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Between Feb. 9 to 23, Shandong authorities underreported the number of infections every day, according to internal data compiled by the Shandong Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). The latter kept a tally of the number of patients who tested positive for the virus during nucleic acid testing—using a diagnostic kit to test body samples and detect whether they contain the virus’s genetic sequence.
The Shandong CDC daily new infection numbers ranged from being 1.36 times to 52 times greater than the officially published data by the Shandong health commission and China’s National Health Commission.
As of Feb. 25, the Shandong government stated that there were a total of 755 infections in the province. But the internal document showed that 1,992 people had tested positive for the virus via nucleic acid testing as of Feb. 23.
The government publicly stated that there were four newly diagnosed coronavirus patients on Feb. 22, but the internal document said that 61 patients were diagnosed with the virus that day.
In recent days, official data has shown new infections leveling off. For example, on Feb. 25, the National Health Commission reported only a total of nine new diagnosed cases outside of Hubei province, where the outbreak is most severe.
In fact, Shandong alone had new infections in the double digits daily. On Feb. 20, new infections spiked, with 274 testing positive.
To date, this is the most definitive evidence that Chinese authorities routinely underreport cases. Previously, The Epoch Times interviewed staff at funeral homes in the city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, who said they had to work round the clock in order to keep up with the dramatic increase in workload.
Health experts have also hypothesized that Chinese official figures are inaccurate, based on their statistical modeling. Recently, a group of American researchers published a study, not yet peer-reviewed, in which they suggested cumulative infections and deaths in China could be “substantially higher” than officially stated—by a factor of 5 to 10.
U.S.-based China commentator Tang Jingyuan told The Epoch Times that authorities reporting fewer infections was likely a tactic to convince Chinese citizens that the virus’s spread was contained and thus, it would be safe to return to work.
Chinese businesses were shut down for the Lunar New Year holiday, which was extended in order to prevent cross-infection in the workplace. The central government, fearing the economic inactivity could have long-term impact, asked firms to resume operations on Feb. 10.
“It [Beijing] is trying to create an image that most of the country is safe enough to resume production,” Tang said.
The internal data shared with The Epoch Times includes a breakdown of diagnostic results from all 16 prefectural-level municipalities in Shandong province, which were sent in an email to the disease control department of the Shandong health commission.
The Shandong CDC compiled daily statistical reports about coronavirus diagnoses, tallying positive test results at all hospitals in the province that were qualified to conduct such testing.
For example, on Feb. 22, Qishan Hospital in Yantai city tested 229 patients. 12 of them were diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Qishan Hospital is a dedicated infectious disease hospital.
At times, the Shandong government reported one or two new diagnoses to the public, when the internal data showed much more.
On Feb. 22, for example, the government reported two newly diagnosed cases in the day prior, but the real data was 59.
On Feb. 20, the government reported two newly diagnosed cases for Feb. 19, but the real data was 49.
And on Feb. 19, the government reported one newly diagnosed case in the day prior, but the real data was 52.
For the period between Feb. 8 to Feb. 22, the government announced that there were 347 newly diagnosed cases, but the internal data shows 1,072 new patients—more than 3 times the published figure.
Diagnostic Kit Not Sufficient?
One Chinese researcher suggested that diagnostic kits alone would not be able to detect all the virus-infected patients.
“This disease [coronavirus] has a character, which is not all patients can be detected positive when use nucleic acid testing,” Wang Chen, director of China’s Academy of Medical Sciences and a critical care medicine expert, told state-run broadcaster CCTV on Feb. 5.
Wang explained that although nucleic acid testing is currently the only official test method that Chinese medical staff use to diagnose coronavirus, the result is not accurate.
“Only 30 to 50 percent of the patients present positive,” according to Wang.
He explained that all patients who test positive are infected with the coronavirus, but another 50 to 70 percent of patients are actually infected but cannot be detected by nucleic acid testing. |
Department of Pharmacy, University of Islamabad, Pakistan
The blood vessel formation known as angiogenesis is an identifying characteristic of nearly all neoplastic and non-neoplastic degenerative diseases. The angiogenesis involves in normal physiology, in the progression of various diseases, as well as in the development of progressive arthritis and tumors. It is also deduced by inflammatory mediators that are included in cancer and are furthered by cyclo-oxygenases in order to contribution in endothelial cell spreading and cell migration. The effect of diclofenac sodium on angiogenesis has been explored using in vitro Chorioallantoic membrane assay. Structural changes in CAMs were carefully assessed by an inventive image probing system of scanning probe image processor (SPIP). About the number of fourteen parameters of 3D surface roughness was also quantified. The anti-angiogenic effect was observed at the sixth day of incubation by utilizing diclofenac sodium on Chorioallantoic membrane (0.7% of diclofenac sodium concentration). As a result, there have been changes in series of parameters containing the structure of CAMs, decrease in surface roughness, thinning of primary, secondary and tertiary blood vessels, enhancement of kurtosis of the 3D surface, and reduction of Abbott curve. The influential values for the local use of diclofenac sodium would demonstrate anti-angiogenic activity same as the in-vitro condition which illustrates its clinical efficacy. |
Welcome to Pestanimal.com! We are dedicated to providing education in the field of human-wildlife conflicts. Even though in many instances animals are considered pests, the wild animal removal field is very different from the pest control field. Pest control typically refers to the eradication or population control of insects via the use of chemical means, i.e. poison. Nuisance wildlife removal is the practice of solving wildlife conflicts via methods such as humane trapping and relocation of animals, exclusion of animals from buildings, and preventative techniques. Never hire a pest control company to address a problem animal! Wildlife control is a complex field.
We handle a wide variety of nuisance animal species. Several critters commonly break into attics, where they not only cause noise, but damage with their chewing, scratching, nesting, and feces/urine. Raccoons commonly enter attics to raise a nest of young. The same goes for squirrels, which chew their way into your home, and have litters of young twice per year. Rats and mice are notorious for entering buildings and chewing on wires or contaminating food. Other animals sometimes burrow under your house, shed, or porch, including groundhogs, skunks, and in the south, armadillos. Birds, such as pigeons, can be a nuisance when they roost on buildings and leave their droppings behind. The same goes for colonies of bats in buildings. From tunneling moles, to opossums stealing pet food, to a dangerous snake, we seek to educate the public about proper wildlife removal techniques. Select your animal below to learn more information about specific control techniques.
It is true that bats are actually important to stay around the homes as they help to eat up nasty and discomforting insects like mosquitoes they can also constitute nuisance to you. Bat droppings can cause serious damage to your ceiling, attic and insulation as well as infect you with deadly diseases. The issue is that unlike other wide animals which you can easily trap and remove from your property bats are protected by law and killing them is highly prohibited. You are not even allowed to move bats or disturb their habitat in UK and other countries. That is why you must confirm the legislation of country on bat before going ahead to implement any tips you will get here on how to get rid of bats in attic.
Make Sure You Choose Right Time of the Year to Remove Bat
In order to encourage overall survival of bats for them to continue eliminating nesting bugs, you must choose right time of the year to remove them. Confirm if you are dealing with maternity colony as the pups can easily starve to death if you remove the adult when they are not able to fly. That will be inhumane for you to do and will result to discomforting odor from the carcass of the dead pups. If you are in US and Canada you should not disturb bats between 1st May and 31st August.
Find Out the Point Of Entry
Make sure you take your time to inspect the entry and exit point of bats to your attic. You can find out about that by looking out for bat droppings. But, you must try as much as possible to avoid inhaling the droppings while inspecting it due to risk of histoplasmosis. After locating the entry point for the bats, you have to find a way to prevent them from coming back when they go away in the dusk. |
In a previous post, we explored the meaning of marketing attribution with a short story to illustrate our definition. At the end of the article, we concluded that there are various ways to measure attribution. There are dozens of attribution models, however, some patterns are considered as classic models. They all have perks and limitations, so I leave it up to you to make your own idea of the perfect attribution models.
To make it easier to grasp the various scenarios, let’s recap the customer journey of Donna, the heroine of our previous article:
Do you remember? Donna first clicked on a paid ad on Google, then clicked on a Facebook post, later on, a link in a newsletter, then on a sponsored tweet, and finally visited the online store directly to purchase her dress. So how should we value each of these steps?
Exclusive attribution models
These models attribute 100% of the credit for a conversion to only one touchpoint. They are the most basic and the most common patterns.
This model attributes 100% of the credit to the last touchpoint before the conversion. It ignores all the other steps during the customer journey. This is the attribution model per default in many analytical tools and the pattern that most companies use to measure their online advertising campaigns. In our made-up story, this would be the direct search.
Last non-direct click
This model works like the previous one, excluding direct traffic. So 100% of the credit goes to the sponsored tweet (second social media step).
Last Google/Bing/Facebook/Twitter/etc. click
This model focuses on the last ad clicked before a conversion happened. These models are very dependent on one specific channel. All other touchpoints are ignored. Here, if we consider a “last AdWord click” approach, then the first touchpoint would get 100% of the credit (it’s the only AdWord ever clicked in this scenario). This model is useful if your job is focused on one specific channel (as a social media manager, you might be interested only in the last ad clicked on Facebook or Twitter for instance).
This model gives 100% of the credit to the first touchpoint, no matter its nature. All other clicks between the first click and the conversion are ignored. Incidentally, the paid search step would be, again, the one in our story.
These exclusive attribution models all have the same constraint: they exclude most steps of the customer journey to focus solely on one touchpoint.
Multi-touch attribution models
These attribution models are more interesting: they consider the customer journey as a whole and they split the credit amongst the different touchpoints.
This model takes into consideration every single touchpoint throughout the customer journey. However, they are evenly credited – the respective impact of each touchpoint is not assessed. In this case, each step gets 20% of the credit.
Time decay attribution
This attributive model grants more credit to the touchpoints closest to the conversion. In Donna’s case, the direct search might receive 30% of the credit while the paid search only receives 5%. The major drawback of this pattern is the almost negation of the awareness factor – usually the first touchpoint, an essential stepstone.
Position based attribution
Also called U-shaped attribution and this model grants 40% of the attribution to the first and last touch point, splitting the remaining 20% evenly among the other touchpoints. In our example, paid search and direct search receive 40% each, while the other steps get 6,67% each. Although possibly the most advanced attribution model, it still distributes fixed values. There is no appreciation of the impact of each step.
Algorithmic attribution is like the Rolls Royce of marketing attribution. Not only does it consider each step in the customer journey, it also attributes a customized value to each of them. It requires the intervention of data scientists to build and maintain algorithms that can appraise the importance of each touchpoint in the customer journey. The more information you want to gather, the more algorithms you need. For example, you may want to track a customer journey from someone who uses several devices. Or you may want to measure the influence of your TV spots on your online customers. With connected objects, you might even track offline advertising! Imagine Donna is walking by a connected scrolling advertising board with her phone in her bag. Advanced attribution could detect the proximity of both connected object and estimate that the ad on the board was part of her customer journey.
So what is the right attribution model then?
This is a tough question to answer. There is no right or wrong, it depends on how you want to measure your data. The most important thing is for you to be aware of which attribution model you use to understand the relevance of your advertising reports.
Clearly, algorithmic attribution is more accurate than the other types of attribution. It helps you get past the hindrance of cross-channel advertising and cross-device users. In other words, you can see how you lure customers to you, regardless of how many devices they use or which advertising channel they are exposed to. Even the most reluctant clients are under the radar.
The thing is, algorithmic attribution is a rather expensive service since it mostly targets companies with large advertising budgets. Furthermore, the creation and the maintenance of algorithms demand high costs in technology and personnel. In the end, you may very well end up spending hundreds of thousands a year to get your hands on the precious data! Another issue with tailor-made attribution models is the time until data starts rolling out. It typically takes a few weeks, but it can be months before anything tangible appears. A serious upfront investment for smaller companies. Finally, there are many companies offering customer-journey insights, however, some are subject to a conflict of interest. If company X works as one of your ad servers and reports on your global advertising activities, how can you know for sure that company X’s competitors won’t be prejudiced? You just can’t.
Affordable algorithmic attribution – a distant dream?
Start-ups and small-to-medium companies may not afford an algorithmic attribution service, however, their advertising and marketing activities may already be too spread out and too complex to rely on a free analytical solution, like Google Analytics or Bing’s Webmaster Tools.
That’s why we decided to offer an affordable and independent solution that delivers AI-powered insights on your customer journeys. With packages starting at very reasonable prices, you get within 24 hours the first results – independent from any online advertising tycoons. |
Einstein’s Iconic Tongue Out Photograph
It’s become one of the most famous photographs ever, a world-renowned genius with his tongue stuck out, caught on film. With an IQ of 160, a Nobel Prize in physics and the legacy of being the man who developed the theory of relativity, you may think only of Einstein in a serious light, but it turns out he had a sense of humour too.
Einstein was in fact quite the comic, and had a quirky side to himself too, and was even described as a cartoonists dream come true by Time Magazine’s Frederic Golden. The photo of Einstein with his tongue out further cements this statement, and shows a delightfully different side to the scientist.
Snapped on His 72nd Birthday
The photograph was taken on March the 14th, 1951 when friends and family had gathered to celebrate Einstein’s birthday. Photographers from across the USA were present to cover the event and Einstein found this to be rather distressing.
As the celebrations were drawing to a close, Dr. Frank Aydelotte, the former head of the Institute for Advanced Study and a close friend of Einstein offered him a lift home along with his wife. Just as the trio was leaving; photographers surrounded the car in the hopes of getting one last snap.
As it turned out, it was UPI photographer Arthur Sasse’s lucky day, and after persistently trying to get Einstein to smile for the camera, he caught a reaction he’d never have expected.
The exasperated scientist, clearly tired of fake smiling at the camera, stuck out his tongue and Sasse got the shot. Other photographers missed the opportunity and Sasse was the man whose name has forever been linked with the iconic image.
A Celebrated Image
The story doesn’t end there though. Einstein turned out to be as happy with Sasse’s shot as if he’d won big playing the Bingo Canada has to offer, and ordered 9 copies.
He also chose the cropped version of the photo to be used as greeting cards that he then sent out to friends, and it was clear he was rather happy with the way he was depicted.
Out of the 9 photographs he ordered from UPI for personal use, he signed one for a reporter and, and this image turned out to be worth a pretty penny years after his death.
In June 2009 the signed photo was sold for a whopping $74,324. The other 8 images were kept by Einstein or given to friends, and their whereabouts is unknown or simply has not as yet been revealed.
A Poster Child for Mad Scientists
The photograph of Einstein did a lot more than just capture him in an amusing light; it gave the world the image it had wanted for so long.
Proof that no matter what kind of crazy scientist you are, you are still human and still have quirks, just like the rest of us. |
There’s an epidemic of fake prescription drugs sweeping the US, and it’s killing people. Americans are now more likely to die of an opioid overdose than in a car wreck or of a gunshot wound. Drug agencies are saying that fentanyl is the biggest reason for this sudden new trend. Fentanyl is an opioid painkiller powerful enough to kill in a single dose, and black market drug manufacturers are using it as a cheap way to make their drugs stronger. You don’t know whether the pill in your hand contains it or not. That’s why some people are calling it “the kill pill.” It’s in your community right now, so it’s time to get the word out.
What is an Opioid?
An opioid is a man-made type of opium. Opium is a painkilling drug that comes from poppy resin, which is also what heroin is made from. Opioid painkillers block pain receptors in the brain, so many people with injuries get prescriptions for pills like Percocet, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Norco, etc. These medicines drive up levels of the feel-good chemical dopamine in your brain to dull pain from injuries. That’s also why people take them to get high.
The problem is, your brain is smart. As soon as it realizes that the opioid levels are higher than natural all the time, it tries to correct the imbalance, so it stops producing as much dopamine. Now the user has to take opioid drugs just to feel normal. In other words, they are hooked, and they have to keep taking more to get the same feeling. If they stop without a doctor’s help, the body goes into a painful and dangerous withdrawal. It’s basically heroin without a needle.
If it’s Medication, Why Does it Kill you?
Opioids relax the body, slowing the heartbeat and rate of breathing. Sound good? Not if they slow to a full stop and you go into cardiac arrest. If you take too much, you can die from legal prescription drugs the same way you can die from an overdose of heroin. Now imagine that you just took a pill someone told you would make you feel good, but you don’t actually know where it came from or what is in it. Now imagine that it contains just 2 mg of fentanyl.
Fentanyl is an opioid painkiller that is 100 times stronger than heroin. The amount of fentanyl it will take to kill you is just 2 mg. That is such a tiny amount that it is very easy to make a mistake. Drug agencies say that it is being made in China and shipped to the US via Mexico, where it is mixed with other drugs and also used to lace heroin. Black market pill makers can buy pill presses that will make pills that look legitimate. The workers making these pills are not registered pharmacists, and may not know or care what the formula is supposed to be. They’ll probably never be held responsible if their mistakes kill someone.
Most people have heard that the artist Prince died from an overdose of prescription pills. What the coroner actually found is that there were hydrocodone pills in his home which tested positive for fentanyl and that he died from fentanyl toxicity. He died from taking fake prescription pills. As doctors try to reduce opioid prescriptions, even for valid pain control, people turn to illegal sources.
How Can You Tell If Prescription Drugs are Fake?
You usually can’t tell. Illegal pill presses can make a legitimate looking pill out of anything. Nine people died in Sacramento County, California, from taking just one fake Norco pill. Your best bet is to just play it straight. If the pills didn’t come from your doctor’s prescription for the temporary relief of your severe pain, don’t take it. Don’t buy or accept pills from friends.
What Can I Do If I See Somebody Overdosing?
People who overdose on opioid painkillers will be non-responsive, have a slow heartbeat, slow, shallow breathing, and may have bluish lips. That’s plenty enough reason to call 911, even if you’re not sure it’s an overdose. Emergency paramedics now carry a drug called Naloxone with them that can save the life of the victim if given in time.
But Not in My Town, Right?
Prescription drug abuse is everywhere. The typical abuser is young and white and may have started by stealing his or her dad’s legitimate pain medication.
Painkillers became easily available because doctors were writing too many prescriptions for pain pills all over the country. People became hooked on drugs like Oxycontin and Percocet. When public awareness of the problem caused doctors to cut back, it was too late.
When people couldn’t get the pills legally, they got them illegally. That gave prescription pain pills street value, so now criminals bring in black market pills, most spiked with fentanyl from China, through Mexico, and into your town and your school.
Deaths from pill overdoses are exploding; Ohio went from 92 deaths in 2015 to 514 deaths in 2016, Maryland went from 58 deaths in 2015 to 185 deaths in 2016, and the list goes on.
I Can’t Get in Actual Legal Trouble though, Right?
Sorry. Abuse of prescription drugs is illegal. It’s abuse if you are taking pills to get high. How will you get caught? Probably by being pulled over for erratic driving; a DUI is not just for alcohol. If you are a minor, get ready to become a regular at the Department of Youth Services. They take prescription drug abuse, fake or legal, very seriously. If you are an adult, you now have a record.
If you need medication, see a doctor; not a dealer. If somebody offers you pills, remember they could contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Becoming a junkie and having a drug record could be the least of your problems. |
Modern life is fast-paced and can often feel aggressively demanding. With the constant expectation that we should fill every day with activity, we often forget to take time out for ourselves and reset. Something as simple as listening to music can provide us with that much-needed boost to get our work finished and see us through to the end of the day in a calm and dynamic way. Almost everyone has experienced the beneficial effects of music in one way or another; it can help us to relax and unwind even during stressful times, can improve our levels of motivation and focus, and can uplift our emotions and improve our relationships, helping us to connect more deeply and with more individuals.
Reduce Stress and Anxiety
For many, the mental and emotional effects of music are obviously the most noticeable. It can directly increase our happiness in so many ways. At Massachusetts General Hospital, for instance, attendants noticed that patients confined to bed who listened to music for 30 minutes had a lower heart rate and blood pressure than those who hadn’t listened to music. The reason behind this
is that music reduces our cortisol levels. This is more commonly known as the stress hormone and is partly responsible for feelings of tension and emotional distress, as well as lowered immune response. Therefore, the calming
effect of sound gives us the perfect excuse to sit back and switch off in a world where we are always on the move and subject to
external stimulation. There are various various types of music that we can listen to in order to relax, but many find that classical and sacred music are the most effective. Their slow tempo and conservation in variation creates an enveloping experience that allows us to forget the world, in a peaceful space of our own. They can also help us to identify, express, and accept our emotions. Indeed, classical and sacred music can help us to become aware of the feelings associated with our stress and can help us to master that stress instead of being overwhelmed by it.
Boost Memory and Restore Focus
Music also has the ability to enhance our minds and bodies, helping us to improve our memory and increasing the results we get from exercise. This has been demonstrated in the well-known Mozart Effect Study, which has suggested that listening to Mozart’s compositions may induce a short-term improvement on the performance of certain mental tasks. The ideal type of music that keeps our brain engaged is ambient music, which engages the brain at a lower, subconscious level. Examples include sacred music, waterfall sounds, and whale songs. The second element above—improving the results from exercise—is a good example of the multiple simultaneous benefits of music. Enjoyable music increases our motivation, encourages us to exercise harder, and reduces levels of boredom during repetitive tasks such as free-weight exercise or hypnotic tasks such as long-distance running. At the same time, enjoyable music increases our tolerance of pain, helping us to exercise harder and for longer. After exercise, music helps our bodies to recover by increasing the overall availability of oxygen.
Why Sacred Music?
Forget for a moment that we tend to associate sacred music with religion, especially the Christian faith. Enjoy the sound
quality of the music from whichever tradition it originates. In meditation, for example, we use a mantra for its sound quality and the effect that sound quality has on us, not necessarily for the meaning of the mantra. It’s the same with sacred music, which can benefit us irrespective of the religion it comes from. To quote from the website of Sacred Music Radio: Recent research by the Schulich School of Music, University in Montreal, Québec, indicates that people’s response to music “transcends different cultures as it emotionally affects diverse cultures in the same way.”
Reading about the potential benefits of certain types of music is akin to checking with a map prior to setting out on a journey
to an unfamiliar destination. The next step is listening to music that really appeals to us and helps us relax. Some varieties of classical music work well, and certainly most sacred music meets the requirements.
A Plan of Action
- Find music that you find relaxing by listening to several types of music.
- Decide on a time every day to listen to perhaps 20 minutes of the music without being disturbed.
- Listen to the music while sitting on a comfortable chair with good back support.
Be aware of your breathing, let it settle.
- Notice you have thoughts; you can hear the music, and just focus on the awareness of the breath.
- Don’t try and push away thoughts; they are part of this relaxation process.
- Relaxation is the key to dealing with stress and regular listening to music can enable us to meet the challenges of our lives with strength and vigor. |
Pitfour – Why it’s Jimmy Buchan’s favourite view
This year, the ASPC calendar consists of a unique collection of images which represent personal significance for people in the North East. Every month, we’ll take a look at the reason why that month’s view is so special and highlight the beautiful photograph by photographer Ray Smith.
September’s calendar image is a beautiful shot over Pitfour Lake, where the clouds are gently succumbing to a glorious sunset. Jimmy Buchan, star of television series Trawlermen, chose this particular picture as his own contribution to the ASPC calendar, saying: “My special place in the North East is Pitfour Lake near Mintlaw. It is a very beautiful and serene area that is a wonderful location to walk the dog. It is a wonderful spot to enjoy some cracking sunsets in this glorious part of the world.”
Despite the natural beauty that shrouds it, Pitfour Lake itself is actually man-made. James Ferguson, the third laird of the Pitfour Estate had it built in front of the, now demolished, mansion house at the turn of the 18th-century. The lake stretches over 50 acres, and incorporates three separate islands within its waters.
Originally stocked with rainbow trout, the waters now have a healthy stock of wild brown trout and coarse fish – making it a scenic setting for a spot of fly fishing. While a limited amount of rainbow trout may be retained by fishers, all other species are protected and must be returned.
As well as the fish that inhabit its depths, the lake and surrounding grounds are also home to plentiful other wild life including otters, swans, and roe deer. All of this coupled with the stunning scenery and what remains of the estate’s grand past creates a spot to reconnect with nature that is as intriguing as it is beautiful.
Pitfour Lake and the surrounding estate stretches between the villages of New Pitsligo and St Fergus, just outside of Peterhead. |
A little bit of stress is a good thing - it keeps us alert and motivates us to perform well. But all too often the trials of life can get to us. Our distress may be obvious for all to see or it may be hidden, known only to us. Either way, good emotional health is something that we should all strive for and that we all deserve.
Can we sing our way to happiness?
There is growing evidence that belting out a song can lower stress levels. Swedish scientists recently found that singing triggers the release of happy hormones such as oxytocin which boosts mood and lowers stress and blood pressure. And in a study from the UK, experts discovered that men and women with mental health issues who sang regularly in a choir benefitted emotionally. In fact, some participants who had been clinically depressed, were no longer depressed eight months after singing with the choir. Reason indeed for singing in the shower.
Does the herbal remedy St. John's wort treat depression?
St John's wort is a plant with star-shaped yellow flowers that is commonly thought to help alleviate the symptoms of depression. In a German study, when St John's wort was tested against a common anti-depressant, more people were found to improve using the herbal remedy than the anti-depressant drug. However, not all studies have reached the same conclusion - some have found that it's no more effective than a placebo - and the remedy is not currently supported by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). |
A new tutorial on the technique I use to finish a wooden fuselage. This step occurs after construction and before painting. I will illustrate it here from the fuselage of my Potez 58. This one is covered with 0.6 and 0.4 mm aircraft plywood. To add to the difficulty, you need access to the so-called “technical” areas (servos, batteries, controls etc…) and so there are 3 hatches under the fuselage that should be as little visible as possible, since we have a scale model here.
You will find below the whole procedure step by step. If you prefer, you can download a PDF version of this technique.
Applying the putty
A fuselage when covered with wood (balsa and plywood) will be made of smooth or jointed planks. The first step will be to use a putty to seal and plug all these joints. Personally, I use Hobbico’s filler. It’s a light product that can be sanded easily after drying.
To apply it, I use a plastic card, like a credit card, to fill in the holes and junctions while smoothing roughly to remove the excess putty. You can see on the pictures below, the putty on the front of the fuselage after application and before sanding.
The next step is sanding. Nothing complicated, it can be sanded very easily with sandpaper of different grains. OUTSIDE the sanding so as not to irritate Mrs …. It must not rain.
As Pascal would say on his site “lecoinmaquette” that I highly recommend (see links), you have to look with your fingers. That is to say that you have to touch and touch the holes, the junctions and if you still feel differences in level, edges, then you have to apply a new coat, sand again until everything looks the same to the touch. Here is the result on the fuselage of the Potez 58.
