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Do you want to travel to Mars? Design houses or create computer software? Do you want to discover a cure to cancer or protect rivers and oceans from pollution? If you do, be sure to take lots of math in school. Many challenging and rewarding careers - not just engineering - demand a strong background in math. Classes like algebra, geometry, and trigonometry may be difficult, but they will open the doors to many exciting opportunities in your future. Of course, you can catch up on your math when you get to college, but like a language it is much easier to really learn it when you are young, and you’ll have a hard time catching up in college without taking extra years if you don’t at least have the basics. Since you have to take most math class in a particular order, it's also important to start early so that you are prepared to take the right classes when you need them. Besides the inherent beauty in mathematics there are lots of other reasons to take as much math as you can, even if you don’t want to be an engineer. For one, math can actually make you smarter! It’s like endurance training for your brain. Learning to think critically and focus on a problem is important for any career. You may also want to take math so you can make and save more money. On average, people who understand math have higher paying careers. That may not always be the case, but you’ll certainly increase your odds by understanding as much as you can. And when all your friends are losing their last dime on the latest crazy scheme that doesn’t make mathematical sense, you might actually have the forethought to sit back and crunch the numbers before jumping in. Having a solid background in math is very much like understanding a very useful and universal language. It is important to start early to be completely fluent, and you’ll be able to communicate difficult concepts with a few simple equations. People in many other countries know the importance of math and work very hard to master it from an early age. Considering the increasing globalization of the economy, you shouldn’t be surprised that you will be competing with many of those hard-working students for jobs by the time you get out of college. And speaking of college, you may want to consider taking extra math just to help make sure you get into the right college. A compelling essay will go a long way on your college entrance applications, but so will a solid background in mathematics. And once you get to college, you won’t have to take loads of remedial math courses just to catch up. And finally, you should take math because you’re cool! You won’t need to explain away why you don’t do numbers for the rest of your life. You’ll be able to help your kids with their math homework, and you will be the one people turn to when they need some creative problem-solving. So now that you know all the great reasons to study math in high school, here are some math classes that you will want to take: Algebra is extremely useful for solving problems. Algebra uses basic arithmetic rules to describe and group things and to discover the value of something unknown (usually represented by a letter in an equation). Algebra is the foundation for many other math subjects. Geometry is the study of the properties of and relationships between points, lines, angles, and surfaces. Geometry uses logic and mathematical laws to describe the physical world and will give you several other important problem solving tools. In trigonometry, you study triangles and trigonometric functions like sine, cosine, and tangent. Trigonometry has real world applications dealing with everything from radio waves and electricity to telescopes and ship navigation. With calculus, you combine everything you've learned about math and take the next step. Calculus uses special symbols and logic to do difficult calculations, like determining the orbit of a space vehicle, or predicting the time it takes a car to stop on a wet road. Calculus is a very powerful tool for solving complex problems. What about you? So do you have a favorite math class? Can you think of other great reasons for taking math? Tell us in the comments below.

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The Hebrew Bible is the cornerstone of the Jewish people. Virtually all Jewish creativity refers to this fundamental text, and it has also left its imprint on Christianity and Islam. The exhibition at the Shrine of the Book Complex represents a journey through time, which, adopting a scholarly-historical approach, traces the evolution of the Book of Books. The upper galleries take the visitor from the oldest extant biblical manuscripts, which were discovered in the Judean Desert, through the story of the sectarians living at Qumran, who attempted to translate the biblical ideals embodied in these texts into a way of life. The lower galleries tell the remarkable tale of the Aleppo Codex – the most accurate manuscript of the Masoretic text and the closest to the text of the printed Hebrew Bibles used today. Generations of scribes and scholars dedicated themselves to copying the Bible, passing on the traditions related to its reading and cantillation, and interpreting its meaning. Those who cherished it did anything in their power to protect it from harm, at times even enduring martyrdom for its sake. Though the motivation for this esteem, which continues until the present day, may take different forms – belief in the divine origins of the biblical text, admiration for the profundity of its ideas, or acknowledgement of its historical cultural importance – one thing remains clear: as long as people continue to inquire about the nature of life and the world in which we live, the Bible will continue to inspire creativity, comfort the troubled, and provide hope for individuals wherever they may be. The Shrine of the Book was built as a repository for the first seven scrolls discovered at Qumran in 1947. This symbolic building, a kind of sanctuary intended to express profound spiritual meaning, is considered an international landmark of modern architecture. Designed by American Jewish architects Armand P. Bartos and Frederic J. Kiesler, it was dedicated in an impressive ceremony on April 20, 1965. Its location next to official institutions of the State of Israel – the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), key government offices, and the Jewish National and University Library – attests to the degree of national importance that has been accorded the ancient texts and the building that preserves them. The white dome symbolizes the lids of the jars in which the first scrolls were found; the contrast between the white dome and the black wall alongside it alludes to the tension evident in the scrolls between the spiritual world of the “Sons of Light” (as the Judean Desert sectarians called themselves) and the “Sons of Darkness” (the sect’s enemies). The corridor leading into the Shrine resembles a cave, recalling the site where the ancient manuscripts were discovered.

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Here, now, are two great whales, laying their heads together; let us join them, and lay together our own. Of the grand order of folio leviathans, the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale are by far the most noteworthy. They are the only whales regularly hunted by man. To the Nantucketer, they present the two extremes of all the known varieties of the whale. As the external difference between them is mainly observable in their heads; and as a head of each is this moment hanging from the Pequod's side; and as we may freely go from one to the other, by merely stepping across the deck:--where, I should like to know, will you obtain a better chance to study practical cetology than here? In the first place, you are struck by the general contrast between these heads. Both are massive enough in all conscience; but there is a certain mathematical symmetry in the Sperm Whale's which the Right Whale's sadly lacks. There is more character in the Sperm Whale's head. As you behold it, you involuntarily yield the immense superiority to him, in point of pervading dignity. In the present instance, too, this dignity is heightened by the pepper and salt colour of his head at the summit, giving token of advanced age and large experience. In short, he is what the fishermen technically call a "grey-headed whale." Let us now note what is least dissimilar in these heads--namely, the two most important organs, the eye and the ear. Far back on the side of the head, and low down, near the angle of either whale's jaw, if you narrowly search, you will at last see a lashless eye, which you would fancy to be a young colt's eye; so out of all proportion is it to the magnitude of the head. Now, from this peculiar sideway position of the whale's eyes, it is plain that he can never see an object which is exactly ahead, no more than he can one exactly astern. In a word, the position of the whale's eyes corresponds to that of a man's ears; and you may fancy, for yourself, how it would fare with you, did you sideways survey objects through your ears. You would find that you could only command some thirty degrees of vision in advance of the straight side-line of sight; and about thirty more behind it. If your bitterest foe were walking straight towards you, with dagger uplifted in broad day, you would not be able to see him, any more than if he were stealing upon you from behind. In a word, you would have two backs, so to speak; but, at the same time, also, two fronts (side fronts): for what is it that makes the front of a man--what, indeed, but his eyes? Moreover, while in most other animals that I can now think of, the eyes are so planted as imperceptibly to blend their visual power, so as to produce one picture and not two to the brain; the peculiar position of the whale's eyes, effectually divided as they are by many cubic feet of solid head, which towers between them like a great mountain separating two lakes in valleys; this, of course, must wholly separate the impressions which each independent organ imparts. The whale, therefore, must see one distinct picture on this side, and another distinct picture on that side; while all between must be profound darkness and nothingness to him. Man may, in effect, be said to look out on the world from a sentry-box with two joined sashes for his window. But with the whale, these two sashes are separately inserted, making two distinct windows, but sadly impairing the view. This peculiarity of the whale's eyes is a thing always to be borne in mind in the fishery; and to be remembered by the reader in some subsequent scenes. A curious and most puzzling question might be started concerning this visual matter as touching the Leviathan. But I must be content with a hint. So long as a man's eyes are open in the light, the act of seeing is involuntary; that is, he cannot then help mechanically seeing whatever objects are before him. Nevertheless, any one's experience will teach him, that though he can take in an undiscriminating sweep of things at one glance, it is quite impossible for him, attentively, and completely, to examine any two things--however large or however small--at one and the same instant of time; never mind if they lie side by side and touch each other. But if you now come to separate these two objects, and surround each by a circle of profound darkness; then, in order to see one of them, in such a manner as to bring your mind to bear on it, the other will be utterly excluded from your contemporary consciousness. How is it, then, with the whale? True, both his eyes, in themselves, must simultaneously act; but is his brain so much more comprehensive, combining, and subtle than man's, that he can at the same moment of time attentively examine two distinct prospects, one on one side of him, and the other in an exactly opposite direction? If he can, then is it as marvellous a thing in him, as if a man were able simultaneously to go through the demonstrations of two distinct problems in Euclid. Nor, strictly investigated, is there any incongruity in this comparison. It may be but an idle whim, but it has always seemed to me, that the extraordinary vacillations of movement displayed by some whales when beset by three or four boats; the timidity and liability to queer frights, so common to such whales; I think that all this indirectly proceeds from the helpless perplexity of volition, in which their divided and diametrically opposite powers of vision must involve them. But the ear of the whale is full as curious as the eye. If you are an entire stranger to their race, you might hunt over these two heads for hours, and never discover that organ. The ear has no external leaf whatever; and into the hole itself you can hardly insert a quill, so wondrously minute is it. It is lodged a little behind the eye. With respect to their ears, this important difference is to be observed between the sperm whale and the right. While the ear of the former has an external opening, that of the latter is entirely and evenly covered over with a membrane, so as to be quite imperceptible from without. Is it not curious, that so vast a being as the whale should see the world through so small an eye, and hear the thunder through an ear which is smaller than a hare's? But if his eyes were broad as the lens of Herschel's great telescope; and his ears capacious as the porches of cathedrals; would that make him any longer of sight, or sharper of hearing? Not at all.--Why then do you try to "enlarge" your mind? Subtilize it. Let us now with whatever levers and steam-engines we have at hand, cant over the sperm whale's head, that it may lie bottom up; then, ascending by a ladder to the summit, have a peep down the mouth; and were it not that the body is now completely separated from it, with a lantern we might descend into the great Kentucky Mammoth Cave of his stomach. But let us hold on here by this tooth, and look about us where we are. What a really beautiful and chaste-looking mouth! from floor to ceiling, lined, or rather papered with a glistening white membrane, glossy as bridal satins. But come out now, and look at this portentous lower jaw, which seems like the long narrow lid of an immense snuff-box, with the hinge at one end, instead of one side. If you pry it up, so as to get it overhead, and expose its rows of teeth, it seems a terrific portcullis; and such, alas! it proves to many a poor wight in the fishery, upon whom these spikes fall with impaling force. But far more terrible is it to behold, when fathoms down in the sea, you see some sulky whale, floating there suspended, with his prodigious jaw, some fifteen feet long, hanging straight down at right-angles with his body, for all the world like a ship's jib-boom. This whale is not dead; he is only dispirited; out of sorts, perhaps; hypochondriac; and so supine, that the hinges of his jaw have relaxed, leaving him there in that ungainly sort of plight, a reproach to all his tribe, who must, no doubt, imprecate lock-jaws upon him. In most cases this lower jaw--being easily unhinged by a practised artist--is disengaged and hoisted on deck for the purpose of extracting the ivory teeth, and furnishing a supply of that hard white whalebone with which the fishermen fashion all sorts of curious articles, including canes, umbrella-stocks, and handles to riding-whips. With a long, weary hoist the jaw is dragged on board, as if it were an anchor; and when the proper time comes--some few days after the other work--Queequeg, Daggoo, and Tashtego, being all accomplished dentists, are set to drawing teeth. With a keen cutting-spade, Queequeg lances the gums; then the jaw is lashed down to ringbolts, and a tackle being rigged from aloft, they drag out these teeth, as Michigan oxen drag stumps of old oaks out of wild wood lands. There are generally forty-two teeth in all; in old whales, much worn down, but undecayed; nor filled after our artificial fashion. The jaw is afterwards sawn into slabs, and piled away like joists for building houses. - According to Melville, what is the meaning in life and what does he tell us about man's ability to understand that meaning? just some... - Identify Melville's intent and discuss important ideas in Moby Dick. - Why does Ishmael alone survive at the end of Melville's Moby Dick? - How do you imitate Melville's method of description? I am writing an essay to describe something using Melville's method. - In Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick, how are Ishmael's views about religion affected by his friendship with... Test Your Knowledge

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Hurricane Joan's passage westward across Nicaragua is a story of extremes. Joan built up strength as it moved across the Caribbean Sea until it came ashore at the town of Bluefields on Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast. The hurricane threw everything it had at Bluefields and Corn Island. Now there is nothing left of either community. The material damage left in the hurricane's wake is more than that left by the 1972 earthquake, more than that wrought by Somoza's bombing of the cities during the 1979 insurrection, more than that inflicted by seven years of contra war. And Nicaraguans, who have almost nothing, are giving everything they can. While it is an exaggeration to say Nicaraguans have given the shirts off their backs, it may not be exaggerated to say that many Nicaraguans have each given their only spare shirt. The Tuesday after the weekend disaster young men from the disabled veterans organization arrived at a Red Cross post with 17 pairs of church. Two children showed up at a church in the poor neighborhood of Ciudad Sandino with a tiny bundle of clothes and a donation of some 30 cents. Women in the Managua barrio of Adolfo Reyes cooked food for the refugees packed into their churches, the few buildings there that could be trusted to withstand the storm. At Red Cross headquarters in Managua volunteers sorted mountains of donated goods. At one end of the room bags of second-hand clothes rose like the nearby volcanic cone of Momotombo. In the center was Momotombito, the volcano’s smaller island neighbor, a hill of well-used shoes. These were not the fine cast-offs nor the unsaleable new lines that are given to relief agencies in the developed world, but the scuffed and down-at-heel shoes of the poor being passed on to someone in even greater need. In contrast to the speed of Nicaraguans' response, support from many western nations has been slow in coming, especially given the scale of the disaster. The international relief is neither sufficient nor has it been dispatched quickly enough, said the chairman of the National Emergency Committee, Social Welfare Minister Reynaldo Téfel. Preliminary official figures give 116 dead from the hurricane, 110 missing and 178 seriously injured. But without the comprehensive civil defense effort that evacuated almost 325,000 people, these tolls could have been much higher. Some 187,000 people were left homeless. Perhaps even more significant, in its long-term impact on the Nicaraguan people, is the damage to the economy. Agricultural production has been crippled in many regions, including direct damage to crops and infrastructure. Agricultural Vice Minister Salvador Mayorga estimates a loss of 1989 exports equaling 20-25% of last year's total. Fishing boats, roads, bridges and warehouses were destroyed across a wide sweep of the country. Years of development work were wiped out in a weekend. While there’s no good moment to be struck by a hurricane, for Nicaragua Joan's timing was particularly devastating. Nicaragua is a poor country made poorer by seven years of the US-sponsored contra war and over three years of an economic embargo by the United States. It does not have the resources to rebuild and, with the embargo and US pressures on the World Bank and the IMF, it has virtually no access to many sources of international funds. Acting without such assistance, Nicaragua was in the midst of a painful economic restructuring process when the hurricane hit. The most positive sign of economic change had been the mid-year resurgence in agricultural production; there were big increases in the area planted in basic grains, meat exports had risen and there were high hopes for the important coffee crop. These positive features have now been flooded, crushed or blown away. The double tragedy is that this has happened to Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, since the revolution, people have hoped and worked for more than just relief from poverty. This disaster has struck a country where the government is actively committed to finding ways in which its poor majority can work constructively to cease being helpless victims of poverty or disaster. The government's development goals mesh closely with those of many international aid and development agencies and the government has struggled to meet those goals despite the costs imposed on it by the contra war. Over the last year, Nicaragua has redoubled its ongoing efforts to reach a dignified peace, a prelude to reconstruction. But now, after the hurricane, Nicaragua must fight just to survive. Can it? Yes. The commitment exists, within the government and among the Nicaraguan people. But reconstruction after war and tempest will require a special kind of international aid effort. There is no feast here for the international media, were they inclined to report it. The more heartrending signs of abject poverty don’t exist to draw sympathy and checks from an international viewing audience. Here what are most at risk are a model for third-world development and hope for change. These are abstract concepts, hard to capture on film but very real in the lives of Nicaraguans, in the rural cooperatives and schools and health centers. A new rescue mission is needed, not mass media but mass action, drawing on the reservoir of inspiration that the Nicaraguan revolution has generated around the world in more than a decade of struggle. The build-up and the big blowJoan was an unusual hurricane. It moved west across the southern Caribbean Sea instead of going north or northwest the way hurricanes normally do. As a consequence, few ever menace Nicaragua. Joan was the first to do so since Hurricane Fifi in 1974 and tropical storm Irene three years earlier. On October 18, Nicaraguan meteorologists issued a national alert that Joan had grown to hurricane strength and was heading straight for the Atlantic Coast. The following day, the government declared a national emergency, giving them effective control over information relating to the hurricane, and activated the National Emergency Committee. Then Joan stalled for a day, a mixed blessing. It probably increased the strength of the hurricane but also gave Nicaraguans an extra day to prepare. Prepare they did. The army, the Ministry of the Interior (which mobilized 2,000 people in Managua alone the night of the hurricane), the Red Cross, state workers, FSLN activists and members of the country's mass organizations, such as trade unions and neighborhood committees, were quickly mobilized, carrying out the brunt of preparatory work and actual evacuations. Their work saved hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives. Sandinista comandantes and civil defense advisers were dispatched to Bluefields and towns in the likely path of the hurricane. In Bluefields, a three-day supply of food, medicine and other emergency items was collected and stored as safely from damage as possible. More than 1,300 tons of medicine and food were distributed nationwide in the two days before the hurricane hit. On October 21, the country's emergency broadcast system went into effect. The special programming, heard across the radio dial, broadcast constant weather updates and warned people that the storm was likely to hit with an intensity never before seen in Nicaragua. People living in low-lying areas were urged to evacuate, and advised of the location of refugee centers being set up across the country. Nearly 325,000 people were evacuated across the country (close to one in ten of all Nicaraguans), including over 100,000 in and around Managua, and some 60,000 from the southern Atlantic Coast. As of October 28, almost a week later, 60,000 people nationwide were still in temporary refugee shelters. Many people had been reluctant to move to the shelters, some taken in by assertions broadcast on contra radio stations that the hurricane threat was exaggerated or a hoax, others fearing their few belongings could be stolen if their houses were left unattended. Those who made eleventh-hour decisions to take refuge in local centers were assisted by the emergency crews who continued to work through most of the hurricane, even at great personal risk. The air force evacuated 11,000 people at the last minute, in the teeth of the advancing storm. The radio linkup was the heart and soul of the civil defense effort. It broadcast crucial information and helped to maintain calm, especially after Saturday night fell with most of the country without electricity and the storm heading towards Managua. Hurricanes often take their time. Joan spun furiously with winds of more than 150 miles per hour but advanced across Nicaragua at only 5 to 12 miles per hour. Corn Island was hit with Joan's first winds on Friday afternoon and it was not until early Sunday morning that the storm rumbled off into the Pacific Ocean. The radio network tracked it all the way. It broadcast Comandante William Ramirez based in Bluefields speaking with President Ortega by radio at about 1:30 Saturday morning as the storm's full force struck the town. Then even radio contact was lost. As Bluefields took a battering the band played on—reggae, calypso and soca from the Atlantic Coast, normally joyful music that, in the circumstances, sounded like a dirge. On Saturday night, radio brought listeners the impassioned pleas of Daniel Ortega urging people to stay in their houses or, if they were in danger, to go to the nearest refuge. He stressed that people could replace their belongings but that Nicaragua could not replace its people. Then, just before midnight, Comandante Omar Cabezas, popular head of the national organization of neighborhood committees and author of a best-selling book on his life as a Sandinista guerrilla, was the author of an inspired moment. He asked everyone listening—Christians, church leaders, all Nicaraguans and foreigners who reside in Nicaragua—to pray "for our brothers and sisters on the Atlantic Coast...and for Nicaragua.” “When 'el muchacho' did that we were very touched.... It made us feel calm and not so alone,” said Concepción Martínez, a cook from the Villa Cuba Libre neighborhood in Managua. President Ortega and his brother, Defense Minister Humberto Ortega, traveled through the most vulnerable of Managua’s barrios on Saturday evening (the President had flown to Bluefields the day before and would go again the day after). The fact that the President (whom people referred to as “Danielito” as they spoke with him that night) had visited was helpful in convincing some people to leave who were otherwise inclined to pooh-pooh the danger. Eighty thousand in Managua were temporarily evacuated as hundreds of rescue workers transported people to the shelters, distributed food, and in more than one case, made human chains to rescue people from certain drowning as drainage ditches turned into raging rivers in a matter of minutes with the torrential rains. The AftermathBy Sunday morning heavy rains on the Pacific Coast were all that remained of the hurricane. The devastation left behind was only revealed on a region-by-region basis over the following days. There was a little good news: Managua had been spared the worst of the storm and the national death toll had clearly been kept down by the massive civil defense effort. From there on the new got worse. Corn Island was leveled by the 150-mph winds and all of its 7,50 residents lost their homes. On Saturday morning, a radio-telephone conversation between President Ortega and Ray Hooker, a coast FSLN delegate to the National Assembly who was stationed on Corn Island, was the first time most Nicaraguans realized the true ferocity of the hurricane. "The situation is very difficult," reported Hooker. "There is not a single house with its roof on the island. Promar, the only seafood processing plant, was destroyed, as were the schools and the only clinic. All the churches and the stores were also destroyed. "Ninety-five percent of the fruit and non-fruit trees were downed by the intensity of the winds. The hurricane lashed us for 14 hours, from three in the afternoon yesterday until five o'clock this morning. There are still intense rains, the population needs medicines, and we have only one doctor.... I lived through the 72 earthquake in Managua and this was much worse." In Bluefields there was a similar tally of wreckage: 90% of houses destroyed; schools and government offices 90% destroyed; the hospital, post office, communications, electric plant and major fishing company facilities all damaged or destroyed. Bluefields had disappeared; its 43,000 residents were homeless. It was a hard idea to get across. When resident Moisés Hernández told a reporter, “All of Bluefields is destroyed,” he was asked, “Which barrios?” “Everything, everything, everything,” came the reply. The field of destruction was so expansive it defied even the widest angled lens. No buildings were undamaged; some, like the Bluefields Public Library, the old Standard Fruit warehouse and hundreds of homes, were simply gone—melded into the public domain of timbers and twisted sheets of corrugated zinc roofing that lay several feet deep everywhere. To the horror of those who took refuge inside seemingly strong churches and government buildings, not even cement withstood the 12-hour battering. When nails could hold no longer, the zinc popped off like buttons, then the acoustical ceiling panels were sucked out and the wooden roof frame flew off. If there were no concrete girders, the unsupported walls undulated visibly and finally collapsed. One woman, who escaped her house only moments before it collapsed and then struggled through the wind, rain, and flying debris to a refuge only to have part of it cave in, gave birth at some point in the endless night. The Red Cross, charged with distributing government and other provisions, immediately designated posts in each of the barrios and quickly developed a census of most of the remaining families, which changed daily. By the week's end, people were receiving 15-day supplies from the government's stock of rice, beans, soap and sugar, Cuban donations of condensed milk, oil, and canned tuna and juices. Others were at the Ministry of Health Post, which was giving typhoid shots. The traditional hostility of older Creoles toward the government had been fanned by contra radio reports that the army was stealing food, and some blamed the Cuban milk rather than the fouled water for the children's diarrhea. But President Ortega’s visits right before and after the storm touched many. At El Rama the rivers rose 46 feet and stayed high for days. When they receded, much of the town had been destroyed. Two days after the water level had dropped, Mayor Samuel Mejía told a group of visiting aid agency representatives that 25,000 people had been seriously affected in the town and surrounding area. About 5,000 homes and food for 10,000 families for 6 months are needed. The dock, the transfer point for goods going by road and river from Managua to Bluefields, has disappeared. The school has lost its roof, the special school and the high school are destroyed, the bank and the warehouses are gone. Around Mejla the houses of the town were in disarray: some without roofs, others with walls missing, some leaning, others fallen, some lifted and dropped in the middle of the road, others reduced to a small wet woodpile. Mud was everywhere. The town was monochromatic brown. A once two-story building rose from the chaos. The tidemark covered the first floor but above this was the wind's work. On the upper story only two walls remained, providing a splash of blue to the encompassing brown. A woman in a ripped green nylon skirt and gray blouse too big for her, clutching her small bag of possessions, said she had refused to leave, and been badly knocked about by the hurricane. She showed bruises on her thigh but kept repeating that the worst was a tree branch that came through the house and hit her on the chest. She seemed in shock. A man, working to salvage something from the ruins of his house, said: "The army, the MINT [Ministry of the Interior] and the Red Cross, they are the ones who did the most here. That has to be acknowledged, they have to be thanked.” Extensive areas of Region V were either flooded or affected by high winds. Whole towns, including Acoyapa, Santo Domingo, Villa Sandino and La Gateada, were virtually wiped out. Eighty percent of the region’s houses lost their roofs, 90% of the bean and corn crop was lost and 100,000 acres of forest were destroyed. Two regions lying out of the direct path of the hurricane were particularly badly hit by flooding. Damages sustained in coffee—rich Region VI (Jinotega-Matagalpa), threaten the country’s already weakened economy. Forty-eight lives were lost, 10 bridges (including one of lost, 10 bridges (including one of the country’s most strategic) washed out, and 365 miles of roadway was rendered unusable. The loss of roads and bridges may make it impossible to harvest much of the region’s essential coffee crop, now prematurely ripening. In Region IV, in the hills west of the town of Rivas there was especially heavy flooding. Some 34,000 acres of crops were destroyed and 23 people were killed. “The river betrayed us,” said one peasant. Health and education infrastructure, already stretched to the limit, was also affected. Nationally 339 schools have been destroyed, 110 in the southern region of the Atlantic Coast, and 190 health centers and 18 local health posts were damaged. The relief effortRelief efforts were underway even before the hurricane arrived, with aid solicited through advance brief aid solicited through advance briefing for members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of international aid organizations. It was the Cubans who got their goods to Nicaragua first and kept them coming. By Saturday afternoon, before Joan had reached Managua, the first planeload of Cuban supplies was being unloaded at Bluefields. Twenty-three planeloads later, Cuban aid is still arriving. Others have joined in. The Swedish government has donated $3 million, the West Germans (government and churches), $2 million. The Soviets have promised 11,000 tons of rice and a boatload of supplies from the Soviet Red Cross and planeloads of aid are expected or have arrived from a host of other countries, including Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, the European Economic Community, France, Great Britain, Italy, Panama, Spain, Switzerland and Uruguay. The number of donations is impressive but, in the face of what is needed or what has been given in the past after other disasters, the mountain proves to be little more than a foothill. Wascar Lanzas, deputy director of ENABAS, the agency charged with distribution of basic foods, says there is simply not enough aid to meet Nicaragua's basic food needs. One country, the United States, is noticeably absent from any list of donors, and many of the western countries' donations have been minimal in comparison with previous contributions. When Hurricane Gilbert recently hit Jamaica, President Reagan promptly promised more than $125 million in food, medical supplies and communications equipment, and sent teams of experts to help with reconstruction. The White House declared the US would not provide aid to Nicaragua, charging that the Sandinista government could not be trusted to use the assistance for disaster relief. US congressional aid for victims of the contra war was rejected by the Nicaraguan government and the National Assembly earlier in October for the simple reason that the aid was voted in a package designed to keep the contras in the field and fighting. To the Nicaraguans it seemed highly cynical to pay for the fighting and then want to also care for the victims—a case of having your war and feeling good about it too. President Ortega welcomed all relief aid for the hurricane but emphasized again that “the best and only humanitarian aid the United States could give us would be to stop its terrorist policies against Nicaragua.” US solidarity and aid organizations have been much more forthcoming, with Quest for Peace and Oxfam (US) leading the way. Quest for Peace launched a fundraising drive for $10 million and Oxfam has been advertising for funds in major US daily newspapers. Nicaragua Network, Operation California and the US Catholic Conference have also contributed, among others. Some one hundred European NGOs are currently working to raise relief aid. The United Nations’ World Food Program donated 900 tons of food. But in general, NGO representatives in Nicaragua report that fundraising is difficult at present because it has been a relatively busy year for natural disasters in the Third World. In Nicaragua, relief efforts began immediately with collections in the cities on the Pacific plain for money, clothes and other goods. As Managua taxi driver Walter Herrera described it: "I'm no Sandinista but since the revolution, with the autonomy thing, the people, well, we're equal, they are our people, they're like us, we're all part of the same country. The two coasts used to be two countries. It's now our responsibility to help them." This spirit was at large in Nicaraguan society. Christian base communities in Managua took responsibility for feeding and caring for many refugees. They collected food and clothing and organized children's gamed in the refugee centers. All of the Sandinista delegates to the National Assembly donated 30% of their pay for October and their monthly subsidy of rice, beans and sugar. Various groups of workers donated a day's pay. Managua's rival baseball teams, the Boors and the Dantos, played a game to raise funds for the coast, while students at the Central American University put on a benefit concert. Overall responsibility for distribution of money and supplies rests with the National Emergency Committee, formed in 1982 to deal with that year's severe flooding. The committee is made up of representatives from international agencies in Nicaragua, including the UN, UNICEF, the International Red Cross, the Pan American Health Organization and UNHCR; international NGOs such as Care and Oxfam; national NGOs, including Caritas, the Protestant development agency CEPAD, the Nicaraguan Red Cross, international aid coordinator FACS, the UNAN and UPOLI universities, the Lions Club, Catholic development agency Juan XXIII, and the CST and ATC unions; and state institutions, such as the Ministry of Social Welfare, Civil Defense, the Sandinista Police, the Foreign Cooperation Ministry and the Ministry of Health. CEPAD representative Milton Argüello noted that the purpose of the committee is "to coordinate the aid, to know what resources are available, which organizations can respond to which particular need. But each organization continues to do its own work. Things are coordinated, but not centrally controlled.” He stressed that the committee is "very pluralistic, the government has invited everyone to participate." This committee is worlds away from its namesake set up after an earthquake destroyed the center of Managua in 1972. "A National Emergency Committee, set up under President Somoza's control and run by the National Guard, institutionalized the misappropriation of emergency relief. Realizing that relief supplies were being siphoned off and sold by the National Guard, Oxfam's field director talked Mrs. Somoza into giving permission to bypass the official distribution system. This meant waiting in the aircraft control tower for the right plane to be spotted, then careering onto the tarmac to get the trucks loaded before the National Guard arrived on the scene."* *From D. Melrose, Nicaragua: “The Threat of a Good Example,” Oxfam Public affairs Unit, Oxfam, Oxford, UK 1985, pp. 6-7 This time Oxfam defends the government. In response to suggestions in the US that the Sandinistas cannot be trusted, James Dawson, Oxfam’s director for overseas development, said, "We have worked with the government and would have no problem delivering aid through that channel." Non-meteorological attacksNational emergencies present a challenge to any government opposition; it is hard to oppose government efforts to save lives, and organize relief and reconstruction. Often more is to be gained by pitching in and helping; the relief work of El Salvador's FMLN rebels after the 1986 earthquake is an example. But the Reagan Administration, the contras and some members of the internal opposition chose to actively obstruct relief efforts. Shortly after Joan's passage, the Voice of America broadcast reports suggesting the "international community" doubted that aid money would be spent wisely. Similar views, all without supporting evidence, have been widely aired by La Prensa and contra radio stations beaming into Nicaragua. As the first news came in, of the destruction in the Atlantic Coast, President Ortega bridled at a US State Department warning to his government not to commit human rights abuses during the state of emergency. "To speak this way with authority they must stop committing abuses like those they have committed over the last eight years against the Nicaraguan people." This brought another salvo from Washington. Richard Weldon, president of Operation California, a group organizing material aid to Nicaraguan victims of the hurricane, told the Los Angeles Times that the US government was deliberately hindering private aid efforts. "The air force frequently transports, for free, assistance collected by charitable organizations in catastrophes,” Weldon said, but “this time they told us the political instructions were: ‘no aid.’” White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater expressed fear that Ortega’s government would use aid funds against the contras. The contras, for their part, ambushed a Red Cross ambulance taking a sick child from Nueva Guinea to Juigalpa at about 1 am on Saturday, October 22, just before the hurricane hit; the driver and two passengers were wounded. It was the second ambulance attack in three days. The day before the hurricane hit Bluefields, La Prensa, in an editorial titled “The Militarization of the Hurricane,” countered the widespread calls for volunteer efforts in work-places and barrios, arguing that the civil defense efforts had been taken over by the “frigid, bureaucratic, inefficient state military HQ, which always arrives late and does things badly.” Three days later, the paper did an about-face: “This is not the hour to be political, but to help the victims.” It called for the establishment of a national commission made up of representatives from the government, the Catholic Church, opposition parties and COSEP, the opposition business council. COSEP, which stopped participating in the National Emergency Committee long before the hurricane, said it would not offer help unless asked officially. President Ortega then reiterated that anyone who wished to participate could join the committee, including those business people who “are truly ready to contribute to this emergency situation.” Indeed many sectors of Nicaraguan society, including those opposed to the revolution, have joined forces with the government and contributed substantially to the relief drive, most notably the Red Cross, but also school children and Explorers, the Lions' Club, Catholic and Protestant churches. Bishops Barni and Schlaefer, as well as Cardinal Obando, issued a call for their parishioners to aid^ in relief work and reconstruction. Meanwhile, contra attacks continue. The hurricane itself has wiped out many old contra targets such as bridges, schools and health centers, but now there are relief convoys and the important coffee harvest to disrupt. On the morning of October 29, in their worst attack since the signing of the Sapoá peace accords on March 23, the contras killed nine civilians traveling in a passenger bus near San Juan del Rio Coco. The same day, they ambushed a military truck delivering food to hurricane victims in La Esperanza, killing a soldier and wounding two young civilians. The Honduran army stepped up attacks on the Nicaraguan border, even attacking border posts the night the hurricane hit. On October 28, President Ortega had issued a warning, based on intercepted radio reports, of the imminent incursion of 3,000 newly outfitted contras into Nicaragua, taking advantage of the disaster caused by the hurricane. ReconstructionBeyond the immediate problems of having to feed, clothe and shelter almost 200,000 homeless lies the need to rebuild. Some of this work has already begun, even though a full assessment of the damage to the country's economic resources has still to be completed. Enough is known to realize Nicaragua's situation, in both the short and long term, is very grave. Recovery depends on getting people back into production as quickly as possible. The two immediate priorities are getting the coffee out and getting the next planting of basic grains in. Coffee exports bring in half the country's export earnings. But much of the coffee crop is grown in the central highlands where roads and bridges have been destroyed. The first job is to repair these so the crop can be brought out. The second task is to organize coffee-picking brigades from the cities and other parts of the country. To restore basic grain production in Region V, the Agricultural Ministry plans to put together a simple package of seeds, tools and kitchen utensils for peasants so they can start sowing for the next harvest. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization will assist with 40 tons of beans for seed. The government can also be expected to provide abundant credit for farmers in Regions V and VI. This will add to the inflationary impact of the hurricane but is needed to get fanners back into production quickly. Both these priorities might delay housing replacement. Dionisio Marenco, head of the FSLN's information department, has said that people on the Atlantic Coast may have to wait for a new house simply because without road repairs there will not be much of a coffee harvest, and without a coffee harvest there will never be replacement housing. President Ortega expressed particular concern about the impact of the hurricane on Nicaragua's ecological balance, given the devastation wrought on tropical forests, which may be lost forever. He issued a call for ecological experts and representatives of European parties concerned with the environment, such as the West German Greens, to come evaluate the situation and offer plans for recovery. The government plans to continue using army trucks and air force helicopters and planes for relief work, although an upsurge in contra attacks may severely limit the availability of equipment and men. There are other restrictions on any rebuilding program for the Atlantic Coast. Access is especially difficult. The road to Rama has been damaged, the wharf at Rama has been destroyed as have been many of the river boats, and if one could get to Bluefields—where the wharf has also been damaged—there .are no warehouses to store goods. The major link is Bluefields’ small airstrip, but Nicaragua has few planes with which to deliver supplies. Consideration is being given to establishing a sea or air bridge between Bluefields and Puerto Lim6n in Costa Rica. But where does the job begin in Bluefields? There is neither electricity nor enough water. Electrical generators and well-drilling gear are needed as are tents, food and storage facilities. The lack of basic facilities rules out the possibility of bringing outside teams in to mount a large-scale construction effort. On a larger scale there is the thorny question of the impact the hurricane has on this year’s economic reform packages. It could cause a reversal in the direction of the reforms, perhaps at considerable political cost to the government. The changes were intended to increase exports and agricultural production and to reduce the government’s deficit. The hurricane has damaged production and puts pressure on the government to increase its spending. It is possible, if production of basic grains falls drastically and the shortfall is not made up with donations, that Nicaragua will have to retreat from its trend towards free market policies and return to rationing basic food supplies. Other goals of the economic reforms may also have to be reversed. This would not just be economic fine-tuning. The harsh austerity measures of 1988 had been threatening for many years but had been delayed as long as possible to give the government the chance to consolidate its position, especially to take control of the contra war. To make the economic changes carried out this year, the government has had to mortgage some of its political popularity. The urban poor have been hit especially hard. If it now had to reverse direction, having inflicted the economic pain without much of the gain, the political cost would be greater. Why this is an international disasterThe success of Nicaragua’s civil defense effort in limiting the death toll presents it own problems. Crudely speaking, there aren’t enough deaths to turn this into a gripping international disaster story. For many aid and development agencies, Hurricane Joan is just another natural disaster in a busy year for disasters—and, at that, not a particularly newsworthy one. And without a surge of international public sympathy, big relief funds are hard to gather. For Nicaragua, Joan is obviously not "just another disaster.” And in several very important ways, this is not just another disaster for the rest of the world. The hurricane represents an enormous challenge for the Nicaraguan revolution. At best, it will be overcome with the mix of commitment, principle and pragmatism that has become a Sandinista trademark. At worst, the damage done by Hurricane Joan, coming on top of the war and the US embargo, threatens to do long-term damage to the revolution. This is a turning point. The Nicaraguan people will take up the challenge but international aid agencies and solidarity groups also have essential contributions to make. The hurricane's effects go far beyond Nicaragua. The survival* of the Nicaraguan revolution is at stake, and the Nicaraguan revolution occupies a special place on the world stage. Although battered and bruised it is still struggling to develop a mixed economy, maintain political pluralism and to have, if not full independence, at least a diversified dependence on the larger and richer nations. Nicaragua is not the "good example" it promised to be or may still become. It has been too undermined by the enormous cost of the war for that. But it remains an important symbol of the much wider struggle of small countries to take control of their own destiny. Nicaragua is particularly significant to aid agencies because its government is committed to the interests of the majority. Aid agencies and solidarity groups find themselves in the all too rare situation of working with, rather than against or apart from, a government. A survey of the experience of western development agencies in Nicaragua makes the point: "For many development agencies, the important difference in Nicaragua today is that there is a considerable degree of coherence between their own development policy and that of the Nicaraguan government. For both, the task of development includes meeting the basic needs of the poor majority of the population—in health, education, housing, and food production."* Aid agencies have been able to work with Nicaragua's committed, not corrupted civil service in a relationship with the government quite different from the paternalistic relationships of the past. *Aid That Counts—The Western Contribution to Development and Survival in Nicaragua, by Solon Barraclough, Ariane van Buren, Alicia Gariazzo, Anjali Sundaram and Peter Utting; Transnational Institute (Holland) and Coordinadora Regional de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales, pp. 98-101. Hurricane Joan puts at risk the ability of the Nicaraguan revolution to carry out the dream of a better life for its people. A government with humane and equitable development policies has been threatened by seven years of war, trade and credit embargoes, and the flight of its professionals brought on by economic decline. Without an outpouring of aid not only for relief but for development, the hurricane may be the burden that tips the balance. It destroys people’s lives and productive capacity, reverses the few economic advances made this year, puts an unbearable strain on family and government finances and threatens to rob people of hope. And if the Nicaraguan people are robbed of hope, then we are all robbed of hope. That is why this big disaster in such small country will have an impact reaching far beyond its borders. JUANA, LA HURACANA We have to pick up the pieces of everything that was destroyed. Because this people was born To overcome hardship Not to be overcome by it. —refrain of Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy’s hurricane song, written hours after the storm.

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Studies suggest that only 31% of Europe is thought to have a water supply that is either plentiful or sufficient to meet demands until 2015, and water stress indexes show a number of countries with traditionally wet climates such as Belgium and Bulgaria, under significant water stress. Therefore, there is both a desire and a need to reduce the consumption of water over much of Europe. For industry, often economics determine the viability of water recycling, which does not necessarily fall under the standards currently being set for the major water reuse schemes. While the additional annual recycling capacity in Western Europe is set to increase by 10%, much of the Global market is focussed on major reuse facilities based on the municipal sector. Within the industrial sector there are opportunities to achieve major changes in the water cycle which can have a significant impact on total water consumption. The impact on regional water consumption by industries efforts can be massive, as industry accounts for 50% of the water consumption in Western Europe. When benchmarked data across industry sectors is analysed, we find that industries ranging from paper mills, dairy, beverage, ceramic and electronics have opportunities to reduce their water consumption by around 50%. But what are the mechanisms that drive actions in the industry water cycle, and how great can the impact be? This paper explores industrial water costs across Europe, and the drivers leading to reduced water consumption. As operators of water and wastewater facilities for many industrial customers across Europe, Ondeo Industrial Solutions examine the raw water costs and the viability of recycle schemes. Economics is not the only driver towards the reduction in water consumption on industrial sites. There are political and legislative drivers that can often override the economics such as the European PPC (Pollution Prevention and Control) directive that can often lead to a programme of water consumption reductions. Water Science and Technology: Water Supply is published as an adjunct to Water Science and Technology, in 6 issues per year, covering new developments in water supply. Papers are selected by a rigorous peer review procedure and the journal publi » Read more

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A diverse fauna is also found in this relatively high rainfall region. However, the region around Perth is heavily developed and much of this region has already been cleared. While there are several large protected areas in the region, continued development, habitat fragmentation, dieback disease, and inappropriate fire regimes are serious threats. Location and General Description South of Perth down to Cape Naturaliste, the Swan Coastal Plain forms a low-lying belt 25 kilometers (km) to 30 km wide, bordered to the east by the Darling Scarp and the Precambrian Yilgarn Block. The Swan Coastal Plain is covered by shoreline and associated dune deposits from the Pleistocene and Holocene that overlie Paleozoic and Neogene deposits of the Perth Basin. The Plain also includes large microtidal estuarine systems, such as the Swan-Canning Estuary and a number of lakes cut off from the sea by barrier dunes. The Swan Coastal Plain is transected by rivers flowing west from the Darling Plateau, and interspersed by wetlands. Progressing inland from the coast, coastal dunes with scrub-heath communities give way to woodlands. Kwongan (an Aboriginal term for heath-like vegetation), eucalypt, and Banksia low woodlands occur on the soils of the coastal dunes. Generally, kwongan scrub heath grows on sandy plains and swales and on lateritic upland soils while mallee eucalyptus woodland grows on duplex soils of upper valley slopes. Open heath favors drier areas, while a better water table allows the development of eucalypt shrubs. Scrub-heath species include Banksia attenuata and B. menziesii with Casuarina spp. and E. todtiana. Christmas trees (Nuytsia floribunda) become locally dominant in drier areas. Shrubs are present, largely in wetter areas, with Acacia, Adenanthos, Banksia, Casuarina, Dryandra, Grevillea, and Hakea species found here. Eucalypt woodlands can be found on the sandy loams, loams, and heavy loams on lower slopes and valley floors. Tall tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) forests grow at the southern end of the Swan Coastal Plain. Tuart usually occurs in monospecific stands, but can also be found with E. decipiens and/or E. cornuta. In the south, pure stands grow with peppermint (Agonis flexuosa), while in the north, peppermint is replaced by small Banksia trees and Casuarina fraserana. Now largely cleared, marri (Eucalyptus calophylla)–kingia (Kingia australis) woodlands grow on heavy soils of the Swan Coastal Plain, and marri–grass tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii) woodlands and shrublands also grow on the Swan Coastal Plain. Western Australia contains approximately 12,000 angiosperms (half of Australia's total flora), 75 percent of which are endemic to the southwestern region. The southwestern Mediterranean climate regions are estimated to contain 8,000 species, with three quarters endemic. Finally, the Swan Coastal Plain is estimated to contain more than 2,000 species. Several large genera, such as Banksia, Caladenia, and Leucopogon, have the centers of their distribution in the Mediterranean climate, southwestern region. Other genera are wholly restricted to the southwestern region, including Dryandra and Synaphea. Endemism is highest at the species level, and there are few endemic plant families. Mediterranean-climate vegetation shows a variety of adaptations to the poor soils, summer drought, and fires. The Christmas tree is a root parasite, the only member of the Mistletoe family to grow as a tree. Three quarters of the world's carnivorous Drosera species are found in Western Australia, many of them in the kwongan and sandplain heaths, obtaining nitrogen and phosphorus from the insects they capture. Also noteworthy, approximately 15 percent of southwestern wildflowers are vertebrate pollinated. Vertebrate pollinators include the western pygmy possum (Cercartetus concinnus) and honey possums (Tarsipes rostratus), the only mammal apart from some bats to subsist entirely on nectar and pollen. Other mammals found in this ecoregion include tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii), which were widely distributed in this ecoregion prior to European settlement, but remain offshore on Garden Island. In Western Australia the tammar wallaby lives among bushes of Gastrolobium bilobum, a fire-dependent, nitrogen-fixing legume that allows the growth of grasses, which are rare in the southwestern forested regions. Tammar wallabies feed on these grasses. Rottnest Island lies 18 kilometers (km) offshore of Perth and harbors a stable population of quokkas (Setonix brachyurus VU), probably because there are no foxes. Heathland and wildflower habitats contain a rich avifauna, especially among the honey-eaters. Other birds found in this ecoregion include the western thornbill (Acanthiza inornata), and the short-billed black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris EN) which inhabits sandplain woodlands and mallee, and the long-billed black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus baudinii) which is found in open eucalypt woodland and farmland. Seasonal wetlands (dry in the summer and wet in winter) are the most diverse habitat on the Swan Coastal Plain, and 16 out of 30 major floristic communities occur in wetlands. Coastal and near-coastal areas the next richest, containing 7 major communities. The junction between the Swan Coastal Plain and the Darling Scarp is biologically diverse with relatively fertile soils, granite outcrops, and unusual clay-based ephemeral swamps. These swamps provide habitat for the critically endangered western swamp tortoise (Pseudemydura umbrina) which is found only in this ecoregion and may be Australia's rarest reptile. It appears to be restricted to shallow, ephemeral swamps over the clay soils of the Swan River Valley. The region around Perth is known for a diverse herpetofauna, including 16 frogs, two freshwater turtles, 51 lizards, and 24 snakes. Nearly 80 percent of the Swan Coastal Plain has been cleared. Sandplain heathlands near Perth have almost entirely been converted as the urban center expands. Urban expansion reaches as far east as the Darling Scarp and has spread in a north-south direction as well. A number of Swan Coastal Plain woodland communities are listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act: marri (Eucalyptus calophylla)–kingia (Kingia australis) woodlands on heavy soils, marri (Eucalyptus calophylla)–grass tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii) woodlands, and shrublands, shrublands, and woodlands of the eastern Swan Coastal Plain, shrublands and woodlands on Muchea Limestone of the Swan Coastal Plain, and shrublands and woodlands on Perth to Gingin ironstone. Protected areas in this ecoregion include the Hills Forest conservation area which comprises five national parks (John Forrest, Gooseberry Hill, Greenmount, Kalamunda, and Lesmurdie Falls) and the Mount Dale Conservation Park. This ecoregion has a lower percentage of land in protected areas than the Jarrah-Karri forest and shrublands and Southwest Australia woodlands ecoregions. Types and Severity of Threats Continuing urban expansion and human use are severe threats. Proteaceae are susceptible to dieback disease caused by Phytophthora spp, and its spread through the wildflower heathlands is a serious concern. Too frequent fires may significantly alter plant species distributions. Fires poses a different threat on the coastal plain than they do in forests; on the coastal plain they are commonly the agent for woodland invasion by weeds. Justification of Ecoregion Delineation This ecoregion occupies the Swan Coastal Plain, bounded by the ocean to the west and by the Yilgarn Block to the east. It has the same boundary as the 'Swan Coastal Plain' Interim Biogeographic Region of Australia (IBRA). Additional Information on this Ecoregion - For a shorter summary of this entry, see the WWF WildWorld profile of this ecoregion. - To see the species that live in this ecoregion, including images and threat levels, see the WWF Wildfinder description of this ecoregion. - World Wildlife Fund Homepage - Beadle, N. C. W. 1981. The Vegetation of Australia. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom. ISBN: 0521241952 - Beard, J. S. 1995. South-west Botanical Province. Pages 484–489 in S. D. Davis, V. H. Heywood and A. C. Hamilton. editors. Centres of Plant Diversity. Volume 2. Asia, Australasia, and the Pacific. WWF/IUCN, IUCN Publications Unit, Cambridge, UK. ISBN: 2831701988 - Cogger, H., E. Cameron, R. Sadlier, and P. Eggler. 1993. The action plan for Australian reptiles. Australian Nature Conservation Agency. Sydney, Australia. - Environment Australia. 2001. Land management: firewood, woodlands. Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Viewed on October 10, 2001. - Hilton-Taylor, C. 2000. The IUCN 2000 Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, United Kingdom. ISBN: 2831705657 - Hopper, S. D., M. S. Harvey, J. A. Chappill, A. R. Main, and B. Y. Main. 1996. The western Australian biota as Gondwanan heritage – a review. Pages 1-46 in S. D. Hopper, J. A. Chappill, M. S. Harvey, and A. S. George, editors. Gondwanan Heritage: past, present, and future of the western Australian biota. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, Australia. ISBN: 0949324663 - Johnson, B. and C. Thomson. 1996. Mammals of the South-West. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Como, Western Australia, Australia. - Thackway, R. and I. D. Cresswell. editors. 1995. An Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia: A Framework for Setting Priorities in the National Reserves System Cooperative Program. Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra. - Wardell-Johnson, G. and P. Horwitz. 1996. Conserving biodiversity and the recognition of heterogeneity in ancient landscapes: a case study from south-western Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 85: 219–238. - Wisheu, I. C., M. L. Rosenzweig, L. Olsvig-Whittaker, and A. Shmida. 2000. What makes nutrient-poor mediterranean heathlands so rich in plant diversity? Evolutionary Ecology Research 2: 935–955. - White, M. E. 1994. After the Greening: the browning of Australia. Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst, New South Wales, Australia. ISBN: 086417585X - Yates, C. J., R. J. Hobbs, and D. T. True. 2000. The distribution and status of eucalypt woodlands in Western Australia. Pages 86–106 in R. J. Hobbs and C. J. Yates. editors. Temperate Eucalypt Woodlands in Australia: biology, conservation, management, and restoration. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, Australia. ISBN: 0949324868 Disclaimer: This article is taken wholly from, or contains information that was originally published by, the World Wildlife Fund. Topic editors and authors for the Encyclopedia of Earth may have edited its content or added new information. The use of information from the World Wildlife Fund should not be construed as support for or endorsement by that organization for any new information added by EoE personnel, or for any editing of the original content.

