any side effects, but high doses of peppermint oil can be toxic. Therefore, it is essential to take peppermint oil capsules according to a physician’s instructions and not exceed the maximum recommended amount.
Another popular way of consuming peppermint, which we turn to now, is as an herbal tea.
CBD Peppermint Tea Benefits
CBD peppermint tea combines all the benefits of the two herbs into one tasty and refreshing beverage. It is convenient and enjoyable to use and is an ideal solution for people with busy schedules.
Many people choose CBD peppermint tea with the hope of soothing digestive discomfort, but it has other potential benefits too.
While many people choose CBD peppermint tea with the hope of soothing digestive discomfort, it has other potential benefits. For example, in traditional Chinese medicine, peppermint is known as a cooling herb. Therefore, it is ideal for drinking on hot summer days.
Other traditional uses include alleviating pain, regulating the immune system, and relieving colds. However, there is little clinical evidence to back up these claims.
CBD also has plenty of benefits outside of the digestive system. The most common reasons why people use it include chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. However, peppermint CBD tea may not be the best way to experience these effects. Let’s take a look at why.
Disadvantages of Peppermint CBD Tea
The main downside of CBD peppermint tea is that it generally contains only small amounts of CBD. So, while it makes a delicious beverage, it might be better viewed as a CBD top-up rather than a primary consumption method.
Consumers will get a far higher CBD dosage using oil tinctures, capsules, edibles, or similar. One solution is to add a few drops of CBD oil to peppermint tea to create a homemade infusion. However, the oil will separate from the drink, and some may find the taste unpleasant.
Furthermore, CBD is fat-soluble and needs a little fat to help the body utilize it fully. Therefore, unless consumers add something fatty to their tea, they will derive little benefit. Adding some coconut oil or full-fat milk will help, but it may also make the tea less enjoyable.
Some CBD manufacturers are starting to recognize this problem and produce water-soluble CBD. However, these items are often harder-to-come-by and more expensive than regular CBD products. Therefore, it is necessary to research to find the best and most effective peppermint CBD tea.
Does CBD Settle Your Stomach?
The data available so far suggests that the answer is ‘yes.’ There is a clear connection between the ECS and the GI tract. Endocannabinoids work with CB receptors all over the body, including the stomach. While CB1 receptors are predominantly found in the brain, CB2 receptors are mainly in the gut. When any digestive system organ gets swollen, these receptors bind with cannabinoids such as CBD to slowly reduce inflammation.
There are now dozens of studies that suggest CBD can help with gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, gastritis, and constipation. The antiemetic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anxiolytic properties of CBD could help alleviate various digestive issues.
Final Thoughts on the Use of CBD for Digestive Issues
Clinical trials are still ongoing. We have yet to see breakthrough results to show that CBD can fully eradicate the symptoms of digestive diseases. Nonetheless, there has been a great deal of promising work relating to how CBD works on the body. Also, a growing number of individuals who use CBD for GI issues claim that it is effective.
While we understand the thought of moving to something such as CBD can be daunting, the results speak for themselves. Many positive testimonials suggest that CBD does offer digestive benefits with limited risks. This is an advantage that you can’t get from prescription medications. |
Self-Propelled Underwater Neutrino Cherenkov Radiation Observation Platform
Expansion of Observation Facilities: SPUNCROP
Total Capital Expenditures = $67,285.00 Total
Budget Request = $67,655.50
Currently one of the most controversial topics in solar astronomy is the so-called "solar neutrino problem." Experiments around the world set up to measure the flux of high energy neutrinos (a weakly interacting uncharged subatomic particle) have detected a flux of neutrinos lower than that which is predicted by the standard solar model. More data is required before an explanation of this discovery can be formulated. We believe that the proper position of the Ryerson Astronomical Society is at the forefront of this exciting new field. The Self Propelled Underwater Neutrino Cherenkov Radiation Observation Platform or SPUNCROP will not only make the Ryerson Astronomical Society the only amateur astronomy group actively engaged in the measurement of solar neutrino flux, but it will also make SG the first student government in the world to fund such an ambitious undertaking, a fitting honor for the University of Chicago. We propose to outfit a diesel submarine with photomultiplier tubes and lurk about the bottom of Lake Michigan late at night in an effort to detect the faint flashes (known as Cherenkov Radiation) that result from the collision of solar neutrinos with water molecules. By using Lake Michigan as a detector we will not only be effectively shielded from cosmic rays, but we will also avoid the expense of containing millions of gallons of fluid; a problem in several less innovative e xperiments currently being carried out by other research institutions A further advantage of our experiment is that we will be able to detect the direction of interacting neutrinos through the use of timing data from photomultiplier tubes, providing a crude imaging capability. We propose to purchase a used diesel-electric submarine from the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. Because of the end of the Cold War combined with the poor Soviet economy, the U.S.S.R. is selling these submarines a t give-away prices. Not only is this an excellent opportunity to get a good buy on a submarine, but our support will also help the faltering economic reforms in the Soviet Union. The cost of a suitable submarine is $50,000. We will need anther $5,000 f or photomultiplier tubes and assorted electronics. $2,000 is needed to fly two members to Vladivostok to pick up the submarine and $10,000 worth of fuel will bring the submarine back to Chicago and support our first year of observations. |
Philanthropy – the love (philo) of humanity (anthropos) – has been a part of the lives of wealthy families for millennia. With their dollars and time, they have helped the poor, built libraries and hospitals, become patrons of the arts, and advocated for human and political causes. Societies, locally and around the world, have benefited from these gifts.
But wealthy families themselves have also benefited from philanthropy. They have experienced the joy of giving to others and seeing progress. Through giving, they have helped to cultivate a spirit of generosity among their family members. And they have seen how a common external cause can knit their clan together and build powerful enduring cross-generation values, counteracting the natural entropy families face over time.