Covering the fuselage
The marouflage will consist in wrapping the object and thus completely covering the parts of the aircraft that will have to be painted with a coating (in this case a light fiberglass in the case of Potez 58).
To begin with, the fuselage must be dusted. This is important for good adhesion. Personally, I use a cloth and I wash with water and let it dry.
I use the technique developed and tested by Pascal (Allalou) on his website lecoinmaquette (see links).
In this case, I will use 25g fiberglass glued twith nitrocellulose dope. You have to work outside, because it’s going to sniff strong and it’s not great to breathe it. I start by applying a layer of nitrocellulose coating.
You need gloves, a brush, acetone, and a glass container (like a glass yoghurt pot) to put the necessary amount in the container. Avoid dipping the brush directly into the pot of dope, because doing so will dirty the clean cellulose dope. This is why it is better to use a glass container. Also, prepare another glass container to put acetone in it to rinse your brushes. Don’t forget to have a suitable outfit, cloths and if you can’t work outside, it is essential to have a gas mask, like those used by car painters.
Everything is ready outside, you can see on the next picture, the gloves, the brush, the glass jars, the fuselage and of course the coating.
A coat of cellulose dope is brushed on the entire fuselage and the technical hatches below. It is left to dry. It is very fast (less than 30 minutes).
Once dry, lightly sand to remove all the wood fibers that can be felt on the surface. We cut the fiber coupons that will be placed on the fuselage. Be careful, the fiber is very fragile, so I used masking tape to put it on the cut area to prevent the fibers from being removed.
The cellulose dope is applied starting from the center. Don’t forget to cut the place for control cables.
The advantage of the cellulose dope is its fast drying capacity. After 30 minutes, excess fiber can be removed. To do this, a sanding block is used on the edges. It is fast and effective.
A light sanding is carried out. As Allalou would say, one looks with the fingers to remove imperfections not visible to the eye.
Afterwards, I applied a coat of G4 varnish to fill all the pores.
In total, this step has increased the weight of the fuselage by 32 g, which is still reasonable.
The fuselage is now ready for the painting work which will be the subject of a future tutorial. |
Age in Place
Baby boomers may soon find themselves in a serious dilemma. Rather than planning ahead, many people only think of eldercare after a crisis has occurred. Our eldercare infrastructure, mostly made up of private pay options, isn’t quite the most affordable thing in the world. Some people are lucky to have loved ones that can step in as caregivers, but understandably, this is not the case for everyone.
Sometimes, children live out of town, or they’re too busy managing their own families, or perhaps their work lives are too hectic to provide the proper amount of care. For seniors without family caregivers, what can be done to stay safe, healthy, and age in place?
The most common things people need daily assistance with are: dressing, showering, running errands, cleaning, cooking/grocery shopping, transferring, and using the restroom. These are called ADLs. For seniors with savings, a private caregiver can be hired. A private caregiver is a person who helps a senior around the home. They provide assistance around the house with chores such as bathing, dressing, and clearing the home of clutter. Generally, private caregivers should not be expected to provide medical care, but can be a great aid when aging in place.
The downside, however, is that in-home caregivers can be costly if the senior is not on Medicaid or a Long Term Care insurance program. If you think a caregiver is necessary, check with local agencies such as the city and the county to see what resources are available. Additionally, applying for Medicaid long-term care is a good option if you meet the qualifications.
Staying fit and physically active is a great way to remain independent and strong. The more activities a person can perform on their own, the more independent they can remain. There are a variety of programs and services available for seniors who would like to stay active. Some adult day programs offer wellness activities such as tennis, swimming, or hiking. Physical fitness improves strength and balance. It will help you stay strong enough to stay independent.
There are many different types of exercises you can take part in. Cardio is popular with people of all ages and increases the oxygen movement through your body. It also keeps the heart healthy. Of course, speak with your doctor before you engage in any new exercise program. Some cardio exercises include walking, light hiking, cycling, and rowing. Yoga and Pilates are activities that will help your balance and keep you flexible, which can help keep you from falling.
Train your muscles by using weight machines, free weights, or resistance exercises. Gaining strength can help you perform tasks around the home. The younger you start these activities the better off you’ll be in the long run. It’s never too late to start exercising; benefits are immediate.
Many people would like to remain in their houses and stay independent as long as possible. This makes sense both financially and on a personal level. It is important, however, to realize that as we age we have limitations. A failure to address these limitations can lead to injuries and sickness. |
The health benefits of chocolate
The next time you catch yourself eyeing a piece of chocolate, you may not have to feel so guilty about it. Despite its bad reputation for causing weight gain, a number of health benefits may be associated with this delicious treat.
Chocolate is made from tropical Theobroma cacao tree seeds. Its earliest use dates back to the Olmec civilization in Mesoamerica.
After the European discovery of the Americas, chocolate became very popular in the wider world, and its demand exploded.
Chocolate has since become a popular food product that millions enjoy every day, thanks to its unique, rich, and sweet taste. But what effect does eating chocolate have on our health? Let’s take a look at a few.
This has changed people’s views on chocolate, and it has stimulated research into how it might impact ageing, and conditions such as oxidative stress, blood pressure regulation, and atherosclerosis.
Chocolate’s antioxidant potential may have a range of health benefits. The higher the cocoa content, as in dark chocolate, the more benefits there are. Dark chocolate may also contain less fat and sugar, but it is important to check the label.
Eating chocolate may have the following benefits:
- lowering cholesterol levels
- preventing cognitive decline
- reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems
Apart from this, did you know that studies show that eating 30 grams of chocolate daily during pregnancy might also benefit fetal growth and development?
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and buy some this weekend! |
The Arduino Uno is a microcontroller board used in robotics based on the ATmega328 microchip. (91057- ATmel ATMega 328 Datasheet.pdf - Download) The ATmega328 has 32 KB (with 0.5 KB used for the bootloader). It also has 2 KB of SRAM and 1 KB of EEPROM. It has 14 digital input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a reset button. It contains everything needed to support the microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer with a 1.5m USB Cable Type A to B or power it with an Wall Adapter Power Supply - 9VDC 650mA or DFRobot 7.4V Lipo 2200mAh Battery (Arduino Power Jack) to get started.
• Operating Voltage: 5V
• Input Voltage (recommended): 7-12V
• Input Voltage (limits): 6-20V
• Digital I/O Pins: 14 (of which 6 provide PWM output)
• Analog Input Pins: 6
• DC Current per I/O Pin: 40 mA
• DC Current for 3.3V Pin: 50 mA
• Flash Memory: 32 KB (ATmega328) of which 0.5 KB used by bootloader
• SRAM: 2 KB (ATmega328)
• EEPROM: 1 KB (ATmega328)
• Clock Speed: 16 MHz
The Arduino Uno differs from all preceding boards in that it does not use the FTDI USB-to-serial driver chip. Instead, it features the Atmega16U2 programmed as a USB-to-serial converter. "Uno" means one in Italian and is named to mark the upcoming release of Arduino 1.0. The Uno and version 1.0 will be the reference versions of Arduno, moving forward. The Uno is the latest in a series of USB Arduino boards, and the reference model for the Arduino platform.
• Arduino microcontroller module with USB connection
• Wide variety of accessory "Shields" available
• Intended for roboticists, artists, designers and hobbyists
• Variety of I/O pins including analog, digital, PWM and more
• Based on the ATmega328 (removable DIP IC)
• Revision 3 |
A roof is more than a way of keeping the rain off. Nowadays many people think of a roof as a place to put solar panels to collect all of that free sunshine. The problem is that not all roofs are created equal. Scientists from the University of Gothenburg have launched a tool that uses the actual conditions to determine the maximum possible magnitude of solar incidence (and implied the maximum amount of time in shadow) – in a whole town, a neighborhood, or a particular roof. The scientists have surveyed Gothenburg in a pilot project.
If you have the free area at ground level this will do as well, but many houses do not have this area available and the roof is sometimes the only area that can be used. It must cost more to put it on the roof, and maintenance is going to be more difficult, against that the panels are faced with glass and this might get damaged more if it is accessible at ground level. It’s a matter for each householder to decide.
Solar power does not work if there is no sun which is why the effect of shadows must be understood. The roof must be clear of obstacles such as overhanging trees and the shadows of other buildings for the ideal effect.
On top of that the best sites need the sun rays to be presented at the optimal angle for maximal power generation.
The new tool is based on computer-based geographical information systems (GIS) that collect, store, analyse and present geographical data. This means that the tool describes real roofs in the correct surroundings. The sun in the model illuminates the three-dimensional built environment and simulates how surrounding buildings, terrain and vegetation throw shadows.
The shadow effect can be calculated for each month or for a complete year, and this means that certain parts of a roof may turn out to be unsuitable for collecting solar energy, even though the roof has both optimal direction and gradient. In this way, it is possible to calculate the total solar radiation on each part of a roof structure within a given area, calculated as kilowatt hours per square meter.
Thus, SEES can provide a map over the suitability, based on the user’s requirements for good, less good and poor annual solar incidence. Climate data (either measured or calculated values) with a resolution as high as 1 hour is used for the location at which SEES is being used, in order to obtain as accurate an estimate of solar incidence as possible.
“We have used Gothenburg as pilot town in the project, but the method can be used in all municipalities where the necessary data is made available. The users can judge the suitability of a roof for solar voltaic panels or solar thermal panels across a wide range, based on this”, says Fredrik Lindberg.
The solar energy project has been carried out by the University of Gothenburg in collaboration with WSP Analys & Strategi, and it has just presented its final report. The project has been financed by the SolEl programme, the Research Foundation of Göteborg Energi, the City Planning Administration of Gothenburg and the Region Västra Götaland County Council. |
Doctor of Philosophy
MacGee, James C.
Housing assets have long been the most important assets in household portfolios. Therefore, understanding the long-run trends of the key indicators in the housing market is important for understanding household housing tenure choice and asset allocation, evaluating household welfare, and analyzing financial stability. My thesis consists of three chapters accounting for the changes in homeownership rates, cross-city distribution of prices and rents, and aggregate housing prices in the United States for the past several decades.
Chapter 2 focuses on the decline in the homeownership rate among young households since 1980. I find that while some of the college graduates merely postpone home purchases, a considerable fraction of non-college graduates have become long-term renters. I show the diverging ownership decisions between college and non-college graduates is driven by changes in the income distribution, due to an increasing population share of college graduates and unbalanced income growth among young and middle-aged college graduates. My findings suggest that low-income, non-college graduates are facing an affordability problem.
Chapter 3 focuses on cross-city variation in the two shelter costs: prices and rents. Since owning and renting are the most prevalent options to obtain housing services, understanding the joint distribution of prices and rents across cities has important implications on the ownership decisions and life quality in each city. I first document three stylized facts about the distributions of prices and rents across cities in the U.S.: (i) prices are more dispersed compared to rents across cities; (ii) the dispersion of house prices has increased more than the dispersion of rents from 1980 to 2010; (iii) prices and rents are highly correlated in both levels and growth rates. As most owners live in detached houses while most renters live in apartments, this chapter examines the implication of the difference in land use between houses and apartments on these observations. I develop a city-level housing tenure choice model where owner-occupied houses take more land to build compared to rental apartments. I calibrate the model to house prices, rents, and the fraction of households living in houses for each of the largest 181 cities in the U.S. in 1980. Feeding in the model population, income, down payment requirement, and residential land supply in 2010, I show the model can account for 82% of the large increase in house price dispersion and 56% of the increase in rent dispersion from 1980 to 2010.
Chapter 4, which is co-authored with Yifan Gong, investigates the contribution of four demographic-related factors i.e. changing fertility, rising life expectancy, urbanization, and international immigration, on the growth of the aggregate housing price since 1970. Conceptually, the total housing demand is determined by the age profile of housing demand aggregated over the age distribution of the population. Among these four factors, declining fertility, rising life expectancy, and international immigration affect the age distribution of the population. In addition, rising life expectancy changes the age profile of housing demand. Specifically, it leads to an increase in the housing demand for senior households. Urbanization that moves people from rural areas with high supply elasticity to urban areas with low supply elasticity further increases house prices. To quantitatively evaluate the importance of these four factors and to make projections on future house prices, we develop a general equilibrium model and find these four factors can account for 41% of the observed housing price growth from 1970 to 2010. Applying the projected changes in these four factors, we predict housing prices will keep growing by about 5% to 25% from 2010 to 2050. The growth rates vary with urbanization rates and the levels of immigration.
Summary for Lay Audience
My thesis consists of three chapters that explain the long-run trends in homeownership rates, cross-city variation in prices and rents, and the contribution of demographic-related factors on the aggregate housing prices, in the United States.
Chapter 2 focuses on the decline in the homeownership rate among young households since 1980. I find that while some of the college graduates merely postpone home purchases, a considerable fraction of non-college graduates have become long-term renters. I show that the diverging ownership decisions between college and non-college graduates can be accounted for by the increase in the numbers of high-income college graduates who experienced an increase in income, especially among the middle-aged households. These changes result in a higher fraction of high-income households, which pushes up the housing price. As a result, non-college graduates find owning less affordable, while college graduates who expect higher income in the future choose to delay home purchases.
Chapter 3 focuses on the distribution of the two shelter costs: prices and rents, across cities. I find that prices are more dispersed across cities compared to rents. Moreover, the dispersion of prices has increased more than rents over time. Motivated by the fact that most owners live in detached houses while most renters live in apartments, this chapter examines the implication of the land use difference between houses and apartments on the joint distribution of prices and rents across cities. Land values vary across cities with economic fundamentals, such as income and population. As houses use more land to produce, the cost of building houses consequently varies more compared to apartments.
Chapter 4 (co-authored with Yifan Gong) investigates the contribution of four demographic-related factors, i.e. changing fertility, rising life expectancy, urbanization, and international immigration, on the growth of the aggregate housing price in a general equilibrium framework. Our estimated model shows that changes in these factors can explain 41% of the price growth from 1970 to 2010. We also find that expected changes in these factors predict a sustained housing price growth from 2010 to 2050. |
There are numerous situations in life that cause us to react and respond, yet the two aforementioned words are used interchangeably and carry very different impacts on our environment. Since words have exponential power, this post is dedicated to dissecting the two words and examining the implications of each.
Reacting has to do with a physical or emotional consequence that is caused by a direct stimulus. Reactions are generally unconscious, reflexive, and visceral. Free will is non existent and you are at the mercy of cerebral actions. You are caused to react and thus do not have control over how you respond. Therefore, reflexive reactions serve very little purpose in the modern world.
Responding generally has to do with an action, either a physical action or something that is said. Generally, a response involves a conscious decision. Responding is equated more to free will and forethought. Therefore, if a power rating were to be allocated to responding versus reacting, responding would be a “10” and reacting would be “0”.
When giving a response, you are in control of yourself. While in reactionary mode, you are giving away all of your power to the visceral responses that inhabit your primal mind. Reactions should only be reserved for instances where critical thinking and reflection is life threatening. Otherwise, it is best to respond with authority and comfort knowing all of the angles and various possibilities have been considered before making movement. |
We’ve all heard some version of the comforting platitude: “It’s OK to disagree, just remember that we ultimately have more in common than that which divides us.”
That’s the general idea behind national nonprofit StoryCorps, founded 17 years ago by Dave Isay. The mission of StoryCorps is to record, preserve and share the stories of all Americans. To date, it has curated the largest capsule of recorded voices in the world, capturing the tone and tenor of more than 650,000 people.
The StoryCorps concept is designed around 40-minute conversations with two people who know each other. This could look like a grandmother relaying childhood anecdotes to her grandson, or perhaps two friends delving deep into questions and issues they had never had the courage to discuss before.
Over the past three years, StoryCorps has been researching and developing a new storytelling initiative, One Small Step, a program that will work to “mend the fabric of a country at the breaking point.”
The idea is like the original setup, with one key difference – the two people talking are strangers. And outside of this 40-minute vacuum, they’d probably never converse in real life.
Taken at face value, the idea that sharing stories will heal the country sounds, well, a bit naive. But in reality, the work Isay started nearly two decades ago is far more nuanced and powerful.
“We did lots of research and testing of methodology,” Isay says. “We had over 800 people participate [in the pilot program] and created a new way of doing the interview.”
Isay refers to the 1954 intergroup contact hypothesis as part of the methodology behind One Small Step. Essentially the theory says you can’t hate up close. “It says that under very specific conditions, if people in conflict come face to face, they’ll see each as other humans,” Isay says.
Once the research phase was complete, Isay and his team endeavored to find four cities across the country to serve as the official launch sites for the program. They landed on Richmond; Wichita, Kansas; Birmingham, Alabama; and Shreveport, Louisiana.
“We came to believe that Richmond is a city who knows how courageous listening is done,” Isay says. “We thought Richmond could serve as a model for the rest of the country.”
Isay urges that he has no grand illusions, noting “contempt and fear is a multibillion-dollar industry.” But he’s hoping that with One Small Step, the project can at least “take a hard swing” at reconnecting people no matter their race, religion, sex, political affiliations or age.
While the overarching theme of the program is to connect folks with differing political views, they’ve also connected people based on their varied backgrounds and family histories. Charlottesville-based Brenda Brown-Grooms and Richmonder Bucky Neal were paired up because Brown-Grooms’ ancestors were enslaved, and Neal’s ancestors owned enslaved people.
A couple of months ago the two were connected – virtually, of course – for a 40-minute conversation in which they covered everything from early career aspirations to how discussions of race have evolved over the past few decades.
Brown-Grooms says she saw an advertisement for One Small Step on PBS and was familiar with StoryCorps after doing a 2017 interview with it.
“I’m a professional storyteller and to be part of a repository of stories is just jazzy for me,” Brown-Grooms says. A pastor by day, she says her life’s work “revolves around having hard conversations with people who would rather not talk to each other.”
The One Small Step interview begins with one participant reading the bio of the other participant aloud. Sitting in front of your computer screen in the comfort of your home or office, you’re immediately forced to readjust. To inhabit the feelings and thoughts and experiences of a very different human being.
The interview process goes far beyond the problematic platitude “we all have more in common,” which ignores our innate differences, our distinctions that should be valued, respected and celebrated. In practice, One Small Step shatters the rose-colored patina of “more in common.” The 40-minute interview allows people to connect without having connections. It allows people to sit and listen.
Isay and Brown-Grooms and Neal all admit it’s an intimidating process. The interview is not supposed to be a battle of the minds. The idea is that each participant will simply share some stories about themselves and ask the partner to do the same. It’s not meant to be scary or confrontational. But still, the program asks people to be vulnerable.
Thirty years ago Neal was a banker, and his workplace would hold meetings with guest speakers. One day the speaker was an African American minister who, at the close of his session, posed a question: “When was the last time you spoke to someone of a different color about race?” Met with slack jaws and wide eyes, the minister continued, “If we never talk about it, it will never get better.”
That one interaction prompted Neal to search inside himself – and his family tree – to see what he could do in his daily life to participate in these kinds of conversations. “She will always be a part of my life,” Neal says of Brown-Grooms. He encourages anyone who “has an inkling” to talk to someone to sign up for the experience.
While the average person probably does not possess the insight and eloquence of practiced storyteller Brown-Grooms, she too believes that everyone would benefit from a few initially awkward or uncomfortable conversations.
“The opposite of love is not hate,” Brown-Grooms says. “It’s fear.”
A year’s worth of Zoom calls between seemingly disparate humans may not solve the world’s problems. It may not even solve a day’s worth. But it’s a start.
“No one is a clean slate,” Brown-Grooms says. “As you watch them you begin to see clues of who they are and why they are. There’s always a reason.” |
Ayurveda is the science and Art of living life in a manner useful to society. It has for its objects the preservation of health in the healthy and the restoration of health to the diseased. The word Veda in Ayurveda has been taken by all authorities to imply that it is both a part of and addendum to the great Vedas which have also been admitted by all savants of the West as “the oldest literature of the World”.
At the beginning of creation, it is said, Brahma, the creator of the world recollected and created the vedas (along with Ayurveda) in a book form named Brahma Samhita which is not available today. This book extends over a thousand chapters comprising altogether 100,000 slokas. Brahma taught Ayurveda to Prajapati and who taught it to Aswanikumaras, then to Indra. After him there developed two schools of Ayurvedic science- Athreya School of physicians and Dhanwantari School of Surgeons.
The great thing about Ayurveda is that it is the oldest of sciences.
Caraka, Susruta and Vagbhata are regarded as the main and fundamental pioneers of Ayurveda. Of these Caraka and Susruta are more ancient than Vagbhata. Vagbhata based his work on the work of the other two.
The different branches of Ayurveda
- Kayacikitsa: General Medicine, This consists of the diagnosis and treatment of General diseases, like Fever, Diarrhoea etc. Caraka samhita is the main text in this area.
- Balacikitsa or Kaumarabhrutya: Paediatrics. In this are described the treatment of the diseases of the children and their nursing -the method of the correct nursing and bring up of children. In the case of infants, several diseases may occur owing to the defect and default in the mothers’ milk upon which it feeds. In this case, the mother also is to be treated for the benefit of the child. This treatment is also part of this system. Kasyapa Samhita is the main text in this field.
- Grahacikitsa or Bhuta vidya: This branch deals with incantations and modes of exorcising the evil spirits and making offering to the Gods, Demons, Gandhrvas etc., for curing diseases originating from their malignant influences. These demoniacal possessions were originally understood to be various phases of deranged faculties of the mind or mental diseases and hence medicines are also prescribed in this system along with hypnotic treatments. Bhutavidya is not much different from Psychotherapy and Hypnotism of the modern age. But, nowadays this system is not very popular.
- Urdhwanga Cikitsa or salakya Tantra: This consists of diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the parts of the body restricted to the head (the part above the clavicle) and neck such as ears, eyes etc..
- Salya Tantra: Any foreign matter that gets lodged into the human body and causes pain to that part may be called a Salya and Salya Tantra means that branch of medical science that deals with Salyas. This branch consists of Surgery and Midwifery. This talks about the methods of removing foreign bodies such as blades of grass, particles of stone, iron pieces etc. This deals with handling delivery cases, methods to bring about safe parturitions in cases of false presentation and methods of using surgical instruments. It also deals with applying cauterise with the help of fire and alkaline substances, of applying bandages, of treating wounds and ulcers, and of treating various diseases that follow surgical potions.
- Damshtra Cikitsa or agata Tantra:Toxicology,This is the branch that deals with the treatment of snakebite, rabies, Rat-bite etc.
- Jara Cikitsa or Rasayana Tantra: This is the part dealing with preservation of youthfulness and prolongation of life as also preservation of strength, memory power etc.
- Vrusha cikitsa or Vajeekarana Tantra is the science of preservation and restoring the reproductive power. For those in whom semen has decreased,vitiated,or dried up, this part gives the necessary treatment for its increase, and purification thereby imparting sexual vigour.
Ashtavaidyas are so known by virtue of their proficiency in all the eight systems of treatment.
An understanding of the therapeutic action of various articles of food with special reference to the maintenance of health and strength is essential in Ayurveda. The theory adopted by our ancients, which forms the basis of their investigations is that every substance whether meat, vegetable or mineral possesses five properties, namely, Rasa, Guna, Veerya,Vipaka and Prabhava.
- Rasa is taste. There are six Rasas (as evidenced by the tongue) and they are sweet, sour, saline,bitter, pungent and astringent.
- Guna is Virtue. This is the inherent property of a substance causing a particular effect when used either internally or externally.
- Veerya or Power. According to the influence of nature a substance is believed to be either hot or cold in power. With respect to a drug it is therefore called Ushna-veerya (heating) or Seeta-veerya (cooling). This can only be inferred by the action.
- Vipaka or consequence of action. This is the change which a medicine undergoes in the organism under the influence of internal heat and digestion. When a substance is brought into contact with the digestive juices in the stomach it is decomposed and is sometimes recognisable in another form with its medicinal greatly modified by the chemical changes that affect it.
- Prabhava or inherent virtue: This is said to be the specific active force in a drug. There are certain drugs whose taste property,power and consequence of action are analogous, and yet the effects produced by them are quite dissimilar. This special inherent property of substance is called Prabhava.
Ayurvedic tradition has identified three basic humours viz. Vayu, Pitta and Kapha, the fluctuations of which decide the constitution of the human body. A perfect balance of the three preserves the human body. They remain invisible to the eye and can only be experienced. Dhatus or elements can be seen on the body. The body is constituted of these viz. Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Medas, Asthi, Majja and Sukra. They are called Dhatus as they carry the constituents and diseases of the body.
Violation of laws of nature results in diseases. When natural laws are violated the three humours will be provoked and they cause diseases.
There is no effect without any cause. Consequently in Ayurveda the cause of a disease is of utmost importance. Many disease can be cured by identifying and eliminating the cause.
Ayurvedic treatment is of two types: Samana treatment and Sodhana treatment. Samana treatment consists in the curing of non chronic diseases with in the body itself by administering medicines. Sodhana treatment consists in drawing the vitiated humours to the elementary canal purging them out of the various orifices of the body through Panchakarma treatment. Panchakarma is a system of Five methods of Vasti, Virecana, Vamana, Nasya, and Raktamoksha. (enema, purgation, emission, snuff and blood letting.)
Ayurveda in Kerala
From the history and literary researches of Kerala we could understand how far advanced and civilised Kerala was in the ancient times.
Ayurveda could boast of dim distant antiquity and it is the oldest of all systems of Medicine in the world.-a fact which is admitted by both the Eastern and Western scholars. Ayurveda – the science of life – has been practised in Kerala from time immemorial. A large number of potent and sacred medicinal plants were lost sight of and most of them can not be identified at present in parts of the country. But on the west cost the case is somewhat different. Here in Kerala medicinal plants are abundant and they grow wild due to the climatic conditions of the area.
Ashtanga hrudaya and Ashtanga Samgraha of Vagbhata are more popular in these parts than any other place in India. The unique position which Kerala has attained with respect to Ayurveda is owing to its possession of certain special kinds of treatments prevalent from very very old times and which were found to be of immense effect in certain diseases for which other systems have not yet found out curative measures. The measures are known in Kerala, under the general term Sneha Kriyas and are subdivided in to many forms as Dhara, Kizhi, Pizhichil, Navara kizhi etc,. These methods of treatments are done before Panchakarmas for bring the vitiated humours in to the alimentary canal. |
Abstract: Reinforcement Learning (RL) has seen an explosion of work in the last few years with some high-profile results around game playing and simulated multi-agent behavior evolution. Many of these successes, while impressive and pushing the state of the art, have certain properties that don’t translate to real world challenges faced by practitioners. First, is the ability to simulate the task at massive scales needed to train these RL algorithms. Second, the task environment is often fully observable in that everything about the state of the world is available to the learning agent at each iteration. For many sequential decision processes, however, there may be no simulator and the state of the world is only partially observable at any given time.
