By Robin Kunst
Ever since the pro-Western opposition gained the upper hand in Kiev, pro-Russian forces, which mainly did not participate in the Maidan rebellion, took over the airports and regional parliament in the eastern part of Ukraine. The developments of the last weeks have led to thinly veiled Russian military intervention. But why is Russia so eager to take control over the peninsula?
To answer that, it is important to understand the ties between Ukraine and Russia. Before the current conflict, Crimea was an autonomous region in Ukraine. Of the approximately two million people living there, 25 percent are Ukrainians and about 60 percent are Russian. The Crimean peninsula was part of Russia under the Soviet Union federation until Nikita Khrushchev made it part of his home – the former Socialistic Soviet Republic of Ukraine. Russia seems to have been regretting that mistake ever since.
Simply stated, the peninsula is strategically important for Russia. Russia’s main navel base in Sevastopol not only provides Russia’s navy access to the Black Sea but more importantly to the Mediterranean Sea, which the Kremlin is unwilling to leave in the sphere of inﬂuence of the EU and the U.S. Navy. Additionally, Crimea provides access to the unstable gulf region and the Middle East. Sevastopol harbors more than 2,500 warships and contains as many as 26,000 troops already. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia negotiated a deal that allowed Russian troops to stay stationed in Sevastopol until 2017 in exchange for lower prices on gas imported from Russia. Former President Yanukovych extended the lease agreement until 2042.
President Yanukovych’s flight presents Russia with the challenge of an unforeseeable future for this deal and its Black Sea Fleet. As a result, the Kremlin responded by sending 6,000 troops to Crimea. It is clear that the current developments in the region is perceived as a threat to Russia’s interests in the region. The Western integration of Ukraine is a slap in the face of Russian diplomacy. The opposition parties shift their attention now towards each other now that the common enemy is out of the picture. Ukraine is at the brink of civil war.
In a recent interview, President Vladimir Putin made clear that Yanukovych’s removal from ofﬁce was unconstitutional and assured full support for the former Ukrainian president. This stance is only fueling the already fiery tensions that have ruled the country for months. The BBC assumes that the Crimea is becoming the lynchpin of a struggle between Ukraine’s new leaders and those loyal to Russia. As if the political struggle were not enough, the country faces ﬁnancial hurdles and relies heavily on foreign aid, which Russia provided until recently. Ukraine needs $ 35 billion in the next two years to prevent default on its loans. Meanwhile, Russia has suspended the next installment of a $ 15 billion loan due to the ongoing political uncertainty. Ukraine’s financial predicament is an opportunity for Russia. The dependence on foreign aid makes it possible to build pressure and ensure that Russia will not lose its inﬂuence on Ukraine. However, the United States and the European Union are both working out financial aid packages that will limit this influence.
Also, the International Monetary Fund is expected to negotiate and provide ﬁnancial aid to the Ukrainian interim government. The EU had already held out the prospect of € 840 million in exchange for a free trade agreement earlier—part of what actually started the crisis. Due to the fragile situation, aid is expected to increase. Such an agreement would pave the way for the western integration of Ukraine, thereby weakening Russia’s hold over the country. It is doubtful that the Kremlin will stand by idly and watch its inﬂuence slip away.
According to Russian ofﬁcials, soldiers have been sent to Crimea only to protect Russian citizens. What they need protection from, however, remains to be seen? Until recently, Russian was accepted as an ofﬁcial language in areas where the Russian speaking majority is at least 10 percent. While the interim government has overridden these laws, this action was taken mostly in response to Russian aggression. Regardless, the Kremlin argues that there is the possibility of more laws being passed that will discriminate against the Russian minority. Thus, Putin continues moving tanks and troops to Crimea.
Against this backdrop, the news of Putin receiving a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize can seem almost laughably ironic. However, he and all of Russia will continue to play an important role in the future of Ukraine and can help prevent the country’s decent into violence. But for this to happen, Russia has to accept the demand of the majority of Ukrainians to integrate more into the EU. It will be a huge concession for Russia to loosen its grip on Ukraine, and so far Putin seems reluctant to do so.
Some hope lies with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who many believe can inﬂuence Putin. So far, telephone calls between the two leaders have led to no new agreements. Merkel considers herself as part of the Western alliance and not as “neutral” negotiator. She will not travel to Moscow to negotiate or sway Putin unless she can be certain to return to the EU with a deal. In the meantime, Putin seems to encourage a political course that is stuck in the past, led by egomania and a craving for status. The political situation in Ukraine is a ticking time bomb and Putin holds the tools to defuse it.
Photo by World Economic Forum


Civil War Revolver, manufactured by S. Colt, USA 1886
This revolver Army Model 1860 was a muzzle-loaded cap & ball .44-caliber revolver used during the American Civil War. It was favored as a side arm by cavalry, infantry, and artillery troops.
The revolver 1860 Army uses the same size frame as the .36 caliber 1851 Navy revolver. The frame is relieved to allow the use of a rebated cylinder that enables the Army to be chambered in .44 caliber. Also, the barrel on the 1860 Army has a forcing cone that is visibly shorter than that of the 1851 Navy, allowing the Army revolver to have a longer cylinder. A major distinguishing feature introduced with the 1860 revolver was the “creeping” loading lever. This arrangement employs a cam interface between lever and barrel and ideally, prevents the lever from dropping and tying up the revolver if it should recoil loose from the barrel catch during firing.
More than 200,000 were manufactured from 1860 through 1873, which biggest customer was the US Government with over 127,000 units being purchased and issued to the troops. The weapon was a single-action, six-shot weapon accurate up to 75 to 100 yards, where the fixed sights were typically set when manufactured. The rear sight was a notch in the hammer, clearly visible only when the revolver was cocked.
The revolver .44-caliber “Army” Model was one of the most widely-used revolvers of the Civil War. It had a six-shot, rotating cylinder, and fired a 0.454-inch diameter round lead ball, or a conical projectile, that was propelled by a 30 grain charge of black powder ignited by a copper percussion cap that contained a volatile charge of fulminate of mercury (a substance that explodes upon impact). The percussion cap, when struck by the hammer, ignited the powder charge. When fired, balls had a muzzle velocity of about 900 feet per second.


In an October 13 keynote address at the ASTC Annual Conference, Los Angeles, Geoffrey Canada, president/CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) in New York City, challenged science centers to “lead the fight to save children’s future.” The United States has created an environment that destroys young children in poverty said Canada, the author of Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America. Among the statistics he cited: More than 100,000 young Americans have been killed by firearms since 1979, and 15,000 African American men are incarcerated in New York City jails alone.
But science centers can play a role in saving young people and addressing social injustice, Canada said. “We need to begin early. Poor children start off behind and never catch up.” Science centers can provide experiences that stimulate young brains, and they can engage parents and keep them as partners. We should create a “continuum of support” that draws in young people at every age and offers encouragement and support to those who are discouraged with learning.
“We cannot expect young people to thrive in communities other people wouldn’t be caught dead in,” he said. “We have to think of our institutions as part of the engine that transforms communities.””The future of America rests in the hands of those of you in this room,” Canada said. The most important resources of a society are intellectual, and we have lost that perspective in the United States. “Unless we’re prepared to fight for real equity, we’re going toleave this generation of children behind.” Closing with one of his own poems, Canada urged science centers to “take a stand.”


What is a piston seal?
Piston seals are used to create a seal between the piston and the cylinder bore, preventing leakage of hydraulic fluid or air. This seal is internal to the cylinder and allows pressure to be maintained on one side of the piston, creating the force to move it back and forth.
How does a rod seal work?
Rod seals act as pressure barriers and keep the operating fluid inside the cylinder, regulate the fluid film that extends with the surface of the piston rod (important to inhibit rod corrosion and to lubricate a wiper seal and the rod itself) and accept the lubrication film back into the cylinder when the rod retracts.
How would you identify the inside of an oil seal?
The standard format is Inner size, Outer size, Width, all measured in millimeters. So, for example, a metric oil seal stamped with 25 45 5 has an inner ring size of 25mm, an outer measurement of 45mm, and a width of 5mm. This number may also be preceded by the letters SC or TC, which indicate the lip arrangement.
What is a PolyPak seal?
PolyPak ® Sealing. Parker’s PolyPak ® seal is a patented precision molded multi-purpose seal. The Parker PolyPak combines an o-ring type synthetic rubber o-spring with a conventional lip-type seal to produce a unique sealing device capable of sealing both vacuum, high and low pressure.
How do you install Teflon seals without tools?
One wrap to stick, another tight wrap to shrink the seals. Heat some water up and use it to soften the teflon so they are easier to install and more pliable. You can use a soda can and hose clamps as a sizer. You can use the plastic or very carefully cut soda can as an installer too.
How do you stretch Teflon seals?
For polymers like PTFE or Teflon, heat is powerful in softening the material to make it more pliable. The rings usually need be heated up to several hundred degrees. Boiling water in a microwave is an effective way to soften the ring. The rings will cool very quickly, so application must be done immediately.
What is the topmost part of a hydraulic cylinder?
The hydraulic cylinder consists of a cylinder barrel, in which a piston connected to a piston rod moves back and forth. The barrel is closed on one end by the cylinder bottom (also called the cap) and the other end by the cylinder head (also called the gland) where the piston rod comes out of the cylinder.
What is the best Hydraulic Stop Leak?
BlueDevil Hydraulic Stop Leak permanently seals hydraulic leaks. The hydraulic leak sealer is available in both 32 Ounce and 1 Gallon sizes. One gallon treats up to 20 gallons of hydraulic oil.