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An earthquake is a sudden vibration or trembling in the Earth. More than 150,000 tremors strong enough to be felt by humans occur each year worldwide (see Chance of an Earthquake). Earthquake motion is caused by the quick release of stored potential energy into the kinetic energy of motion. Most earthquakes are produced along faults, tectonic plate boundary zones, or along the mid-oceanic ridges (Figures 1 and 2). Figure 1: Distribution of earthquake epicenters from 1975 to 1995. Depth of the earthquake focus is indicated by color. Deep earthquakes occur in areas where oceanic crust is being actively subducted. About 90% of all earthquakes occur at a depth between 0 and 100 kilometers. (Source: U.S. Geologic Survey, National Earthquake Information Center) Figure 2: Distribution of earthquakes with a magnitude less than 5.0 relative to the various tectonic plates found on the Earth's surface. Each tectonic plate has been given a unique color. This illustration indicates that the majority of small earthquakes occur along plate boundaries. (Source: PhysicalGeography.net) At these areas, large masses of rock that are moving past each other can become locked due to friction. Friction is overcome when the accumulating stress has enough force to cause a sudden slippage of the rock masses. The magnitude of the shock wave released into the surrounding rocks is controlled by the quantity of stress built up because of friction, the distance the rock moved when the slippage occurred, and ability of the rock to transmit the energy contained in the seismic waves. The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 involved a six meter horizontal displacement of bedrock. Sometime after the main shock wave, aftershocks can occur because of the continued release of frictional stress. Most aftershocks are smaller than the main earthquake, but they can still cause considerable damage to already weakened natural and human-constructed features. Earthquakes that occur under or near bodies of water can give rise to tsunamis, which in cases like the December 26, 2004 Sumatra-Andaman Island earthquake reult in far greater distruction and loss of life that the initial earthquake. Earthquakes are a form of wave energy that is transferred through bedrock. Motion is transmitted from the point of sudden energy release, the earthquake focus (hypocenter), as spherical seismic waves that travel in all directions outward (Figure 3). The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus is termed the epicenter. Two different types of seismic waves have been described by geologists: body waves and surface waves. Body waves are seismic waves that travel through the lithosphere. Two kinds of body waves exist: P-waves and S-waves. Both of these waves produce a sharp jolt or shaking. P-waves or primary waves are formed by the alternate expansion and contraction of bedrock and cause the volume of the material they travel through to change. They travel at a speed of about 5 to 7 kilometers per second through the lithosphere and about 8 kilometers per second in the asthenosphere. The speed of sound is about 0.30 kilometers per second. P-waves also have the ability to travel through solid, liquid, and gaseous materials. When some P-waves move from the ground to the lower atmosphere, the sound wave that is produced can sometimes be heard by humans and animals. Figure 3: Movement of body waves away from the focus of the earthquake. The epicenter is the location on the surface directly above the earthquake's focus. (Source: PhysicalGeography.net) S-waves or secondary waves are a second type of body wave. These waves are slower than P-waves and can only move through solid materials. S-waves are produced by shear stresses and move the materials they pass through in a perpendicular (up and down or side to side) direction. Surface waves travel at or near the Earth's surface. These waves produce a rolling or swaying motion causing the Earth's surface to behave like waves on the ocean. The velocity of these waves is slower than body waves. Despite their slow speed, these waves are particularly destructive to human construction because they cause considerable ground movement. Earthquake Magnitude and Energy |Table 1: Relationship between Richter Scale magnitude and energy released.| |2.0||1.3 x 108||Smallest earthquake detectable by people.| |5.0||2.8 x 1012||Energy released by the Hiroshima atomic bomb.| |6.0 - 6.9||7.6 x 1013 to 1.5 x 1015|| About 120 shallow earthquakes of this magnitude occur each year on the Earth. |6.7||7.7 x 1014||Northridge, California earthquake January 17, 1994.| |7.0||2.1 x 1015||Major earthquake threshold. Haiti earthquake of January 12, 2010 resulted in an estmated 222,570 deaths| |7.4||7.9 x 1015||Turkey earthquake August 17, 1999. More than 12,000 people killed.| |7.6||1.5 x 1016||Deadliest earthquake in the last 100 years. Tangshan, China, July 28, 1976. Approximately 255,000 people perished.| |8.3||1.6 x 1017||San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906.| |9.0||Japan Earthquake March 11, 2011| |9.1||4.3 x 1018||December 26, 2004 Sumatra earthquake which triggered a tsunami and resulted in 227,898 deaths spread across fourteen countries| |9.5||8.3 x 1018||Most powerful earthquake recorded in the last 100 years. Southern Chile on May 22, 1960. Claimed 3,000 lives.| The strength of an earthquake can be measured by a device called a seismograph. When an earthquake occurs this device converts the wave energy into a standard unit of measurement like the Richter scale. In the Richter scale, units of measurement are referred to as magnitudes. The Richter scale is logarithmic. Thus, each unit increase in magnitude represents 10 times more energy released. Table 1 describes the relationship between Richter scale magnitude and energy released. The following equation can be used to approximate the amount of energy released from an earthquake in joules when Richter magnitude (M) is known: Energy in joules = 1.74 x 10(5 + 1.44*M) Figures 4 and 5 describe the spatial distribution of small and large earthquakes respectively. These maps indicate that large earthquakes have distributions that are quite different from small events. Many large earthquakes occur some distance away from a plate boundary. Some geologists believe that these powerful earthquakes may be occurring along ancient faults that are buried deep in the continental crust. Recent seismic studies in the central United States have discovered one such fault located thousands of meters below the lower Mississippi Valley. Some large earthquakes occur at particular locations along the plate boundaries. Scientists believe that these areas represent zones along adjacent plates that have greater frictional resistance and stress. Figure 4: Distribution of earthquakes with a magnitude less than 5 on the Richter Scale. (Image Source: PhysicalGeography.net) Figure 5: Distribution of earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 7 on the Richter Scale. (Image Source: PhysicalGeography.net) The Richter Scale Magnitude, while the most known, is one of several measures of the magnitude of an earthquake. The most commonly used are: - Local magnitude (ML), commonly referred to as "Richter magnitude;" - Surface-wave magnitude (Ms); - Body-wave magnitude (Mb); and - Moment magnitude (Mw). Scales 1 to 3 have limited range and applicability and do not satisfactorily measure the size of the largest earthquakes. The moment magnitude (Mw) scale, based on the concept of seismic moment, is uniformly applicable to all sizes of earthquakes but is more difficult to compute than the other types. All magnitude scales should yield approximately the same value for any given earthquake. The severity of an earthquake can be expressed in terms of both intensity and magnitude. However, the two terms are quite different, and they are often confused. Intensity is based on the observed effects of ground shaking on people, buildings, and natural features. It varies from place to place within the disturbed region depending on the location of the observer with respect to the earthquake epicenter while magnitude is related to the amount of seismic energy released at the hypocenter of the earthquake. Although numerous intensity scales have been developed over the last several hundred years to evaluate the effects of earthquakes, the one currently used in the United States is the Modified Mercalli (MM) Intensity Scale. The lower numbers of the intensity scale generally deal with the manner in which the earthquake is felt by people. The higher numbers of the scale are based on observed structural damage. Structural engineers usually contribute information for assigning intensity values of Vlll or above. The following is an abbreviated description of the 12 levels of Modified Mercalli intensity. I. Not felt except by a very few under especially favorable conditions. II. Felt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upper floors of buildings. Delicately suspended objects may swing. III. Felt quite noticeably by persons indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings. Many people do not recognize it as an earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. Vibration similar to the passing of a truck. Duration estimated. IV. Felt indoors by many, outdoors by few during the day. At night, some awakened. Dishes, windows, doors disturbed; walls make cracking sound. Sensation like heavy truck striking building. Standing motor cars rocked noticeably. V. Felt by nearly everyone; many awakened. Some dishes, windows broken. Unstable objects overturned. Pendulum clocks may stop. Vl. Felt by all, many frightened. Some heavy furniture moved; a few instances of fallen plaster. Damage slight. Vll. Damage negligible in buildings of good design and construction; slight to moderate in well-built ordinary structures; considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures; some chimneys broken. Vlll. Damage slight in specially designed structures; considerable damage in ordinary substantial buildings with partial collapse. Damage great in poorly built structures. Fall of chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments, walls. Heavy furniture overturned. IX. Damage considerable in specially designed structures; well-designed frame structures thrown out of plumb. Damage great in substantial buildings, with partial collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations. X. Some well-built wooden structures destroyed; most masonry and frame structures destroyed with foundations. Rails bent. Xl. Few, if any (masonry) structures remain standing. Bridges destroyed. Rails bent greatly. Xll. Damage total. Lines of sight and level are distorted. Objects thrown into the air. Earthquake Damage and Destruction Earthquakes are a considerable hazard to humans. Earthquakes can cause destruction by structurally damaging buildings and dwellings, fires, tsunamis, and mass wasting (see Figures 6 to 10). Earthquakes can also take human lives. The amount of damage and loss of life depends on a number of factors. Some of the more important factors are: - Time of day. Higher losses of life tend to occur on weekdays between the hours of 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. During this time interval many people are in large buildings because of work or school. Large structures are often less safe than smaller homes in an earthquake. - Magnitude of the earthquake and duration of the event. - Distance form the earthquake's focus. The strength of the shock waves diminish with distance from the focus. - Geology of the area affected and soil type. Some rock types transmit seismic wave energy more readily. Buildings on solid bedrock tend to receive less damage. Unconsolidated rock and sediments have a tendency to increase the amplitude and duration of the seismic waves increasing the potential for damage. Some soil types when saturated become liquefied (Figure 6). - Type of building construction. Some building materials and designs are more susceptible to earthquake damage (Figure 7). - Population density. More people often means greater chance of injury and death. The greatest loss of life because of an earthquake this century occurred in Tangshan, China in 1976 when an estimated 250,000 people died. In 1556, a large earthquake in the Shanxi Province of China was estimated to have caused the death of about 1,000,000 people. A common problem associated with earthquakes in urban areas is fire (Figure 8). Shaking and ground displacement often causes the severing of electrical and gas lines leading to the development of many localized fires. Response to this problem is usually not effective because shock waves also rupture pipes carrying water. In the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, almost 90% of the damage to buildings was caused by fire. In mountainous regions, earthquake-provoked landslides can cause many deaths and severe damage to built structures (Figure 9). The town of Yungay, Peru was buried by a debris flow that was triggered by an earthquake that occurred on May 31, 1970. This disaster engulfed the town in seconds with mud, rock, ice, and water and took the lives of about 20,000 people. Another consequence of earthquakes is the generation of tsunamis (Figure 10). Tsunamis, or tidal waves, form when an earthquake triggers a sudden movement of the seafloor. This movement creates a wave in the water body which radiates outward in concentric shells. On the open ocean, these waves are usually no higher than one to three meters in height and travel at speed of about 750 kilometers per hour. Tsunamis become dangerous when they approach land. Frictional interaction of the waves with the ocean floor, as they near shore, causes the waves to slow down and collide into each other. This amalgamation of waves then produces a super wave that can be as tall as 65 meters in height. The US Geological Survey estimate that at least 1,783 deaths worldwide resulted from earthquake activity in 2009. In 2010, the number rose to 226,729 as the result of 222,570 people killed by the Jauary 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. The deadliest earthquake of 2009 was a magnitude 7.5 event that killed approximately 1,117 people in southern Sumatra, Indonesia on Sept. 30, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and confirmed by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). However, the number of earthquake-related fatalities in 2009 was far less than the 2008 count of over 88,000. The high number of fatalities in 2008 was primarily due to the devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake that occurred in Sichuan, China on May 12. Although unrelated, the Sept. 30 Indonesian earthquake occurred a day after the year’s strongest earthquake, a magnitude 8.1 on Sept. 29 in the Samoa Islands region. Tsunamis generated by that earthquake killed 192 people in American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the medieval city of L’Aquila in central Italy on April 6, killing 295 people. Overall, earthquakes took the lives of people in 15 countries on four continents during 2009, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Costa Rica, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Honduras, Japan, Malawi, Samoa, South Africa and Tonga, as well as the U.S. territory of American Samoa. Earthquakes injured people in 11 additional countries, including the mainland United States, where a magnitude 4.4 earthquake on May 2 injured one person in the Los Angeles area. The biggest 2009 earthquake in the 50 United States was in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred in the Fox Islands on Oct. 13. It was felt at the towns of Akutan and Unalaska, but caused no casualties or damage. The greatest earthquake for the year in the contiguous United States was a magnitude 5.2 event on October 2 in the Owens Valley southeast of Lone Pine, California. Because of the sparse population in the epicentral area, this quake caused no damage although it was felt as far away as Merced and Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. A magnitude 9.1 Sumatra-Andaman Island earthquake and subsequent tsunami on December 26, 2004 killed 227,898 people, which is the fourth largest casualty toll for earthquakes and the largest toll for a tsunami in recorded history. As a consequence of that earthquake, the USGS has significantly improved its earthquake notification and response capabilities. Improvements include the addition of nine real-time seismic stations across the Caribbean basin, a seismic and tsunami prone region near the U.S. southern border, implementation of a 24x7 earthquake operations center at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), and development of innovative tools for rapid evaluation of population exposure and damage to potentially damaging earthquakes. The USGS estimates that several million earthquakes occur throughout the world each year, although most go undetected because they hit remote areas or have very small magnitudes. The USGS NEIC publishes the locations for about 40 earthquakes per day, or about 14,500 annually, using a publication threshold of magnitude 4.5 or greater worldwide or 2.5 or greater within the United States. On average, only 18 of these earthquakes occur at a magnitude of 7.0 or higher each year. In the 2009 year, 17 earthquakes reached a magnitude of 7.0 or higher, with a single one topping a magnitude of 8.0. These statistics for large magnitude earthquakes are higher than those of 2008, which experienced only 12 earthquakes over magnitude 7.0 and none over 8.0. Factors such as the size of an earthquake, the location and depth of the earthquake relative to population centers, and fragility of buildings, utilities and roads all influence how earthquakes will affect nearby communities. Table 2. Notable Earthquakes and Their Estimated Magnitude |January 23, 1556|| |August 17, 1668|| |November 1, 1755|| |December 16, 1857|| |October 27, 1891|| |June 15, 1896|| |April 18, 1906||3,000||7.8| |August 17, 1906|| |December 28, 1908|| |December 16, 1920|| |September 1, 1923|| |May 22, 1927|| |January 13, 1934|| |December 26, 1939|| |February 29, 1960|| |May 22, 1960|| |March 28, 1964|| Prince William Sound, AK |May 31, 1970|| |July 27, 1976|| |September 19, 1985|| |December 7, 1988|| |August 17, 1999|| |January 26, 2001|| |December 26, 2003|| |December 26, 2004|| Off west coast northern Sumatra |October 8, 2005|| |May 26, 2006|| |May 12, 2008|| Eastern Sichuan, China |January 12, 2010|| Near Port-au-Prince, Haiti |March 11, 2011|| Pacific Ocean, East of Oshika Peninsula, Japan * Fatalities in the 1976 Tangshan, China earthquake were estimated as high as 655,000. Source: Preferred Magnitudes of Selected Significant Earthquakes, USGS, 2010 (with additions on two most recent major earthquakes in Haiti and Japan. The following links provide some more information about earthquakes. - American Geophysical Union (AGU) - Animation of P, S & Surface Waves - Animations of Seismology Fundamentals - Association of American State Geologists (AASG) - Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) - California Geological Survey (CGS) - California Office of Emergency Services (OES) - California Seismic Safety Commission - Center for Earthquake Research & Information (CERI) - Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) - Consortium of Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering (CUREE) - COSMOS Virtual Data Center - CREW - Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup - Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) - Earthquake Information for 2009, USGS - Earthquake Information for 2010, USGS - Earthquake Monitoring - Earthquakes - Online University - Earthquakes by Bruce A. Bolt Online Companion - Earthquakes Cause over 1700 Deaths in 2009, USGS - Earth Science Education Activities - European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre - FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency - Finite-source Rupture Model Database - Global Earthquake Explorer - GSA - Geological Society of America - Incorporated Research Institutes for Seismology (IRIS) - International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI) - International Seismological Centre (ISC) - John Lahr's Earthquake website - McConnell, D., D. Steer, C. Knight, K. Owens, and L. Park. 2010. The Good Earth. 2nd Edition. McGraw-Hill, Dubuque, Iowa. - Mid-America Earthquake Center - Multi-Disciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) - National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) - NOAA - National Information Centre of Earthquake Engineering (NICEE) - National Science Foundation (NSF) - Natural Hazards Center - Northern California Earthquake Data Center - Observatories and Research Facilities for EUropean Seismology (ORFEUS) - Plummer, C., D. Carlson, and L. Hammersle. 2010. Physical Geology. 13th Edition. McGraw-Hill, Dubuque, Iowa. - Project IDA - Quake-Catcher Network - Saint Louis University Earthquake Center - Seattle Fault Earthquake Scenario - Seismographs: Keeping Track of Earthquakes - Seismological Society of America (SSA) - Seismo-surfing the Internet for Earthquake Data - Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program - SOPAC (Scripps Orbit and Permanent Array Center) - Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) - Tarbuck, E.J., F.K. Lutgens, and D. Tasa. 2009. Earth Science. 12th Edition. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. - Tectonics Observatory - Tracing earthquakes: seismology in the classroom - UPSeis Seismology Questions Answered - USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, U.S. Geological Survey - Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC) - World Data Center System - World Organization of Volcano Observatories - World Seismic Safety Initiative (WSSI)

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|Created with the Web Accessibility Wizard||Slide 2 of 21| Eta 6-hour 300 mb heights and wind speed (shaded) valid 5/12 18 UTC. The weather pattern on May 12 featured a large upper-level ridge over the eastern United States. A strong upper jet was located over eastern Canada. Northeast Pennsylvania was far removed from the upper jet, but could be considered to be located at the edge of the right entrance region. No upper level divergence associated with the jet was located near northeast Pennsylvania, however the circulation associated with the jet may have acted to increase the low-level southwesterly flow. (the low-level jet associated with this case will be shown later).

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WESTCHESTER, Ill. – A childhood sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD) is known to have negative consequences on cognitive development, behavior, quality of life and utilization of health care resources. However, a research abstract that will be presented Monday at SLEEP 2007, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), finds that breastfeeding may provide long-term protection against the incidence or severity of a childhood SRBD. The study, conducted by Hawley E. Montgomery-Downs, PhD, of West Virginia University, focused on the parents of those children who underwent overnight polysomnography, who filled out a brief survey about whether the child had been breast, formula or both breast and formula fed as an infant. There were 197 surveys completed. The average age of the children at the time of polysomnography was 6.7 years. Fifty-two percent of them were formula fed, 10 percent breast fed and 38 percent both breast and formula fed as infants. It was discovered that children who were breast fed for at least two months as infants had lower rates and less severe measures of an SRBD, and that breast feeding beyond two months provided additional benefits for reduced disorder severity. "Prevention of a childhood sleep-related breathing disorder is critically important because the approximately three percent of children who are unable to breathe well while sleeping suffer from frequent sleep interruption and intermittent hypoxia that negatively impacts their cardiovascular function, cognitive development, behavior, quality of life, and utilization of healthcare resources," said Dr Montgomery-Downs. "The benefits of breast feeding in our study may be due to the protection against early viral infection that breast feeding provides, or they may be due to the healthful jaw formation that is a result of breast feeding. Investigation of these mechanisms will be the topics of future work. The current findings support another benefit of infant breast feeding." An SRBD may be a problem in more than 10 percent of children. It occurs when the airway is partially blocked during sleep. The most common example is snoring. The most severe form of an SRBD is obstructive sleep apnea. It occurs in about one percent to two percent of children. Parents who suspect that their child might be suffering from an SRBD, or another sleep disorder, are encouraged to consult with their child's pediatrician, who will refer them to a sleep specialist. The annual SLEEP meeting brings together an international body of 5,000 leading researchers and clinicians in the field of sleep medicine to present and discuss new findings and medical developments related to sleep and sleep disorders. More than 1,000 research abstracts will be presented at the SLEEP meeting, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The four-day scientific meeting will bring to light new findings that enhance the understanding of the processes of sleep and aid the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea. AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt's record-setting performances have unleashed a wave of interest in the ultimate limits to human running speed. A new study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology offers intriguing insights into the biology and perhaps even the future of human running speed. The newly published evidence identifies the critical variable imposing the biological limit to running speed, and offers an enticing view of how the biological limits might be pushed back beyond the nearly 28 miles per hour speeds achieved by Bolt to speeds of perhaps 35 or even 40 miles per hour. The new paper, "The biological limits to running speed are imposed from the ground up," was authored by Peter Weyand of Southern Methodist University; Rosalind Sandell and Danille Prime, both formerly of Rice University; and Matthew Bundle of the University of Wyoming. "The prevailing view that speed is limited by the force with which the limbs can strike the running surface is an eminently reasonable one," said Weyand, associate professor of applied physiology and biomechanics at SMU in Dallas. "If one considers that elite sprinters can apply peak forces of 800 to 1,000 pounds with a single limb during each sprinting step, it's easy to believe that runners are probably operating at or near the force limits of their muscles and limbs," he said. "However, our new data clearly show that this is not the case. Despite how large the running forces can be, we found that the limbs are capable of applying much greater ground forces than those present during top-speed forward running." In contrast to a force limit, what the researchers found was that the critical biological limit is imposed by time -– specifically, the very brief periods of time available to apply force to the ground while sprinting. In elite sprinters, foot-ground contact times are less than one-tenth of one second, and peak ground forces occur within less than one-twentieth of one second of the first instant of foot-ground contact. The researchers took advantage of several experimental tools to arrive at the new conclusions. They used a high-speed treadmill capable of attaining speeds greater than 40 miles per hour and of acquiring precise measurements of the forces applied to the surface with each footfall. They also had subjects' perform at high speeds in different gaits. In addition to completing traditional top-speed forward running tests, subjects hopped on one leg and ran backward to their fastest possible speeds on the treadmill. The unconventional tests were strategically selected to test the prevailing beliefs about mechanical factors that limit human running speeds –- specifically, the idea that the speed limit is imposed by how forcefully a runner's limbs can strike the ground. However, the researchers found that the ground forces applied while hopping on one leg at top speed exceeded those applied during top-speed forward running by 30 percent or more, and that the forces generated by the active muscles within the limb were roughly 1.5 to 2 times greater in the one-legged hopping gait. The time limit conclusion was supported by the agreement of the minimum foot-ground contact times observed during top-speed backward and forward running. Although top backward vs. forward speeds were substantially slower, as expected, the minimum periods of foot-ground contact at top backward and forward speeds were essentially identical. According to Matthew Bundle, an assistant professor of biomechanics at the University of Wyoming, "The very close agreement in the briefest periods of foot-ground contact at top speed in these two very different gaits points to a biological limit on how quickly the active muscle fibers can generate the forces necessary to get the runner back up off the ground during each step." The researchers said the new work shows that running speed limits are set by the contractile speed limits of the muscle fibers themselves, with fiber contractile speeds setting the limit on how quickly the runner's limb can apply force to the running surface. "Our simple projections indicate that muscle contractile speeds that would allow for maximal or near-maximal forces would permit running speeds of 35 to 40 miles per hour and conceivably faster," Bundle said. Peter Weyand is an associate professor of applied physiology and biomechanics in SMU's Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education & Human Development. Matthew Bundle is an assistant professor of biomechanics in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Wyoming. AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Most of us look forward to spring’s arrival: new blooms, new colors and warmer temperatures allowing more outdoor activity. But for the estimated 20 percent of Americans with seasonal allergies, spring can be a time of itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and other miseries of the season. Commonly called “hay fever,” these reactions are referred to by doctors as “seasonal allergic rhinitis,” where rhinitis means inflammation of the lining of the nose. People can be allergic to all sorts of things, but plant pollens are among the most irritating, and spring is their heyday. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the official group of doctors specializing in allergy, recommends that you see an allergist if you have prolonged or severe symptoms of rhinitis, associated asthma or recurrent sinus infections; if your quality of life is adversely affected; or if the medications you take seem not to be working. But they also recommend 10 tips for avoiding allergy symptoms:

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Investigate Your Indoor Air Quality You worry about smog and outdoor air pollutants, but do you give indoor air quality a second thought? In the air we breathe outdoors, we know that smog and other pollutants are a big cause for concern. But don't assume that the air quality inside your home is perfectly safe. A number of chemicals found in the home can pollute the air, making indoor air quality testing essential for a healthy home. The Clues: Signs of Indoor Air Quality Problems How do you know if you should be concerned about your indoor air quality? Look for these common warning signs that may indicate you have indoor air pollutants: - You feel sick at home and better when you’re away. - You’ve noticed problems, even just extra dirt, around heating or cooling units. - Air doesn’t seem to be circulating properly in the house. - You spot mold in your home. - Your indoor air is humid, resulting in condensation. - There’s been damage to a chimney or flue. - Your home’s construction is too tight. - You’ve noticed changes in your health after renovating or remodeling. - The air in your home always smells old or stuffy. - There’s an odor in the air that you can't get rid of. If you suspect you have an issue with indoor air quality, you can perform tests to see if specific air pollutants are infiltrating your home and possibly affecting your health. Improve the air quality in your home year-round with these seasonal tasks. The Culprits: Potential Air Pollutants Before you test your indoor air quality, you need to know what you're looking for. Here are some of the most common indoor air pollutants that could be contaminating your home: - Lead and lead dust - Household chemicals - Dust and molds - Pet hair and dander - Rodents and cockroaches The Sources: Where Indoor Air Pollutants Originate There are many ways that air pollutants can contaminate the air inside your home. Most often, chemicals or materials inside the home emit gases or particulates. Poor ventilation and circulation don't allow contaminants to flow out of the home; very humid homes and climates are also a breeding ground for contaminants. Here are some sources of indoor air pollutants that can impair your indoor air quality, particularly when ventilation isn’t good: - Household chemicals, solvents, and cleaning products - Malfunctioning space heaters - Poorly vented furnaces or stoves - Outdoor air pollution that gets in - Pesticide use - Wood, kerosene, oil, gas, and coal burned for heat - Insulation made with asbestos - Carpets, furniture, and rugs that have been treated with chemicals or have become wet - Tobacco products and smoke Having a hard time kicking the smoking habit? Get help here. The Results: Indoor Air Quality and Your Health Indoor air pollutants can affect your entire family's health, by contributing to the development of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. In addition, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, and heart disease can result from long-term exposure to indoor air pollutants. To improve your indoor air quality, consider installing an air cleaning system to remove air pollutants from your home. There are a number of different air cleaning systems and devices that will remove solid and gaseous contaminants from the air. It's also important to make sure that your home is well-ventilated. A poorly ventilated home can trap air pollutants inside. Good ventilation also reduces humidity levels and can help prevent the growth of mold and mildew in your home. If you think your home is making you sick, you just might be right. Take steps quickly to solve the problem by identifying and then getting rid of indoor air pollutants. Taking action will help you breathe easier.

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Samuel D. Evans West Central Experiment Station University of Minnesota now Emeritus Professor at Morris, Minnesota John F. Moncrief Department of Soil, Water, and Climate University of Minnesota Gyles W. Randall Southern Experiment Station University of Minnesota William E. Lueschen Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics University of Minnesota formerly Head of the Southwest Experiment Station at Lamberton Copyright © 2002 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Management of crop residues with reduced tillage is the most cost-effective method of controlling sediment losses and reducing farming impacts on water quality. Crop residues can also help reduce wind erosion and can enhance snow entrapment. One of the primary water quality concerns for the Minnesota River and its tributaries is sediment, which contributes increased phosphorus (P) to the system. This increased P stimulates algae growth, which is followed by an increased biological oxygen demand when the algae die and decompose. This can deplete dissolved oxygen levels, resulting in game fish stress or kill. In addition to affecting sediment loss, tillage influences many interacting physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils that can have major impacts on crop production. These properties include temperature, moisture, aeration, bulk density, structure, nutrient distribution, organic matter levels, and microbial populations. Various crops respond to these changes differently. The range of these changes can be amplified by extremes in tillage reduction associated with some residue management alternatives. Small grain is insensitive to temperature changes but may respond to changes in the seed furrow environment and to differing weed species present. Small grain is a prominent part of the agriculture in the upper Minnesota River basin. Following is a discussion of residue management tillage system effects on small grain production. On soils classified highly erodible land (HEL) the general requirement is 30 percent residue cover after planting. On non-HEL soils the steepness and length of the slopes will indicate the potential for significant erosion. A second soil factor that must be considered is internal drainage. Poorly drained soils warm up more slowly than well-drained soils, so may require more tillage. Tile drainage may improve this situation, but in some cases this may not be enough to insure consistent success with little or no tillage. A third factor is soil fertility level. Having a high level of fertility is necessary if reduced tillage systems are to perform well. Low fertility conditions offer too many obstacles and generally limit yields in reduced tillage systems. It is important to effectively control sediment at high soil test P levels. Research has shown that this can be done effectively with crop residues in conjunction with other conservation techniques. The amount of residue present in a field depends on the crop rotation and the level of production. Corn generates more residue than small grains or soybeans; thus it is easier to maintain higher residue levels with a variety of tillage systems. The durability of the residue is also crop dependent. Soybean residue is classified as "fragile," or in other words is easily destroyed. Corn and small grain residues, on the other hand, are classified as "non-fragile." Spring wheat and soybeans appear to be a viable crop rotation in a no-till system for Minnesota conditions. Other crops that fit well in a small grain rotation are sunflowers, sugar beets, and field beans. Maintaining a sufficient residue cover may be a problem following these crops. Soybean yields after small grain have generally not been affected by tillage. With more intensive tillage systems, crop sequence becomes less important. In summary, both the crops in the rotation and the sequence of the crops are important in tillage management. Tillage for small grain production requires the management of residue to allow for effective stand establishment. Planting when surface crop residues are relatively dry and are cut more easily with coulters is advisable. Experience has shown that planting in the direction of stubble orientation reduces the effectiveness of coulters and disk openers. Small grain residue pushed into the seed furrow by coulters "cradles" the seed and often results in stand loss and delayed emergence. This is primarily because of slower absorption of soil water due to poor seed-to-soil contact and allelopathic inhibition. Small grains are not as temperature sensitive as corn, so residue effects are mainly due to in-furrow seed-soil contact or phytotoxicity. Do not surface-apply urea sources of nitrogen (N) without incorporation unless air temperatures are cool or rain is imminent. Urea left on the surface in proximity to residue has a high potential of volatilization losses. With residue management tillage systems, less N is released from soil organic matter due to less physical disturbance. In addition, soil organic matter may increase under some reduced tillage systems, and this will act as a sink for nitrogen. Anhydrous ammonia has been the most consistent source of N. Drill-applied diammonium phosphate (18-46-0) places N and P below the soil surface and close to the seed. This has been very effective in the western Minnesota River basin with calcareous soils that can tie up P. In addition to being a very efficient method of P fertilizer application, it also minimizes the risk of erosive losses of P. The effects of tillage on the development and severity of crop diseases are variable, depending on the disease, the specific type of tillage system used, and the effectiveness of the other disease management practices used. Conservation tillage usually reduces soil temperatures, conserves soil moisture, and leaves crop residue on the soil surface. Of particular concern are crop diseases that are favored by cool, wet soils. Diseases most troublesome in high-residue tillage systems are those that have inoculum associated with crop residues left on the soil surface. In many cases the diseases are most noticeable when monoculture cropping is practiced. Diseases of most concern are scab and tan spot, both of which are associated with plant residue. However, in addition to the disease inoculant supplied by residue, the proper environment and susceptible varieties must be present for economic infestations. Controversy exists over what type of seed openers (disk vs. hoe vs. sweep) deal with small grain residue most effectively. Generally, hoe openers work better in drier soil. Hoe-type openers operate below residue, making "in furrow" residue less probable. Sweep or air seeders, placing seeds below sweeps, also reduce the probability of intimate contact of seed with crop residue. Depth control is the challenge with sweep seeders. Press wheels should also be used for good stand establishment under dry conditions. Disk-type openers require the most caution in this respect, but work better under wet conditions. If considering no-till small grain production, it is essential to use a properly designed, heavy duty drill that can cut through the residue, place seed in contact with the soil without incorporating residue, and firm the soil over the seed. Selecting a drill with fertilizer capability is also important. Various factors including soil characteristics, crop rotation, residue management, disease problems, seeding equipment, and management ability must be considered when selecting a residue management system including small grains. In rotations with moderate amounts of residue, many systems will work on a variety of soils. With higher residue levels, the importance of proper residue management and heavy duty reduced tillage drills will ensure proper seed-to-soil contact without significant residue in contact with the seed. In the upper Minnesota River basin, higher levels of residue may contribute to increased soil moisture and subsequent yield increases in dry years. Crop rotation is a major factor in minimizing the disease problems in small grains. The results of studies in Douglas, Norman, and Becker Counties are shown in Table 1 . In these studies tillage plots were split, with winter and spring wheat planted into barley stubble. On average, spring wheat yields following barley were not affected by tillage. Only in one site year (1986 in Becker County) did tillage significantly affect spring wheat yields. A bindweed problem at this site was the likely cause. At most sites an increase in foxtail (pigeon weed) was associated with chisel and no-till systems. Results of some recent studies near the headwaters of the Pomme de Terre River in Ottertail County are shown in Table 2. Tillage affected spring wheat yields at only one site year out of five (in 1994). The yield reduction in 1994 was linked in part to stand reduction with the no-till system. The drill used had a single disk opener. At the other site years spring wheat yields following soybeans were not affected by tillage. The Paraplow is a unique type of subsoiler which leaves surface residue minimally disturbed. Even though soils were very dense in the fall of 1993, subsoiling that fall reduced spring wheat yields the next year. Paraplowing reduced stand compared to a chisel plowing system. On average there was a 4 bu/acre yield reduction with the no-till system compared to the chisel plow-based system. In a continuous wheat study on a Barnes loam near Morris ( Table 3 ) there were no significant effects of tillage on yield in the three years measured. Sometimes protein content can be used as an indicator of reduced N availability. For this reason it is presented in Table 2 and Table 3 . Protein contents appeared to be more affected by environment than by tillage system. Protein differences between tillage systems were very small. Traditionally there has been very little winter wheat grown in Minnesota. This is primarily due to the harshness of the winters. In some years lower prices (vs. spring wheat) and the lack of a suitable crop sequence may also be a factor. In most years, with a clean-tillage system there will be substantial winter kill. This limits varietal selection to only the most winter hardy. In some instances this is at the expense of intrinsic yield potential, protein content, and disease resistance. The studies in Table 1 illustrate the potential for winter wheat production when stubble is managed for snow catch in an effort to insulate the soil. North Dakota research has shown that if 4 inches of snow are caught by stubble, winter wheat is protected to -30° F. In the three-year study at three locations, winter wheat yields were slightly higher than spring wheat and there was little effect of tillage. Disease management is more important with winter wheat, however. Data from six trials in northwestern Minnesota where barley was grown after soybeans with spring-applied urea showed no difference in yield or protein due to tillage ( Table 4 ). Success of reduced tillage approaches to small grain production have been higher when preceded by a low residue crop such as soybeans. Spring wheat and barley following soybeans have generally not been affected with most alternative tillage approaches. A no-till system resulted in more variability in yields (higher or lower than a moldboard plowing system). No-tillage sometimes posed challenges in stand establishment, N management, and weed control. By catching snow with barley stubble, no-tillage systems allow winter wheat to be grown in Minnesota with less "overwintering" risk. Winter and spring wheat resulted in comparable yields, although performance was more variable for winter wheat. This provides an opportunity for growers to reduce their labor during peak labor demand periods (spring and fall). It also allows for more flexibility to accommodate variations in weather. Tillage passes with different implements can be used very effectively to create various levels of residue remaining on the soil surface. Four tillage systems shown below are categorized in the following Tables 5-8 according to the residue management/yield performance indicators also shown below: Moldboard Plow: Fall moldboard plowing followed by one or two secondary spring tillage operations before seeding. Chisel Plow: Fall chisel plowing plus secondary spring tillage before seeding. Special attention should be paid to use of proper shaped/width shovels and implement speed in order to maintain proper residue cover. Spring Disk/Field Cultivator: One or two passes in the spring prior to seeding. No-till: All seedbed preparation is performed by the drill. Inadequate Residue to Minimize Erosion (less than 30 percent of soil surface covered after planting). Where erosion is not a concern, fall moldboard plowing may be the best practice. Recommended with Good Management. No yield penalty is expected if the farmer observes all relevant recommended management practices for high-residue systems. Excellent Management Required. Slight yield penalty is possible, even if all recommended management practices are observed. Above average crop management will be needed to ensure good performance. Reduced Yield Potential. The potential exists for substantially reduced yields, especially on poorly drained soils in wet years. A number of tables have been developed which estimate residue management/yield performance of various crop rotations involving corn, soybeans, and/or small grains. Continuous corn and corn-soybean sequences are discussed in other publications. In those publications the Minnesota River basin was divided into high annual rainfall (>28 inches) and low rainfall (<28 inches) areas. This north-south line is approximately halfway between Highways 71 and 15. Since most small grain is grown in the low rainfall segment of the Minnesota River basin, indices were developed only for that section of the basin. In each crop sequence, separate indices were developed for glacial till (deposited in place by melting glacier, poorly sorted) and lacustrine (deposited in glacial lakes, well-sorted) soils. Moldboard Plow: This systems generally results in high yields but leaves inadequate surface residue to minimize soil erosion. For this reason it should not be used except on level soils where erosion is not a concern, to alleviate surface soil compaction, to incorporate P and K fertilizer, or to incorporate manure. Chisel Plow: This tillage system generally results in high yields but care must be taken to insure adequate surface residue cover. In most cases straight chisel shanks should be used to achieve 30 percent residue cover. For small grain following soybeans this system will result in less than 30 percent cover, so it is not recommended. Spring Disk/Field Cultivator: On glacial till soils this tillage system will result in good yields and will leave adequate residue if the implement is properly set. On lacustrine soils this system will probably result in some yield loss due to delayed planing for small grain following soybean. It will also require a high level of management on other crop sequences with higher residue production. No-till: On glacial till soils this system will work well for small grain following soybeans or soybeans following small grains. For corn following small grain or small grain following small grain, some yield loss would probably result. On the lacustrine soils the no-till system will likely result in yield loss (even with good management) for small grain following soybean or soybean following small grain due to delayed planting. For the other crop sequences substantial yield loss would occur. To order other publications in this series, contact your Minnesota County Extension Office, or outside of Minnesota, contact the Extension Store at (612) 625-8173. Titles in this series include: This set of publications was the result of a joint effort between Minnesota Extension Service, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This information was first presented February of 1995 at the Sediment Control Solutions Conferences in Mankato and Montevideo, Minnesota. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact your University of Minnesota Extension office or the Extension Store at (800) 876-8636.

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Introductionfox, carnivorous mammal of the dog family, found throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere. It has a pointed face, short legs, long, thick fur, and a tail about one half to two thirds as long as the head and body, depending on the species. Solitary most of the year, foxes do not live in dens except in the breeding season; they sleep concealed in grasses or thickets, their tails curled around them for warmth. During the breeding season a fox pair establishes a den, often in a ground burrow made by another animal, in which the young are raised; the male hunts for the family. The young are on their own after about five months; the adults probably find new mates each season. Foxes feed on insects, earthworms, small birds and mammals, eggs, carrion, and vegetable matter, especially fruits. Unlike other members of the dog family, which run down their prey, foxes usually hunt by stalking and pouncing. They are known for their raids on poultry but are nonetheless very beneficial to farmers as destroyers of rodents. Foxes are occasionally preyed upon by larger carnivores, such as wolves and bobcats, as well as by humans and their dogs; birds of prey may capture the young. Despite extensive killing of foxes, most species continue to flourish. In Europe this is due in part to the regulatory laws passed for the benefit of hunters. Mounted foxhunting, with dogs, became popular in the 14th cent. and was later introduced into the Americas; special hunting dogs, called foxhounds, have been bred for this sport. Great Britain banned foxhunting in which the hounds kill the fox in 2005. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: Vertebrate Zoology

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Cañon City (kănˈyən) [key], city (1990 pop. 12,687), seat of Fremont co., S central Colo., at the mouth of the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River (see Royal Gorge); laid out 1859 on the site of a blockhouse built (1807) by Zebulon M. Pike, inc. 1872. It is a health and tourist resort in a scenic area with mineral springs. Marble and limestone are quarried, and a variety of other minerals are found in the region. Tools and cement are manufactured. A state prison is located there. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography

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Sulaimaniyah (sōˌlāmänˈēə) [key], town (1987 pop. 364,096), NE Iraq. The town, founded in 1789, is a trade center inhabited by Kurds and has long been a center of Kurdish nationalism. Since 1992 it has been an important town in the so-called Kurdish Autonomous Region. More on Sulaimaniyah from Fact Monster: See more Encyclopedia articles on: Iraq Political Geography

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Zugspitze (tsōkˈshpĭtˈsə) [key], mountain, 9,721 ft (2,963 m) high, in the Bavarian Alps and on the German–Austrian border; highest peak of Germany. A cog-and-pinion railroad connects the popular resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, at its foot, with the summit. Zugspitze is home to a meteorlogical observatory. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. More on Zugspitze from Fact Monster: - Germany - Information on Germany — geography, history, politics, government, economy, population statistics, culture, religion, languages, largest cities, as well as a map and the national flag. - Garmisch-Partenkirchen - Garmisch-Partenkirchen Garmisch-Partenkirchen , town (1994 pop. 27,000), Bavaria, S Germany, in the ... - Bavaria: Land - Land A region of rich, softly rolling hills, it is drained by several rivers (notably the Main, ... - Germany: Land and People - Land and People Germany as a whole can be divided into three major geographic regions: the ... - Encyclopedia: Central European Physical Geography - Encyclopeadia articles concerning Central European Physical Geography.

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Stream Quality Assessment Program A stream is a combination of all of its physical, chemical and biological characteristics. Human activities shape and alter many of these characteristics. The health of our rivers and streams is closely linked to their surrounding watersheds. Ecologists measure the extent to which human activities affect watershed health by gathering and recording information on physical conditions, water quality and living communities in streams and in the surrounding environment. The long-term stream monitoring program meets the requirements of state and federal regulations and supports the Board of Supervisors' environmental improvement program by providing an ongoing evaluation of the streams. The program maintains a substantial database, which over time will be used to determine the overall rate of change or trends in the conditions of our waterways. Based on biological data collected at 39 randomly selected locations (see map of monitoring site locations) throughout Fairfax County in 2012, approximately 75.0 percent of Fairfax County's streams are in fair to very poor condition. This indicates that many of our streams are significantly impaired and lack biological diversity. The Stream Quality Index (SQI) is based on annual data collected on resident populations of benthic macroinvertebrates (animals without a backbone that live on the bottom of a stream, river, lake and are visible to the naked eye). As benthic macroinvertebrates are good indicators of water quality, the SQI is used to evaluate long-term trends in the overall health of streams. Each of the 39 randomly selected locations is placed in one of five rating categories (excellent, good, fair, poor or very poor) based on the diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates found in that stream segment. An index value ranging from one to five, with a higher number indicating better stream quality, is calculated for the year based on the percent of sampling locations that fall into each rating category. Results from 2004 through 2012 can be found in the table below. The 2012 SQI shows a decrease in overall stream quality from 2011. Over the past nine years of sampling, a very small increase in the overall index has emerged. As more data are reported annually, trends can be identified with greater certainty. |Sampling Year||Percent Very Poor||Percent Poor||Percent Fair||Percent Good||Percent Excellent||Stream Quality Index| Stream and watershed health are evaluated using a variety of indicators such as water quality parameters, bacteria levels, resident invertebrate and fish communities and habitat conditions. The results of the yearly monitoring events are compiled into annual reports and are used to support other environmental initiatives. Additional information on monitoring methods can be found by selecting one of the pictures below. For more information on the Stream Quality Assessment Program, please email the Stormwater Planning Division or call 703-324-5500, TTY 711.