In some ways, we are now in a golden age of philanthropy as mega-wealthy donors – Bill Gates and Warren Buffett come to mind – commit large portions of their wealth to charitable endeavors. At all levels of wealth, families are wrestling with many of the same philanthropic questions and issues. How much of our wealth should go to our heirs and how much to charity? What is a good investment of time and money? What are the right vehicles? How do we make wise decisions? How do we involve others?
Our contributing authors will shed some light on some of these issues and give you some food for thought along the journey of family philanthropy.
There is a whole vocabulary about philanthropy these days, which can be confusing. Ellen Remmer answers those questions directly: ‘What is the difference between charity, philanthropy, strategic philanthropy and impact investing?’ She also provides many examples and tips to help families decide how they want to approach their giving and charitable investing.
When we think of our wishes for our children, most of us would include among them an attitude of authentic generosity, which often displays itself as gratitude, kindness, and a sense of community. Alasdair Halliday and Anne McClintock answer the question “How can you encourage generosity in your family?” and show how philanthropy can be an important tool in developing that spirit among all members of the family.
The problem is that it is often difficult to interest and involve younger generations in family philanthropy. Sometimes, based on their stage of development, they may have other interests and priorities; in other cases, philanthropy been built into the culture and practice of the family. Lisa Parker’s essay answers the question “How do you engage children and grandchildren in philanthropy?” with some highly practical advice and suggestions that are sure to encourage engagement.
Good philanthropy requires planning and forethought, but it also has a strong emotional side, often driven by passion, vision, and calling. Barnaby Marsh knits these threads together and looks at how you can wisely develop a long-term strategy for your philanthropy. He helps us think about why we give, how our giving might shift in the future as the world changes, and how we stay focused yet flexible on our philanthropic mission.
Those families who embrace and nurture their philanthropic urgings will give gifts, but are likely to receive significant gifts as well. Philanthropy allows families to face outward together. It encourages them to reach beyond the immediate and dream big. It provides purpose and meaning to life. And it encourages humanity and character in its members. Enjoy the journey.
Chapter 41 – What Is the Difference Between Charity, Philanthropy, Strategic Philanthropy, and Impact Investing?
Chapter 42 – How Can You Encourage Generosity in Your Family?
Alasdair Halliday and Anne McClintock
Chapter 43 – How Do You Engage Children and Grandchildren in Philanthropy?
Chapter 44 – How Can You Wisely Develop a Long-Term Strategy for Your Philanthropy? |
Related Articles: French Furniture Styles
Art Deco, 1925
French Furniture Styles
Art Deco Style, 1925
The richness and proliferation of its ornament is what is most striking about this style. It exploited every available ornamental resource with imagination, invention and refinement.
Furniture: Tables, rarely square, were crisply geometric in profile and light in appearance. Legs were gracious and bare of ornament. Armoires made of ebony and tulipwood tended to be richly decorated. Commodes were among the period's most attractive productions. Chair backs tended to be rather low and quite open, while legs were quite thin. Settees became increasingly prominent as the period advanced.
Materials and techniques: Art Deco delighted in costly materials. Exotic woods were preferred to European ones. Ebony and macassar were preferred. Gilt bronze and copper were generously employed, as was silver and cast iron. Leather became as pervasive as fabric for chairs and settees.
Ornament: Most ornamental techniques were used. Only carved wood sculpture was downplayed. The influence of cubism and abstraction was apparent. Elements were drawn from African art, vegetal, floral and maritime motifs. Curved lines were prevalent.
Source: French Furniture by Sylvie Chadenet |
Animal Species:Banded Pipefish, Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus (Bleeker, 1853)
The Ringed Pipefish can be recognised by its pattern of red to blackish bars. In Australia, it occurs in marine tropical waters of Australia.
Standard Common Name
The Ringed Pipefish has red to blackish bars, a distinct caudal fin, and a very long snout.
The species grows to a maximum length of 18 cm.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution by collection data
The species lives in caves and crevices.
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology |
Should environmentalists fear logging or learn to understand its impact?
May 18, 2005
Environmentalists usually oppose logging, associating it with deforestation and biodiversity loss. A new report, Life after logging: reconciling wildlife conservation and production forestry in Indonesian Borneo, from CIFOR suggests that in reality, many logging operations have a lesser impact than than generally believed by conservationists. Further, since more forests in Borneo — the area of study — are allocated for logging than for protected areas it is imperative that we have a better understanding of how biological diversity and ecological services can be maintained in such areas and how they can be integrated with protected areas into “multi-functional conservation landscapes.” Conservationists, loggers, and policy-makers alike need to recognize that logged-over forests have conservation value and work to ensure that these areas are indeed used for this purpose especially when other options for biodiversity conservation are not available.
Life after logging notes that logging in tropical forests is often highly selective and sometimes just a few trees per hectare are cut and removed. The main problems with logging stem from road construction and hunting — both activities that can be curtailed through better management. Logged-over forests themselves retain much of their original biodiversity as long as they are not converted for agriculture, exhaustively hunted, or seriously degraded through other activities. Life after logging aims to emphasize that “logged forest is a vital component of any comprehensive approach to landscape-scale conservation” not argue that all forests should be opened up for timber harvesting. Since some interior forest species cannot survive the changes wrought by logging, it is critical that selected areas still be afforded wth strict protecton measures.
The CIFOR report looked at logging Malinau area of Indonesian Borneo (East Kalimantan) where biologically rich forests are being rapidly developed for industrial logging, mining and estate. Life after logging sees Malinau as an place to observe how well “protected forests, managed forests and more intensively developed agricultural areas could be combined in a mosaic to achieve both conservation and development objectives.”
The authors argue that before commencing any conservation and development plan it is imperative to “assemble enough information on the ecology of an extensive tropical forest landscape to enable predictions to be made about the impacts of different sorts of development scenarios.” This is just what they’ve done in Life after logging, which “shows that different combinations of logging and protection and different patterns of infrastructure development will have different impacts on biodiversity and that these in turn will have impacts on the livelihoods of the people who depend upon this biodiversity.”