So what can we use today? Two related approaches for agent-based learning that exist for real world use cases are Contextual Bandits and Imitation Learning. Both can be seen as simplifications to the full RL problem by relaxing certain assumptions, such as the number of environmental states or the need to balance online exploitation vs exploration, respectively. This talk will introduce both the formal Contextual Bandit and Imitation Learning problems, how they differ from full RL, what their limitations are, and where they can be used to solve real world problems.
Bio: Byron Galbraith is the Chief Data Scientist and co-founder of Talla, where he works to translate the latest advancements in machine learning and natural language processing to build AI-powered conversational agents. Byron has a PhD in Cognitive and Neural Systems from Boston University and an MS in Bioinformatics from Marquette University. His research expertise includes brain-computer interfaces, neuromorphic robotics, spiking neural networks, high-performance computing, and natural language processing. Byron has also held several software engineering roles including back-end system engineer, full-stack web developer, office automation consultant, and game engine developer at companies ranging in size from a two-person startup to a multi-national enterprise. |
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between steam cleaning and dry cleaning your carpet? Is one method better than the other when it comes to your home and health? We think so! Although, we offer both methods of carpet cleaning, we believe that carpet steam cleaning gives the best results. These are the top 3 reasons why we recommend you use a professional steam cleaning service.
1. Steam cleaning gives superior results
Your carpet is like a giant filter. It traps dirt, dust, allergens and bacteria and improves indoor air quality by stopping these particles from becoming airborne. Vacuum cleaning removes the surface dirt, as does dry cleaning. However to remove the bacteria and soil trapped deep within the pile, you need professional carpet steam cleaning.
Hot water extraction (steam cleaning) injects a blast of hot water deep into the carpet pile and then extracts it along with all the dirt and debris. This method of cleaning uses both heat and suction to wash and remove dirt. It is much like washing your clothes or your hair and gives a much better result than just wiping over the surface. Most carpet manufacturers recommend hot water extraction over dry cleaning and in fact some warranties insist upon it.
Dry cleaning methods vary but most concentrate on the surface soil and do not penetrate deep into the pile to remove trapped particles of dirt or dust. Dry cleaning is also a cold cleaning method, and it relies on agitation rather then heat to break the bond between soil and carpet fibre. Heat is a great sanitiser and this is why steam cleaning gives a better and healthier result. This is great news for your babies, small children and pets who spend a lot of their time on the carpet.
2. Dries quickly
A professional steam cleaner will use the best equipment to ensure your carpet is not only thoroughly cleaned and sanitised, but also quick drying. Non professional steam cleaners often cut corners by using inferior carpet cleaning machines and techniques. Without the proper tools for the job and the right training and experience, carpet can be left soggy and take days to dry.
We start our cleaning process off by using a high pressure water delivery system, which means we use less water to begin with. Our carpet cleaning machines have extremely strong suction to remove the maximum amount of moisture possible and by using very hot water we speed up evapouration and drying times.
This is extremely important as carpets which are left over wet, can become breeding grounds for mould and bacteria which in turn will have serious health implications. Mould is an allergen which affects the respiratory system and not something you want in your home. Over wet carpets can also discolour and smell very bad! The smaller carpet cleaning machines machines you can hire from the supermarket do not have strong suction and can lead to some of these issues.
Dry cleaning is a low moisture method of cleaning, however usually there is still some moisture left behind. While drying times are shorter for dry cleaned carpets, there is no longer a huge difference between the drying times for the two methods, if they are performed by professional carpet cleaners.
3. No chemical residue
We always aim to use environmentally friendly, low tox cleaning chemicals. When we do our final rinse after steam cleaning, we add an acid similar to vinegar to the rinse water. This acid rinse removes all traces of chemical residue. It is important to do this to stop rapid re soiling, but also to remove the cleaning detergent from the carpet to ensure nothing is left behind.
For more information on our carpet cleaning chemicals and how they work, please read my article on Chemical Free Carpet Cleaning.
Dry cleaning methods such as bonnet cleaning, uses absorbent pads to wipe the carpet and remove moisture and detergent. As there is no extraction or rinsing, some residue remains in the carpet.
We recommend dry cleaning only be used as a maintenance measure in between carpet steam cleans and never as a complete replacement for steam cleaning carpet. |
Diabetes and gum disease are two things that are more common then you may think. The European Federation of Periodontology have released the below press release and we thought we should spread the word…
- People with gum disease have a 20–30% higher risk of diabetes
- Uncontrolled diabetes triples the likelihood of gum disease
- Successful gum treatment reduces blood sugar levels
Brussels, Belgium, 14 November 2018
Good oral health reduces the risk of diabetes. That’s one of the main messages of the Perio & Diabetes campaign launched 14th November 2018 on World Diabetes Day by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP).
Gum disease and diabetes are chronic conditions that increase with age. The link between the two diseases goes both ways. It is thought that inflammation in the body is the connection – in fact, gum disease is the most common inflammatory disease.
Gum (periodontal) disease includes gingivitis (inflamed gums) and periodontitis (inflammation of the gums and structures supporting the teeth). About 50% of people over 30 have periodontitis, which causes tooth loss if untreated, and it is this type of gum disease that is linked with diabetes.
- Gum disease increases the risk of diabetes by 20–30%.
- Uncontrolled diabetes triples the likelihood of gum disease.
- People with diabetes have poorer blood glucose control, more heart, brain, eye and kidney complications, and a shorter lifespan, if they also have gum disease. (1)
- Successful gum treatment reduces blood sugar levels. (2)
Warning signs of gum disease:
- Red, swollen, bleeding, or receding gums.
- Bigger gaps between teeth, loose teeth.
- Bad breath, bad taste.
Prof Filippo Graziani, EFP president elect, said: “Bleeding gums are not normal – do not just rely on a
mouth rinse but go see a dentist. The earlier we catch periodontitis, the better.”
How to prevent gum disease:
- Clean between your teeth every day with an interdental brush or floss.
- Brush your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day.
- Avoid smoking, eat a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar, and exercise.
- Visit your dentist twice a year.
- Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
“Cleaning in between the teeth is the most effective way to prevent periodontitis,” said Prof Graziani.
“In addition, brush your teeth for a minimum of two minutes twice a day with an electric toothbrush.
Most of us brush for just 35–40 seconds, which is not long enough. Every mouth is different and a
dentist or hygienist can advise how to get the best results for you. And don’t smoke – the majority of
gum disease occurs in smokers.”
Prof Antonio Ceriello, a diabetologist at MultiMedica, Milan, Italy, said: “Patients with types 1 and 2
diabetes who look after their teeth have better control of their diabetes and fewer long-term
complications. This includes young people with type 1 diabetes. Check your gums and teeth regularly
and see a dentist twice a year.” (3)
As a patient with type 1 diabetes, Dr Dániel Végh, who is a dentist at Semmelweis University, Budapest,
Hungary, and regional representative for Europe, International Diabetes Federation Young Leaders
Programme, said: “My routine is to brush and clean in between my teeth, then use mouth rinse, at
least two times a day. I can’t see every area of my teeth in the mirror, so I visit my dentist every six
months for a clean and check-up. I go for extra visits if there is bleeding anywhere in my mouth.”
Dr Marzia Massignani, senior manager, Scientific Affairs and Corporate Communications, SUNSTAR,
said: “At SUNSTAR, we believe in a holistic approach to health. For over thirty years we have supported
research into the bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. The partnership
in this project was a natural step towards fulfilling our mission of education in this field.”
For more information on the links between gum disease and diabetes please visit the dedicated Perio & Diabetes website, which has leaflets for patients and the public, the media, medical professionals, and policymakers.
therapy on diabetes outcomes. J Clin Periodontol. 2018;45:188–195. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12836.
3) Sanz M, Ceriello A, Buysschaert M, et al. Scientific evidence on the links between periodontal diseases
and diabetes: Consensus report and guidelines of the joint workshop on periodontal diseases and
diabetes by the International Diabetes Federation and the European Federation of Periodontology. J Clin
Periodontol. 2018;45:138–149. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12808. |
There was a photograph with a paragraph attached to it this past week in the paper about a hay fire in the area. The information indicated the cause of the fire appeared to be spontaneous combustion. Several students in the college’s agriculture program were curious exactly what the term spontaneous combustion meant and what caused it to happen. So what is spontaneous combustion and why does it happen to baled hay?
Spontaneous combustion can happen with a variety substances including hay bales, cotton, linseed oils, coal, and even under the right circumstance cow manure piles. The simple short definition is combustion occurring without an outside ignition source. So how does it happen?
• You need a substance with a relatively low ignition point (temperature) beginning to release heat. Normally this involves an oxidative process where you have moisture, oxygen, and often bacteria involved in a fermentation process and this generates heat.
• As the heat is generated, it is unable to dissipate (escape), especially if the material and/or storage method provide good thermal insulation. This results in rising temperatures in the material.
• As the process continues, the temperature rises above the ignition point.
• If enough oxygen, or other oxidative agent, is present along with enough fuel for the fire, combustion will take place and you end up with a fire.
It helps to remember that processes like fermentation and respiration occur so organisms can break down “food” for among other things energy. As sugars and more complex compounds are broken down several things happen including the release of energy in the form of heat as the molecules are broken down. Another product from these processes is water vapor. Think of what happens when you are in a close area, say a car and no fresh air is being circulated in. It doesn’t take long for the windows to fog up since we release water vapor every time we breathe. Now we have heat and we have rising moisture levels. So how do hay bales catch on fire spontaneously?
• Excessive heat is generated by bacteria fermenting hay and by the hay itself since plant cells continue to respire until the hay moisture levels fall below 20 percent as do bacteria and yeast.
• If this takes place in the field with unbaled hay, there should be no problem. The problem happens when baling, combined with the method of stacking/storing prevents the dissipation of the heat generated and allows moisture to be trapped.
• For most hay, once the internal bale temperature reaches on 180 – 190 degrees F a producer should be really concerned. It is advisable to move the bales before they get this hot and really suggested to at this temperature.
• Once that internal temperature reaches >210 degrees F, you should call the Fire Department before moving bales since moving them can provide more oxygen at this stage and bad things can happen quickly.
In a nutshell, how/why does this happen? Hay is baled when it is too wet or marginally wet. Then it is typically stacked and that further reduces heat dissipation. Usually this is more of a problem in the higher humidity regions as you move east from here and where hay is stored in an enclosed structure.
Ideally, you want to bale at an ideal moisture but sometimes that isn’t possible. One aid is the use of a preservative (there are several) that will inhibit mold and yeast growth. Another is to not tightly stack the bales or if you must, purchase something like a compost thermometer and monitor interior temperature and be ready to move bales. The most critical period is about two weeks after baling but combustion can occur for up to 60 days later.
With the scarcity and price of hay now, a small hay fire can mean pretty significant dollars. |
What types of cancer treatments are available?
Radiofrequency, Microwave and Cryoablation Therapy
Using our advanced imaging technology and skills, we can insert a small probe directly into tumors growing throughout the body such as in the lungs, kidneys, liver or bones. This only requires a small nick in the skin! We then can immediately destroy the tumors using heat or ice within minutes. The single procedure may be the only treatment required to cure you from the tumor(s). Other times, it may be used along with systemic chemotherapy, external beam radiation or surgery to bring you to better health.
The STAR™ Tumor Ablation System
Developed exclusively for treatment of metastatic spinal tumors, Drs. Dunfee and Kennedy will insert a small needle directly into the tumor(s) within the bone using their advanced image guided systems. The tumor is next "burned" using radiofrequency energy, destroying the cancerous tissue. Bone cement is next placed into the empty cavity to strengthen the bone and prevent any further fractures and/or pain.
Bland and Chemoembolization for Liver Cancers
A small tube ("catheter") is advanced under imaging guidance through the bloodstream into the liver. From there, the catheter is advanced to the blood vessels directly supplying the tumor. Drs. Dunfee and Kennedy then directly target the sites of cancer in the liver using small beads which slowly release chemotherapy several days after the procedure is completed. The chemotherapy targets the cancer directly, instead of being infused throughout the body. This will minimizes the unwanted side effects of chemotherapy, such as hair loss, nerve damage, and skin changes.
Radioembolization with Yttrium-90 (Therasphere® and SIRSphere)
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Yttrium-90 ("Y-90") radioembolization with BOTH Therasphere and SIR-spheres. The highly precise treatments deliver radiation directly to tumors in the liver using tiny glass or resin beads called microspheres. Radioembolization is used to treat tumors that begin in the liver or have spread to the liver (called "metastasis"). By administering the radiation source directly into the tumor(s) in the liver, we can use the maximum effect of radiation treatment with sparing of normal liver tissue. The treatment involves no surgical incision, just a small nick in the skin that does not have to be stitched closed, and has fewer side effects of traditional surgery. Most importantly, radioembolization is proven to extend the life of patients who suffer from liver cancer from months to years. |
Child Psychologist Ellen Braaten addressed the Independent Educational Consultants Association at its conference in Boston a couple weeks ago. Her topic: “The Curse of the Average Child.” She began the program describing a couple who had brought their daughter in for testing, “hoping” that some type of diagnosis would explain her lackluster grades. They were shocked at the outcome the therapist reported; their child was “perfectly normal. “ Perfectly average. Parents don’t enroll their children in just the right schools, provide an enriched home environment, and push the most impressive extra activities to be told their child is “perfectly normal!” As parents we all want to live in Garrison Keillor’s Lake Woebegone, “where all the children are above average.” We view intelligence as fixed and failure as negative. We offer praise based on external performance while hoping that our children will develop internal motivation.
The cost of that attitude, for our children and for their futures, can be high, according to Dr. Braaten. Children who feel they can’t meet their parents’ expectations are more prone to suicide. And overpraising even talented students can undermine motivation. Dr. Braaten suggested parents focus on encouragement rather than praise. Believe that your children are capable of improvement – in intelligence as much as in violin or soccer. Help them understand that they will never know their limits until they reach them and fail. According to Dr. Braaten, this is how children learn optimism and develop the internal motivation that can lead to success, even starting with the dreaded “average” label.
This optimism is needed more than ever as students approach the college admissions process. An “average” student in a college’s applicant pool may have a 3.8 GPA and a 33 ACT. A young adult will be better adjusted and happier if she can identify and rely on her strengths, while acknowledging and learning to work around her weaknesses. The student who cultivates this self-awareness will be able to communicate to colleges the singular combination of qualities that set him apart.
After all, most of us adults are average drivers, average spellers, average cooks. We read an average number of books and play an average game of ping-pong. But with luck, we have people in our lives who think we are special. And we are. And each student is, too – even if he’s average. |
US hypocrisy on human rights
The case of Colombia
18 September 1999
The Clinton administration justified its military onslaught against the people of Serbia with the claim that the massive bombing was motivated by concern over the violation of human rights in Kosovo. The State Department and the White House, backed by the American media, charged that the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was engaged in a Nazi-like campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Albanian majority in Kosovo.
The claim of humanitarian concern has been undermined by the events which have ensued in Kosovo since the Yugoslav surrender. Subsequent investigation has shown that Serb atrocities against the Albanians, while they did take place, were grossly exaggerated in order to provide a suitable pretext for war. Meanwhile the Albanian KLA has launched its own equally brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Serb minority, which has been largely expelled from Kosovo.
The claim of humanitarianism has been refuted from another source—in documents released by the American government itself, in the annual State Department review of human rights violations worldwide. In lengthy, country-by-country reports, the same agency which spearheaded the propaganda barrage against Yugoslavia details charges mass repression against many of the closest American allies.
These reports demonstrate irrefutably, out of its own mouth, that the American government is a well-informed, knowing collaborator in some of the worst atrocities being perpetrated against oppressed peoples around the world, arming and financing governments which engage in ethnic cleansing, the forced removal of the population of villages and entire regions, and mass murder.
We have selected four of these reports for careful review. All four countries—Turkey, Sri Lanka, Israel and Colombia—have governments considered friendly by Washington. As a result there will be no bombs dropped on their capital cities and no magazine covers with mug shots of their presidents, although the crimes committed by these regimes put Milosevic in the shade.
Colombia is strategically situated as the only South American country with coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The former Spanish colony has a population of 39 million and is nearly three times the size of Montana. The country is rich in natural resources such as petroleum (3.5 percent of the world's total), natural gas, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper and emeralds. It has 14 percent of the world's coal reserves.
Vast sections of these rich mineral resources are under the control of large multinationals such as Shell, Gulf, British Petroleum, Chevron, PetroCanada, Amoco and Occidental Petroleum. Any discovery on their behalf automatically gives the multinationals one-half ownership, while the Colombian government is restricted to purchasing the other half from them.
Colombia has been wracked by civil war over the last 40 years, with various governments fighting against thousands of guerrillas and, in doing so, financing and arming up to 500 right-wing paramilitary groups. Government and paramilitary forces openly collaborate and are indicted by the State Department report for responsibility in a widespread campaign of terror organized from the highest offices of the political, military and judicial establishments of Colombia. The "Colombia Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1998," was issued February 26, 1999 by the department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. The report says:
“The Government continued to face a serious challenge to its control over the national territory, as long standing and widespread internal armed conflict and rampant violence—both criminal and political—persisted. The principal participants were government security forces, paramilitary groups, guerrillas, and narcotics traffickers.
“In some locations on a few occasions the army attacked and captured members of illegal paramilitary groups; in others members of the security forces collaborated with such groups, and several general officers were under investigation during the year for arming and sharing intelligence with such groups. Although their record showed some improvement, the armed forces and the police committed numerous, serious violations of human rights throughout the year.
“The Government's human rights record remained poor; there was some improvement in several areas, but serious problems remain. Government forces continued to commit numerous, serious abuses, including extrajudicial killings, but at a level below that of previous years. The authorities rarely brought officers of the security forces and the police charged with human rights offenses to justice.”Mass killings, torture and forced displacements
The scale of the killing in Colombia dwarfs that in Kosovo, while the forced removal of people—almost entirely imposed by the government, not the guerrillas—is roughly equivalent. But there has been no government and press campaign to portray President Andres Pastrana as the "Hitler of the Andes." On the contrary, the American media has begun to give greater attention to Colombia as a country where the American military might have to intervene on the side of the government, not the insurgents. The State Department report continues:
“The National Institute for Forensic Medicine stated in a preliminary report that at least 19,665 murders occurred during the year ... a final homicide rate of 60 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. The police and the Prosecutor General's office have insufficient resources to investigate most killings adequately. In 1996 the Superior Council of the Judiciary reported that 74 percent of all crimes go unreported, and between 97 and 98 percent of all crimes go unpunished. The 1996 Government Commission on Public Spending placed the impunity rate for all crimes at 99.5 percent.
“The cycle of violence involving government forces, paramilitary groups, and guerrillas resulted in the deaths of 2,000 to 3,000 persons; according to one non governmental organization, during the first 9 months of the year in cases in which the perpetrator was identified credibly, government forces committed at least 21 extrajudicial killings in the context of the internal conflict and in other actions, paramilitary groups committed at least 573, and guerrillas at least 160. Violence and instability in rural areas displaced 300,000 civilians from their homes during the year, more than any other similar period during the past decade. The total number of internally displaced citizens during 1995-98 probably exceeded 750,000.”
The government of Pastrana's predecessor, Ernesto Samper, presided over the bulk of the forced displacements, while taking little responsibility for the subsequent suffering. According to the State Department, a Colombian government agency estimated that some 65 percent of these displacements became permanent:
"The Samper Government's response to the needs of the displaced population was inadequate, and by its own estimate reached only 10 percent of the displaced population. Most displaced citizens receiving government assistance received it for only 90 days. Conditions at the Government's two camps for displaced persons, at Pavarando and Turbo, were poor and unhygienic; health care is poor and there are few educational or employment opportunities.... Thousands of displaced persons also fled to Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela, where they usually were denied refugee status, treated as illegal immigrants, and denied protection or assistance."The role of the military
Colombia is the third largest foreign recipient of US military aid, after Israel and Egypt, despite a record of human rights violations by its military forces which even the State Department concedes is abysmal:
“The military judiciary convicted 76 security force members, including 3 police officers and 1 army officer, during the year, including some for human rights violations. Those courts convicted 29 of homicide, 41 of assault, 4 of deprivation of liberty, 1 of abuse of authority, and 1 of rape.
“However, the Ministry of Defense reported neither the nature of sentences in the 76 cases nor the circumstances of the crimes.... The Penal Code authorizes restriction to base as an acceptable substitute for imprisonment when military jails or prisons are unavailable."
The Colombian government has admitted its role in only a handful of the thousands of deaths perpetrated by soldiers and right-wing paramilitary squads:
“In July just before leaving office, President Samper publicly and formally recognized state responsibility for the deaths of some 50 citizens in 3 massacres and 2 extrajudicial killings that occurred during 1991-93.... Despite the President's statement, military courts had already absolved those army and police personnel investigated of any responsibility for the killings....
“The other 4 cases for which President Samper accepted state responsibility are the December 1991 massacre of 20 Paez Indians by the police at Caloto, Cauca; the November 1992 killing of 10 persons in Medellin's Villatina neighborhood by police officers; the April 1992 murders of Faride Herrera and Oscar Ivan Andrade by members of the army and the police; and the June 1993 killing of a youth, Roison Mora Rubiano, by members of the army.
"On March 31, an anonymous civil court judge sentenced five police and army officers.... The officers had been charged with terrorism and complicity in the November 1988 paramilitary massacre of a group of 49 people and the injury of 56 others.”
Colombian military personnel have received training in the United States or in US military schools in Panama. The United States has provided equipment to the Colombian military through the military assistance program and foreign military sales. During the period 1988-95, the United States provided approximately $691 million in assistance to Colombia. In 1996, US assistance totaled $73.9 million.The paramilitary death squads
It is estimated that up to 54 percent of forced displacement of civilians is due to the terror campaigns of paramilitary forces who alongside the Colombian military are responsible for social genocide. The State Department report gives details:
“Vigilante and paramilitary groups that engaged in 'social cleansing'—the killing of street children, prostitutes, homosexuals, and others deemed socially undesirable—continued to be a serious problem.... Throughout the country, paramilitary groups murdered, tortured, and threatened civilians suspected of sympathizing with guerrillas in an orchestrated campaign to terrorize them into fleeing their homes, thereby depriving guerrillas of civilian support....
“The paramilitary groups centered their actions in selective killings, intimidation, and the forced displacement of persons not directly involved in the hostilities. They targeted teachers, labor leaders, community activists, mayors, town council members, and peasants whom they accused of supporting the leftist guerrillas.
“Credible allegations of cooperation with paramilitary groups, including instances of both silent support and direct collaboration by members of the armed forces, in particular the army, continued. There were tacit arrangements between local military commanders and paramilitary groups in some regions, and paramilitary groups operated freely in some areas that were under military control. The authorities assigned two senior officers with links to paramilitary groups to top leadership positions.
“Paramilitary groups continued to target and kill judicial and criminal investigative employees for their efforts to enforce the rule of law ... the number of killings of Prosecutor General's office employees grew during the last 2 years to 30; in the Medellin office alone 7 were killed between January and June.... CINEP reported that paramilitary groups were responsible for 573 extrajudicial killings.
“On November 7, the authorities found the skeletons of 25 children in a common grave near Pereira, Risaralda department. Forensics experts concluded that the children had been murdered. Some observers speculated that the killings may have been the result of a social cleansing campaign."Torture and judicial frame-up
Like most countries, Colombia's constitution and laws prohibit torture. But these strictures have no effect on the conduct of the security forces when someone has the misfortune to fall into their hands as a "suspected" guerrilla or supporter of the guerrillas. The State Department report concedes: “reports of incidents of police and military torture or mistreatment of detainees continued. Of the 140 investigations of security force members completed by members of the human rights unit of the Attorney General's office between January and July, 108 investigations involved allegations of torture committed in previous years.
“The Office of the Attorney General received 119 complaints of torture during the year; they reported investigating 462 cases of torture committed by the police, DAS, army, prison officials, and other agents of the State between June 1995 to October 1996.”
A Colombian government investigation attributed 41 of 42 cases of murder to paramilitary groups. An independent non-governmental organization, CPDH, "reported that 5,429 persons were threatened with murder between January and June. The NGO reported that nearly half were public school teachers.”
Such is the barbaric state of the country's prison system that the La Modelo prison had the highest incidence of homicide of any “neighborhood” in Bogota, the country's capital. There were 150 murders in the country's 168 prisons during the year. According to the US State Department:
“Prison conditions are generally harsh.... Severe overcrowding, and dangerous sanitary and health conditions remained serious problems. In December 1997, a visiting IACHR mission declared that the living conditions in Bogota's La Picota prison constituted 'cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of the inmates.' According to the Committee for Solidarity with Political Prisoners, a majority of prisoners' food was provided by outside, private sources. The nation's 168 prisons and jails held nearly 45,000 inmates at year's end, 59 percent more than their planned capacity. In a number of the nation's largest prisons, the overcrowding was severe. Medellin's Bellavista prison, the nation's largest, was built to house 1,700 inmates; in December 1997 it housed more than 5,100 inmates. Bogota's La Modelo prison and the Palmira prison outside Cali both held more than 250 percent of their designed capacity.”
The judicial system not only protects the murderous activities of military and paramilitary forces, it is also weighed down by a civilian judiciary system that has a backlog of a staggering 3.5 million cases and 150,000 outstanding arrest warrants:
“The use of 'faceless' prosecutors, judges, and witnesses, under cover of anonymity for security reasons, continued in cases involving kidnapping, extortion, narcotics trafficking, terrorism, and in several hundred high profile cases involving human rights violations. Human rights groups accuse these courts of violating fundamental rights of due process, including the right to a public trial."
Trials involving charges against soldiers and officers are particularly liable to manipulation:
“The Superior Judicial Council assigned most cases involving high-level military personnel to the military courts, where convictions in human rights-related cases were the rare exception.... On October 1, the Superior Judicial Council determined that Brigadier General Fernando Millan Perez's alleged organization of a paramilitary group constituted an act of service and therefore turned General Millan's case over to the military judiciary for prosecution....
“In cases where military officers were tried, convicted, and sentenced for human rights violations, they generally did not serve out prison terms and in some cases remained on active military duty.”Freedom of speech and human rights
The Colombian authorities systematically intimidate and murder those in the media and human right's organizations that threaten to carry out any exposition of the government's abuse of civilians:
“Both Colombian and international journalists typically work in an atmosphere of threats and intimidation. Fearing for their safety, journalists often refrain from publishing or airing stories counter to the interests of paramilitary groups, guerrillas, or narcotics traffickers. Unknown assailants murdered at least 13 journalists during the year, although not all the murders apparently were related to the journalists' work.... According to Pais Libre, 16 journalists were kidnapped during the year. Most of the incidents appeared to have been related to journalists' work and aimed at intimidation."