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Des Moines County, IowaEdit This Page From FamilySearch Wiki Des Moines County Courthouse 513 N. Main St. PO Box 277 Burlington, Iowa 52601 1834--Des Moines County was created 1 October 1834, when Des Moines County Congress passed an act attaching the Black Hawk Purchase to the Territory of Michigan in June of 1834 prior to that it was part of Wisconsin. The following September the Legislature of Michigan divided this land purchase into two counties, Dubuque and Des Moines. The dividing boundary was a line running west from the lower end of Rock Island. At this time County courts were established with Des Moines County Court placed in the city of Burlington. Des Moines was named after the Des Moines River. County seat: Burlington 1873 -- Courthouse burned and many records were damaged. For further information on researching in burned counties, see the following: - Burned Counties Research in FamilySearch Wiki - Michael John Neill, Burned Counties in Family History Circle Historical Postoffices: Linton - Townships and Villages: Ghost Towns of Des Moines County Ghost towns are settlements, towns, and villages whose thriving little communities dried up for various reasons. Some are now part of other townships, some have just faded away. Here are their names, the years they were functioning, and the Townships they were a part of. There are many cemeteries in townships, cities, and farms located throughout Des Moines County that have been transcribed. Additional information on their locations is at Des Moines County Cemeteries Map. More information can be found on microfilm at the Family History Library based in Salt Lake City, Utah and can be requested and viewed at[:Category:Family_History_Centers|Family History Centers]] throughout the world. Transcriptions for some of these cemeteries can be found at: - Interment.net cemetery records. - Iowa Gravestone Photo Project - Saving Graves - Tombstone Transcription Project - Des Moines County Cemeteries Iowa recorded not only the federal census but state census through out the years too. The state census contains very valuable genealogical information. Where the census information can be found, what years it was taken, mortality schedules, census substitutions and much more is discussed in the very informative Iowa Census article. - Census Finder - Census index for Des Moines County, transcribed for the years of 1836, 1836 Territorial Census, 1838, 1840, 1850, 1852, 1860. - Church records, 1855-1917. Text in German.This church was also known as the German Methodist Church.Contains records for the churches of Flint Creek, Temmytown/Tamytown, Bluffs, Pleasant Grove, Union, Bethel, Sperry, Kline.Includes marriages; baptisms; membership lists; burials, 1856, 1865-1916; meeting minutes; finances; conference reports. - Record book, 1866-1903 Contains baptisms, burials, marriages, membership lists, and sermons.Dr. McClintock was pastor to churches at Mt. Pleasant, 1866-1870; Burlington, 1871-1896; and Sioux City, 1896-1903. The Des Moines Courthouse is located in the town of Burlington. - History of Des Moines County, Iowa index, 105 bios online. - Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County, Iowa index, 519 bios online. - Biographical Review of Des Moines County, Iowa index, 8 bios online. - History of Des Moines County, Iowa index, 8 bios online. - David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures. - 1904 Des Moines County Iowa Atlas - The Hawkeye - The Mediapolis News - NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Burlington newspapers dating back to the mid 1800's that covered local news on Des Moines County residents. This database is free at some libraries. For more information about the history of newspapers in Des Moines County see the Burlington Library Genealogy Site. Birth records kept by the District Court, 1880-1904; 1906-1934, have been microfilmed and are available at the State Historical Society in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa and 1880-1931 at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Some early Marriages Of Des Moines County 1837 to 1850 have been transcribed and published. Des Moines County Marriage Records, from 1880-1904; 1906-1935 have been microfilmed and can be found at the State Historical Society in Des Moines, Polk County Iowa. Index to marriage records, 1921-1977; marriage records, 1835-1930 at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Deaths records are held by the District Court, 1835-1930, have been microfilmed and are available at the State Historical Society in Des Moines, Polk County Iowa and 1880-1921 at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Societies and Libraries - State Historical Society of Iowa Address: 600 East Locust Des Moines IA 50319 - Des Moines County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 493 Burlington, IA 52601 Internet: Des Moines County Genealogical Society - Burlington Public Library 210 Court Street Burlington, IA 52601-1647 Internet: Burlington Iowa Public Library Genealogy Sources For more information about Societies in Iowa see the Iowa Societies page. Family History Centers - Des Moines County, Iowa Biographies Project - Family History Library Catalog - Genealogy Trails Genealogy Group - Genealogy Helps at the Burlington Library - Des Moines County, Iowa Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium) - Des Moines County Genealogy (Iowa Genealogy) - ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002). - ↑ St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church (Burlington, Iowa) (Main ,Author), German Methodist Church (Burlington, Iowa) Church records, 1855-1917 US/CAN Film 956373 - ↑ McClintock, John C. Record book, 1866-1903. FHL US/CAN Film 956371 Item 4 - ↑ Chicago: Western Hist. Co., 1879. - ↑ Chicago: Acme Publishing, 1888. - ↑ Hobart Pub. Co., 1905. - ↑ ed. by Augustine M. Antrobus. 2 vols. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1915. New to the Research Wiki? In the FamilySearch Research Wiki, you can learn how to do genealogical research or share your knowledge with others.Learn More

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of Scotland's "traditional" Christmas celebrations (other than the religious festival) originated in the 19th century (Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, had a lot to do with it!) and so England and Scotland developed the same traditions from around that time, Christmas trees, decorations, Santa Claus, presents, stockings at the end of the bed, Christmas Carols, Christmas cards etc. Christmas cards are said to have been invented in Great Britain in the mid-nineteenth century. or Yuletide, has never been celebrated in Scotland to the same extent as Hogmanay. As might be expected there is a Yule Bannock, which was divided into farls or quarters by the sign of the cross. The bannocks were baked before dawn on the morning of Christmas Day, and one given to each member of the family. If it could be kept intact until the evening meal this augered good fortune for the coming year. If broken, or nibbled, good fortune would be broken too. However, this round bannock, like so many others, has an earlier origin linked to the sun. To Scottish Cooking

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The Demise of the Middle Class: Early 1970's an historic turning point By Tony Allison, December 8, 2008 As the credit crisis deepens and morphs into uncharted waters, a little perspective is necessary on what it is costing, in both dollars and human terms. You may have seen the mind-numbing comparisons with other massive government expenditures of the past. These statistics were inflation-adjusted, courtesy of Jim Bianco of Bianco Research. The credit crisis, with $4.6 trillion committed (and perhaps just getting started) already has cost roughly one trillion dollars more than World War II ($3.6 trillion). The Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after the war cost a mere $115 billion. The Louisiana Purchase was a ridiculous bargain at $217 billion ($15 billion originally). It appears that the piper has finally arrived to be paid for the unlimited debt creation since 1971 and the middle-class is already tapped out. Keepers of the American Dream The American middle-class, the hard-working keepers of the American Dream, has been in distress for 35 years, slowly losing ground and purchasing power. The current credit crisis may prove to be the greatest challenge to the middle-class way of life. Adding astronomical debt to existing debt will not solve our problems. The first chart below, Median Household Income since 1945, is the one the public sees in the media. It shows household income marching ever upward, a symbol of unbridled American prosperity. The truth is that inflation has made prosperity, especially for middle-class Americans, far more elusive. Desperation and necessity The struggles of the American middle-class since 1970 become very clear when looking at the next two charts. Their buying power has plunged when you factor in the massive loss of buying power of the US dollar. Over this 35+ year period, both spouses were forced into the workplace to keep the family afloat. It also explains the massive growth in consumer debt and lack of personal savings. The middle-class was not necessarily acting irresponsibly. It was acting out of desperation and necessity. Clearly many in the middle-class (and elsewhere) have added debt too recklessly. But prices have inexorably grown faster, year after year, than the growth of real middle-class income. In addition fixed costs for the American family (mortgage costs, insurance, child care, health care, etc.) are much higher as a percentage of income than they were 35 years ago. Sources: Census Bureau.gov The Financial Help Center.com Median Income devastated by inflation Divided by the CPI (which has been understated for decades) the “adjusted” Median Household Income has barely grown at all since 1973. When measured in terms of ounces of gold instead of dollars, median income has plunged. This chart shows median income peaked in 1970, when it would buy 240 ounces of gold. The devastating inflation of the 1970’s sent real median income down to its low in 1980, where it could only buy 29 ounces of gold. One can see the current direction of “real” median income since 2001, and we haven’t even felt the eventual inflationary effects of the credit crisis. As we stand today, the Median Household Income can buy approximately 65 ounces of gold, one of the lower levels since 1945. Home equity on the decline One key source to fill the gap of falling wage growth was home equity. Quite simply, Americans have been slowly transferring ownership of their homes to the banking system over the last 50+ years. These figures would look much worse if the roughly 1/3 of homes owned “free and clear” (mostly by seniors) were removed from the data, but you can see the trend is toward less equity and more debt. This is not a sign of a prospering middle-class. Historic turning point The availability of easy credit the last two decades was a key mechanism to keep the middle-class above water. Now the easy and available credit is going away, and with it much of the quality of life of the middle-class. The early 1970’s was clearly an historic turning point for millions of Americans. With the 1971 severing of the gold-backed dollar by the Nixon Administration, the fate of the middle class was sealed. Unlimited fiat money creation led to unlimited debt and a rapidly depreciating dollar. Middle-class “real” wage growth would never again keep up with “real” inflation, especially in key areas such as health care and college tuition, which have greatly exceeded the stated rate of inflation. Do you think the strapped middle-class family feels better when hearing that inflation is “only” 4%, instead of 11.6%, as measured prior to 1983? Not likely. Understated inflation does not help remove the sting of declining purchasing power. It just adds to the confusion and desperation. The pain is still real, even as trust in government continues to decline. With the current world-wide deleveraging, inflation rates are coming down, for the short to medium term. With trillions upon trillions of government debt soon to flood the financial system, inflation will not be gone for long. Inflation or deflation- middle class loses Be it a hyperinflationary or deflationary scenario in the coming years, the middle-class will suffer. Either from a massive loss of buying power (hyperinflation) or explosive debt burdens (deflation). Eventually, foreign creditors will likely bolt the dollar for something with more enduring value; i.e. gold. It would be a good idea, whether you are middle class or not, to prepare by accumulating some gold while it is still relatively cheap and somewhat available. The US dollar has been the global monetary standard since the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1944. Unfortunately, the dollar has not been a good store of value since Nixon severed the dollar’s link to gold in 1971. The Federal Reserve has always functioned as the lender of last resort, and is now becoming the “spender of last resort.” Unprecedented debasing of the US currency could be on our horizon. Pawns in a chess game While fulfilling its classic role as the backbone of the American economy, the middle-class also is the unwitting pawn in the complex chess game of global finance and government excess. The problem with being a pawn is that one has no control of the game, or its outcome. Historically, the middle-class is always the group to feel the greatest pain and reap the fewest rewards from the machinations of Wall Street and Washington. The period dead ahead will be no exception. The extraordinary debt levels will only make matters worse. The middle-class has been under growing pressure for over 30 years, as its purchasing power has been steadily under attack. Things will very likely get worse before we see any light. The middle-class must retrench even further. But it must also search for a store of value as its dollars buy less and less. It is my belief that once the severe de-leveraging is finished, the commodity sector, particularly gold, will serve as that life raft. The struggling middle-class, and everyone else for that matter, will need something to stay afloat if the USS dollar slowly sinks in the murky seas of the global currency markets. The way forward Historically, one great quality of America is resilience. It is my sincere hope that out of this crisis will emerge a more rational way forward. I believe the best way forward for our country would be a system of honest money; a new currency backed by gold that would enforce discipline on government spending and allow families to plan and save for their futures. And it might just provide our children and generations unborn their own shot at the American Dream. We owe them that much. The stock markets shot higher for a second straight session Monday as investors bet that President-elect Barack Obama's plans to increase infrastructure spending will help lift the economy back to health. The major market indexes jumped more than 3 percent, and the Dow Jones industrials' nearly 300 point advance gave the blue chips their highest close in a month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 298.76, or 3.46 percent, to 8,934.18, its highest close since it finished at 9,139.27 on Nov. 5th. The Standard & Poor's 500 index advanced 33.63, or 3.84 percent, to 909.70; and the Nasdaq composite index jumped 62.43, or 4.14 percent, to 1,571.74. It was the ninth advance in 11 sessions for the Dow and the S&P 500. Oil futures surged 7% Monday, buoyed by expectations that the OPEC oil cartel may deliver a substantial cut in production as well as by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's pledge of massive new infrastructure investment to revive the economy. Crude oil for January delivery surged $2.90, or 7.1%, to end at $43.71 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Earlier, the contract hit an intraday high of $44.70 a barrel. Gold and other metals futures rallied Monday, getting a boost from soaring oil prices, weakness in the U.S. dollar and President-elect Barack Obama's pledge of a massive new infrastructure investment to buoy the U.S. economy. Gold for February delivery rose $17.10 to end at $769.30 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Wishing you a good evening, © 2008 Tony Allsion

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Joint research between Florida Museum of Natural History and Chinese scientists to discover and interpret the world’s earliest known flowering fossil is the subject of a PBS NOVA documentary, “First Flower,” which debuts at 8 p.m. April 17. The origin of flowers is one of botany’s deepest mysteries, and in the NOVA documentary, Florida Musuem paleobotanist David Dilcher guides viewers through segments of the amazing story of the evolution of flowers. “There’s no doubt about it, flowers are all about sex,” said Dilcher, a graduate research professor and paleobotany curator at the Florida Museum and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. The search for the world’s first flower drew Dilcher to a remote Chinese lake where colleague Sun Ge of Jilin University in Changchun, China, discovered a 125 million-year-old fossil that scientists believe is the earliest known flower. Although the fossil lacked the aesthetic petals associated with modern flowers, Dilcher recognized the plant stalk had seeds enclosed within carpels, which are female reproductive structures found in flowers. This led him to conclude the fossil was in fact an early form of a flower. The fossil was named Archaefructus liaoningensis, which means “ancient fruit from Liaoning Province of northeast China.” Flower production demands an amazing amount of a plant’s precious energy, which leads some scientists to question why and how the world’s first flowers evolved. Angiosperms, or flowering plants that have male pollen and female ovaries, are thought to have made their first appearance on earth roughly 130 million years ago. Today, they dominate the plant world. Today, bees, moths, hummingbirds and other insects facilitate plant reproduction by spreading pollen, but this is the culmination of a complex relationship that evolved over millions of years and that scientists are still decoding. “Flowering plants were the first advertisers in the world,” Dilcher said. “They put out beautiful colors, colorful patterns, they put out fragrances. And they gave a reward such as nectar or pollen for any insect that would come and visit them.” Flowers go to elaborate lengths to advertise their sexual organs, the female parts and the male parts, Dilcher said. “If they could attract these mobile pollinators to visit, crawl around, and feed in flowers, pick up pollen on their legs, pick up pollen on their bodies,” Dilcher said, “and then fly to another flower some distance away, and repeat this process, they could effectively transfer their male genetic material some distance away to another flower.” Pamela and Doug Soltis, Florida Museum researchers who study plant and flower DNA to better understand evolutionary origins, also are interviewed in “First Flower.” The Soltis’ work addresses evolutionary origins of flowers and flowering plants, plant speciation and the conservation genetics of endangered plant species in Florida. Doug Soltis also is chair of UF’s Department of Botany. The journal Science featured Sun’s and Dilcher’s fossil flower research on its cover in 1998 and 2002. Sun is a geologist and director of the paleontology and stratigraphy lab at Jilin University. Dilcher holds professorial appointments and teaches at Jilin University and Nanjing University in China, in addition to teaching at the University of Florida. Writer: DeLene Beeland Media contact: Paul Ramey, email@example.com Source: David Dilcher (352) 392-1721 ext. 460 Source: Sun Ge (352) 392-1721 ext. 460; until April 12

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Wool rugs have what is called a particular "hand" or texture that reflects the level of 'scratchiness' found in the finished product. The manner of grooming and shearing and resulting processing of the fiber can vary widely amongst carpet producers. Further complications regarding the wide range in texture is the fact that it varies considerably across the body of an individual sheep, as well as differences related to and based on the actual sex of the sheep. Add in nutritional factors, age and the general health of the sheep, and you have yet another class of variables to mix into the fold. Wool rugs, such as in many Oriental designs, incorporate a process in which the individual weavers harvest a longer wool fiber bearing a greater overall density, sometimes twice the size of other wool fiber, thus giving rise to a very different finished wool area rug. The resulting product, whether oriental or not, retained a luster often missing from modern designs which typically utilize inappropriate or inferior wool fiber and then apply cheap but boldly hued synthetic colors to the weaving process. Modern machine woven techniques lack the subtlety in coloring and texture as well as even the element of human error and irregularity uniquely found and favored in antique productions found in such places as Persia or India . Wool rug research into synthetic dyeing processes intensified in the 19th century as European producers sought to re-create and reproduce the complexity, design and detail of the nomadic Oriental weaver. This led to a literal mass production so that European and American consumers could participate in the home furnishings phenomenon. Coloring properties were expanded to accept color treatments based on fuchsin dyes, with colors ranging from fuchsin-magenta to basic red to basic violet to acid violet and red violet. Oriental or contemporary design elements could now use these fuchsin dyes to achieve an initially startling effect. One drawback though, however, was that these same fuchsin dyes were highly light sensitive, and accordingly would rapidly fade or gray with exposure to normal levels of diffused sunlight. Even during the first quarter of the 20th century this process was still being utilized. The result was that these chemically unstable fuchsin dyes guaranteed an underlying flow of repeat buyers who would eventually discard their now graying and dull flooring after only a short number of years of use, and purchase a new one. Meanwhile, the antique market, which is based solely on organically produced vegetable dyes, continues to provid buyers with far greater wear and coloring vibrancy. © 2011 FloorBiz, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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9.0 SleepWatch ® ( Actigraphy) Measure of Sleep on Workdays and Non-Workdays It was hypothesized that deployment of a combination of four fatigue management technologies would result in increased sleep time (actigraph determined) under both Canadian hours-of-service (Study Phase 1) and U.S. hours-of-service (Study Phase 2). However, analyses of actigraphy data for sleep episodes in the NO FEEDBACK versus FEEDBACK conditions revealed no statistically significant differences in sleep duration in either the Canada study phase or the U.S. study phase (see "Prior Sleep" variable in Tables 13 and 24). "Prior Sleep" was defined by all the sleep time found in each 24-hour period (from noon to noon, across consecutive days in the 2-week period for each condition) using an actigraphic software program called "Action 4" (developed by Ambulatory Monitoring, Inc., Ardsley, NY), as well as software that could recognize and eliminate from consideration periods of time when the actigraph was not on the wrist of a driver. Although the overall comparisons of actigraphically-defined 24-hour cumulative sleep time (Prior Sleep) were not different between the FEEDBACK and NO FEEDBACK conditions, it was clear that the U.S. study phase drivers had an average of 50 minutes less sleep per day than their Canadian counterparts during the NO FEEDBACK condition, and 39 minutes less sleep per day than their Canadian counterparts during the FEEDBACK condition (compare "Prior Sleep" in Tables 13 and 24). The reduced daily sleep times in the U.S. drivers were consistent with the differences between study phases in the predominant time-of-day for driving-Canada drivers had approximately 75% of their driving in daylight (and therefore, slept mostly in the nighttime), while U.S. drivers had approximately 90% of their driving at night (and therefore slept more in the daytime). It has long been established that sleep duration is reduced when people work nights, owing to circadian biological forces and environmental factors, which alone or together can truncate daytime sleep durations. Analyses were performed to determine whether the actigraphically-defined sleep duration differences of 50 minutes (NO FEEDBACK difference between Canada and U.S.) and 39 minutes (FEEDBACK difference between Canada and U.S.) were statistically significantly different from each other. In addition, sleep durations would likely be affected by workdays and non-workdays, especially in the night driving U.S. subjects, such that non-workdays would likely involve significantly more sleep than workdays. As a result of these considerations, a series of analyses were conducted comparing actigraph-defined sleep obtained by Canada drivers and U.S. drivers on workdays and non-workdays, during the NO FEEDBACK 2-week period and the FEEDBACK 2-week period. These analyses yielded important new insights into the impact of FMT FEEDBACK on drivers' sleep durations. Tables 49 through 58, and Tables 7 through 9, display the results these analyses. 9.1 Sleep Durations on workdays and non-workdays Tables 51, 52, 53, and 54 reveal that drivers slept significantly more on non-workdays than on workdays. During the NO FEEDBACK 2-week period of the Canada study phase, drivers averaged 7 hours and 17 minutes sleep per 24 hour period on non-workdays compared to 6 hours and 15 minutes on workdays (p = 0.023), a mean difference of 1 hours and 2 minutes (Table 51). Similarly, during the FEEDBACK 2-week period of the Canada study phase, drivers averaged 7 hours and 31 minutes of sleep per 24 hours on non-workdays compared to 6 hours and 14 minutes on workdays (p = 0.0005), a mean difference of 1 hour and 17 minutes (Table 53). Comparable results were obtained in the U.S. study phase. During the NO FEEDBACK 2-week period of Study Phase 2, the U.S. drivers averaged 6 hours and 32 minutes of sleep per 24 hours on non-workdays compared to 5 hours and 14 minutes on workdays (p = 0.018), a mean difference of 1 hour and 18 minutes (Table 52). Similarly, during the FEEDBACK period, U.S. drivers averaged 7 hours and 32 minutes sleep compared to 5 hours and 1 minute on workdays (p = 0.0004), a mean difference of 2 hours and 31 minutes (Table 54). These are relatively large differences in 24-hour sleep durations, suggesting that drivers developed sleep debts across the workweek. Figure 7 graphically displays the workday versus non-workday sleep durations controlling for feedback condition. It reveals that the differences in mean daily sleep between workdays and non-workdays significantly differed between U.S. and Canada study phases (p = 0.028), which are referred to as "location" in Figure 7. Therefore, the NO FEEDBACK vs. FEEDBACK comparisons between U.S. and Canada were performed separately for workdays and non-workdays. Figure 8 reveals that during workdays, the NO FEEDBACK vs. FEEDBACK comparison did not significantly differ between U.S. and Canada study phases (p = 0.392) (Tables 55, 56, 57, 58). After removing the interaction, there was no main effect for feedback (p = 0.916), but mean sleep duration was significantly less for U.S. drivers compared to Canadian drivers (p = 0.011). Figure 9 shows that during non-workdays, the NO FEEDBACK vs. FEEDBACK comparison did not significantly differ between U.S. and Canada study phases (p = 0.506), and differences between U.S. and Canada were not significant during non-workdays (p = 0.460). Most importantly, in contrast to workdays, there was a significant increase in mean sleep duration during non-workdays in the FEEDBACK condition relative to the NO FEEDBACK condition (p = 0.046). In other words, FMT FEEDBACK resulted in drivers in both countries significantly increasing their non-workday daily sleep durations by an average of 45 minutes per day over what was the case in the NO FEEDBACK condition. This finding provides clear support for the hypothesis that a combination of four fatigue management technologies would result in more sleep (actigraph determined) under both Canadian hours-of-service (phase 1) and U.S. hours-of-service (phase 2). While it might have been expected that increased sleep time would also have occurred on workdays when FMT FEEDBACK was provided, this did not occur. It is possible that workday schedules prevent drivers from acting on information from FMT devices indicating they need more sleep. Barriers to obtaining sleep may be absent on non-workdays, allowing drivers to increase sleep time. It remains uncertain if this pattern of increased sleep on non-workdays would be sustained over months and years with FMT FEEDBACK. Much more needs to be understood about the factors that determine when and where drivers obtain sleep on workdays and non-workdays, on the barriers to obtaining adequate sleep on workdays, and on the factors that convince them to get more recovery sleep on non-workdays. An average of 45 minutes (both study phases) more sleep per non-workday was associated with FMT FEEDBACK. While this may seem modest, research suggests it is especially beneficial in promoting recovery from chronic sleep debt in persons sleeping less than 6.5 hours per day, which was the case for virtually all drivers participating in the study during workday period.

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The ILC promises extraordinary power in the study of the Terascale. The annihilation of an electron and its antiparticle, the positron, allows the understanding of collisions to an unparalleled level of detail and precision. As others have comprehensively documented, the ILC view of the Terascale, complementary to the LHC's perspective, makes the ILC an essential tool for unraveling new phenomena discovered at these extreme energies. It makes the ILC the top priority at Fermilab for a future global facility. A superconducting ILC cavity Credit: Fermilab Visual Media Services The ILC's opportunities for discovery have motivated the global particle physics community to come together in an effort to design the accelerator and its experimental program. The completion of the Reference Design Report in early 2007 and the structuring of a collaborative worldwide R&D program represent successful community efforts. Fermilab has contributed strongly to this effort: the design of the accelerator; the development of superconducting radio-frequency, or SCRF, technology in the U.S.; the design of the physics and experimental program; the site studies necessary for hosting the ILC at or near Fermilab; and the establishment of a test-beam facility for the development of ILC detectors. The ILC and related SCRF efforts at Fermilab make up by far the laboratory's largest future program. In the next phase of the ILC effort, Fermilab's aim is to be a leader in the global engineering design and in the development of the SCRF technology, steps necessary to reach a decision early in the next decade to build the ILC. Fermilab is building the required infrastructure and test facilities and is coordinating the national efforts in the development of SCRF technology, in collaboration with national and international partners in Europe, Asia and the U.S. To these efforts Fermilab brings strong engineering capability, accelerator physics expertise and technology development skills. Innovative detectors will be key to exploiting the ILC physics opportunities. In general, an improvement in resolution of both tracking and calorimetric detectors over the present state-of-the-art detectors will allow experimenters to distinguish the signals of new physics from backgrounds much more efficiently. Fermilab has a strong instrumentation development effort in collaboration with laboratories and universities across the world. Just as important for the global ILC effort, Fermilab has developed and will operate a flexible high-energy test beam to provide a variety of particles and energies for testing detector technologies. A simulation of the decay of a Z + Higgs to four jets in an ILC detector Credit: Norman Graf Fermilab's goal is to host the ILC. Geographically and geologically, the site is nearly optimal and could house the central facilities of the ILC, such as damping rings and experimental halls. Two important aspects of Fermilab's activities over the next three years are the study of the site and the design of conventional facilities necessary for the engineering design and working with the neighboring communities on issues associated with hosting the ILC in the region. Fermilab has vigorously collaborated with local residents over the last two years, first with the Community Task Force and currently with the ILC Citizens' Task Force and the Envoy Program. These activities will strengthen over the next three years of engineering design. Finally, Fermilab is strengthening its engineering capabilities as the laboratory moves toward the design of global accelerators. Unlike the case of the detector community, which is accustomed to building detectors collaboratively across continents, much less collaboration has taken place in the development of global accelerators. The ILC is breaking new ground in this regard, and it is important that Fermilab have the strongest engineering capabilities and systems in place in order to lead in the integration of components produced around the world into a functioning accelerator. The ILC is key to the future of U.S. particle physics and to Fermilab's future.

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Some food and nutrition messages are being heard by American consumers, with survey data from the International Food Information Council Foundation’s (IFIC) indicating that 70 and 63% of consumers trying to consume less sugar and HFCS, respectively. Data from IFIC’s annual survey, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, also indicated that awareness of trans-fats increased between 2006 and 2010, from 81 to 90%, while omega-3 awareness has stayed constant at around 74%. On the flip side, no increase in efforts to consume more omega-3s has been observed in the 1,000-plus consumers participating in the survey. “Having five years of consumer research offers invaluable insights on how the communication of dietary guidance impacts consumers,” said Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RD, LD, FADA, Senior Vice President, Nutrition & Food Safety at the IFIC Foundation and co-author of the article. “And, we have not stopped at five years. The IFIC Foundation remains committed to continuing to field this Survey to gain and share insights on consumers’ knowledge and behaviors. Further, this helps focus consumer communication efforts on areas where they are needed most.” Calories and weight gain However, many health and nutrition messages are not being heard, with the survey also revealing that a staggering 70% of consumers could not correctly identify that “calories in general are what causes weight gain”. The IFIC survey also revealed that “Americans consistently reported that they actively used food and beverage packaging label information when deciding whether to purchase or consume food and beverages”. The top source was the Nutrition Facts panel (68% in 2010), followed by expiration date (66% in 2010). Interestingly, brand names are increasingly being used to influence purchases, with 50% of consumers saying this influenced their purchase and consumption habits in 2010, up from 38% in 2006. “During the 5 years of the survey, there has been an explosion in access to technology and information, including food, nutrition, and health counsel, yet this has not appeared to facilitate greater consumer understanding or action,” wrote the authors. “These data raise the question of whether traditional nutrition communications may have contributed to consumer confusion and perhaps, the lack of motivation expressed by many Americans.” “Some nutrition and health messages are indeed being heard and Americans desire to engage in healthful behaviors. Imparting knowledge and direction through education may foster short-term action or interest, but current approaches have not facilitated established, long-term healthful habits.” Source: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2012.10.009 “Is it Time to Rethink Nutrition Communications? A 5-Year Retrospective of Americans' Attitude toward Food, Nutrition, and Health” Authors: B.A. Hornick, N.M. Childs, M. Smith Edge, W. Reinhardt Kapsak, C. Dooher, C. White

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Key stage 1: use of fire As most books and museum displays about the evolution of human society mention, the mastery of fire was one of the most crucial steps in human development. Cooking, warmth and defense followed – allowing humans to develop in a newly accelerated way. As well as the ‘good’ things, there was now potential for explosive damage. Matches are a supremely easy and cheap way for everyone to have access to making fire.

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“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who can’t read & write, but those who can’t learn, unlearn & relearn.” – Alvin Toffler So what is literacy? The first time I listened to an audio book I thought I was cheating. As a child, reading for me seemed like a lot of work, and my teachers kept piling on more reading assignments, continually feeding into the notion that reading is hard work. Later, I rationalized that the process of reading is the process of taking characters on a page and turning them into mental concepts and images. Listening to an audio book is a little different process where we convert sounds into mental concepts and images. Today, when someone talks about literacy there is an instant assumption that they are talking about the ability to read and write – basic ink-on-paper communications 1.0. However, communications is evolving and our ability to craft words and preserve them on paper is being replaced with digital forms of communications, and the options people now have to communicate with each other have exploded into thousands and thousands of nuanced variations of what was formerly called language. Tomorrow there will be even more.

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Leapfrog Tag - the latest in teaching children to read Leapfrog make reading interactive with the use of a Tag pen to help read the book and play games. Your child can hold the pen and touch a symbol on the page to read the story to them by the characters in the book, with a signalling sound to tell them when to turn the page. Alternatively they can touch another symbol to have just that page read to them. To aid understanding and memory there are games within the story asking kids to find favourite characters or demonstrate their understanding by pointing to parts of the picture when asked a question. The stories are cute and the characters are colourful and fun. In the Ozzie and Mack story I tested, the tale is followed by a series of learning games. There is an alphabet page when pounces the letters and gives examples of words starting with the individual letters. In Ozzie's Rhyme Time Band the kids can point to ryhming words which are read out loud to them. The game that goes with this page asks kids to find words as they are read to them. Tree House Telephone shows children how adding the letter 'e' to words changes them - for example, not to note. River roundup explains more complicated words like a mini dictionary. On each of the game pages there are 3 levels - children work their way through each level. Because the Tag stores what your children have played so far, they can only move up a level once they have mastered the previous one. The Tag system comes with a CD which loads a program connecting your Tag pen to programs on the Leapfrog website. Here you can dowload stories and receive rewards for using the Tag Reading system. I'm not sure what the rewards are - as clearly I didn't play long enough with my TAG to earn any!!! I started off unsure about the Tag reading system - as I'm very much one for natural parenting and I'd prefer to play these games with the kids myself rather than relying on technology. However, as I played with the Leapfrog Tag I could see how useful it could be for busy families. These days not everyone has enough time to teach kids to read, or maybe can't think up enough entertaining games to play with the kids to help them. I also know that some kids are very reluctant to be shown what to do by an adult, but are quite happy to sit by themselves learning from this type of technology. I wasn't enamoured by the internet part of the product and was concerned about entering personal data into yet another website - even though I was assured this was intended to help construct an age appropriate learning plan. I thought the product was good enough on its own not to need the rewards element on the website. It's just a personal opinion, but I really don't think we need to use the internet for everything - including learning how to read. On balance, my concerns are purely personal and for what it is setting out to do, the Leap Frog does succeed. It's easy for children to understand and very easy to use. The stories are well laid out and beautifully illustrated. The games are well thought through for the intended age range of 4 - 8 years old - though you could start kids on these books earlier than that. I like the fact that there are levels of games to play and so the book continues to be useful as the child reading progresses. The Leapfrog Tag system can be bought at Amazon for £33.99 and includes your first Tag book. There are more Tag books available from £11.10 on Amazon and include some favourite characters such as Spongbob Square Pants, Cat in the Hat and Kung Fu Panda. A selection is here at Amazon: |add to del.icio.us||Digg this review|

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Juridical Procedures Relating to the Anabaptists Juridical Procedures Relating to the Anabaptists (Legal Action Against the Anabaptists; German, Rechtsprechung). Legal action against Anabaptists developed in a natural way out of the juridical practice concerning heretics in general. In the 12th century when ecclesiastical defection or nonconformity led to the rise of Albigensian and Waldensian sectarianism, the Roman Church undertook stern measures of repression. Pope Gregory IX, 1227-1241, creator of the first compilation of Canonical Law, established the Inquisition, and Emperor Frederick II, 1220-1250, in his Sicilian Law Code put the temporal arm of imperial law at the disposal of the church in all cases against heretics. In the 15th century, when the old Roman Law was assimilated into the German Law, the Civil Code of the Holy Roman Empire renewed the old laws of the emperors Gratian, Valentinian II, and Theodosius I (all of A.D. 380) concerning the exclusive right and authority of the Catholic Church, and that of the emperors Honorius and Theodosius II (A.D. 413) concerning the capital crime of rebaptism, punishable with death (Corpus Juris Civilis I, 1 and VI, 2). In criminal law, trials by torture (to obtain confessions incriminating to the accused) had been in use for various crimes against general security ever since the 13th century. In the trials of Anabaptists in particular the questionnaire set up before cross-examination was easily manipulated in such a way that it would influence the outcome of the trial. The first Anabaptist to die thus as a "heretic" on Catholic soil was Eberli Bolt, executed in the canton of Schwyz on 29 May 1525, the first on Reformed soil was Felix Manz at Zürich on 5 January 1527, and the first on Lutheran soil were two men and four women at Reinhardsbrunn on 18 January 1530 (see also Gotha for names). In the course of the persecution of the Anabaptists a double change is evident on the part of the government, due to a considerable extent to the Peasants' War; the charge shifted more and more from heresy to sedition; and on the part of the Reformers the sentencing of heresy grew more bitter to the extent that in heresy they were no longer attacking a hostile church, but defending their own. -- EC 2. Jurisdictional Practices of Ferdinand I in all of Austria, Bavaria, and the Territories of the Swabian League. Ferdinand I, Archduke of Austria, King of Bohemia and Hungary, and later also Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, "the prince of darkness" as Jakob Hutter called him in his epistle of 1535, the "tyrant and enemy of divine truth who has had many of ours innocently and mercilessly murdered," was a staunch fighter for the undisturbed integrity of the Catholic Church, With the mandate of 20 August 1527, he ushered in a systematic persecution in his domain by publishing a list of heretical doctrines, adherence to which would lead to capital punishment (see Mandates). The Anabaptists were charged with only two obnoxious articles: rejection of infant baptism and abuse of the Sacrament of the Altar. In the Ordinance of 26 February 1528, to the Austrian Government he complained about laxity in the proceedings against Anabaptists (see Austria). But very soon he transformed these heresy-proceedings into extraordinary proceedings against "rebels." South German influence on Ferdinand's mandates is very probable. Bavaria had already proclaimed martial law (Standrecht) against Anabaptists. "The ducal secretary Pernöder testified that no proper court session was held for the prisoners but that the sentence was simply read to them, whereupon they were led to execution" (Wiswedel, II, 55). The Swabian League with its practice of martial law shows again the governmental ideas regarding those who deviated from the old church. Many were sentenced to death without recourse to any juridical process, e.g., Eitelhans Langenmantel. On 7 March 1528, the Swabian League issued a mandate against the Anabaptists which expressly said that "it can easily be estimated even by a simple Christian with little understanding" to what an extent Anabaptism will lead to "new revolts and rebellions," unless torture is undertaken and earnest punishment (Klüpfel, II, 319). The specter of the Peasants' War (1525) was constantly in Ferdinand's mind. Like other princes of the time he too saw in Anabaptism a real threat to governmental authority. To be sure, this was not the only reason for his ruthless persecution of the Anabaptists; another was the presumed Christological heresies. Blasphemous words against "the Mother of God," for instance, were to be punished "in body, life, and property according to the occasion and the degree of guilt." Anyone who administered Holy Communion without having been consecrated as a priest was to be punished with "fire, sword, or water according to the judgment of the judges" (Nicoladoni, 259). Ferdinand argued that since seditious acts would surely ensue from heretical teachings (considered even more serious than a criminal act), extraordinary procedures should be pursued in all such cases, disregarding general legal practices. Ferdinand's policy concerning Anabaptists had, no doubt, also a significant influence upon the ill-famed mandate against Anabaptism of the Diet of Speyer, passed 22 April 1529. On the basis of this mandate Anabaptists were to be condemned to death by fire and sword, "without previous inquisition by spiritual judges." As it is generally known, the Reformers (Luther, Melanchthon) gave their consent to this basic mandate. The motivating force behind Ferdinand was no doubt his confessor, the Court Preacher Johann Faber, who also played an important role at the Diet of Speyer. It was he who one year earlier cross-examined Balthasar Hubmaier and otherwise engaged in literary activities against the Anabaptists. Luther's views on heretics and their punishment have been thoroughly investigated by Sohm, Köhler, Wappler, Paulus, and more recently by John Oyer (see Bibliography). Until about 1524, Luther definitely rejected the idea of governmental intervention in matters of faith. In his letter "To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation" (1520) he states that heretics should be conquered "with Scripture not with fire, as the forefathers did. If it were an art to overcome heretics with fire, then the executioners would be the most learned doctors on earth." He urged lenience toward the Zwickau Prophets, and did not even want them to be imprisoned (Luther's Correspondence, ed. De Wette, Letter of 17 January 1522, II, 135). In his book Von weltlicher Obrigkeit (1522) he sharply opposed government interference in spiritual matters. Also in a letter to his Prince of Saxony he admonished that the office of the Word should not be resisted. "Just let them preach confidently and vigorously what they can and against whom they will, for... there must be sects" (Luther's letters, ibid., 21 August 1524 (?), II, 547). In 1525, however, a change took place in Luther's opinion. In a letter dated 4 March 1525, to Spengler, the city clerk of Nürnberg, concerning the "three ungodly painters" (against whom the city council was conducting a trial) the concept of "blasphemy" occurs for the first time. For this particular offense it was necessary for the temporal powers to step in automatically. As to punishment, Luther does not express himself yet. In the years 1526-1528, the concept of "sedition" takes the more prominent place. This idea had been drilled into the national consciousness during the Peasants' War, mainly by the weight of Lutheran publicity. Now, on 9 February 1526 Luther declared to the Prince Elector that in order to prevent sedition and a mob spirit, "there shall be one kind of preaching only at one place" (Luther's Letters, ibid., Ill, 88 ff.). The word "sedition" was also utilized in connection with the newly established Lutheran church inspections (the Electoral Instructions for the inspectors of 16 June 1527, use this term expressly. Sehling, I, 142 ff.). Hence, anyone who did not agree with the Lutheran Church on a point of doctrine, was subject to the temporal authorities also on the suspicion of sedition. It should be emphasized, however, that with the by far greatest number of Anabaptists there was no evidence of seditious tendencies whatever to justify the intervention of the government, even though great divergencies existed in points of doctrine. The task of church organization, however, made it imperative now to find a justification for proceedings against all those who showed any anti-Lutheran mind. Since, as was generally assumed, the suspicion of sedition was not a sufficient ground for proceeding against deviators, it became necessary to find a new weapon. That was the concept of "blasphemy," used by Luther for the first time in the above-mentioned letter to Spengler of 1525. Apparently Melanchthon was the first to draw the logical conclusions from this situation and demanded of the government that it punish false teachings. The occasion for this was given first by the exceedingly embarrassing results of the church inspections in Saxony which seemed to indicate a threat to the very existence of the new church (Corp. Reform.; Opera Melanchthoni, I, col. 941). It was also Melanchthon who became instrumental in the formulation of the official "Opinion" of the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg concerning the legal aspects of the punishment of deviations in all matters of church discipline. Here the idea of blasphemy is clearly stated as the main argument for the death penalty. According to the study by Meissner, the Wittenberg theologians seemed to have arrived at this idea of blasphemy as the most serious criminal fault by all opponents by pointing to the concept of "ingratitude to the Gospel" (Luther's letter of 22 November 1526, loc. cit. Ill, 135) as well as by reference to the Electoral Instructions of 16 June 1527 (Richter, I, 78). In a letter of 15 February 1530, Melanchthon promoted the idea that blasphemous articles of faith, even if they have nothing to do with sedition, must be punished with the sword. By this procedure an extraordinarily effective legal device was now found for the persecution of all "heretics" and at the same time for the defense of the new church. Luther bestowed his sanction upon this device in his Exposition of the 82d Psalm. The background of it is as follows: Around 1530, a new party had arisen in Nürnberg which advocated toleration and liberty of conscience in matters of religion. Thereupon, on 17 March 1530, Spengler wrote to Veit Dietrich at Wittenberg asking him to persuade Luther—then just working on an Exposition of Psalm Deus Sedet in Synagoga—to put into this new booklet a condemnation of the new party and its philosophy, all the more as this party defended its stand by reference to the "booklet by Doctor Luther addressed to the Elector of Saxony, against the fanatical Thomas Müntzer." Veit Dietrich then looked Luther up and expounded to him the principles of the prevailing criminal law of the time. Luther then developed these ideas further in his Exposition of the 82d Psalm (Hausdorff). In this Exposition Luther stressed first of all the high dignity of all authorities (or magistrates), which at one place he calls outright "gods." Seditious heretics are to be "punished straightway and without compunction." But likewise also those who teach only contrary to a published article of faith should be punished as open blasphemers who "are not to be tolerated." Against them he recommended quick justice, on the basis of Leviticus 24:16 and also the Church Fathers, who had no more patience with false doctrines than Moses. That Luther's Exposition of the 82d Psalm was actually considered as a declaration of principles to guide legal practices can be proved by numerous references (see Meissner). The courts of Saxony only too willingly concurred with the suggestions and opinions of the Wittenberg theologians. "They followed the opposite course from Ferdinand's juridical practice, namely, turning from the persecution of sedition to a secular trial of heretics" (Meissner). One might also mention the Imperial Cities of Germany, which followed in general also the direction of the Wittenberg theologians in their administration of justice in all cases of Anabaptism. Johann Brenz of Württemberg for many years had defended toleration as a matter of principle. In his booklet, Ob eine weltliche Obrigkeit mit göttlichem und billigem Recht möge die Wiedertäufer durch Feuer und Schwert vom heben zum Tode richten lassen (1528), he taught that mere heresy not associated with revolt should be fought only with the spiritual sword, the Word of God, inasmuch as it does not belong to the concern of the temporal powers. Furthermore this booklet proved that the accusation against the Anabaptists was definitely unjustified. Through this booklet Brenz' influence on the juridical practice in Württemberg and elsewhere was quite beneficent: there were at least no death sentences in Württemberg. But later on, unfortunately, Brenz drifted into the current of Luther and Melanchthon. In 1557, he became a signatory of the declaration of several theologians entitled Prozess wie es soil gehalten werden mit den Wiedertäufern, durch etliche Gelehrt so zu Worms versammelt gewesen, gestellt (see Bedenken). This gloomy document deals in patricular with juridical questions concerning the proper course of trials of "heretics." The heads and seducers were to be put to death as blasphemers, for God had clearly commanded secular authorities to punish blasphemy. For that reason it had been right to punish Servetus [the Anti-Trinitarian, 1553]. The concept of blasphemy, as developed by Luther and Melanchthon, is interpreted as formal only (as Meissner has shown), i.e., it does not define particular non-orthodox teachings but in general means simply opposition as such; i.e., rebellion against the new church. It should, however, be mentioned that in the Stuttgart copy of this document (here called "Bendenken, etc.") the passage about Servetus' execution as well as another passage advocating death penalty for heresy is crossed out. Gustav Bossert, Jr., assumes that either the Duke of Württemberg or Brenz deleted these passages, and concludes accordingly that both the duke and the Württemberg theologians agreed basically with Brenz' earlier stand opposing the shedding of blood (Blätter, 25). These two reformers of Strasbourg were entirely dependent on Wittenberg. In a document called Reformationsprogramm (Program for the Reformation) of 1535 sent in the name of the Strasbourg clergy to the Count Palatine Rupprecht, the establishment of a formal inquisition, ruthless intervention of the government in family life with respect to the baptism of children, and the sharpest measures against all foes or deprecators of the Gospel are demanded (original copy of this document in the State Library in Munich). Bucer believed that the government had the right to introduce Christianity among its subjects and to eradicate any false worship. "Unorthodox teachers are to be punished by body and life." ... "The power of the government over the conscience of its subjects is most harshly represented by Bucer" (Hagen). Like Luther also Zwingli went dirough a certain change in his ideas concerning the punishment of heretics. In the earlier period of his reformatory activities he was possessed by the same optimism as Luther that the pure Gospel would renew everything and turn it to the good. But when in 1525 Anabaptism appeared in Zürich and tried to establish congregations on a New Testament pattern, he lost more and more the feeling that the norm of the Gospel and the new "Christian State" do not absolutely coincide. He began teaching the identity of Christianity and civil order, and committed to the "Christian" government of Zürich not only the supervision of general morality but also the care for the particular discipline of the new reformed church. He is said to have recommended the beheading of Anabaptists "on the strength of imperial law," as Balthasar Hubmaier claimed (Ein Gespräch Balthasar Hubmörs von dem Kindertauff, 1526). The Swiss authorities only too willingly acted upon his advice and opinion in all Anabaptist trials. Calvin at first intended to have the spiritual office exclusively take charge of church discipline without any participation by the state. But soon developments in Geneva likewise went far beyond this initial program; the state police now also began to become involved in matters of church discipline. "We have sharpened the sword that they may accomplish their blood work" (Corp. Ref., Opera Calvini, VIII, 477). He expected from the state unconditional subjugation of all heretics and deviators. The execution of Michel Servetus in 1553 is a clear illustration of Calvin's enormous inluence upon the temporal authorities of Geneva. See also Punishment of Anabaptists Bossert, G. Jr. "Aus der nebenkirchlichen religiösen Bewegung der Reformationszeit in Württemberg." Blätter für württembergische Kirchengeschichte 28 (1929): 1-41. Corpus Reformatorum, Opera Calvini Corpus Reformatorum, Opera Melanchthoni. de Wette, Wilhelm Martin Leberecht, ed. Martin Luther, Briefe, Sendschreiben und Bedenken. Berlin, 1826-1827: II-III. Hagen, Carl. Deutschlands literarische und religiöse Verhältnisse im Reformationszeitalter. Frankfurt, 1886. Hausdorff, Urban Gottlieb. Lebensbeschreibung eines christlichen politici Lazari Spengler's. Nürnberg, 1741. Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon. 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe; Schneider, 1913-1967: III, 433-439. Hermelink, Heinrich. Der Toleranzgedanke im Reformationszeitalter. 1908. Klüpfel, K. Urkunden zur Geschichte des Schwabischen Bundes 1488-1533. Stuttgart, 1853: Part 2. Köhler, Walter. Reformation und Ketzerprozess. Tübingen and Leipzig, 1901. Kreider, Robert. "The Anabaptists and the Civil Authorities of Strasbourg, 1525-1555." Church History 24 (1955): 99-118. Meissner, Erich. "Die Rechtsprechung über die Wiedertäufer und die antitäuferische Publizistik." Ph.D. dissertation, Göttingen, 1921. This dissertation forms the basis for the material in the present article. Nicoladoni, A. Johannes Bünderlin von Linz und die oberösterreichischen Täufergemeinden in den Jahren 1525-1531. Berlin, 1893. Oyer, John. "The Writings of Luther against the Anabaptists." Mennonite Quarterly Review 27 (April 1953). Oyer, John. "The Writings of Melanchthon against the Anabaptists." Mennonite Quarterly Review 26 (October 1952). Paulus, Nikolaus. Protestantismus und Tolerant im sechzehnten Jahrhundert. Freiburg i.Br., 1911. Richter, A. L. Die evangelischen Kirchenordnungen des 16. Jahrhunderts, 1, 2. Weimar, 1846. Schraepler, Horst. "Die rechtliche Behandlung der Täufer in Württemberg, Hessen, Baden, Kurpfalz und der deutschen Schweiz in den Jahren 1525-1618." Tübingen doctoral dissertation, 1956. Sehling, Emil, ed. Die Evangelischen Kirchenordnungen des 16. Jahrhunderts I, Part I. Leipzig, 1902. Wappler, Paul. Inquisition und Ketzerprozesse in Zwickau zur Reformationszeit. Leipzig, 1908. Wiswedel, Wilhelm. Bilder and Führergestalten aus dem Täufertum. 3 v. Kassel: J.G. Oncken Verlag, 1928-1952. Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, pp. 129-132. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website. ©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved. To cite this page: MLA style: Crous, Ernst and Wilhelm Wiswedel. "Juridical Procedures Relating to the Anabaptists." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 23 May 2013. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/J864.html. APA style: Crous, Ernst and Wilhelm Wiswedel. (1957). Juridical Procedures Relating to the Anabaptists. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 May 2013, from http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/J864.html.