A net worth forecast is an estimate of an individual's or entity's future financial worth. It involves predicting the value of assets, such as investments, real estate, savings, and other holdings, minus liabilities, including debts and other financial obligations, over a specified period of time. This forecast is typically done to help individuals, businesses, or financial planners plan for their financial future, set financial goals, and make informed decisions about their finances.
Here are some key components of a net worth forecast:
- Assets: This includes all the valuable items you own, such as cash, investments, real estate, vehicles, jewelry, and other possessions with monetary value.
- Liabilities: These are your financial obligations, such as mortgages, loans, credit card debt, and any other money you owe to creditors or lenders.
- Income: The forecast should take into account your expected income over the forecasted period. This can include wages, salaries, business income, rental income, dividends, and interest.
- Expenses: Your expected expenses should also be factored in. This includes regular living expenses, such as housing, utilities, food, transportation, as well as discretionary spending and other financial commitments.
- Investment Returns: If you have investments, the forecast may consider the expected returns on those investments, which can be influenced by factors like market conditions and investment choices.
- Debt Repayment: If you have debts, the forecast may include a plan for paying them down over time.
A net worth forecast typically looks at a specific time frame in the future, which could be a few months, years, or even decades. The goal is to provide an estimate of your net worth at the end of that period based on your expected financial activities and changes in assets and liabilities.
This forecast can be a valuable financial planning tool, as it helps individuals and businesses make informed decisions about saving, investing, spending, and debt management. It also provides a way to track progress toward financial goals and make adjustments to achieve those goals.


(1867 – 1944)
M. V. Dhurandhar was born in 1867, in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. His father understood and supported his son’s extraordinary artistic talents and put him under the tutorship of famous painter Abalal Rehman. Later he was joined and trained at the Sir J J School of Art in Mumbai. Mahadev Visvanath Dhurandhar, also called Rao Bahadur, a title bestowed on him by the British government in 1927.
Dhurandhar was exposed to the works of the European and British artists. Unlike Eastern cultures, where art was oriented towards line drawing, in the West, it was pictorially heavy. Fascinated by these forms of art, Indian students too began emulating the European Academic Art form, and Dhurandhar was a product of the same school of art. He painted a lot of figurative works and studies of people like Raja Ravi Varma. His famous painting, ‘Women At Work’, got him a British Government Award in 1892, while still a student. Yet another black and white illustration, ‘Marriage Ceremony’ won him a gold medal in 1908.
In 1896, Dhurandhar was invited by the Sir J. J. School of Art to join the institute as a teacher. In 1910, he was appointed the Principal, and in 1930, he became the first Indian to be appointed the director of the art school. In 1891 he won the Waddington Prize in Mumbai and won an award from Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1892. In 1894 he was awarded the Mayo Medal. In 1895 he received a Gold Medal from Bombay Art Society, Mumbai. In 1904, 1907, 1910 and 1914 he won Gold Medals from Fine Art & Industrial Exhibition in Mumbai, Pandharpur, Jalgaon and Gwalior. In 1952 the President of India appreciated his statue and exhibited it at the Centenary Celebration of Rajaram High School, Kolhapur.
Moolagundam Art Gallery, located in the heart of Telengana, is one of the most reputed art galleries in India with an awe-inspiring collection of modern and contemporary art,sculptures, and photographs.Get Consultation


Monemvassia and known by the Franks as Malvasia , is a well-known medieval fortress with an adjacent town, located on a small peninsula off the east coast of the Peloponnese in the Greek prefecture of Laconia. Its remains include the defensive structures and the small adjacent town and Byzantine churches , and its name derives from two Greek words, mone and emvassia, meaning "single entrance". Many of the streets are narrow and fit only for pedestrians ; the bay of Palaia Monemvassia is to be found in the north. Monemvassia's nickname is the Gibraltar of the East or The Rock. The rock is 300 m tall and 1.8 km long.