“The human rights community came under intense pressure during the year. Human Rights Watch/Americas cited a 'shocking record' of killings of human rights defenders. Human rights monitors were subject to a systematic campaign of intimidation, harassment, and violence. Human Rights Watch also reported that 6 human rights defenders were killed in the first 10 months of the Year ... in addition, many human rights workers fled the country for their own safety."Trade unions and political parties
The brutal measures carried out by the Colombian military and the death squads are in the main directed against the working class and peasantry. The violent suppression of any form of opposition to the inhuman conditions faced by most is to ensure that the country's vast mineral resourses are freely exploited by the large landowners and multinational firms. The General Secretary of the Federation of Petroleum Workers, Pedro Galindo, claims that the country's largest private army, 5,000 forces, operates in the oil field controlled by the Texas Petroleum Company. The private army was trained by ex-officials of the Israeli and British armies who were contracted by a vice minister in the government. The narco-traffickers give them logistical help, and the government army gives the private army its weapons—all this occurs in a private field of Texaco.
“In May the International Labor Organization (ILO) expressed its serious concern at allegations of murders, forced disappearances, death threats, and other acts of violence against trade union officials and members. The ILO documented more than 300 murders of trade unionists during 1995-98. The ILO harshly criticized the Government for failing, since November 1996, to provide it with information on a single case of detention, trial, and conviction of anyone responsible for the murder of unionists ... more than 10 percent of all victims of politically motivated homicides during the year were public school teachers.”
“The Government has not addressed other ILO criticisms of the Labor Code. In 1993 the ILO had complained about the following provisions of the law: the requirement that government officials be present at assemblies convened to vote on a strike call; the legality of firing union organizers from jobs in their trades once 6 months have passed following a strike or dispute ... the prohibition of strikes in a wide range of public services that are not necessarily essential; various restrictions on the right to strike; the power of the Minister of Labor and the President to intervene in disputes through compulsory arbitration when a strike is declared illegal; and the power to dismiss trade union officers involved in an unlawful strike.”
“Labor leaders throughout the country continued to be targets of attacks by paramilitary groups, guerrillas, narcotics traffickers, and their own union rivals.... In December the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions announced in Geneva that at least 50 union members had been killed because of their union activities during 1998.”
The State Department's human rights report on Colombia is an indictment of successive governments that have utilized the ongoing civil war to carry out a campaign of murder and terror against the most impoverished sections of society. It is also an indictment of successive American governments which have served as paymasters, armorers and advisers to the rulers in Bogota.
In August 1997 President Clinton waived a 20-year ban on selling advanced weapons systems to Latin American countries, a restriction imposed by the Carter administration on the grounds of the rampant human rights violations in the region, where military dictatorships—installed with US backing—ruled in nearly every country. Clinton claimed that the restoration of civilian rule in the hemisphere meant an end to human rights abuses.
This decision has allowed the US to sell or license arms sales worth $440 million to the Colombian government, which uses these weapons against the civilian population in order to protect the strategic economic and political interests of the country's ruling elite and of the large transnational firms that dominate the economy. |
Begin with this premise: Newspaper journalism is structured around the packaged goods nature of news on print.
We have developed “news judgement” (how important a story is) based on our need to order news within the confines of a certain package size and design.
We developed inverted pyramids both to fit wire service needs and because the nature of the print package sometimes required stories to jump, so we wanted to get the news up top.
We developed certain professional standards related to the content of the story because with mass production, we essentially had only one chance to get the story right. We had to put a premium on accuracy and fair mindedness.
Because we had to reproduce the same package every day at a specific time, we developed highly structured organizations full of rules and rulers.
Because our product was write once, read everywhere, it was essential for us to acquire mass appeal, meaning we had to determine what the news was with little input from individual readers. Editors made decisions based on training and experience with the goal of producing a package that appealed to as many people as possible at one time.
Digital, distributed media, of course, changes all that. The new rules of the game are:
- The user is in control. They decided what, when, why, where and how to consume media.
- Users aren’t interested in our deadlines and desire to make sure we have the full story before publishing what we know. They want to know what we know when we know it. They want their news now.
- People want to participate. They want to talk back. They want to add to our stories, correct us and just spout off as need be with their own opinions.
We have decades and decades invested in doing things based on old rules. Now, the rules have changed, and newsrooms need to change as well. We need new attitudes and new cultures. This will only happen if individual journalists put forward the effort to change their minds about what their jobs are and how they do them
Here are twelve things journalist can do to help us recreate journalism for the 21st Century.
- Become a blogger. By this, I don’t necessarily mean “start a blog,” but that is never a bad idea. More importantly, become an avid blog reader. Blogs should be a daily routine for every dedicated journalist. They should read every blog related to their beats. They should read blogs about their own interests and hobbies. They should read blogs about their profession. To get blogging is to get how things have changed.
- Become a producer. Pick up a digital recorder, a point-and-shoot camera or a video camera and start producing content beyond text. Do this as part of your job, fine, or do it on your personal time. The goal is to understand DIY. Post stuff on YouTube, Flickr or any number of other UGC sites.
- Participate. As you read blogs, leave comments. If your newspaper.com has comments on stories, read the comments and add your own. Become known as somebody who converses on the Internet.
- Become web literate. You should know what Flash is, and how it differs from AJAX. You should know the meaning of things like HTML, RSS, XML, IP, HTTP and FTP. You should understand at least how people use applications and tools to build web sites. You should know the potential and the limitations of each.
- Use RSS. You need an RSS reader and lots of RSS feeds to consume. This will help you better grok distributed media.
- Shop online. Part of your goal is to become immersed in the digital lifestyle. You will learn stuff about the digital life if you shop on Amazon, Ebay and other ecommerce sites. As you do, think about how these sites work and why they’re set up as they are.
- Buy mobile devices. Get a video iPod. Get a smart phone (an iPhone, Treo, Helio Ocean or Nokia N-series are all good places to start). Learn about distributed, take-it with-you-anywhere content. Buy a laptop and tap into some free wi-fi while you’re out and about. Learn what digital life is like when you’re not shackled to a desktop machine.
- Become an avid consumer of digital content. Watch videos on YouTube. Download video and audio podcasts (take them with you on your iPod). Visit the best newspaper sites in the world and watch what they’re doing. Turn on your TV less and your computer more.
- Be a learner. Technology and culture is changing fast. You can’t keep up unless you’re dedicated to learning. I love this quote from Eric Hoffer because it is so appropriate to what our industry is going through now: “In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves beautifully equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.”
- Talk about what you’re learning with your co-workers. Be a change agent. Get other journalists excited about the new digital communication/media tools.
- Finally, read Journalism 2.0 (PDF) by Mark Briggs. You’ll learn about the stuff covered above and how it is changing modern journalism. Brigg’s book is the best primer on the topic you will find.
Quality journalism, and the news organizations that finance it, needs individual journalists to become personally responsible for their own role in changing newsroom cultures and practices. The smartest publishers with the greatest strategic plans (even if they had bottomless buckets of cash to execute on all the best ideas) can’t save news organizations without the concerted support of individual journalists.
One last bit of advice: Don’t wait for a boss to tell you to become a learner and an explorer. Your job is just where you collect your paycheck. You career is what you do. Your boss isn’t responsible for your career. You are. Solely. Don’t wait on others to make changes. Start making changes now for your own benefit. It’s great if your employer benefits from your growth, but you will benefit more. |
There is “a large group of people who feel that they no longer have any effective stake or a just share in a particular system of economic or social relations aren’t going to feel any obligation to defend that system when it faces a crisis, or any sense even of belonging within it.” Scott Preston writes about this in Panem et Circenses.
When people feel disenfranchised and disinvested, disengaged and divided, they are forced to fall back on other identities or else to feel isolated. In either case, radicalization can follow. And if not radicalization, people can simply begin acting strangely, desperately, and aggressively, sometimes violently as they react to each new stressor and lash out at perceived threats (see Keith Paynes’ The Broken Ladder, as written about in my posts Inequality Means No Center to Moderate Toward, On Conflict and Stupidity, Class Anxiety of Privilege Denied, Connecting the Dots of Violence, & Inequality in the Anthropocene).
We see this loss of trust in so many ways. As inequality goes up, so do the rates of social problems, from homicides to child abuse, from censorship to police brutality. The public becomes more outraged and the ruling elite become more authoritarian. But it’s the public that concerns me, as I’m not part of the ruling elite nor aspire to be. The public has lost faith in government, corporations, media, and increasingly the healthcare system as well — nearly all of the major institutions that hold together the social fabric. A society can’t survive long under these conditions. Sure, a society can turn toward the overtly authoritarian as China is doing, but even that requires public trust that the government in some basic sense has the public good or national interest in mind.
Then again, American society has been resilient up to this point. This isn’t the first time that the social order began fracturing. On more than one occasion, the ruling elite lost control of the narrative and almost entirely lost control of the reigns of power. The US has a long history of revolts, often large-scale and violent, that started as soon as the country was founded (Shays’ Rebellion, Whiskey Rebellion, etc; see Spirit of ’76 & The Fight For Freedom Is the Fight To Exist: Independence and Interdependence). In their abject fear, look at how the ruling elite treated the Bonus Army. And veterans were to be feared. Black veterans came back from WWI with their guns still in their possession and they violently fought back against their oppressors. And after WWII, veterans rose up against corrupt local governments, in one case using military weapons to shoot up the courthouse (e.g., 1946 Battle of Athens).
The public losing trust in authority figures and institutions of power is not to be taken lightly. That is even more true with a country founded on revolution and that soon after fell into civil war. As with Shays’ Rebellion, the American Civil War was a continuation of the American Revolution. The cracks in the foundation remain, the issues unresolved. This has been a particular concern for the American oligarchs and plutocrats this past century, as mass uprisings and coups overturned numerous societies around the world. The key factor, though, is what Americans will do. Patriotic indoctrination can only go so far. Where will people turn to for meaningful identities that are relevant to survival in an ever more harsh and punishing society, as stress and uncertainty continues to rise?
Even if the American public doesn’t turn against the system any time soon, when it comes under attack they might not feel in the mood to sacrifice themselves to defend it. Societies can collapse from revolt, but they can more easily collapse from indifference and apathy, a slow erosion of trust. “Not with a bang but with a whimper.” But maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. It’s better than some of the alternatives. And it would be an opportunity for reinvention, for new identities.
7/26/19 – An interesting thing is that the oligarchs are so unconcerned. They see this situation as a good thing, as an opportunity. Everything is an opportunity to the opportunist and disaster capitalism is one endless opportunity for those who lack a soul.
They aren’t seeking to re-create early 20th century fascism. The loss of national identities is not an issue for them, even as they exploit and manipulate patriotism. Meanwhile, their own identities and source of power has been offshored in a new form of extra-national governance, a deep state beyond all states. They are citizens of nowhere and the rest of us are left holding the bag.
It’s not that old identities are merely dying. There are those seeking to snuff them out, to put them out of their misery. The ruling elite are decimating what holds society together. But in their own demented way, maybe they are unintentionally freeing us to become something else. They have the upper hand for the moment, but moments don’t last long. Even they realize disaster capitalism can’t be maintained. It’s why they constantly dream of somewhere to escape, whether on international waters or space colonies. Everyone is looking for a new identity. That isn’t to say all potential new identities will serve us well.
All of this is a strange scenario. And most people are simply lost. As old identities loosen, we lose our bearings, even or especially among the best of us. It is disorienting, another thing Scott Preston has been writing a lot about lately (Our Mental Meltdown: Mind in Dissolution). The modern self is splintering and this creates all kinds of self-deception and self-contradiction. As Preston puts often it, “the duplicity of our times — the double-think, the double-speak, the double-standards, and the double-bind” (Age of Revolutions). But don’t worry. The oligarchs too will find themselves caught in their own traps. Their fantasies of control are only that, fantasies. |
Where Does Your Health Insurance Premium Go?
AHIP, the trade association for health insurers, has a nifty infographic answering the question: “Where does your premium dollar go?”
Obviously designed to defray accusations that health insurers earn too much profit, the infographic shows “net margin: of only three percent. A full 80 percent of our premium dollar goes to paying medical, hospital, and prescription claims.”
Fair enough. However, the elephant in the infographic is the 18 percent of premium that goes to “operating costs.” Lest you think that’s a synonym for “overhead” or “bureaucracy,” AHIP helpfully explains: “Operating costs include consumer-centric activities such as communicating with members, running customer service operations, quality reviews, and data analysis, among other activities.”
Well, readers have to judge how “consumer-centric” those operations are.
In 2015, average premium for a single worker in an employer-based plan was $6,251. So, $1,125 of that contributed to the insurer’s “operating costs.” How much health spending did the average insured person in an employer-based plan incur? $5,141, of which $813 was out of pocket. In other words, insurers’ “operating costs” added 22 percent to actual spending on health care.
Let’s compare this to auto insurance. For a sedan, annual cost of ownership amounts to $8,558 for a sedan, including $1,222 insurance. So, operating costs (excluding insurance premium) are $7,336 – 43 percent more than average annual health spending for someone in an employer-based plan. Yet, the entire premium of auto insurance is less than the operating cost buried in the premium of health insurance!
The reason? We do not expect auto insurance to cover almost every penny of spending we incur every year to run our cars. If only that were true of health insurance.
The real question is not where our health insurance premium dollars go, but how much of our health dollars go to premiums. |
FASHION JOBS YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED.
BEHIND THE FASHION WORLD
Most people assume that the fashion industry only really consists of fashion designers and stylists, but in actuality, fashion designers and stylists represent a very small portion of the fashion industry. The fashion industry is like a very large tree with large branches that spread from the larger trunk of the tree. Although the fashion industry has a very simple and specific purpose, to sell and promote fashion items, there are many different elements that go into creating and supporting that purpose.
The fashion industry can be divided into three main categories which create the whole: creative, technical, and logistical. These three facets are where most of the fashion jobs fall under, and are necessary to the success of the industry as a whole. Although the fashion industry starts with a design, the design is just the first step in a very long process, which involves many different people, until that first design is actualized. Many of the people who are responsible for helping the production of fashion goods will never be recognized, or credited for the creation of those materials but are as fundamental as the designer who created the initial designs. Today we pay tribute to some of these fashion heroes that fall behind the curtain, but who are as important as those in front of it.
The creative category of the fashion industry is vast and involves many different processes throughout the development of a fashion item. It begins with the designer who conceptualizes a piece. Although most people believe that the designer does everything within the design of a piece, really the designer usually just thinks up the design (although some designers don’t even do their own sketches), and then has their creative team (seamstresses, tailors, patternmakers) develop the actual sample. When a designer wants to add a print to their design most fashion designers employ the help of a Print Designer.
– Print Designer:
Although fashion designers know the essentials of creating a garment, many don’t know how to create prints. Print design is very difficult to do because it involves proportions, and symmetry, which isn’t easy to correlate. Print Designer’s skills are a mixture of graphic designer, fashion designer, and chemist. They must have a good knowledge of colour, proportions, and textures while also having knowledge in the chemical and technical processes to make a print that is wearable, and durable.
A print designer’s job usually begins with a fashion designer describing a print they would like to interpret for a fashion line. The designer will describe a print, show inspirational images and colours, and the print maker will then produce a sample, which will either be kept or modified. Other print designers just create their own textiles that are either bought by designers, or fabric companies. Large fashion design companies have print designers in-house and even sell their own prints at wholesale.
Throughout the large tree that is the fashion industry, you will see that many of the branches overlap. Some of the jobs that require technical skills also require creative skills as well. The technical sector of the fashion industry can encapsulate many things from the use of necessary technology for design and show production, as well as the organization of designs and fashion shows. Two jobs that fall under this category are the Runway Sound Designer, and Head Dresser.
– Runway Sound Designer:
Runway Sound Designer is one of the jobs that require both technical and creative skills. Unlike most of the jobs in the fashion industry that require education within the fashion sector, Runway Sound Designers usually are trained and educated in the audio production field, require skills in sound editing, and audio engineering. Runway Sound Designers work very closely with fashion designers to create the perfect audio environment for the collection. Along with creating the perfect audio mix for the show, Runway Sound Designers also work on audio cues, and transitions for a change in theme or design. Sound is very important to a fashion show because it completes the message the fashion designer is trying to convey to the audience. Sound helps create a mood, for the audience, models and the designs coming down the runway.
– Head Dresser:
One of the most important jobs in a fashion show production is the role of head dresser. Although head dressers don’t usually need a degree to work, they must have a number of different skills to perform the job correctly, and usually mounds of experience to reach the head dresser position. Head dressers are responsible for organizing models into position, making sure models are dressed appropriately and timely, and for maintaining the models perfect appearance to walk the runway. Head dressers are usually managing a group of dressers who are responsible for dressing the models in the designer’s garments. Head dressers are extremely organized, are good at multitasking, have excellent time management and communication skills. Most head dressers are usually either in design school, or have graduated in fashion show production.
Head dressers are fundamental to a fashion show because they are not only responsible for the appearance of the models but for their cues to enter the runway, and transitioning them into outfit changes within very limited time frames. A head dresser can make or break a fashion show, and that is why they are one of the most valuable members of a fashion production team.
Logistics is a very large segment of the fashion industry and refers to all operations dealing with the business sector of the fashion industry; this includes the production and manufacturing of fashion goods, marketing and advertising, and coordinating personnel. Pretty much, logistics is everything that is necessary to keep the business running smoothly. One important element to a successful business is excellent communication. Communication can be difficult in this global market when much of the production is outsourced to other countries, and when fashion is expanding to new global markets. Due to the new global marketplace that we live in today, translators are becoming common amongst the jobs in the fashion industry. Translators are used in many different sectors of communication in the fashion industry, whether it is communication between factory and manufacturing directors, or amongst designers and foreign design teams. Translators help facilitate communication amongst foreign speaking members of the fashion industry so that there is no miscommunication within the dialogue so that collaboration can continue.
Within the large business that is the fashion industry, there are some jobs that require creative, technical, and logistical skills. These jobs fall within their own categories, and require skills in all sectors of the fashion industry.
One such job that seems to be under its own sector is trend forecasting. Most people think the fashion industry starts with a design, and technically it does, but what comes before the design is trends. Trend forecasters are like investors, they predict future trends based on the financial, social, and political environment for a particular time, or zeitgeist. Trend forecasting is one of the highest jobs on the fashion industry hierarchy to obtain. Trend forecasters are highly regarded and must be extremely knowledgeable about all elements of fashion, as well as the world itself. Trend forecasters usually are educated within the fashion industry, emphasizing their education on creating and interpreting trends. Most fashion companies have in-house trend forecasting departments, but others enlist the help of trend forecasting companies, such as Carlin, Nelly Rodi, Peclers, and the Doneger Group. These forecasting groups are paid highly for their consumer knowledge by fashion companies, as well as companies from other industries such as auto and furnishing.
Trend forecasters are really the people setting the trends by interpreting the current and future environments, and how it will affect the future of consumer behaviour.
The fashion industry isn’t as simple as it may seem, like other large industries, such as the tech and film industry, there are many branches that support the fashion industry that is invisible to the naked eye. Print designers, runway sound designers, dressers, translators, and trend forecasters are all necessary to the success of the fashion industry, even though their names do not appear on the labels. These jobs and many more not listed today are what really make up the fashion industry. It may have started with one, but from pen and paper to rack, it took many. |
The title is a statement by Jean Paul Sartre that heads a section in Chapter 7 of James C. Scott’s wonderful book “Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed”, Yale University Press, 1998. One may ask what a book published as part of the Yale Agrarian Studies has to do with electronic government or even government but as Scott states on page 6 in the Introduction it is “a case against an imperial or hegemonic planning mentality that excludes the necessary role of local knowledge and know-how”. Despite all the promises to the contrary this is still the behaviour of most governments and a majority of politicians. The book looks at many and varied examples of central planning including the USSR, Brasilia along with providing an ecological view of agricultural methods that haven’t worked and explaining why, but is as appropriate to those working in ICT, policy or politics as directly in the environment.
If nothing else and even if they can’t be bothered to read the 357 pages of the book I would ask those considering any project to make a note of the four ‘rules of thumb’ stated in the Conclusion on page 345 – take small steps, favour reversibility, plan on surprises and plan on human inventiveness. |
This week seems like a perfect week to write about the dandelion. It will soon be sprouting fresh leaves and sunny yellow flowers. I love it when dandelions coat lawns in yellow, then I know it is spring! While it is a little early for eating the leaves and flowers, the root is still around over the winter, and can be dug when the ground isn’t frozen, or possibly obtained from your local herb/ health food store. It is also fresh dandelion leaf season in the produce department I work in, which is one of the ways I was inspired in my choice of plant for this week.
A common hardy plant, dandelion can be found growing in lawns, fields, even sidewalk cracks. The name dandelion comes from the French term for “tooth of the lion,” from the appearance of the edge of its leaves. It is a very nutritious plant that is well suited for use as a spring tonic. It does have a bitter taste, more so as the leaves grow older- bitter tasting plants are often good for digestion and for the liver, which dandelion is.
James A. Duke, Ph. D., recommends dandelion for liver problems in his book The Green Pharmacy:
“”Dandelion root heads the list of excellent foods for the liver,” Writes herbal pharmacologist Daniel Mowry, Ph. D., author of The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine and Herbal Tonic Therapies. The leaves are diuretic, meaning that they help flush excess water from the body. And the roots have been used for centuries to treat jaundice, the yellowing of the skin that occurs as a result of a seriously malfunctioning liver.
I recommend using both the leaves and the flowers. Dandelion flowers are well- endowed with lecithin, a nutrient that has been proven useful in various liver ailments.
Since dandelion is a plant food, I suggest steaming the leaves and flowers like spinach and eating a lot of this delicious vegetable. If you don’t care for the bitter taste, herb shops and health food stores sell capsules and tinctures. Follow the package directions.”
Here are some suggestions for ways to eat this wonderful plant, as written in the Peterson Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants by Lee Allen Peterson:
“The young leaves, gathered before the flowers appear, can be added to salads or boiled for 5- 10 min. Although the entire leaf can be used, the blanched part just below soil level is best. Gathered when they are still tucked down in the rosette of leaves, the young flowerbuds can be either boiled for several minutes and served with butter, or pickled. The flowers are excellent dipped in batter and fried. To make a delicious coffeelike beverage, bake the roots in a slow oven until brown and brittle, grind, and perk like commercial coffee. Leaves rich in vitamin A.”
With their diuretic and bitter tonic actions, dandelions have been traditionally used for “liver, gallbladder, kidney and bladder ailments”, according to the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern/ Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke. They also note that “Leaves and flowers are rich in vitamins A and C.” They add a warning that “Contact dermatitis” has been “reported from handling the plant, caused by latex in stems and leaves.”
According to The Yoga of Herbs by Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad, dandelion is “specific for problems of the breast and mammary glands, breast sores, tumors, cysts, suppression of lactation, and swollen lymph glands.” They also say it is “good for detoxification from a meat diet and over- eating of fatty and fried foods.”
In Tom Brown, Jr.’s book Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants, he writes this about the medicinal qualities of the dandelion:
“The dandelion is one of the great all- around medicinals for maintaining good health when used as a tonic. A tonic is made by steeping a small palmful of leaves in one cup of hot water. Take one- half cup in the morning and one- half cup in the evening. Milder tonics can be made from the dried young leaves. A stronger tonic can be made from the young, green leaves. Stronger tonics also have stimulant and diuretic properties. The mild teas aid in digestion and sometimes relieve stomach cramps. Dandelion leaves are also very high in vitamin A. When added to salads, they make a great health food.”
In case you may still be thinking of the dandelion as a weed, this is the previous paragraph of the same book:
“Dandelion is a good friend to the survivalist and a beautiful addition to the bouquet of wildflowers covering the earth. It is not a common weed, as most lawn owners will suggest, but a welcome addition to the beauty of the land, our health, and our tables. There is no such thing as a weed, just people’s weedy misconception of life[,] creatures and how they fit into society’s world.” |
I have bemoaned the lack of a neuroscience blogosphere before. Neuroscience blogs exist as independent fiefdoms, rarely responding to one another. And if we were to cut out the cognitive and psychological sides of neuroscience, the field of blogs would be more like a field of half-grown trees cut down and abandoned, with only a rare leaf or two peaking out of the desiccation.
So in the interests of navel-gazing, it is interesting to think about a post from DynamicEcology (Blogs are dying; long live science blogs):
The classic blog is “the unedited voice of an author”, who thinks out loud over an extended period of time and carries on an open-ended conversation with readers who like that author enough to read a significant fraction of his or her posts. That turns out to be a poor way to make money compared to the alternatives, which is a big reason blogs as a whole are dying. Another reason blogs as a whole are dying is that some of things they used to be for are better done via other means (e.g., Twitter for sharing links, various apps for sharing photos and videos). A third reason is that not that many people actually want to blog…
Fortunately, most of the reasons why blogs as a whole are dying don’t apply to science blogs written by academics. Academic scientists have day jobs that often pay pretty well, and tenured ones have as much job security as anyone ever does. Academics don’t need to make money from blogs, they can do it for real but intangible rewards…
So how come there’s no ecology blogosphere? And how come many ecology blogs either have died or post much less often than they used to (e.g., Just Simple Enough*, Jabberwocky Ecology)? And how come new ecology blogs are so scarce, and mostly peter out after only a few posts without ever building much of an audience? Not that you’d expect most ecologists to blog, but so few puzzles me a little. And it’s not just a puzzle for ecology, since there’s no blogosphere worthy of the name for any scholarly field except economics
But Paige Brown Jarreau actually studies this and is writing a dissertation on this. Here is what she has to say:
Many science bloggers I interviewed and surveyed talked about their blogs today as a place for extended thoughts from Twitter and other “faster” social media streams. According to my dissertation data, academics and science writers alike continue to use their blogs…
– as a home for their writing
– as a portfolio
– as a place to be able to write without strict editorial oversight
– as a place to stick extras that don’t fit elsewhere, either in the academic publishing world or in the larger science content ecosystem
– as a place for opinion, interpretation, analysis and curation
– as a place to cover in depth the stories and scientific papers not being covered by the media (what I call Ecosystem Blogging, or covering what’s missing from the existing content ecosystem)
– as a place to add context missing from news and social media
And here is her fantastic network diagram of how blogs are linked (I have a small little dot in between the neuroscience blogs and the ecology blogs, ironically):
I only started blogging something like a year or two ago so I certainly couldn’t tell you if blogs are dying or growing or changing or what. Things seem pretty much the same to me. There are a lot of blogs about science and science culture; there are a lot of blogs explaining science to a lay audience; there are a few blogs that discusses the science at a professional level. But I know that there is demand for it; every conference I go to, I meet people who read my blog.