The authors look at a variety of timber harvesting paths to measure the impact on local species:
Selective logging has fewer direct negative consequences for many vertebrate species than is sometimes assumed. It certainly affects certain groups of species, like terrestrial, insectivorous birds and mammals, which suffer from the reduced ground cover. This may primarily be caused by the slashing of ground cover and lianas, which is currently required by law. Some species, though, such as deer and banteng, appear well adapted to, and can increase in, the more open habitats that follow logging…
Terrestrial insectivores and frugivores appear particularly sensitive to timber harvest practices, whereas herbivores and omnivores were more tolerant or even benefited from logging.
as well as the economic impact on local people. From these scenarios, the authors develop a list of recommendations to help in the conservation of local speces which are increasingly threatened by deforestation, forest degradation and hunting. The authors note that while “the Indonesian government has pledged to do its best to control these problems … [through] laws and international agreements … achieving conservation goals remains fraught with challenges.” The authors argue that one way the government may be able to meet conservation targets is to establish policies and extend existing regulatons in logged-over forests and areas concessioned for timber cutting. Some of their recommendations include:
- retention of ecologically important habitat structures (large trees, hollow trees, fruiting species) and locations (salt licks, watercourses);
- discontinuation of understorey slashing (currently a legal requirement in Indonesia);
- regulation or restriction of hunting in timber concessions;
- maintenance of forest corridors to allow the movement of species between areas of forest;
- adoption of good road-building practices by reducing the width of, and maintaining canopy connectivity over, roads; and the
- application of reduced-impact logging methods such as limiting felling-gap
In developing these recommendations, the authors looked for a ideas that would enhance biodiversity preservation while addressing the needs of development interests. The future of Borneo’s wildlife depends on makin the best use of its remaining forest resources. Just because forest has been logged it can still be productive from a conservation standpoint.
This article uses information and excerpts from Life after logging: reconciling wildlife conservation and production forestry in Indonesian Borneo by Meijaard, E.; Sheil, D.; Nasi, R.; Augeri, D.; Rosenbaum, B.; Iskandar, D.; Setyawati, T.; Lammertink, A.; Rachmatika, I.; Wong, A.; Soehartono, T.; Stanley, S.; O’Brien, T. The report is available for download in PDF format at http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/scripts/newscripts/publications/detail.asp?pid=1663 |
Image: Black Marlin pectoral fin ray
The marginal (leading) ray of a billfish, probably a Black Marlin, found by Harry Rosenthal on Backwoods Beach, Cronulla (directly opposite Shark Island), New South Wales on 4 August 2012. The bone was found in its current 'clean' state. No other bones were found in the vicinity.
- Carl Bento
- © Australian Museum
Black Marlins have rigid pectoral fins that have a very limited range of movement. Part of this rigidity results from the flat basal surface of the leading pectoral fin ray which sits against the flat surface of the scapula. Other billfishes, such as the Blue Marlin, have a markedly convex pectoral fin base that allows the fin to be moved.
Wapenaar, M.-L. & F.H. Talbot. 1964. Note on the rigidity of the pectoral fin of Makaira indica (Cuvier). Annals of the South African Museum. 167-180. |
Putting Things in PerspectiveThe picture above has been making the rounds of the internet lately (sadly it hasn't always been attributed to the Land Art Generator Initiative). It's a bit similar to things we posted about in the past and represents the total surface area that would be required to power the whole world in 2030 using nothing but solar or wind power (see below for wind power pic). All the assumptions used to create the solar power pic above (you can click on it to see a bigger version) can be found here, but here are the main ones:
According to the US Department of Energy (Energy Information Administration), the world consumption of energy in all of its forms (barrels of petroleum, cubic meters of natural gas, watts of hydro power, etc.) is projected to reach 678 quadrillion Btu (or 7.15 exajoules) by 2030 - a 44% increase over 2008 levels (levels for 1980 were 283 quadrillion Btu and we stand at around 500 quadrillion Btu today). [...]Dividing the global yearly demand by 400 kW•h per square meter (198,721,800,000,000 / 400) and we arrive at 496,804,500,000 square meters or 496,805 square kilometers (191,817 square miles) as the area required to power the world with solar panels. [...]
If divided into 5,000 super-site installations around the world (average of 25 per country), it would measure less than 10km a side for each. The UAE has plans to construct 1,500MW of capacity by 2020 which will require a space of 3 km per side. If the UAE constructed the other 7 km per side of that area, it would be able to power itself as a nation completely with solar energy. The USA would require a much larger area and approximately 1,000 of these super-sites.
According to the United Nations 170,000 square kilometers of forest is destroyed each year. If we constructed solar farms at the same rate, we would be finished in 3 years.
Click for bigger version. Credit: Land Art Generator Initiative.
They did the same thing with wind power (again, you can click on the pic above to see a bigger version):
A 5 MW turbine can be expected to produce 17 GWh per year (they are 40% effective from their peak rated capacity - 5 MW x 365 x 24 = 43.8 GWh). Therefore, it would require 11,748,294 of the 5 MW capacity turbines to create the same yearly output. There are 500 million cars in the world so it's not like that's an unattainable goal from a manufacturing standpoint. And each 5 MW turbine is a 30 year lifespan money making machine for whoever buys it. The same can not be said for my car. But if we can build 90,000 Cape Wind size installations, we would be there on wind alone. Based on that installation, each turbine requires 1/2 square mile of area for offshore sites. This would require 5.85 million square kilometers for 2030 world energy needs.
Of course, nobody's suggesting creating a kind of "clean energy monoculture". The green energy future will no doubt include many sources, including wind and solar, but also wave, geothermal, green hydro, etc. Maybe even space-based solar power and what I call "estuary power" (harnessing the mixing of fresh water with salt water). But still, this exercise is useful because it puts things in perspective and shows us that while the scale is huge, it isn't so much bigger than a lot of other man-made things.