With a net worth well over 87 million dollars, John Astor the Fourth was without a doubt the richest man aboard the Titanic. Backed by a powerful family fortune, Astor had made millions of his own investing in real estate. He also held patents on a number of items of his own invention, including an improved bicycle brake, and a turbine engine.
Astor led a fairly remarkable life. During the Spanish American war, Astor financed his own battalion. Before the war, he wrote a science fiction novel about life on other planets. He also invented a "vibratory disintegrator", which supposedly produced some sort of gas from peat moss.
On May 1st, 1891 Astor was married to Ava, daughter of Edward Shippen Willing of Philidelphia. Together they had a son and one daughter. In 1909 Astor divorced Ava.
Two years later he married eighteen year old Madeleine Force (who was a year younger than his son, Vincent). Public opinion was divided concerning the respectability of Astor's actions, and the newlyweds decided to winter abroad in order to let the gossip die down at home.
The newlywed Mr. and Mrs. Astor travelled to Egypt and Paris and in the spring of 1912 decided to return to America as First-Class Passengers on board the Titanic.
They boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg with Colonel Astor's manservant, Mr. Victor Robbins (Cabin C-62), Mrs Astor's maid, Miss Rosadile Bidois and Miss Caroline Louise Endres, Mrs. Astor's private nurse (Cabin C-45) - and their pet Airedale Kitty. Their ticket #17754.
He boarded the ship with his pregnant 19 year old wife, (her age and condition was quite a point of conversation with other first class passengers), a maid, a manservant, a personal nurse, and a dog. His staterooms were without equal. With working fireplaces and adjoining quarters for servants, the suites cost $4,000.00, an amount that equals $50,000.00 in today's dollars.
After the iceberg hit the ship Astor left his suite to investigate. He quickly returned and reported to his wife that the ship had struck ice. He reassured her that the damage did not appear serious.
Later when the First-Class passengers had begun to congregate on the Boat-Deck, the Astors sat in the gymnasium on the mechanical horses.
They wore their lifebelts but Colonel Astor had found another and cut the lining with a pen knife to show his wife what it was made of.
Even as the lifeboats were loaded Astor appeared unperturbed, he ridiculed the idea of trading the solid decks of the Titanic for a small lifeboat 'We are safer here than on that little boat'. He had changed his mind by 1.45 a.m. when Second Officer Charles Lightoller arrived on A-Deck to finish loading Lifeboat #4. Astor helped his wife to climb through the windows of the enclosed ormenade and then asked if he could accompany her, due to her "delicate condition". Lightoller told him that no men could enter until all the women had been loaded. Taking the refusal in stride, Astor then threw his gloves to his wife, lit a cigarette and stood back. After boat 4 was lowered at 1.55 a.m. Astor stood alone while others tried to free the remaining collapsable lifeboats. He and his dog Kitty were last seen on deck.
A few days later, Astor's badly crushed body (#124) was found by the McKay-Bennett, floating in the open sea. It was covered in soot, and partially crushed, leading experts to believe he had been smashed by a falling smokestack. He had $2,500 cash in his pocket. It was described as:
NO. 124 - MALE - ESTIMATED AGE 50 - LIGHT HAIR AND MOUSTACHE CLOTHING - Blue serge suit; blue handkercheif with "A.V."; belt with gold buckle; brown boots with red rubber soles; brown flannel shirt; "J.A.A." on back of collar. EFFECTS - Gold watch; cuff links, gold with diamond; diamind ring with three stones 225 in English notes; $2,440 in notes; 5 in gold; 7s. in silver; 5 ten franc pieces; gold pencil; pocketbook. FIRST CLASS NAME - J.J. ASTOR
Burial was in the Astor Family vault in Trinity Cemetery (Westerly Division, Lots 743-786) Manhattan, New York.
Madeleine survived to inherit the income from a five-million-dollar trust fund from John and the use of his home on Fifth Avenue and in the Newport so long as she did not marry. On August 14th that same year, she gave birth to John Jacob Astor VI, with whom she was pregnant on the Titanic and who would grow up to become a millionaire playboy much like his father.
She relinquished the Astor income and mansions during World War I to marry William K. Dick of New York, and by him she had two more sons. She divorced Dick in Reno, Nevada in 1933 to marry Italian prize fighter Enzo Firemonte. Five years later this marriage also ended in divorce. She died in Palm Beach, Florida in 1940 at the age of 47.
Ava Lowle Willing married John Jacob Astor in 1890. They were married in her home town of Philadelphia. They had two children together, William Vincent Astor and Ava Alice Muriel.
In 1909, after 19 years of marriage, the couple separated and then divorced the next year. Ava then went to live in England.
In 1919, she married Lord Thomas Lister of Riddlesdale. He died on October 21, 1925. Ava never remarried. She didn't have children in this marriage.
Ava continued to be known as Lady Riddlesdale until she died on June 9, 1958 in New York City. She left her son $25,000 and the rest of her $3,000,000 estate went to the four children of her daughter, Alice.
William Vincent Astor (he did not like to be called William, a long standing Astor name) was born on November 15, 1891 in the Fifth Avenue mansion where his grandmother, Caroline Astor, reigned over American Society. He was the son of John Jacob Astor IV and Ava Willing. Vincent endured a difficult childhood. His mother was embarrassed by his Astor appearance and would humiliate him in public. In addition his parent's marriage was less than perfect and they were divorced in 1909. While a student at Harvard University in 1912, he inherited an estimated $200 million when his father went down with the Titanic. At this time, his mother (who had remarried an English Lord) had returned to the United States to help her grieving son.
Vincent married the first of three wives, Helen Huntington, in April 1913. At the ceremony, Vincent was stricken with the mumps, a disease that made him sterile. At the outbreak of World War I, Vincent took advice from his friend and Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt and joined the Navy. He served overseas with his wife, who did charity work with the YMCA in France. Vincent was promoted from an Ensign to a Leuitenant during the War.
In 1940, Vincent divorced Helen and married Minnie Cushing. In 1953 they divorced and he married Brooke Russell Marshall. Vincent, along with Brooke, whom he called Pookie, developed the Vincent Astor Foundation, a foundation that was designed to give back to New York City. Vincent died in 1959 leaving all of his money to Brooke, surprising many. At the time of his death, Vincent was the chairman of the board of Newsweek magazine, and one of the richest men in American. John Jacob Astor VI, Vincent's half brother who was not yet born when the Titanic sank, contested Vincent's will. John Jacob lost his case, the two had never been on good terms.
He is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Tarrytown, New York.
The second child of JJ Astor and his first wife Ava was born July 7, 1902. Named Ava Alice Muriel Astor, she was always known as Alice; her actual parentage, however, remains uncertain, as she may or may not have actually belonged to Astor.
Ava Alice Muriel Astor was an occultist. She was born in 1902, was pretty but also a very serious woman. She was a very strong willed person that was able to dominate a person in her presence unless they were also strong willed. She was into Egyptian magic and believed she was the reincarnation of an Egyptian princess and a disciple of Ikhnaton. Alice Astor may have been one of the first people to enter King Tut's tomb, where she got herself a necklace. Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World as a picture of things that were to come --most people think as a expose, but it was really more as a plan or blueprint Aldous Huxley and Alice did a great deal of occult things together.
Ava married 4 times in her lifetime, all of which ended in divorce.
Her first husband Prince Serge Platonovich Obolensky, the Russian Prince who had been a page at the Tsar's court before he escaped the Revolution. They were married from 1924-1932.
She then married Raimund Von Hofmannsthal, an Australian writer in 1933 (divorced in 1939).
Her third husband was Phillip John Ryves Harding, a British journalist, in 1940.
Her final husband was David Pleydell-Bouverie, who was a New York architect. They were married in 1946 and divorced in 1952.
Ava, who had fought in the Second World War as an ambulance driver, died on July 19, 1956 of a stroke and was only 54 years old.
She had 4 children:
** Ivan Obolensky, born 1925
** Sylvia Obolensky (now Sylvia Guirey), born 1932
** Romana Von Hofmannsthal (now Romana McEwan), born 1935
** Alice Emily Harding, born 1947
All of them still live in New York City.
John Jacob Astor VI, born August 14, 1912 in New York, New York.
He was the son of John Jacob Astor IV (1864-1912) and Madeleine Talmadge Force (1893-1940), born without ever seeing his father who drowned when RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. His parents had married on September 9, 1911 and were returning home aboard the ship after more than eight months honeymooning in Egypt and Europe. Madeleine Astor was five months pregnant when her husband put her in one of Titanic's lifeboats and she was rescued eight hours after her husband went down with the ship.
Under the term of her extremely wealthy husband's will, Madeleine Astor received very little from an estate estimated to be as much as $100 million. Provided she did not remarry, nineteen-year-old Madeleine Astor received the annual investment income from a five-million-dollar trust fund and the use of their homes on Fifth Avenue in New York City and in Newport, Rhode Island.
Because they were on their way home, and Mrs. Astor had conceived during their honeymoon abroad, no provision for the unborn child was made in his already set will. However, it is reported that their son received three million dollars at the age of maturity. The rest of her husband's estate was left to Vincent Astor, her late husband's son by his first wife.
John Jacob Astor VI graduated from St. George's School in Newport, and in 1934 married Ellen Tuck French, with whom he had one son, William Backhouse Astor, in 1935.
Three years after their 1943 divorce he married Gertrude Gretch. The couple had a daughter, Jacqueline Astor (born 1949), but their marriage also ended in divorce in 1954.
There was a third marriage in 1954 to Dolores Fullman, who predeceased him.
John Jacob Astor VI died in Miami Beach, Florida on June 26, 1992 at the age of 79. His body was returned to New York for burial with his parents in the Trinity Church Cemetery.


The emergence of West Nile virus in mosquito populations of the New Mexico Rio Grande
In the fall of 2002, a new surveillance program was initiated to document the first appearance of West Nile virus (WNV) in New Mexico. Several dead birds and horses had tested positive for WNV in eastern and central New Mexico in the late summer of 2002, but no humans or mosquitoes were found to be infected. It was expected that the first human cases in the state would be reported in the following summer, and that WNV would be detected in mosquitoes. The surveillance program was designed to identify the species of mosquito acting as WNV vectors in New Mexico, and to record the pattern of emergence of WNV in a naïve ecosystem. The study focused on a 750 km stretch of the Rio Grande river valley, between southern Colorado, through New Mexico, and into Texas. The river valley was expected to be the primary focus of WNV emergence in New Mexico. A total of 53,668 mosquitoes were collected from 32 sites in 2003. The surveillance program was refined and refocused on the city of Albuquerque in 2004. A total of 25,973 mosquitoes were caught at 27 sites from Albuquerque.
The pattern of WNV emergence in New Mexico was consistent with introduction throughout the valley in late 2002 or early 2003, followed by a period of buildup through the spring and early summer of 2003. The first WNV-positive mosquitoes from the Rio Grande were reported in mid-July of 2003, with the first human cases occurring at the end of July. Mosquitoes from throughout the statewide study area were found to carry WNV. Three species tested positive for WNV in New Mexico: Cx. tarsalis, Cx. salinarius and Cx. quinquefasciatus. In 2003, 72 positive mosquito pools were found, and 71 pools from Albuquerque tested positive in 2004.
In addition to the study of WNV emergence, the effectiveness of several trapping methods was analyzed, and an extensive survey of mosquito community structures was conducted, representing the first such effort in New Mexico in over 50 years.


EPJ Web of Conferences
Volume 98, 2015Lectures Notes - Joint EPS-SIF International School on Energy – Course 2 Energy: Basic Concepts and Forefront Ideas
|Number of page(s)||24|
|Published online||27 August 2015|
Fusion: A true challenge for an enormous reward
Plasmaphysics Laboratory, Royal Military Academy Renaissancelaan 30, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Published online: 27 August 2015
From nuclear physics we know that energy can be released not only from the fission of heavy nuclei but also from the fusion of light nuclei. Steady progress shows that fusion—one of the few possible options for the future—can be a clean and safe solution for mankind’s long-term energy needs, with minimal environmental impact. A source of energy which would be inexhaustible, inherently safe and environmentally friendly, is this not a marvellous prospect? Nuclear fusion has been the energy source of our Sun and the stars in the universe for billions of years. This process requires temperatures of tens of millions of degrees, so extremely high and foreign to our daily experience as to seem out of reach. Nevertheless, these extremely high temperatures are routinely realised in several laboratories all over the world, and since the early 1990s, large amounts of energy have been released in a controlled way from fusion reactions. We are witnessing the birth of a new technology destined to meet the gigantic future energy needs of mankind with minimal impact on the environment.
© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2015
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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This tool can be used to show parts of the number π (pi) or to search in the long series of numbers. In this tool π has up to 1 million decimals.
The number π (pi) is a mathematical constant with a decimal value of about 3.141592. This value is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.
π is an irrational number, meaning that it cannot be written as the ratio of two integers. Since π is irrational, it has an infinite number of digits in its decimal representation and it does not end with an infinitely repeating pattern of digits.