But we can’t pretend that the community isn’t fragmenting in strange ways. Last week, I posted one of my intermittent Monday Open Questions. It got 0 comments on my blog. However! It go comments on Google+ and tons on Twitter. There was a lot of discussion – it just routed around my blog. Blogs aren’t hubs for discussion and interaction they are the start of the conversation.
I always find it a bit of a shame because it is hard to make everything accessible to a large audience. I know there are people who read this blog through my RSS feed, and who read it through G+, and who read it through Twitter, and who just come to it every so often. And they are going to have very different experiences with it.
(As an addendum: it would be quite nice if there was a way to automatically grab responses to specific blog posts on twitter/G+ and embed them in the comments section.) |
Osteoarthritis is a condition that develops when the protective cartilage that cushions the bones wears down.
The damage to the joints can’t be reversed, but symptoms can be managed.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Signs of the condition include:
- Pain in the joints in the hands, knees, hips or spine
- Inability to move the joint through its full range of motion
- Joint stiffness that is most severe when waking up or moving after being inactive
- Tenderness in the joints
- Bone spurs forming around the affected joint
- Grating sensation, popping or crackling when using the joint
Risk Factors of Osteoarthritis
Certain individuals may be at greater risk of developing osteoarthritis if they:
- Are older
- Are female
- Are obese (increased weight adds stress to weight-bearing joints; fat tissue produces proteins that can lead to inflammation)
- Have joint injuries
- Have a genetic predisposition
- Have certain metabolic diseases
- Make repetitive motions that place repetitive stress on the joints
- Were born with malformed joints or defective cartilage
Patients experiencing symptoms should schedule an appointment with their primary physician. During the initial visit, the doctor will check the affected joint for tenderness, redness, swelling, and flexibility. The doctor will recommend obtaining an X-ray and MRI of the affected joint to get a better picture of the damage.
An MRI may be useful in complex cases and provide more detailed images of bone and soft tissues.
Blood tests and joint fluid analysis may also be necessary to rule out other causes of joint pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or an infection.
Though osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, certain treatments can improve a patient’s mobility and alleviate pain.
Patients may take acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve pain. Stronger NSAIDs will require a prescription.
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is an antidepressant but can also be used to treat chronic pain, including osteoarthritis pain.
Physical therapy can help patients strengthen the muscles near the affected joints, increase their flexibility and reduce pain. Patients can also engage in regular exercise on their own, such as swimming or walking.
Occupational therapy can teach patients how to perform everyday tasks without putting extra stress on their joints. The exercises will be tailored to each patient’s unique condition and needs.
Knee Intra-Articular Injections
If medication and therapy fail to provide sufficient pain relief, the patient’s physician may recommend knee intra-articular injections.
The risks of knee intra-articular injections are rare, but may include bruising, swelling, infection, skin irritation, allergic reaction to the medicine, bleeding in the joint or weakness in the leg.
What to Expect During a Knee Intra-Articular Injection Procedure
The procedure begins with the physician cleansing the injection site with an antiseptic. The physician will use ultrasonic guidance to ensure the needle is inserted in the correct place. Once the needle is correctly positioned, the local anesthetic and steroid will be injected.
Patients may receive up to three or four injections per year. |
HOW DID THE INQUIRY COME ABOUT?
Since the early days of the first urban aerial spraying programme against the White spotted Tussock Moth in the eastern suburbs of Auckland in 1996, and the subsequent subject of this Inquiry, the Painted Apple Moth, there has been a consistent pattern of failing to hear the voice of the people being sprayed.
Their concerns and experience, particularly the adverse health effects, have been trivialised and dismissed and even basic human rights denied. Dissenting opinions within the scientific, medical and political fields on operational aspects of the government-conducted eradication campaigns have also been sidelined or silenced.
In spite of a number of community studies and reports over the years detailing these concerns, all requests to the Government for an official review or inquiry into the impacts and effects of the aerial spraying have been denied. The community decided the only option was to hold its own People’s Inquiry.
WHO RAN THE PEOPLE’S INQUIRY?
The People’s Inquiry was co-ordinated by a Steering Committee of members from the PAM (Painted Apple Moth) Community Network. The PAM community Network comprised representatives from nine community groups actively involved in the six year PAM eradication campaign.
WHAT DID THE INQUIRY CONSIDER?
This innovative and groundbreaking community Inquiry considered the impacts of urban aerial spraying programmes from a community perspective. It was heard in front of four commissioners of national and international standing with expertise in the areas of pesticide and chemical effects on human health, human rights, social, community and ecological impacts.
WHO DID IT HEAR?
The Inquiry considered information presented to it by members of the affected community, and community health workers and advocates who have been involved in the Painted Apple Moth programme. It also considered information from the community affected by the White Spotted Tussock Moth and Asian Gypsy Moth campaigns, and scientists and health personnel who come from, or contributed to, a community perspective.
HOW WAS IT FUNDED?
The Inquiry was entirely funded by the community and supporting individuals, groups, organizations and businesses. With a basic budget of $20,000 this target was achieved shortly before the Inquiry was held. The unswerving support of the Waitakere City Council and the free use of their Council chambers for the five days of hearings made it all possible on such a tight budget.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE INQUIRY?
The Inquiry Report & Recommendations was published in November 2007 and presented to the community and supporters in Waitakere.
Although many of the twenty seven recommendations from the Commissioners were forward looking, proactive advice, to the best of our knowledge none of them have been considered or implemented by the Government.
One month later in December 2007 the four year investigation by the Ombudsman was published, reaching the same basic conclusions as the Commissioners. The Government’s response via its Biosecurity Minister was that it was unlikely that any of the Ombudsman’s recommendations would be implemented. This would prove correct. Eighteen months later in June 2009 the Ombudsman conceded defeat, writing that where an agency decides not to implement an Ombudsman’s recommendations, “there is little more to be done than report the matter to Parliament”. Of greatest concern was the rejection of his recommendations about further human health research.
Whilst aerial spraying of urban areas has not recurred in New Zealand, overseas they still continue. Requests for information continue to come in on our experience and of the Btk-based pesticide used here which continues to be used for control programmes in both Canada and the USA. Where we can we provide reports and submissions.
A continuing project is to investigate and document a model for other communities to set up their own inquiries. To be continued. |
A sublime and superlative quarter of contrasts
This June’s OED update is based mainly around some 2,500 SUB- and SUPER- words. Generally speaking, the SUPER- words are upbeat, and the SUB- words are downbeat, or at least concerned with existing or going under or downwards. Both prefixes are derived from Latin, and so almost all of the words in the update range derive from Latin or the later Romance languages. This means that very few of them are found in (Germanic) Old English; SUB- and SUPER- words take off properly in the Middle Ages.
But there’s a twist. Their developmental profile runs more or less in parallel for four hundred years or so. But then, in the seventeenth century, SUB- suddenly starts to become more productive. The pattern seems to become more marked in the eighteenth century, and comes to its climax in the nineteenth century, when over 1,400 new SUB- words are found, in contrast to only 700 SUPER- ones.
It turns out, though, that SUB- had peaked too early. From a high point of 1,400 new SUB- words in the nineteenth century, the rate fell back down to 430 in the twentieth century. As for SUPER-, its graph is more stable into the twentieth century, dropping only from 700 new items to 620.
Does this tell us anything about our society over the last century? Are we more optimistic today; or do we grasp for superlatives too readily?
Here are some of the words from the two categories which have been revised in the current update:
subarctic, subculture, subdivision, subject, subjunctive, (the bright) sublime, submarine, submerge, submission, subordinate, subscribe, subservient, subsidiary, submit, substance, substantive, substitute, subtle, subvert, and subway;
superabundant, superannuate, supercharge, supercilious, supercool, superficial, superhero, superintend, superior, superlative, supermarket, supernatural, supersede, supersonic, superstructure, and supervise.
Super-injunctions and the OED
One of the most recent SUPER- words to make it into the OED is super-injunction. Here is a word that has been in the British news continually (it seems) this year, as celebrities attempt to obtain gagging orders preventing the disclosure of personal information. At the OED, we don’t include new entries until we have determined that they have really found their feet in the language, so it might seem odd to see super-injunction in this release However, as it turns out, we have already lived through that cooling-off period. Once the OED’s researchers got on to the trail of super-injunction we found evidence for it back in 1997. And this shows the wisdom of watching and waiting: when the word was first used in English, it related to a Community Service Order restricting the movement of certain categories of people. As words do, this word broadened its use over the years, and it wasn’t long before the super-injunction was being used by celebrities to restrict the movement of (apparent) facts about them.
New words are often older than we think; and they often shift before they find a more settled place in the language – hence the value of watching and waiting, rather than rushing to judgement.
Super– productivity and American politics
And where else can we observe the onward movement of SUPER-? It has been a particularly productive prefix in American political language in 2012: topical words like super PAC, supermajority, and superdelegate. Again, research took them back to the point where they can be regarded as recent history – and so eligible to join Super Tuesday in the OED.
Following on from the political posturings of SUPER-, we are finding that new words arise – or are reinforced in their existence – through comic books. We already have superman and superwoman (not least thanks, historically, to Nietzsche, Bernard Shaw, and Shirley Conran). But the twentieth-century comic-book heroes are giving these older words a new force, and are probably influencing recent formations such as supermom and supermum, supervillain, superbaby, superkid, and superhunk. But these all have their own history. Look at superkid, in Life magazine of 1909:
There was a little superman
Who had a superwife,
And started out with the intent
To lead a superlife.
In time they had a superkid. [Etc., etc.]
Down and out amongst the updated entries
What can we tell about the older SUB- and SUPER- words that are now going through their first full update for one hundred years?
Sometimes we notice that we are using words which we didn’t know ten years ago, but which are now all around us. That used to happen in the past, too. Back in the mid eighteenth century no one was familiar with the verb to subsidize. The unrevised OED entry suggests that the word and its derivatives are really early-nineteenth century creations. We find this chronology:
||Date of first use|
Realistically, this table does not make sense. There is a noticeable lack of documentary evidence for the word and its derivatives. The old ‘facts’ seem to show only late eighteenth-century use for the verb to subsidize, then the noun subsidizing making its first appearance in 1817, before a gap until the 1870s and 1880s for the other related derivatives – which one might expect to appear at much the same time as the original verb.
In fact, modern documentary evidence shows that although no one seems to have known the verb subsidize before 1750, it emerged quite rapidly in the 1750s, with only the agent noun subsidizer recorded later, in the 1790s. The new table looks like this:
|Updated entries||Date of first use||Former date of first use
This then leads a historical lexicographer, or indeed anyone with an interest in language history, to ask why the word subsidize splashed on to the scene in the 1750s. It would appear from the early references that it was first applied in the sphere of politics and the military: you would ‘subsidize’ or pay money to a foreign country for the provision of military assistance, or you might ‘subsidize’ mercenary troops to provide fighting power. Lexical information suggests that the word perhaps came to prominence with reference to news about the War of the Austrian Succession in the mid eighteenth century.
While subsidize is an example of a word that seems to have made its mark quickly subsidy itself was a much slower burner. The word was borrowed into English from French in the Middle Ages, first in a general sense (‘help, aid’) and then in a more specific sense (‘a tax levied on imports and exports’).
An interesting development is in the secondary information on how the type of tax levied on imports and exports since the Middle Ages has changed. In the fifteenth century the subsidy was normally a tax levied on cloth, wool leather, and skins. During the Tudor period it became a tax on movables (any kind of property that was not ‘fixed’), and at the end of the seventeenth century the rates were increased and the old ‘subsidy’ became known as the ‘New Subsidy’. So here we have a case not of sudden change, but of slow, evolutionary and incremental lexical change keeping pace with the changes in society over centuries, here recorded by means of a note in the entry.
The universe of retcons
Meanwhile we have kept our binoculars on new words creeping into the language elsewhere. For example, ‘retroactive continuity’ (or ‘retcon’) is narrative continuity which takes into account new facts which alter the previous storyline: much the same as new material for subsidize alters the way we must interpret the word over time. Retcon (the short form) dates from at least 1989; the full form is recorded from 1983.
Around the same time we have the emergence of new words created by adding –verse (snapped off from universe), to create a new type of universe of the type suggested by the first element (docuverse, nerdiverse, the [Harry] Potterverse). For the first of these (docuverse/document universe) it seems we have to thank T. H. Nelson, whose prolificality has previously supplied us with hypertext. |
05 Oct Animal Vs Plant Protein
Did you realise that about 20% of the human body is made up of protein?
Because your body doesn’t store protein, it’s important to get enough from your diet each day.
You can get protein from many food sources, including plants and animals.
Some people claim that the source of the protein, whether animal or plant, shouldn’t matter.
Others suggest that plant protein is superior to animal protein.
The Amino Acid Profile Varies Between Plant and Animal Proteins
When eaten, protein is broken down into amino acids.
Proteins and amino acids are used for almost every metabolic process in the body.
However, different proteins can vary greatly in the types of amino acids they contain.
While animal proteins tend to contain a good balance of all the amino acids that we need, some plant proteins are low in certain amino acids.
However, in the end, all proteins are made up of amino acids, although the amount and type of each amino acid vary based on the protein source.
Animal Vs Plant Protein – Animal Proteins Are Complete, But Plant Proteins Are Not
In total, there are around 20 amino acids that the human body uses to build proteins.
These amino acids are classified as either essential or non-essential.
Your body can produce non-essential amino acids. However, it cannot produce essential amino acids, which need to be obtained through your diet.
For optimal health, your body needs all the essential amino acids in the right portions.
Animal protein sources, such as meat, fish, poultry and eggs are similar to the protein found in your body.
These are considered to be complete sources of protein because they contain all of the essential amino acids that your body needs to function effectively.
On the other hand, plant protein sources, such as beans, lentils and nuts are considered to be incomplete, as they lack one or more of the essential amino acids that your body needs.
Some sources report soy protein as complete. However, two essential amino acids are only found in small amounts in soy, so it isn’t comparable to animal protein.
We have found that animal foods are the highest quality protein sources as plant sources lack one or more amino acids, which makes it more difficult to get all the amino acids that your body needs.
Animal Vs Plant Protein – Some Nutrients Are More Abundant in Animal Protein Sources
Of course, proteins are rarely found in isolation. They usually come with a wide variety of other nutrients.
Foods that contain animal protein tend to be high in several nutrients that are often lacking in plant foods.
Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is mainly found in fish, meat, poultry and dairy products. Many people who avoid animal foods are deficient.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is found in oily fish, eggs and dairy. Some plants contain it, but the type found in animal foods is better used by your body.
Heme-iron: Heme-iron is predominantly found in meat, especially red meat. It is much better absorbed in the body than non-heme iron from plant foods.
Zinc: Zinc is mainly found in animal protein sources, such as beef, pork and lamb. It is also more easily absorbed and used from animal protein sources.
Of course, there are also plenty of nutrients found in plants that are lacking in animal foods, therefore, eating balanced amounts of both is the best way to get all the nutrients you need.
For optimal health, the evidence supports a diet that is low in processed meat, rich in plant protein, with some animal sources such as grass-fed meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy.
As plant protein food sources often have lower quality proteins, vegetarians and vegans should eat a wide variety of foods to ensure that they are getting all the amino acids that they need.
For meat eaters, it’s important to get the right balance of both animal and plant foods. |
Arterial hypertension is a widespread disease – currently in Russia it suffers about 40% of the adult population. Hypertension is a harbinger of heart attacks and strokes, which kills every sixth inhabitant of our planet. In our country, mortality from strokes remains one of the highest in the world.
Those who believe that it is possible to cope with the disease only with medicines, are mistaken. Treatment and prevention of exacerbations of hypertension require a certain diet.
With the processes of digestion the work of the entire cardiovascular system is closely related. Abundant food overflows the stomach, it can move the diaphragm and thereby obstruct the work of the heart. Overload creates and excess fluid. And if there is too much salt in the diet, then in the tissues of the body water is delayed, this helps increase blood pressure and sometimes leads to swelling.
Diets recommended for arterial hypertension should not allow the development of atherosclerosis, metabolic disorders and, if necessary, contribute to weight loss. For such diets is characterized by a reduced content of animal fats and carbohydrates, limiting cholesterol, salt and extractives.
At the same time, these diets are rich in vitamins, essential fatty acids, fiber, minerals and contain substances that contribute to the breakdown of fats. Food is recommended to be cooked in a crushed form by boiling or baking. Eating is carried out 5-6 once a day.
Foods and dishes recommended for hypertension:
- rye bread, wheat, cooked from flour 1-th and 2-th grades with the addition of bran, “Health”;
- meat of low-fat varieties (beef, veal, poultry) in boiled or baked form;
- jellied from boiled meat, chicken or turkey on vegetable broth;
- ham low-fat;
- fish of low-fat species, boiled or baked;
- dishes from seafood (squid, shrimp, mussels, scallops, sea kale, etc.);
- eggs boiled soft-boiled (not more than three pieces per week), egg whites, steamed;
- skimmed milk, lactic acid drinks of low fat content, low-fat cottage cheese, unsalted cheeses of low-fat varieties;
- vegetable oils (mostly unrefined);
- porridges crumbly, puddings and casseroles from oat, buckwheat, barley groats;
- vegetables in raw, boiled and baked form;
- borsch, soup, vegetable soups, vegetarian with cereals and potatoes, soups dairy, fruit;
- fresh fruits and berries, dried fruits, jelly, compotes, jellies, mousses;
- sauces on vegetable broth, gravy dairy, fruit, berry;
- citric acid, cinnamon, vanillin.
Products and dishes that are recommended in limited quantities:
- sour cream low-fat, butter;
- mushrooms, rutabaga, turnip, sorrel, spinach;
- tea is not strong, coffee-surrogate with the addition of skim milk, vegetable, fruit, berry juices, broth of wild rose.
Foods and dishes not recommended for arterial hypertension:
- fatty varieties, duck, goose, fried meat, by-products (brains, liver, kidneys);
- fatty breeds, salted, smoked fish, caviar, canned fish;
- smoked products, canned food, sausages;
- fatty cream, cheeses of salty fatty varieties, fat cottage cheese;
- animals and cooking fats;
- croup of semolina, rich meat, fish and mushroom broths;
- confectionery with cream, cream ice cream, chocolate;
- sauces, meat, fish, mushroom, pepper, mustard;
- strong tea, natural coffee, cocoa.
Sample diet menu for hypertension:
First breakfast: cream cheese – 120 g, oatmeal porridge – 200 g, wholemeal bread – 70 g, tea with skim milk addition – 200 ml.
Second breakfast: fresh apples – 200
Lunch: Vegetarian vegetable soup – 250 ml, boiled meat – 55 g, carrot puree – 150 g, wholemeal bread – 70 g, fresh apple compote – 200 ml.
Snack: fruit fresh – 150 g, rose hips – 200 ml.
Dinner: boiled fish – 85 g, boiled potatoes – 150 g, pilaf fruit – 90 g, wholemeal bread – 70 g, tea with the addition of skim milk – 200 ml.
At night: kefir fat-free – 200 ml.
First breakfast: freshly prepared fruit or vegetable juice – 200 ml, toast and curd fat-free with 1-2 h. Spoons of jam – 150 g, green or herbal tea – 150 ml, apple.
The second breakfast: fruit salad – 180 g, tea or mineral water – 200 ml.
Lunch: vegetable salad with olive oil – 200 g, stew or fish – 100 g, vegetable stew – 140 g, rye bread – 50 g, vegetable or fruit juice with pulp – 200 ml.
Afternoon snack: fruit fresh – 150 g, muesli – 50 g, mineral water – 200 ml. Dinner: vegetable salad on vegetable oil – 250 g,
natural yoghurt – 75 g, rye bread – 50. At night: kefir fat-free – 20 ml, apple. In the absence of the effect of dietary therapy, so-called special diets (fruit and vegetable, potassium, magnesium, hyponatric, etc.) are prescribed. Such diets are inferior, so they can only be used in the form of short cycles or replace unloading days.
The diet is prescribed for hypertension, accompanied by massive edema and circulatory insufficiency. Potassium diet helps to increase the amount of excreted urine, lower blood pressure, has an anti-inflammatory effect.
For this diet is characterized by a restriction of the energy value of nutrition, increasing the content of fluid in the diet, a sharp restriction of sodium, the complete exclusion of extractives and salt.
Food is prepared in the usual ways, without the addition of salt. Number of meals – up to six per day. In addition to the basic diet, the use of foods rich in potassium (cabbage, potatoes, raisins, dried apricots, prunes, dog-rose, apples, figs) is recommended.
First breakfast: salad of fresh cabbage – 150 g, buckwheat cereal cereal loose – 90 g, coarse bread with bran addition – 50 g, coffee with skim milk addition – 200 ml.
The second breakfast: freshly squeezed cabbage juice – 100 ml, prunes soaked – 80
Lunch: Vegetarian vegetable soup – 250 ml, rice with boiled meat – 70 g, wholemeal bread with addition of bran – 50 g, boar brew – 200 ml.
Afternoon snack: dried apricots – 80
Dinner: fish filling – 200 g, potato zrazes – 250 g, wholemeal bread with bran addition – 50 g, tea with skim milk addition – 200 ml.
At night: kefir fat-free – 200
Rice diet is a kind of potassium. It is prescribed for arterial hypertension, accompanied by circulatory insufficiency and massive edema. Promotes an increase in the amount of excreted urine, lowering blood pressure, has anti-inflammatory effect. The rice diet is characterized by a sharp decrease in protein and fat content, limiting the energy value of products, a significant limitation of sodium.
Daily set of products for rice diet: 50 g rice, 1,5 kg fresh fruit (fresh fruit can be replaced 240 g dried), 100 g sugar. The diet consists of rice porridge, cooked on water without salt, and fruit compote, which is recommended to drink 1 a glass of 6 once a day. Since the rice diet is inferior in its chemical composition, it is allowed to consume no more than 3-4 days.
Cottage cheese diet is used for arterial hypertension, accompanied by atherosclerosis and circulatory insufficiency. Daily set of products for curd diets: 600 g fresh fat-free cottage cheese, 50-60 ml of low-fat sour cream and 100 g of sugar. It is recommended to distribute the products on 5 receptions.
This diet has a pronounced diuretic effect due to the calcium salts contained in large quantities in curd. In addition, the amino acid methionine, which is also found in cottage cheese, contributes to the destruction and elimination of fat from the body.
Magnesium diet is recommended for arterial hypertension, accompanied by atherosclerosis.
This diet contributes to increasing the amount of excreted urine, reducing blood pressure, reducing blood cholesterol, has anti-inflammatory effect.
For the magnesium diet, low energy value is characteristic with its subsequent increase, restriction of the consumed liquid, exclusion from the diet of salt, introduction of a higher amount of magnesium into the diet. Number of meals – 6 once a day, the products are processed in the usual way, the dishes are prepared without the addition of salt.
In the diet are introduced products that are rich in magnesium (cereals: oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, bread, cooked from wholemeal flour, legumes, nuts, vegetables, greens).
First breakfast: porridge buckwheat crumbly – 150 g, wheat wheat bran – 50 g, tea with the addition of skim milk – 180 ml.
The second breakfast: carrot juice – 100 ml, broth from black currant dry – 100 ml, sugar – 5
Lunch: Vegetarian borscht with broth of wheat bran – 25 ml, rice pilaf with dried apricots – 90 g, wheat wheat bran – 50 g, rose hips – 200 ml, sugar – 5
Afternoon snack: apricot juice – 100 ml.
Dinner: souffle curd steam – 150 g, wheat wheat bran – 50 g, tea with the addition of skim milk – 180 ml.
At night: broth of dogrose – 100 ml, sugar – 5
First breakfast: freshly grated carrots with apples – 150 g, buckwheat porridge – 300 g, wheat bran bread – 50 g, tea with skim milk – 200 ml, sugar – 5
Second breakfast: prunes soaked – 100
Lunch: borsch vegetarian with broth from bran – 250 g, meat lean baked – 85 g, salad of grated white cabbage with dressing from lemon juice – 160 g, wheat wheat bran – 50 g, jelly from dried berries of black currant – 200 ml, sugar – 5
Afternoon snack: fresh apples – 150
Dinner: carrot-apple schnitzel – 230 g, souffle from cottage cheese – 150 g, wheat wheat bran – 50 g, tea with lemon – 200 ml, sugar – 5
At night: broth of dogrose – 200 ml, sugar – 5
Fruit and vegetable diet is recommended for arterial hypertension in patients who are overweight. This diet contributes to increasing the secretion of urine, lowering blood pressure, reducing body weight. For the fruit and vegetable diet is characterized by a reduced energy value of products, high content of potassium, a limited amount of liquid and sodium. Products processed in the usual way, the dishes are prepared without the addition of salt. Number of meals – 5 once a day. The products recommended for the fruit and vegetable diet: fruits, berries, vegetables in raw, boiled and baked form.
First breakfast: carrot-apple salad with vegetable oil – 150 g, broth of wild rose or blackcurrant berries – 200 ml, bread from coarse flour with addition of bran – 30
The second breakfast: carrot juice – 100 ml, vegetable puree – 150
Lunch: cranberry soup with crunches – 250 ml, vegetable salad with vegetable oil – 180 g, bread with whole-meal flour with bran addition – 50
Afternoon snack: grated vegetables (choice: carrots, beets, cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini) – 150 g, nuts – 100 g, broth of wild rose or black currant berries – 200 ml, sugar – 5.
Dinner: vegetable vinaigrette with vegetable oil – 200 g, bread with wholemeal flour with bran addition – 50 g, compote of dried fruits – 200 ml.
Hyponodium diet is recommended for arterial hypertension complicated by atherosclerosis, and with symptomatic arterial hypertension.
This diet reduces the increased excitability of the central nervous system, improves the functional state of the kidneys, lowers blood pressure.
Hyponodium diet is characterized by an optimal energy value, a sufficient content of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The diet reduces the number of simple carbohydrates, limited amount of extractives, salt, liquid, substances that have an exciting effect on the kidneys, nervous and cardiovascular systems. The diet is enriched with products containing vitamins, vegetable fiber, substances that break down fats. All dishes are prepared without the addition of salt, it is allowed to lightly brown meat and fish dishes.
The number of meals is 5-6 once a day. Recommended soups (on water or vegetable broth), meat and fish of low-fat varieties, various vegetables in raw, boiled, stewed, cereals, legumes, pasta from durum wheat, milk, dairy products, white sauces, fruits, berries. Excluded from the ration are rich meat, fish, mushroom broths, meat and fish of fatty varieties, smoked meats, marinades, pickles, strong tea, coffee, drinks containing alcohol, chocolate.