Via Land Art Generator
More Solar and Wind Power
Japan's Moonshot? $21 Billion Invested in Space-Based Solar Power
First Solar to Build 250MW & 300MW Solar Farms in California, Enough to Power 170,000 Homes
Prometheus Institute Study: Solar Power to Reach Grid Parity in U.S. in 2015 |
The metaphor that was so popular in General Conference just a few years ago resurfaced again, but in a surprising way. A week ago, when I was meeting with my Jane Austen discussion group, one of the participants who was raised in a conservative Catholic home, but is now mainline protestant, referred to the analogy of religion as a ship. She used the analogy completely differently than we heard it used in General Conference. She said that religion is a ship that takes you to a new shore, in a new place, and then you are there. The new land is where you live the teachings of Jesus. The ship brought you there, but you don’t stay on the ship. You basically “graduate” from the ship and go forth to live and work among all of humanity, trying your best to live up to the ideals He preached. The ship is no longer necessary.
This parallels a sentiment my grandparents (who were protestants, not Mormons) once shared, that Church is for children. A schoolbus would come by to pick up the children to take them to Church, but parents often didn’t go because they already “got it.” They were Christians. They didn’t need the exact same instruction over and over for the rest of their lives. They needed to just try to live a moral life using the teachings they already had.
In Buddhism there are two sayings that are along these same lines of thinking:
- “If you meet the Buddha in the road, kill the Buddha.” This saying means that you should not revere and idolize the teacher; you should live the teachings. Enlightenment comes from within, not from external sources.
- “I am a finger pointing to the moon. Don’t look at me; look at the moon.” This is a saying attributed to Buddha in which he is saying he is just a teacher, but should not be worshipped or idolized. Rather we should look at the teaching, not the teacher. Just as the pointing finger guides us to the moon, but is not glorious like the moon, the teacher might bring us to enlightenment, but the teacher is not the teaching.
We recently returned from a trip to Egypt. Because it is such an iconic part of the Egypt tourist experience, we booked a Nile cruise. We had just seen Death on the Nile, and I was picturing rocking up at amazing Egyptian temples, taking our time walking through with our guide explaining what we were seeing, and then sauntering back on board as the sun setted over the lazy Nile waters. These are fairly small ships with maybe 80 passengers. Tour groups were arranged through local tour companies, not the ships; some people were touring in groups of twenty or thirty. Others, like us, just shared a single guide with one other passenger. We weren’t excited about being at the sites with 80 other people all at once because it’s just harder to take pictures, to see what you want to see, etc., but this class of ship was much better than some of the other options. It’s possible to cruise one a single-sail felucca and sleep on the deck under the stars, for example, but it also seemed a little like I’m-too-old-for-that.
Imagine our surprise when we discovered that ALL the ships are on the same schedule, and they all dock together. We weren’t just one ship docking and going to see the amazing sites. We were nested between other similarly sized ships, four or five ships deep, and both behind and in front of our ships were more ships similarly nested, so now we were among hundreds of passengers from a dozen ships, all pouring into the sites at the exact same time. As you can imagine, that meant standing shoulder to shoulder with dozens of other tourists trying to take the exact same picture of the exact same hieroglyph. In case you were wondering, this was nothing like the cruise in Death on the Nile. It was more like going to a concert, in a bad way, with more risk of being trampled than sexy dancing with Armie Hammer or delightful amuse-bouches with Hercule Piorot.
Our guide said that if we come back, he recommends skipping the Nile cruise and staying in hotels instead, which are roomier and have nice pools, using a hired car to see the sites instead, because he knows the ship schedules and would time it so you can actually hear him speak and take the pictures you want to take, and wander the site, really feeling like you can experience it. I would definitely do it that way in future.
But it got me thinking back to that ship analogy. If you had told teenage me that the Good Ship Zion was going to be nestling with a bunch of Evangelical churches and an occasional Catholic church, nearly indistinguishable in terms of our experience, and that this was how it would be for the rest of my adult life, I would have thought you were joking. If you had said that meetings would be hard to distinguish from conservative political rallies, I would never have believed it. Yet here we are.
Maybe that’s because when I was young, Church was still teaching me things I didn’t know. As an adult, since I now know what Jesus taught, I am left to evaluate the Church in terms of its alignment with those teachings, or its misalignment. I can judge what is moral and what is not because I was taught in my youth.
Back to the boat, though, why would anyone stay in a boat indefinitely? I enjoy sailing as much as the next person, but whenever you get in any vehicle, the point isn’t to stay in the vehicle forever, but to go somewhere. You don’t drive to church on Sunday and sit in your car in the parking lot. The only reasons I can think of to stay in a boat long-term are 1) a Covid outbreak on your cruise ship, which then descends into a Lord of the Flies scenario, or 2) Noah’s Ark, which basically starts as a Lord of the Flies (and all other animals) scenario. In the first case, you must stay aboard to quarantine, to protect others from contamination by you, and in the second, you can’t leave because you will drown since there’s no land above water (nevermind that the story isn’t historically accurate, but taking the story at face value for the metaphor it is).
It’s this second reason that I think Church leaders (and conservatives in general) seem to be concerned about, the idea that leaving the boat equals danger and personal contamination, that we, as disciples of Christ, are too weak to survive. We can’t swim on our own. While there’s value in belonging to a community of supportive believers, all striving to do our best, we are in fact supposed to also interact with the world around us. The idea that everything outside of the boat (or Church) is scary and bad is no way to be a Christian. If you’re only interacting with other Christians, you’ve kind of missed the point. Right?
- Do you think the Church was always “nested” with other high demand conservative religions or do you see this as a shift due to increased polarization?
- Do you think the analogy of a ship that never reaches shore is a good analogy or not?
- Do you like the version of the ship analogy that my friend said is more common in her experience?