How does critical thinking differ from typical ordinary thinking? Support your response with material from the required reading.
How do strong-sense and weak-sense critical thinking differ? What are the pros and cons of each? Why is strong-sense critical thinking usually so much more difficult to achieve than is weak-sense?
There are three parts to this question:
A) Recall a specific time when strong feelings interfered with your ability to think critically.
B) How might you prevent your strong feelings from interfering with your critical thinking during times when you would prefer to think critically?
C) Per the list of common types of cognitive biases featured in the content lecture pages, what bias(es) might you have been using in the situation you were in (A), above?
Strong feelings often interfere with the ability to think critically. What can you do to reduce any negative impact of such feelings?
Critical thinking differs from that of ordinary thinking. Ordinary thinkers accept fact or realities without examination or analysis. The ordinary thinker accepts these as facts. The Critical thinker asks a lot of questions, takes time does not jump to conclusions and becomes aware of alternatives. Ordinary thinkers do not seek evidence to challenge beliefs. In contrast a critical thinker asks questions, evaluates the arguments, and assesses the facts. A critical thinker is active, skilful, and applies principles of thinking that are required to get to the truth.
There are several differences between strong sense and weak sense critical thinking. The strong sense critical thinkers do not argue if they see a reason to believe that the position being argued was wrong. The strong sense thinker is aware of interior transformation in the mind, ...
The answer to this problem explains essentials of critical thinking. The references related to the answer are also included.


ESL students come in all shapes and sizes.
They come into your classroom with varying degrees of motivation and even different skill levels. Most are well-behaved. And some are terribly ill-behaved. As an ESL teacher, you can handle students that are less motivated than most, even those that need a little extra help from you to get that particular task done. But we all know that handling unacceptable behavior is hard and can take its toll if it is something you have to deal with on a daily basis.
The way we handle the day-to-day problems will determine whether the same problems will keep cropping up. So here are the most common behavior problems in the ESL class and how you can effectively nip them in the bud.
Unacceptable Behavior: 7 Problems and How to Handle Them
Students Are Restless/Get Out of Seat
EXAMPLE: You’re having an animated discussion about ways to help the environment and a student gets up to look out the window.
Always give clear instructions, and make sure everyone understands and is engaged in the task. As soon as a student gets up to do something completely unrelated, walk over to the child, gently take their hand and walk them back to their seat – without interrupting the lesson. If this behavior continues, talk to them about the importance of paying attention, participating in the activity at hand and controlling the urge to do something else.
Playing with Toys during Class
EXAMPLE: Students are quietly completing a worksheet about parts of the body when you see a student playing with a doll.
Gently take the toy, and place it on your desk or a shelf. Tell the child that they can share it with the others during the break. Make it a habit of encouraging them to bring toys related to something you’re talking about in class (like animals). If there are certain things they are allowed to bring, they might not feel tempted to bring other toys.
EXAMPLE: You’re playing Bingo when you hear a student call a redheaded child “Carrot Top”.
Stop what you’re doing and have the child that has called out the offending name tell the class what the other student’s name actually is. Discuss with the class the importance of treating each other with respect and kindness and why name calling is unacceptable in your classroom and everywhere else, for that matter.
EXAMPLE: You have two students who can’t say two words to each other without starting a fight. Class began five minutes ago, and they’re already at each other’s throats.
Make sure the students who don’t get along are sitting as far apart as possible. Discuss with the class the importance of ignoring teasing remarks. Talk about how arguing all the time is tiresome, and we should accept differences in points of view. On the other hand, stress the importance of being considerate towards each other and listening to what the other has to say.
EXAMPLE: You’re writing something on the whiteboard and a pencil flies across the room.
Tell the student that this kind of behavior is completely unacceptable. Go over the possible dangers of tossing objects around. Find out if they are doing what they’re supposed to be doing and redirect their efforts to the task at hand.
Yelling/Shouting Out Answers
EXAMPLE: You ask Tom a question, and Lucy yells out the answer.
Tell the student that they’re not being courteous – they did not give the other student a chance to answer. Remind students they should raise their hands if they want to speak. On the other hand, remind them that it is not necessary to yell – if they wait their turn to speak, you will hear them perfectly.
Having Private Conversations
EXAMPLE: You’re asking students comprehension questions about a text they’ve just read, and you see three students in the back of the class holding a conversation.
Ask the students if they are talking about the task at hand. Ask them to share their interesting conversation with the rest of the class, or tell them they can tell the others all about it during the break. Discuss why it is not appropriate to have conversations during class.
When to Talk to Parents
As a good rule of thumb, I recommend contacting parents when a specific problem seems to be recurring (happens every day or several times a week). Depending on the gravity of the matter, you can either send a note or schedule a meeting. I’d save meetings for things that put the children’s well-being at risk, for instance violent behavior, verbal abuse or bullying.
There’s a line between being mischievous and being outright malicious, and we can tell the difference. You can deal with mischievous behavior in class – malicious behavior should be discussed with parents.
Prevention is the Best Medicine
Most of these problems will be avoided if you set clear rules from the start. Work together to establish your rules based on how you all want to be treated. Discuss the importance of treating others with respect, as well as the fact there is a time and place for everything and that some things simply can’t be done in class. Don’t forget to establish what rewards they will receive for good behavior, as well as the consequences of inappropriate behavior.
Don’t yell, scream or shout. The best way to teach students to behave nicely is to lead by example.
If you’ve ever encountered problems like these or others, tell us how you dealt with them below!
P.S. If you enjoyed this article, please help spread it by clicking one of those sharing buttons below. And if you are interested in more, you should follow our Facebook page where we share more about creative, non-boring ways to teach English.


To read on National Fragile X Foundation website:
The Many Functions of Perseveration
Posted at April 28, 2016 | By: Marcia Braden, PhD
Anyone who lives with a person with Fragile X is very familiar with this continuation of a repeated word or phrase. This repetition can be maddening when you are the recipient. At face value, perseveration has no redeeming features and simply serves as an irritant, but in the life of one with fragile X syndrome (FXS), it can be a valuable asset. Perseverative verbiage often accompanies arousal and acts as a buffer to reduce the anxiety. The repetition can be comforting like a mantra or song.
Understanding the function of the perseveration can be better understood if one listens to what is being repeated. For example, when a young child repeats a phrase like “And then?” or “Next?” it is easy to understand that the function is related to needing to know what is coming next. This continued repetition serves as a safety net to assure the child that there are no surprises awaiting them and that they will be OK with the plan.
Sometimes perseveration serves as a way to initiate conversation. Often the conversation begins with the same phrase over and over without really listening for a response. The perseverative phrase may be borrowed from an observation, television program or video. This type of conversational mechanism is far different from scripting or echoing a phrase heard in a video. The echolalic response is more typical of individuals with autism (Murphy & Abbeduto, 2007).
Phrases such as, “I didn’t do it, it’s your fault” or “Right on” is more consistent with the speech patterns of those with FXS. These rote phrases open up or keep a conversation going without much regard for the conversation or topic that follows. Additionally, because the phrase can become a trademark of the person using it, the response from the listener is predictable, creating less social stress for the person with FXS.
Sometimes, the repetitious verbiage creates rehearsal of an action or task. For example, repeating the steps of a direction over and over tends to hold information to compensate for short-term memory deficits. Using perseverative talk can enhance overall functioning and executive functioning.
Decoding Perseveration Through Cloze
How can someone “decode” perseverative communication to understand what the person with FXS is attempting to communicate? Using a cloze strategy to finish out the statement can be helpful.
For example, sometimes when a person with FXS is especially aroused, they remember certain aspects of the experience that caused the hyperarousal. They may repeat something like “He hit my leg,” “He hit” or “He hit and got mad, mad.
Of course this kind of conversation gets stuck when one tries to question what happened while sorting out the repeated phrases. Following up with “Who hit?” or “What happened?” or “Why did he hit you?” falls short and may result in more frustration.
Using a cloze phrase such as, “Today at school, he hit you and got mad” will then generate additional comments such as, “Jim got mad, Jim hit me, got mad and hit me, got in trouble, Jim was bad.”
Females with Fragile X Syndrome
Females with fragile X syndrome may also use perseverative speech, but as would be expected, it serves a different purpose. Anecdotal accounts suggest that females use the perseverative talk to emphasize a salient point or to mark a particular aspect of an experience. (…)


Subject: Bell AH-1J Sea Cobra
Location: Intrepid Air, Sea, Space Museum, New York, USA, 2014
Comments:The AH-1 Cobra was developed in the mid-1960s as an interim gunship for the U.S. Army for use during the Vietnam War. The Cobra shared the proven transmission, rotor system, and the T53 turboshaft engine of the UH-1 "Huey". By June 1967, the first AH-1G HueyCobras had been delivered. Bell built 1,116 AH-1Gs for the U.S. Army between 1967 and 1973, and the Cobras chalked up over a million operational hours in Vietnam.The U.S. Marine Corps was very interested in the AH-1G Cobra, but it preferred a twin-engine version for improved safety in over-water operations, and also wanted a more potent turret-mounted weapon. At first, the Department of Defense had balked at providing the Marines with a twin-engine version of the Cobra, in the belief that commonality with Army AH-1Gs outweighed the advantages of a different engine fit. However, the Marines won out and awarded Bell a contract for 49 twin-engine AH-1J SeaCobras in May 1968. As an interim measure, the U.S. Army passed on 38 AH-1Gs to the Marines in 1969. The AH-1J also received a more powerful gun turret. It featured a three barrel 20 mm XM197 cannon that was based on the six barrel M61 Vulcan cannon.