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Water and air in the soil are important for good plant growth. Good drainage and a porous surface helps water penetrate the soil into the root zone. Water and organic materials in the soil together interact in such a way as to benefit the roses. As organic matter decomposes in the soil, it gives off carbon dioxide which replaces some of the oxygen in the soil. Thus, soil air contains less oxygen and more carbon dioxide, but carbon dioxide is dissolved by water in the soil to form a weak acid. - Sunday, 05 May 2013 22:38 - by Ed Zasadzinski, past president of NE Ohio Rose Society - Sunday, 05 May 2013 13:14 - By Kathy Van Mullekom Daily Press (Newport News, Va.) (MCT) Any azaleas flowering in your yard this spring are probably Asian in origin _ not American species that offer different sights and pleasing scents. "Azaleas native to the United States are colorful and well adapted to our challenging climate," says Les Parks, curator of herbaceous plants at Norfolk Botanical Garden in southeastern Virginia. - Sunday, 05 May 2013 13:13 - By Angie Hicks (MCT) The garbage disposal is often one of the most-used appliances in the kitchen. It's also the most abused. "Foreign objects in the disposal is the most common issue," said Kevin Harner of Kevin Harner Appliance Services Co. in Enola, Pa. "I've seen everything run the gamut from paper clips and bottle caps, to nails and screws in there. - Sunday, 05 May 2013 13:12 - By Norman Winter McClatchy-Tribune News Service (MCT) Mixed floral hanging containers have become the rage across the country, and thanks to the coconut liner it is easy to jump on the basket bandwagon. It wasn't long ago that you only saw such beautiful displays when visiting mild-climate tourist areas, and now everyone can either buy them already made or be like Monet, and create a piece of floral art. - Sunday, 17 March 2013 09:43 - By Mary Beth Breckenridge Akron Beacon Journal (MCT) You probably hate reading about bedbugs. Believe me, I'm not too crazy about having to write about them. But bedbugs are an increasingly vexing problem.

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hob - Search Results Articles About hob We are all looking for ways to increase production without sacrificing quality. One of the most cost-effective ways is by improving the substrate material of your hob. Solid carbide hobs are widely used in many applications throughout the world. LMT-Fette was the first to demonstrate the use of solid carbide hobs in 1993 on modern high-speed carbide (HSC) hobbing machines. Since then the process of dry hobbing has been continuously improving through research and product testing. Dry hobbing is proving to be successful in the gear cutting industry as sales for dry hobbing machines have steadily been rising along with the dramatic increase in sales of solid carbide hobs. Today it is common practice when climb hobbing to keep the direction of the hob thread the same as that of the helical gear. The same generalization holds true for the mass production of gears for automobiles. It is the authors' opinion, however, that conventional hobbing with a reverse-handed hob is more effective for the high-speed manufacture of comparatively small module gears for automobiles. The authors have proven both experimentally and theoretically that reverse-handed conventional hobbing, using a multi-thread hob with a smaller diameter is very effective for lengthening the life of the hob and for increasing cutting efficiency at high speeds. The Hobbing Process The hobbing process involves a hob which is threaded with a lead and is rotated in conjunction with the gear blank at a ratio dependent upon the number of teeth to be cut. A single thread hob cutting a 40-tooth gear will make 40 revolutions for each revolution of the gear. The cutting action in hobbing is continuous, and the teeth are formed in one passage of the hob through the blank. See Fig. 1 for a drawing of a typical hob with some common nomenclature. The method of cutting teeth on a cylindrical gear by the hobbing process has been in existence since the late 1800s. Advances have been made over the years in both the machines and the cutting tools used in the process. This paper will examine hob tool life and the many variables that affect it. The paper will cover the state-of-the-art cutting tool materials and coatings, hob tool design characteristics, process speeds and feeds, hob shifting strategies, wear characteristics, etc. The paper will also discuss the use of a common denominator method for evaluating hob tool life in terms of meters (or inches) per hob tooth as an alternative to tool life expressed in parts per sharpening. There are great advantages in dry hobbing, not only for friendliness toward the environment, but also for increasing productivity and for decreasing manufacturing cost. Dry hobbing, however, often causes failures in hob cutting edges or problems with the surface quality of gear tooth flanks. These difficulties are not present when hobbing with cutting oil. Pinching and crushing of generated chips between the hob cutting edge and the work gear tooth flank is considered a major cause of those problems. Gear hobbing is a generating process. The term generating refers to the fact that the gear tooth form cut is not the conjugate form of the cutting tool, the hob. During hobbing both the hob and the workpiece rotate in a continuous rotational relationship. During this rotation, the hob is typically fed axially with all the teeth being gradually formed as the tool traverses the work face (see Fig. 1a). This is Part II of a two-part series on the basics of gear hobbing. Part I discussed selection of the correct type of hobbing operation, the design features of hobs and hob accuracy. This part will cover sharpening errors and finish hob design considerations. The first part of this article, which ran in the September/October 1994 issue, explained the fundamentals of gear hobbing and some of the latest techniques, including methods of hob performance analysis and new tool configurations, being used to solve specific application problems. In this issue, the author continues his exploration of hobbing by describing the effects of progress on requirements in accuracy, as well as the latest in materials, coating and dry hobbing. We make a lot of single-start worm and worm gear sets, and it always seems as though we're buying another special hob. We also do a lot of spur gear cutting, and the spur gear hobs and the worm gear hobs look alike, so we wonder why we cannot use the standard hobs for cutting worm gears too. Can we do this? Two questions on hobbing cover the various types of hobs and their unusual names, as well as the importance of hob swivel angle. Today's high technology hobs are visible different from their predecessors. Gear hobs have taken on a different appearance and function with present day technology and tool and material development. This article shows the newer products being offered today and the reasons for investigating their potential for use in today's modern gear hobbers, where cost reduction and higher productivity are wanted. The modern day requirement for precision finished hobbed gears, coupled with the high accuracy characteristics of modern CNC hobbing machines, demands high tool accuracy. With growing markets in aerospace and energy technologies, measuring hob cutters used in gear cutting is becoming an essential requirement for workpieces and machine tools. Zoller, a provider of solutions for tool pre-setters, measuring and inspection machines and tool management software, has developed a new partnership with Ingersoll/Germany for shop floor checking of hob cutters by a combined hardware and software approach. It is well known that hobs with straight-sided teeth do not cut true involutes. In this paper, the difference between the straight side of a hob tooth and the axial profile of an involute worm is evaluated. It is shown that the difference increases as the diametral pitch increases, to the extent that for fine-pitch gearing, the difference is insignificant. The following article is a collection of data intended to give the reader a general overview of information related to a relatively new subject within the gear cutting industry. Although carbide hobbing itself is not necessarily new, some of the methods and types of application are. While the subject content of this article may be quite broad, it should not be considered all-inclusive. The actual results obtained and the speeds, feeds, and tool life used in carbide hobbing applications can vary significantly. Question: We are contemplating purchasing a hobbing machine with dry hobbing capabilities. What do we need to know about the special system requirements for this technology? In this paper, the potential for geometrical cutting simulations—via penetration calculation to analyze and predict tool wear as well as to prolong tool life—is shown by means of gear finish hobbing. Typical profile angle deviations that occur with increasing tool wear are discussed. Finally, an approach is presented here to attain improved profile accuracy over the whole tool life of the finishing hob. Chicago- Results of recent studies on residual stress in gear hobbing, hobbing without lubricants and heat treating were reported by representatives of INFAC (Instrumented Factory for Gears) at an industry briefing in March of this year. Can a gear profile generated by the hobbing method be an ideal involute? In strictly theoretical terms - no, but in practicality - yes. A gear profile generated by the hobbing method is an approximation of the involute curve. Let's review a classic example of an approximation. Many people in the gear industry have heard of skiving, a process wherein solid carbide or inserted carbide blade hobs with 15 - 60 degrees of negative rake are used to recut gears to 62 Rc. The topic of this article is the use of neutral (zero) rake solid carbide hobs to remove heat treat distortion, achieving accuracies of AGMA 8 to AGMA 14, DIN 10-5 and improving surface finish on gears from 8 DP - 96 DP (.3 module - .26 m.). In addition to the face milling system, the face hobbing process has been developed and widely employed by the gear industry. However, the mechanism of the face hobbing process is not well known. With reference to the machining of an involute spur or helical gear by the hobbing process, this paper suggests a new criterion for selecting the position of the hob axis relative to the gear axis. The gear hobbing process is a generating type of production operation. For this reason, the form of the hob tooth is always different from the form of the tooth that it produces. Several innovations have been introduced to the gear manufacturing industry in recent years. In the case of gear hobbing—the dry cutting technology and the ability to do it with powder-metallurgical HSS—might be two of the most impressive ones. And the technology is still moving forward. The aim of this article is to present recent developments in the field of gear hobbing in conjunction with the latest improvements regarding tool materials, process technology and process integration. The art of gear hobbing has advanced dramatically since the development and introduction of unique machine and tool features such as no backlash, super rigidity, automatic loading of cutting tools, CNC controls, additional machine power and improved cutter materials and coatings. It is essential to utilize all these features to run the machine economically. To meet the future goals of higher productivity and lower production costs, the cutting speeds and feeds in modern gear hobbing applications have to increase further. In several cases, coated carbide tools have replaced the commonly used high speed steel (HSS) tools. Today, as part of filling a typical gear hobbing or shaping machine order, engineers are required to perform an SPC acceptance test. This SPC test, while it is contractually necessary for machine acceptance, is not a machine acceptance test. It is a process capability test. It is an acceptance of the machine, cutting tool, workholding fixture, and workpiece as integrated on the cutting machine, using a gear measuring machine, with its work arbor and evaluation software, to measure the acceptance elements of the workpiece. In the past gear manufacturers have had to rely on hob manufacturers' inspection of individual elements of a hob, such as lead, involute, spacing, and runout. These did not always guarantee correct gears, as contained elements may cause a hob to produce gears beyond tolerance limits. Fig. 1 shows the effects of positive and negative rake on finished gear teeth. Incorrect positive rake (A) increase the depth and decreases the pressure angle on the hob tooth. The resulting gear tooth is thick at the top and thin at the bottom. Incorrect negative rake (B) decreases the depth and increases the pressure angle. This results in a cutting drag and makes the gear tooth thin at the top and thick at the bottom. Question: When cutting worm gears with multiple lead stock hobs we find the surface is "ridged". What can be done to eliminate this appearance or is to unavoidable? This article examines the dry hobbing capabilities of two cutting tool materials—powder metallurgical high-speed steel (PM-HSS) and cemented carbide. Cutting trials were carried out to analyze applicable cutting parameters and possible tool lives as well as the process reliability. To consider the influences of the machinability of different workpiece materials, a case hardening steel and a tempered steel were examined. For environmental and economic reasons, the use of coolant in machining processes is increasingly being questioned. Rising coolant prices and disposal costs, as well as strains on workers and the environment, have fueled the debate. The use of coolant has given rise to a highly technical system for handling coolant in the machine (cooling, filtering) and protecting the environment (filter, oil-mist collector). In this area the latest cutting materials - used with or without coolant - have great potential for making the metal-removal process more economical. The natural progression to completely dry machining has decisive advantages for hobbing. Hobbing is one of the most fundamental processes in gear manufacturing. Its productivity and versatility make hobbing the gear manufacturing method of choice for a majority of spur and helical gears. In today’s manufacturing environment, shorter and more efficient product development has become the norm. It is therefore important to consider every detail of the development process, with a particular emphasis on design. For green machining of gears, the most productive and important process is hobbing. In order to analyze process design for this paper, a manufacturing simulation was developed capable of calculating chip geometries and process forces based on different models. As an important tool for manufacturing technology engineers, an economic feasibility analysis is implemented as well. The aim of this paper is to show how an efficient process design—as well as an efficient process—can be designed. It takes confidence to be the first to invest in new manufacturing technology. But the payback can be significant. That has been the experience at the Ford Motor Company's Transmission & Chassis Division plant at Indianapolis, IN, which boasts the world's first production application of dry hobbing. The objective, according to Dr.- Ing. Hansjörg Geiser, head of development and design for gear machines at Liebherr, was to develop and design a combined turning and hobbing machine in which turning, drilling and hobbing work could be carried out in the same clamping arrangement as the hobbing of the gearings and the subsequent chamfering and deburring processes. Prior to the introduction of titanium nitride to the cutting tool industry in the early 1980s, there was very little progress in the general application of hobbing in the gear cutting industry. The productivity gains realized with this new type of coating initiated a very active time of advancement in the gear manufacturing process. Gear gashing is a gear machining process, very much like gear milling, utilizing the principle of cutting one or more tooth (or tooth space) at a time. The term "GASHING" today applies to the roughing, or roughing and finishing, of coarse diametral pitch gears and sprockets. Manufacturing these large coarse gears by conventional methods of rough and finish hobbing can lead to very long machining cycles and uneconomical machine utilization. The following is a general overview of some of the different factors that lead to the specific design. and the selection of the correct tool for a given hobbing application. Load-carrying capacity of gears, especially the surface durability, is influenced by their tooth surface roughness in addition to their tooth profiles and tooth traces. Precision gears play a vital role in today's economy. Through their application, automobile transmissions are more compact and efficient, ships sail faster, and diesel locomotives haul more freight. Today great emphasis is being placed upon the reduction of noise in all gear applications and, to be quiet, gears must be accurate. As we approach the problem of hard gear processing, it is well to take a look at the reason for discussing it at this time. In our present economic atmosphere throughout the world, more and more emphasis is being placed upon efficiency which is dictated by higher energy costs. Our company manufactures a range of hardened and ground gears. We are looking into using skiving as part of our finishing process on gears in the 4-12 module range made form 17 CrNiMO6 material and hardened to between 58 and 62 Rc. Can you tell us more about this process? Hobbing is probably the most popular gear manufacturing process. Its inherent accuracy and productivity makes it a logical choice for a wide range of sizes. Some results of evaluation by this method in the automotive industry. The newer profile-shifted (long and short addendum) gears are often used as small size reduction gears for automobiles or motorcycles. The authors have investigated the damage to each cutting edge when small size mass-produced gears with shifted profiles are used at high speeds. NC and CNC metal cutting machines are among the most popular machine tools in the business today, There is also a strong trend toward using flexible machining centers and flexible manufacturing systems. The same trend is apparent in gear cutting. Currently the trend toward CNC tools has increased, and sophisticated controls and peripheral equipment for gear cutting machines are now available; however, the investment in a CNC gear machine has to be justified on the basis of economic facts as well as technical advantages. The seemingly simple process of placing a uniform chamfer on the face ends of spur and helical gears, at least for the aerospace industry, has never been a satisfactory or cost effective process. I would like to comment on David Arnesen's article, "Dry Hobbing Saves Automaker Money, Improves Gear Quality," in the Nov/Dec, 1996 issue. Q&A with Liebherr's Dr. Alois Mundt. New tool from LMT-Fette provides combination of operations. Flute Index Flute index or spacing is defined as the variation from the desired angle between adjacent or nonadjacent tooth faces measured in a plane of rotation. AGMA defines and provides tolerance for adjacent and nonadjacent flute spacing errors. In addition, DIN and ISO standards provide tolerances for individual flute variation (Fig. 1). This article describes a method of obtaining gear tooth profiles from the geometry of the rack (or hob) that is used to generate the gear. This method works for arbitrary rack geometries, including the case when only a numerical description of the rack is available. Examples of a simple rack, rack with protuberances and a hob with root chamfer are described. The application of this technique to the generation of boundary element meshes for gear tooth strength calculation and the generation of finite element models for the frictional contact analysis of gear pairs is also described. Investment in advanced new manufacturing technologies is helping to reinvent production processes for bevel gear cutters and coarse-pitch hobs at Gleason - delivering significant benefits downstream to customers seeking shorter deliveries, longer tool life and better results. The cutting tool is basic to gear manufacturing. Whether it's a hob, broach, shaper cutter or EDM wire, not much gets done without it. And the mission of the tool remains the same as always; removing material as quickly, accurately and cost-effectively as possible. Progress in the field tends to be evolutionary, coming gradually over time, but recently, a confluence of emerging technologies and new customer demands has caused significant changes in the machines, the materials and the coatings that make cutting tools. Gearing for Munchkins Gene Kasten, president of Repair Parts, Inc., of Rockford, IL, is the proud owner of a miniature Barber-Colman hobber, the only one of its kind in the world. The machine, a replica of the old B-C "A" machine, was built between 1933 and 1941 by W. W. Dickover, who devoted 2, 640 hours of his spare time to the project. Hobbing is a continuous gear generation process widely used in the industry for high or low volume production of external cylindrical gears. Depending on the tooth size, gears and splines are hobbed in a single pass or in a two-pass cycle consisting of a roughing cut followed by a finishing cut. State-of-the-art hobbing machines have the capability to vary cutting parameters between first and second cut so that a different formula is used to calculate cycle times for single-cut and double-cut hobbing. Question: When we purchase our first CNC gear hobbing machine, what questions should we ask about the software? What do we need to know to correctly specify the system requirements? Question: We are interested in purchasing our first gear hobbing machine. What questions should we ask the manufacturer, and what do we need to know in order to correctly specify the CNC hardware and software system requirements? Since we are a high volume shop, we were particularly interested in Mr. Kotlyar's article describing the effects of hob length on production efficiency which appeared in the Sept/Oct issue of Gear Technology. Unfortunately, some readers many be unnecessarily deterred from applying the analysis to their own situations by the formidabilty of the mathematical calculations. I am making the following small suggestion concerning the evaluation of the constant terms. A brief introduction to the subject of Thin Film Coatings and their application to gear hobs and shaper cutters is followed by a detailed description of the Chemical Vapor Deposition Process and the Physical Vapor Deposition Process. Advantages and disadvantages of each of these processes is discussed. Emphasis is placed upon: application engineering of coated gear tools based on laboratory and field test results. Recommendations are suggested for tool design improvements and optimization of gear cutting operations using coated tools. Productivity improvements potentially available by properly utilizing coated tools are considered in terms of both tool cost and machining cost. New material technology allows for more efficient and flexible hobbing. In this paper a new method for the introduction of optimal modifications into gear tooth surfaces—based on the optimal corrections of the profile and diameter of the head cutter, and optimal variation of machine tool settings for pinion and gear finishing—is presented. The goal of these tooth modifications is the achievement of a more favorable load distribution and reduced transmission error. The method is applied to face milled and face hobbed hypoid gears. Bevel gear manufacturers live in one of two camps: the face hobbing/lapping camp, and the face milling/grinding camp. The quality of the finished gear is influenced by the very first machining operations of the blank. Since the gear tooth geometry is generated on a continuously rotating blank in hobbing or shaping, it is important that the timed relationship between the cutter and workpiece is correct. If this relationship is disturbed by eccentricities of the blank to its operating centerline, the generated gear teeth will not be of the correct geometry. During the blanking operations, the gear's centerline and locating surfaces are established and must be maintained as the same through the following operations that generate the gear teeth. Indexable carbide insert (ICI) cutting tools continue to play a pivotal role in gear manufacturing. By offering higher cutting speeds, reduced cycle times, enhanced coatings, custom configurations and a diverse range of sizes and capabilities, ICI tools have proven invaluable for finishing and pre-grind applications. They continue to expand their unique capabilities and worth in the cutting tool market. Nowadays, finish hobbing (which means that there is no post-hobbing gear finishing operation) is capable of producing higher quality gears and is growing in popularity. This article is part four of an eight-part series on the tribology aspects of angular gear drives. Each article will be presented first and exclusively by Gear Technology, but the entire series will be included in Dr. Stadtfeld’s upcoming book on the subject, which is scheduled for release in 2011. Fred Young, CEO of Forest City Gear, talks about sophisticated gear manufacturing methods and how they can help solve common gear-related problems. Sandvik presents the latest in gear milling technologies. Indexable carbide insert cutting tools for gears are nothing new. But big gears have recently become a very big business. The result is that there's been a renewed interest in carbide insert cutting tools. Question: Do machines exist that are capable of cutting bevel gear teeth on a gear of the following specifications: 14 teeth, 1" circular pitch, 14.5 degrees pressure angle, 4 degrees pitch cone angle, 27.5" cone distance, and an 2.5" face width? The complete Product News section from the May 2009 issue of Gear Technology. Question: I have just become involved with the inspection of gears in a production operation and wonder why the procedure specifies that four involute checks must be made on each side of the tooth of the gear being produced, where one tooth is checked and charted in each quadrant of the gear. Why is this done? These particular gears are checked in the pre-shaved, finish-shaved, and the after-heat-treat condition, so a lot of profile checking must be done. Among the various types of gearing systems available to the gear application engineer is the versatile and unique worm and worm gear set. In the simpler form of a cylindrical worm meshing at 90 degree axis angle with an enveloping worm gear, it is widely used and has become a traditional form of gearing. (See Fig. 1) This is evidenced by the large number of gear shops specializing in or supplying such gear sets in unassembled form or as complete gear boxes. Special designs as well as standardized ratio sets covering wide ratio ranges and center distanced are available with many as stock catalog products. Helical gears can drive either nonparallel or parallel shafts. When these gears are used with nonparallel shafts, the contact is a point, and the design and manufacturing requirements are less critical than for gears driving parallel shafts. The forming of gear teeth has traditionally been a time-consuming heavy stock removal operation in which close tooth size, shape, runout and spacing accuracy are required. This is true whether the teeth are finished by a second forming operation or a shaving operation. In order to increase the load carrying capacity of hardened gears, the distortion of gear teeth caused by quenching must be removed by precision cutting (skiving) and/or grinding. In the case of large gears with large modules, skiving by a carbide hob is more economical than grinding when the highest accuracy is not required. High-speed machining using carbide has been used for some decades for milling and turning operations. The intermittent character of the gear cutting process has delayed the use of carbide tools in gear manufacturing. Carbide was found at first to be too brittle for interrupted cutting actions. In the meantime, however, a number of different carbide grades were developed. The first successful studies in carbide hobbing of cylindrical gears were completed during the mid-80s, but still did not lead to a breakthrough in the use of carbide cutting tools for gear production. Since the carbide was quite expensive and the tool life was too short, a TiN-coated, high-speed steel hob was more economical than an uncoated carbide hob. Bodine Electric Co. of Chicago, IL., has a 97-year history of fine-and medium-pitch gear manufacturing. Like anywhere else, traditions, old systems, and structures can be beneficial, but they can also become paradigms and obstacles to further improvements. We were producing a high quality product, but our goal was to become more cost effective. Carbide hobbing is seen as a technological innovation capable of enabling a dramatic, rather than an incremental, enhancement to productivity and cost savings. Recent trends in gear cutting technology have left process engineers searching for direction about which combination of cutting tool material, coating, and process technology will afford the best quality at the lowest total cost. Applying the new technologies can have associated risks that may override the potential cost savings. The many interrelated variables to be considered and evaluated tend to cloud the issue and make hobbing process development more difficult. Increased productivity in roughing operations for gear cutting depends mainly on lower production costs in the hobbing process. In addition, certain gears can be manufactured by shaping, which also needs to be taken into account in the search for a more cost-effective form of production. Traditionally, profile and lead inspections have been indispensable portions of a standard inspection of an involute gear. This also holds true for the worm of a worm gear drive (Ref. 1). But the inspection of the profile and the lead is rarely performed on a worm wheel. One of the main reasons is our inability to make good definitions of these two elements (profile and lead) for the worm wheel. Several researchers have proposed methods for profile and lead inspections of a worm wheel using CNC machines or regular involute and lead inspections of a worm wheel using CNC machines or regular involute measuring machines. Hu and Pennell measured a worm wheel's profile in an "involute" section and the lead on the "pitch" cylinder (Ref. 2). This method is applicable to a convolute helicoid worm drive with a crossing angle of 90 degrees because the wheel profile in one of the offset axial planes is rectilinear. This straight profile generates an involute on the generated worm wheel. Unfortunately, because of the hob oversize, the crossing angle between the hob and the worm wheel always deviates from 90 degrees by the swivel angle. Thus, this method can be implemented only approximately by ignoring the swivel angle. Another shortcoming of this method is that there is only one profile and one lead on each flank. If the scanned points deviated from this curve, it produced unreal profile deviation. Octrue discussed profile inspection using a profile checking machine (Ref. 3). Conical involute gears, also known as beveloid gears, are generalized involute gears that have the two flanks of the same tooth characterized by different base cylinder radii and different base helix angles. In the past, the blades of universal face hobbing cutters had to be resharpened on three faces. Those three faces formed the active part of the blade. In face hobbing, the effective cutting direction changes dramatically with respect to the shank of the blade. Depending on the individual ratio, it was found that optimal conditions for the chip removal action (side rake, side relief and hook angle) could just be established by adjusting all major parameters independently. This, in turn, results automatically in the need for the grinding or resharpening of the front face and the two relief surfaces in order to control side rake, hook angle and the relief and the relief angles of the cutting and clearance side. Quality gear manufacturing depends on controlled tolerances and geometry. As a result, ferritic nitrocarburizing has become the heat treat process of choice for many gear manufacturers. The primary reasons for this are: 1. The process is performed at low temperatures, i.e. less than critical. 2. the quench methods increase fatigue strength by up to 125% without distorting. Ferritic nitrocarburizing is used in place of carburizing with conventional and induction hardening. 3. It establishes gradient base hardnesses, i.e. eliminates eggshell on TiN, TiAIN, CrC, etc. In addition, the process can also be applied to hobs, broaches, drills, and other cutting tools. In 1961 I presented a paper, "Calculating Conjugate Helical Forms," at the semi-annual meeting of the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA). Since that time, thousands of hobs, shaper cutters and other meshing parts have been designed on the basis of the equations presented in that paper. This article presents the math of that paper without the formality of its development and goes on to discuss its practical application. This article summarizes the development of an improved titanium nitride (TiN) recoating process, which has, when compared to conventional recoat methods, demonstrated tool life increases of up to three times in performance testing of hobs and shaper cutters. This new coating process, called Super TiN, surpasses the performance of standard TiN recoating for machining gear components. Super TiN incorporates stripping, surface preparation, smooth coating techniques and polishing before and after recoating. The combination of these improvements to the recoating process is the key to its performance. I'm a big believer in the value of IMTS as a marketplace where gear manufacturers can go and look at the latest machine tools and processes; compare hobbing machines, gear grinders and inspection equipment; see turning, milling or grinding machines in action; and ask questions of the various vendors all in one place. This year's IMTS promised to be the biggest ever, and I have no doubt that it will be a valuable experience to those who go there looking for ways to improve the way they manufacture products. The hob is a perfect example of how a little manufacturing ingenuity can make a reliable, highly productive cutting tool. It's an engineering specimen that creates higher cutting speeds, better wear resistance and increases rigidity. The cutting tool alone, however, can't take all the credit for its resourcefulness. Advanced coating technology from companies like Sulzer, Oerlikon Balzers, Ionbond, Seco Tools and Cemecon helps improve cutting tools by reducing overall costs, increasing tool life and maintaining the highest levels of productivity. The following is a quick recap of new technologies and the latest information in the coating market. The capabilities and limitations of manufacturing gears by conventional means are well-known and thoroughly documented. In the search to enhance or otherwise improve the gear-making process, manufacturing methods have extended beyond chip-cutting - hobbing, broaching, shaping, shaving, grinding, etc. and their inherent limitations based on cutting selection and speed, feed rates, chip thickness per tooth, cutting pressure, cutter deflection, chatter, surface finish, material hardness, machine rigidity, tooling, setup and other items. Almost any external tooth form that is uniformly spaced around a center can be hobbed. Hobbing is recognized as an economical means of producing spur and helical gears with involute tooth profiles. Richard Spens has a hobby that leads him onto the Internet, through magazines, to auctions and into farmers' back yards. The traditional way of controlling the quality of hypoid gears' tooth flank form is to check the tooth flank contact patterns. But it is not easy to exactly judge the tooth flank form quality by the contact pattern. In recent years, it has become possible to accurately measure the tooth flank form of hypoid gears by the point-to-point measuring method and the scanning measuring method. But the uses of measured data of the tooth flank form for hypoid gears have not yet been well developed in comparison with cylindrical involute gears. In this paper, the tooth flank form measurement of generated face-milled gears, face-hobbed gears and formulate/generated gears are reported. The authors discuss the advantages and disadvantages of scanning and point-to-point measuring of 3-D tooth flank forms of hypoid gears and introduce some examples of uses of measured data for high-quality production and performance prediction. The Dictionary of American Biography describes him as "one of the founders of the gear-cutting industry in the United State." He built the first hobbing machine for cutting spur gears. He founded the companies that are now Boston Gear and Philadelphia Gear Corp. Imagine the $10 bill with the face of Edwin R. Fellows on it and on the back, a picture of his invention: the gear shaping machine. Or the $5 bill with George B. Grant and a picture of the first hobbing machine, which he built. When parts you manufacture pass through numerous processes such as deep hole drilling, machining, hobbing and grinding, a CMM is essential when your customers require 100 percent in-process and final inspection. There are several methods available for improving the quality of spur and helical gears following the standard roughing operations of hobbing or shaping. Rotary gear shaving and roll-finishing are done in the green or soft state prior to heat treating. A treasure trove of gear and power components for aspiring engineers and dedicated hobbyists. Dollhouses may be toys for children, but an old-time working miniature machine shop is the ultimate toy for a self-proclaimed hobby machinist like Greg Bierck. One of the major problems of plastic gear design is the knowledge of their running temperature. Of special interest is the bulk temperature of the tooth to predict the fatigue life, and the peak temperature on the surface of the tooth to avert surface failure. This paper presents the results of an experimental method that uses an infrared radiometer to measure the temperature variation along the profile of a plastic gear tooth in operation. Measurements are made on 5.08, 3.17, 2.54, 2.12 mm module hob cut gears made from nylon 6-6, acetal and UHMWPE (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene). All the tests are made on a four square testing rig with thermoplastic/steel gear pairs where the plastic gear is the driver. Maximum temperature prediction curves obtained through statistical analysis of the results are presented and compared to data available from literature. Two major processes used for cutting gears, hobbing and shaping. This article describes advanced machine design and cutter materials for gear shaping. A universal gear is one generated by a common rack on a cylindrical, conical, or planar surface, and whose teeth can be oriented parallel or skewed, centered, or offset, with respect to its axes. Mating gear axes can be parallel or crossed, non-intersecting or intersecting, skewed or parallel, and can have any angular orientation (See Fig.1) The taper gear is a universal gear. It provides unique geometric properties and a range of applications unmatched by any other motion transmission element. (See Fig.2) The taper gear can be produced by any rack-type tool generator or hobbing machine which has a means of tilting the cutter or work axis and/or coordinating simultaneous traverse and infeed motions. Traditional methods of manufacturing precision gears usually employ either hobbing or shaper cutting. Both of these processes rely upon generating the conjugate tooth form by moving the work-piece in a precise relation to the tool. Recently, attention has been given to forming gear teeth in a single step. Advantages to such a process include reduced production time, material savings, and improved performance characteristics. Drawbacks include complicated tool designs, non-uniformity of gears produced throughout the life of the tooling, and lengthy development times. After shaping or hobbing, the tooth flanks must be either chamfered or duburred. Here it is paramount that the secondary burr produced will not be formed into the flank, but to the face of the gear, because during hardening, the secondary burr will straighten up and, due to its extreme hardness, will lead to excessive tool wear. Grinding is a technique of finish-machining, utilizing an abrasive wheel. The rotating abrasive wheel, which id generally of special shape or form, when made to bear against a cylindrical shaped workpiece, under a set of specific geometrical relationships, will produce a precision spur or helical gear. In most instances the workpiece will already have gear teeth cut on it by a primary process, such as hobbing or shaping. There are essentially two techniques for grinding gears: form and generation. The basic principles of these techniques, with their advantages and disadvantages, are presented in this section. Why Brushes? In this age of hi-tech, robots, automatic machines, machining cells, etc., is there a niche somewhere for power brushes? Let me answer by asking another question. What tool does the gear manufacturer have in his arsenal that allows him to deburr green gears, hardened gears, hobbed gears, ground gears and shaved gears? What tool allows him to deburr powder metal gears - green and sintered - brass gears, bronze gears, stainless gears made of exotic materials such as inconel, waspaloy, or hastaloy, and fiber and plastic gears? How about spur gears, helical gears, sprockets, both internal and external splines, clutch teeth and pump gears? Hobs, broaches, shaper cutters, shaver cutters, milling cutters, and bevel cutters used in the manufacture of gears are commonly made of high speed steel. These specialized gear cutting tools often require properties, such as toughness or manufacturability, that are difficult to achieve with carbide, despite the developments in carbide cutting tools for end mills, milling cutters, and tool inserts. News Items About hob 1 Bourn and Koch Hobbing Machine Offers Single Setup Options (May 3, 2012) The Bourn and Koch 100 H horizontal hobbing machine can hob splines and geared shafts up to 100 mm in diameter. Mount tools in ... Read News 2 Koepfer's Heavy Duty Hobbing Machine Offers Extended Part Size Capacity (June 6, 2007) The Heavy-duty Model 300 from Koepfer America provides for a bigger part diameter, coarser diametral pitch, and bigger hob capacity than ... Read News 3 Koepfer America Launches Large Capacity CNC Hob Sharpening Machine (August 7, 2007) Koepfer America developed the new KFS250 CNC hob sharpening machine, which is based on its KFS100 series. The KFS250 series h... Read News 4 Gleason Debuts Opti-Cut Tools for Gashing, Shaping and Hobbing (November 9, 2007) A new family of cutting tools was recently introduced by the Gleason Corporation for the gashing, shaping and hobbing of gears. This new ... Read News 5 Koepfers Versatile MZ 130 Provides Same-Setup Gear Hobbing and Worm Milling (January 10, 2007) Koepfers MZ130 hobbing and worm milling CNC machine from Monnier + Zahner was designed with versatility and ease of use in mind. ... Read News 6 New Clamping Devices for Tool and Hob Manufacturing from Toolink (February 9, 2005) The K?nigdorn hydraulic expansion mandrels from Toolink Enginering manually clamp hobs located between centers on the machine. The system... Read News 7 New Hob Sharpening Machine from Doimak (January 28, 2005) The AF-75 is a new grinding machine designed for sharpening hobs. Among the various features of this model are high accuracy and an op... Read News 8 New Face Drivers for Gear Hobbing from Logansport (February 2, 2005) The FDNC face drivers from Logansport Matsumoto are designed for gear hobbing operations. According to the companys press releas... Read News 9 DTR Offers Hobs for Cutting Wind Turbine and Heavy Industrial Gears (January 21, 2010) DTR Corporation recently announced its full line of high-performance, large coarse pitch hobs for cutting wind turbine and heavy industri... Read News 10 Gleason Introduces Newest Hobbing Machine (February 15, 2006) The new Genesis 130H CNC vertical hobbing machine features a design that optimizes dry machining, reduces floor space and improves cycle ... Read News 11 Cutting Tool Sharpener Handles Large Diameter Hobs (February 11, 2010) In response to market demand for a machine capable of sharpening large, heavy hobs, J. Schneeberger has developed the Corvus C500 Coarse ... Read News 12 Gleason Introduces Titan 1200H Hobbing Machine (December 29, 2011) Gleason has introduced the Titan 1200H Hobbing Machine, the first of a new series of Titan hobbers designed for larger cylindrical gears ... Read News 13 Exsys Tool Provides Roughing/Gear Hobbing on Single Machine (August 16, 2011) A special compact gear hobber system from Exsys Tool, Inc. allows shops to generate splines, spur or helical gears in one operation. The ... Read News 14 MAG Acquiring Samputensili Gear Hobbing Line (October 11, 2010) MAG, a manufacturing technology company, has acquired the gear hobbing and chamfering/deburring product line of Samputensili GmbH in Chem... Read News 15 New Gear Hobbing Center from Koepfer EMAG (February 24, 2005) The VSC 250/400 DUO WF from EMAG Koepfer allows complete soft machining of gears on a single machine. According to the companys ... Read News 16 H 400 CNC Hobs Small or Large Batches (May 9, 2012) Run small lots or mass produce straight and helical gears; crowned and tapered gears; worm gears; chain sprockets and toothed belt discs;... Read News 17 Zoller Offers Inspection for Hob Cutters (January 14, 2013) Gear cutting is a challenging task. Only perfect and re-sharpened tools can guarantee correct workpieces, short setup times and low downt... Read News 18 SpeedCore Allows for More Efficient and Flexible Hobbing (October 21, 2011) In today's gear manufacturing environment, flexibility and efficiency are key factors in modern machine tool technology. Productivity... Read News 19 LMT-Fette Opens Illinois Hob Facility (April 23, 2006) LMT-Fette established a new precision manufacturing facility in Libertyville, IL. The first phase of the new plant will handle product... Read News 20 Ingersoll Introduces 2-Start Insert Hob (February 10, 2011) Ingersoll recently introduced a 2-Start Indexable Carbide Insert Hob, which nearly doubles productivity for machining gears with large nu... Read News 21 Gleason Invests in Coarse Pitch Hob Production Cell (August 2, 2011) In response to unprecedented global demand for large cylindrical gears, Gleason Cutting Tools Corporation has invested in an advanced coa... Read News 22 Gleason Installs 10 Meter Capacity Gear Hobber in China (April 2, 2013) Gleason Corporation recently announced the successful installation of a P 8000/10000 Gear Hobber at Changzhou Tianshan Heavy Industry Mac... Read News 23 Luren Introduces Hob Sharpening Machine (January 7, 2011) Luren Precision Co., Ltd. recently introduced the CNC Hob Sharpening Machine LHG-3040.This machine is built with a rigid structure for ma... Read News

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An independent Republic of Armenia was proclaimed at the end of the 1914-1918 War but it lasted only until the beginning of the 1920s when the Bolsheviks incorporated it into the Soviet Union. Armenia's return to independence in 1991 was overshadowed by the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the predominantly Armenian-populated region in Azerbaijan (see Current conflicts section). Full-scale war broke out the same year as ethnic Armenians in Karabakh fought for independence, supported by troops and resources from Armenia proper. A ceasefire in place since 1994 has failed to deliver any lasting solution. Russia, France and the US co-chair the OSCE's Minsk Group, which has been attempting to broker an end to the dispute for over a decade. In 1997, the group tabled settlement proposals seen as a starting point for negotiations by Azerbaijan and Armenia but not by the de facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh itself. When the then-Armenian-president Levon Ter-Petrosyan tried to encourage Nagorno-Karabakh to enter into talks he was forced to resign amid cries of betrayal. Azerbaiijan declared illegitimate a referendum held in the region in December 2006. Armenia's president Serzh Sarkisian and Azerbaijan's Ilham Aliyev agreed in November 2008 to intensify their efforts to find a political settlement to the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. They claimed to have made significant progress at talks in Prague in May 2009 on the sidelines of the EU's Eastern Partnership summit. This overview is based on the BBC online country profile for Armenia.

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About Joseph Curran Joseph Curran (March 1, 1906 - August 14, 1981) was a merchant seaman and an American labor leader. He was founding president of the National Maritime Union (or NMU, now part of the Seafarers International Union of North America) from 1937 to 1973, and a vice president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). Curran was born on Manhattan's Lower East Side. His father died when he was two years old, and his mother boarded with another family. He attended parochial school, but when he was 14 he was expelled during the seventh grade for truancy. He worked as a caddy and factory worker before finding employment in 1922 in the United States Merchant Marine. He worked as an able seaman and boatswain, washing dishes in restaurants when not at sea and sleeping on a Battery Park bench at night. It was during this time that he received his lifelong nickname "Big Joe." Curran joined the International Seamen's Union (or ISU; the remnants of which would become the Seafarers International Union), but was not active in the union at first. "SS California" strike Main article: S.S. California strike In 1936, Curran led a strike aboard the ocean liner S.S. California, then docked in San Pedro, California. Curran and the crew of the Panama Pacific Line's California went on strike at sailing time and refused to cast off the lines unless wages were increased and overtime paid. The strike was essentially a sitdown strike. Curran and the crew refused to leave the ship, for the owners would have simply replaced them with strikebreakers. The crew remained aboard and continued to do all their duties except cast off the lines. The California remained tied up for three days. Finally, United States Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins personally intervened in the California strike. Speaking to the crew by telephone, Perkins agreed to arrange a grievance hearing once the ship docked at its destination in New York City, and that there would be no reprisals by the company or government against Curran or the strikers. During the California's return trip, the Panama Pacific Line raised wages by $5 a month to $60 per month. But Perkins was unable to follow through on her other promises. United States Secretary of Commerce Daniel Roper and the Panama Pacific Line declared Curran and the strikers mutineers. The line even took out national advertising attacking Curran. When the ship docked, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents met the ship and began an investigation into the "mutiny." Curran and other top strike leaders were fined two day's pay, fired and blacklisted. Perkins was able to keep the strikers from being prosecuted for mutiny, however. Seaman all along the East Coast struck to protest the treatment of the California's crew. Curran became a leader of the 10-week strike, eventually forming a supportive association known as the Seamen's Defense Committee. Formation of NMU The S.S. California strike was only part of a worldwide wave of unrest among American seamen. A series of port and shipboard strikes broke out in 1936 and 1937 in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. In October 1936, Curran called a second strike, in part to improve working conditions and in part to embarrass the ISU. The four-month strike idled 50,000 seamen and 300 ships. Curran, believing it was time to abandon the conservation International Seamen's Union, began to sign up members for a new, rival union. The level of organizing was so intense that hundreds of ships delayed their sailing time as seamen listened to organizers and signed union cards. In May 1937, Curran and other leaders of his nascent movement formed the National Maritime Union. The Seamen's Defense Committee reconstituted itself as a union. It held its first convention in July, and 30,000 seamen switched their membership from the ISU to the NMU. Curran was elected president of the new organization. Elected secretary-treasurer of the union was Jamaican-born Ferdinand Smith. Thus, from its inception NMU was racially integrated. Within six years, nearly all racial discrimination was eliminated in hiring, wages, living accommodations and work assignments. A hallmark of the new union was the formation of hiring halls in each port. The hiring halls ensured a steady supply of experienced seamen for passenger and cargo ships, and reduced the corruption which plagued the hiring of able seamen. The hiring halls also worked to combat racial discrimination and promote racial harmony among maritime workers. Within a year, the NMU had more than 50,000 members, and most American shippers were under contract. Stripped of most of its membership, the ISU became almost moribund. In July 1937, Curran and other seamen's union leaders were invited by John L. Lewis to come to Washington, D.C., to form a major organizing drive among ship and port workers. The unions comprising the CIO had been ejected by the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in November 1936, and now Lewis wanted to launch a maritime union. His goal was to create, out of the 300,000 maritime industry's workers, a union as large and influential as the Steel Workers Organizing Committee. Although Lewis favored Harry Bridges, president of the Pacific Coast District of the International Longshoremen's Association, to lead the new maritime industrial union, the other union leaders balked. Curran agreed to affiliate with the CIO, but refused to let Bridges or anyone else take over his union. His views were reflected among those of the other union leaders, and the CIO's maritime industrial union never got off the ground. During the next 36 years, Joseph Curran worked to make American merchant seamen the best-paid maritime workers in the world. NMU established a 40-hour work week, overtime, paid vacations, pension and health benefits, tuition reimbursement, and standards for shipboard food and living quarters. Curran even built a union-run school to retrain union members, and won large employer donations through collective bargaining to build the school. Curran was a vociferous advocate of maritime workers' rights. When Joseph P. Kennedy advocated legislation to outlaw maritime strikes and make arbitration of labor disputes compulsory, Curran called him a "union wrecker". When Kennedy was under consideration as executive director of the United Seamen's Service (an association which assists, feeds and houses American merchant seamen overseas), Curran successfully opposed the multi-millionaire's candidacy. Curran put such pressure on Kennedy that on February 18, 1938, Kennedy resigned as chair of the United States Maritime Commission. Curran was also a strong supporter of far-left-wing causes. In August 1940, he urged unions in the New York City area to support an "emergency peace mobilization" opposing U.S. entry into the war in Europe. In 1940, Curran was elected a vice president of the CIO. When the CIO and AFL merged in 1955, he was appointed a vice president of the merged organization as well. Greater New York Industrial Union Curran was also elected president of the Greater New York Industrial Union. The Greater New York Industrial Union (GNYIU) was organized by the CIO in 1940 as a central labor body for New York City. CIO-affiliated local unions in New York City and the nearby vicinity were its primary members. At the organization's founding convention on July 24, 1940, Curran was elected president of GNYIU. Saul Kills, a member of the American Newspaper Guild, was elected its secretary-treasurer. The organization had 250 local union affiliates, representing more than 500,000 workers. By 1948, however, there were serious concerns about communist infiltration of the GNYIU. The United States House of Representatives appointed a special investigative subcommittee to look into the matter. Several CIO unions were investigated, including the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, the Teachers Union of the City of New York, the United Public Workers of America and the Department Store Employees Union. CIO president Philip Murray appointed a three-member board in October 1940 to forestall the House investigation. The board members reported to Murray that Curran, Kills and the GNYIU executive board had been advocating pro-communist policies. The GNYIU was on the verge of supporting Henry A. Wallace in an independent bid for president as well. The national CIO executive board revoked the charter of the GNYIU in November 1940. Curran denied that he was a communist before both the CIO executive board and the Joint Commerce Committee of the U.S. Congress. Curran became increasingly anti-communist thereafter. In 1946, he pulled the NMU out of a Committee for Maritime Unity which was led by Harry Bridges. After World War II, he purged thousands of members and elected leaders he suspected of harboring communist sympathies. Curran served on a number of other committees, boards and positions with other organizations. For many years, he was chair of the AFL-CIO's Maritime Committee. He was also co-chair of the Labor-Management Maritime Committee, a body established by AFL-CIO maritime unions and U.S. shipping companies to discuss and resolve labor issues. Curran was also vice chairman of the Seafarer's Section of the International Transportworkers Federation, an international confederation of maritime unions. Curran was also vice president of the United Seamen's Service. Retirement and death Curran suffered a heart attack in 1953 which left him somewhat less physically able than before. Over the next few years, he gradually cut back his workload, and stopped visiting local unions and attending most union meetings. In the mid-1960s, he turned over most of the union's daily business to secretary-treasurer Shannon J. Wall. By the mid-1960s, Curran was being criticized for ignoring his members' needs and concerns. His $85,000-a-year salary was one of the highest in the American labor movement even though his union was small and shedding members. He enjoyed an unlimited expense account, and traveled by chartered jet and private limousine. He cajoled the union's executive board into building a massive, Art Deco headquarters in Manhattan, and had the edifice named after himself. In 1966, with the surreptitious help of NMU staffers, union member James B. Morrissey challenged the results of Curran's 1966 re-election as fraudulent. The Department of Labor agreed, but a re-run election did not change the outcome. In 1973, shortly after Curran won re-election for a thirteenth term as union president, Morrissey sued Curran and charged him with misappropriating union funds. In a precedent-setting ruling in Morrissey and Ibrahim v. Curran, 650 F.2d 1267 (1981), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit established a broad right for union members to sue union officers for improper financial practices. Morrissey's barrage of lawsuits against Curran led Curran to retire suddenly on March 5, 1973. Long-time secretary-treasurer Shannon J. Wall succeeded him as president. Curran retired to Boca Raton, Florida. He died there of cancer on August 14, 1981. Curran married Retta Toble, a former cruise ship waitress, in 1939. The couple had a son, Joseph Paul Curran, Jr. Retta Curran died in 1963. In 1965, Curran married Florence Stetler