- Is Church for children? Do we outgrow it? Or do we need it because of the community, so long as that community is one we want to belong to? |
I have posted comments and pictures on this site of my son Conor waiting in anticipation for his ABA therapist to arrive. I have seen ABA help Conor learn skills, reduce problem behaviors and expand his ability to communicate. But as a mere parent my actual knowledge of ABA and its positive influence on my son's life is of no weight to the anti-cure, anti-treatment, anti-ABA ideologues who attack ABA despite their own lack of actual knowledge or experience with the intervention and despite the hundreds of studies and many credible professional reviews of those studies speaking to the effectiveness of ABA as an autism intervention.
Unlke some anti-ABA ideologues who accuse behaviourists of misbehaving and propogate unfounded, negative myths about ABA Mruzek and Mozing have actual experience with ABA. They have more than empty, heated rhetoric to offer - they have, as Board Certified Behavior Analysts talked the talk and walked the walk. Unlike most anti-ABA critics they actually know what they are talking about. They offer their comments on an article which perpetuated some of the ABA misconceptions:
Unfortunately, the essay perpetuated some all-too-common misconceptions about applied behavior analysis, particularly that it is "rooted in repetition" and focuses mainly on making "children with autism ... indistinguishable from their peers." In fact, the concept is a very flexible approach, with teaching methods and goals carefully tailored to the needs of each child.And they speak to ABA's effectiveness as a means of helping autistic children:
The first applied behavior analysis study specifically targeting autism was published in 1964. Since then, it has become the most-studied intervention for children with autism — the only one recommended by the New York State Department of Health. It includes a wide array of teaching methods grounded in scientifically derived principles of learning, especially those related to the powerful effect of positive reinforcement on behavior change.
Applied behavior analysis can help people with autism develop new skills (in academics, play, communication, social interaction) and support those who engage in challenging behaviors (severe tantrums, refusing food, injuring themselves).
Intensive, early intervention for young children with autism can be especially effective, although outcomes vary among individuals. A study under way at UR is investigating factors possibly implicated in these variable outcomes. |
A blood sugar level lower than about 3.3 mmol/L (60 mg/dL) is called hypoglycemia. The feelings associated with hypoglycemia are called an “insulin reaction.”
The earliest symptoms of low blood sugar can be like the feelings many people experience when they’ve gone without food for a long time: they may feel hungry, tired and irritable, and may even have a headache. These early warning signs tell us that the body needs sugar quickly. As the blood sugar continues to drop, other signs and symptoms may develop—shakiness, pale skin, cold sweat, dilated pupils, and pounding heart. These happen because the body is trying to boost the blood sugar from within. Certain hormones, including glucagons, adrenaline, cortisol, and growth hormone, stimulate our liver and muscles to convert stored sugar into glucose, which enters the bloodstream.
In someone without diabetes, the body turns off the insulin supply whenever blood sugar is at a normal level. But in people with diabetes, the injected insulin continues to work. As fast as the glucose enters the bloodstream, the insulin pushes it into the cells, so the level of sugar in the blood remains low until the person takes extra sugar by mouth.
Most people with type 1 diabetes have low blood sugar reactions from time to time – an average of about two mild ones per week. Indeed, mild reactions that are easily recognized and treated, without too much interruption in activities, should be expected. They can be seen as the price paid for good glucose control. Note that some people have symptoms of hypoglycemia even when their blood sugar level is higher than 3.3 mmol/L (60 mg/dL).
Common signs and symptoms of a mild insulin reaction
- shakiness: “butterflies,” feeling nervous for no reason
- cold, clammy sweatiness, unlike sweat from playing hard
- dilated pupils, “funny-looking” eyes
- mood change: irritable, grouchy, impatient; temper tantrums in younger children
- hunger, and sometimes nausea due to the hunger
- lack of energy: tired, weak, floppy
- lack of concentration
- blurred vision
- pounding heart
- change in skin colour: pale, most noticeable in the face and around the mouth
- disturbed sleep: restlessness, crying out, sleepwalking, or nightmares
Usually insulin reactions happen suddenly, over a period of minutes rather than hours. While they may occur at any time of the day or night, they happen most often when insulin is working at its peak.
Low blood sugar symptoms vary from child to child. Each child tends to develop his own set of symptoms. After 1 or 2 episodes, you and your child will learn to recognize an insulin reaction quickly. It is helpful if you explain your child’s specific symptoms to teachers, coaches, school bus drivers, and other caregivers. Even young children can be taught to tell an adult about these symptoms. They could use a specific phrase such as “I feel funny” or “I need sugar.”
Hypoglycemia may be most difficult to detect in infants or toddlers, who can’t describe their feelings. A sudden change in behaviour, with irritability, crying, pale face and “floppiness” may be the tip-off that blood sugar is too low.
How to treat a mild insulin reaction
All insulin reactions must be treated right away. Always have a source of fast-acting sugar available, such as juice, dextrose tablets, or even table sugar.
If possible, check the blood sugar level to confirm hypoglycemia. A blood glucose level lower than 4 mmol/l (about 72 mg/dl) in older children and teens or below 6 mmol/L (110 mg/dL) in toddlers or preschoolers, along with symptoms of low blood sugar should be treated. (If you are unable to check the blood sugar before treating the reaction, check it as soon as possible afterward. Note the response to treatment.)
Give a source of quick-acting sugar. About 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrates is all it takes to treat an insulin reaction. Examples include:
- four ounces (125 mL) of unsweetened juice or regular soft drink
- two to three dextrose tablets – these are not appropriate for infants or toddlers
- eight ounces (250 mL) of milk
- two teaspoons (10 mL) of sugar
- prepackaged glucose gels may also be available from your pharmacy or diabetes supply shop. Read the label ahead of time to determine the amount you should give to treat a low blood sugar reaction. An amount that will supply 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrate is generally recommended.
For infants or toddlers, some parents keep a tube of cake frosting handy for treating mild hypoglycemia.
If a mild reaction occurs just before a meal or snack, start the meal or snack immediately, beginning with some simple carbohydrates.