Heaven according to the Bible
Comment: - Heaven of the Bible
is not like what most people imagine it to be.
The Bible doesn't say much about Heaven, but some of what it does say is
disturbing, to say the least.
In the time of the Bible the prevalent view was that Heaven was up there, above
the earth -- the planets, the sun, the moon, the stars. The heavenly objects were
considered perfect, whereas the earth was imperfect. The physical laws governing
the earth were different than the laws governing the heavens. Isaac Newton showed
that the laws governing both were the same - that there was basically no difference
in substance between the heavens and the earth. With this in mind, a number of
verses in the Bible can be better understood.
Here are some verses to do with Heaven:
- Revelation 12:7
- 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael
and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
- 14 And the armies [which were] in heaven followed
him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
(There is war in heaven)
- Matthew 11:12
- 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom
of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
(There is/was(?) violence in heaven)
- Matthew 11:11
- 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a
greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is
least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
(There is inequality and status in heaven)
- Matthew 16:19
- 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in
( People shall be bound and
restrained in heaven)
- Matthew 24:35
- 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
(Heaven shall pass away -- not last forever)
- Matthew 13:33
- 33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven
is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of
meal, till the whole was leavened.
Luke 13:20 - 21
- 20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom
21 It is like leaven, which a woman took
and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
1 Corinthians 5:8
- 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven,
neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the
unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth.
- 12. And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were
left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it [is] most
- 1. In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of
people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples
first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees,
which is hypocrisy.
(Heaven is like leaven -- leaven
is a contaminant though.
Doesn't sound good for Heaven.)
- Matthew 20:1 - 16
- 1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto
a man [that is] an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give
you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto
them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the
vineyard; and whatsoever is right, [that] shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the
labourers, and give them [their] hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that [were hired] about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they
likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received [it], they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought [but] one hour, and thou
hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree
with me for a penny?
14 Take [that] thine [is], and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many
be called, but few chosen.
the anti-thesis of justice -- definitely unfair to people)
- Romans 2:5
- 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against
the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
1 Corinthians 3:11
- 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall
be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he
shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but
he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
will be inequality in heaven - differences in rewards and bliss)
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Continuing the glory and tradition of building such marvellous temples, Kulothunga Chola III (belonging to the later chola period and considered to be last in Chola dynastry) built this famous Kampaheswarar temple at Thirubhuvanam (approx 1217 AD). Looking at the grandeur of the main temple entrance and the temple complex, one can infer that Kulothunga Chola has proved that he is in no way inferior matching the greatness of his forefathers Raja Raja and Rajendra. It is the last of the four great temples built by the Cholas—and the last built by the last great Chola king.
Kulothunga Chola III made three wars against the Pandyas. After his victory in the third war, he held a grand celebration at Madurai, the Pandyan capital, and assumed the title of Tribhuvana Vira devar and built, in commemoration of his great victory, a temple here dedicated to Siva in the name of Tribhuvana Viresvarar. It is now called Kampaharesvaram, based on a local legend that a certain Chola king - got relieved of the evil effects of Kampa(quaking) after his flight from Tiruvidaimarudur to this place where he took shelter, and so this locality was chosen for building the new temple. Hence the lord is referred as Kampaheswarar.
This temple is also famous for housing Sarabeswarar in a separate shrine within the temple complex
- The Sarabha image, unlike its counterpart at Darasuram which is in a niche on the main wall of the temple, is housed in a separate independent shrine north-east of the central shrine. The Sarabha cult was a new one evolved in the latter half of the Later Ghola period. It is said that in Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu, He continued his rampage even after achieving the immediate purpose of the avatar, namely, the destruction of the demon-king, Hiranyakasipu. Devas and men suffered, and the devotees of Siva prayed to their Lord for protection. Hence Siva assumed the form of Sarabhamurti, and relieved peoples’ distress by destroying the fierce Narasimha and sending back Vishnu to Vaikuntha.
This temple is just 6 kms from Kumbakonam, another famous temple town of Tamil Nadu.


Most foragers are reluctant to try eating brightly colored berries belonging to plant species unknown to them; this type of skepticism is healthy and reinforced by the multitude of poisonous berries in nature. We had never seen a common sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) bush before and its bright orange clusters of berries appeared uninviting. Little did we know at the time that we were passing up on one of nature’s superfruits!
Sea-buckthorn is a deciduous shrub which is native to a large area of Asia and Northern Europe. In Asia the berries’ nutritional and medical properties have been known for millenia. The small, tart berries are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Sea-buckthorn oil is known to absorb ultraviolet rays, and Russian astronauts used it as a sort of space sunscreen. Furthermore, many victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster were treated with sea-buckthorn against radiation burns and today many high-end cosmetic products contain sea-buckthorn as an anti-aging product.
Given that the berries’ properties verge on the miraculous, why aren’t the markets brimming with sea-buckthorn? To answer this question, we invite the reader to pick a few sea-buckthorn berries. You will immediately find out that the holy bush doesn’t easily give up its fruits. The berries cling tightly to the branches, which also happen to be covered with ferocious but camouflaged thorns. Hand harvesting sea-buckthorn is extremely labor intensive, and the only mechanization methods developed so far involve freezing the berries and shaking the branches (which also damages the plant itself). Still, in Germany the plant has received a lot of attention since the 1940’s and, in particular, was the subject of a lot of scientific research in former East Germany. A liqueur made from sea-buckthorn is considered a North German specialty.
not widespread in Berlin.* Mundraub.org marks one located near the Mauerpark (close to the outdoor climbing wall north of the park). The shrubs are actually on private property and only a few branches hang over the fence with berries on them. You are better off trying out another nearby location which is a public space (and which we’ve marked on our map)!
*Now that our eyes are more accustomed to recognizing sea-buckthorn shrubs, we’ve discovered that they do, in fact, grow throughout Berlin! However, they tend to be tucked away in less trampled-upon spaces where they can better protect their fruit from foragers. Today we saw several shrubs next to the Bornholmer Strasse S-Bahn station, but unfortunately their branches had been cut and the plants were severely damaged. This was quite sad to see and is a strong reminder that there is a delicate line between respectfully foraging and greedily harming a plant for its fruit!


What is a Driving Licence and Why is it Necessary?
A Driving License is an official document certifying that the holder is suitably qualified to drive a motor vehicle or vehicles. Under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, no person can drive a motor vehicle in any public place unless he holds a valid Driving License issued to him, authorizing him to drive a vehicle of that particular category.
If you are at least 16 years old you may be obtaining a Learner's License for a private motor vehicle for a vehicle is 16 years (if the applicant's parents or guardians give their consent). This is not a permanent license.
If you are at least 18 years of age you may apply for a permanent license to drive a private motor vehicle.
A person who is at least 20 years old can obtain a License for driving a commercial vehicle.
Step 1 - Obtain a Learner's Permit
A Learner's Permit is essential for obtaining a Permanent License. You will need to apply in the prescribed format to the Licensing Authority. along with your passport-sized photographs, proof of your age and residence, declaration of medical fitness and the required fee.
Step 2 - Regulations Test
After verification of your documents, you will have to go through the Regulations Test. A handbook of traffic rules, signs and regulations is provided with the application form. On passing the Regulations Test, you will be issued a Learner's Permit. If you fail the test, you will be given a chance to take the test again.
Step 3 - Driving test
For obtaining a License, you must have a valid Learner's Permit and must apply after 30 days and within 180 days of issue of the Learner's Permit. You should be conversant about vehicle systems, driving, traffic rules regulations. You will be put through a driving test, for which you must bring a vehicle with you. On passing the test, you will be issued your Driver's License.
Step 4 - International Driving License
The motor licensing authority also issues International Driving License to the citizens of Barbados. Citizens of Barbados may drive in foreign countries with an International Driving License, which has the maximum validity of one year. Citizens are required to get their license from the country they're visiting within one year period.
Following documents are to be produced when applying for an International Driving Permit:-


Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in everyday activities. Also referred to as clinical depression or major depressive disorder, depression affects how you feel, think, and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. Severity can range from loss of interest in everyday activities to loss of interest in continuing life.
Inpatient Treatment for Depression
Inpatient treatment for depression is a type of hospitalization in which people with depression receive 24-hour care and monitoring in a hospital setting. A residential level of care is typically reserved for people who are experiencing severe symptoms that have not responded to other forms of treatment, such as medication or outpatient therapy.
Inpatient treatment provides a safe and structured environment where people can focus on their recovery. It also allows for close monitoring of symptoms and side effects, which can be vital for people who are transitioning to new medications or adjusting to other changes in their treatment plan.
It is often difficult to know when to seek help. If you are experiencing these six signs, you may be a candidate for inpatient treatment for depression.
#1. Your Depression Is Negatively Affecting Your Relationships
Depression is a serious condition that can have a number of adverse effects on every aspect of your life, including your relationships. Depression can cause you to withdraw from social activities and lose interest in things you used to enjoy, making it difficult to maintain close relationships. In addition, depression can lead to feelings of irritability, guilt, and worthlessness, which can cause arguments and conflict with friends and loved ones.
#2. You Lack the Motivation to Socialize or Leave the House
One of the most common – and perhaps most debilitating – symptoms of depression is a profound lack of motivation. When faced with the prospect of socializing or even just leaving the house, individuals with depression may find themselves consumed by lethargy and an overwhelming sense of despair. In severe cases, this can lead to complete social isolation. With the proper treatment, it is possible to regain the motivation to participate in activities and enjoy life again.
#3. You’re Not Meeting Expectations at Work
Depression can cause a range of symptoms, including feelings of sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, fatigue, problems concentrating, changes in appetite or sleep, and thoughts of death or suicide. Depression can make it difficult to function at work or home and can lead to missed deadlines, absenteeism, and decreased productivity. If you are experiencing these symptoms of depression, it is crucial to seek treatment from a mental health professional. With proper treatment, most individuals with depression can manage their symptoms and live productive lives.
#4. You’re Using Drugs and Alcohol to Cope
It is not uncommon for individuals struggling with depression to also struggle with alcohol and/or drug use. Substance abuse often occurs because self-medicating with drugs or alcohol can seem like an effective way to cope with the symptoms of depression. However, substance abuse quickly leads to its own set of problems, making it difficult or impossible to maintain healthy personal and professional relationships. Substance abuse can also lead to financial instability and legal trouble.
#5. You’re Having Thoughts of Self-Harm
In severe cases, depression can also lead to thoughts of self-harm. It’s important to understand the difference between self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Self-harm is when an individual deliberately harms themselves physically, usually in an attempt to cope with difficult emotions. Self-harm can include cutting, burning, or bruising oneself.
Self-harm is often a way for people to release pent-up feelings of pain, anger, or frustration. It’s important to remember that self-harm is not a cry for attention or a bid for sympathy. Rather, it’s a way for people to deal with their pain in the moment. If you’re struggling with self-harm, it’s important to reach out for help from a trusted friend or family member. There are also many hotlines and online resources available to help you cope with your feelings in a healthy way. Depression is a treatable condition, and there are many effective treatments available. With the proper support, you can learn to manage your depression and regain your sense of hope and wellbeing.
#6. You’re Having Thoughts of Ending Your Life
On the other hand, suicidal thoughts are when a person thinks about or plans to take their own life. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you must seek professional help as soon as possible. There are a number of effective depression treatments available, and with the right support, it is possible to recover from this debilitating condition. If you are feeling overwhelmed or hopeless, please reach out for help.
Length of Inpatient Treatment
The length of inpatient treatment varies depending on the individual, but it typically lasts for several weeks. During inpatient treatment for depression, you will work with a team of mental health professionals to develop a treatment plan that may include medication, therapy, and other supportive measures. Inpatient treatment for depression is not a cure. After completing inpatient treatment, people with depression will typically continue to receive outpatient care to help maintain their recovery.
Depression is a debilitating and complex mental health disorder. Trying to navigate treatment on your own can be frightening and overwhelming. The severity of depression occurs on a spectrum. If you are struggling with any of the six signs listed above, you may benefit from inpatient treatment for depression. The Phoenix Recovery Center offers several options for level of care, including residential mental health treatment. At The Phoenix, we provide medications, psychotherapy, and holistic remedies tailored to your individual needs. Our clients experience a continuum of care that addresses not only healing for the mind but the body and spirit as well. Located in the breathtaking mountains of Utah, The Phoenix Recovery Center is among the top mental health facilities in Utah and provides a tranquil setting for beginning and maintaining your recovery. If you or a loved one is struggling with depression, there is effective help available. To get more information about our services, call us today at (801) 438-3185.


Research and Clinical Trials
Our patients get better care before, during and after they receive a new organ as a result of research from our Seattle Children’s Transplant Center team. The same doctors who care for children needing organ transplants also do research to find better ways of treating them. Our studies:
- Help children stay healthy while waiting for an organ transplant
- Uncover better ways to do surgery
- Prevent children’s bodies from rejecting their new organ by finding better drug mixes
- Reduce the need for transplants by better understanding what causes organs to fail
Much of our research focuses on a specific type of transplant:
International Partnerships Improve Treatments
Our doctors have leadership roles in national and international groups that set standards and find better ways to care for children who need transplants. Through these partnerships, we share our expertise and help improve pediatric transplant programs across the nation and the globe.
We also learn from their experience. Sharing information helps us know more quickly what works and what does not. Taking part in clinical trials with other transplant centers means we can offer our patients new treatments sooner.
Healthier Life after Transplant
Better immune system treatments
Finding better immune system treatments to keep children healthy after a transplant is a top research priority for us. We work to prevent a child’s body from rejecting their new organ while keeping their immune system strong enough to fight infection and cancer. This is called immunosuppression.
The right drug mixtures
Research by Dr. Jorge Reyes, director of Transplant Services, has led to today’s drug mixtures that minimize the use of steroids. We keep fine-tuning the mixes of medicines to find the best result with the fewest side effects.
Managing an anti-rejection medicine schedule can be difficult. Patients may need to take 60 pills a day.
We are testing ways to help teens take their medicine – using a high-tech pill box that can send text messages. Dr. Jodi Smith, medical director of kidney transplant, is leading Seattle Children’s effort in the TAKE-IT study.
Caring for a Six-State Region
Successful care at home
Seattle Children’s serves a six-state region – the largest in the country. Many of our patients return to distant homes. Our experience and research helps us create care plans that give families clear information to successfully care for their child at home.
Shorter wait times for an organ
Our large region’s small population means fewer potential donors. To meet the challenge, our doctors use newer techniques like transplanting organs from non-matched donors and from living donors.
We also modify adult organs to fit children who need them. Past research has helped us hone these techniques. They help us shorten wait times for children who need transplants.
Participate in Research
Transplanting organs in children is a relatively new field and is always changing. Doing research helps us improve how we care for patients. We couldn’t do it without families who take part in research studies.
Whether you participate is entirely up to you. Much of our research involves sharing information about our patients’ illnesses and treatments with other centers. We strictly protect our patients’ identities.
In clinical trials, we compare promising new treatments to standard care. Research with children is important because many medicines and treatments today are based on what works for adults. Learn about participating in transplant research.


Enceladus hangs like a single bright pearl against the golden-brown canvas of Saturn and its icy rings. Visible on Saturn is the region where daylight gives way to dusk. Above, the rings throw thin shadows onto the planet.
Icy Enceladus is 505 kilometers (314 miles) across.
Images taken using red, green and blue spectral filters were combined to create this natural color view. The images were taken using the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on Jan. 17, 2006 at a distance of approximately 200,000 kilometers (100,000 miles) from Enceladus. The image scale is 10 kilometers (6 miles) per pixel.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo.