First breakfast: soufflé from baked meat – 100 g, oatmeal porridge – 300 g, wheat bread with bran – 50 g, tea – 200 ml, sugar – 5
Second breakfast: fresh fruit – 100
Lunch: vegetable soup on chicken broth – 250 ml, chicken stewed – 120 g, boiled boiled crumbly – 130 g, rye bread – 70 g, compote of fresh fruit – 200 ml, sugar – 5
Afternoon snack: sweet crusts – 25 g, broth of wild rose or black currant berries – 200 ml, sugar – 5
Dinner: fish filling – 200 g, carrot salad with prunes – 200 g, rye bread – 50 g, tea – 200 ml, sugar – 5 g.
At night: kefir fat-free – 200 ml.
Patients with arterial hypertension, suffering from excess weight and circulatory insufficiency, should, on the background of the basic diet 1-2 once a week, arrange unloading days. Unloading day is a special medical diet, a kind of switching day in the diet.
Unloading days lead to a steady decrease in weight, as urinary output increases, fat reserves in the body decrease, metabolism is normalized, the excretion of salts and wastes is accelerated, and the cardiovascular system is maximally discharged. Unloading days, depending on the prevalence of dietary substances in the diet are divided into:
- protein (meat, meat-vegetable, dairy, curd);
- carbohydrate (vegetable, fruit, rice-fruit, berry, sugar);
- fat (cream, sour, oil);
The use of diet as an important component of complex treatment of patients with essential hypertension is built taking into account the specific features of the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease.
The purpose of the diet is as follows:
- full compensation of the physiological needs of the organism in basic food substances (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), essential nutritional factors (essential amino acids, PUFA, vitamins, trace elements, etc.);
- restriction in the diet of intake of table salt to the optimum minimum value (2-3 g) with the delivery of it to the patient’s hands for salting ready meals. With high hypertension – a complete short-term exclusion of salt, taking into account 2-3 г its content in the products themselves;
- restriction of the content in the free liquid diet to 1-1,2 l per day, extractives;
- the achievement of conformity of energy intake with food energy expenditure. |
How Does Vaping Impact Teens?
With middle schoolers hooking up their friends to a wide range of camouflaged devices that look like pens or computer parts, vaping – the inhaled ingestion of a chemical vapor, one often filled with nicotine – is frighteningly common in school hallways across the country.
“We talk about it one-on-one and share perspectives in health classes, but vaping still comes up a ton,” said Jeremy Atkins, ACT, an addiction counselor and prevention coordinator from Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen.
Starting at School
At school, at home or out in the community, it’s not easy to identify kids in the act of vaping. Some devices are even shaped like everyday items a teen might carry, such as a pen.
“We’ve seen vape devices that look like boxes of cookies, and with their sweet flavors, it’s really troubling. They are obviously aimed at young people, and that marketing approach is something we talk about with kids,” Atkins said. “We are hopeful to make parents more aware of the vape culture and these threats. After all, we’re only with kids for a few hours each week in the classroom, or a few minutes in the halls through the day.”
Discussions and Debates
While decades of research have proven the toll that tar and cigarette smoke take on the lungs and heart, since vaping has not been prevalent for long, those hard facts are not as readily available.
“One point we make when kids say vaping is better than smoking is that the only thing we really should be putting into our lungs is oxygen,” he said. “Kids have heard about popcorn lung or wet lung – but we remind them that these chemicals have no benefit whatsoever in their development.”
The nicknames popcorn lung and wet lung refer to two serious conditions:
- Wet lung is actually acute respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and cases linking it and vape devices have been reported. Blood vessels in the lung begin to leak and the buildup of fluid can lead to coughing, shortness of breath and chest pain. Untreated, it can lead to hospitalization, and in some cases, the use of a ventilator.
- Popcorn lung is a nickname for bronchial disorder that hurts the smallest airways in the lungs, leads to a cough and shortness of breath and is often linked to a wide range of chemicals, possibly including those found in e-cigarettes or vapes.
In addition, the U.S. Surgeon General reports that youth and young adults are at risk for long-term, long-lasting effects when their developing brains are exposed to nicotine.
These risks include nicotine addiction, mood disorders and permanent lowering of impulse control. Nicotine also changes the way synapses are formed, which can harm the parts of the brain that control attention and learning. Kids need more education and trust-building relationships so they can avoid getting caught in a scary web of dependence.
“When I was a kid, it was smoking that caused concern. Now, with vaping, it’s more complex g but equally as addictive and dangerous,” said Atkins. “It’ll take a lot of conversations between kids, parents, teachers, counselors and health care professionals in order to stop this ongoing problem.” |
Looking for a bunch of simple, fun and interactive games for one, two or three people?
Look no further, playmeo’s got you covered.
Since the advent of COVID-19, we have been inundated with enquiries from people all over the world looking for fun, interactive games for very small groups, often only one or two people. Why? Because there has been a rapid shift to online learning platforms (like Moodle) in which most students or training participants are situated in a room on their own.
While the world adheres to various physical-distancing measures, it is still possible (and just as important) to maintain and develop the social connectedness of the people you work with, no matter where they are.
There are dozens of fun and very simple online activity ideas you can use online (also, don’t miss last week’s post about my top four interactive games for online meetings & virtual conferences. And our exclusive webinar next week.)
Here are some of my favourite games for 1, 2 or 3 people:
Fun Games for 1 Person
Join our exclusive online database today and become one of the first people to start using these exercises as a part of your online learning curriculum to ramp up the fun and keep your participants engaged.
If you’re interested, see the super-duper discount coupon at the end of this article.
A very simple stretch that’s as challenging as it is fun to watch. Ask everyone to grab a soft object that has a bit of weight to it, eg tennis ball, beanie-baby toy, fleeceball, etc. Stand back a little from your screen. Then, as if holding a teacup on your out-stretched, upwards-facing palm, your object is to move it in a full circle over your head and to the side of your body and back to where you started. Check the video for a great demonstration. Indeed, you could even embed this video into your online space to inspire your group. Lots of variations, eg non-dominant hand, different direction, new objects, etc.
Ask your people to grab a sheet of paper, a pen and watch the screen as you demonstrate what you would like them to do. In short, you are going to draw the birds-eye view of a small golf course with 3 or 4 holes. Draw the clubhouse, the tees, fairways, bunkers, sand-traps and the holes. Creating the course is fun, but playing is even more so. Direct your camera to perform a quick demonstration, or use a bunch of really descriptive terms, to explain how the golf course can be played. In essence, you are going to rest the pen tip on the first tee, holding it vertically, and then gently push the pen across the paper towards the first hole. The pen will leave a trail of ink which eventually peters out. That’s your first stroke, and the second stroke starts from the end of the line. A hole is complete when the end of a particular stroke ends inside the golf hole (they are usually about 5mm (1/4″) wide.
Ask everyone to grab a deck of regular playing cards, you too. Shuffle them and then lay them face-down on the surface in front of you. Explain that your aim is to see how far you can get through the deck before a particular event occurs. Before the (face-value of the) first card is revealed, you must declare what the card will NOT be. For example, if I say that the card I flip over will not be a 9, and I flip over a 5, I get to flip another card. As soon as I flip over a card whose face-value matches what I declared, the game is over. Count and record the number of cards you did not predict and play one ore more rounds to achieve a world’s record.
Ask each person to grab a fixed number of sheets of paper. In a team context, I would typically supply 15 to 20 sheets per group, but this number works well for individuals, too. Challenge each person to build the tallest possible tower using only these sheets of paper. No staples, glue or any other form of adhesive can be used to achieve the desired lofty heights. Allow up to 10 or more minutes to complete this task. A quick tip – make it very clear that the structure must be standing at the Xth minute to qualify. You will have to rely on the honour-system when you invite each person to measure their structures. Finally, acknowledge the person who built the tallest tower.
You may also wish to look at a couple of fun team puzzles which can easily be adapted for use by individuals.
Honestly, this list could be very long because there is no shortage of fun partner activities featured in playmeo’s online activity database. So, to save space and time, here are the links to a handful of games & activities you could use for 2 or 3 people who are sharing the same space.
If you’re looking for a variety of easy 1-minute energisers (brain-boosters) take a look at these activity ideas that may also help you highlight or reinforce certain elements of your curriculum such as creativity, critical thinking and communication: |
- Salinity is the term used to define the total content of dissolved salts in sea water.
- It is calculated as the amount of salt (in gm) dissolved in 1,000 gm (1 kg) of seawater.
- It is usually expressed as parts per thousand or ppt.
- Salinity of 24.7 (24.7 o/oo) has been considered as the upper limit to demarcate ‘brackish water’.
Role of Ocean Salinity
- Salinity determines compressibility, thermal expansion, temperature, density, absorption of insolation, evaporation and humidity.
- It also influences the composition and movement of the sea: water and the distribution of fish and other marine resources.
Share of different salts is as shown below—
- sodium chloride — 77.7%
- magnesium chloride—10.9%
- magnesium sulphate —.4.7%
- calcium sulphate — 3.6%
- potassium sulphate — 2.5%
Factors Affecting Ocean Salinity
- The salinity of water in the surface layer of oceans depend mainly on evaporation and precipitation.
- Surface salinity is greatly influenced in coastal regions by the fresh water flow from rivers, and in polar regions by the processes of freezing and thawing of ice.
- Wind, also influences salinity of an area by transferring water to other areas.
- The ocean currents contribute to the salinity variations.
- Salinity, temperature and density of water are interrelated. Hence, any change in the temperature or density influences the salinity of an area.
Horizontal distribution of salinity
To make life easier, I will remove the symbol o/oo and place only number
- The salinity for normal open ocean ranges between 33 and 37.
High salinity regions
- In the land locked Red Sea (don’t confuse this to Dead Sea which has much greater salinity), it is as high as 41.
- In hot and dry regions, where evaporation is high, the salinity sometimes reaches to 70.
Comparatively Low salinity regions
- In the estuaries (enclosed mouth of a river where fresh and saline water get mixed) and the Arctic, the salinity fluctuates from 0 – 35, seasonally (fresh water coming from ice caps).
- The salinity variation in the Pacific Ocean is mainly due to its shape and larger areal extent.
- The average salinity of the Atlantic Ocean is around 36-37.
- The equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean has a salinity of about 35.
- Near the equator, there is heavy rainfall, high relative humidity, cloudiness and calm air of the doldrums.
- The polar areas experience very little evaporation and receive large amounts of fresh water from the melting of ice. This leads to low levels of salinity, ranging between 20 and 32.
- Maximum salinity (37) is observed between 20° N and 30° N and 20° W – 60° W. It gradually decreases towards the north.
- The average salinity of the Indian Ocean is 35.
- The low salinity trend is observed in the Bay of Bengal due to influx of river water by the river Ganga.
- On the contrary, the Arabian Sea shows higher salinity due to high evaporation and low influx of fresh water.
- The North Sea, in spite of its location in higher latitudes, records higher salinity due to more saline water brought by the North Atlantic Drift.
- Baltic Sea records low salinity due to influx of river waters in large quantity.
- The Mediterranean Sea records higher salinity due to high evaporation.
- Salinity is, however, very low in Black Sea due to enormous fresh water influx by rivers.
Inland seas and lakes
- The salinity of the inland Seas and lakes is very high because of the regular supply of salt by ‘ the rivers falling into them.
- Their water becomes progressively more saline due to evaporation.
- For instance, the salinity of the Great Salt Lake , (Utah, USA), the Dead Sea and the Lake Van in Turkey is 220, 240 and 330 respectively.
- The oceans and salt lakes are becoming more salty as time goes on because the rivers dump more salt into them, while fresh water is lost due to evaporation.
Cold and warm water mixing zones
- Salinity decreases from 35 – 31 on the western parts of the northern hemisphere because of the influx of melted water from the Arctic region.
- With depth, the salinity also varies, but this variation again is subject to latitudinal difference. The decrease is also influenced by cold and warm currents.
- In high latitudes, salinity increases with depth. In the middle latitudes, it increases up to 35 metres and then it decreases. At the equator, surface salinity is lower.
Vertical Distribution of Salinity
- Salinity changes with depth, but the way it changes depends upon the location of the sea.
- Salinity at the surface increases by the loss of water to ice or evaporation, or decreased by the input of fresh waters, such as from the rivers.
- Salinity at depth is very much fixed, because there is no way that water is ‘lost’, or the salt is ‘added.’ There is a marked difference in the salinity between the surface zones and the deep zones of the oceans.
- The lower salinity water rests above the higher salinity dense water.
- Salinity, generally, increases with depth and there is a distinct zone called the halocline (compare this with thermocline), where salinity increases sharply.
- Other factors being constant, increasing salinity of seawater causes its density to increase. High salinity seawater, generally, sinks below the lower salinity water. This leads to stratification by salinity.
Multiple choice questions
- Salinity is expressed as the amount of salt in grams dissolved in sea water per (a) 10 gm (c) 100 gm (b) 1,000 gm (d) 10,000 gm
- Which one of the following is the smallest ocean: (a) Indian Ocean (c) Atlantic Ocean (b) Arctic Ocean (d) Pacific Ocean |
The growth in technology has resulted in a positive change in the parking of vehicles. Many people depend on their cars to get to work and to other essential places. A safe car parking location should be obtained to ensure that the cars remain in their excellent state to prevent any form of damage. There exist the digital smart parking systems which enable the vehicles to be parked in an orderly manner. These digital systems works with the help of the parking ticket systems which help to allocate the cars to various parking positions. The article describes the main positive impacts of the presence of digital car parking services.
Parking system is beneficial since it can control the considerable number vehicles and thus ensure that there is order in the traffic and that they are parked properly. The cars are many, and thus the smart parking systems are beneficial since they reduce the chances of cars congesting and causing various damages. The Parking BOXX agency have well-designed parts which ensure that the parked cars do not affect the other vehicles on traffic.
Secondly, the digital car parking agencies such as Parking BOXX help to reduce pollution. The highest percentage of the causes of air pollution is the vehicles. The digital car parking system help to reduce the driving tie and therefore ensure that fewer gases are exposed to the air. The digital car parking areas are easily traced and thus ensure that the drivers use less time to access it thus reducing the fuel emissions to the air.
The smart car parking systems are advantageous since they provide maximum security to the cars by ensuring that no damages occur. There are many security designs which are installed in the smart car parking which ensure that vehicles are in the good state at all the time. These digital car parking systems are managed by various security guards who help to detect any suspicious activity around the cars. The system helps to trace any wrongdoers in the digital car parking.
Fourthly, decreased management costs is the other essential benefit of the smart parking systems. The digital parking of cars help reduce the exhaustion of resources since fewer activities are undertaken. In the digital parking systems, the people do not conduct many activities, and thus fewer expenses are made. Technical inventions are made which conduct all the minor activities in the parking thus reducing labour. |
Laser hardening is a method aimed at improving component wear behavior.
During laser hardening, also known as surface layer hardening, the energy from the laser beam is applied directly to the component surface. The surface layer is heated up to the hardening temperature (>1000°C) in a reduced area within a very short period of time.
One advantage of using a laser is that the amount of heat input is comparatively low, so heat is transmitted into the base material relatively quickly. Self-quenching is produced as a martensitic structure is formed and the hardening layer is ‘cooled.’
A very tough, fine-grained structure is created thanks to the high heat-up rate during laser hardening. The risk of cracks forming is very low thanks to self-quenching. The precisely focused energy ensures that the component is subject to a comparatively low impact from heat, bringing a great advantage in minimum quench distortion.
The advantages of laser hardening in brief:
Precise energy input with minimum heat effect
Low distortion, so little to no finishing work required
Less hardness stress
Low risk of cracking
No media required for quenching
We also have expertise and technology based on many years’ experience in this field. Our Laser System Technology Division produces special optics for laser hardening of interior surfaces, for example, which we use. |
The past year has brought on a lot of unexpected changes. One profound change is that many couples have gone from working outside their homes to being at home together nearly 24/7—while simultaneously having to face numerous added stressors.
This has obviously put quite a strain on many relationships. As the National Law Review states, 2020 has seen an increase in divorce rates from the previous year due to the added pressures of political, medical, and socioeconomic upheavals. The effects of COVID-19 have also devastated families not only economically, but also their intimacy, closeness, and ability to be resilient and compassionate in the face of continued hardship.
But, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Allow me to introduce you to Stefanos Sifandos and Christine Hassler (save $30 on Love Amplified, their breathwork and medication course, with code BEN), master life and relationship coaches with over 30 years of experience. They also happen to be a married couple who are passionate about living in sacred union with each other. Their love story is amazing, but not unique, because anyone and everyone is capable of a conscious, loving, passionate, and ever-evolving relationship. Stef and Christine love love and are committed to supporting others in having epic relationships with themselves and their beloved.
Couples who put the work into their communication, connection, and sex life thrive and grow closer. And couples who allow the stresses of daily life to take priority and put their relationship on autopilot tend to have more arguments, less sex, and grow distant from each other.
Today's article, penned by Christine and Stefanos (who were also my guests on a soon-to-be-released podcast episode this Saturday), will teach you how to put some simple, yet powerful, practices into place to immediately change the course of your relationship for the better. In it, you'll discover how to optimize four key areas of your relationship:
- Navigating Conflict
- Emotional Intimacy
- Connected Sex
You probably want to skip to the part about better sex, but without healthy communication, effective conflict navigation, and emotional intimacy, mind- and heart-blowing sex is not really possible. So, as tempting as it may be to skip to the last part where Christine and Stefanos give you some tantric practices, you will benefit greatly from learning tools to communicate more effectively, argue in a way that leads to fewer disagreements, and create and enhance emotional intimacy so that yes, you and your partner will have the best sex of your lives.
Communication Is Key
No matter how long you and your partner have been together, you most likely have fallen into some communication patterns that are keeping you from actually communicating with each other. Dr. John Gottan, a psychological researcher and clinician who did extensive work on divorce prediction and marital stability explains in his book, The Science of Trust, that both partners in a relationship are emotionally available only 9% of the time. This leaves 91% of your relationship ripe for miscommunication.
There are three key practices you can put into place to make communication with your partner both more effective and more loving:
1. Ditch expectations and form agreements: Let’s face it, when it comes to your partner, you probably have a lot of expectations: You expect him or her to be a mind-reader and just know what you want or need even though you haven't effectively communicated your needs. You get lazy in your communication and just expect your partner to fill in the blanks. All of this leads to conflict, which is completely avoidable if agreements are formed. None of us are mind-readers, and we just set ourselves up for disappointment if we do not form agreements over roles, responsibilities, and expectations in our relationships.
How to practice: Sit down and make a list of all the things you expect your partner to do and ask him or her to do the same. Then, come together and clearly express those expectations and form agreements around them. For example, if you have an expectation that your partner does the dishes, form an agreement on what days of the week he or she will do them. Write out the agreement (i.e., Richard does the dishes M, W, F and Janelle does the dishes T, Th, Sa). Stick to these agreements to build trust and prevent what Christine calls “expectation hangovers.”
2. Check your perception. This is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to immediately have better communication in your relationship. The essence of this skill is: The message intending to be sent is actually the message received. Think of a time when you said something to your partner and they heard something completely different than what you intended. We all listen with a filter of sorts, meaning that we interpret what we are hearing in ways that are often different from how the person talking actually intended us to receive the message. Many arguments often include the statements, “That is not what I said!” or “I didn’t mean it like that!”
How to practice: To avoid misunderstandings of any kind, practice perception checking. When your partner says something that is triggering or confusing in any way, before reacting with a response, say, “I want to make sure I heard you accurately, you said . . . (and then repeat what you heard your partner say). Is that accurate?” This slows down communication and provides an opportunity to clear up any misunderstanding right on the spot, preventing a future argument.
Also, practice perception checking when you want to make sure that something important you are saying gets across clearly. Right after you express yourself, say, “I want to make sure I communicated myself clearly, could you please repeat back what you heard me say?” This gives your partner a chance to repeat back what they heard ensuring that the message you intended to send was indeed the message that was heard.
3. Communicate your needs. You have needs in your relationship, and that is okay—everybody does. Humans are interdependent beings, and it’s healthy to desire certain things from your partner. Yet, just like we discussed in point #1, you cannot expect your partner to be a mind-reader, or have the expectation that if they loved you they’d “just know what you need.”
You are an adult and it’s your responsibility to express your needs to your partner. For example, one of our clients, Elizabeth, was consistently disappointed that her husband, John, was not affectionate with her in public. Physical affection makes Elizabeth feel safe and loved, but in public, it was rather awkward for John. Because it was a big need for her, she expressed that something as simple as holding her hand or putting his arm around her in public would make her feel really safe and loved. John could hear this was a need of Elizabeth’s, not a demand, and was able to honor her request.
How to practice: Consider what you need in your relationship that you are not receiving. Make a list and then formulate specific requests of your partner that could help meet that need. For instance, instead of “I need to feel more connected to you,” which is a vague request, ask for one date night a week with no phones.
How To Navigate Conflict Smoothly
Arguing is not really a thing to avoid in a relationship. The difference between happy, healthy couples and unhappy couples is not found in the amount they argue, but rather how quickly they can recover from arguments. In his book, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, Dr. John Gottman calls repair attempts the “secret weapon” of emotionally intelligent couples. His groundbreaking research over decades shows “the success or failure of a couple’s repair attempts is one of the primary factors in whether a marriage is likely to flourish or flounder.”
Bottom line: Fighting is not bad. However, not being able to repair after a disagreement and come back to a loving place together is.
In our work, we have found three key practices that both reduce the amount and intensity of conflicts and help couples repair faster:
1. Talk, don’t yell. We know this can be challenging when you are in the heat of an argument, but as soon as you start yelling, you are forfeiting the ability to be able to make your points in a clear way. In The Body Keeps Score, author Van Der Kolk elaborates on how trauma can affect the way we receive information, share intimacy, and open ourselves up to relationships.
It is 100% possible to disagree without yelling or screaming at each other, but it may take some practice. Next time you notice yourself yelling, take 3 deep breaths, and then continue speaking. If you are the one being yelled at, instead of raising your voice back, say, “I cannot hear you when you yell at me, I am going to leave the room and when you are ready to speak without yelling, I am all ears.”
2. Form “fighting rules” outside of a fight. Remember the power of making agreements when it comes to communication? The same applies to conflict. We have found it to be incredibly effective for couples to make “fighting rules” soon after an argument when they are back in a calm, connected place.
For example, after one fight we had when one of us stormed out, we made a rule that in an argument, there is no storming off with no explanation. If one of us needs space, we agree to say that we need space and commit to a time when we will be back to finish the discussion. That way, the other one doesn’t feel abandoned or betrayed, which only makes the conflict worse. We also have a certain gesture we use if an argument gets really heated to remind each other that even though we are really angry, we still really love each other: Christine will place her left hand over her heart then layers her right hand over her left and stands or sits there and breathes. This is a pattern interrupt and means that we need space. Stefanos will often drop to the ground, lie on his back, and place his legs over his shoulders in what is known in Western yoga as a “plough position.” This often breaks up the argument, creates space through laughter and the abrupt nature of the movement, and gives us both new perspectives.
To form your fighting rules, sit down with your partner and discuss some of your common arguments and what makes them worse. Does one of you leave? Does one of you shut down? Does one of you yell louder? Does one of you bring up things from the past? Does one of you call the other names? Then, together, come up with the fighting rules that will help prevent you from repeating the same unhealthy cycles.
3. Let go of being right. Arguments happen because two people disagree about something or see something differently, and each person believes that they are right. There is no way to resolve any conflict between two people who are stuck in their own position.
The key here is to remember that you and your partner are on the same team. You both want a healthy, loving relationship. If you are stubborn about your position and do not see and empathize with their side of things, you are on different teams in a lose-lose situation.
A tool that works extremely well for us and the couples we coach to break free from the egoic need to be right in an argument is to write a mission statement for the relationship that is a “north star” for why you choose to be together. This kind of statement can remind you that you are on the same team and pull you out of the addiction of wanting to be right by helping you focus on the bigger picture.
Here’s an example of a mission statement written by clients of ours:
“We choose each other every day. We are committed to our own individual growth and growing together. We choose to understand each other over being right. We are committed to being supportive, understanding, and loving partners so that we are better parents, friends, bosses, and people.”
Set aside time with your partner to write your mission statement. It is a beautiful way to remind you of why you are together and create deeper intimacy. When you have a mission statement in place that you read daily (we suggest putting it up somewhere in your house where you can see it), you’ll be less likely to get stuck on being right in your next argument.
Creating or Deepening Emotional Intimacy
Emotional intimacy, even during the best of times, can be a complex and painful interaction between two people. One of the greatest blocks to intimacy is unconscious, unresolved childhood wounds.
While delving too deep into childhood trauma, attachment theory, and developmental psychology is beyond the scope of this article, if you are interested in exploring your past trauma, Healing Your Attachment Wounds is a great resource that outlines the importance of reconciling past traumatic experiences in order to have healthy, vibrant, and long-lasting intimate relationships as adults.
What we can do for you right now is provide you with five empowering strategies that can reignite intimacy with your partner:
1. Seek help. No person is an island. One of the biggest mistakes couples (and singles) make is that they try and do life alone. We attempt to figure it out by ourselves. We are relational beings, we have evolved and expanded culturally, relationally, and emotionally through connection and relying on other human beings to grow. In her article, The evolutionary roots of human collaboration: coordination and sharing of resources, author Alicia P. Melis states that “Humans’ ability to collaborate to obtain otherwise inaccessible goals may be one main cause for our success as a species.”
When you share things about yourself in therapy and work through them, you diffuse your shame, you heal your trauma, and you don't bring that baggage into your intimate relationships. You feel supported and therefore know how to also ask for help (or space when you need it) in your relationships.
The same can be said for romantic partnerships. Bonding in this way through sharing challenges and difficulties in vulnerable ways can actually deepen emotional intimacy and help you not only see yourself differently (through a lens of deepened self-worth), but also help you empathize, understand, and connect with your partner. These qualities have also been shown to deepen intimacy in romantic partnerships. With all of that said, seek the guidance of a coach, counselor, trauma-informed facilitator, therapist, support group, guide, psychologist, and/or someone you can relate to and trust who can lead you in a supportive way. You’ll be able to face those demons and the pain of the past once you're not in a vacuum. A great resource where you can find credible trauma-informed therapists is the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institue Practitioner Directory.
2. Love yourself. Seems obvious, right? Well, it’s not as simple as it may appear. Low self-worth, low self-esteem, and minimal self-love are some of the leading causes of couples arguing, hurting each other, or breaking up. We must be responsible for our own thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and states—otherwise, we will expect our partner to “make” us happy, which is an unrealistic expectation to put on anyone. Loving yourself first means you have a greater capacity for loving others. Why? Because you have a real-life, direct example of what love feels like.
Practice this exercise two times daily to begin the path to greater self-love: Spend 3-5 minutes every morning upon awakening and every night prior to sleep just gazing into your left eye. First, just hold your gaze and notice how you feel. Then begin asking yourself questions around self-love such as:
“Why do I love myself deeply?”