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The Jordan River, which cuts through Israel and Jordan, largely reflects the scarcity of water in the region. The above picture shows a rare flooding event in the Jordan River in the winter of 2003 at the Baptist site (well-known in Christianity). Just several months later, during the summer of 2003, the river was dry again, as shown below at a site close to Abdalla Bridge. Courtesy of Avner Vengosh. Data collected from more than 6,000 selected sampling points reveal that more than 10 percent of the water resources in the Mediterranean basin have boron levels exceeding 1 milligram per liter, the new E.U. drinking water standard. We found that the highest values of boron are in areas associated with geothermal activity, such as in Tuscany, Italy, and Chalkidiki, Greece. In addition, we discovered high boron levels in the groundwater basins in the central part of Cyprus and in the southern coastal aquifer that is shared between Israel and the Gaza Strip. In order to delineate the origin of boron and salinity in these groundwater basins, we investigated the chemical and isotopic compositions of the boron-contaminated groundwater. Boron has two stable isotopes that are distributed unevenly among different geological materials and natural water resources. Because different sources of water pollution have unique isotopic fingerprints, we were able to use the boron isotopes to identify clearly the source of the water contamination. For example, the boron isotopic ratios in seawater, wastewater and rocks vary significantly. Thus, when groundwater is contaminated, the imprinted isotopic signature of these different sources is preserved, serving as a tracer for delineating their origin. Similarly, the application of other isotopes such as oxygen, hydrogen and strontium provide a clue to the origin of the polluted water. By integrating these chemical tools, we discovered that the boron contamination in the Mediterranean groundwater basins is derived primarily from natural processes. In the Cornia basin in Tuscany, we found that boron leaching from sediments into local groundwater is associated with seawater intrusion, reflecting a complex history of boron uptake and release by clay minerals. In western Chalkidiki, the mixing of groundwater with underlying thermal water rich in boron caused the boron contamination. In Cyprus, water-rock interaction is the main mechanism for the boron enrichment in the water. In the southern coastal aquifer of Israel and the Gaza Strip, we discovered that boron pollution is associated with the migration of saline groundwater from Israel into the Gaza Strip. The chemical and isotopic compositions of the groundwater in these studies clearly indicate that the boron problem in the Mediterranean water resources, on the whole, is derived from natural (geogenic) sources rather than anthropogenic ones. Our results have several implications for the management of national and transboundary groundwater resources in the Mediterranean basin and for the remediation of boron. Perhaps most importantly, we are challenging the conventional perception that the boron contamination in these countries is a source of human pollution. For years, companies added boron to detergents because it is an excellent bleaching agent thus resulting in the formation of boron-rich sewage. Moreover, similar to other inorganic ions, boron is not removed during standard sewage treatment processes and even treated wastewater typically has high boron concentrations. Thus, as a precautionary measure, environmental regulators in both Cyprus and Israel have chosen a particular strategy to reduce boron contamination: mandating regulations that restrict the amount of boron that can be added to detergents. Although the reduction in boron in treated sewage may prove to be beneficial for agriculture because there will be less boron contamination in the irrigation water, these regulations will have negligible effects for improving drinking water. For a country that soon will join the European Union, such as Cyprus, it will only be able meet its obligation to abide by E.U. standards for drinking water by pursuing an alternative strategy that calls for technological intervention to remove boron. To date, Israel has yet to adopt an official drinking water standard for boron, despite the new proposals for desalination calling for 0.5 milligrams per liter boron in desalinated water. Thus, Israel already faces a similar challenge to Cyprus. In short, because boron contamination in all our investigated cases comes from natural geochemical background pollution and hence cannot be prevented, the only way to address the boron problem is through treatment of the drinking water. At present in Italy and Israel, water authorities mix the boron-rich water with high-quality water to reduce the level of boron in the water supplied for both drinking and agricultural purposes. However, the longevity of dilution as a solution is limited, primarily due to the diminishing amount of high-quality water that is available. As a result, our research has focused on the creation of alternative water resources, through the application of technological solutions such as improved desalination and the introduction of new techniques for boron removal from the water. Reverse osmosis desalination has tremendous potential for a supply of new water for the 21st century, especially in areas of the world where water is scarce or the quality is inadequate. Its widespread application, however, is hampered by the fact that reverse osmosis desalination does not remove boron sufficiently (only 60 percent). As a result, desalination of seawater does not reduce the boron level below the new standard for drinking water in the European Union (and will be also problematic for the non-European Mediterranean countries adopting a similar drinking water standard for boron). Therefore, additional removal techniques must be introduced in order to bring boron levels down to drinking standards. Different partners in the BOREMED project have developed several independent methodologies for removing boron from water. In Cyprus, BOREMED partners have utilized boron-specific resins combined with a small-scale reverse osmosis to reduce the amount of boron in the groundwater for local users. In Israel, BOREMED partners have succeeded in removing boron by optimization of reverse osmosis processes such as multi-step desalination. Other partners from the Netherlands have established a new method of boron removal through co-precipitation with hydroxides. In addition, a joint Israeli-Turkish team invented a new technique for boron removal through reacting seawater with fly ash and coal materials. This method is particularly useful in Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, where fly ash is abundant and cheap. Each of the new different methodologies has its own benefits and costs. Ultimately, the E.U. countries that face a boron problem will have to adopt one of these new technologies in order to be in compliance with the new drinking water standard for boron. Through an integration of geochemistry, hydrogeology, numerical modeling and policy analysis, we also have devised a potential management solution to the water crisis in the Gaza Strip. The local aquifer underlying the Gaza Strip is perhaps one of the most stressed resources in the Mediterranean basin in terms of water quantity and quality: Chloride concentrations reach 1,500 milligrams per liter (six times the E.U. standard); nitrate concentrations reach 400 milligrams per liter (eight times the E.U. standard); and boron concentrations reach 3.5 milligrams per liter (more than three times the E.U. standard). Over the past five decades, the amount of water pumped from the Gaza aquifer has far exceeded the natural water replenishment. As the water level has declined, the water quality has become unsuitable for human consumption, owing to the high levels of salinity, boron and nitrate pollution. Nevertheless, more than 1 million people depend entirely upon this aquifer for drinking and irrigation water. The BOREMED project has mapped boron distribution in groundwater from the southern Mediterranean coastal aquifer and the Gaza Strip. The different colors represent boron concentration in milligrams per liter. In most parts of the aquifer and the Gaza Strip, the boron concentration exceeds the drinking standard of 1 milligram per liter for the European Union. Courtesy of Avner Vengosh. Our chemical and isotopic data show that most of the salinity phenomenon in the Gaza Strip is derived from flow of natural saline groundwater from Israel towards the Gaza Strip. As a result, the southern coastal aquifer does not resemble a classic upstream-downstream dispute over a transboundary aquifer: Israels upstream pumping of the saline groundwater can potentially reduce the salinization rates of groundwater in the Gaza Strip rather than cause downstream harm. Numerical simulation of different pumping scenarios confirms our hypothesis that increasing pumping along the Gaza Strip border combined with desalination and supply to the Gaza Strip, as well as moderate reduction of pumping within the Gaza Strip, would improve the water quality of groundwater there. Moreover, our finding that the salinity problem in the Gaza Strip is partially natural de-politicizes the water issue and offers a practical solution for the water crisis in the Gaza Strip that has win-win benefits for both the Palestinian Territory and Israel. Clearing the way The promulgation of a new drinking water standard for boron in the European Union has forced both E.U. member and non-member states to address boron contamination in drinking water even before a strong causal link has been found between boron contamination and health effects. Yet, while new technologies now exist for boron removal, the adoption of this new drinking water standard is complicated by the fact that each country faces different institutional constraints. In Italy, the boron problem is a local problem rather than a national one, and as a result, the end-user in conjunction with the regional water authority is responsible for developing its own program for boron removal. In contrast, in the coastal aquifer that is shared between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the boron and salinity problem will only be resolved through the development of institutions for international cooperation. Finally, in Cyprus, the boron problem is a national problem, thus requiring a national solution instead of a local or international solution. In the end, the ability to address the boron problem at the local, national and international levels in the Mediterranean basin will depend entirely on an integration of science, technology and policy. At the surface, northern Africa is one of the driest places on the planet. But underneath the desert, ancient water lies in a complex groundwater system composed of the Nubian aquifer. Radiocarbon dating techniques have indicated that most Nubian aquifer water is at least 50,000 years old, but a newly developed technique shows that some of the water is 1 million years old adding further complexity to the Nubian aquifer system, which waters the region. Boron is only one of many geologic materials that occur naturally in the environment and can pose health risks to people. Geoscientists are actively involved in studying such substances by monitoring groundwater, surface water and soils, and by mapping their distributions. The findings may help policy-makers devise new strategies for regulation and mitigation. Online sources for asbestos, radon, mercury, arsenic, crystalline silica and boron are listed below; also see link to past Geotimes coverage. See this month's print issue for more

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"...wall upon wall, battlement upon battlement, black, immeasurably strong, mountain of iron, gate of steel, tower of adamant... Barad-dûr, fortress of Sauron The Fellowship of the Ring II 10 The Breaking of the Fellowship The mighty shadow-shrouded stronghold of Sauron in the Second and Third Ages. The First Building of Barad-dûr The first building of Barad-dûr, when Sauron first came to Mordor, took six hundred years to complete. Soon after, Tar-Minastir of Númenor sent a fleet to Middle-earth, and Sauron's forces were driven out of the western lands that they had roamed at will to that time. Barad-dûr could not be approached by the Númenóreans, however, and Sauron was able to consolidate his power and extend it into the east. In II 3262, Sauron left his Dark Tower to travel to Númenor with the vast forces of Ar-Pharazôn; he returned after the Downfall of Númenor in II 3319. The Last Alliance besieged Barad-dûr in II 3434, and the Tower was taken and destroyed by the forces of Elendil and Gil-galad, who both perished in the siege, in II 3441. Though Barad-dûr was destroyed, its foundations were left in place. The Second Building of Barad-dûr For much of the Third Age, Sauron's stronghold was not in Mordor, which was ruled in his stead by the Nazgûl. Rather, the Dark Lord dwelt in the south of Mirkwood at Dol Guldur. In III 2941, the White Council sent their forces to drive him from Mirkwood, and he withdrew to Mordor once again. There, he began the rebuilding of the Dark Tower. Given that the Tower originally took some six hundred years to raise, it seems surprising that its second building can have taken no more than a few decades. This is perhaps partly explained by the fact that its foundations, laid with the power of the Ring, remained in Gorgoroth ready to be built upon. Barad-dûr was constructed as much through the personal power of Sauron as through stone and mortar; when the One Ring was destroyed in Orodruin, this power was lost and the Tower destroyed forever. The Appearance of Barad-dûr The most complete description we have of Barad-dûr is that given in the quote at the head of this page. We know, then, that it was black, and constructed mainly of metal. 'Adamant' usually refers to diamond, but it is hard to imagine Sauron adding diamond towers to his dark fortress - in this context, it probably has the more general meaning of 'hard, unbreakable substance'. From the steel gate of the Tower, a causeway ran out into the plain of Gorgoroth, across a mighty bridge. We also know that lava from Mount Doom was channeled back across that plain to Barad-dûr. Tolkien probably leaves details of the Tower's construction vague intentionally, as it was hidden by a cloud of shadow and darkness at all times. Frodo and Sam saw Barad-dûr as they journeyed to Mount Doom: '...rising black, blacker and darker than the vast shades amid which it stood, the cruel pinnacles and iron crown of the topmost tower of Barad-dûr...' (The Lord of the Rings 6 III: Mount Doom). The 'topmost tower of Barad-dûr' seems to have been the place where Sauron dwelt. At least, the Window of the Eye, from which the Lidless Eye stared out across Middle-earth, was located there. Battle of Dagorlad, Black Pit, Black Pits, Chambers of Fire, Dark Lord, Dark Throne, Dark Tower, Downfall of Barad-dûr, Ered Lithui, Eye of Barad-dûr, Eye of Mordor, Eye of Sauron, Fall of Barad-dûr, King of Dale, Land of Shadow, [See the full list...] For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page. Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Software Ltd. Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1997-2000, 2008. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

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Map: Do You Live in a Food Desert? USDA's Food Desert Locator Map Yesterday, the United States Department of Agriculture unveiled its latest online tool: an eye-opening map of the nation's "food deserts." These food deserts (marked in pink above) are places where there is "low income" and "low access"—or places where at least a fifth of the population lives at or below the poverty line and where there isn't a supermarket within a one-mile radius (or within a 10-mile radius in rural areas). All things told, about 13.5 million people nationwide have little or no access to stores selling healthful food. The complete dataset is downloadable, so it should spawn mash-ups. The USDA has also created the Food Environment Atlas, which maps factors ranging from food taxes to farmers' markets (below). What correlations can we make about the absence of food deserts and farmers' markets? The data's impressive and certainly opens up opportunities to map other connections: What's the impact of healthy corner stores, walkable school districts, or even McDonald's locations on food deserts? Could we put the "Wal-Mart as food desert solution" theory to the test? Map: USDA (via Alex Howard).

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Counting, recognizing numbers 1 to 5, alphabet and prewriting practice, and more. Visualizing addition, counting to 10, learning the alphabet, indentifying shapes, and more. Building addition and subtraction skills, telling time, recognizing letters, and more. Money math, adding multiple digits, learning contractions, recognizing parts of speech, and more. Finding area, division drills, learning about fractions, alphabetizing, is it I or me, and more. Triangle types, math with fractions and mixed numbers, writing equations, word problems, finding antonyms, and more. Decimal subtraction, improper fractions, cause and effect, commas, and more. Quick, hands-on projects to captivate your little one. Learning activities to try in the kitchen, at snack time, and more. From mummies to family trees, find cool art projects to entertain and teach your child. Find silly word games and other activities to build crucial academic skills - all while having fun. Get ideas for cool new books your little publisher can make. See how everyday chores can be transformed into fun learning activities. Help your child rediscover the majesty of old-fashioned concepts like snail mail, journals, and family trees.

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Con Ed to Get the Lead Out The project will remove about 2,400 tons of underground lead sheathing through 2009 as part its membership in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Partnership for Environmental Priorities Program. The voluntary program aims to reduce or eliminate chemicals that can linger for decades when released into the environment. The private-public program has targeted 31 priority chemicals, such as lead and PCBs. Con Edison plans to replace 2,400 sections of underground lead-clad electric feeder cables this year with solid dielectric cables made of copper conductors encased in synthetic rubber. The new cables are easier to splice and better for electricity distribution. In 2009, the company will continue replacing an additional 2,400 sections, each of which is estimated to have about 1,000 pounds of encased lead sheathing that will be recycled nearby. Eventually the company wants to replace all lead-clad cables -- about 20 percent of the company's underground network -- by 2020, which could account for as much as 15,000 tons of reclaimed lead sheathing. Faced with a tide of post-consumer plastic trash, organizations are thinking up innovative ways to profitably harness this potentially vast revenue stream. Read more The sixth annual edition of research has been expanded to include data on 1,600 companies worldwide, as well as on the U.S.-based S&P 500. Find out where the world of sustainable business is headed -- and the leading indicators of future progress. Read the stories and download the report. Simran Sethi shares how our psychology and geography shape the ways we engage and share with each other. See our entire video collection

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This is a very complex question, but let’s go at it another way. The races that we experience today didn’t really come from Adam and Eve. You know why? Because everybody on the face of the earth got drowned, except for Noah and his three sons, and their wives. So, all the races came from Noah and Mrs. Noah, and the three little junior Noahs: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And they were all, you remember, rescued in the flood, and they came back and began to populate the earth. The best we can tell, Shem located with his people in the Middle East, and are the Semites: Jews and Arabic people. It’s a huge part of the world--huge population. Ham, in most studies (and I’m reflecting back a few years in reading things like Oliver Buswell III, and others who dealt with these issues, and some other books on the tables of nations), it seems that Ham became a more servile people and may have moved south and wound up in Africa. The descendants of Ham and Japheth seem to have colonized Europe. It’s very difficult to know all of that specifically, but they obviously, through the years, adapted themselves to their areas. They of course began to develop and all the races eventually came. But, apart from what might be the scientific and historical explanation, is the statement of Acts 17, where it says, “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He have need of anything; He made, from one, every nation.” So, that’s the best answer. Acts 17, verse 26, God, from Noah and Mrs. Noah and Shem, Ham, and Japheth, created the nations. Now, one major component in that happened at the Tower of Babel of course, where God scattered all the nations all over the face of the earth and changed their languages. So, the best answer is right there in Acts 17--God did it. And God sort of tweaked their ears and tweaked their eyes, and their nose, and the color of the skin, and all those genetic unique things, in His creative power, through the process of providential genetics, to create all the different races. You may reproduce this Grace to You content for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Grace to You's Copyright Policy (http://www.gty.org/connect/copyright).

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In 2006, high sea temperatures caused severe coral bleaching in the Keppell Islands, in the southern part of the reef — the largest coral reef system in the world. The damaged reefs were then covered by a single species of seaweed which threatened to suffocate the coral and cause further loss. A "lucky combination" of rare circumstances has meant the reef has been able to make a recovery. Abundant corals have reestablished themselves in a single year, say the researchers from the University of Queensland's Centre for Marine Studies and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS). "Three factors were critical," said Dr Guillermo Diaz-Pulido. "The first was exceptionally high regrowth of fragments of surviving coral tissue. The second was an unusual seasonal dieback in the seaweeds, and the third was the presence of a highly competitive coral species, which was able to outgrow the seaweed." Coral bleaching occurs in higher sea temperatures when the coral lose the symbiotic algae they need to survive. The reefs then lose their colour and become more susceptible to death from starvation or disease. The findings are important as it is extremely rare to see reports of reefs that bounce back from mass coral bleaching or other human impacts in less than a decade or two, the scientists said. The study is published in the online journal PLoS one. "The exceptional aspect was that corals recovered by rapidly regrowing from surviving tissue," said Dr Sophie Dove, also from CoECRS and The University of Queensland. "Recovery of corals is usually thought to depend on sexual reproduction and the settlement and growth of new corals arriving from other reefs. This study demonstrates that for fast-growing coral species asexual reproduction is a vital component of reef resilience." Last year, a major global study found that coral reefs did have the ability to recover after major bleaching events, such as the one caused by the El Niño in 1998. David Obura, the chairman of the International Union for Conservation of Nature climate change and coral reefs working group involved with the report, said: "Ten years after the world's biggest coral bleaching event, we know that reefs can recover – given the chance. Unfortunately, impacts on the scale of 1998 will reoccur in the near future, and there's no time to lose if we want to give reefs and people a chance to suffer as little as possible." Coral reefs are crucial to the livelihoods of millions of coastal dwellers around the world and contain a huge range of biodiversity. The UN's Millennium Ecosystem Assessment says reefs are worth about $30bn annually to the global economy through tourism, fisheries and coastal protection. But the ecosystems are under threat worldwide from overfishing, coastal development and runoff from the land, and in some areas, tourism impacts. Natural disasters such as the earthquake that triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 have also caused reef loss. Climate change poses the biggest threat to reefs however, as emissions of carbon dioxide make seawater increasingly acidic. Last year a study showed that one-fifth of the world's coral reefs have died or been destroyed and the remainder are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network says many surviving reefs could be lost over the coming decades as CO2 emissions continue to increase.

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Bingo makes you think faster than non-players and keeps you more alert into old age, a researcher told a British Psychological Society conference. Julie Winstone, of Southampton University, said players were faster and more accurate than non-bingo players on tests measuring mental speed, the ability to scan for information, and memory. Her research found older players even outperformed younger counterparts, suggesting keeping the brain active keeps it sharper for longer. The finding came as no surprise to the National Bingo Association, which said the game was played by three million people with an average age of 49. "The blue rinse brigade dominated it 15 years ago. But then it was taken up by celebrities Denise Van Outen, Elle Macpherson, Robbie Williams, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Bianca and Jade Jagger," said Gloria Pattinson, an association spokeswoman. "These acted as role models for younger people, who started going to evening sessions before moving on to clubs and pubs. Older people still go to morning and afternoon sessions. "The skill needed in bingo is quite high which is why these findings are no surprise. You have to be a good listener and search for numbers quickly." Ms Winstone said: "Any mental or physical activity is good for you but bingo involves searching for digits which is particularly sensitive to the ageing process." She recruited 112 people - half were bingo players - and divided them into the 18-40 and 60-82 age groups. She added: "I got them to scan a grid for single digits, pairs of digits and then three digits. The older bingo players were both quicker and made less errors than the older non-bingo players - and the younger bingo players. "In bingo it is very important not to miss a number and you have to sustain your attention sometimes for several hours. "Concentration has been shown to decline with age so bingo could be helping older people sustain their attention for longer."

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Teens Using Technology - Backlit Devices can Impact on Sleep New research from the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, indicates that teenagers who use backlit technology, such as tablet devices, for two hours before bed, may have their sleeping patterns disrupted. At this time of year in Australia, many teens are studying for their final HSC exams and using computers for extended periods. Being aware of backlit technology's possible effects on sleep and melatonin release, may help parents advise their teens on how to ensure they get sufficient sleep. We know that sleep has an impact on learning and information retention so we've written about this topic before. For more information on sleep and teens, please read: Backlit Devices May Interrupt Sleeping Patterns The new LRC research shows that a two-hour exposure to electronic devices with self-luminous 'backlit' displays causes melatonin suppression, which might lead to delayed bedtimes, especially in teens. “Our study shows that a two-hour exposure to light from self-luminous electronic displays can suppress melatonin by about 22%. Stimulating the human circadian system to this level may affect sleep in those using the devices prior to bedtime,” said Professor Figueiro. And until manufacturers develop more “circadian-friendly” electronic devices that increase or decrease light exposure based on time of day, Figueiro recommends "dimming these devices at night as much as possible in order to minimize melatonin suppression, and limiting the amount of time spent using these devices prior to bedtime.” Your teens might not want to hear this information during other times of the year when they want to play games on tablet-style devices but perhaps during final exam times, they'll be more receptive to this information. Morning Light Helps Teens Sleep Another field study by the LRC in 2010 indicated that teenagers are likley to have better sleep if they have more exposure to morning light. During term time, high schools have schedules requiring teenagers to be in school early in the morning, so teens often miss some morning light. However, during a study break, your teen has an opportunity to change this pattern and possibly benefit from more and better sleep. “As teenagers spend more time indoors, they miss out on essential morning light needed to stimulate the body’s 24-hour biological system, which regulates the sleep/wake cycle,” said Professor Figueiro. In this study it was found that students who wore special glasses to prevent short-wavelength (blue) morning light from reaching their eyes experienced a 30-minute delay in sleep onset by the end of five days. Good luck getting your teens out of bed for some morning exercise and all the best to everyone supporting teenagers studying for their final HSC exams.

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Accidental poisoning by methadone occurs, particularly as a result of children ingesting a parent's methadone. Health care professionals have a responsibility to provide information and guidance to methadone users on safe storage of methadone. The objective of the study was to audit the effectiveness of information giving on the safety of methadone consumption, dose measurement and storage, and the effectiveness of sources of advice available for patients. The study was undertaken prior to the introduction of a scheme for the supervised consumption of methadone, in the setting of an NHS Methadone clinic serving a district population of 490,000 in the UK. 185 consecutive patients attending a methadone clinic to collect a methadone prescription were the subject of an anonymous survey. Issues of safety of methadone consumption, storage and safety information provisions were assessed. A telephone survey of the community pharmacists dispensing the methadone covered the availability of measuring devices and provision of advice on safety was undertaken. Methadone was stored in a variety of locations, a cupboard being most frequent. 95 patients (60.1%) had children either living in or visiting their home. All stored their methadone in a bottle with a child resistant lid; the majority measured doses using either the container supplied by the pharmacist or a plastic measure. 126 patients (78%) confirmed that a pharmacist provided a measuring container on their first visit, 24 (15%) were given a measure on every visit to the pharmacist. Advice on safe storage was recalled by 30% of the patients, and advice on measuring methadone by 28%. Methadone was seen as potentially dangerous by 82% of the patients. The risks resulting from unsafe storage of methadone may be reduced by daily instalment prescribing and provision of measuring containers on request. Recall of provision of information on safety issues is poor and the adoption of a standard policy on provision information should be seen as a priority. A re-audit of safety of storage of methadone is recommended following the introduction of a standard policy on information provision. The number of prescriptions per year for methadone in England increased from 425,400 to 1,318,100 between 1990 and 2001 . Prior to the introduction in 1999 of national guidelines in England with regard to supervised methadone consumption, it was common practice for patients to be prescribed take-home methadone from specialist drug clinics or general practitioners which would be dispensed at community pharmacies. Up to 14 days' supply could be prescribed on one prescription and the patient would be allowed to store this at home. In practice, prior to the development of supervised methadone schemes, where patients consume their methadone at the pharmacy and are observed by the pharmacist, many prescribers controlled the amount dispensed by prescribing daily instalments or for 2 to 3 days at a time to reduce the risk of diversion of supplies and the risk of storage of high volumes. Following the introduction of guidelines for supervised methadone, it became the norm within the UK for patients to have daily methadone prescriptions with supervised consumption at the pharmacy for a minimum of 3 months. Providing that they are compliant with treatment, this supervision can then be discontinued and increasing numbers of days' supply can be dispensed to take home. Even within the current supervised schemes, patients will take home at least one day's supply for unsupervised consumption as pharmacies are not in general open on Sundays. The introduction of national guidelines has produced some changes in the prescribing methods for methadone in the UK. There is still considerable variation in practice between clinicians both in the dose prescribed and the volume dispensed for take-home use The risks relating to methadone are not confined to those prescribed methadone or to adults using illicit supplies. The storage of methadone at home poses a potential risk to children living with the person prescribed methadone if the supply is not safely stored. The value of oral methadone prescribing in the treatment of opiate addicts is confirmed in National Clinical Guidelines . Safety issues relating to storage of methadone at home have been well documented . A report regarding the use of babies' feeding bottles as measuring devices for methadone highlighted the risks to children of access to methadone. The study recommended that all doctors who prescribe methadone should ask their patients how they measure their daily dose of methadone. It is clear from current guidance that health care professionals have a responsibility to provide information and guidance to methadone users on safe storage of methadone. . We undertook this audit to evaluate the effectiveness of the sources of advice that those prescribed methadone may have used with regard to safety of storage and measurement of their methadone dose. Audit criteria and standard setting The audit followed a standard audit methodology of selecting appropriate criteria and then selecting standards by which to measure success in achieving the criteria. The following criteria were selected following a review of the literature. 1. All patients prescribed methadone should recall being given information on safe storage of methadone 2. All patients who take home methadone should have it dispensed in a child resistant container 3. All patients prescribed methadone for home consumption should have an accurate measuring device available 4. All patients who have methadone at home should store it a child resistant container within a safe locked location. 5. All patients where children may have access to methadone should be aware of the particular risks to children. 6. All patients prescribed methadone should be aware of the risks of accidental overdose. The standard setting was agreed by the audit team using the following principles. 1. Given the high risks posed by accidental methadone overdose criteria 1 – 6 were allocated a 100% standard Development of survey instruments We devised and piloted a questionnaire for anonymous self completion by patients. The content of the questionnaire was planned to cover the following aspects. • Volumes of methadone prescribed and stored • Frequency of pick up of prescriptions • Frequency of doses • Location of storage • Measurement of methadone • Possible access to the stored methadone by children • Sources of advice on safe storage and measurement • Appreciation of the possible risks of methadone. A checklist for telephone survey of community pharmacists was devised to collect data on the availability of measuring devices and advice on safety aspects of storage and measurement. Over a period of three days, consecutive patients attending to collect a methadone prescription from the specialist clinic were invited to complete the questionnaire. Of the 185 patients attending, 165 (86.4%) completed the questionnaire. All pharmacists recorded in the clinic register as potentially dispensing methadone to patients attending the clinic were contacted by telephone (n = 48). Of these, 36 were actually dispensing methadone during the period of the patient survey and 35 (97.2%) agreed to complete the telephone survey Closed questions were analysed with descriptive statistics, open questions by content analysis, a χ2 test was used to compare outcomes Volume of methadone stored at home The mean daily methadone dose for the 161 patients was 32 mg, (Range 5 mg to 80 mg, SD = 14.01). Instalment prescribing is the norm within the clinic and 97 patients (63%) reported a daily pick up, 52 (34%) a pick up every 2 days, 3 patients (2%) picked up twice a week whilst 1 patient (<1%) reported a weekly pick up. Volumes stored at home reflected the range of doses and the type of instalment prescribing. The mean volume stored at home was 51 mg (Range 0 mg to 315 mg, SD= 48.3). Of the 11 patients who reported that they did not store any methadone at home, 2 reported that they stored it about their person, 8 consumed all their methadone in the street after it had been dispensed and 1 gave it to a parent for safekeeping. Location of storage Content analysis of the location of storage revealed a variety of locations (Table 1). A cupboard was the most common storage place 49 (30.6%), 27 (16.8%) stored methadone in the fridge, whilst only 4 patients (2.5%) stored methadone in a medicine cabinet. One patient stored methadone in a wastebin Table 1. Location of storage of methadone in the home Safety of storage Of the 159 patients who completed the item on security of their place of storage, 43 (27%) acknowledged that other people would have access to their storage place. The presence of children in the house was assessed in two ways, firstly as an item enquiring as to children resident with the patient and secondly an item regarding children who may visit the patient. From these items a consolidated figure of homes where children may have access to methadone was calculated. 158 patients responded to items on children within the home, of whom 95 (60.1%) had children either living in or visiting the home. An assessment by these 95 patients of the risk of children knowing where the methadone was stored resulted in 5 patients (3.2%) accepting that children would know where they kept their methadone, 10 patients (6.45%) reported that they thought children could find their methadone. Chi square analysis of methadone storage location and assessment of the ability of others to access the storage site showed no significant difference between the group with children living in or visiting their home and those with no children living in or having access to their home. Methadone storage container Of the 160 patients who completed the questionnaire, 100% stored their methadone in the original pharmacists' container supplied with a child resistant cap. Measurement of methadone An open question with regard to containers used to measure out methadone doses revealed a fairly narrow range of containers to be in use (Table 2). 140 patients (67.5%) used either the container supplied by the pharmacist or a plastic measure supplied by the pharmacist to measure out their methadone; a minority of 5 patients (3.13%) guessed the correct amount without any form of measure. Table 2. Measuring Methadone (n = 160) The need to measure out methadone occurs when more than one days supply is dispensed, such as at weekends or when patients have a less frequent prescription instalment. The need to measure out methadone also occurs when patients split their daily dose. Responses to the survey indicated that of the 153 who responded to this item, 100 (63%) take their methadone as single dose. The remaining patients split their dose, 52 (34%) taking methadone twice a day, and 4 (3%) taking it three or more times a day. 126 patients (78%) confirmed provision of measuring containers on the first visit to a pharmacist. 24 patients (15%) reported that they were given a measuring container on every visit to the pharmacist and 13 (8%) reported that they were able to request a measuring device when they needed one Sources of advice on storage and measurement Only 49 patients (31%) recalled being given advice on safety of methadone; of those who did recall this advice, it had been given by the Methadone Clinic (41.7%), the local drug agency (27%) or the pharmacist (21%). Advice on ways to measure out methadone was recalled by 45 patients (28%), this advice had been given by the methadone clinic (40%), the pharmacist (36%) or the local drug agency (18%). Knowledge of the risks of methadone In response to the question " Is methadone dangerous?". 131 patients (82%) replied yes, 25 patients (16%) replied no and 3 (2%) did not respond. None of the patients reported having being involved with any accidental use of methadone. Of the 35 pharmacists who participated in the survey, 32 (91%) confirmed that they would provide a measuring device on request. Only 5 (14.3%) provided a measuring device on each attendance. Advice on storage of methadone had been given by 4 pharmacists (11%) and advice on measuring out methadone by 6 (17%). The pharmacists were each dispensing for a mean of 5 patients (Range 1 to 20, SD 4.4) Performance on criteria 1 to 6 was measured against the defined standards. The results are summarised in table 3. Table 3. Audit criteria performance Only 1 of the standards reached 100% in the sample studied, that being the dispensing of methadone in containers with child resistant caps. The accidental ingestion of methadone is a well recognised risk of methadone prescribing[7,8] The need to store methadone is increased if prescriptions are dispensed in more than daily instalments. A survey of prescribing to opiate addicts in England and Wales in 1996 showed that up to 36% of prescriptions for methadone were dispensed on a weekly basis . The use of inappropriate storage and measuring containers for methadone, such as babies' bottles by over 25% of patients in Dublin, was perhaps influenced by the fact that over 50 % of prescriptions for methadone in Dublin were dispensed on a weekly basis . The routine supply of measuring containers is not necessary when methadone is dispensed on a daily basis or its consumption is supervised, apart from at weekends and when the patient takes the methadone in divided doses. The pharmacists surveyed in this study were able to provide measuring containers on request and the patients appeared to be aware of this facility and had obtained them when needed. The provision of advice to patients on safe storage and measurement had been received by a minority of patients. Pharmacists confirmed that they had only given advice to a small proportion of the patients. The level of advice reported appears to be consistent with that reported by Calman et al in 1996, as do the various locations chosen by patients to store methadone. The patients' responses to the present study do however indicate a high level of awareness of the risks of methadone both to children and to non drug using adults. The risks associated with methadone storage and measurement can be seen to be reduced by daily instalment prescribing, provision of measuring devices on request and the provision of information on the particular risks of methadone to children. The risks to children of unsafe storage of medicines is not of course confined to methadone. Studies of accidental poisoning of children from prescribed medications have shown consistently that failure to store medication in a child resistant container in a safe location is a major factor in increasing the risk of accidental poisoning [10,11] The responsibility for giving advice on these matters does not appear to be allocated to any one agency and our study reveals that many patients do not recall being given such advice. Provision of information on safety issues is poor and the adoption of a standard policy on provision of written information should be seen as a priority. A survey of community pharmacists in Scotland undertaken by Matheson and Bond indicated that pharmacists providing health promotion advice to drug misusers see verbal advice as being "risky", whereas written information is seen as non-confrontational. The introduction of written information on storage and measurement to be given out at the time of dispensing of methadone may be one possible solution to ensuring that patients remain aware of the risks inherent in irresponsible custody of their methadone and what steps to take to reduce this risk. Studies of the relative effectiveness of written versus verbal information on patient information retention and subsequent action do not, however, show any advantage of written over verbal presentation[13,14]. The overall view is that providing the information in both forms provides a range of options which may match the patients' preferred mode of receiving information. The provision of information on the safe storage of methadone is recalled by a minority of patients, and the vast majority of patients do not store their methadone in a locked cupboard or other secure location. The audit we have reported will be repeated following the provision of written information to patients in addition to verbal information at the point that they commence their methadone treatment. This will be reinforced at the point where patients transfer from supervised consumption at the pharmacy to home consumption as part of a progressive relaxation of restrictions in more stable patients. The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests. RNB conceived of the audit, devised the methodology and drafted the manuscript RM supervised the data collection and performed the telephone survey NS participated in the design of the study and performed the data analysis All authors read and approved the manuscript The authors extend their thanks to the patients and pharmacists who gave their time to contribute to the audit and to Gretta Bloor for micro-editing of the final version of the manuscript. BMJ 1996, 313:1481. PubMed Abstract BMJ 1999, 318:329-330. PubMed Abstract BMJ 1991, 303:922-923. PubMed Abstract BMJ 1999, 318:1137. PubMed Abstract Hum Toxicol 1987, 6:303-314. PubMed Abstract

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MONDAY, April 30 (HealthDay News) -- Stress experienced by a mother during the first trimester of pregnancy can lead to iron deficiency in her newborn, putting the infant at risk for physical and mental development delays, a new study says. Iron is important in organ-system development, especially for the brain. Risk factors for iron deficiency in newborns include iron deficiency and diabetes in their mothers, as well as smoking during pregnancy. Preterm birth, low birth weight and multiple pregnancy are also well-known risk factors for low iron. This is the first study to suggest that stress experienced by mothers early in pregnancy is another risk factor for iron deficiency in newborns, according to the researchers. For the study, researchers looked at Israeli women who lived in an area where more than 600 rocket attacks took place during their first trimester of pregnancy. This stress group was compared to a control group of women who lived in the same area but became pregnant three to four months after the rocket attacks ceased. Tests on umbilical cord blood collected from the newborns showed that the 63 babies born to women in the stress group had significantly lower iron levels than the 77 babies born to women in the control group. "Our findings indicate that infants whose mothers were stressed during pregnancy are a previously unrecognized risk group for iron deficiency," study leader Rinat Armony-Sivan, of Ashkelon Academic College, said in an American Academy of Pediatrics news release. "Pregnant women should be aware that their health, nutrition, stress level and state of mind will affect their baby's health and well-being." Doctors might consider doing additional blood work before the well-child visit at 12 months of age, especially in high-risk populations, in order to detect iron deficiency early and treat it before it becomes chronic and severe, Armony-Sivan suggested. The study was slated for Sunday presentation at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Boston. Data and conclusions presented at meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. Although the study found an association between maternal stress and infant iron deficiency, it did not prove a cause-and-effect The Nemours Foundation has more about children and iron.

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The World of Plants The existence of plants is essential for the survival of living things on the earth. For the importance of this sentence to be fully grasped, we must ask: "What are the most important elements for human life?" Of course, basic needs such as oxygen, water, and nourishment come to mind as the answers to this question. And green plants are the most important factor in ensuring the balance of these basic needs on the earth. And there are other balances in the world, of great importance to all living things, not just human beings, such as temperature control and maintaining the correct proportion of gases in the atmosphere, and again it is green plants which maintain the entire equilibrium. And the activities of green plants do not end there. As is known, the main source of energy for life on earth is the Sun. But human beings and animals are unable to make direct use of solar energy, because their bodies lack the systems to use this energy as it is. For this reason solar energy can reach human beings and animals as usable energy only through the food produced by plants. For example, while sipping tea, we are actually sipping solar energy, and as we eat bread, we are munching solar energy. The strength in our muscles is really nothing other than solar energy in a different form. Plants store this form of energy for us in the molecules in their bodies by carrying out complicated processes. The position for animals is no different from that of human beings. They are fed by plants, deriving solar energy from the plants' energy, which they store in packets. Plants being able to produce their own nutrition and maintain themselves, in contrast to other living things, is due to their cell structure, which enables them to employ solar energy directly, unlike human or animal cells. With the help of this structure, plant cells turn energy from the sun into energy which people and animals can absorb through nutrition. They store this energy as food through the special procesesses concealed in their structure. These processes are collectively known as photosynthesis. The necessary mechanism, or more accurately the miniature factory, by means of which plants are able to carry out photosynthesis, is found in their leaves. The transportation system, with its own very special features, for carrying necessary materials such as minerals and water, functions within plants' stems and roots. The reproductive system too has been specially designed in every species of plant. There are complex structures within each and every one of these mechanisms. And these mechanisms function in connection with one another. If one is missing, the others cannot carry out their tasks. As an example let us take a plant which just lacks a transport system. It is impossible for such a plant to carry out photosynthesis, because the vessels necessary to carry the essential water are missing. Even if the plant managed to produce food, it would be unable to transport this to other parts of the body, and would eventually die. As in this example, all the systems present in a plant are obliged to function flawlessly. Any flaws or defects in the existing structure will mean that the plant cannot carry out its functions, and this will result in the death of the plant and the disappearance of the species. When these structures are studied in detail and in depth in the chapters that follow, a most complex and quite flawless design will emerge. When the variety of plants in the world is considered and evaluated, these extraordinary structures seem even more striking. There are more than 500,000 types of plant in the world. And each species possesses its own special planning within itself and features particular to that species. Together with the same perfect basic systems found in all of them, there is also an unparalleled diversity in terms of reproductive systems, defence mechanisms, colour, and design. The only unchanging thing in all this is the reality that the parts of the plants (leaves, roots, stems) and many other mechanisms, must exist at once and with no defects so that the general system, the body, can function. Modern scientists attribute to such systems an "irreducible complexity." In the same way that a motor will not work if one of its cogs is missing, in plants the absence of just one system, or a single functional failure in any one of the parts of the system, will lead to the death of the plant. All of a plant's systems have this feature of irreducible complexity. The complex systems, which must all be present at the same time, and this unbelievable variety bring to mind the question: "How did these perfect systems in plants emerge?" Once again, let us ask some questions to find the answer to this one. Let us think how the functioning of the most important and best known of the mechanisms in plants, photosynthesis, and the transport systems linked to it, came about. Can the trees and flowers which we see all around us at all times have themselves formed such perfect systems as to bring about a phenomenon such as photosynthesis, some parts of which are still not fully understood, in their own bodies? Did plants choose to use carbon dioxide (CO2), of the gases in the air, to produce food? Did they themselves determine the amount of CO2 they would use? Could plants have designed those mechanisms which make up the root system and which enable them to take the materials necessary for photosynthesis from the soil? Did plants bring about a transport system where different types of tubes are used for transporting nutrients and water? As ever, defenders of the theory of evolution searching for an answer to the question of how plants emerged have resorted to "chance" as their only remedy. They have claimed that from one species of plant which came about by chance, an infinite variety of plants have emerged, again by chance, and that features such as smell, taste, and colour, particular to each species, again came about by chance. But they have been unable to give any scientific proof of these claims. Evolutionists explain moss turning into a strawberry plant, or a poplar, or a rose bush, by saying that conditions brought about by chance differentiated them. Whereas when just one plant cell is observed, a system so complex will be seen as could not have come about by minute changes over time. This complex system and other mechanisms in plants definitively disprove the coincidence scenarios put forward as evolutionist logic. In this situation just one result emerges. Every structure in plants has been specially planned and designed. And this shows us that there is a Superior Intelligence which drew up this flawless plan. And the owner of this superior intelligence, God, the Lord of all the worlds, shows proofs of His flawless creation to human beings. God announces His dominion over living creatures and His incomparable creation in this verse:

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Residuals from treating acid mine drainage can be used as effective, inexpensive adsorbents for agricultural and wastewater discharges, a new study by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey Leetown Science Center has found. When acid mine drainage is remediated it is neutralized with a base such as limestone or lime and an iron-rich sludge is formed. The new study published in the Journal Water, Air, and Soil Pollution shows the sludge can efficiently remove phosphorus from agricultural and municipal wastewaters. The phosphorus that has been adsorbed by the mine drainage residuals can later be stripped from the residuals and recycled into fertilizer, the study says. "This wonderful result shows the inventive application of some very sophisticated environmental chemistry to create a new life cycle for what otherwise would have been some problematic waste products," said US Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt in a December 17, 2012 announcement to media about the study. "It sets the bar high for future studies in environmental remediation." Acid mine drainage is produced whenever sulfide minerals associated with coal and metal deposits are exposed to air and moisture. The resulting acid and dissolved metals are toxic to most forms of aquatic life. The study, Fixed Bed Sorption of Phosphorus from Wastewater Using Iron Oxide-Based Media Derived from Acid Mine Drainage, is authored by P. L. Sibrell and T. W. Tucker. Lead author Sibrell said the findings create a “win-win” situation as the mine drainage residuals can be regenerated and reused for a number of additional treatment cycles. "As environmental scientists, we kind of hesitate to use this analogy, but it really is like killing two birds with one stone," Sibrell said in the study’s announcement. "This new technology could reduce or eliminate the need to dispose of acid mine drainage sludge, instead making that same sludge useful in addressing the urgent need to reduce the amount of phosphorus going into aquatic ecosystems.” Untreated acid mine drainage has impacted more than 5,000 miles of streams in the Appalachian region, with associated economic impacts of millions of lost dollars in the tourism and sport fishing industries. Excess phosphorus releases to the environment from agricultural and municipal wastewaters have resulted in significant impairment of aquatic ecosystems such as the Chesapeake Bay and other bodies of water worldwide. Current technology for the removal of phosphorus from wastewater consists of addition of aluminum or iron salts to precipitate and adsorb phosphorus, but this is too expensive for the low concentrations and high volumes often encountered in many wastewaters. This new technology provides a more efficient and cost-effective option. REPORT : http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11270-012-1262-x/fulltext.html

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- slide 1 of 4 Definition of a Mid-Life Crisis or Depression The type of depression that accompanies a mid-life crisis is generally caused by internal factors rather than external influences. In some cases, however, menopause is a contributing factor. A typical mid-life depression will manifest differently in men and women with some of the symptoms being as follows: - Affairs with younger women - Anger and irritability - Hostility and conflict - Demands respect - Restless and agitated - Afraid of speaking out doubts and fears - Fear of failure - Self treats with TV, alcohol, sport and sex - Loss of libido - Feelings of sadness and worthlessness - Avoids conflict - Feels like a failure - Withdraws from social contact - Feelings of guilt and lack of self respect - Self treats with food, friends and love - Sleep problems A mid-life crisis usually lasts for a few years and results in permanent changes in lifestyle. Whether these are positive or negative is an individual choice. - slide 2 of 4 Identifying a Mid-Life Crisis Depression in mid-life often arises when a person is in their 40s or 50s. It is at this stage of life that men and women realize they are ageing and their physical strength and appearance will be declining gradually. This realization leads to some of the behavior that is often seen during a mid-life depression. Men tend to have affairs and women may indulge in plastic surgery and dramatic keep-fit programs. By their 40s, most men and women are financially secure and established in a career. During a mid-life crisis they question if this is all there is to life and may feel bored and let down. Others may be disappointed with what they have achieved and frustrated by a loveless marriage. What they do at this point will determine how their lives will look in years to come. - slide 3 of 4 How to Overcome Depression and a Mid-Life Crisis There are a number of ways men and women can overcome a mid-life depression: - Visit your doctor for a checkup. This will determine if there are any health issues that need addressing. Some people with this type of depression benefit from a short course of antidepressant medication to tide them through difficult patches. Hormone replacement therapy can help women suffering from menopause-related depression. - Join the AA or a support group if you are struggling with addictions or are overindulging in food, alcohol, smoking, gambling or sex. It is easier to overcome these problems when sharing how they affect you with people who understand your struggles. - Confiding in a friend who you know experienced a mid-life depression can be helpful – especially if they had a positive outcome. Most people are more than willing to share their experiences and offer support to those going through something similar. - Regard a mid-life depression as an opportunity to re-evaluate goals, dreams and ambitions in life. Look at job satisfaction, leisure time and relationships, and if necessary, make some changes and plan for positive change. People who lose focus are more susceptible to depression and dreams give them something to reach for. - Accept that while ageing is a natural process, it doesn’t mean the end of enjoying life. There is nothing wrong with trying to improve matters by dieting, giving up smoking or exercising more, but there must be a realization that ageing does bring limitations and bodily changes. Wrinkles, weight gain and hair loss don’t have to signal the end of a fulfilling life or career. - Joining a gym, taking up a new hobby or meeting different people can give a fresh spark to life. Don’t sit at home feeling depressed. Get out and try a number of new activities until you find one that suits you. - Take some time out to do something different with your spouse or loved ones. This can be as simple as a day out in the country or a trip overseas. Marital difficulties commonly arise during a mid-life depression and working on love and togetherness can protect against this. - A mid-life depression may coincide with and be exacerbated by children leaving home. Use this as a time to do things you have always wanted to do but didn’t have the time, money or freedom to enjoy in your younger years. - Go on a mission trip or volunteer at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Giving of yourself and your time can be extremely inspiring and will certainly change your perspective on life and your appreciation of your personal situation. There is no need to suffer in silence while experiencing mid-life depression. There is help available and individuals can make adjustments that transform this period of life into a positive experience where they set the course for future years. - slide 4 of 4 Male Health. http://www.malehealth.co.uk/node/18837 Male Depression. http://www.midlife-passages.com/depressi.htm Good to Know. http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/relationships/273583/Midlife-crisis--How-to-help-yourself

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Walker-Warburg syndrome is a congenital disorder of the central nervous system involving fatal neurological lesions. Multiple malformations of the brain, eyes, and muscle tissue distinguish WWS from similar malformation syndromes. It is also known by the acronym HARD +/- E syndrome (hydroencephalus, agyri, retinal dysplasia, plus or minus "e" for encephalocele). Affected individuals typically show a combination of severe brain, eye, and muscle defects. Multiple malformations of the brain include type II lissencephaly, a condition in which the brain lacks normal convolutions and is unusually smooth without folds. Eighty-four percent of the babies with WWS have macrocephaly (an enlarged head). In half of these cases, the macrocephaly is apparent at birth, and in a quarter of the cases it develops postnatally. Hydrocephalus, or excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid around the brain, occurs in 95% of infants with WWS. This fluid fills abnormally large ventricles or spaces in the brain. Fifty percent of affected infants have an encephalocele, or gap in the skull that does not seal. The meninges or membranes that cover the brain may protrude through this gap. The formation of an encephalocele may be associated with the failure of the neural tube to close during development of the fetus. A malformed cerebellum characterizes the syndrome as well as distinct muscle abnormalities, including congenital muscular dystrophy. Ocular defects occur in 100% of infants with WWS. The most common are abnormally small eyes and retinal abnormalities, which arise from the improper development of the light sensitive area at the back of the eye. Cataracts may also be present and more than three quarters of the infants born with WWS have a defect in the anterior chamber of the eye. WWS syndrome leads to severely retarded mental development and is often lethal in infancy. WWS is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. Offspring of parents who have had one affected infant have a 25% chance of having WWS. The locations of the causitive genes remains unknown. WWS is extremely rare. Cases described in the literature cite siblings with WWS born to consanguineous (closely related) parents as well as cases in families not known to be at risk. Signs and symptoms Clinical signs include a malformed head, small eyes, cataracts, retinal abnormalities, and muscle weakness. An Prenatal ultrasound can reveal some of the brain anomalies associated with WWS, most commonly hydrocephalus and encephalocele. Lissencephaly can not be diagnosed prenatally as normal fetal brains appear smooth. After birth, diagnosis is made on the basis of physical features and ultrasound exams. MRI may be used to confirm the smooth brain feature or type II lissencephaly typical of WWS. Genetic analysis helps distinguish WWS from Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD), which has numerous similar features. WWS can be differentiated from other syndromes that display hydrocephalus or encephalocele by the presence of eye abnormalities including retinal defects, cataracts and anterior chamber defects. Genetic testing for Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy distinguished this from WWS. Treatment and management The severe malformations of the brain defy treatment and many infants with WWS die within the first year of life. Supportive care is required to provide comfort and nursing needs. Seizures may be controlled with medication. Shunting may be required to control the hydrocephalus. A shunt or short plastic tube can be placed to divert the excess cerebral spinal fluid to another area of the body where it can ultimately be absorbed by the body. Genetic counseling is recommended for families at risk. Patients have a very limited life expectancy and the syndrome is generally considered lethal. Most patients die before the age of two. Menkes, John H., and Harvey B. Sarnat. Child Neurology. 6th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2000. Volpe, Joseph J. Neurology of the Newborn. 4th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 2001. Gasser, B., et al. "Prenatal Diagnosis of Walker-Warburg Syndrome in Three Sibs." American Journal of Medical Genetics 76 (March 1998): 107-10. Hung, N.A., et al. "Gonaddoblastoid Testicular Dysplasia in Walker-Warburg Syndrome." Pediatric Developmental Pathology 1 (September-October 1998): 393–404. Vasconcelos, M.M., et al. "Walker-Warburg Syndrome. Report of Two Cases." Fetal Diagnostic Therapy 14 (July-August 1999): 198–200. Lissencephaly Network, Inc. 716 Autumn Ridge Lane, Fort Wayne, IN 46804-6402. (219) 432-4310. Fax: (219) 432-4310. firstname.lastname@example.org. <http://www.lissencephaly.org>. National Hydrocephalus Foundation. 12413 Centralia, Lakewood, CA 90715-1623. (562) 402-3523 or (888) 260-1789. email@example.com. <http://www.nhfonline.org>. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). PO Box 8923, New Fairfield, CT 06812-8923. (203) 746-6518 or (800) 999-6673. Fax: (203) 746-6481. <http://www.rarediseases.org>. "Fukuyama Congenital Muscular Dystrophy." OMIM–Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=253800>. "Muscular Dystrophy, Congenital, With Severe Central Nervous System Atrophy and Absence of Large Myelinated Fibers." OMIM–Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=601170>. "Walker-Warburg Syndrome." OMIM–Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=236670>.