1.0 Introductory Concepts:(2 hours)
1.1 The nature of thermodynamics
1.2 Concepts from mechanics and electromagnetics
1.3 Dimensional and unit systems
1.4 Energy and units
2.0 Energy and the First Law:(3 hours)
2.1 Systems and energy conservation
2.2 Energy transfer as work
2.3 Energy transfer as heat
2.4 Energy balance for a control mass, examples for no flow and steady flow systems
3.0 Properties and States of Substances:(4 hours)
3.1 Simple substances and equations of state
3.2 General nature of a compressible substance
3.3 Metastable states in phase transition
3.4 Physical properties data and engineering analysis
3.5 Other thermodynamic properties
3.6 The perfect gas
3.7 The simple magnetic substance
4.0 Energy Analysis:(2 hours)
4.1 General methodology
4.2 Examples of control mass energy analysis
4.3 Examples of control volume energy analysis
5.0 Entropy and Second Law:(3 hours)
5.1 The essential concept of entropy
5.2 Reversible and irreversible processes
5.3 Entropy as a function of state
5.4 Applications to energy conversion systems
6.0 Characteristics of Some Thermodynamic Systems:(3 hours)
6.1 The carnot cycle
6.2 Process models
6.3 Use of the Rankine cycle
6.4 Vapour refrigeration systems
6.5 Power systems
7.0 Introduction to Heat Transfer:(2 hours)
7.1 Basic concepts and models of heat transfer
7.2 The conduction rate equation and heat transfer coefficient
7.3 Conduction: insulation, R values, electric analogies; overall coefficient for plane walls, cylinders and fins; conduction shape factor; transient heat conduction
7.4 Free and forced convection: laminar and turbulent boundary layers; flat plates, tubes and fins; cross flow and application to heat exchangers
7.5 Radiation: radiation properties for black and gray bodies; applications; earth atmosphere system; radiant heating systems
7.6 Heat transfer applications in electronics and electrical engineering: finned heat sinks for electronic applications, forced air cooling of electronic instrumentation, cooling of electric equipment such as transformers, motors, generators, power converters
8.0 Fluid Properties and Definitions:(2 hours)
8.1 Definition of a fluid
8.3 Density, specific gravity, specific volume
8.4 Bulk modulus
8.5 Surface tension
9.0 Fluid Statics:(3 hours)
9.1 Pressure variation in static fluids
9.2 Pressure measurement, units and scales
9.3 Forces on plane and curved submerged surfaces
9.4 Buoyant force
9.5 Stability of floating and submerged bodies
10.0 Fluid Flow Concepts and Basic Equations:(4 hours)
10.1 Types of flow and definitions
10.2 The continuity equation
10.3 Streamlines and the potential function
10.4 The Bernoulli energy equation
10.5 The momentum equation
11.0 Viscous Flow:(3 hours)
11.1 Turbulent and laminar flow, Reynold’s number
11.2 Velocity distribution
11.3 Boundary layer concepts
11.4 Drag on immersed bodies
11.5 Resistance to flow in open and closed conduits
11.6 Pressure losses in pipe flow
12.0 Turbomachinery:(4 hours)
12.1 Geometrically similar (homologous) machines
12.2 Performance equations for pumps and turbines
12.3 Configurations and characteristics of turbomachines, axial and centrifugal pumps and blowers, impulse turbines (pelton), reaction turbines (Francis, Kaplan)
Laboratory: Selected fundamental laboratory experiments from the facilities for
thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid mechanics. In some cases, two
laboratory exercises are to be completed in one three hour period.
1.0 Temperature and pressure measurement.
2.0 Compression and expansion of gases and heat equivalent of work.
3.0 Heat conduction and convection.
4.0 Refrigerator and/or heat pump.
5.0 Hydrostatics and properties of fluids, viscous flow in pipes.
6.0 One of: Air flow studies in axial and centrifugal fans Turbomachines: Kaplan, Pelton and Francis types.
Textbooks and References:
1.0 W.C. Reynolds, “Engineering Thermodynamics”, McGraw-Hill, 2nd Edition, 1970.
2.0 V.M. Faires, “Thermodynamics”, Macmillan.
3.0 M.N. ozisik, “Heat Transfer – A Basic Approach”, McGraw-Hill, 1985.
4.0 de Witt, “Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer”, Wiley 1985.
5.0 Saberski, Acosta and Hauptmann, “Fluid Mechanics”.
6.0 V.L. Streeter, Acosta and Hauptmann, “Fluid Mechanics”, Latest Edition, McGraw Hill.


Child safety in the garden
Many thanks to Baby Discovery for contributing to this article.
Making your garden safe for children is just like childproofing your home. Checking your garden for hazards and making it safe for children to play enables you to relax.
How Do I Protect Against Water Features?
Ponds, water features or swimming pools should all be fenced off. A child can drown in 5cm of water. Teach your toddler about water safety and learning to swim at the earliest age possible. A paddling pool left with water in can be hazardous so always put away straight after use
How Do I Protect Against Hard Surfaces?
Rocky areas should be fenced off, these could prove irresistible climbing areas for over enthusiastic crawlers and toddlers.
How Do I Protect Against Garden Tools And Equipment?
Equipment needs to be locked away. Not only could a toddler do damage to your garden, more alarmingly they could do damage to themselves or another little one. Pesticides, Plant sprays and other assorted bottles and jars need to be kept locked away and on high shelves.
Check swings, climbing frames and slides for rust and general deterioration. Ensure that the ground around the equipment is soft, if your toddler or child should fall grass is much softer than concrete
Check your clothes line is secure and out of the reach of small children to avoid potential strangulation.
How Do I Protect Against Excrement & Rubbish?
Sandpits should always be covered when not in use. It is not the neighbourhood litter tray. Neighbourhood pets and birds do not always clean up after themselves and their excrement can make babies and toddlers extremely sick (they will put anything into their mouths!) Ensure that your garden routing involves burying of discarding anything they leave behind. Check that your drains are covered and dustbins fenced off.
How Do I Protect Against Poisonous And Harmful Plants
Assess the risk of each plant and treat individually and remove or fence off.
Below, is a list of common harmful plants which may be helpful:
|Lily Of the Valley||Narcissus
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The Crisis was a monthly magazine published by the NAACP, which began publication in 1910. Throughout its early years, the magazine was edited by W.E.B. Du Bois. Between 1919-1926, Jessie Fauset served as its Literary Editor. During that period of time, many young writers who would later be mainstays of the Harlem Renaissance began publishing poetry and criticism in the pages of The Crisis, including Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, as well as Fauset herself. In addition to poetry, the newspaper frequently published criticism and reviews of poetry by Black poets. The most influential of these might be William Stanley Braithwaite's 1919 essay, "The Negro in American Literature" (a revised version of that essay was later reprinted in Alain Locke's The New Negro: an Interpretation).
Between 1911 and 1926, the magazine published more than 150 poems by a wide range of authors. Below, you'll find the poems we have collected thus far that appeared in the magazine.
Source: Many of the poems collected on this page were discovered via the digital repostiory of The Crisis at Modernist Journals Project. Others (mainly poems published after 1922) have been sourced from digital versions of The Crisis found on sites like Archive.org and HathiTrust.
Acknowledgments: This page has benefited from the efforts of Christian Farrior, a Graduate Research Assistant who assisted in retyping and formatting poems from page image format in the summer of 2022.


About Free Will and Epistemology
In the first in-depth study of the transcendental argument for decades, Free Will and Epistemology defends a modern version of the famous transcendental argument for free will: that we could not be justified in undermining a strong notion of free will, as a strong notion of free will is required for any such process of undermining to be itself epistemically justified. By arguing for a conception of internalism that goes back to the early days of the internalist-externalist debates, it draws on work by Richard Foley, William Alston and Alvin Plantinga to explain the importance of epistemic deontology and its role in the transcendental argument. It expands on the principle that ‘ought’ implies ‘can’ and presents a strong case for a form of self-determination. With references to cases in the neuroscientific and cognitive-psychological literature, Free Will and Epistemology provides an original contribution to work on epistemic justification and the free will debate.
He who says that all things happen of necessity can hardly find fault with one who denies that all happens by necessity; for on his own theory this very argument is voiced by necessity (Epicurus 1964: XL).
They say that he [Zeno] was once scourging a slave whom he had detected in theft; and when he said to him, “It was fated that I should steal” he rejoined, “Yes, and that you should be beaten.” (Diogenes Laertius, of Zeno of Citium 1895: 23)


Monuments, as well as being secular, sought to acknowledge the existence of gods, or God. They were erected as an act of worship; a desire reaching out for kinship. Those dedicated to a panoply of idols and Olympian gods gave way to the monotheism of Akhenaten, King of Egypt, during the Eighteenth Dynasty. The worship of many idols was disabused by the Hebrews and the idea of the One God emphasized and disseminated, The adoption of Christianity as a religion, supported by the Roman Empire, stimulated the building of churches, then cathedrals. The simple one room baptisteries, then the parish churches, required little lifting. However, as the wealth and influence of the Church and governments of state grew, the cathedrals, seats of the bishoprics, became more elaborate, soaring ever-higher. These lofty and complex structures requiring a new breed of skilled craftsmen -- designers, masons, stained glass makers, carpenters and tile setters -- and those steeped in the art of hoisting materials. Each head of state and bishop sought to create the tallest and most richly adorned structure as a mark of distinction and power. As an example, the Cologne Cathedral, begun in 1166, took 634 years to complete, at which time it was the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. With twin towers 515 feet high, it was the tallest structure in the world, a distinction it held until 1889. The equivalent contesting in our day would be in building the world's tallest commercial skyscraper!