“Why am I worthy of love and affection?”
“Why do I care about myself?”
“Why am I so lovable?”
“Why is my body so beautiful?”
When you ask yourself a question, your brain must search for the answer, providing you with “evidence” and therefore reinforcing a new paradigm. This shifts your perception and state towards what you desire, as opposed to what you don’t have.
Doing this exercise when you first wake up and just before bed is important because your brain is most susceptible to suggestion during those times. If you want to take it even further, you can do this naked and really embrace all of who you are. This will also support you in feeling more confident in your sex life. We suggest doing this practice for at least 66 days as science demonstrates it takes at least this long to form a new habit. However, it can take up to 254 days, depending on various factors.
3. Be less reactive and more responsive. When we are young, we form coping strategies or mechanisms to deal with difficult circumstances. As adults, these “patterns” or strategies continue to play out, irrespective of whether they are applicable to the present moment. Think of it as a “serve and protect” mechanism ingrained within the behavioral foundations and neuronal networks of your brain with relation to how you deal with difficulty and conflict and how you give and receive love. Your brain is often hyper-vigilant and would rather err on the side of caution than be hurt again. You become hyper-protective of yourself, and the “better safe than sorry” card is played reactively. This now becomes what is known as a maladaptive coping strategy.
Here’s an example: We have a client who grew up in a very chaotic home, her parents fought a lot of the time and she walked on eggshells hoping she wouldn’t get in trouble and trigger more yelling. She discovered at an early age that if she was just a “good girl” and pleased her parents, she didn’t get yelled at. This pattern of people-pleasing protected her from more chaos. Now, any time she is concerned about upsetting someone or wants someone to like her, she engages in the pattern of people-pleasing. This is a maladaptive coping strategy because although it may prevent people from getting upset, this pattern hurts her because she ends up feeling like a doormat. In her marriage, she ultimately got so resentful and started pushing her husband away until she shifted out of the people-pleasing pattern and became more authentic.
All you are doing here is bringing the past into the present, and bringing these hyper-vigilant behaviors into your intimate relationships often pushes your partner away. The “fix” for this is breathing. Yes, just breathe… The power of pausing AND breathing will allow you to reflect and be introspective, while consciously choosing the next action you wish to take. This breaks the cycle that is no longer serving you relationally—the cycle that, rather than building intimacy, is destroying it.
Next time you are about to get reactive, do the following:
- Feel your body becoming tense.
- STOP – PAUSE
- Take 5 long, slow breaths. This will calm your nervous system and slow your thoughts down.
- Ask yourself: “How do I want this conversation or situation to go?”
- Choose to respond consciously, and not react.
4. Give your presence. One of the greatest gifts you can give to others is your full attention and presence. Be interested in the whole of your partner, and embrace all of who they are—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Giving your presence means practicing seeing your partner—asking questions, getting to know them, empathizing with them, and checking in regularly with how they are feeling.
Men, this one is particularly for you. When you are in the presence of your partner and they are expressing something that has hurt them, or has concerned them, be there for them in the most honorable way.
- Stand up straight.
- Gaze deeply into their eyes.
- Breathe slowly.
- Pin your shoulders back.
- Physically lean in.
- Ask meaningful questions, such as “What do you need from me right now?”.
- Be sincere.
- Listen intently, without waiting to respond.
Novelty in a relationship can be very healthy and fulfill your partner's love language needs, particularly if done with the right intention. In the article Making It Last – Combating Hedonic Adaptations In Romantic Relationships, authors Bao Jacobs and Lyubomirsky discuss the importance of healthy novelty in relationships. “Healthy,” in the context of a relationship, can be interpreted as consensual, varied, risky (but not unsafe), pleasant to the senses, intriguing, wanting more, encouraging, intimacy building (a deeper sense of closeness is formed), and joyful. There are more elements of course, but these are the core elements that would make bringing novelty to a relationship healthy.
This can present in many ways as mentioned above. Being regular with creating intimacy through novel excitement in the relationship improves connection and creates longevity in romantic relationships.
Practices To Heat Up Your Sex Life
Some of what you're about to read may seem obvious and simple, but with the busyness of life, it's not uncommon to neglect your love life. Sex takes a backseat to the bills, kids, responsibilities, family dynamics, stress, and balancing work with life.
The key is to never stop “dating” your partner. Having them isn’t an entitlement—so, don’t be lazy, continue to be curious, share yourself, be real, create novelty together, and deepen your love for one another. Years together is not an excuse for complacency.
What all this means is that, essentially, you must venture into the unknown together. Below are four powerful practices to reignite (or ignite) your sex life, and take your intimacy to the next level:
1. Breath, Sound, Movement. The various stresses you face in life affect your anxiety levels, your self-worth, immune system, digestion, relationships, quality of your sex life, and mesolimbic dopamine system. One of the ways you can combat stress is through calming breathing techniques, particularly during the sharing of sexual and physical intimacy. See, stress can kill good sex. Quality breathing can improve cognition and circulation, focus, attention, and provide you with a boost of energy during sex. Appropriate breathing techniques can help you relax, concentrate, and last longer in the bedroom.
The lower the stress in your life, generally the more connected, exciting, and fulfilling sex with your partner will be. Deep breathing is crucial to remaining calm because it is linked to your parasympathetic nervous system, the reflex responsible for the “rest and digest” response. Shallow breathing, on the other hand, is more closely associated with the sympathetic nervous system, the reflex responsible for the “flight or fight” response. Irrespective of the “type” of sex you are having, sex in a relaxed state is much more appealing than getting it on under acute stress.
During sex, breathe in deeply and imagine the breath flowing into your genitalia. This will enhance pleasure and allow a sexual rhythm to unfold between you and your partner. As pleasure increases and you are both reaching climax or intensity, slow your movement down and continue to breathe deeper. This may appear as if it is taking you away from focusing on your partner, but what is actually happening is you are deepening your connection to each other through breathing rhythmically, aligning your breath and slowing it down—inhaling as your partner inhales, and exhaling as your partner exhales.
When it comes to sounding, some of you may feel self-conscious. Please don’t. It is natural to make all sorts of sounds, particularly during pleasure. Inhibiting this natural function will retract your intimacy. When you are not vulnerable and open, your partner can feel that and move with trepidation. Opening your voice when feeling pleasure is useful in connecting and deepening intimacy, arousal, and sexual exploration. Push your edge here a little and sound even though you may feel uncomfortable doing so.
2. Divulge your fantasies, then play. It's not uncommon to be intimidated by your own fantasies. You have told by society what is right and wrong when it comes to having sex, and there is often a narrow view of this. You may hide in secret because you are afraid that you may be shamed for your thoughts and feelings towards what you secretly desire.
When you hold in too much, you hide and that behavior can often leak out in “shadow” ways, such as watching pornography in secret, or possibly even having an affair. Ben has recently written two compelling articles on this subject in his Sabbath Ramblings articles, Sex, Porn & Polyamory Part 1 & Part 2.
This long-term level of suppressing oneself is not healthy. You have to first get comfortable enough with yourself, know what you desire and give yourself permission to share that with, first yourself, then your partner. After you've done this, set a time with your partner to discuss this in an agreed-upon way (non-judgmental and an anything-goes style of conversation). Then, simply agree on what you wish to explore and go for it. You can also really push your edges (in a safe and agreed-upon way) and venture into the unknown, this may look like:
- Having the more submissive partner get bound and teased.
- Film yourselves having sex together.
- Massage each other.
- Incorporate toys into your sex life.
- Watch your partner self-pleasure.
Remember to be safe, know the risks, talk it through, seek support, and do not criticize what the other person is thinking or feeling. This can be very vulnerable and deep for both of you and can push on old low self-esteem issues, so use this time to not only get to know each other differently, but to also build intimacy through trust and nurturing your partner’s vulnerable expression.
3. Explore Tantra. Primarily, Tantra is a way of being—a philosophy and spiritual practice of sorts. Tantric sex is only a small part of the embodied practice. Tantric sex originates from ancient Hinduism and revolves around sexual practices that focus on creating a deep, intimate connection with self, the Universe (nature of reality), and your partner. During tantric sex, the aim is to be present in the moment to achieve a sensual and fulfilling sexual experience.
To be in more of a Tantric space, practice the following:
- Make sex non-linear. It needn't be about direction and orgasm. Explore the body, the mind, stop, connect, talk, feel, be silent, breathe, go back to intercourse, come back to feeling. Eat, be sensual through sounding or movement. Explore each other through all of your senses.
- Make eye contact and gaze into each other. This is known as transfiguration. Take your time absorbing your partner and really feel their expression.
- Synchronize your breath. At the same time, you and your partner should breathe in deeply through your nose, hold for 5 seconds, then exhale through the mouth. Feel each other’s abdomen expanding on the inhale by pressing against one another, and then hold and feel the release by paying close attention to it. For males, if you are getting close to orgasm you can try Kapalbhati breathing. If you are about to ejaculate, forcefully exhale all the air out through your mouth, then engage in an automatic deeper (yet passive) inhale through your mouth. Kapalbhati breathing helps prolong/lengthen ejaculation in males. This level of self-control also transfers to other areas of life, reinforcing discipline and confidence.
- Yab-yum is a position where you can practice matching breath and also eye-gazing. One partner sits with their legs crossed, and the other partner sits on their partner’s lap, wrapping their legs around their waist (usually the female or feminine dominant person). You can rub your genitals against each other, engage in penetrative sex, or just sit there in the moment (clothed or unclothed).
Tantric sex is about being in tune with your body and the body of your partner. Part of this process is reaching “God” through each other by slowing down the moment of peak sexual arousal and coming back into presence. Part of Tantric sex is full body orgasmic experiences, multi-orgasmic experiences, and non-ejaculatory practices to prolong sexual intimacy—with the premise that if two people can remain in this space long enough, they may experience a spiritual revelation or what is also known as “Kundalini awakening.”
For more on tantric sex, check out the book Tantra – Sex, Secrecy, Politics and Power in the Study of Religion (available as a free PDF) and also Ben's podcast episode with Jamie Wheal titled “Recapture the Rapture: Biohacking Sex, Tantric Breathwork, Plant Medicines For Orgasmic Enhancement & Much More!“.
As coaches and a married couple, we have experienced and observed a lot over the years about what it takes to have a thriving and passionate relationship.
With everything we’ve learned, we know that what makes a relationship last is relatively simple: healthy communication, fast and effective repair of conflict, emotional intimacy, and connected sex.
The key is putting in the work. No matter how long you have been together, or what you have been through, if you practice what you learned in this article, you will notice a positive shift in your relationship.
- Navigate conflict by talking, not yelling; forming “fighting rules” outside of a fight; and letting go of being right.
- Create emotional intimacy by seeking help; loving yourself; being less reactive and more responsive; giving yourself presence; and surprising your loved one with “gifts of novelty.”
- Heat up your sex life with breath, sound, and movement; divulging, and acting out, your fantasies; and exploring tantric sex. |
The internet is full of “expert” advice. Often such advice covers key areas like diet, avian medicine and pet ownership. The advice is often generated by people who have only recently entered aviculture and have become self professed experts even though they have extremely limited knowledge and do not understand that parrots are complex creatures that can have varying behaviors even at the subspecific level. Unless you have had extensive experience with a specific species, it is impossible to provide guidance, especially if it is extrapolated from another species or is learned by reading bits and pieces of information from multiple sources, many spurious at best.
The case in point about variability even at the subspecies level must be understood. The Hanh´s Macaw Diopsittaca nobilis nobilis for example is very different from the Noble Macaw Diopsittaca nobilis cumanensis in behavior and needs, even though the two morphologically look quite alike. The two in turn are very different from the larger macaws, which evolved to feed on seeds, drupes and pods that are rich in fat. To say that all macaws are alike is misleading and likely to result in problems at some stage.
The self-professed expert issue recently hit home when a woman adopted a Moluccan Cockatoo Cacatua moluccesis male, a bird that had been a pet but which could no longer be kept by its aging owner. She had contacted me after reading something I had posted on my Facebook page. The bird was tame, tractable and affectionate but it would often scream loudly in the middle of the night, making a wailing call that had caused complaints from the adjacent townhouse that shared a common wall. After questioning the owner, it was clear that the cockatoo was becoming voluble on full moon nights and that it could see outside, having its cage placed before a window.
Cockatoos, especially Moluccans, can become quite vocal if they can see the full moon and the bird was behaving naturally. She had read that the cockatoos were not noisy and thus agreed to adopt the bird. Clearly she had not researched the adoption well enough to make an informed decision. My recommendation was to move the bird away from the window, to block the view of the outdoors by closing the curtains at night and if the situation persisted to cover the cage at night to allow the bird to rest and not be in view of the moon.
Parrots are a large group and species from the same genera can inhabit a broad area. Cockatoos are found from the Philippines to the Solomon Islands, formerly across much of Indonesia, including New Guinea and throughout Australia. The behavior of the Philippine Red-vented Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia is not the same as that of a Goffin´s Cacatua goffini or the Australian Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea. The three may be similar—indeed they are now commonly referred to by ornithologists as “corellas”– but the vocal abilities are vastly different, as is the behavior in general. The Red-vented Cockatoo is very rare now but in decades past when it was widely imported and kept as pets in the US, it proved a quiet, rather meek bird by cockatoo standards. In contrast, the Little Corella is noisy, assertive and cheeky.
When deciding on acquiring a pet either through adoption or purchase from a breeder or store, it is important to obtain as much information as possible. Question the experience of the person giving the advice. Having had a couple of parrots for a few years does not make you an expert. Indeed, after more than 40 years of parrot keeping, I am learning daily and I regard nothing that I know as etched in stone. Parrots are individuals and as such it is impossible to generalize. They are also complex creatures with a high level of intelligence. All of this combined allows behavior that were previously unknown to be occasionally uncovered. A case in point is the Vasa Parrot Coracopsis vasa, a species whose aviculture history spans almost 150 years, yet only in the past decades has it been learned that females mate and are fed by more than one male. This explains why in the past when housed in pairs, the females occasionally killed their mates. I bred this species many years ago and noticed some aggression on the part of the female but never would have imagined that it was as a result of a complex breeding system whereby multiple males attend to a single female.
In aviculture, it is possible to provide general information on behavior—for example, Scarlet Macaws Ara macao can be unpredictable pets, often nipping without warning, but I have met a few extremely gentle individuals who have never once bit their owners—though one must be cognizant that exceptions always apply.
After researching the species of interest on the internet or by reading a book, question owners of that species. Bird clubs, many bird stores and most rescues will allow you to speak to individuals who have actual experience with the species that interests you. Ask about behavior, tractability, diet, vocal powers and individual traits. Several interviews can help establish a pattern, though it must never be forgotten that parrots are not photocopies that will be identical to each other.
The generalized information accumulated will often but not invariably suggest the following:
Cockatoos are generally vocal, destructive to wood and other objects and some males, as they reach sexual maturity, can become hormonally aggressive. Many males remain calm and gentle—these are the so-called “pliant” males– but others can call incessantly, display and become quite nasty, biting or chasing their owner for no apparent reason one moment and demanding affection the next. Understanding their behavior is key to having a relationship with one of these assertive, hormonally charged males. It is also possible to have a chemical implant inserted into the bird to reduce the level of aggression when they are in a breeding mode. Cockatoos also have powder downs—feathers under the wings that are used to maintain the feather structure—that can cause an allergic reaction in many people. Constant cleaning, ideally daily spraying of the bird before cage cleaning (to allow the powder on the feathers to stick to the water and fall to the cage floor, where they can get discarded) and running a HEPA filter are key to controlling the level of “dust”. That said, cockatoos are exceptionally intelligent, thrive on attention and can become incredibly tame, attached pets. They are ideal for the person with considerable time at home but like a young child need to be trained to play alone and become a bird—never a human with feathers, who throws temper tantrums when not attached to their owners.
Macaws are a diverse group whose pet potential, destructive abilities and noise level can vary considerably between the species. The largest macaw is the longest parrots while the smallest is more diminutive than the largest conure. The macaw species can vary in their temperament and personality. Military and Scarlet Macaws are extremely intelligent but can nip without warning; the Military to me is the most playful and fun to rear from a young age. Buffon´s and Hyacinth Macaws can be menacing but docile pets. The smaller species tend to be noisier but can make charming and active companions.
Amazons are extroverts with strong personalities, often display very good talking abilities and as they mature unpredictable personalities. Yet they are so intelligent that they have been in demand since Columbus returned to Europe on his first trip in 1493 with Cuban Amazons Amazona leucocephala. The personality and beauty make tAmazons one of my favorite groups.
Amazons are perfect for the busy, noisy household. They like activity. Most become single person pets, taking a strong like and equally strong dislike of other persons. I do not recommend them around small children, which are liable to insert a finger into a cage. Males in particular can become sexually aggressive when in a breeding mode. Understanding their body language—flared head and tail fathers, mumbling sounds, moving their beaks as if they were chewing and flashing the eyes (contracting and dilating the pupil) are signs that they should be left alone for the moment. As with all parrots that become sexually active, avoid giving them access to dark areas, including boxes, as these can bring about an increase in libido.
African Greys are to me fantastic birds—they are intelligent, can become extolled talkers and if they like you, can become a companion for life. They like a constant environment; changes, loud noises and aggressive, forceful individuals are not normally good African Grey owners. I find that children can make them nervous, though our Coco adores my son and when he was a child would alert us if he even whimpered. Greys (along with Eclectus) are vulnerable to plucking and need to be kept mentally challenged and physically occupied. Enrichment, toys, play sessions and even stints of watching television or playing outside with a harness in place are an important part of the daily routine.
African Greys that are wing clipped must be ever watched when outside their cage or on a play stand, as when frightened they can fall down; their weight and the impact can cause the breast to split open. If they are wing clipped, the area around their cage should be carpeted and every possible measure should be taken to prevent the bird from being frightened off the perch. The ideal location for a cage should be an area with a solid wall and possibly a side window where the bird can look outside. They should not be placed in such a location that anyone can walk all around.
Conures are noisy, curious, energy packed and in many cases noisy. They are hardy, colorful and can become incredible good pets. As with all parrots, establishing rules and boundaries when young is important: they need to learn to step up and down from the hand, should never be allowed to become shoulder perching birds (where they can acquire an air of dominance), need to learn to play on their own (so that they do not call incessantly when someone is home) and need to be introduced to as many people as possible when young, this to prevent them from becoming fixated on one individual and aggressive towards everyone else.
Conures can naturally be very vocal or in the case of the smaller Pyrrhuras quiet. The group thus has a species for every situation. They are an ideal beginner´s bird—after the Budgerigar and Cockatiel, the latter to me one of the most wonderful of pet birds.
Caiques are clowns—no other word can describe this parrot species so well. They can be loud, assertive and unpredictable. They also enjoy the company of each other or in the absence of another member of their species will bond with any other bird. In my opinion, they are best kept in pairs (gender is not important) though this will pose management problems, as the birds can become little demons. I have seen two caiques kept as pets attack and kill another bird, or become difficult to handle. But I have also seen pairs that proved extremely manageable pets. The most successful groups were kept by owners who established strict rules and adhered to these; each clearly delineated the route of conduct for their birds: teaching them to step up and down, never allowing them to perch on the shoulder, playing with them alone but also as a pair, never allowing them out unsupervised (a strict rule to follow with all parrots) and introducing them to other household pets when young.
Ring-necks and other Asiatic parakeets belong to a non-bonded category, a group of parrots in which mutual preening, sidling while perched and close contact while feeding is very rare; these birds tolerate each other except when breeding, when the male will suddenly show interest in the female, which is dominant and which at other times may charge an approaching male. These birds dislike being touched. Indeed, forcing them to be petted can often cause tremendous stress. They can talk and make fabulous aviary pets—a bird kept in a large enclosure and enjoyed for its sheer beauty. These birds are adept flyers and thus need to fly. They are the perfect pet for the person that does not have a lot of time for one on one contact but who can provide a flight cage in a yard or sun room.
Eclectus parrots are also members of the non-bonded category. The females are assertive and can at times prove outright aggressive to a male. There is normally limited contact between the sexes; indeed in the wild a female may be serviced by multiple males, who feed her in exchange for a change at mating and passing their DNA to the next generation. When this happens, there is no mutual preening as would be typical in macaws, for example. This is why the head feathering is unique and more akin to hair than feathers: the sheath covering the feather easily falls off, not requiring preening by another bird—only those parts of the body that they can reach are covered in what is considered a typical feather.
Eclectus can make fairly good pets. I prefer males to females, though know of many very tractable females. They can learn to talk and seem to enjoy the company of their owners, but they dislike the level of handling that an Amazon would expect.
Plucking can be a problem in many Eclectus and this can be due to skin fungus, boredom, dietary deficiency or even illness. I find that keeping them busy with enrichment is very important to reduce the likelihood of feather plucking. We provide ours with green coconuts, royal Poinciana pods, fresh branches (willow, pine, elm, etc), palm fronds and flowers, palm seeds and even banana stalks and leaves. The birds once accustomed will enjoy the enrichment far more than they would a toy.
As explained, the Eclectus are non-bonded. The largest group of parrots belongs to the bonded category, a group that includes cockatoos, caiques, macaws, Amazons, most conures (the Slender-billed and Austral along with Pionus parrots seem to have qualities that make them intermediate between the bonded and non-bonded categories), lories, African parrots and many others. The bonded parrots enjoy physical contact. Two birds will preen each other and can mate and even courtship feed, irrespective of gender. Two birds of different species can become friends, and this explains the reports of hybrids involving two distinct species—such as between macaws and conures, between distinct genera of cockatoos, the Cockatiel and a cockatoo, and even such disparate species as a lorikeet and a King Parrot Alisterus scapularis. Birds in this group demand physical contact and when kept as pets will need far more attention than the non-bonded group.
Understanding the pair bond concept can certainly lead to a better owner:pet relationship.
Our knowledge of diets today is significant. We are not at a point I believe that we have mastered the dietary requirements of all species, but the plethora of diseases caused by malnutrition seen thirty years ago have been reduced significantly. The currently fed diets (pellets, seed mixes, other foods including soak and boil, etc) are based on poultry research and empirical results over many decades. Such diets are not perfect, as field research shows that different genera and even species have different dietary requirements, but they are a vast improvement from yesteryear.
When looking at a diet, always review the composition. Hemp seed for example has been recommended as a great nutritional addition to a seed diet but this seed is fatty and should not be fed to pet Amazons and cockatoos, which are prone to obesity or fatty liver disease. Hemp however can be fed in great moderation (and here the key is moderation) to many breeding birds kept in flight cages, particularly those housed outdoors where they will burn the energy produced from the fat. Peanuts, nuts and high carbohydrate foods must also be considered as problematic for some species. The large macaws on the other hand can process fat in a reasonable amount, as they have evolved to feed on fatty palm seeds.
The diet fed to your birds should be well researched. Discuss your diet plan with your veterinarian, fellow bird owners and your local bird store. If you rely on the internet, question the information from sources with no training in nutrition, long term practical experience keeping and even breeding the species that interests you, field research or veterinary medicine.
Understanding the wild diet and behaviors of the species of interests can shed considerable light on what is or is not a suitable diet. Birds from dry, open areas tend to fly considerable distances each day to find food. They have generally evolved to eat low fat foods. Macaws from a forest rich in palms will typically harvest these for food, as the hard seeds are not easily cracked open by other animals, thus eliminating competition.
Parrots that feed on fruit in the wild compete with other birds and animals for the same resources. They have thus evolved to attack the fruit when still green, when it tends to be unappealing to other birds or animals; tannins, toxic alkaloids and more can make them bitter or even induce a level of illness. By eating then unripe, they eliminate competition, but then this exposes them to toxins. The parrots eat clay, it is believed, to have it bind with the toxins, so that these can be excreted.
The plants concentrate astringent or toxic properties in unripe fruit to deter predation, as such fruits when dispersed tend not to sprout; by having the fruit consumed when mature, seeds that fall can germinate and thus continue to give life to the ecosystem.
The unripe fruit tends to be bitter. In contrast, most fruit given to parrots in captivity was adapted for the human taste: it must be sweet, juicy and highly palatable. Taste a wild and cultivated apple and you will quickly get an idea of what I am describing. I am therefore less inclined to feed a large amount of cultivated fruit—we feed mainly “wild” fruits that have not been exposed to genetic breeding to make them sweeter. For the brunt of the diet, I opt for more vegetables, especially carrot, sweet potatoes, beets and pumpkin, which have been steamed; also steamed broccoli; raw hot peppers, green leafy vegetables, peas, fresh corn (selecting the least sweet type), flowers from an insecticide free source, herbs, zucchini and many more. Steaming but not boiling (which can destroy vital nutritious elements) is important in some cases to break the fibers and make certain elements more accessible. Follow the dietary recommendations for humans and you will do well when preparing vegetables.
Pulses that have been par-boiled, so that they retain their structure, cooked brown rice, whole wheat pasta and quinoa, cooked egg, sprouted seeds and grains, and whole grain bread are also used to augment the diet. Nuts are added to the diet of macaws. A good brand of pelleted feed and seed mix rounds off the diet. The percentage of each element varies depending on species, season and even age. The intention is to provide variety, avoid obesity (a problem in many senescing birds) and keep the birds motivated.
Parrot keeping is one of the most enjoyable hobbies. When properly cared for, these birds can live to be quite old, can provide a lifelong companionship and can become an esteemed member of the household. All decisions – from what species to acquire to diet–should be made based on sound advice from an experienced source with the appropriate qualifications. This will insure the best owner:pet relationship and reduce the likelihood of illness, malnutrition and behavioral problems. |
8 Plants You Won't Believe Are Winter Hardy
Even where winter howls, there are hardy plants that look just as at home in your house garden as they do in a tropical climate. Check out these 8 plants that will make you do a double-take at their cold zone tolerance.
Most people think cacti only in the desert, but Easter Prickly Pear is hardy from zones 2 to 10. It has a fleshy, edible fruit that follows sunshine yellow flowers. It is an easy-to-grow, spiky ground cover for anywhere you can find strong sun and good drainage. It’s easy to grow from a cutting, but beware! The glochids (spikes) are very tiny, painful and hard to remove.
Figs come from lands that are hot and dry, but there’s one called Chicago Hardy that is tolerant of zones 5-10. In colder zones, it will die down to the ground each winter but pop right back up again in spring, bearing luscious figs in fall. Some, in colder climates, grow them in large containers so they can be garage-kept over winter to fruit earlier in the summer.
The Hardy Banana (Musa basjoo) can tackle winters as cold as zone 5… but there’s a bit of a catch. Yes, you can grow bananas in, say, Michigan, but you have to protect the roots over winter. This usually means adding up to several feet of mulch that is removed in spring.