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Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a congenital malformation of the aorta. The condition is also known as aortic coarctation. Either name indicates a constriction of the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery in your body. With a diameter about the size of a garden hose, the aorta leaves the left ventricle of the heart and runs through the middle of your body, through the chest and into the abdominal area. There, it branches out to deliver freshly oxygenated blood to your lower limbs. A constriction or narrowing of this important artery can result in decreased flow of oxygen. In CoA, the constricted part is generally near the top of the aorta and acts like a kink in a hose. As your heart tries to pump oxygen-rich blood to the body, the blood has trouble getting through the kink. This causes high blood pressure in the upper parts of your body and reduced blood flow to the lower parts of your body. CoA is generally diagnosed and treated shortly after birth through surgery. These children usually grow up to lead normal, healthy lives. However, if your child is not diagnosed with CoA until he or she is older, your child is at risk for high blood pressure and heart problems. He or she may require close medical monitoring. Without treatment, CoA patients generally die in their 30s to 40s of heart disease or from complications of chronic high blood pressure. CoA is one of several common types of congenital heart malformations. CoA may occur alone, or together with other abnormalities in the heart. CoA is seen more frequently in boys than girls. It is also associated with other congenital heart defects, such as Shone’s complex and DiGeorge syndrome. While it is known that CoA begins during fetal development, its causes are still not fully understood. In the past, doctors thought that CoA occurred more often in whites than in other races. However, more recent research suggests that differences in the prevalence of CoA may be due to different rates of detection. Studies suggest and that all races are equally likely to be born with the defect. Fortunately, the chances of your child being born with CoA are fairly low. CoA affects only about 6 to 8 percent of all children born with heart defects. And congenital heart defects only occur in approximately .009 percent of all babies born each year. Symptoms in Newborns Symptoms in newborns vary with the severity of the constriction of the aorta. About half of newborns with CoA exhibit no symptoms. The rest may have trouble breathing and be poor feeders. Other symptoms are sweating, high blood pressure, and congestive heart failure. Symptoms in Older Children and Adults In mild cases, children may exhibit no symptoms until later in life. When symptoms do begin to show, they can include: CoA is usually discovered during the newborn’s first examination. Your doctor may detect differences in blood pressure between the baby’s upper and lower extremities, or hear characteristic sounds of the defect when listening to your baby’s heart. CoA is generally treated soon after birth using balloon angioplasty or surgery. Balloon angioplasty involves inserting a catheter inside the constricted artery and then inflating a balloon inside the artery to widen it. Surgical treatment may involve removing and replacing the “crimped” portion of the aorta. The surgeon may instead choose to bypass the constriction with a graft or creating a patch over the narrowed portion to enlarge it. Adults who received treatment in childhood may require additional surgery later in life to treat any reoccurrence of CoA. Additional repairs may be needed to the weak area of the aortic wall. Left untreated, persons with CoA generally die in their 30s or 40s of heart failure, ruptured aorta, stroke, or other conditions. Chronic high blood pressure associated with CoA increases the risks of heart damage, aneurysms, stroke, and premature coronary artery disease. Chronic high blood pressure can also lead to kidney and liver failure, and loss of eyesight through retinopathy. Patients with CoA may need to take drugs, such as ACE (angiotensin-converting-enzyme) inhibitors and beta-blockers to control high blood pressure. CoA patients should follow a healthy lifestyle. Moderate daily aerobic exercise is helpful for maintaining healthy weight, cardiovascular health, and controlling blood pressure. Strenuous exercise, such as weightlifting, put additional stress on the heart and should be avoided. CoA patients should minimize their intake of dietary salt and fat. Anyone with CoA should NEVER smoke any kind of tobacco products.

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Middle rectal artery Within the body's pelvic region, the middle rectal artery serves oxygenated blood to the rectum. However, there are anatomical variances between males and females. For men, the artery branches into blood vessels that serve the prostate as well as the seminal vesicles. In women, the artery branches into vessels that run into the vagina. In both sexes, the artery arises from the internal iliac artery. Also, the rectum is the end of the digestive tract. The supply of oxygenated blood that assists in the final stages of digestion is left over ingested matter processed into feces to be expelled from the body. The middle rectal artery has venal counterparts in the middle rectal veins. These vessels actively drain deoxygenated blood from the area and move it to the internal ileac vein. From there, the deoxygenated blood moves through venal circulatory system until it ends up in the heart via the inferior vena cava. The right side of the heart then pumps it into the lungs for fresh oxygen. Written and medically reviewed by the Healthline Editorial Team In Depth: Middle rectal artery

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Know about Infrequent and Scanty Menstruation It is a condition where intermenstrual cycle is prolonged to more than normal 28 days. But some women have a perfectly normal menstrual cycle at 35 days, without any problem because their fertility is intact and that is why it can not be considered as pathological. Infrequent menstruation should be diagnosed only if the menstrual cycle is erratic and unduly prolonged and some times it prolonged to three months to four months or longer. This situation is most commonly seen at the time of menarche (first menstruation) or at the time of menopause and which can be regarded as modified amenorrhea. But normal reproductive capacity is possible within this infrequent menstrual cycle and infrequent ovulation. In the pathological variety of infrequent menstruation the causes and finding on clinical and investigational findings are to some extent similar to amenorrhea and patient is usually obese, poorly developed secondary sexual characters, hirsute, and hypoplasia of genitals. And the most common finding in the investigation of these types of patients is subnormal functioning of ovaries. In some women the menstruation lasts for only a day or two and the blood loss is also very less and require changing of diapers of only one or two. Scanty menstruation that occurs regularly is not pathological and they are not infertile as the regularity of menstruation proves normal pituitary ovarian cycle. So if a patient of scanty menstruation has normal secondary sex characters it can be considered normal and no treatment is required, other than reassurance. If scanty menstruation is accompanied by irregular menstruation, it is suggestive of primary or secondary ovarian sub function. Depending on the history of menstruation, the primary or secondary ovarian disorder can be determined (if from the beginning the menstruation is irregular and scanty, it is due to primary ovarian disorder and if it starts later it is secondary cause). If the menstruation become suddenly erratic and scanty or no loss, it is suggestive of premature menopause. Then the treatment is same as primary and secondary amenorrhea. The patient and relatives should be convinced on this to the point of their satisfaction.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, April 5th, 2012 at 10:30 am and is filed under Autism Awareness, Autism News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. In recent autism news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study of the autism rates in 8-year-olds. Previously, the public had been acquainted with the notion that 1 in 110 children would be diagnosed with autism, with the likelihood higher among boys. The new study by the CDC has revised that rate and suggested that it is actually 1 in 88. What does the new metric mean? Put simply, researchers do not know. It could be that diagnostics have improved leading to the increased statistics. It could also mean, as parents fear, that autism is on the rise and the source is yet unknown. Leave a Reply You must be logged in to post a comment.

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(March 28, 1849 – October 10, 1894) French author who in 1877 became teacher of Persian language at the …cole des Hautes …tudes. Chapter 1, Discovery of the Zend Avesta Chapter 2 The Interpretation of the Zend-Avesta Chapter 3 The Formation of the Zend-Avesta Chapter 4 The Origin of the Avesta Religion Chapter 5 The VendÓd‚d The Zend Avesta Part I Sacred Books of the East, Volume 4, 1880 THE DISCOVERY OF THE ZEND-AVESTA [Includes notes below e.g.1] The Zend-Avesta is the sacred book of the Parsis, that is to say, of the few remaining followers of that religion which reigned over Persia at the time when the second successor of Mohammed overthrew the Sassanian dynasty 1, and which has been called Dualism, or Mazdeism, or Magism, or Zoroastrianism, or Fire-worship, according as its main tenet, or its supreme God 2, or its priests, or its supposed founder, or its apparent object of worship has been most kept in view. In less than a century after their defeat, nearly all the conquered people were brought over to the faith of their new rulers, either by force, or policy, or the attractive power of a simpler form of creed. But many of those who clung to the faith of their fathers, went and sought abroad for a new home, where they might freely worship their old gods, say their old prayers, and perform their old rites. That home they found at last among the tolerant Hindus, on the western coast of India and in the peninsula of Guzerat 3. There they throve and there they live still, while the ranks of their co-religionists in Persia are daily thinning and dwindling away 4. As the Parsis are the ruins of a people, so are their sacred books the ruins of a religion. There has been no other great belief in the world that ever left such poor and meagre monuments of its past splendour. Yet great is the value which that small book, the Avesta, and the belief of that scanty people, the Parsis, have in the eyes of the historian and theologist, as they present to us the last reflex of the ideas which prevailed in Iran during the five centuries which preceded and the seven which followed the birth of Christ, a period which gave to the world the Gospels, the Talmud, and the Qur’ân. Persia, it is known, had much influence on each of the movements which produced, or proceeded from, those three books; she lent much to the first heresiarchs, much to the Rabbis, much to Mohammed. By help of the Parsi religion and the Avesta, we are enabled to go back to the very heart of that most momentous period in the history of religious thought, which saw the blending of the Aryan mind with the Semitic, and thus opened the second stage of Aryan thought. Inquiries into the religion of ancient Persia began long ago, and it was the old foe of Persia, the Greek, who first studied it. Aristotle 5, Hermippus 6; and many others 7 wrote of it in books of which, unfortunately, nothing more than a few fragments or merely the titles have come down to us. We find much valuable information about it, scattered in the accounts of historians and travellers, extending over ten centuries, from Herodotus down to Agathias and Procopius. It was never more eagerly studied than in the first centuries of the Christian era; but that study had no longer anything of the disinterested and almost scientific character it had in earlier times. Religious and philosophic sects, in search of new dogmas, eagerly received whatever came to them bearing the name of Zoroaster. As Xanthus the Lydian, who is said to have lived before Herodotus, had mentioned Zoroastrian Λόγια 8, there came to light, in those later times, scores of oracles, styled Λόγια τοŨ Ζωροάστρου, or 'Oracula Chaldaïca sive Magica,' the work of Neo-Platonists who were but very remote disciples of the Median sage. As his name had become the very emblem of wisdom, they would cover with it the latest inventions of their ever-deepening theosophy. Zoroaster and Plato were treated as if they had been philosophers of the same school, and Hierocles expounded their doctrines in the same book. Proclus collected seventy Tetrads of Zoroaster and wrote commentaries on them 9; but we need hardly say that Zoroaster commented on by Proclus was nothing more or less than Proclus commented on by Proclus. Prodicus the Gnostic had secret books of Zoroaster 10; and upon the whole it may be said that in the first centuries of Christianity, the religion of Persia was more studied and less understood than it had ever been before. The real object aimed at, in studying the old religion, was to form a new one. Throughout the Middle Ages nothing was known of Mazdeism but the name of its founder, who from a Magus was converted into a magician and master of the hidden sciences. It was not until the Renaissance that real inquiry was resumed. The first step was to collect all the information that could be gathered from Greek and Roman writers. That task was undertaken and successfully completed by Barnabé Brisson 11. A nearer approach to the original source was made in the following century by Italian, English, and French travellers in Asia. Pietro della Valle, Henry Lord, Mandelslo, Ovington, Chardin, Gabriel du Chinon, and Tavernier found Zoroaster's last followers in Persia and India, and made known their existence, their manners, and the main features of their belief to Europe. Gabriel du Chinon saw their books and recognised that they were not all written in the same language, their original holy writ being no longer understood except by means of translations and commentaries in another tongue. In the year 1700, a professor at Oxford, Thomas Hyde, the greatest Orientalist of his time in Europe, made the first systematic attempt to restore the history of the old Persian religion by combining the accounts of the Mohammedan writers with 'the true and genuine monuments of ancient Persia 12.' Unfortunately the so-called genuine monuments of ancient Persia were nothing more than recent compilations referring to the last stage of Parsîism. But notwithstanding this defect, which could hardly be avoided then, and notwithstanding its still worse fault, a strange want of critical acumen 13, the book of Thomas Hyde was the first complete and true picture of modern Parsîism, and it made inquiry into its history the order of the day. A warm appeal made by him to the zeal of travellers, to seek for and procure at any price the sacred books of the Parsis, did not remain ineffectual, and from that time scholars bethought themselves of studying, Parsîism in its own home. Eighteen years later, a countryman of Hyde, George Boucher, received from the Parsis in Surat a copy of the Vendîdâd Sâdah, which was brought to England in 1723 by Richard Cobbe. But the old manuscript was a sealed book, and the most that could then be made of it was to hang it by an iron chain to the wall of the Bodleian Library, as a curiosity to be shown to foreigners. A few years later, a Scotch-man, named Fraser, went to Surat, with the view of obtaining from the Parsis, not only their books, but also a knowledge of their contents. He was not very successful in the first undertaking, and utterly failed in the second. In 1754 a young man, twenty years old, Anquetil Duperron, a scholar of the Ecole des Langues Orientales in Paris, happened to see a facsimile of four leaves of the Vendîdâd, which had been sent from England, a few years before, to Etienne Fourmont, the Orientalist. He determined at once to give to France both the books and the first European translation of them. Impatient to set off, without waiting for a mission from the government which had been promised to him, he enlisted as a private soldier in the service of the French East India company; he embarked at Lorient on the 24th of February 1755, and after three years of endless adventures and dangers through the whole breadth of Hindustan, at the very time when war was raging between France and England, he arrived at last in Surat, where he stayed among the Parsis for three years more. Here began another struggle, not less hard, but more decisive, against that mistrust and ill-will of the Parsis which had disheartened Fraser; but he came out of it victorious, and succeeded at last in winning from the Parsis both their books and their knowledge. He came back to Paris on the 14th of March 1764, and deposited on the following day at the Bibliothèque Royale the whole of the Zend-Avesta and copies of most of the traditional books. He spent ten years in studying the material he had collected, and published in 1771 the first European translation of the Zend-Avesta 14. A violent dispute broke out at once, as half the learned world denied the authenticity of the Avesta, which it pronounced a forgery. It was the future founder of the Royal Asiatic Society, William Jones, a young Oxonian then, who opened the war. He had been wounded to the quick by the scornful tone adopted by Anquetil towards Hyde and a few other English scholars: the Zend-Avesta suffered for the fault of its introducer, Zoroaster for Anquetil. In a pamphlet written in French 15, with a verve and in a Style which showed him to be a good disciple of Voltaire, W. Jones pointed out, and dwelt upon, the oddities and absurdities with which the so-called sacred books of Zoroaster teemed. It is true that Anquetil had given full scope to satire by the style he had adopted: he cared very little for literary elegance, and did not mind writing Zend and Persian in French; so the new and strange ideas he had to express looked stranger still in the outlandish garb he gave them. Yet it was less the style than the ideas that shocked the contemporary of Voltaire 16. His main argument was that books, full of such silly tales, of laws and rules so absurd, of descriptions of gods and demons so grotesque, could not be the work of a sage like Zoroaster, nor the code of a religion so much celebrated for its simplicity, wisdom, and purity. His conclusion was that the Avesta was a rhapsody of some modern Guebre. In fact the only thing in which Jones succeeded was to prove in a decisive manner that the ancient Persians were not equal to the lumières of the eighteenth century, and that the authors of the Avesta had not read the Encyclopédie. Jones's censure was echoed in England by Sir John Chardin and Richardson, in Germany by Meiners. Richardson tried to give a scientific character to the attacks of Jones by founding them on philological, grounds 17. That the Avesta was a fabrication of modern times was shown, he argued, by the number of Arabic words he fancied he found both in the Zend and Pahlavi dialects, as no Arabic element was introduced into the Persian idioms earlier than the seventh century; also by the harsh texture of the Zend, contrasted with the rare euphony of the Persian; and, lastly, by the radical difference between the Zend and Persian, both in words and grammar. To these objections, drawn from the form, he added another derived from the uncommon stupidity of the matter. In Germany, Meiners, to the charges brought against the new found books, added another of a new and unexpected kind, namely, that they spoke of ideas unheard of before, and made known new things. 'Pray, who would dare ascribe to Zoroaster books in which are found numberless names of trees, animals, men, and demons unknown to the Ancient Persians; in which are invoked an incredible number of pure animals and other things, which, as appears in the silence of ancient writers, were never known, or at least never worshipped, in Persia? What Greek ever spoke of Hom, of Jemshîd, and, of such other personages as the fabricators of that rhapsody exalt with every kind of praise, as divine heroes 18?' Yet, in the midst of his Ciceronian nonsense, Meiners inadvertently made a remark which, if correctly interpreted, might have led to important discoveries. He noticed that many points of resemblance are to be found between the ideas of the Parsis and those of the Brahmans and Musulmans. He saw in this a proof that Parsîism is a medley of Brahmanical and Musulman tales. Modern scholarship, starting from the same point, came to that twofold conclusion, that, on the one hard, Parsîism was one of the elements out of which Mohammed formed his religion, and, on the other hand, that the old religions of India and Persia flowed from a common source. 'Not only does the author of that rubbish tell the same tales of numberless demons of either sex as the Indian priests do, but he also prescribes the same remedies in order to drive them away, and to balk their attempts.' In these words there was something like the germ of comparative mythology; seldom has a man approached the truth so closely and then departed from it so widely. Anquetil and the Avesta found an eager champion in the person of Kleuker, professor in the University of Riga. As soon as the French version of the Avesta appeared, he published a German translation of it, and also of Anquetil's historical dissertations 19. Then, in a series of dissertations of his own 20, he vindicated the authenticity of the Zend books. Anquetil had already tried to show, in a memoir on Plutarch, that the data of the Avesta fully agree with the account of the Magian religion given in the treatise on 'Isis and Osiris.' Kleuker enlarged the circle of comparison to the whole of ancient literature. He tried also to appeal to internal evidence, an attempt in which he was less successful. The strength of his defence was seldom greater than the strength of the attack. Meiners had pointed out the mythical identity of the Mount Alborg, of the Parsis with the Mount Meru of the Hindus, as a proof that the Parsis had borrowed their mythology from the Hindus: the conclusion was incorrect, but the remark itself was not so. Kleuker fancied that he could remove the difficulty by stating that Mount Alborg is a real mountain, nay, a doubly real mountain, since there are two mountains of that name, the one in Persia, the other in Armenia, whereas Mount Meru is only to be found in Fairyland. Seldom were worse arguments used in the service of a good cause. Meiners had said that the name of the Parsi demons was of Indian origin, as both languages knew them by the Latin name 'Deus.' This was an incorrect statement, and yet an important observation. The word which means 'a demon' in Persia, means quite the contrary in India, and that radical difference is just a proof of the two systems being independent of one another. Kleuker pointed out the incorrectness of the statement; but, being unable to account for the identity of the words, he flatly denied it. Kleuker was more successful in the field of philology: he showed, as Anquetil had done, that Zend has no Arabic elements in it, and that Pahlavi itself, which is more modern than Zend, does not contain any Arabic, but only Semitic words of the Aramean dialect, which are easily accounted for by the close relations of Persia with Aramean lands in the time of the Sassanian kings. He showed, lastly, that Arabic words appear only in the very books which Parsi tradition itself considers modern. Another stanch upholder of the Avesta was the numismatologist Tychsen, who, having begun to read the book with a prejudice against its authenticity, quitted it with a conviction to the contrary. 'There is nothing in it,' he said, 'but what befits remote ages, and a man philosophising in the infancy of the world. Such traces of a recent period as they fancy to have found in it, are either understandings, or belong to its later portions. On the whole there is a marvellous accordance between the Zend-Avesta and the accounts of the ancients with regard to the doctrine and institutions of Zoroaster. Plutarch agrees so well with the Zend books that I think no one will deny the close resemblance of doctrines and identity of origin. Add to all this the incontrovertible argument to be drawn from the language, the antiquity of which is established by the fact that it was necessary to translate a part of the Zend books into Pahlavi, a language which was obsolete as early as the time of the Sassanides. Lastly, it cannot be denied that Zoroaster left books, which were, through centuries, the groundwork of the Magic religion, and which were preserved by the Magi, as shown by a series of documents from the time of Hermippus. Therefore I am unable to see why we should not trust the Magi of our days when they ascribe to Zoroaster those traditional books of their ancestors, in which nothing is found to indicate fraud or a modern hand 21.' Two years afterwards, in 1793, was published in Paris a book which, without directly dealing with the Avesta, was the first step taken to make its authenticity incontrovertible. It was the masterly memoir by Sylvestre de Sacy, in which the Pahlavi inscriptions of the first Sassanides were deciphered for the first time and in a decisive manner. De Sacy, in his researches, had chiefly relied on the Pahlavi lexicon published by Anquetil, whose work vindicated itself--better than by heaping up arguments--by promoting discoveries. The Pahlavi inscriptions gave the key, as is well known, to the Persian cuneiform inscriptions, which were in return to put beyond all doubt the genuineness of the Zend language. Tychsen, in an appendix to his Commentaries, pointed to the importance of the new discovery: 'This,' he writes, 'is a proof that the Pahlavi was used during the reign of the Sassanides, for it was from them that these inscriptions emanated, as it was by them--nay, by the first of them, Ardeshîr Bâbagân--that the doctrine of Zoroaster was revived. One can now understand why the Zend books were translated into Pahlavi. Here, too, everything agrees, and speaks loudly for their antiquity and genuineness.' About the same time Sir William Jones, then president of the Royal Asiatic Society, which he had just founded, resumed in a discourse delivered before that Society the same question he had solved in such an off-hand manner twenty years before. He was no longer the man to say, 'Sied-il à un homme né dans ce siècle de s’infatuer de fables indiennes?' and although he had still a spite against Anquetil, he spoke of him with more reserve than in 1771. However, his judgment on the Avesta itself was not altered on the whole, although, as he himself declared, he had not thought it necessary to study the text. But a glance at the Zend glossary published by Anquetil suggested to him a remark which makes Sir William Jones, in spite of himself, the creator of the comparative grammar of Sanskrit and Zend. 'When I perused the Zend glossary,' he writes, 'I was inexpressibly surprised to find that six or seven words in ten are pure Sanscrit, and even some of their inflexions formed by the rules of the Vyácaran 22, as yushmácam, the genitive plural of yushmad. Now M. Anquetil most certainly and the Persian compiler most probably, had no knowledge of Sanscrit, and could not, therefore, have invented a list of Sanscrit words; it is, therefore, an authentic list of Zend words, which has been preserved in books or by tradition; it follows that the language of the Zend was at least a dialect of the Sanscrit, approaching perhaps as nearly to it as the Prácrit, or other popular idioms, which we know to have been spoken in India two thousand years ago 23.' This conclusion, that Zend is a Sanskrit dialect, was incorrect, the connection assumed being too close; but it was a great thing that the near relationship of the two languages should have been brought to light. In 1798 Father Paulo de St. Barthélemy further developed Jones's remark in an essay on the antiquity of the Zend language 24. He showed its affinity with the Sanskrit by a list of such Zend and Sanskrit words as were least likely to be borrowed, viz. those that designate the degrees of relationship, the limbs of the body, and the most general and essential ideas. Another list, intended to show, on a special topic, how closely connected the two languages are, contains eighteen words taken from the liturgic language used in India and Persia. This list was not very happily drawn up, as out of the eighteen instances there is not a single one that stands inquiry; yet it was a happy idea, and one which has not even yet yielded all that it promised. His conclusions were that in a far remote antiquity Sanskrit was spoken in Persia and Media, that it gave birth to the Zend language, and that the Zend-Avesta is authentic: 'Were it but a recent compilation,' he writes, 'as Jones asserts, how is it that the oldest rites of the Parsis, that the old inscriptions of the Persians, the accounts of the Zoroastrian religion in the classical writers, the liturgic prayers of the Parsis, and, lastly, even their books do not reveal the pure Sanskrit, as written in the land wherein the Parsis live, but a mixed language, which is as different from the other dialects of India as French is from Italian?' This amounted, in fact, to saying that the Zend is not derived from the Sanskrit, but that both are derived from another and older language. The Carmelite had a dim notion of that truth, but, as he failed to express it distinctly, it was lost for years, and had to be re-discovered. The first twenty-five years of this century were void of results, but the old and sterile discussions as to the authenticity of the texts continued in England. In 1808 John Leyden regarded Zend as a Prakrit dialect, parallel to Pali; Pali being identical with the Magadhi dialect and Zend with the Sauraseni 25. In the eyes of Erskine Zend was a Sanskrit dialect, imported from India by the founders of Mazdeism, but never spoken in Persia 26. His main argument was that Zend is not mentioned among the seven dialects which were current in ancient Persia according to the Farhang-i Jehangiri 27, and that Pahlavi and Persian exhibit no close relationship with Zend. In Germany, Meiners had found no followers. The theologians appealed to the Avesta in their polemics 28, and Rhode sketched the religious history of Persia after the translations of Anquetil 29. Erskine's essay provoked a decisive answer 30 from Emmanuel Rask, one of the most gifted minds in the new school of philology, who had the honour of being a precursor of both Grimm and Burnouf. He showed that the list of the Jehangiri referred to an epoch later than that to which Zend must have belonged, and to parts of Persia different from those where it must have been spoken; he showed further that modern Persian is not derived from Zend, but from a dialect closely connected with it; and, lastly, he showed what was still more important, that Zend was not derived from Sanskrit. As to the system of its sounds, Zend approaches Persian rather than Sanskrit; and as to its grammatical forms, if they often remind one of Sanskrit, they also often remind one of Greek and Latin, and frequently have a special character of their own. Rask also gave the paradigm of three Zend nouns, belonging to different declensions, as well as the right pronunciation of the Zend letters, several of which had been incorrectly given by Anquetil. This was the first essay on Zend grammar, and it was a masterly one. The essay published in 1831 by Peter von Bohlen on the origin of the Zend language threw the matter forty years back. According to him, Zend is a Prakrit dialect, as it had been pronounced by Jones, Leyden, and Erskine. His mistake consisted in taking Anquetil's transcriptions of the words, which are often so incorrect as to make them look like corrupted forms when compared with Sanskrit. And, what was worse, he took the proper names in their modern Parsi forms, which often led him to comparisons that would have appalled Ménage. Thus Ahriman became a Sanskrit word ariman, which would have meant 'the fiend;' yet Bohlen might have seen in Anquetil's work itself that Ahriman is the modern form of Angra Mainyu, words which hardly remind one of the Sanskrit ariman. Again, the angel Vohu-manô, or 'good thought' was reduced, by means of the Parsi form Bahman, to the Sanskrit bâhuman, 'a long-armed god.' At last came Burnouf. From the time when Anquetil had published his translation, that is to say, during seventy years, no real progress had been made in knowledge of the Avesta texts. The notion that Zend and Sanskrit are two kindred languages was the only new idea that had been acquired, but no practical advantage for the interpretation of the texts had resulted from it. Anquetil's translation was still the only guide, and as the doubts about the authenticity of the texts grew fainter, the authority of the translation became greater, the trust reposed in the Avesta being reflected on to the work of its interpreter. The Parsis had been the teachers of Anquetil; and who could ever understand the holy writ of the Parsis better than the Parsis themselves? There was no one who even tried to read the texts by the light of Anquetil's translation, to obtain a direct understanding of them. About 1825 Eugène Burnouf was engaged in a course of researches on the geographical extent of the Aryan languages in India. After he had defined the limits which divide the races speaking Aryan languages from the native non-brahmanical tribes in the south, he wanted to know if a similar boundary had ever existed in the north-west; and if it is outside of India that the origin of the Indian languages and civilisation is to be sought for. He was thus led to study the languages of Persia, and, first of all, the oldest of them, the Zend. But as he tried to read the texts by help of Anquetil's translation, he was surprised to find that this was not the clue he had expected. He saw that two causes had misled Anquetil: on the one hand, his teachers, the Parsi dasturs, either knew little themselves or taught him imperfectly, not only the Zend, but even the Pahlavi intended to explain the meaning of the Zend; so that the tradition on which his work rested, being incorrect in itself, corrupted it from the very beginning; on the other hand, as Sanskrit was unknown to him and comparative grammar did not as yet exist, he could not supply the defects of tradition by their aid. Burnouf, laying aside tradition as found in Anquetil's translation, consulted it as found in a much older and purer form, in a Sanskrit translation of the Yasna made in the fifteenth century by the Parsi Neriosengh in accordance with the old Pahlavi version. The information given by Neriosengh he tested, and either confirmed or corrected, by a comparison of parallel passages and by the help of comparative grammar, which had just been founded by Bopp, and applied by him successfully to the explanation of Zend forms. Thus he succeeded in tracing the general outlines of the Zend lexicon and in fixing its grammatical forms, and founded the only correct method of interpreting the Avesta. He also gave the first notions of a comparative mythology of the Avesta and the Veda, by showing the identity of the Vedic Yama with the Avesta Yima, and of Traitâna with Thraêtaona and Ferîdûn. Thus he made his 'Commentaire sur le Yasna' a marvellous and unparalleled model of critical insight and steady good sense, equally opposed to the narrowness of mind which clings to matters of fact without rising to their cause and connecting them with the series of associated phenomena, and to the wild and uncontrolled spirit of comparison, which, by comparing everything, confounds everything. Never sacrificing either tradition to comparison or comparison to tradition, he knew how to pass from the one to the other, and was so enabled both to discover facts and explain them. At the same time the ancient Persian inscriptions at Persepolis and Behistun were deciphered by Burnouf in Paris, by Lassen in Bonn, and by Sir Henry Rawlinson in Persia. Thus was revealed the existence, at the time of the first Achæmenian kings, of a language closely connected with that of the Avesta, and the last doubts as to the authenticity of the Zend books were at length removed. It would have required more than an ordinary amount of scepticism to look still upon the Zend as an artificial language, of foreign importation, without root in the land where it was written, and in the conscience of the people for whom it was written, at the moment when a twin language, bearing a striking likeness to it in nearly every feature, was suddenly making itself heard from the mouth of Darius, and speaking from the very tomb of the first Achæmenian king. That unexpected voice silenced all controversies, and the last echoes of the loud discussion which had been opened in 1771 died away unheeded 31. Click on footnote numbers to return to the text above 1 At the battle of Nihâvand (642 A.C.) 2 Ahura Mazda. 3 They settled first at Sangân, not far from Damân; thence they spread over Surat, Nowsâri, Broach, and Kambay; and within the last two centuries they have settled at Bombay, which now contains the bulk of the Parsi people, nearly 150,000 souls. 4 A century ago, it is said, they still numbered nearly 100,000 souls; but there now remain no more than 8000 or 9000 souls, scattered in Yezd and the surrounding villages (Dosabhoy Framjee, The Parsees). 5 Diogenes Laertius, Prooemium 8. 6 Pliny, Hist. Nat. XXX, 1, 2. Cf. infra, III, 11. 7 Dinon, Theopompus, Hermodorus, Heraclides Cumanus. 8 See Nicolaus Damazcenus, Didot, Fragm. Hist. III, 409. 9 Fabricius, Graeca Bibliotheca, fourth ad. p. 309 seq. 10 Clemens Alexandrinus, Stromata I. Cf. infra, III, 11, and Porphyrius, de vita Plotini, § 16. 11 'De regio Persarum principatu libri tres,' Paris, 1590. The second book is devoted to the religion and manners of the ancient Persians. 12 'Veterum Persarum et Parthorum et Medorum, religionis historia,' Oxford, 1700. 13 Thus he recognised in Abraham the first lawgiver of ancient Persia, in Magism a Sabean corruption of the primeval faith, and in Zoroaster a had learnt the forgotten truth from the exiled Jews in Babylon. 14 'Zend-Avesta, ouvrage de Zoroastre, contenant les Ideés Théologiques, Physiques et Morales de ce Législateur. . . . Traduit en François sur l’Original Zend.' Par M. Anquetil Du Perron, 3 vols. in 4o, Paris, 1771. 15 'Lettre à M. A*** du P*** dans laquelle est compris l’examen de sa traduction des livres attribués Zoroastre.' 16 Cf. the article on Zoroaster in the Dictionnaire philosophique. 17 'A Dissertation on the Languages, Literature, and Manners of Eastern Nations,' Oxford, 1777. 18 'De Zoroastris vita, institutis, doctrina et libris,' in the Novi Comentarii Societatis Regiae, Goettingen, 1778-1779. 19 'Zend-Avesta . . . nach dem Franzoesischen des Herm Anquetil Du Perron,' vols. in 40, 1776. 20 'Anhang zum Zend-Avesta,' 2 vols. in 4o, 1781. 21 'Commentatio prior observationes historico-criticas de Zoroastre ejusque et placitis exhibens.' Goettingen, in the Novi Comment. Soc. Reg. 1791. 22 The Sanskrit Grammar. 23 Asiatic Researches, II, § 3. 24 'De antiquitate et affinitate linguae samscredamicae et germanicae,' Rome, 1798. 25 Asiatic Researches, X. 26 Ibid. X. 27 A large Persian dictionary compiled in India in the reign of Jehangir. 28 'Erläuterungen zum Neuen Testament aus einer neueröffneten Morgenländischen Quelle, Ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν,' Riga, 1775. 29 'Die Heilige Sage . . . des Zend-Volks,' Francfort, 1820. 30 'Ueber das Alter und die Echtheit der Zend-Sprache und des Zend Avesta' (übersetzt von F. H. von der Hagen), Berlin, 1826. Remarks on the Zend Language and the Zend-Avesta (Transactions of the Bombay branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, III, 524). 31 The attacks of John Romer ('Zend: Is it an Original Language?' London, 1855) called forth a refutation only in Bombay (Dhanjibai Framji, 'On the Origin and the Authenticity of the Aryan Family of Languages, the Zend-Avesta and the Huzvarash,' 1861). » Chapter 1, Discovery of the Zend Avesta » Chapter 2 The Interpretation of the Zend-Avesta » Chapter 3 The Formation of the Zend-Avesta » Chapter 4 The Origin of the Avesta Religion » Chapter 5 The VendÓd‚d

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- HHMI NEWS - SCIENTISTS & RESEARCH - JANELIA FARM - SCIENCE EDUCATION - RESOURCES & PUBLICATIONS BROWSE ALL RESOURCES BY TYPEAnimation (3) Book/Manual (4) CD (1) Classroom Activity (12) College Course (6) Curriculum (11) Game (1) Kit (1) Lab (9) Lesson Plan (5) Publication (23) Software (3) Tutorial (5) Video (24) Website (47) Wiki (2) BY TOPICBiochemistry (14) Biodiversity (3) Bioengineering (3) Bioethics (3) Bioinformatics (8) Biology (104) Biotechnology (9) Cell Biology (3) Chemistry (17) Earth Science (1) Ecology (9) Engineering (1) Evolution (10) General Science (15) Genetics (29) Genomics (13) Immunology (2) Infectious Diseases (1) Life Science (65) Mathematics (9) Medicine (6) Microarrays (5) Microbiology (3) Molecular biology (34) Neuroscience (7) Physics (5) Plants (2) Professional Development (35) Research methods (12) Science Communication (2) Systems Biology (1) BY GRADE LEVELK-16 (1) 4-8 (1) K-5 (6) Medical School (6) K-3 (2) K-8 (2) K-12 (9) 6-8 (18) 9-12 (52) College (101) Graduate (21) Folded-List Study Tool This article describes the Folded-List Study Technique, a method designed by Professor of Biology Paul Heideman at the College of William and Mary, to give students a fast and efficient way to learn, recall, and apply key science concepts. (It is designed to be used in conjunction with the “Minute Sketch” tool, which is available within this database.) This document explains the method: Using a blank piece of paper folded lengthwise into four sections, students create one column for words and one for sketches or images. In the words column, they write the term or phrase for the first key concept. In the next column, they create a simple sketch to represent the concept. They keep adding words and sketches until the page is filled (although, over time, they should be able to condense all the essential material from one entire lecture on the top half of one sheet). Next, students fold the earlier columns behind and engage in repeated sketching and writing of these concepts in columns three and four. The recopying and rethinking of these concepts engages a student’s motor memory and visual cortex. Dr. Heideman says that his method forces students to extract the essentials from a large amount of material and learn the key concepts as sequential events. It is an active-learning method that engages students’ attention and allows them to review material quickly and to assess how much they have accomplished within a given time. Dr. Heideman says the method can be applied to other study techniques, such as concept mapping. Program Director: Margaret Somosi Saha, Ph.D. Award Years: 1989, 1998, 2002, 2006 Summary: The College of William and Mary is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its HHMI-funded educational initiatives emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary and integrative approaches to education and research. They include: - The development of a Biological Mathematics program (which includes substantial curricular changes and the addition of new faculty positions), the strengthening of the interdisciplinary Neuroscience major, and the establishment of a new undergraduate Applied Science minor. - The enhancement of both Introductory Biology and Chemistry and upper-level immunology, molecular genetics, physiology, and neurophysiology laboratories through new equipment and expanded laboratory exercises. - The HHMI Freshman Research Program in Biology and Chemistry and related sciences, which allows participating students to conduct independent research with a faculty mentor very early in their college careers—as freshmen. Many of these students have the opportunity to continue their research during the following summer and throughout the next three years. - Student participation in the National Genomics Research Initiative (NGRI), a national experiment in both research and education sponsored by HHMI’s Science Education Alliance. Through this initiative, groups of freshmen at selected colleges participate in an authentic research experience—integrated into an introductory laboratory course—on the genetics of phages or bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria). Freshmen in the College of William and Mary’s program discovered a new life form, a bacteriophage they named CrimD. - The expansion of a summer fellowship program to include students at Thomas Nelson Community College and three neighboring HBCU—Hampton University, Norfolk State University, and Virginia State University. Students in this program have the option of continuing their research project throughout the academic year and receive an hourly stipend and weekend transportation and carpooling. - Partnerships with Hampton University, Norfolk State University, and Virginia State University to enable faculty to work together with research students at both the home campus and the College of William and Mary. The objective and anticipated outcomes are to establish lasting collaborations that improve opportunities for publication and the development of ideas for competitive grant proposals, either independently or in collaboration with faculty from the College of William and Mary. - The Saturday and Summer Enrichment Programs, which allow young children with high abilities to explore specialized areas of science, mathematics, and the arts and humanities. - The Science Training and Research Program (STAR), a four-week residential summer enrichment program that serves high-school juniors from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program, which offers core science and mathematics courses and an opportunity to visit research centers and laboratories, is designed to introduce students to the world of science, research, and technology. - A series of “Update Courses” tailored to help middle and high-school teachers develop both a knowledge base and practical experience with topics—such as microbiology and molecular biotechnology—that are the stated components of the Standards of Learning for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Participants also help design Teaching Modules that help integrate the science topics into the classroom.

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Parshuram did not stay with his parents. Instead he wanted to go for penance somewhere in Badrinath. Before leaving, he promised to visit his parents once a year. Renuka fair is held to commemorate Parshuram's visit to his mother. On the 10th day of the bright half of the month Kartika (November) the idol of Parshurarn, seated in a well decorated palanquin, is taken out in procession which treks the path of some eight kilometers from village Jamu to the site of the lake Renuka. The two deities held as embodiments of the Lord Parshuram, from villages Kattah and Masu, also join the procession, which is attended by hill orchestra. A few folk dancers dressed in long garb with loose sleeves add to the gaiety of theprocession as they dance to the accompaniment of the folk music. On the Ilth day i.e. Ekadashi, the son stays with his mother and on the 12th afternoon he takes leave for Jamu with a promise to visit next year."* The Minjar fair has different legends. "The week-long festivities of the colorful Minjar fair of Chamba start on the second Sunday of Shrawan (August). When was Minjar first celebrated is not known but the present form of the fair is attributed to Raja Shahil Verma who ruled the State in the 10th century. *The Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas by K. L. Vaidya, (National, 1977), page 34-35.

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Pets for Life Points the Way to Better Animal Health and Reduced Shelter Overpopulation through Community Outreach The Humane Society of the United States today released the report “Pets for Life – A New Community Understanding.” This report explains that increasing access and removing cost barriers to animal care and veterinary services for pet owners in underserved areas will improve community animal health and reduce shelter overpopulation. The report uses data gathered from events organized by The HSUS Pets for Life team and local partners to provide free and low-cost pet wellness and spay/neuter services for people in underserved communities. PFL is a program of The HSUS that employs innovative strategies and fresh approaches to extend the reach of animal services, resources, and information for the sake of building humane communities. In difficult economic times, families can have trouble providing for the health and welfare of pets. With two-thirds of American families having pets and nearly one in every six Americans living at or below poverty level, it’s more important than ever to reach out to those in need with workable answers. Among the key findings in the report: More than half, 53 percent, of the owners of unaltered pets surveyed had never seen a veterinarian before. There is a growing gap between underserved pet owners and veterinary service providers and this has severe consequences for companion animal overpopulation and overall health. The vast majority, 87 percent, of attendees at Pets for Life events had never contacted their local animal control or animal shelter organization for any reason. It is critical for leaders in the animal welfare field to recognize the unmet needs in their communities and the impact on companion animal health and overpopulation. Meeting people in the neighborhoods where they live, and marketing services strategically using canvassing and community organizing techniques, is much more effective than traditional advertising in reaching owners of unaltered pets in underserved communities. Adequate follow-up is critical to build relationships and ensure that animal veterinary needs are met. “Pets are one of the greatest common denominators across social, economic and cultural boundaries and are a very important part of most people’s lives,” said Amanda Arrington, associate director for Pets for Life. “Recognizing that so many people in underserved communities are struggling to care for their pets with little to no basic health care and wellness resources available is heart-breaking. The animal welfare, veterinary and related fields must take this as a call to action and work together to ensure that all pet owners have the information, resources, and services they need.” The data used in the report were taken from service records and surveys conducted at 16 outreach events in 11 markets held since March 2010 and represent close to 5,400 companion animals. The full report is available here (pdf). To learn more about Pets for Life and view upcoming events, click here.

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What is the deal with accents? Some news organizations and networks noticeably have begun to accent the names of individuals, places and things that carry a Spanish spelling. Some don’t. ESPN is almost meticulous about it. PBS not so much. The New York Times does it; other newspapers – of all news organizations that should – do not. How Spanish names and words began to lose their accents has itself been lost in time. Most of the loss, of course, has to do with the disrespect for the language fueled by anti-Spanish sentiment leading up to and after the U.S.-Mexican and U.S.-Spanish wars. As important was the market of the time. Now, amid the new demography of the country, seeing a Spanish name in print or on a television screen with an accent stands out as much as seeing the same name the very next day without one.

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Jump to:Page Content Graduate Degree: MIT, Department of Urban Studies and Planning The satellite cities can also gain by cooperating rather than competing for economic development. Compared to large cities like Boston, the GBSCs have few resources to devote towards attracting new employers. Since they offer very similar environments to prospective businesses, they are frequently competing with one another by giving away tax incentives. The winning city often gains very little. If GBSCs work together they could market themselves as a group to industry groups. Sharing their resources would allow them to design more sophisticated sales strategies and promote a more unified image of the advantages of the region’s medium-sized cities. GBSCs can also turn the fact that they have been abandoned by industry into an advantage. The GBSCs are relatively clean and quiet urban environments. They can market this advantage by creating "Green" campaigns. The cities could work together to tailor environmental plans that would generate energy and cost savings for the cities and their residents. These plans could be created by officials from each city working with students studying environmental planning at local universities. Greater Boston is an increasingly expensive area to live and do business. The danger is that the region will suffer as firms seek less expensive business environments. Fortunately there is an alternative vision. The recent recovery of inner-city neighborhoods in places like Boston, Cambridge and Somerville demonstrates that there is demand for dense urban living – demand that far exceeds the available supply. Medium-sized older historic cities offer vital attractive living environments to families and new dense nodes of activity to growing businesses. In order to achieve this vision, local leaders from GBSCs must cooperate and convince powerbrokers beyond their borders that their cities can become ideal destinations.

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Gray is the New Green Click here to read more articles about Archive This article originally appeared in the July/August 2011 issue of Home Energy Magazine. July 01, 2011 Projections are that by 2015, 36 U.S. states will have some degree of water shortage brought about by increasing population and shifting climate patterns. In California, a state already coping with severe water shortages (two water emergencies declared by former Governor Schwarzenegger in 2008 and 2009), the population is expected to double by 2050. It’s difficult to comprehend how it will be possible to accommodate the water needs of double the population when the needs of current residents can scarcely be met today. Our individual demand for water coupled with the needs of agriculture and energy production cannot be met without significant changes in how we use—and reuse—water. To read complete online articles, you need to sign up for an Online Subscription. Once an order has been placed there is an automatic $10 processing fee that will be deducted with any cancellation. The Home Energy Online articles are for personal use only and may not be printed for distribution. For permission to reprint, please send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.org.

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Dear Helen: I cannot find tuberous roots or plants of Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria), a flower I used to grow. J.C. Dear J.C.: Packages of roots for Alstroemeria aurea (A. aurantiaca), which has beautiful yellow or orange flowers, used to be commonly available in late winter and early spring. This is not so currently and I'm not sure why. Either the plants have lost popularity and gone out of fashion, or their bad habits have caught up with them. Once very well established, the roots become an aggressively travelling weed from hell, sprouting amid desirable plants. It is almost impossible to eradicate. Ask one who knows. Dwarf hybrids that bloom in pinks, purples and white are sometimes available as potted plants in late spring, but even these are seen far less frequently. I did track down a grower still producing these plants, but they grow mainly to supply Costco and Safeway stores, with any leftovers distributed to garden centres that order them. They'll appear about late May. Alstroemerias can be grown from seed. Chiltern Seeds offers a good selection, but choose dwarf species or Ligtu Hybrids. Avoid the devil weed. Dear Helen: Early last spring we sowed parsnip seeds, which germinated well but the roots never developed to any usable size. We left them in the ground over the winter. They are sprouting now, and we wonder whether they can be left to develop worthwhile roots this summer. Dear J.&G.C.: The parsnip plants that have wintered in the garden will put their energies this growing season into producing a flower stem and setting seed. The roots will not be usable for eating. Hopefully, you'll have better luck with parsnips this year. Parsnips and beets are two root vegetables that seem to present chronic problems for home gardeners, with the issue most often being failure of the roots to size up properly. Changing soil acidity levels and variety choice are worth looking at. In most of our area, treating the soil with lime is helpful for both beet and parsnip development. Parsnips grow best in a soil that is slightly acid to slightly alkaline, with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.5. Left to their own devices, our garden soils become more acidic as alkaline elements wash away in winter rains. In my current garden, I need to apply at least a light dusting of Dolopril to my plots before seeding to get decent growth in beets, parsnips and spinach. Parsnips don't need a rich soil, and often grow best in plots that were fertilized and plumped with compost for the crop grown previously in the site. Thinning the plants early helps. Gladiator is the variety that consistently grows the best for me. The flavour is at its best after frosts in the fall. Eaglecrest meeting. The Eaglecrest Garden Club will meet at 7: 30 tonight at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre. Candice Coghill from the new Cultivate Garden and Gift nursery in Parksville will give a demonstration on propagation. All are welcome to the meeting. Information at 250-752-5315. Chrysanthemum meeting. The Victoria Chrysanthemum Society will meet Thursday at 7: 30 p.m. in the St. Matthias Church Hall, 600 Richmond Ave. (at Richardson). Government House volunteers. The Friends of Government House Gardens are seeking volunteers to help maintain the gardens and woodlands during Tuesday and Thursday morning work sessions. Anyone interested is invited to an orientation session Tuesday, March 27, at 9: 30 a.m. at Government House. More information at 250-744-4019. HCP courses. The following courses are offered at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich. Phone 250-479-6162 to register. www.hcp.ca. - Listen, Interpret, Create: A Unique Response to Nature, Saturday, March 31, 1 to 4 p.m. and Sunday, April 1, 1 to 4 p.m. In two sessions artist Karen Hibbard will guide participants in seeing and hearing gardens in a new way and in producing art work. No experience is necessary. All materials are supplied. Cost to HCP members is $75, others $105. - Build a Mason Bee Condo, Saturday, March 31, 1 to 4 p.m. No carpentry experience is necessary. Instructor Gord Hutchings will ensure everyone will go home with a bee condo. Materials are provided. HCP members $40, others $55.