April is Autism Awareness Month. Alison Brennan and the staff at P255q @ PS128 are conducting outreach to the General Education students that we share our school building with. Alison presented a brief introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as a review of the supports we as a school use with our students. At this point, the 6th, 7th & 8th grade students were encouraged to ask any questions they may have about individuals on the Autism Spectrum, as well as share their own experiences. The resulting conversations were interesting, emotional, at times funny, and above all, enlightening. One student said that she did not want to leave to go back to class! The results were also quite astounding, as some of the General Education students immediately went out of their way to help out some of our students! This is what Autism Awareness – and Acceptance is all about!
Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness. Last year, people in dozens of countries on all continents including Antarctica participated in Purple Day! For more information, visit http://www.purpleday.org
On Purple Day, we took the opportunity to discuss Epilepsy, how it impacts our students, and the proper response when an individual has a seizure.


Human and Horse
Good relationships take time to develop. This is true whether this is a relationship between two humans or between a human and a horse. Of course, there may be an attraction and a willingness to please even when the two are first introduced, but this is not the same as a good relationship. A good relationship can grow from this first introduction, or things may deteriorate.
Spending time together helps both human and horse learn to know each other better. This does not mean time simply spent bossing the horse around or thinking the horse wants to do something just because the human wants to do it. The human must learn to "listen" to the horse.
Of course, we must realize that always trying to please another person or allow a horse to do what it wants does not create a good relationship either. Sometimes, we must ask a horse to do something for its own good. A good example of this is withholding certain rich foods that the horse seems to love but which can adversely affect the horse's health if consumed in too great of quantity. Another example is exercise. Some horses, like some people, would rather just stand around. But exercise is good for the health of both if not overdone.
We can also look at the relationship between a human and horse from a different perspective. Some people talk of making the horse a partner rather than a slave. But one should remember that this is not an equal partnership. There must be a leader, and that leader should be the human. But he or she should be an honest and understanding leader.
I often ask people to envision two work scenarios. In the one, the boss simply tells the worker what to do. He may not know enough to express his desires clearly, but he jumps all over the employee if the employee doesn't perform exactly as the boss envisioned. This boss may also ask the employee something beyond his ability and get mad when the employee doesn't perform the task. This boss may also ask the employee to do something but, then, unwittingly put obstacles in the employee's way that make it harder for the employee to perform the required task.
In the other scenario, the boss again tells the worker to perform a task, but he carefully observes the employee's reaction. If it appears the employee doesn't really understand what is being asked, the boss will try to find a different way of explaining things that is more understandable to the employee. If the employee does not have the ability to perform a required task, the boss provides the opportunity for the employee to develop the requisite knowledge and skills before expecting the employee to perform the task. This boss, also, is quick to praise and reward any positive effort to do what the boss asks.
I ask people which boss they would prefer to work for. I ask them for which boss would they strive to put forth extra effort. I then ask them which type of boss they think their horse would prefer.


Revealed: Secret PIIs in Your Unstructured Data: Opinion
Personally identifiable information, or PII, is pretty intuitive. If you know someone’s phone, Social Security number or credit card number, you have a direct link to their identity.
Hackers use these identifiers, along with a few more personal details, as keys to unlock data, steal identities, and ultimately take money. The lines between PII and non-PII data are blurring. It’s been known for at least 10 years that there are specific pieces of data which may appear anonymous, but when they’re taken together are just as effective at identifying a person as traditional PII.
The easiest to understand of these so called quasi-PIIs is the trio of full birth date, ZIP code and gender. If a company had published a dataset that had been “de-identified” by removing all the standard PIIs, but left those three data items alone, a smart hacker could with very high likelihood find the name and address of the person behind that data.
Why would this work? At a very basic level, the identity thief is effectively doing the work of a detective – essentially going through lists looking for matches. The lists in this case are voting records, which in the U.S. are available from most towns and counties at a nominal fee – typically around $40. In the UK this information is free.
Voting records contain name, address, and most importantly full birth date; postal codes can be easily determined from address. By looking for matching birth dates and postal codes, identity thieves narrow down the search to a few names. Add gender information and for most postal codes, hackers can arrive at a unique name.
Of course, the more additional information or clues gathered, especially taken from social media and other websites, the easier it is to filter and narrow down names when there’s more than one candidate.
Take the U.S., for example. A quick back-of-the envelope calculation tells you why one might do very well with this approach. Taking 365 days –
ignoring leap years – and multiplying by an average age of 80, it works out that a complete birth date gives 29,200 “bins” to place a ZIP code’s worth of U.S. citizens. If you have gender information, you double the number of slots, to a little over 58,000.
I can hear nitpickers out there that saying that voting rolls contain only the names of those over the age of 18, so you would have to remove 6,570 slots. True enough, but researchers have shown it’s possible to exploit Facebook’s leaky handling of data on school age minors to partially address this gap.
In any case, based on the last U.S. census, there are more than 40,000 ZIP codes, with an average of only 7,000 people per ZIP code. On a gut level, it seems there’s a good chance most of those 7,000 people will find themselves alone in one of those 58,000 slots. In other words, the odds are that most of them won’t share the same date of birthdate, ZIP code, and gender.
Carnegie Mellon computer science professor and data privacy expert Latanya Sweeney ran the numbers back in 2000: using then current census data (broken down by ZIP codes and age groups) she was able to identify 87% of the people in the U.S. using just those three non-PIIs.
Piecing the information together is even easier in the UK, as a post code will often cover little more than a single street.
Fortunately, Sweeney’s research and results from other experts have made their way to policy makers. For example, when medical research on U.S. patients is published, HIPAA’s Safe Harbor de-identification rules say that no geographic unit smaller than a state can be included in the public data. Full dates (e.g., admission, birth) must also have the year removed.
With U.S. regulations on PII varying by the particular legislation, this is by no means a universal rule. However, the Federal Trade Commission, an influential regulatory agency on privacy matters, has recently issued new best practices on data de-identification.
They’ve called for all companies to achieve a “reasonable level of confidence” that their public data can’t be linked back to an individual. Clearly, the combination of birth date, ZIP code and gender would fail that test.
Are there other quasi-PII’s out there? Of course! The larger problem is that consumers are sharing all kinds of information about themselves on websites and social forums.
In a possible scenario, think of an online retailer collecting preference data about its customers – sports interests, hobbies, etc. – along with geographic data and perhaps income information.
These data items would not be considered traditional PII. If hackers pulled this “anonymous” data from a poorly permissioned file on a server, you could imagine them mining various special interest sites, looking for names that match up based on those interests and geo data.
Once they have a match, the next step might be a phishing attack, with the hackers pretending to be the retailer.
For companies that want to stay ahead of the coming stricter de-identification rules — that are being considered in the US and will likely become law in the EU — it would be worth their while to start carefully reviewing their non-PII data. Wherever that data might be on their file system.


Exactly 100 years ago today, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was established as a federal agency. An important predecessor to NASA, the purpose of NACA was to undertake, promote and institutionalize aeronautical research. The agency began just over a decade after the Wright brothers gave the world the unique gift of controlled human flight.
The agency was first created during World War I to coordinate war-related projects. The UK, France, Germany and Russia already had aeronautic committees and it was these agencies that served as models for the American agency. Through its years of research, NACA pioneered aeronautic innovations such as a series of airfoils that are still in use today.
Delve into all the historic moments of the U.S space program with this personalized book of New York Time articles. Procured from the archives of The Times, the book presents momentous highlights that span the beginnings of the “Space Race” from the first satellite to the potential of commercial space travel. The bound book is personalized with the recipient’s name, making it an ideal unique gift for any aficionado of space flight and exploration.
You can share your love of space with the kids or grandkids with this Pop-up Space Station. This pop-up tent serves as the interplanetary command post for young space explorers. The tent’s four tunnels evoke the sprawling modules of a space station and “dock” with openings in the tent’s walls.
And your small astronauts will marvel at this little remote-controlled astronaut, seemingly out for a spacewalk around the International Space Station. Twin rotors propel him for safe indoor flight. A pair of diode lights in the rocket backpack give the illusion this spaceman is controlling his weightless wandering himself, ideal for a moment of astral wanderlust.
Today, space exploration has moved beyond the efforts of government entities to the private sector. Only time will tell what successes will be met by SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and other aeronautic entrepreneurs.