- Wait for the sugar to take effect. This is the hardest part. People who experience hypoglycemia feel extremely hungry and scared. They are often tempted to continue to eat and drink until the symptoms go away. This may result in a high blood sugar level later in the day. If symptoms last, recheck the blood sugar in 10 to 15 minutes. If it is still low, the child should have an extra 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrate. If vigorous exercise is anticipated prior to the next meal or snack, or if the reaction occurs during the night, the simple carbohydrate should be followed with a complex carbohydrate (one from the starch category).
- Try to figure out the cause of the insulin reaction. If there is no apparent reason, consider reducing the appropriate insulin by 10% to 20% the next day.
- Note the blood sugar levels, time, response, and possible cause of the reaction in your record book.
Note: If in doubt, treat. When you can’t check the blood sugar level to confirm an insulin reaction, give sugar to be safe.
False low blood sugar reactions
Sometimes children feel anxious, nervous or tired and think it’s due to low blood sugar when it isn’t. There are many reasons for this. A quick blood sugar check is the best way to find out whether or not the blood sugar is low. Sometimes low blood sugar symptoms occur when the blood sugar drops quickly from a high to a normal level. Feeling nervous or upset for other reasons, such as exams, can also be confused with hypoglycemia. And occasionally the symptoms of high blood sugar are mistaken for a low sugar reaction. Once the blood glucose has been checked and it is clear that the result is over 6 mmol/L, reassure the child and encourage her to resume activity. However, if in doubt, treat the symptoms.
Why do insulin reactions occur?
Understanding the reasons for hypoglycemia is key to preventing it. The causes are usually related to the three major factors affecting blood sugar balance: insulin, food and activity.
Too much insulin
Children can get too much insulin if:
- the wrong amount is given
- the dose is mistakenly given at the wrong time, such as giving the pre-breakfast dose at suppertime
- the dose isn’t reduced when blood sugar readings are consistently less than the target level.
Not enough food
This can happen easily enough—for example, when children get caught up in their activities and forget to eat, when toddlers sleep through snack time, or when teens sleep through breakfast or skip a meal.
Too much unplanned activity
This is the most frequent cause of hypoglycemia, because children aren’t used to planning ahead before they jump into an active game like tag or football. That’s why the blood glucose target range is wider in younger children than in adults; it allows for such spontaneity. Children should be able to enjoy any sport or activity with planning.
How many insulin reactions are too many?
It is not unusual to have one or two mild reactions per week that can be easily treated with juice. However, these mild reactions can interrupt the school day or other activities, and make it difficult for your child to focus for the following half hour or so. Prevent them as best you can, and respond to them quickly. If your child often has lows, this needs to be addressed with a change to the regimen. For example, if the teacher notices that your child is cranky every day at 11:30 a.m. and low blood sugar is confirmed, it’s time to re-examine the meal plan or insulin dose and make a change.
What are the long-term effects of a severe low?
The greatest long-term effect is the fear that the child will have another severe insulin reaction. This is a very real fear for many parents, siblings, and children with diabetes. It can make people reluctant to keep trying to maintain good blood sugar control. This psychological setback is the only real long-term impact, because the body works very hard to protect the brain during events like this. Mildly delayed intellectual development has been noted in some babies who had repeated episodes of severe hypoglycemia in the first three to five years of life.
Reducing the risk of hypoglycemia
Low blood sugar reactions are not always preventable, but there are things you can do to keep them to a minimum.
- Eat meals and snacks on time. A delay of half an hour or more can result in hypoglycemia. This is most important for youngsters on Humulin N or Novolin NPH.
- Make sure that the proper insulin dose is prepared and given. Children require close supervision with this task.
- Plan for extra activity with extra food or an insulin reduction. Set up a good communication system with teachers, coaches, and other leaders so you’ll know when extra activity is planned.
- Set up realistic blood sugar targets with your health care team. For example, it may be inappropriate and even dangerous to aim for “normal” blood sugar levels in very young children.
- Remember to lower the insulin dose if the sugar level is lower than the target at the same time of day 2 days in a row, or 3 times in a week.
- Always have some form of quick-acting sugar close by—and make sure everyone knows where it is.
- Always have a glucagon kit at home. Review its use regularly. Take it with you on vacation. Replace it when it reaches its expiry date, and practice preparing it before you throw it out.
- Encourage your child to wear medical-alert identification, and to carry a wallet card if older. |
I am having difficulties trying to understand this sentence:
In some respects, Courses of Action are the more basic of the two. In and of themselves, however, Courses of Action tend to be rather blunt instruments.
In Merrian Webster, blunt is:
slow, deficient in feeling; obtuse in understanding; abrupt in manner;... and when searching for images in Google, it seems a blunt instrument can be a bat, a hammer, and any other object used to hit something or someone.
What is the meaning of tend to be "blunt instrument"? It will determine if a course of action will be successful or not like a judge's hammer? |
About Pocket Queerpedia
The Pocket Queerpedia is a resource Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education developed for activists, educators and the queer community generally, to assist in teaching on queerness. Queer education can be one of the most freeing of experiences, yet resources are not always accessible, suitable for a South African context or visually appealing to young audiences. The Pocket Queerpedia is an offering to respond to this. It has been reviewed by academics, progressive organisations and queer activists. The book comes in three languages during the first phase (English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa). It is available for free download below
The Story Behind Pocket Queerpedia
Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education is an organisation dedicated to resourcing and supporting activists towards their goals of equality, freedom, dignity and better futures. The idea for this glossary was sparked by a moment in one of our offerings ‘Feminism and Freedom’ a course we hosted for young activists in 2019. While grappling with discussions on gender, sexuality and freedom, we ran into a number of difficulties. As with most of our courses, the participants in the room were quite diverse – drawn from different communities, geographic locations and organisations. What we considered basic and familiar terms in queerness, we thought all would know, left many participants lost. What we thought were commonly accepted definitions proved otherwise. In that moment, we faced a big dilemma – how do we discuss the power and importance of queer politics, when so many terms are not commonly understood? This question led us to reflect deeply on some of the questions posed by our participants. Why are some terms used in different ways by different people? Where do I begin understanding the differences between biology and gender? What are these terms in my own home language? How would I explain all this in a way my mother can understand? Are there African examples and experiences we can draw on to better understand and make cultural links?