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Whenever cardiac conditions develop these conditions, weaken or damage your heart, which leads to heart failure. In a weakened condition, the heart over time can no longer keep up with even the normal demands placed on it. The ventricles may become stiff and not fill properly between beats. The heart ventricles stretch (dilate) to the point that the heart cannot pump blood efficiently throughout your body. The failing pump causes blood and fluid to back up throughout your circulatory system. The circulatory system consists of your lungs, legs, feet and ankles. The kidneys retain excess water and sodium. All this builds up is the congestive part of your heart failure. The lung congestion occurs only with left-sided heart failure with fluid backing up into the lungs. The most common cause of right sided heart failure is left sided heart failure. When the fluid fills up the left side of the heart the pressure in the lungs passes to the right side of the heart, which then fails. The fluid then collects in the abdomen and lower extremities which all leads up to heart failure. Heart Failure develops quickly after a heart attack. The heart failure can also develop after years of high blood pressure or coronary artery disease. A defective valve may cause heart failure. A heart valve replacement in this case will prevent heart failure. A specialist normally does the surgical part, which is a cardiologist. Many times people think that such things cause heart failure as smoking, being overweight or eating foods high in cholesterol and fat but there is a condition known as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were the heart weakens without explanation. This condition will also cause you congestive heart failure if not properly taken seriously. You might be suffering from if you have heart failure several conditions. These conditions can weaken your heart over time and be present without you being aware that you have the problem. The follow is a brief description of some conditions that affect the heart: - The most common cause of heart failure is Coronary artery disease. A process called atherosclerosis, which is a build up of fatty deposits in the arteries. This fatty build up causes the blood to narrow a process called plaque, which leaves chronically deprived of oxygen-rich blood pump less vigorously. A heart attack occurs if an unstable plaque not function well it will cause a blood clot in turn completely blocks the blood flow to an area of the heart muscle. This is one of the most common causes of heart failure. - There are several other reasons that might cause heart failure but we shall discuss the next highest reason for now. High Blood Pressure (hypertension) is the force of blood pumped by your heart through your arteries. When your blood pressure is high then your heart has to work harder causing failure. Take your cardiologists advice watch your weight and exercise your on the way to a heart healthy way of life. Frank Mangano’s e-book, “The Blood Pressure Miracle”, is the best way to naturally and permanently lower your blood pressure without using any pharmaceutical drugs. The program in this book is a unique, all-natural system for lowering your blood pressure that is not based on a single approach such as stress reduction, or herbs or special foods or exercise. It’s actually a combination of every method that has ever been scientifically proven to work, complied into one comprehensive lifestyle program. This is why the program has been so successful for so many people. The best part of the program is the 60-day plan that’s included in the appendix. It makes the whole program a no brainer to make a part of your daily life because Frank gives you a single change you can make to your daily routine, one day at a time. If you change the little things one at a time, they all add up and the results over the weeks and months can be astonishing. Frank also offers an unconditional, risk-free 60-day guarantee, which is very generous and shows that he has faith that his 60 day plan will lower your blood pressure or else you get your money back. If you want to purchase Frank Mangano’s e-book, “The Blood Pressure Miracle” and learn more about Frank’s natural blood-pressure reducing methods, then please click here to get more information!

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Syphilis and Lymphogranuloma Venereum: Resurgent Sexually Transmitted Infections in the UK: 2009 report Health Protection Agency Epidemics of infectious syphilis and Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) are continuing especially among men who have sex with men (MSM) who are known to be HIV infected. 3762 diagnoses of infectious syphilis were made in 2007, more than in any other year since 1950. 849 cases of LGV were diagnosed between 2003 and 2008, the majority of whom had symptoms of proctitis (rectal pain, discharge, bloody stools and constipation). MSM account for 73% of infectious syphilis and 99% of LGV cases. HIV co-infection is common in those diagnosed with LGV (74%) and syphilis (27%) reflecting the close relationships between the epidemics. The increased number of syphilis cases in women of reproductive age has resulted in an increase in cases of congenital infection. Last reviewed: 30 April 2010

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One of the main morphological differences between men and women is the greater amount of fat that women carry; this softens the outline of the muscles, more or less erases the osseous indicators, and rounds out the surfaces while creating characteristic folds and grooves. Fat in normal women represents between 18% and 20% of body weight, whereas in men it represents only 10% to 15%. The reason for this difference is that women at some point in their lives may nourish a fetus and then a baby from their own reserves, so women have to stock energy in the form of fat in anticipation of future pregnancies (and must stock even more energy during the last two trimesters of pregnancy). For various reasons, different fat distributions occur in women according to climate. In hot countries, the fat is localized on the buttocks (black Africans), on the hips (Mediterraneans), and around the navel (certain Asians). This distribution avoids covering the woman with a hot coat of fat that would be difficult to bear and inefficient for thermoregulation during hot periods. In cold countries, the distribution of fat is more uniform, which provides for better protection during rigorous winters. However the fat is distributed, its main function is for the survival of the species as it provides for survival of the woman and her offspring during times of scarcity. It is important to note that all healthy people have fat reserves necessary for the proper functioning of their bodies. Obsession with obesity or the need to follow deviant aesthetic fashions should not lead to the complete elimination of fat. In fact, the almost complete disappearance of fat can lead to serious hormonal problems involving the cessation of the period (amenorrhea, which is a temporary absence of ovulation and therefore momentary sterility), as this means has been put in place during evolution to avoid bringing progeny into the world that the female could not nourish with her own organic reserves. Primary Fat Deposits Fat reserves accumulate in very specific areas on the body. Generally they avoid the flexion folds at the joints in order not to interfere with movement. Fat accumulations are often distributed the same in both sexes; the main difference is in the greater development on certain areas in women. 1. The Buttocks The buttock region can be quite prominent in women; this is almost entirely due to fat that is contained by the gluteal fold. Besides its role as an energy reserve, this concentration protects the anal area and helps make the sitting position more comfortable by cushioning the direct contact between the bones (ischial tuberosities) and the ground or supporting surface. The Gluteal Fold The gluteal fold is made up of tough, fibrous tracts that connect the deep surface of the skin in the gluteal area to the ischium. The main consequence of this fibours attachement is to contain the fat in a sort of pocket, which prevents it from falling down against the back of the thigh while at the same time increasing the volume of the buttock. When certain people age, this fat empties and the bottom of the buttock withers, even going so far as to hang down. Only appropriate training of the buttock area will compensates for the disappearance of fat and the loss of tone through muscle development that maintains the buttocks from the inside. 2. Low Back Second in importance, this concentration merges with the gluteal area so that the buttock increases in height until it seems to go up to the waist. 3. Below the Trochanter, or “Riding Breeches” Frequently found in Mediterranean women, this concentration can be quite bulky. Located on the superior part of the lateral thigh just below the depression of the greater trochanter, it blends with the fatty tissue of the anterior surface of the thigh and, at the posterior, with that of the buttocks. When there is a lot of fat in this area we often observe many more or less deep depressions on the surface of the skin, referred to as a “pitted” or “cottage cheese” surface. This is due to inelastic fibrous tracts that, like little cables, connect the deep surface of the skin at the level of the depressions to the enveloping aponeurosis of the muscle, with the adipose tissue creating bumps or bulges in between (a quiltlike phenomenon). 4. Between the Thighs Relatively common in women, fat in this location plays an important aesthetic role in that it fills the space between the two thighs; it is often more noticeable in women than in men. 5. Around the Navel As in the subtrochanteric location, the periumbilical concentration is one of the rare fat deposits that is also found in thin women. This triangular concentration is known as the “mount of Venus.” It protects the symphysis pubis from blows. In women, the knee is often a location of fat concentration, especially on the medial region. 8. Posterior-Medial Part of the Upper Arm Especially developed in women, this concentration, besides its energetic role, protects the superficial nerves and arteries in the medial and superior area of the arm. The breast is composed of fat enclosing the mammary glands, the whole being held together by a web of connective tissue resting on the pectoralis major. Note that men also have glands and mammary fat (atrophied).

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Alternate names: Ramygala [Lith], Remigole and רעמיגאָלע [Yid], Remigola and Ремигола [Rus], Remigoła [Pol], Ramygalos, Remygala, Ramīgala. 55°31' N, 24°18' E, 15 miles S of Panevėžys (Ponevezh) on the banks of the Upytė River, a tributary to the Nevėžis River. Center of an eldership, the smallest administrative division in Lithuania with a small hospital and a library. 1900 Jewish population: 650. 2005 population: less than 1,700 with no Jews. On July 7, 1941, the Jews of Panevezys were forced into a ghetto confied to several of the town's streets along with Jews from Naujamiestis, Krekenava, Raguva and Ramygala. The entire population of the ghetto was murdered in August 1941. |Last Updated on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 11:50|

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We think of the five senses as exclusive to living things Processing sights and sounds requires eyes, ears and, most important, a brain—right? But what if your hardware shared your senses? In the era of cognitive computing, systems learn instead of passively relying on programming. As a result, emerging technologies will continue to push the boundaries of human limitations to enhance and augment our senses with machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced speech recognition and more. No need to call for Superman when we have real super senses at hand. This year IBM presents The 5 in 5 in five sensory categories, through innovations that will touch our lives and see us into the future. From IBM's Chief Innovation Officer Read what he says about The 5 in 5 The poll is closed, but you can follow up and continue the discussion on IBM's People for a Smarter Planet Facebook page. Touch: You will be able to touch through your phone In the 1970s, when a telephone company encouraged us to "reach out and touch someone," it had no idea that a few decades later that could be more than a metaphor. Infrared and haptic technologies will enable a smart phone's touchscreen technology and vibration capabilities to simulate the physical sensation of touching something. So you could experience the silkiness of that catalog's Egyptian cotton sheets instead of just relying on some copywriter to convince you. Associate Director, IBM Research, Retail Analytics Sight: A pixel will be worth a thousand words Recognition systems can pinpoint a face in a crowd. In the future, computer vision might save a life by analyzing patterns to make sense of visuals in the context of big data. In industries as varied as healthcare, retail and agriculture, a system could gather information and detect anomalies specific to the task—such as spotting a tiny area of diseased tissue in an MRI and applying it to the patient's medical history for faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment. Senior Manager, Intelligent Information Management Hearing: Computers will hear what matters Before the tree fell in the forest, did anyone hear it? Sensors that pick up sound patterns and frequency changes will be able to predict weakness in a bridge before it buckles, the deeper meaning of your baby's cry or, yes, a tree breaking down internally before it falls. By analyzing verbal traits and including multi-sensory information, machine hearing and speech recognition could even be sensitive enough to advance dialogue across languages and cultures. IBM Research Scientist Taste: Digital taste buds will help you eat smarter The challenge of providing food—whether it's for impoverished populations, people on restricted diets or picky kids—is in finding a way to meet both nutritional needs and personal preferences. In the works: a way to compute "perfect" meals using an algorithmic recipe of favorite flavors and optimal nutrition. No more need for substitute foods when you can have a personalized menu that satisfies both the calorie count and the palate. IBM Research Scientist Smell: Computers will have a sense of smell When you call a friend to say how you're doing, your phone will know on the full story. Soon, sensors will detect and distinguish odors: a chemical, a biomarker, even molecules in the breath that affect personal health. The same smell technology, combined with deep learning systems, could troubleshoot operating-room hygiene, crops' soil conditions or a city's sanitation system before the human nose knows there's a problem. Research Manager, Physical Analytics

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All You Want to Know : Pigments and Cooking There are several characteristics of vegetables that influence the way we cook them. One of these is colour. No matter what colour a raw vegetable is, we want to preserve as much as possible of that colour. Vegetables may be grouped by colour into four categories: RED: beets, red cabbage, red beans GREEN: beans, broccoli, asparagus, peas artichokes, okra, brusselsprouts, spinach, parsley. YELLOW: carrots, yams, squashes, sweet potatoes, WHITE: potatoes, turnips, celery, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, cucumbers, zucchini These colours come from the pigments in the vegetables. Certain pigments react to acids, alkalis, or heat during cooking, undergoing chemical changes that cause the vegetable to change colour. It is important to know which pigments are susceptible to colour change and how to deal with them during the process of cooking. Red Vegetables: The pigments in red vegetables are known as anthocyanins. These pigments are red in an acid medium but will change to blue or purple in an alkaline medium. They are also water soluble and therefore can draw out the colour into the cooking medium. egs.: Beetroot- one would have to cook it with the skin on, so that the colour does not leach out into the water. Cook covered so the acids do not evaporate. Red cabbage in an alkaline medium will not only lose its redness, but will also turn purple, blue or green. Green Vegetables; Chlorophyll’s action to acid is the opposite of the red vegetables. They keep their colour best if cooked in a slightly alkaline medium. It would seem ideal to include baking soda in the cooking medium to increase alkalinity-Not So! If only colour were the quality desired then this approach would be fine. Baking soda has other less desirable effects. It tends to destroy such nutrients as vitamins, and also makes the vegetables more mushy and sometimes gives it a bitter taste. Note- the dark green colour in canned green vegetables is because of prolonged cooking at high temperatures to prevent botulism. Yellow Vegetables; The pigments here are known as carotene’s, and there are several types which range from the yellow in corn, to the orange in carrots, to the red in tomatoes. They do not suffer any colour loss in acidic or alkaline medium, however if the vegetable is overcooked then it can lose some amount of colour. White Vegetables; The Flavones are the pigments in these veggies! They remain white in acid, but turn yellow in an alkaline medium, so a bit of lemon juice or a cover on the pot is in order. NOTE; the pH value of a material indicates its acidity or alkalinity. Acids are characterized by hydrogen ions(H+), while alkalis or bases by hydroxyl ions (OH). To test the pH value of a material a scale of numerical value ranging from 1 (for very acidic) to 14 (for very alkaline) has been developed and is in common use. The whole pH scale has been so devised that each whole step represents a tenfold change in the degree of acidity. Thus a solution with a pH of 5 is ten times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 6. Similarly a solution with a pH of 4 is hundred times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 6. -salad greens go limp and discolour when salad dressings are poured over them, a long time before service. This is because the acids first of all destroy the chlorophyll. The reaction here takes a long time, because there is no heat involved in this reaction. Secondly the acids and the seasonings in the dressings draw out the moisture in the leaves- this leaves the salad all limp. -fresh milk has a pH of 6.6. As it ages the milk sugar lactose is converted to lactic acid, and at a pH of around 6.4 the change in the pH along wit the other changes can be detected in taste. We say that milk is sour at a pH of around 5 where the coagulation of protein takes place and the milk has curdled. -table wines have a pH of between 3 to 3.5 and beers a pH of about 4 to 5 . -the pH of living muscle is about neutral, but becomes acidic after death due to the formation of lactic acid from glycogen. -did you know that egg white is alkaline while egg yolk is acidic? Image Credit: almightydad.com

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A first-degree burn is the least serious type of burn in which only the outer layer of skin is burned, and not all the way through. The skin is usually red, swollen and possibly painful. As long as it doesn’t involve a substantial portion of skin in places like the face or major joints, a first-degree burn can be treated as a minor burn. Even these “minor” burns, however, should be treated correctly to prevent complications. Whether you live alone or with a large family, it’s important to know how to prevent common household burns, as well as how to treat minor burns. Safe Kids Canada, the national injury prevention program of The Hospital for Sick Children, reminds parents and caretakers that children are particularly vulnerable to burns because their skin is thinner than an adult's skin. A child's skin burns 4 times more quickly and deeply than an adult's at the same temperature. Scalding injuries, caused by hot water and liquids, are unfortunately common. To avoid these types of burns, be sure to keep cooking materials and hot liquids out of reach when children are nearby. Always test the temperature of bath water and any drinking liquids before they come in contact with a child. If a minor burn does occur, use these recommendations: • Cool the burn by holding the injury under cool – not cold – running water for 10 or 15 minutes or until the pain subsides. You can also immerse the burn in a bowl of cool water or use a cold compress. • Don't put ice on the burn. • Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Don't use fluffy cotton or other materials that easily stick to the wound. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. • Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen. Use caution when giving aspirin to children and teenagers, and call your doctor with any questions or concerns. • Don't apply butter or ointments to the burn (unless a specific ointment or cream is advised by your healthcare provider). • Don't break blisters. Most minor burns heal on their own. If your burn doesn’t heal within 10 days to two weeks, or if you experience a fever, excessive swelling or blisters filled with coloured fluid, however, seek immediate medical attention. For more information about burns and first aid, visit Safe Kids Canada at www.safekidscanada.ca/Parents/Safety-Information/Scalds-and-Burns/Index.aspx.

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Frozen vegies contain more nutrients that fresh Frozen vegetables can often contain more nutrients than fresh vegetables, a report has claimed. Up to 45 per cent of important nutrients are lost in fresh vegetable by the time they are consumed. It can take up to two weeks for fresh produce to reach the table from being picked although the survey found that 80 per cent of shoppers thought the fresh vegetables in supermarkets were less than four days old. Produce which is frozen soon after being picked with have more nutrients sealed in, scientists from the Institute of Food Research claimed. Meanwhile after 16 days green beans have lost 45 per cent of nutrients, broccoli and cauliflower 25 per cent, garden peas up to 15 per cent and carrots 10 per cent. The research was carried out by the Institute on behalf of Birds Eye the frozen food manufacturer. Nutritionist Dr Sarah Schenker said: “The nutritional content of fresh vegetables begins to deteriorate from the minute they are picked. This means that by the time they end up on our plate, although we may think we’re reaping the vegetable’s full nutritionalb enefits, this is often not the case.”

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Almost one million school children think Professor Green is a scientist, says study Almost one million school children aged five to 16 think rapper Professor Green is a scientist, according to research. Children are more familiar with Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook (68% correctly identified him), than physicist Albert Einstein who discovered the theory of relativity (only 45% correctly identified him), the poll by Haier home appliances reveals. Although one in five children (19%) know and love TV Professor Brian Cox, a large proportion are unable to identify a number of significant, heavyweight names from the world of science and innovation, including Charles Darwin (63% unable to identify), Louis Pasteur (75%), Thomas Edison (62%) and Isaac Newton (61%). Despite spending an average 17 hours and 34 minutes in front a TV screen every week, almost half (45%) do not know that John Logie Baird invented the television. In fact, a quarter of eight-year-olds think David Cameron invented it (23.83%). Other key findings from the survey are :: Around a third five-year-olds (35%) think Boris Johnson discovered gravity :: Almost a quarter of eight-year-olds (22%) think Stephen Hawking is a hairdresser :: Around a fifth of seven-year-olds (22%) believe Thomas Edison created Facebook :: Nearly a tenth of children (8%) think Charles Darwin was a reality TV star :: Around one in 20 school children (6%) believe The X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos created penicillin. Around a third of key stage three pupils (35%) do not know that Isaac Newton discovered gravity, despite energy transfer and physical processes being part of the school curriculum. Jeff Moody, sales and marketing director of Haier Home Appliances UK, said: "It is eye opening to discover that children of today are more aware of popular figures like Mark Zuckerberg than men and women who have made iconic discoveries and inventions that have revolutionised the modern world. "At Haier, we put science at the very heart of everything we do and we passionately believe the future of innovation lies in the scientific interest and imagination of the next generation." The research was commissioned as part of Haier's Let Children Dream campaign and supports its partnership with the Science Museum and its children's Create It drawing wall where children are encouraged to dream up and draw their ideas and inventions. :: Haier surveyed 1,000 children, aged between 5 and 16 on October 8. That's some guestlist! Stunning images show huge dynastic wedding between Ultra-Orthodox Jewish families which attracted 25,000 guests Man and woman arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder victim of Woolwich machete attack, named as Drummer Lee Rigby 'Sickening, deluded and unforgivable': Horrific attack brings terror to London’s streets Video: Woolwich attack - man with bloodied hands and knife addresses camera Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, the mother-of-two hailed as a hero for confronting Woolwich attackers, thought: 'better me than a child' - 2 'Sickening, deluded and unforgivable': Horrific attack brings terror to London’s streets - 4 Woolwich murder: They killed, then they performed - these men should be starved of our attention - 5 Woolwich attack: The EDL will seek to exploit this evil crime for their own evil ends BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading. Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.

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Millions of tons of debris washed out to sea from north-east Japan by the March 11 tsunami has embarked on a 10-year circuit of the Pacific, endangering shipping and wildlife. The French environmental group Robin des Bois estimates that a large percentage of the 25 million tons of debris created by the magnitude 9 earthquake and the tsunami that it triggered has been sucked out to sea. Insurance costs for damage caused across Japan likely to be in region of £9bn adding further blow to indebted economy A firefighter looks at burned-out vehicles at Hitachi port, north-eastern Japan, the day after the giant quake and tsunami struck. Photograph: AP Industry in the world’s third-largest economy all but ground to a halt following the earthquake, as manufacturers ranging from Toyota to Nissan, Sony, Fuji and brewers Kirin and Sapporo shut down their operations in Japan to assess damage and allow staff to check on their families. The quake is a shattering blow to Japan’s already heavily indebted economy, which recently endured a downgrade in its credit rating. Finance minister Yoshihiko Noda raised the prospect of an emergency budget to cope with reconstruction costs, but suggested that this would be hard to compile before the end of March. JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Monday for the third time in a week, driving the number of refugees to almost 70,000, as the death toll from a tsunami thousands of kilometers to the west rose to 431, officials said. The fresh eruption forced a thick ash cloud around 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) into the air above Merapi, which sits on the outskirts of Yogyakarta city in Central Java, and caused panicked residents to flee villages on the slopes of the mountain for safety shelters. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said that 38 people have been killed and 69,533 evacuated since Merapi began erupting last week, while Indonesia’s vulcanology agency warned that flights around Yogyakarta may be disrupted. Dozens of injured survivors of a tsunami off western Indonesia today languished at a sorely strapped hospital alongside a newly orphaned 2-month-old baby found in a storm drain, as the death toll from the disaster rose above 400. The injured lay on mats or the bare floor as rainwater dripped onto them from holes in the ceiling and intravenous cords hung from plastic ropes strung from the rafters. The baby, its lungs filled with fluid and with cuts on its face, blinked sleepily in a humidified crib. “We need doctors, specialists,” nurse Anputra said at the tiny hospital in Pagai Utara — one of the four main islands in the Mentawai chain slammed by Monday’s tsunami. The toll from the tsunami and the 7.7-magnitude earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean that spawned it rose to 408 today as officials found more bodies, and 303 people were still missing, said Agus Prayitno, of the West Sumatra provincial disaster management center. Rescue teams “believe many, many of the bodies were swept to sea,” said Harmensyah, the disaster center’s chief. Along with the 33 people killed by a volcano that erupted Tuesday more than 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) to the east in central Java, the number of dead from Indonesia’s twin disasters this week has now reached 441. The downtown of Fagatoga was flooded when a tsunami hit American Samoa early on Tuesday. (AP) SYDNEY, Australia — A powerful tsunami generated by an undersea earthquake killed more than two dozen people and wiped out several villages in the tropical islands of American Samoa and Samoa early on Tuesday there, according to officials and local residents who were working to assess the damage. The earthquake struck around dawn, as many residents were preparing for work and getting their children ready for school. Officials said they expected heavy damage in the southern parts of Samoa and American Samoa, a United States territory with about 60,000 residents. Damaged telephone lines on both islands hampered efforts to count the casualties and assess the destruction from the earthquake, with a magnitude of 8.0. It struck below the ocean about 120 miles southwest of American Samoa and 125 miles south of Samoa, and it was centered only 11 miles below the seabed, according to the United States Geological Survey. At least 14 people were killed in American Samoa, the territory’s governor, Togiola T. A. Tulafono, said at a news conference in Hawaii. The toll could rise as emergency workers gain access to damaged areas, he and other officials said. Food riots have broken out across the globe destabilizing large parts of the developing world. China is experiencing double-digit inflation. Indonesia, Vietnam and India have imposed controls over rice exports. Wheat, corn and soy beans are at record highs and threatening to go higher still. Commodities are up across the board. The World Food Program is warning of widespread famine if the West doesn’t provide emergency humanitarian relief. The situation is dire. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez summed it up like this, “It is a massacre of the world’s poor. The problem is not the production of food. It is the economic, social and political model of the world. The capitalist model is in crisis.” Right on, Hugo. There is no shortage of food (This is disinformation – The Infinite Unknown); it’s just the prices that are making food unaffordable. Bernanke’s “weak dollar” policy has ignited a wave of speculation in commodities which is pushing prices into the stratosphere. The UN is calling the global food crisis a “silent tsunami”, but its more like a flood; the world is awash in increasingly worthless dollars that are making food and raw materials more expensive. Foreign central banks and investors presently hold $6 trillion in dollars and dollar-backed assets, so when the dollar starts to slide, the pain radiates through entire economies. This is especially true in countries where the currency is pegged to the dollar. That’s why most of the Gulf States are experiencing runaway inflation. Continue reading »

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Human expansion and interference have detrimental effects as civilizations continue to encroach on previously undisturbed habitats. As a result, many species of animals and plants must struggle to survive. Biodiversity reveals the important role each of these life forms plays in its ecosystem as well as the irreversible and extensive consequences that would result from a massive loss of biodiversity. It explores the ecological and evolutionary processes, how these processes depend on the cohabitation of a wide range of life forms within an ecosystem, and how the existence of these diverse organisms maintains a crucial stability in the natural world. Beginning with an introduction to biodiversity, this new volume discusses its importance and history, the difficulties in maintaining it, and past and current efforts to protect ecosystems from greater destruction. It examines five specific case studies, including the United States, Indonesia, New Zealand, Madagascar, and Costa Rica, describing the current status and history of biodiversity, obstacles, and conservation efforts in the country at hand. Maps. Index. Bibliography. Glossary. Chronology. Tables and graphs. About the Author(s) Natalie Goldstein is a freelance writer who has written numerous books for the educational market, including textbooks and teacher's guides for the middle school and encyclopedias for the high school. She also wrote Globalization and Free Trade and Global Warming in the Global Issues series. Foreword author Julie L. Lockwood is director of the graduate program in ecology and evolution and associate professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources at Rutgers University. She is the coauthor of Avian Invasions: The Ecology and Evolution of Exotic Birds and Invasion Ecology.

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Paper presented by Robert E. Arnold M.D. Dr. Arnold is a retired Naval Surgeon It was April 24, 1865, ten days after John Wilkes Booth had assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Lt. Edward Doherty, Enerton Conger and Luther Baker reported to the office of Lafayette Baker the War Departments chief detective and Luther Baker’s cousin. (1) General James R. O’Beirne had discovered the route taken by Booth for his escape. O’Beirne thought he had Booth cornered, he asked for orders from Washington but was told to return to his command in Maryland. The honor of capturing Booth was taken from a first class general and transferred to amateurs (2). Thus began a strange saga of mistakes, contradictions, and unexplained occurrences. Lt. Doherty, Conger, Baker and twenty-five men embarked on the steamer John Ide for Belle Plain (3). They searched the area and eventually were led to Mr. Garretts house. Under threat of death, Garrett led the detectives and the detachment to the barn. The farm was surrounded and a conversation ensued with the men inside. One of them, David Herald, surrendered. The official report states that a fire was started in some hay in the rear of the barn. A shot struck the lone figure in the neck. Conger, Baker, and some of the soldiers entered the barn and removed him to the front porch of the house. Conger stated that the man had shot himself. Baker thought Conger had fired the fatal shot but thought that if he had, it had better not be known. Sgt. Boston Corbett would eventually get the credit for shooting Booth. Sgt. Corbett deserves comment. He was a religious fanatic who changed his first name to Boston after the city where he had joined the church. He was also said to have castrated himself in remorse for spending a night with a prostitute. He had been a hatter in civilian life and hatters were well famous for mental alterations caused by inhaling mercury vapors (The Mad Hatter from Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carrol). For example, when Corbett was asked why he had shot Booth, he said, “ God had directed him to do so.” (2) One of the soldiers summoned a doctor, Charles Urquhart, but there is nothing in the Official Record of his visit. There was no death certificate and Urquhart was not questioned later. The decedent lived 2-3 hours and was reported to have uttered a few sentences. Conger took the man’s possessions and left for Washington accompanied by Sgt. Corbett at lest as far as Belle Plain. Conger officially reported that Booth had been tracked down and shot by Sgt. Boston Corbett while trying to escape. The body’s 18-mile trip to the Belle Plain landing was bizarre. Luther Baker took the body over Doherty’s objection and went on ahead. This resulted in quite a delay and Baker said they had “gotten lost.” They arrived in Alexandria at eleven o’clock P.M. and Lafayette Baker took charge of the body, transferred it to a tugboat and took it to the ironclad Montauk, which was laid up for repairs in the Washington Navy Yard. The commanding officer, LC. Dr. Edward Stone stated he received no orders or authority concerning the body. They sent an urgent message to the secretary of the Navy that the body was changing rapidly. An autopsy was ordered to be performed on the Montauk by Joseph K. Barnes, the Surgeon General. The witnesses summoned for the identification of the corpse deserve comment. Charles Dawson, the hotel clerk, said he knew Booth from the initials tattooed on his wrist but he named the wrong wrist. The Captain clerk on the Montark said he knew Booth and recognized the body from “general appearance.” Likewise the Montark’s acting master, William Crowninshield. There is no good evidence that either of these had ever met Booth. Dr. Frederick May who had removed a tumor from Booth’s neck was summoned. His first comment was, “ There is no resemblance in that corpse to Booth nor can I believe it to be him.”(1) Dr. May later said the scar on the neck was similar to Booths. No stage acquaintances, personal friends, relations, or co-conspirators were questioned, although they were readily available. The autopsy demonstrated a bullet wound through the transverse processes of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae. The body was then taken to the grounds of Washington’s old penitentiary, which was being used as an arsenal and interred in one of the old cells. This removal from the Montauk was done quickly and without the knowledge of the Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard, John B. Montgomery. The body remained interred until 1869 when the body was disinterred and transferred to a Baltimore undertaker. Joseph Booth was present but the corpse had disintegrated so thoroughly that identification was not possible. The remains were then buried in Green Mount Cemetery. In 1903, a man named David George committed suicide in Enid, Oklahoma after confessing to have assassinated President Lincoln. The body was mummified and put on Public display locally and at St. Louis World Fair in 1904. Various carnivals displayed the remains until 1920 when Finis Bates of Memphis claimed it. Its whereabouts are no longer known. (5). The mummy was supposedly examined and had a broken ankle, deformed right thumb and a scar above the right eye which Booth was known to have (6). The Controversy Begins There are many contradictions surrounding the death and autopsy of Booth. Many of them are minor, such as the presence of a mustache, what he was wearing and also fake testimony given by witnesses for various reasons. There is one undeniable fact that casts doubt on the identity of the dead man and that is the actions by the army during the autopsy and burial. Booth was the most wanted man on earth. The natural course would be to take the body to Washington where as many people as possible could see it, pictures taken and documentation by impeccable sources. The army did the exact opposite. 1. Instead of taking the remains to a hospital, they were placed on a ship where the number of people allowed

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Participatory Video created by members of various indigenous communities in Itogon, Philippines, tracking the impacts of large-scale mining and now climate change on their environment and culture. This film was created by members of various indigenous communities in the Cordillera region of the Philippines, during a Participatory Video project facilitated by InsightShare. The participants were taught to use video cameras during an intensive 9-day PV workshop in the barangay of Garrison, in Itogon, and created this 24-minute film to communicate the devastating impacts of large-scale mining wrought on their communities by various companies over the years, and now the increasingly alarming impacts of climate change. This project was part of Conversations with the Earth project. Launched in April 2009, Conversations with the Earth is a collective opportunity to build a global movement for an indigenous-controlled community media network. CWE works with a growing network of indigenous groups and communities living in critical ecosystems around the world, from the Atlantic Rainforest to Central Asia, from the Philippines to the Andes, from the Arctic to Ethiopia. Through CWE, these indigenous communities are able to share their story of climate change. Through the creation of sustainable autonomous indigenous media hubs in these regions, CWE fosters a long-term relationship with these communities, based on principles of local control and supporting indigenous media capacity.

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How does it work? Read on for a thrilling example scenario! (Alternatively, skip to Step 10 to find out how I made it.) Step 1: A text-based adventure in 3D printing and alcoholism You try to get up, but your stomach climbs up your throat and tries to smother your brain. You lie back down. >Drink the water. You are too far away from the water and you lack the coordination required to crawl. You doze off again, in the hope that sleep will somehow solve your predicament. You wake some time later. Your head still aches. The hedgehog in your mouth has been joined by its unruly, even less healthy family. >Remove the hedgehog. The hedgehog is not a literal hedgehog. It began as a simile then became a metaphor while you were napping. It represents dehydration and regret. You lurch to your feet and, after swaying on the spot for over a minute, you manage to remain upright. After another minute, so does the room. > Drink the water. You drink the stale water. It feels pure and cleansing. There is not enough of it. >Go to the bathroom. You stagger to the bathroom. There is a sink, a mirror, a toothbrush and a toilet which has been soiled in an unholy manner. >Use the sink. You put your lips over the faucet and fumble for the taps. The water is warm, but still good. You drink until you are dizzy. The vile taste in your mouth remains. >Brush your teeth. You squeeze toothpaste along the entire length of the toothbrush and, on your third attempt, insert the head of the brush into your mouth. You brush gingerly. With nothing better to occupy your mind for two minutes, you try to make sense of what happened last night. You draw blanks. You glance in the mirror. A message is printed on your forehead. >Read the message.

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Last reviewed by Faculty of Harvard Medical School on January 24, 2013 By Harvey B. Simon, M.D. Harvard Medical School Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. It's also the only disease among the top 10 killers that is seeing an increase in deaths each year. About 15 million Americans suffer from COPD. Men are affected about twice as often as women because male smokers have outnumbered female smokers. COPD is not curable, but it is treatable. Lifestyle changes and medication can help people cope with chronic lung disease and live longer, fuller lives. But as you'll see, most cases of COPD can be prevented. Back to top What Is COPD? COPD refers to chronic illnesses that block the flow of air and make breathing difficult. The two major forms of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. In both, narrowed air passages or bronchi make it hard to exhale. (Bronchi are wider during inhalation and narrow during exhalation.) Narrowed bronchi also cause asthma, but the narrowing is temporary and reversible. In COPD, it's permanent. In chronic bronchitis, the mucous glands in the air passages are enlarged and produce too much mucous, which narrows the bronchi. In emphysema, the narrowing of the bronchi is caused by damage to the lung tissue and is more severe than in chronic bronchitis. Most patients with COPD have a mixture of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Inflammation triggered by irritants that are inhaled also contributes to COPD. White blood cells try to fight off the irritation, but instead of controlling the damage caused by the irritant, they release chemicals that damage and eventually destroy lung tissue. Smoking causes about 85% of COPD cases. Heavy smokers have the highest risk of developing COPD. Secondhand smoke and other inhaled toxins can cause COPD in some nonsmokers. In others, an inherited protein deficiency is to blame. But in some cases, no cause is apparent. Back to top What Are the Symptoms of COPD? COPD starts gradually and progresses slowly over time. That's why the number of cases of COPD continues to increase years after many American men quit smoking. At first, there are no symptoms. But little by little, symptoms appear, usually in middle age. A morning "smoker's cough" is often the first complaint. The cough gradually gets worse and occurs throughout the day. Next, shortness of breath develops. In the beginning, it only occurs during exercise, but as the disease progresses, breathing becomes a chore even at rest. Wheezing is another common symptom. Most patients also become tired and weak. Patients with chronic bronchitis have a recurrent cough that brings up large amounts of thick, discolored phlegm almost every day for three months or longer. Over time, the lung disease puts a strain on the heart and men may develop cor pulmonale, a form of congestive heart failure. As a result, they accumulate fluid and gain weight. Their lips and skin may eventually turn bluish due to low blood oxygen levels. Men with emphysema have a scant and dry cough, severe shortness of breath and they breathe faster than normal. Their skin stays pink and they dont retain fluid, but their appearance changes: they lose weight, their muscles tend to waste away, and they develop large, barrel-shaped chests. Most patients with COPD have symptoms of both chronic bronchitis and emphysema. In addition to daily symptoms, most patients have two to three exacerbations each year. These are abrupt flares that are often triggered by lung infections. Symptoms get much worse and aggressive treatment is needed. Back to top How Is COPD Diagnosed? The best way to diagnose COPD is with a simple, safe lung-function test, called the forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1). It measures the amount of air you can breathe out with maximum effort in one second. Doctors can also use this test to check the results of treatment. X-rays, blood oxygen mearurements, and other tests may also help. Back to top People with COPD can take steps to control symptoms, and minimize complications and disability. The first rule is the most important: Avoid tobacco and secondhand smoke. This is a hard and fast rule. There are no exceptions. Good nutrition is also important. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and fish may actually help the lungs. There is no evidence that vitamin supplements help. In fact beta-carotene actually increases a male smoker's risk of lung cancer. Patients with chronic bronchitis and heart strain must avoid sodium (salt). Men with severe emphysema may benefit from high-calorie nutritional supplements. Drinking plenty of fluids will help keep phlegm loose and make it easy to clear out by coughing. A program of low-to-moderate intensity exercise can help the muscles get the most from the oxygen that damaged lungs can deliver. Walking is best. Start with 5 just minutes of walking three to four times a day and build up to 45 minutes a day. Patients with severe COPD or heart disease may also need a structured pulmonary rehabilitation program, which can teach breathing exercises that strengthen chest muscles. Preventing infection is essential. Be sure your flu and pneumonia shots are up to date. Keep your distance from folks with respiratory infections. Wash your hands carefully with an alcohol-based hand rub. Back to top Medications for COPD Prescription medications can do a lot for patients with COPD. Your doctor will explain the benefits and possible side effects. Here is a summary of the major groups of medications. - Bronchodilators - These relax the muscles in the walls of the bronchi, widening the tubes and easing the passage of air. The most popular short-acting bronchodilator is albuterol (Proventil). It is inhaled through a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) up to four times a day for quick relief of wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath. Patients with mild COPD may need only a short-acting bronchodilator, but patients with more advanced disease also benefit from a long-acting bronchodilator. They help prevent symptoms rather than provide immediate relief. Salmeterol (Serevent) or formoterol (Foradil) can be inhaled twice a day as a spray or from a dry powder inhaler (DPI). Patients taking salmeterol or formoteral should continue using their short-acting albuterol MDI for that purpose. - Anticholinergics - These are drugs that widen the bronchial tubes and reduce the amount of mucus without making it thick and difficult to bring up. They provide long-term control and are the most important medication for many men with COPD. The newer drug tiotropium (Spiriva) can be used just once a day, while ipratropium (Atrovent) requires more frequent use . Because anticholinergics and bronchodilators work in different ways, patients can benefit from using both types of drugs. - Corticosteroids ("steroids") - These medications reduce inflammation in the bronchial tubes. Inhaled steroids can help many, but not all, patients with moderate-to-severe COPD. They are most effective for patients who are also taking long-acting bronchodilators. A combination of a steroid (fluticasone ) and a long-acting bronchodilator (salmeterol) is available for twice-a-day dry powder inhalation. - Antibiotics - These can be critically important for flare-ups but are not helpful for maintenance therapy. Notify your doctor right away if your breathing becomes worse, if you develop a fever, or if your phlegm becomes thicker, discolored, or more plentiful. Back to top Does Oxygen Really Help? People with COPD who have low blood oxygen levels can benefit greatly from long-term, round-the-clock oxygen therapy. At home, oxygen can be stored in cylinders or generated by machines called oxygen concentrators. Portable tanks can provide several hours of oxygen away from home. Oxygen therapy needs careful supervision by a physician. Because oxygen can be a fire hazard, patients and household members need to follow certain safety precautions. Back to top The Bottom Line The average person will take some 600 million breaths during a lifetime. Most men can keep their lungs healthy simply by avoiding tobacco smoke and other harmful fumes. Early diagnosis and treatment can slow the damage, ward off complications, and improve the quality of life. New therapies are on the way, but simple prevention is the best treatment of all. And, after all, what's more important than preserving the breath of life? Harvey B. Simon, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Health Sciences Technology Faculty at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the founding editor of the Harvard Men's Health Watch newsletter and author of six consumer health books, including The Harvard Medical School Guide to Men's Health (Simon and Schuster, 2002) and The No Sweat Exercise Plan, Lose Weight, Get Healthy and Live Longer (McGraw-Hill, 2006). Dr. Simon practices at the Massachusetts General Hospital; he received the London Prize for Excellence in Teaching from Harvard and MIT.