Words have power. They can offer recognition or erase experiences. We offer this glossary to activists who wish to broaden their understanding of the world and how gender and sexuality shape it.
About the creators
The book was conceptualised, designed, and illustrated by Seth Deacon, Tshisimani’s Visual Materials Developer and Art curator, with input from the entire Tshisimani staff. Seth is a queer artist who previously taught digital arts and multimedia design, and completed an MAFA in which he focused on the depiction of violence, gender, race and class in photographs of the body in a South African context. Content editing, consultation and copy edits were done by Tshisimani’s Social Media Specialist and Content Creator, Mohammed Jameel Abdulla. Further consultations outside Tshisimani were done with queer performance artist, activist and scholar, Tandile Mbatsha; Clinton Osborne, an activist, artist and educator of the Sex Workers’ Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT); and activist and scholar Mmakatleho Sefatsa. Veteran pan-african, feminist scholar, and co-director of the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, Hakima Abbas, provided extensive consultation on the written content of the glossary, as well as academic feedback. The many rounds of translations were held by a team of writers, activists, educators and translators consisting of Simone Cupido, Kealeboga Ramaru, Allan Maasdorp, Chulumanco Mihlali Nkasela, Dinga Sikwebu and Akha Hamba Mchwayo Tutu. |
Exceptions are terms of the Ubiquitous Language04 Mar 2013 » Giacomo Tesio
In the previous article we have already saw that exceptions are normal results of reliable computations. But exceptions are well known element of our daily life.
The etimology of exception comes from the latin excipiō, composition of ex and capiō. Literally something that “take out” of something (a process, a rule, a law and so on).
Since human experience leaves sediment in the languages that traverses, modern language designers simply borrowed this concept to denote conditions that move the computation out of the desired path.
In domain driven design, we distill a code model from the language that the domain expert talks when he solves the problem. During the modeling session (or the lesson, from the expert’s perspective), the modeler asks many questions about the behaviours of the system and, as a senior coder, he try to explore borderline cases.
From such analisys, we often get a deeper insight of the model that can either confirm or not the previously defined terms. Sometimes it leads to deep refactoring (like when you see that a new concepts interact heavily with the previously modeled ones), sometimes it can even lead to (almost) restart from scratch. But often, borderline cases are either senseless or prohibited (in the context under analisys).
An example from real world
Let consider simple case: a command that registers in an investment proposal an order to dismiss a financial instrument that the customer does not own.
Short selling is a well known practice in financial market, but it’s senseless when you talk with our own financial advisor.
Indeed, when I asked to the domain expert how to handle this case he said: “it’s childishly simple, going short is not allowed here!”.
What’s this, if not an exception thrown at me?
Thus I simply made the expert objection explicit in the model with a class named
GoingShortIsNotAllowedException. Simple enough.
Such an exception is a normal outcome of the advisory process, so we have to explicitly model it as a normal and well documented computational result. The application that use the domain can prevent that such a situation occurs or not, but the business’s invariant is nevertheless enforced by the domain. Still any coder that uses the domain has to ponder whether to catch such exception (and may be present it to a user) or ignore it (turning it in an error that should crash the application itself). Thus our work is still incomplete. We have to provide more informations to the client. What financial instrument has caused such exception? From which dossier?
Expressive exceptions expose useful properties to the clients.
They help the user a lot, since through a proper UI rappresentation of the exception, he can understand why his own request cannot be satisfied.
In applications used all over the world, expressive exceptions simplify localization and internalization, since useful properties can be shown differently at different latitudes, according to the user culture (just like any other value object).
Moreover they can halve maintenance costs, since developers can rapidly identify what’s happened and why from logs.
A cheap but very useful practise is to throw useful messages with exceptions. This is particularly important when an exception can be thrown in more than situation. For example, you can get a lot more from a
KeyNotFoundException with a message containing the misspelled key.
Exception chaining is another important technique that allows clients to further understand why an exception occurred.
These look as common sense suggestions, but more often than not, good developers under pressure think that they can be faster, agile and leaner ignoring exceptional paths. Unfortunatly, this is true only for disposable prototypes.
On applications that will run in production, well designed exceptions pay well on long term (unless maintenance fees are your business model).
A final tip
We all know that a IL knowledge in a resume makes you look like a nerd.
Still, sometimes, it can make your life a lot easier.
If you occasionally avoid exception chaining and you want to re-throw a caught exception, you should remember to use the
throw keyword without specifying the caught exception.
Indeed, there are two distinct IL instructions that throw exceptions (actually not only exceptions, but this is off-topic here), namely
throw pops the exception from the stack, reset its stack trace and throws it to the caller,
rethrow just rethrow the exception that was caught (it’s only allowed within the body of a catch handler).
Thus in the following CS code you will lose the stacktrace forever, since it’s compiled to a
If you really can’t wrap an exception that you caught before throwing it again, remember to
rethrow it as in the following snippet:
This simple trick will help you (and your colleagues) a lot.
[1 ^] This is often what
makes the difference between a junior and a senior modeler:
while the junior one is fully focused to model rightly the intended business
behaviour, the senior one always keeps an eye open upon unusual cases.
Indeed even the domain expert often ignores how many borderline situations he daily
handles by borrowing from his own experience in the business. But since the
application will be based on such experience, we have to encapsulate it in the
domain model, and thus we need to turn that knowledge conscious and explicit.
This is a two fold aspect of DDD: it's more than an expensive software development process, it's a tool to improve the customer understanding of its own business. And believe me, a lot of the customer's business success comes from his (almost inconscious) ability to identify such cases and properly handle them. |
By LARRY SHAW
One year ago in late November 1999, 50,000 protesters converged on Seattle in an attempt to direct public attention to the World Trade Organization. Until that point the WTO had received almost no US media coverage, despite the fact that this extra-national organization had already forced the weakening of US laws protecting clean air and endangered species.
As a result of the protests many people now know of the existence of the WTO, and what the three letters stand for. However, most people still have almost no knowledge of its operations and effects. With the nation's interest piqued, it was hoped by the protesters that Seattle would be a starting point for the education of the public. However, the WTO has disappeared from the media like the Cheshire cat, leaving only its smile.
This writer conducted a study of newspaper coverage of the WTO to determine in what contexts the WTO has and has not been mentioned. The study was conducted for publications from Jan. 1 to Nov. 1, 2000, using a full-text search of the ProQuest8 database of 27 major US daily newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner. The study shows that mentions of the WTO were virtually nonexistent in articles covering issues related to attacks by the WTO on domestic environmental and human rights laws, ie., those issues most likely to turn public opinion against the WTO.
In contrast, in articles covering other types of trade news, the WTO was mentioned frequently and made headlines numerous times.
One of the major WTO-related stories of the year was an April 11 federal court ruling that thwarted the implementation of a weakened "dolphin-safe" labeling for tuna. The Federal Court ruled that the Commerce Department was attempting to prematurely implement the new labeling law without having even met the requirements of the weakened, 1997 version of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The dolphin protections in the initial, 1990 version of the MMPA were twice ruled trade-illegal under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the parent treaty to the WTO. To avoid the embarrassment of having a foreign authority force the revision of a domestic environmental law, Congress weakened the dolphin protections and the tuna labeling requirements of the MMPA in 1997.
In marked contrast with the fanfare that the MMPA received upon its inception, the delay of the implementation of the eviscerated "dolphin-safe" labeling was only covered in four major US dailies: San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. Even more striking was the fact that the seven articles published in those papers did not contain a single mention of GATT or the WTO.
Portions of the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) protecting endangered sea turtles have also been under attack by the WTO, as protesters dressed in sea turtle costumes tried to publicize in Seattle. On Oct. 23, Malaysia continued the aggressions against the ESA by filing a complaint with the WTO charging that the US has not yet lifted its ban on shrimp caught in a manner that kills sea turtles, as required by a previous WTO ruling. That news was covered in only a single article in one major US daily, the New York Times.
Furthermore, a June 1 study published in the scientific journal Nature predicted that leatherback sea turtles will be extinct within ten years unless fishing methods are substantially altered. Only four major US dailies (San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, USA Today, and Christian Science Monitor) covered the story, and none of the four articles mentioned the role the WTO has had in hampering the implementation of the Endangered Species Act. Another dozen articles in the major dailies addressed issues relating to endangered sea turtles during the period of the study, and, again, none of the articles mentioned the WTO.
Curiously, in a San Francisco Chronicle article about the Nature study, the headline on the continuation page read, "International Trade Agreements Slow Protection of Sea Turtles," even though there was no mention of international trade agreements anywhere in the article. When queried by this writer, the reporter said a discussion of the relationship to trade agreements had been in the story. It was edited out by an editor -- the headline accidentally slipped through.
Another recent WTO-related development this year was the Supreme Court's consideration of Massachusetts's selective purchasing law, which prevented the state government from contracting with corporations doing business with the brutal totalitarian regime of Burma. Had the Supreme Court not decided against Massachusetts, the attack on the Massachusetts law would have escalated by resuming a pending WTO challenge mounted by Japan and the European Union. Of the 48 articles and commentaries which covered the story, 43 contained no mention of the role of the WTO. Coyly, nine of the 43 articles mentioned pressures from foreign countries without mention of the WTO. The Los Angeles Times went so far as to state cryptically that "In a sense, the Supreme Court case contains echoes of December's demonstrations against the World Trade Organization in Seattle." But the New York Times deserves the award for coyness for writing that the European Community had "lodged an official protest," and defenders of the Massachusetts law had "tapped into some of the populist anger ... recently directed against the World Trade Organization," without actually mentioning that the official protest was a WTO challenge.
The WTO did, however, make numerous US headlines this year -- for an export subsidies dispute between the US and Europe, and for the grant of Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to China. Neither issue involved a direct attack by the WTO on domestic environmental or human rights laws.
The export subsidies dispute with Europe was covered in 17 articles in the major dailies, and the WTO appeared in eight of the headlines. PNTR for China was covered in at least 1,063 articles and commentaries. China's application for membership in the WTO was mentioned in 292 of the articles and commentaries, and referred to in 31 headlines. (Although the articles often suggested a direct link between the grant of PNTR for China and China's admittance into the WTO, such was not the case. The relevance of the WTO is somewhat less direct and therefore less deserving of such frequent mention: Had the US not granted PNTR to China, and if China does attain membership in the WTO, then, if the US were to ever apply trade sanctions against China, China could retaliate via the WTO.)
In summary, of the articles covering developments in the Marine Mammal Protection Act, none of them mentioned the WTO; none of the articles covering news related to endangered sea turtles mentioned the WTO; only a single article nationwide mentioned Malaysia's resumption of aggressions against the Endangered Species Act via the WTO; and about 10% of the articles about the Massachusetts-Burma law mentioned the WTO. In contrast, nearly 30% of the articles covering PNTR for China discussed the WTO; and, with regards to the export subsidies dispute with Europe, the WTO was mentioned in all the articles, and appeared in nearly half the headlines. Furthermore, disregarding whether the WTO was mentioned or not, the 72 articles covering issues related to WTO attacks on US environmental and human rights laws was substantially outnumbered by 1080 articles covering other types of WTO-related news.
There has indeed been a Cheshire cat-like disappearance of the WTO from the major US daily newspapers. Only the smiling teeth of news which do not involve WTO attacks on US environmental and human rights laws remain visible.
Larry Shaw is the author and performer of "Sold Down the River," the anti-WTO song played from the Steelworkers' billboard truck in Seattle. See www.solddowntheriver.org. |
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