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Ask The Expert December 20, 2011 No, they will not damage your heart. And your doctor may have prescribed a blood pressure medicine for reasons other than lowering your blood pressure. Many blood pressure medicines can treat conditions other than hypertension. And for some heart conditions, they can help keep the heart strong and prevent heart damage. This is often true even when blood pressure is on the low side of normal. Here are examples of blood pressure medicines that have other uses: Diuretics, such as chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide, are excellent blood pressure drugs. But they can also decrease leg swelling and improve the symptoms of heart failure even with normal blood pressure. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) can help people with heart failure live longer and better, even if their blood pressure is a little low. These drugs also help prevent kidney failure in people with diabetes. Examples of ACE inhibitors include lisinopril and ramipril. Beta blockers, such as propranolol and metoprolol, have many uses, including: Calcium channel blockers, such as diltiazem and verapamil, have many uses too. They help:

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Hearing Loss in Adults What Is It? Hearing loss is a decrease in the ability to perceive sounds. It can be partial or total, sudden or gradual, temporary or permanent. It can affect one ear or both. In general, the risk of hearing loss increases with age. Sound enters the ear and strikes the eardrum. This causes the eardrum to vibrate. The eardrum's vibrations are amplified through the middle ear by three tiny bones. Inside the ear, the vibrations are transformed into nerve impulses. These nerve impulses travel to the brain, where they are interpreted as sounds. The outer ear and middle ear conduct sound. Any injury to this part of the hearing pathway is called conductive hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is injury to the inner ear, eighth cranial nerve and brain. These structures produce, transmit and interpret nerve impulses. Some of the most important causes of hearing loss in adults are: - Middle ear disease. A bacterial infection of the middle ear can: - Injure the eardrum - Disrupt the middle-ear bones - Cause fluid buildup - Noise. Loud sounds can injure delicate cells within the ear. This is a form of sensorineural hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss can happen because of a single brief burst of an extremely loud sound. It more often results from long-term exposure to loud sounds of slightly lower intensity. - Otosclerosis. An abnormal overgrowth of one or more bones in the middle ear prevents the small bones from moving normally. This is a type of conductive hearing loss. Otosclerosis often runs in families. - Acoustic neuroma. This noncancerous tumor grows on part of the eighth cranial nerve. This nerve carries signals to the brain. Acoustic neuroma often causes dizziness and equilibrium problems in addition to gradual hearing loss. - Meniere's disease. This typically causes dizziness, hearing loss, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and a sensation of fullness or stuffiness in one or both ears. Meniere's disease occurs when excess fluid causes swelling in the inner ear. - Trauma. Many types of accidents can cause hearing loss. Hearing loss can result when the eardrum is injured from the force of an explosion. Or it can result from a Q-tip that ruptures the eardrum during an attempt to clean the ear canal. - Sudden sensorineural hearing loss. This is a medical emergency. A person loses hearing over a period of three days or less. In most cases, only one ear is affected. The underlying problem may be a viral infection. - Drugs. Many prescription and nonprescription medications can damage the ear and cause hearing loss. These include: - Anticancer chemotherapy drugs - Antimalaria drugs - Age. Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is not a single disease. Rather, it is a category for the cumulative effects of aging on the ears. Hearing loss usually begins after age 60. Both ears are affected. It is typically harder to hear high-pitched tones (women's voices, violins) than low-pitched ones (men's voices, bass guitar). Hearing loss usually occurs gradually over a period of years. The person may not realize that he or she has difficulty hearing. - Other causes. There are more than 100 different causes of hearing loss in adults. The most common reversible causes are severe buildup of earwax in the ear canal and acute infections of the external ear or middle ear. If you have sudden, severe hearing loss, you will notice immediately that your ability to hear has decreased dramatically or disappeared totally in the affected ear. If your hearing loss is gradual, your symptoms may be more subtle. You may have difficulty understanding conversations. Family members may complain that you play the radio or television too loudly. You may ask them to repeat what they say or frequently misunderstand what they are saying. Some diseases and conditions that cause hearing loss may produce additional symptoms, including: - Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) - Discharge or bleeding from the ear - Deep earache, or pain in the ear canal - Pressure or a "stuffy" feeling inside the ears - Dizziness or problems with balance or equilibrium Your doctor will ask you to describe your symptoms. He or she will ask if anyone in your family had or has hearing loss. Your doctor will want to know if you have been exposed to loud noises, trauma of the ear or head, or ear infections. Your doctor will want to rule out the possibility that medications may be causing your hearing loss. He or she will review the prescription and over-the-counter drugs you take. Your doctor will examine you, and look closely at your ears. This ear exam may include: - An examination of your ear canal and eardrum using a lighted instrument. - The Rinne test. A vibrating tuning fork is placed on the bone behind your ear. This tests for conductive hearing loss. - The Weber test. A vibrating tuning fork is placed in the middle of your forehead to help diagnose one-sided hearing loss. - Audioscopy testing. The doctor uses a hand-held device to generate tones of various intensities to find out if you can hear them. If you are diagnosed with hearing loss, your doctor will refer you to an audiologist. The audiologist will test your hearing sensitivity. He or she will check for middle-ear problems by measuring your eardrum's ability to reflect sounds. Further testing and treatment will follow. The duration of hearing loss depends on its cause. Sensorineural hearing loss tends to be permanent. You can help prevent hearing loss: - Wear protective earplugs or earmuffs if you are often exposed to loud noise at work or during recreational activities. - Never put cotton swabs or other foreign objects in your ears. - Wear a seatbelt while driving. Wear a protective helmet while riding a bicycle. - Know the possible side effects of your medications. Both age-related and noise-related hearing loss tend to be permanent. Your doctor may recommend a hearing aid or an implant to improve your ability to communicate with others. A hearing aid amplifies sounds electronically and is effective for many people with age-related hearing loss. Hearing aids today are very small, so small that other people often do not notice you are wearing them. A cochlear implant translates sounds into electrical signals that can be carried to the brain. Certain other forms of hearing loss may be treated medically or surgically: - Otosclerosis. For mild cases, a hearing aid is usually the first option. In severe cases, one of the small bones is surgically replaced with a tiny prosthesis. - Acoustic neuroma. Treatment includes surgery or highly focused radiation therapy. - Meniere's disease. There is no cure. The goal of treatment is to relieve pressure in the ears to reduce symptoms. Some people improve by limiting intake of salt, caffeine or alcohol or quitting smoking. Medications to reduce fluid retention in the ear may help. In some cases, surgery may be considered. - Traumatic hearing loss. A damaged eardrum can sometimes be repaired surgically. - Drug-induced hearing loss. Stopping the problem medication may reverse hearing loss or prevent it from getting worse. - Sudden sensorineural hearing loss. When the cause is unknown, this condition is usually treated with steroids. - Other. A dense plug of earwax can be dissolved or gently removed by your doctor. Antibiotics can treat hearing loss caused by ear infections. When To Call a Professional Call your doctor immediately if you have sudden hearing loss. This is a medical emergency. Also, make an appointment to see your doctor if: - You are an older adult, and hearing loss interferes with your quality of life. - You work in a high-noise environment, and you have trouble hearing. - You have hearing loss together with: - An earache - Discharge from your ears - Dizziness or balance problems The prognosis is highly variable. In many cases, hearing loss cannot be treated with medications or surgery. But your quality of life may improve significantly with a hearing aid. A cochlear implant may also be an option. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Institutes of Health 31 Center Drive, MSC 2320 Bethesda, MD 20892-2320 American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery 1650 Diagonal Road Alexandria, VA 22314-2857 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) 10801 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 1600 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30333 American Tinnitus Association P.O. Box 5 Portland, OR 97207-0005

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Intellectual Property: What is it? Why is it important to you Leslie S. Marell, Esq. Leslie S. Marell, Esq., Law Office of Leslie S. Marell, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254, 310-372-8663, email@example.com 84th Annual International Conference Proceedings - 1999 WHAT IS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY? "Intellectual Property" is a generic term used to describe products of the human intellect that have economic value. Computer software is one of the many forms of intellectual property. Other examples include books, music, movies, artwork, designs and other works of authorship, names, logos, as well as certain inventions. Intellectual property is "property" because a body of laws has been created that gives owners of such works legal rights similar in some respects to those given to owners of real estate or tangible personal property (such as cars). Intellectual property may be owned and bought and sold the same as other types of property. But in many important respects, ownership of intellectual property is very different from ownership of a house or a car. DEFINITIONS. Basic definitions are required before we can deal with the real business world issues involving intellectual property law. The principal types of intellectual property legal protection are listed and defined below: Trademark and Trade Name - Patent. Patent law protects inventions. Patent protection is available for any new and useful process, machine, method of manufacture, composition of matter, or any new, useful improvement. By filing for and obtaining a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, an inventor is granted a monopoly on the use and commercial exploitation of an invention, for 20 years from the date of filing the application. In the U.S. patents are awarded to the first to invent. When multiple inventors file applications to patent the same invention, the U.S. Patent Office must decide who was the first inventor. Therefore, it is important that the engineers maintain development records establishing the events surrounding the invention process in order to prove the date of invention. Invention records may also be useful to challenge the validity of another's patent. - Copyright. A copyright provides protection for a limited time to authors for their "original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression." Copyrights extend only to the expression of creations of the mind, not to the ideas themselves. The Federal law governing copyrights expressly excludes from copyright protection "any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle or discovery." In other words, a pure idea, such as a plan to create an innovative software program, cannot be copyrighted, no matter how original or creative it is. Copyright protection begins when the work is created. This means that there does not have to be a copyright notice, publication of the work or registration to secure the copyright. It is, of course, advisable to take these measures. - Ownership of Copyright. As a general rule, the creator of a work owns the copyright. The person who owns the copyright also automatically owns the exclusive rights to it and the rights to prevent others from copying, distributing, or preparing works based on the copyrighted materials. - Works for Hire: Employees and Independent Contractors. Works for Hire are an important exception to the general rule that a person owns the copyright in a work he or she has created. If a work was created by an employee as part of his or her job, the law considers the product a work for hire, and the employer will own the copyright. If the creator is an independent contractor, the works will be considered works for hire only if: (1) the parties have signed a written agreement stating that the work will be a work for hire; and (2) the work is commissioned as a contribution to a collective work, a supplementary work, an instructional text, answer material for a test, an atlas, motion picture, or an audiovisual work. Thus, unless there is a contractual agreement to the contrary, and the work fits within one of the above categories the independent contractor owns the copyright. - Creations by an Independent Contractor. The copyright developed by an independent contractor is owned by the independent contractor unless the contractor has signed an agreement to the contrary. The contract must state that the contractor conveys the copyright ownership in all works created under the contract to the engaging party. - Trade Secret. All that is necessary for something to be protectable as a trade secret is that (1) it gives the owner a competitive advantage; (2) it is treated as a secret by the owner; and (3) it is not generally known in the industry or business. A trade secret may be lost if the owner fails to identify it or take reasonable steps to protect it. Otherwise, trade secret protection is perpetual. The fundamental question of trade secret law is, what is protectable? Clear examples are discoveries, ideas, designs, and specifications. However, even the way you use knowledge and information or the assembly of information itself may be a trade secret even if everything you consider important for your secret is publicly available information. An example of this is supplier and customer lists. - Trademark. Patent, copyright and trade secret laws do not protect names, titles or phrases. A trademark is any word, name, logo or other symbol adopted and used by a person, manufacturer or merchant group that identifies and distinguishes its goods from those manufactured or sold by others. - License vs. Sale. A license is an agreement between the owner of the intellectual property (the licensor) and a third party (the licensee) which gives permission to the licensee to use the technology in a manner that would otherwise be reserved exclusively to the licensor, as owner. For example, the licensor of the software program will convey a right to the licensee to use the program and reproduce the program under certain defined circumstances. The licensee is restricted in his or her use of the program and does not receive any ownership rights to the software. By contrast, a sale involves the transfer of an ownership interest in the property. In the case of mass marketed shrink wrap software, the buyer is purchasing a copy of the copyrighted program. However, the buyer is not purchasing an ownership interest in the intellectual property itself. The buyer is restricted by copyright law from reproducing the software (except for backup copies) or making derivative works. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. With basic definitions in place, let us turn to some practical issues that arise in business with frequency and involve intellectual property law. - Independent Contractors: Who Owns the Intellectual Property? Many companies turn to outside consultants to develop software, etc whether alone or in combination with company employees. From a technical and business standpoint, this may be the most practical approach. But is can raise the important legal issue of who owns the intellectual property rights to the work created? Since an independent contractor is not an employee, the copyright in the software created by the independent contractor does not automatically belong to the company, as it likely would under the "work for hire" principles applicable to employees. Instead of owning the copyright, the company would probably only be authorized to use a copy of the software and to modify it as necessary for operating its own business. If your company expects to obtain ownership of the copyright to the software, it is imperative to have the consultant sign an agreement stating that all intellectual property rights in the software and related documentation he or she creates for the company belong to the company, either as a work made for hire or, alternatively, by assignment to the company under the agreement. - Contract Manufacturing: Outsourcing the Design or Manufacture of the Product - Outsourcing the Design. Outsourcing is becoming a more common way of doing business as companies streamline their operations and cut costs. If your company is outsourcing the design of a product, the discussion above relating to independent contractors is applicable. Your contract should clearly specify that the outsourcer will assign all its rights in the design to your company and your company will be the sole owner. If you do not have such a provision, the outsourcer will likely be the owner of the information it developed. - Manufacturing to Your Specifications. If the contract manufacturer will be building product to your company's specifications, your company will be handing over large amounts of confidential information and data to its supplier. This information may be in the form of software, databases, specifications, bills of material, statistics and memos and will all constitute trade secrets of the company. In order to protect the trade secret status of the information, it is imperative that two steps be taken: (1) The information be clearly marked that it is Confidential or Proprietary to the company; and (2) The supplier sign a non-disclosure agreement which requires the supplier to hold the information in confidence. Keep in mind that in order for trade secrets to maintain their confidential status, the owner must take steps necessary to keep the information secret. Failure to identify the information as secret and to require a written agreement to maintain secrecy endangers the confidential information. - I.T. Outsourcers and Software Licenses. As companies increasingly rely on outsourcing vendors to perform computer-related functions, these outsourcers often require access to software licensed to their customers by third-party software licensors. Most software licenses restrict assignment (transfer) of the software to a third party without the consent of the licensor. The practical effect of this clause is to prevent giving outsourcers access to the licensed software. As a result, licensee must obtain consent from software licensors to allow outsourcers to use the software. Licensors may be unwilling to provide consent and have, in some cases, insisted on payment of additional license fees. To avoid such situations, it is advisable to include a clause in any new license agreement which extends the scope of permissible uses of the software to allow outsourcers to use the licensed software in the performance of outsourcing functions. - Sole Source Suppliers and Escrow. While a sole/single source alliance can benefit both the buyer and the supplier companies through the creation of a more solid business/ partnering arrangement, the downside occurs if the supplier is unable to deliver. In order to understand the full impact of this"downside", just be reminded of any recent problem you have had obtaining product from your sole source supplier. What measures can be taken to protect our companies from these downside possibilities? While contracts are limited in their abilities to "solve" a problem, they can be helpful in addressing the issues to facilitate a solution. Consider requiring that your supplier establish an escrow account in which the supplier deposits all designs, manufacturing data, processes, etc. necessary to manufacture and support the product. In addition, and if the bill of material for the product includes purchase of certain proprietary products, the supplier would deposit authorization that the buyer be able to purchase these proprietary products from third party suppliers. The contract would grant your company a license to use all the information in the escrow account if the supplier does not perform its contract obligations. Keep in mind that in order to be able to effectively use this information, your company might likely first require technical understanding of the products. If that is the case, your contract will want to obligate the supplier to provide access to and training in the understanding and use of the information and data during the actual contract performance. - Employee Issues: Confidentiality; Ownership; Nonsolicitation; Noncompete - Confidentiality. The issue of confidential information and the employee's responsibility is two pronged. The first prong relates to that confidential information which the employee either develops or learns in the course of his or her employment with the company. In general, state laws provide that an employee may not, either during or after his employment, divulge or use trade secrets which were developed by him during his employment or divulged to him by his employer, even absent an express agreement. The rationale is that a employee is in a relationship of trust and confidence with the company. In addition, most companies require that their employees sign an agreement which acknowledges that the employee will maintain the confidentiality of the company's trade secret information both during and after employment. The problematic aspect of this issue is raised when the employee wants to go to work for a competitor of the employer. The employee should be aware that under appropriate circumstances, the ex-employer may prevent the employee from going to work at a competitor if the following three factors are found to exist: (1) The former employee has knowledge of the first employer's trade secrets; (2) The employee's new job duties (and the products and technology he is working on) are so similar to those in the former position that it would be extremely difficult for him not to rely on or use the first employer's trade secrets; and (3) The former employee and the new employer cannot be depended upon to avoid using the trade secret information. The second prong relates to that confidential information provided by a third party to the employee's company. In those cases in which the employer signs a non-disclosure agreement to maintain the trade secrets of a third party, the employee -as an agent of the recipient company - is bound to the non-disclosure agreement and must abide by the confidentiality provisions. Failure to do so may subject both the company and the employee to damages. - Ownership of Intellectual Property. If a work was created by an employee as part of his or her job, the law considers the product a work for hire, and the employer will own the intellectual property rights to that work, as explained above. A work for hire is defined as "a work made by an employee within the scope of his or her employment". In many instances, the courts have considered the intellectual property rights to a product developed by the employee to belong to the employer when the employee used company resources in developing the product, even if the employee's development was done outside working hours. - Non-Compete and Non-Solicitation Agreements. The non-compete clause prevents the ex-employee from working for a competitor or going into a business which competes with his or her ex-employer. The non-solicitation clause restricts the ex-employee from soliciting the business of the ex-employer's customers or suppliers. The enforceability of these provisions vary by state. For example, in most employee/employer circumstances, California does not recognize the enforceability of a non-compete clause. Even in those states that do enforce non-compete provisions, the clauses must be narrowly written such that they are reasonable in time and geography limitations. The enforceability of the clause generally revolves around the underlying question of: Is there a legitimate business purpose for such restriction? In the absence of a sound business reason, the courts are reluctant to enforce a non-compete clause. The non-solicitation clause will come under similar scrutiny in terms of reasonable time period and location, but is more often enforced by courts. A non-solicitation agreement may restrict the ex-employee from doing business with a supplier or customer of the ex-employer for a certain period of time. Back to Top

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One in ten natural World Heritage Sites in Danger 23 June 2012 | News story UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee’s annual meeting, which starts in St Petersburg on Sunday, will see a total of 36 new sites considered for inscription as natural and cultural sites, and a series of monitoring reports on the sites already listed. But if IUCN’s recommendations to add four World Heritage sites to the Danger List are accepted, 21 out of the 211 –one in ten- natural World Heritage Sites will be officially “in danger.” “World Heritage Sites are icons of global conservation, but even these places are coming under increasing pressures,” says Tim Badman, Director of IUCN’s World Heritage Programme. “The Convention is 40 this year, and it will need to do much more to protect its listed sites in the next ten years, and especially those that are in Danger, if the gold standard of World Heritage listing is to be retained. This fortieth anniversary year of the Convention is celebrating communities, and we consider greater benefits from World Heritage to people will be a key requirement for conservation success.” The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Heritage’s advisory body on nature, will present its expert recommendations for four new natural areas and its findings about World Heritage Sites with imminent threats to their values. IUCN recommends four natural sites for inscription: Sangha Trinational - shared between Cameroon, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo, Lakes of Ounianga in Chad, Chengjiang fossil site in China and Rock Islands Southern Lagoon in Palau. In addition, reports will be made on 56 other iconic sites, including on the issues facing Galapagos Islands, Great Barrier Reef and Serengeti. IUCN is recommending Lake Turkana National Parks in Kenya, Pitons Management Area in Saint Lucia, Virgin Komi Forests in Russia and Dja Faunal Reserve in Cameroun to be added to the Danger list. Natural World Heritage sites in West and Central Africa face the most serious threats, mainly from mining, oil and gas exploration, poaching and armed conflicts. Iconic places such as Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal and Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park in CAR are in imminent danger of losing their Outstanding Universal Value. 10 out of 16 natural and mixed (natural and cultural) sites in the region are on the Danger list. “The need for urgent action to save what is left of these parks is evident,” says Mariam Kenza Ali, World Heritage Conservation Officer at IUCN. “In Niokolo-Koba in Senegal for example, the elephant population is almost gone, very few lions remain and the population of most of the antelopes’ species have been decimated. The situation is the same in Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast and is equally critical in many other protected areas in the region. The funding to make rescue plans work is difficult to find, and sometimes the political willingness is missing dramatically.” Mining and oil and gas exploration within World Heritage Sites is also on the rise, according to IUCN. Such activities are already causing irreversible damage to places of unique natural value such as Virunga in DRC and Virgin Komi Forests in Russia. An independent report on World Heritage sites and the extractive industries will be launched during the World Heritage St Petersburg meeting. Its recommendations will include the establishment of a level playing field for all parties so that policies related to extractive industries are as uniform as possible, regardless of the country in which the World Heritage Site is located. For more information or to set up interviews, please contact: Borjana Pervan, IUCN Media Relations, m +41 79 857 4072, e firstname.lastname@example.org

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Written By International Women's Health CoalitionWednesday, 15 May 2013The following joint letter was submitted by women's rights organizations to the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Written By International Women's Health CoalitionThursday, 26 April 2012Universal access to reproductive health is vital to the effective implementation of population, health and development policies and to the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This IWHC brief describes in practical terms the justification for and components of the essential policy and program package. Written By International Women's Health CoalitionFriday, 30 September 2011 Today’s generation of adolescents is the largest ever - there are 1.2 billion people between the ages of 10 and 19 alive today. To protect their health and rights, young people need evidence-based, accurate information about their sexual and reproductive health, as well as support and skills to feel comfortable and confident about their bodies and their sexuality. While adolescence is a time for growth and learning, often young people confront multiple threats to their health and their lives such as violence and sexual coercion, unintended pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV. Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) provides young people with the necessary skills and information to make free and informed decisions about their health, and enjoy safe and satisfying relationships. Written By International Women's Health CoalitionThursday, 04 November 2010 To enjoy safe and satisfying sexual lives, young people must be able to exercise their basic human rights. A rights- based approach to comprehensive sexuality education not only helps young people acquire accurate information about their bodies and sex, but also approaches sexuality holistically; equipping young people with the skills they need to forge emotionally and socially healthy relationships. It’s All One is a gorgeous two book collection of guidelines and activities that are examples of comprehensive sexuality education. For this work, IWHC collaborated with the International Planned Parenthood Foundation, International Planned Parenthood Foundation Western Hemisphere, Mexfam, the Population Council, and our partners CREA and the Girls Power Initiative. You can download each volume below as a PDF, or request a hard copy. Book 1: GUIDELINES Curriculum content that places gender issues and human rights at the heart of sex and HIV education. Download PDF here. Book 2: ACTIVITIES 54 activities that engage young people and foster critical thinking skills. Download PDF here. Written By International Women's Health CoalitionMonday, 21 December 2009Each year, the International Women's Health Coalition issues the "Top Ten Wins for Women's Health and Rights." Written By International Women's Health CoalitionTuesday, 03 February 2009 This post is by Audacia Ray and originally appeared on Our Bodies, Our Blog on January 26, 2009. Demand for newer and better devices that protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections is constant — partly due to the fact that the process of development, testing and approval takes forever, and partly because what’s on the market often leaves something to be desired. Written By International Women's Health CoalitionMonday, 22 December 2008Each year, the International Women's Health Coalition issues the "Top Ten Wins for Women's Health and Rights." Written By International Women's Health CoalitionMonday, 25 August 2008 Guest blog by Neha Sood, member of the Youth Coalition, With Women Worldwide Compact signatory, and Young Visionary. Originally posted on RHRealityCheck.org. Written By International Women's Health CoalitionSunday, 01 June 2008 Written By International Women's Health CoalitionThursday, 13 March 2008 Results 1 - 10 of 86

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Word of the Day, Website of the Day, Number to Know, This Day in History, Today’s Featured Birthday and Daily Quote. Word of the Day Fossick FAH-sik (verb) To search about; rummage; to search for by or as if by rummaging; ferret out -www.merriam-webster.com Website of the Day Pearl Harbor attack Today is the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Head to this site to see videos, read eyewitness accounts and much more. Number to Know 8: The number of Santa's original reindeer. Rudolph wasn’t created until about 100 years after the others. This Day in History Dec. 7, 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor – The Imperial Japanese Navy attacks the U.S. Pacific Fleet and its defending Army Air Forces and Marine air forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Today’s Featured Birthday Basketball legend Larry Bird (56) “One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly.” - Andy Rooney

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Corn estimate lowered to reflect harvestThe U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday slightly lowered its projection for the nation’s corn crop for a fourth straight month, reflecting worse-than-expected news about the actual impact of this year’s withering drought from the farmers busy harvesting their fields. The USDA estimates that farmers will harvest 10.71 billion bushels of corn this year, which would be the smallest amount since 2006. Last month’s estimate was 10.73 billion bushels. By: By David Pitt, Associated Press, The Jamestown Sun DES MOINES, Iowa — The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday slightly lowered its projection for the nation’s corn crop for a fourth straight month, reflecting worse-than-expected news about the actual impact of this year’s withering drought from the farmers busy harvesting their fields. The USDA estimates that farmers will harvest 10.71 billion bushels of corn this year, which would be the smallest amount since 2006. Last month’s estimate was 10.73 billion bushels. Crop estimates change as fields are harvested and farmers get a better sense of how the weather affected yields. The U.S. has been experiencing one of its worst droughts in decades, and conditions have been particularly harsh in many of the key Midwest and Plains farming states. Farmers have harvested 69 percent of the nation’s corn already this year, which is well ahead of the 28 percent that would be harvested by this time in a typical year. The average yield is about 122 bushels per acre, which is down from last month’s estimate of 122.8 bushels. That is the lowest average yield since 1995 and is significantly below last year’s yield of nearly 153 bushels per acre. Although the drought dried up the soil in many parts of the U.S., the corn harvest was surprisingly good in some areas, said Darin Newsom, senior analyst for Telvent DTN, a commodity trading and information provider. “Is 122 anything great? No. It’s still a dismal yield, still well below what had been anticipated earlier this year,” Newsom added. In Iowa, for example, the nation’s leading corn producer, production will be about 19 percent lower than last year at about 1.92 billion bushels. Neighboring Nebraska will see production down about 15 percent from last year at 1.3 billion bushels. Illinois was hard hit with production falling 37 percent to 1.22 billion bushels from last year and Indiana’s slid 28 percent. Minnesota corn farmers lucked out this year, getting at least some rain that helped avert the dire conditions further south. They saw a 15 percent increase in corn production to 1.39 billion bushels and an 8 percent yield increase to 168 bushels per acre from last year’s 156 bushels. Nationally, farmers planted more corn this year than in any other since 1937, so despite the widespread drought, the U.S. is expected to produce its eighth largest corn crop on record. Farmers planted about 97 million acres in corn, which is far more than just a decade ago when fewer than 80 million acres were planted. They are expected to harvest about 88 million acres this year. Corn supply is now estimated at 11.77 billion bushels, which is down from last month’s estimate of 11.98 billion bushels. The report is expected to boost prices for the next few days as the market reacts to the lower production and tighter supply estimates, but analysts expect a calming of the market now that the harvest is in its final stages and the drought impact is clear. Corn for December delivery was trading at around $7.71 a bushel. It had hit a record high of $8.49 a bushel in August, but it has since settled down. The USDA estimated the season average price for corn now at between $7.10 and $8.50 per bushel, about 10 cents lower on both ends of the range from its September estimate. Still, prices at that level could have in impact on grocery bills, mostly meat and eggs since corn is used as a staple in chicken, cattle and pig feed. Global supplies of corn remain tight and the major users — livestock farmers, the ethanol industry and other countries importing it — will be forced to negotiate their level of use, a sort of market rationing that takes place in years of low supply. Soybean production was increased to 2.86 billion bushels as farmers harvest more acres and bring in better yields than had been expected earlier. Soybeans mature later in the growing season than corn and the plants withstood the drought better and some areas received rain in time to help the plants. Harvested area was increased to 75.7 million acres from 74.6 million acres the month before. The soybean yield is projected at 37.8 bushels per acre, up from the previous month’s estimate of 35.3 bushels. Soybean supplies were increased 10 percent to 3.05 billion bushels. “It’s still not going to be enough. It’s going to be a very tight situation,” Newsom said. Globally soybean demand remains high while supplies are inadequate to meet the level of demand, which likely will keep prices up. Soybeans for November delivery hit a record high $17.89 in early September but settled down in recent weeks and were trading at $15.48 a bushel.

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Let's take action It's time to wake up to the alarming increase of diet-related illnesses worldwide. There are no shortcuts and we have a big job ahead of us to make people recognise the seriousness of this epidemic. Jamie Oliver's Kitchen Garden Project aims to create real, sustainable change, and it's as simple as providing kids with the knowledge and skills to feed themselves better. We strongly believe that educating kids about food at a young age will set them up for life. What's more, we can make sure it forms part of their core curriculum at the same time as being engaging and fun. Here are some health facts that are pretty hard to swallow: - FACT: The UK has the highest rate of childhood obesity in Europe. - FACT: One-quarter of children are overweight or obese at the age of four. By the age of 11, this rises to one-third. - FACT: 96% of UK kids do not eat the recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day. - FACT: Parents could soon outlive their own children as a result of diet-related illnesses. One in 10 children starting primary school in Britain is now regarded as alarmingly overweight. A little help goes a long way We can no longer wait for the government to take action. It's time to act ourselves and recruit like-minded organisations, individuals and schools. This is a food movement of national and local businesses, of parents, teachers, governors and kids, all getting involved and making real change for generations to come.

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David introduces some great exercises for callus development and finger independence. Taught by David Wallimann in Basic Electric Guitar with David Wallimann seriesLength: 10:54Difficulty: 1.5 of 5 When you begin playing guitar, you will likely find your fingertips hurting frequently. It is important to develop calluses, or hardened skin, on the fingertips so that it doesn’t hurt to play the guitar. You will learn some exercises in this lesson to help you build calluses.Scene 2: Finger Exercises Here is an exercise that will not only help you build calluses on your fingertips, but will help you with finger strength and coordination. Remember that it is normal for it to hurt in the beginning and it’s ok to take a break if you need to. Start by assigning a fret to each finger of your left hand. The index finger will play the 1st fret, the middle finger will play the 2nd fret, the ring finger will play the 3rd fret, and the pinky will play the 4th fret. Start on the 6th string and play the pattern 1 2 3 4. Then play the same pattern on each string until you work your way to the 4th fret on the 1st string. Now do the same thing in reverse: start on the 1st string playing the pattern 4 3 2 1. Play that pattern down each string until you reach the 1st fret on the 6th string. Focus on plucking the string with the right hand at the exact same time as you put your finger down with the left hand. Also, when you play a note, try to visualize the next note you are going to play on the fretboard.Scene 3: Finger independence The following exercise is similar to the last one, but will help you master controlling each finger independently. Start by assigning the same fingers to the same frets as you did in the previous exercise. Play the pattern 1 2 on each string, starting at the 6th string going up to the 1st string. Then play the same pattern (1 2) in reverse: start at the 1st string and go down to the 6th string. Next play the pattern 2 1 on each string from the 6th to the 1st. Then play 2 1 on each string from the 1st to the 6th. Try doing this exercise with every combination of two fingers possible. Don’t worry about going fast, just make sure you are getting a good tone on every note that you play.Scene 4: Final Thoughts Since a major goal of these exercises is to promote callus development on the fingers, it is normal for it to be painful at first. There’s no need to overdo it; take a break if your fingers hurt too bad. You are also trying to build the muscles in your hands and fingers, so drink some water and take a break if your muscles are feeling tense. They will get stronger with practice. David Wallimann will start you on your electric guitar playing journey in this Phase 1 series. David Wallimann introduces himself, talks about his background, and offers advice to new players.Length: 4:28 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only David introduces you to all the parts of your new instrument in this lesson.Length: 11:18 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only This is a crucial lesson that explains tablature, how to read it, and why it's important.Length: 7:03 Difficulty: 1.0 FREE David introduces some great exercises for callus development and finger independence.Length: 10:54 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only David Wallimann provides an introduction to chords. In this lesson, you will learn how to read chord charts. David also explains how to play your first eight chords.Length: 17:03 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only David Wallimann teaches six barre chords in this lesson beginning with F major. Get ready for a hand workout!Length: 10:26 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only David walks you through some easy chord progressions and encourages you to make up some of your own.Length: 8:17 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only David Wallimann talks about the importance of rhythm and timing. You will learn the basics of notes, time signatures and measures in this lesson.Length: 14:00 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only David Wallimann goes over some basic rock techniques in this lesson.Length: 16:45 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only David Wallimann provides some tips that will improve both your right and left hand technique.Length: 13:45 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only David Wallimann shows how adding one note to the minor pentatonic scale creates the minor blues scale.Length: 10:54 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only About David Wallimann View Full Biography David was born in Aix-en-Provence, South France in 1977. At the age of 15, he picked up the guitar and started developing a true love for instrumental music and composition. In 1999 he was recognized by Ibanez for his promising musical achievements and received an artist endorsement. That early recognition in David's musical career encouraged him to consecrate more time on crafting his musical art and apply to the school of modern music Artist' in Cavaillon, France. He received a full scholarship there where he graduated with honors. In 2001, David won first place for the Tal Farlow French national jazz contest which gave him a full paid scholarship to the CMA school of modern music in Valenciennes, France. He graduated specializing in advance guitar with honors. Following his school years, David spent the next 5 years working with several bands recording, writing and playing shows in France and Belgium. It's during that time that Wallimann was exposed to the world of progressive rock which opened new doors to his musical creativity. Deep inside the Mind is his first release as a solo artist in which he exposes his Christian faith. The album was well received in the specialized press and was compared several times to some of Frank Zappa's approach to music adding an element of humor to deep subjects. In 2005 he joined the internationally renown progressive band Glass Hammer based in Chattanooga, TN. He released several studio albums and live DVDs with the band. David is today working on his next upcoming solo release and is also spending quite a bit of time teaching guitar in his studio and online at JamPlay. Our acoustic guitar lessons are taught by qualified instructors with various backgrounds with the instrument. Lesson 7 is all about arpeggios. Danny provides discussion and exercises designed to build your right hand skills.Free LessonSeries Details Hawkeye teaches several Robert Johnson licks in this lesson. These licks are played with a slide in open G tuning.Free LessonSeries Details Pamela brings a cap to her first 13 JamPlay lessons with another original etude inspired by the great Leo Brouwer. This is...Free LessonSeries Details Steve Eulberg does a quick review of this lesson series and talks about moving on.Free LessonSeries Details Jessica kindly introduces herself, her background, and her approach to this series.Free LessonSeries Details Erik expounds on the many possibilities of open tunings and the new harmonics that you can use in them. He explains what...Free LessonSeries Details In this lesson, Peter discusses the two bar clave that is common to the Brazilian style. You'll put together several patterns...Free LessonSeries Details In lesson 6, Kaki discusses how the left and right hands can work together or independently of each other to create different...Free LessonSeries Details Jim Deeming discusses how to use a metronome for practice, skill building, and speed building.Free LessonSeries Details Our electric guitar lessons are taught by instructors with an incredible amount of teaching experience. Steve Stevens shows some of his go-to licks and ideas while improvising over a backing track he made.Free LessonSeries Details Known around the world for his inspirational approach to guitar instruction, Musician's Institute veteran Daniel Gilbert...Free LessonSeries Details Michael "Nomad" Ripoll dives deep into the rhythm & blues, funk, and soul genres that were made popular by artists like Earth...Free LessonSeries Details Kris analyzes different pick sizes and their effect on his playing. Using a slow motion camera, he is able to point out the...Free LessonSeries Details Bryan Beller of the Aristocrats, Dethklok, and Steve Vai takes you inside his six step method to learning any song by ear....Free LessonSeries Details Tosin explains some of the intricacies of the 8 string guitar such as his personal setup and approach to playing.Free LessonSeries Details Jane Miller talks about chord solos in part one of this fascinating mini-series.Free LessonSeries Details Lauren Passarelli offers up her wisdom on purchasing a guitar. She also includes information regarding proper setup and care....Free LessonSeries Details This is a crucial lesson that explains tablature, how to read it, and why it's important.Free LessonSeries Details Allen shows you the 24 rudiments crucial to developing finger dexterity. This is a short lesson but the exercises here can...Free LessonSeries Details While we have attempted to provide you with an accurate rendition of our video lesson experience, there are some features which require a membership with us! At JamPlay, we give you the ability to monitor your own progress for any lesson! If you watch one of our lessons and feel as though you understand around half of it, mark your progress at 50%. This adds the lesson to your customized Progress Report, and gives you an incredible ability to document what you need to work on, and where you left off. With thousands of lessons at your fingertips, JamPlay can be a touch intimidating to a first-time user. With Progressive Bookmarking, we give you the ability to systematically bookmark sections of any lessons you are working on to quickly access later. After all, what is the point of all this content if it isn't easy to use? JamPlay also gives you the ability to leave notes for yourself on any lesson. Just like in any educational system, taking your own notes while learning gives you the ability to highlight the instruction that is important to you. Leave your notes, and we store them in our database for you to reference each and everytime you come back to the lesson.

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While working with regular expressions, you need quantifiers to specify the number of occurrences to match against. The 3 used quantifiers are ?, + and *. ? means 0 or 1 occurrence + means exactly one occurrence * means 0 or more occurrences String patternStr = "Java?"; // last a can have zero or 1 occurrence String patternStr = "Java+"; // last a can have one or more occurrence String patternStr = "Java*"; // last a can have zero or more occurrence

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The disciples of communism claim that their ideological system is the cure for colonialism and imperialism. All the proletariats (working-class people) of the world, according to the prescriptions of Marx, are brothers. However, analysts observe that communism scarcely worked that way even in theory. Marx was a German nationalist who called for the extermination of Croats, Pandurs, and “similar scum.” He sneered at Danish culture as purely copied from Germany and rejoiced at the Prussia victory over France in 1871 because it would lead to the triumph of German, rather than French, socialism. He loathed Judaism and Jewish society, as well as Christians. The Bolshevik junta in late 1918, followed four years later by the formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), presented itself to the world as anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist. Click here to read the entire article. Photo: Karl Marx

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EPHRAIM SOLOMON BEN AARON OF LENCZIZA: Rabbi and popular preacher at Prague; born probably at Lencziza, Poland; died at Prague March 3, 1619. After having filled the office of rosh yeshibah at Lemberg, he was appointed in 1604 rabbi of Prague, and remained in this position until 1618. Ephraim was the author of the following works: "'Ir Gibborim," in three parts, the first, entitled "Petiḥot u-Shẹ'arim," containing a rhetorical introduction and an ethical treatise, and the second and the third being homilies on the Pentateuch, Basel, 1580; "'Olelot Efrayim," ethical sermons based upon Bible and Talmud, in four parts, Lublin, 1590; "Keli Yeḳar," annotations on the Pentateuch, ib. 1602; "Sifte Da'at," forming the second part of the preceding work and containing homilies on the Pentateuch, Prague, 1610; "Oraḥ le-Ḥayyim," two ethical sermons, one for the Sabbath between New-Year and the Day of Atonement ("Shabbat Teshubah"), and the other for Passover, Lublin, 1595; "'Ammude Shesh," sermons, Prague, 1617; "Ribebot Efrayim," homilies on the Pentateuch (mentioned in the introduction to his work "Oraḥ le-Ḥayyim"). Ephraim was also the author of three liturgical poems celebrating Adar 2 (Feb. 15), 1611, on which date a hostile army that had entered Prague was defeated. - Moritz Grünwald, Rabbi Salomo Efraim Luntschitz, Prague, 1892; - Zunz, Literaturgesch. p. 421; - Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. col. 904; - Zedner, Cat. Hebr. Books Brit. Mus. p. 240; - Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim, No. 501.

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1291 May 18, ACRE (Eretz Israel) After a two month siege, the fortress fell to the Mameluke (see 1250) Egyptians under Al-Ashraf Khalil(1262-1293). Any inhabitants Christian or Jews who did not succeed in fleeing were killed. To all intents and purposes the Crusades were at an end. The various crusading armies never succeeded in uniting as a cohesive force. They were defeated as much by infighting and separate treaties as by the Fatimid armies.

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At 8:30 a.m. Pacific time today, NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft passed the halfway point on its journey to Mars. It has been 100 days since Odyssey's launch and 100 days remain until it arrives at the red planet. "Odyssey is now closer to Mars than Earth. The spacecraft is healthy and all systems are looking good," said David A. Spencer, the Odyssey mission manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "Planning for Mars approach and orbit insertion in October is our primary focus right now." The navigation team reports the spacecraft is right on course. To date, the Deep Space Network has taken 11 separate measurements using the so-called delta differential one-way range measurement, a technique that uses two ground stations to determine the angular position of the spacecraft relative to the known position of a quasar. The measurements provide the navigation team with an additional source of information, adding confidence to their estimates of the Odyssey flight path. Today, Odyssey is 45.8 million kilometers (about 28.5 million miles) from Earth and 30 million kilometers (about 19 million miles) from Mars, traveling at a velocity of 26 kilometers per second (58,000 miles per hour) relative to the Sun. The Mars Odyssey mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. The Odyssey spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver.

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Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012 History in pieces: Human ecology textiles expert goes on road to identify African-American treasures for Smithsonian project MANHATTAN -- As the nation celebrates Black History Month, one Kansas State University expert is doing her part to identify treasured pieces of African-American history one textile at a time. When the Smithsonian Institution launched "Save Our African-American Treasures," the staff called Marla Day, curator of the Historic Costume and Textile Collection at the university's College of Human Ecology. They needed her expertise to help appraise and explain potential textile treasures brought in during a series of "Antiques Roadshow"-type events. Day has traveled to Detroit, Dallas, Topeka and Houston thus far, with a trip to New York City in the works. She has examined quilts, peeked in pockets, checked out articles of clothing and cradled rag dolls, looking at hundreds of textile objects. "We don't put values on the objects," Day said. "We try to help people understand what the object is and how to preserve it." Often she packed the item in archival, acid-proof paper before handing it back. "Most wanted to know the history of the object," she said. The mission of the program is to raise awareness about how important family heirlooms are in telling the story of African-American history and to provide information about how to care for them, according to the Smithsonian. While Day and several others examined textiles brought to the sites, other experts looked at objects, photographs, papers and books. "I love interacting with the people, talking with them about the treasures they brought in," Day said. "Sometimes they were clueless about they had. When I could give them a piece of information they didn't have about the treasure, they saw the object in a new, fresh perspective. I could help them learn more about their families." In Houston in October 2011, the textiles group saw lots of quilts and crocheted pieces, a few dolls and some clothing. One person brought in a Black Sox uniform. The Black Sox was a professional team from Baltimore that won the American Negro League championship in 1929. Several of the quilts had new tops and backs sewn on older worn-out quilts. This recycling was common in the 19th century, Day said. One woman brought in a quilt obviously made from scraps of fabric that were well worn. Some of the scraps were patched. "She told me that she came from a large, poor family and her mother wasted nothing, not even fabric with holes worn in it," Day said. "The holes were carefully matched with patches so they were hardly noticeable and the edges were neatly turned under with her tiny hand stitches. "I showed her how the quilt was actually two quilts, the second layer was probably infant and baby blankets. It was lovely to help her discover more of her family stories, to piece together memories of living with mother and how she made do." In Houston, Day worked with Renee Anderson, museum specialist with the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture, and Mary Ballard, senior textiles conservator with the Museum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution. "I loved working with other professionals in the museum field," Day said. "It was a great network of people and I was representing K-State to that community."

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Groundbreaking pollster George Gallup may be known for founding the survey organization that tracks people's opinions on the president, but he began his career with a more personal concern: getting his mother-in-law elected to statewide office. Ola Babcock Miller was a huge underdog in the 1932 race for Iowa Secretary of State. Gallup conducted an informal poll of voters for her and learned that highway safety was a top concern. Miller campaigned successfully on the issue and went on to found the Iowa State Patrol. That campaign is recounted in a collection of papers that Gallup's family recently donated to the University of Iowa documenting the life of the father of modern political polling. The papers are expected to be used by researchers studying early polling on elections and marketing.

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Making paper planes Make a paper plane that can actually fly with these easy instructions. This traditional paper-plane design is a simple paper craft for kids that will then lead to another fun activity for kids: flying a paper aeroplane. What you need: - 1 x A4 sheet of paper Fold the paper along the width and then unfold it to create a crease. On one side of the paper, fold each corner in towards the centre, to the point where the inside edges are even with the centreline crease. Starting at the very tip of the point, fold the paper over on each side so the inside edges line up with the centre crease. Turn the paper airplane over and fold it in half along the centreline. Fold the first wing with the line of the fold running nearly parallel to the centreline of the plane. Fold the second wing the same as you did the first. The plane is now ready to fly!

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Obsessed with rocket-building and outer space, two siblings living in Silver Springs, Md., in 1947 find the perfect ally right next door. Twelve-year-old Alex hangs out with her reckless 17-year-old brother Chuck, who’s always getting them in trouble. Fascinated with radios, radar and rockets, Chuck “can make anything,” but was kicked out of tech school because he “mixes things up when he reads.” Alex’s mother urges her to “act more ladylike,” dress more carefully and pay more attention to schoolwork, but tomboy Alex wants to be another Amelia Earhart. Meeting her new neighbor, Captain Ebbs, Alex finds a mentor who develops space food for the army, sails her own boat and is a descendant of Captain John Smith. Beneath their impulsive behavior, Ebbs recognizes that Alex and Chuck share her passion for aviation and space. She arranges for Alex to meet pioneer rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, organizes a sailing trip to a Chesapeake Bay island near a rocket launch and provides needed direction for the risk-taking duo. Inspired by the real Joan Cotton Ebbs, this chronicle of sibling aeronautical aspiration and misadventure provides a peek at the post–World War II U.S. space program. Realistic pencil-sketch illustrations capture key events. High-flying adventure grounded in reality. (suggestions for further reading) (Historical fiction. 8-12)

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of Florida and the Caribbean" Bartolomé de Las Casas Priest, missionary, landholder, fighter, writer and historian. Once a slave owner, then defender of the rights of native peoples, Bartolomé de Las Casas was a complex man who lived almost a century. Born in 1474 in Spain, Las Casas was the son of a merchant who had traveled with Columbus to the West Indies. Following his education at the University of Salamanca, Las Casas first became a lawyer, but in 1502, at the age of 28, he gave up his law practice and sailed to Hispaniola. He worked for the colonial governor first in Santo Domingo, then in Cuba. In 1512 he became the first person in America to be ordained a priest, but that didnt stop him from taking part in the brutal conquest of Cuba. For his service in several expeditions, Las Casas was awarded an encomienda, a royal grant of land including Native American slaves. Not long after, Las Casas began to rebel against the abusive practices of Europeans governing American lands and people. He knew firsthand the killing, capture and enslavement of native people and began a crusade to improve conditions and especially to abolish Native American slavery. He abandoned his own encomienda in 1514 and sailed back to Spain to appeal directly to King Charles V on the Native Americans behalf. He was named the official Protector of the Indians and spent the rest of his long life championing their interests. In 1520 he tried without success to establish a colony on the coast of Venezuela. He livedfor a while in Mexico and Guatemala and in 1544 at age 70 was named Bishop of Chiapas. He returned to Spain in 1547, but continued to plead the cause of Native Americans in prolific writings. Las Casas died in 1566 at the age of 92. Las Casas writings are significant, including the first full account of the Spanish conquest, his History of the Indies. He is most famous for his Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias (Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indians) a short tract condemning the Spanish treatment of the Indians. Las Casas described atrocities committed by the conquistadors and documented the genocide that had taken place. The work was published in 1552 in Spain and quickly translated and circulated throughout Europe. It became the basis for the incriminating "Black Legend," an anti-Spanish propaganda tool that accused Spain of intolerance and persecution. Tale of Bartolome de las Casas Bartolome De Las Casas, Missionary, Priest, Defender of the Oppressed

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Chapter 1 Introduction to Substance Abuse Counseling Chapter 2 Ethical and Legal Issues in Substance Abuse Counseling Chapter 3 Major Substances of Abuse and the Body Chapter 4 Theories of SA Etiology Chapter 5 Assessment and DX Chapter 6 Treatment Settings and Treatment Planning Chapter 7 Individual Treatmen... MORE Chapter 8 Group Treatment Chapter 9 Family Treatment Chapter 10 Retaining Sobriety Chapter 11 Working with Selected Populations: Treatment Issues and Characteristics Chapter 12 Working with Diverse Cultures: Exploring Sociocultural Influences and Realities Chapter 13 Prevention Dr. Patricia Stevens, a retired Counselor Educator, is currently in private practice in Louisville, CO and consults in a variety of venues. Dr. Stevens has published and presented at the local, state, regional, national and international levels in the areas of substance abuse, gender implications in counseling, training counselors, and ethical and legal issues in counseling. She is a Fulbright Scholar and a Mental Health Disaster Relief volunteer for Red Cross and has been honored by her professional organizations and by her university for her teaching, scholarship, service and mentoring of students and staff. Dr. Stevensí professional career in substance abuse issues has included clinical practice as well as research and publications throughout her career. Robert L. Smith, Ph.D., FPPR, is professor, Chair of the Counseling and Educational Psychology Department, and Doctoral Program Coordinator at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. As a licensed psychologist, he has worked as a private practitioner in addition to serving as the chair of three counselor education programs. He is the author of several books and more than 60 professional articles. He serves as the Executive Director, and was one of the founders of, the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors. He is also the founder of the National Credentialing Academy for Family Therapists. His research interests include the efficacy of treatment modalities in individual psychotherapy, family therapy, and substance abuse counseling. He is a Diplomate-Fellow in Psychopharmacology with the International College of Prescribing Psychologists. Dr. Smith is an international lecturer. He is currently involved in the development and implementation of graduate programs in counseling and psychology in Latin America.

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This book introduces the reader to the concepts and principles of lunar and planetary mission engineering and provides an overview of the systems engineering which underlies space mission design/engineering. It covers a number of past and future space exploration missions, presenting the mission profiles, identifying radiation shielding requirements, and describing the characteristics of the Moon and the planets. Specific mission details such as atmospheric aerobraking and capture, orbital transfer, and interplanetary mission trajectories are presented, along with propulsion requirements and sizing.

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ECOSYS (Economy, Ecology and Systems) Technology Developing products that are kind to the environment – while still being highly economical to run – was the fundamental thinking behind the development of ECOSYS. Kyocera introduced the cartridge-free ECOSYS printer concept in 1992 as a means of reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), while improving the printer’s environmental impact. Conventional printers use an imaging cartridge that integrates a photoreceptor drum, developer and toner into a single, disposable unit. When the toner is depleted, the entire cartridge is disposed of and replaced with a new unit. In contrast, ECOSYS printers feature a durable imaging system based on Kyocera’s patented amorphous silicon print drum, a combination of ceramic and metal. With a surface that is second only to diamond in hardness, Kyocera’s durable print drum is guaranteed up to 500,000 pages on some series models. That’s because tiny ceramic particles embedded in Kyocera’s toner continually polish and recondition the drum during normal printing, virtually eliminating the need for replacement of the drum and other cartridge components (a task which is typically performed many times over the life of a conventional printer). The result is printers and copiers which create less waste and have a lower comparable cost per print and less downtime, making them up to 50% less expensive to operate than comparative models and much more reliable. Conventional Toner Kit Kyocera ECOSYS Toner Kit

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To help spread awareness for lesser known and potentially life-threatening diseases, hundreds of patient organizations across more than 60 countries will join together on Feb. 28, to observe the 6th annual international Rare Disease Day. On this day, patient groups will host events around the world to celebrate those living with and managing their diseases. One particular rare disease that may take years to diagnose, is a cancer of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract called gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GIST. These tumors often do not cause any specific symptoms, making GIST difficult to diagnose. The exact number of people diagnosed with GIST each year is not known. In the U.S. alone, the incidence of GIST is estimated to be up to 6,000 new cases each year. “Many cases of GIST are discovered in urgent situations when patients are brought to an emergency room. This may results in significant complications since in these cases the disease is often at an advanced stage,” says Dr. Jonathan Trent, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. “Through increased awareness, GIST and many other rare diseases may be able to be diagnosed sooner, potentially providing patients with disease management regimens earlier in their illness.” Thanks to dedicated research and awareness initiatives by patient advocacy organizations and the medical community, there have been significant advances for patients living with GIST in recent years. Increasing awareness for rare diseases is paramount in helping patients get the right diagnosis and information about their illness. Organizations like GIST Support International are helping patients learn more about their disease every day. “I have actively participated in GIST awareness following my own diagnosis in 1997, when the medical community had limited understanding of this disease, and there was no disease information available for patients, says Marina Symcox, GIST Support International. “At the time, I was able to find out some information from a local patient support group, and later decided to make disease education for other patients my personal mission.” Because they are passionate information seekers, many patients living with rare diseases and their loved ones act as their own advocates in learning more about their disease and in helping to form their own multidisciplinary care team. With GIST specifically, this care team should include the diagnosing physician, a specialized oncologist and pathologist to work alongside the devoted caregiver or loved one. Each member of this multidisciplinary team has a unique and vital role in helping the patient cope with his or her disease. To learn more information about GIST and other rare diseases, please speak with a healthcare professional or local advocacy organization, and visit YouTube.com/Novartis.

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What: Argan (Argania Spinosa) oil is deemed by many a super-ingredient for skin care due to its high levels of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and natural vitamin E, (Wiki). Because this natural oil is said to contain three times more anti-aging Vitamin E than any other natural oil, it is often used in skin care products for its restorative and anti-aging benefits. Origin: Argan oil is an oil produced from the green fruit of the Argan tree (Argania Spinosa), endemic to southwestern Morocco, that is valued for its nutritive, cosmetic and numerous medicinal properties (Wiki). Morocan women have used Argan oil for centuries for its healing and age-defying effects. It is the women of the Berber culture (from this region) who traditionally, and exclusively, produce the Argan oil which is then exported to other countries. Though the Berbers use Argan for far more than skin care (food, charcoal, building material), the oil remains its primary use. Argan oil is very high in Vitamin E. Argan oil is rich in the essential fatty acid, linoleic acid. This acid is converted in the body in other fatty acids which Lead to the production of prostaglandins, used in the body's functions including immune, inflammatory process as well as blood clotting. The oil also contains phytosterols (naturally-occurring plant alcohols) which brighten and boost radiance in skin. Products Found In: Argan oil is a rich and highly emollient oil, which is quickly absorbed by the skin and leaves behind no residual greasiness. It is known to reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, stretch marks and scarring. The oil is effective in fighting signs of aging and sun damage as well as improving the skin’s elasticity. It may also be used to soften cuticles and as a hot oil treatment for hair. Argan oil is often used in facial moisturizers, treatments, anti-aging skincare, facial cleansers, make up items, eye creams, body care, and hair care (EWG). Toxicity: Argan oil is generally classified as not toxic or harmful (EWG).

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