Agave havardiana is an incredibly cold tolerant, evergreen perennial that looks right at home in the desert. Hardy to zone 5, these plants are attractive to hummingbirds as well as to humans. Watch out for the tips of their leaves though, they are incredibly sharp! Given full sun and good drainage, why not add this tough Agave to your yard?
Corkscrew Rush or Juncus effusus, is often sold as an annual or pond plant, but it is hardy from zones 5 to 11 in your garden. A plant that looks too confused to be true, Corkscrew Rush curlycues itself up to about 18 inches tall and is tough and resilient. Plant it in a rain garden where it can enjoy the extra water, or plant it in beds and borders, it’s happy either way.
Passiflora incarnata is a cold-hardy passion flower vine with an impossibly beautiful flower that is hardy in zones 5-9. The flowers are white with purple filaments that need to be seen to be believed. The flowers ripen into fleshy edible fruits that can be eaten right off the vine. No one will believe it isn’t tropical!
Giant Desert Candle or Eremurus are massive flower towers, growing up to 10 feet tall, that are planted as crowns in the fall like tulips or daffodils. Eremurus are hardy from zones 5 to 8 but truly look like a transplant from a tropical location. These perennials come in whites, yellows, peaches and oranges and tend to multiply each year they are in the ground.
Add privacy while adding a tropical touch with Green Screen Bamboo, a hardy bamboo for zones 6-9. It grows up to 12 feet and is a well-behaved clumping variety, which means it won’t escape your yard and overrun the neighborhood. It’s excellent for screening or in containers. |
Should Bodybuilders Restrict Their Intake of Dietary Fat?
We all know sugar is bad. It is fun to eat but it is bad for your body. It belongs on the bodybuilding blacklist, I’ve got no qualms there. We all know protein is good for bodybuilding. That is a simple and obvious discussion. But what about fat?
Possibly left over from the 1980’s war on fat, a common myth is that fat calories have no place in a healthy diet, let alone a bodybuilding diet. Around that time fat was demonized and carbohydrates were praised. The myth still lingers, but isn’t it time to let that battle go?
A bodybuilding diet consists of lean meats like turkey, chicken, fish, egg whites, and fat free dairy products. Bodybuilding newbies learn this practice almost immediately. We must keep calories low, so we must keep fat consumption low.
This seems to make sense, because after all everything about fat seems bad:
- It is more than twice as high in calories as protein and carbs.
- The word ‘fat’ implies fatness, which is anti-bodybuilding.
- Visually, fat looks disgusting with its gooey yellow appearance.
- Fatty foods drip with grease, which congeals when it sits at room temperature.
Eating fat will make us fat, right? So therefore we should avoid any and all dietary fat, right? Eh…
Fat is a necessary component of any diet. Healthy fats are responsible for a wide array of benefits dealing with everything from fat loss, to muscle gain, to joint lubrication, to appetite suppression, to general health, and so much more. Saturated fat used to be the popular nutrient to avoid, but not anymore.
In reality there is only one type of fat that you want to avoid at all costs, and it is call trans fat. Trans fats are man made and bad for your health, leading to blocked arteries and heart disease. They also increase catabolism, or muscle breakdown – the arch-nemesis of bodybuilders everywhere.
Studies show that athletes who eat less fat also have lower testosterone levels. Not good.
30% of your total calorie intake should come from fats. Since saturated fat actually promotes high testosterone levels, we want 10% of our daily calorie intake to come from saturated fats, most commonly found in beef. Another 10% should come from monounsaturated fats, and the final 10% should come from Omega-3s.
These healthy fats are put to good use by your body, they are not typically stored as bodyfat, are easily used for fuel during fat burning exercise, and even help to stimulate the release of stored bodyfat from adipose cells.
Avoid trans fats whenever possible, but be sure to eat a healthy quantity of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and other healthy fats. The majority of your fat intake should come from monounsaturated fats such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil; and from foods high in omega-3 fats such as trout and salmon.
Also consider using an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement such as Fish Oil. Try the Hypercet Omega 3-6-9 fish oil supplement to balance out your essential fatty acids for proper health.
Remember, 10% saturated, 10% monounsaturated, and 10% omega-3. |
There’s nothing better compared to treating your skin to a little pampering and with the help of a professional spa facial! However, in these difficult economic times, it is not always considered affordable or practical. To help maintain beautiful, radiant, healthy skin it’s important to know more about the best treatments that you can do at home.
Many of us don’t realize that we can easily whip up our very own holistic skin care treatments using ingredients that can be found in our own home. Homemade beauty treatments are actually fun and economical way.
The use of aromatherapy essential oils has been used for centuries to promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being. Aromatherapy is a form of herbal medicine that helps the body to heal itself by utilizing the physical and emotional properties of aromatic plant extracts obtained from flowers, trees, seeds, leaves, stems, roots and other parts of plants. Essential oils are highly concentrated and do not contain artificial fragrances.
1. Identify Your Skin Type
You first have to determine your skin type. Understanding your skin type will help you choose which DIY recipes best suit your complexion. There are 5 skin types:
Normal – This type of skin in balanced, neither oily nor dry with little to no blemishes. In addition, the pores are usually small to medium and the skin is smooth and soft, and with excellent elasticity. It’s regarded as the least problematic skin type and one which most people are striving for.
Dry – This type of skin lacks water and oil and may be the result of under-active sebaceous glands. Dry skin generally feels taught after cleansing, is susceptible to flaking and fine lines, and tends to age faster than oilier skin types. Often times easily irritated. Itchy and dry skin can make you feel tight as well as appear dull.
Oily Skin – Oily skin is often due to having an over-active sebaceous gland and is usually shiny in appearance, coupled with pores that measures from medium to large. Those with oily skin normally have frequent black heads, blemishes and clogged pores.
The Combination Skin Type – Combination skin occurs whenever you have more than 1 type of skin. Typically the skin is oily in areas referred as the T-zone nose, forehead, and chin as well as dry or normal skin on the cheeks.
Sensitive Skin – Sensitive skin can be oily, dry or normal. It’s actually more of a skin condition rather than a skin type. Also, sensitive skin appears to be fragile, prone to inflammation and redness, as well as easily irritated by skin care products and other cosmetics.
Are you still unsure when it comes to your skin type? Of course, you could go online and use Google. Type in “free skin treatment evaluation” to obtain a personalized evaluation and analysis or your skin. Better yet, you could also ask help from an expert at the Regis Salon. Once you’ve determined your specific skin type, you can choose the appropriate essential oils and beauty recipes to use.
In addition to using essential oils to treat psychological and emotional issues, these natural oils can help enhance the wellness plus beauty of our skin, hair, and nails. Essential oils for the skin help heal, nourish, and balance the skin, while absorbing quickly and deeply.
They stimulate cellular renewal and are very useful in terms of treating the usual skin conditions such as psoriasis, stretch marks, cellulite, wrinkles, blemishes and eczema. When used for the hair, essential oils fuel hair growth, restore loss of hair and thinning hair, as well as aid in solving various scalp disorders. For nail care, these potent oils can help treat cracked cuticles while strengthening brittle nails.
Essential oils are not only healthy and healing, but are so versatile and fun to experiment and play around with. Many of the following DIY beauty recipes contain healing essential oils. These recipes are easy to make and I have personally tested and used each recipe.
You can achieve wonderful results by mixing, matching, and experimenting with these multi-faceted natural oils. The essential oils and carrier (base) oils used in these recipes can be interchanged. So, get creative and don’t be afraid to tweak and customize any recipes to your liking.
Use only 100% pure aromatherapy essential oils derived from plants. Do not use synthetic oils made in laboratories.
2. Don’t apply undiluted essential oils
Avoid applying undiluted essential oils directly on the skin without using a carrier oil (also referred to as a base oil). They are very concentrated and may cause skin irritation, burns, or allergies.
The only exceptions are lavender and tea tree oil, which can be used as a spot treatment on pimples, burns, insect bites and stings.
3. Do not take essential oils internally – Essential oils are up to 100 times more powerful than the plant in which they were extracted.
4. Do not apply essential oils on broken or inflamed skin.
5. Do not use near open flames or any fire hazards – Essential oils are flammable.
6. Keep essential oils out of the reach of children and animals – do not use on babies, children, or pets before consulting a licensed Herbalist.
7. Proper care – When using essential oils, avoid contact with your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. If you do accidentally get essential oils in the eyes, rinse with vegetable oil, NOT water! Essential oils are oil soluble, not water soluble. |
The summer morning in Brinje reminds on the glory of the pastimes. The centre of the town is lightly filling with cars and passers-by, although today's four thousand residents throughout the municipality are just a modest reminder of the former 16,000 residents. How can we not remember the old times when Brinje is located beneath Sokolac, the old fortresses of the Frankopan family. We went to the fortress led by the director of the Brinje Tourist Board Danijela Dasović Vranić. Passing the trail from the centre of Brinje to the hilltop, where there are remains of the fortress, we notice a number of fruit trees whose fruits Lika people transform into beautiful jams and appealing brandy - rakija.
The sheep are waiting us around the fort. They gaze the grass around Sokolac, just as centuries ago their ancestors did, who mostly finished on a baking spit or were kept to produce excellent milk used to produce homemade Lika cheese. Through the centuries-old stone doors, they are curiously looking at us and then flee to the grassy slopes overlooking the other hills where an Illyrian Iapodi tribe once lived. The summer heat disappears as soon as we enter the fort, where there is a permanent exhibition entitled "Noble City of Sokolac", which offers visitors information about Sokolac and the role of the Krk noblemen Frankopan in Croatian history.
Sokolac, a magnificent building on the hilltop above Brinje, was built at the beginning of the 15th century by the Frankopan family, under whose walls developed the settlement of Brinje. At that time, Sokolac was the centre of political, economic and cultural life, the hub of exceptional historical figures, such as the King of Sigismund of Luxembourg and Danish King Erich VII. Because of the invasion of the Turkish army, the Frankopans gave up the possession to the king who places the military crew in it as the first defence line from the Turks. Although Brinje was attacked several times, it was never won. After the successful defence and the abolition of the Military Border (Vojna Krajina), the fortification has slowly collapsed, and to this day only that remains is the preserved entrance tower and the two-storey chapel of St. Trinity, one of the most beautiful late-gothic sacral monuments in Croatia.
In the chapel, the central space occupies an octagonal ship on which one side continues the shrine of the chapel, and on the other hand, the same size, the space dedicated to Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows. In the 17th century chapel was erected on the new manique altars in which the Gothic statues of Madonna with the child Jesus and Pieta were assembled from the beginning of the 15th century. On the Gothic vaults in the crypt and on the floor, in stone, coats of Frankopan and Gorjanski families are embossed. The beautiful interior of the chapel revives every year for the feast of St. Trinity, as well as for weddings that can be booked in the parish office.
From the fortress there is a beautiful view of the entire Brinje, especially the church of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary. In the middle of summer, in August, a large number of Lika people gather in Brinje for the festival of Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is customary to glorify Our Lady in Brinje in the morning and then to take a pilgrim path to Velebit, in Krasno, where one of the largest Croatian Marian shrines is located. The church is surrounded by a nice square with a monument to the reverend Marko Mesić, the liberator of Lika from the Turks. In this oldest part of Brinje stands the bridge from 1800 that crosses the small brook Gata. There is also a monument to the Brinje Miners. During the 19th and 20th centuries they earned their livelihoods in the construction of roads and tunnels around the world. There were specially known as good miners, people who drilled holes in the stone with the heavy tools, thereby allowing mines to be deposited and rock to be crushed.
Next to the bridge over Gata is the Čarobnjakov šešir shop, where Jasna Jelić is waiting for us. We looked inside to see what was hiding in it and discovered a series of souvenirs from Brinje and Lika. In particular, we were impressed by the model of Sokolac as it was in the past and by the local hero of Marko Mesić, as well as glass bottle for brandy. They can be found in every household, commonly on the table as a welcome to every guest. The most famous rakija in Lika is, of course, plum brandy (šljivovica), so plum motives prevail. Here are also various other beautiful souvenirs that will remind you of the undoubtedly rich experience in Brinje.
Namely, Brinje has a long history and tradition. We saw a fraction of this in the Brinje Municipal Peoples' Heritage Collection. This ethno-museum shows how one lived not so long in the Lika household. Under the expert guidance of Ms. Jadranka Vučetić we visit several rooms where items are collected by locals. The carefully decorated kitchen could remind us of the childhood and the pots of our grandmothers, and the detail on the wall reveals to us the somewhat forgotten industrial heritage of Brinje. Although the whole Lika is a wooden area, many places have had various other industries besides saw mills. In Brinje was the Likos manufactory producing the razor blades, which really became a domestic brand, but unfortunately it was closed in the eighties. You can also find the shaving accessories with a razor blade made in Likos. Today, this name survives in the local musical band.
Members of many homeland clubs and expats have sent items from the late 19th century to the seventies of the 20th century to Brinje. As soon as one comes inside, one notices the traditional folk costume, with a well-known Lika cap, which our Vedran put instantly on his head because his family also originates from the Lika region. Hemp, sheep and sheep wool prevailed in clothes that was weaved on the loom, exposed in the collection. In addition, there were table cloths, towels, plant covers and various ornaments. Men made wood and metal items, especially those that could be sold. Apart from these things, the collection also keeps various interior, furniture, chests, furnaces, pistols and sewing machines.
Mrs. Vučetić is also a member of KUD Brinje, which cares for preserving the heritage of this region through song, dance and customs. Their twenty-two members are well-known throughout Croatia by their dances and songs, of which the local song "Brinje moje" is highlighted. Ojkan, along with other forms of Dinaric singing, is the oldest type of singing in Croatia, the rest of the ancient Balkan singing adopted and preserved by Croats and is found in the UNESCO list of endangered non-material world heritage.
There is no doubt that every household will welcome their guests with šljivovica, just as we were welcomed at Dasović House. The parents of the Tourist Board director privately received us only for us to pay homage to their own šljivovica, made for home use. In addition to the rich orchard, the family cares for few sheep. In Brinje once every house had several cows and countless sheep. Cows have unfortunately disappeared today from pasturelands, but sheep can still be seen although in a much smaller number.
Brinje also offers a number of attractions and activities in its surroundings. You can peek at Siničić Cave, located on the 18.5km long Brinje ring hiking trail, passing through the ridge of Mount Škamnica, the most beloved mountain of Brinje inhabitants. You can also rent a bike through the state-of-the-art Next Bike bikes, and drive across the entire municipality on two wheels. In this way you can get to know the historical churches of Jezerane and Križpolje, as well as the beautiful meadows of Stajnica, Lipice, Glibodol, Križ Kamenica, Vodoteč, Letinac, Prokike and other settlements. |
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Many conservationists are concerned about the state's rivers, most of which are at or below record lows.
On Friday, the state's Water Management Task Force will consider whether to issue a drought advisory for parts of Massachusetts, particularly the southeast, east and central regions.
"In the last two years we've had flooding and now we're seeing really dry conditions for this time of year," said Jonathan Yeo, director of Water Supply Protection for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, as we looked across the Charles River at the Wellesley Dam in Newton Lower Falls.
Near the banks of the river the land was muddy where, Yeo said, it would usually be covered by water this time of the year.
"The concern is if we get any lower than this, it could impact various species," Yeo said.
Low stream beds can increase water temperatures and cause stress on fish and other wildlife in the rivers, Yeo explained.
Nevertheless, the dry conditions could be reversed if the weather cooperates.
"We need a couple of good rainstorms and we don't see any right away, but we probably could use an additional 5 inches of rain in next month — would be very helpful and probably can get out of this condition," Yeo said. "If we don't get it, we're probably going to head into May and June in a very dry state. Towns will then be faced with restrictions and frustration for homeowners."
The water levels are also being closely monitored by the Charles River Watershed Association. The organization's director, Robert Zimmerman, said it's a serious problem. He urges residents to conserve as much water as possible to help protect the wildlife. |
The Wiselink Philosophy
We aim to enable others to acquire Knowledge and develop Wisdom to make Smart Decisions.
Our logo concept derives from a Chinese Tangram. The Tangram is an ancient intriguing moving piece puzzle consisting of seven geometrical shapes. The seven pieces can be built from a magic square into thousands of different figures and vice versa. It is a fun learning tool to train people think and develop wisdom.
The Tangram-like square represents various Wiselink training programs that can help organisations and individuals develop capabilities to face difficulties or challenges. It comprises of knowledge, skills and real life experience in key areas like Awareness, Communication, Management, Coaching, Teamwork and Customer Service. The triangle in the center is the core component that symbolizes Wiselink’s passion and growth in people learning and development.
In our logo, the circle refers to the sparkling and inspiring ideas. The square (that represents rigidity) and the circle (that represents harmony) balance each other.
知= 智= Wisdom
The Chinese character ‘矢’ means goal-oriented and never give-up.
The modern yet simple form of Chinese character ‘智’ represents knowledge and learning that associated with the concept of wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to make decision in an efficient and wise manner. It is a flash of awareness and smart idea that one can be benefited for life long.
Enabling others to equip with knowledge and wisdom to make smart decision in work and life will be the cornerstone for the development culture of Wiselink. |
Pain can tell you things. Not verbally, of course, as in, “Hey, your appendix is inflamed!” But the quality of your pain—dull or sharp, constant or intermittent, acute or general—can point the way to the actual problem.
That's especially true of tooth pain, which could signal any number of dental problems. Looking at its characteristics, though, can narrow the search. Here are a few examples.
Sharp, momentary pain. This could be an indication of a number of possible dental problems. If it occurs for a few seconds after eating or drinking something hot or cold, it might signal a small area of tooth decay, a loose filling or early signs of gum recession. The latter could be a symptom of periodontal (gum) disease, so you should seek diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.
Sharp pain when biting. Like tooth sensitivity, this could be a sign of decay or a loose filling, or it could indicate a fractured (cracked) tooth. If it's the latter, you may need an endodontist, a specialist in interior tooth problems, if you want the best chance for saving the tooth.
Dull ache in upper teeth. This might not be a dental problem at all, but radiating pain from an infection of the sinus just above the upper posterior teeth. The infection could also have begun with one of the molar teeth and advanced into the sinus. You'll need to see your dentist for any teeth or gums involved and possibly a physician to address any potential sinus infection.
Constant throbbing pain. That horrible toothache that won't stop could be the nerves in the tooth's interior under attack from decay. The primary means for saving a tooth with deep decay is a root canal treatment to clean out diseased tissue and replace it with a filling or a crown. You should see a dentist even if the pain suddenly subsides—this may only mean the nerves have died, but the infection is still active.
These are just a few of the problems, including true dental emergencies, that oral pain can signal. For any instance of pain in your mouth, see your dentist as soon as possible.
If you would like more information on tooth pain and what it might indicate, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Tooth Pain? Don't Wait!”
Actor Zac Efron has one of the top smiles in a business known for beautiful smiles. Bursting on the scene in 2006 at age 18 in High School Musical, Efron has steadily increased his range of acting roles. He recently starred as Ted Bundy on Netflix, wearing prosthetics to match the notorious serial killer's crooked teeth.
With his growing fame, Efron's attractive smile has become one of his more memorable attributes. But it wasn't always so. Before Hollywood, Efron's smile was less than perfect with small, uneven teeth and a gap between his top front teeth. Before and after pictures, though, make it quite apparent that the actor has undergone a significant smile makeover.
While fans are abuzz on the 411 regarding his dental work, Efron himself has been hush-hush about his smile transformation. We won't join the speculation: Instead, here are a few possible ways you can get a more attractive smile like Zac Efron.
Teeth whitening. A single-visit, non-invasive teeth whitening procedure can transform your dull, stained teeth into a brighter, more attractive smile. Although the effect isn't permanent, it could last a few years with a professional whitening and good oral practices. Having it done professionally also gives you more control over the level of shading you prefer—from soft natural white to dazzling Hollywood bright.
Orthodontics. Like Efron, if your teeth aren't quite in proper alignment, straightening them can make a big difference in your appearance (and your oral health as well). Braces are the tried and true method for moving teeth, but you may also be able to choose clear aligner trays, which are much less noticeable than braces. And don't worry about your age: Anyone with reasonably good dental health can undergo orthodontics.
Bonding. We may be able to correct chips and other slight tooth flaws with durable composite resins. After preparing your tooth and matching the material to your particular color, we apply it directly to your tooth in successive layers. After hardening, the unsightly defect is no more—and your smile is more attractive.
Veneers. Dental veneers are the next step up for more advanced defects. We bond these thin, custom-made layers of dental porcelain to the front of teeth to mask chips, heavy staining and slight tooth gaps. Although we often need to permanently remove a small amount of tooth enamel, veneers are still less invasive than some other restorations. And your before and after could be just as amazing as Zac Efron's.
Improving one's smile isn't reserved for stars like Zac Efron. There are ways to correct just about any dental defect, many of which don't require an A-lister's bank account. With a little dental “magic,” you could transform your smile. |
Most of us put it on every day (and wish everybody else did, too). Few of us give the product much thought unless we realize mid-first date that we've forgotten to put it on. We're talking about deodorant, a hygiene must-have that's been popular throughout the ages.
Egyptians are often credited with developing the first deodorant, applying sweet-smelling scents to cover up what had to have been a pretty ripe smell up and down the Nile. They brought an early dose of variety to the world of deodorant, using a host of spices, such as citrus and cinnamon, to stave off that late-day funk.
Alcohol-based, perfumed deodorants were developed in the Middle East and made their way to Europe in the 13th century, as Crusaders returned from faraway lands with the products they discovered among the people they hoped to conquer.
But certain cultures were more keen to mass-produce, market and sell consumer hygiene products -- that opportunity wouldn't pass by the Americans without someone reaching out and taking it.
The first mass-produced, commercially sold deodorant was Mum, a zinc compound that hit the markets in 1888. It was a cream applied to one's underarms by hand. The first deodorant aerosol could be found on shelves in the 1950s (back when we still thought aerosol was a great thing). And, since then, we've seen the roll-on deodorant, which is an improvement over slathering it on with your fingers or eradicating the ozone layer.
However, the honor of developing the world's first deodorant actually goes to the ancient Sumerians, a pleasant-smelling people who populated Mesopotamia. Sometime around 3500 B.C., the Sumerians -- who developed the world's first written language and the wheel -- put that written language to good use by mentioning their fondness for deodorant.
Our ability to walk into a room without others recoiling in olfactory horror was enabled by a civilization -- the first, actually -- that knew body odor was anything but civilized. |
Our Quick Tip Sheets provide detailed information about the rights of students experiencing homelessness in a one-page format. Each guide is targeted to a specific school role.
Reading on the Go! is a two-volume project that explores reading instruction for students experiencing high mobility as a result of high poverty.
This NCHE bibliography, updated September 2011, provides a broad list of research studies addressing the issue of mobility and its effects on a child’s or youth’s education.
This handbook discusses migratory children and youth, children and youth experiencing homelessness, children of military families, and students experiencing mobility on a global scale.
This study explores the critical role of the classroom teacher in contributing to the education of at-risk and highly mobile students. The study includes a review of the literature on the effective teaching of at-risk and highly mobile students and an exploration of the beliefs and practices of six teachers who won national and/or state awards for working with students in difficult circumstances.
These two briefs describe some the challenges and offers recommendations to teachers based on the literature and case studies of award-winning teachers with a variety of students in their classrooms who moved frequently. |
The 1964-1965 New York World's Fair was the largest international exhibition ever built in the United States. More than one hundred fifty pavilions and exhibits spread over six hundred forty-six acres helped the fair live up to its reputation as "the Billion-Dollar Fair." With the cold war in full swing, the fair offered visitors a refreshingly positive view of the future, mirroring the official theme: Peace through Understanding. Guests could travel back in time through a display of full-sized dinosaurs, or look into a future where underwater hotels and flying cars were commonplace. They could enjoy Walt Disney's popular shows, or study actual spacecraft flown in orbit. More than fifty-one million guests visited the fair before it closed forever in 1965. The 1964-1965 New York World's Fair captures the history of this event through vintage photographs, published here for the first time. |
Neuroinflammation is one of the key mechanisms of neuropathic pain, which is primarily mediated by the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathways in microglia. Therefore, TLR4 may be a reasonable target for treatment of neuropathic pain. Here, we examined the analgesic effect of TLR4 antagonistic peptide 2 (TAP2) on neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve ligation in rats. When lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia cells were treated with TAP2 (10 µM), the mRNA levels of proinflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), were markedly decreased by 54–83% as determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis. Furthermore, when TAP2 (25 nmol in 20 µL PBS) was intrathecally administered to the spinal nerve ligation-induced rats on day 3 after surgery, the mechanical allodynia was markedly decreased for approximately 2 weeks in von Frey filament tests, with a reduction in microglial activation. On immunohistochemical and qPCR analyses, both the level of reactive oxygen species and the gene expression of the proinflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS, were significantly decreased in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn. Finally, the analgesic effect of TAP2 was reproduced in rats with monoiodoacetate-induced osteoarthritic pain. The findings of the present study suggest that TAP2 efficiently mitigates neuropathic pain behavior by suppressing microglial activation, followed by downregulation of neuropathic pain-related factors, such as reactive oxygen species and proinflammatory molecules. Therefore, it may be useful as a new analgesic for treatment of neuropathic pain.
Several neurotransmitters, including glutamate, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and substance P, are released from the nerve terminals of primary afferent neurons when peripheral nerves are injured by physical and/or inflammatory stress in diseases, such as diabetes and cancer. These molecules bind to their corresponding receptors on spinal cord neurons and then transmit pain signals to the brain via spinothalamic pathways by depolarizing the neurons. These molecules also stimulate surrounding spinal microglia and consolidate the pain by inducing secretion of proinflammatory mediators and strengthening the interactions between neurons and microglia . In addition, several endogenous molecules, such as heat shock proteins, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), hyaluronan fragments, and heparin sulfate, are released from the injured neurons and induce activated microglia to produce inflammatory molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, nitrogen oxide (NO), and prostaglandins, via Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated signaling pathways [2,3]. These substances may further solidify chronic pain by central sensitization in the spinal cord.
TLR4 is a member of the TLR family that recognizes pathogen-associated molecular patterns expressed on infectious agents, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. TLR4 binds to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on most gram-negative bacteria, leading to activation of the innate immune system via an intracellular signaling cascade of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 3 . In addition, TLR4 recognizes a number of endogenous molecules (damage-associated molecular patterns), such as low-density lipoprotein, beta-defensin, fibrinogen, HMGB1, and heat shock proteins, released from the damaged tissue
There are several types of TLR4 antagonists/blockers, including Berberine, Sparstolonin B, Eritoran, TAK-242, IAXO102, FP7, CRX-526, FP-1, (+)-naloxone, and TLR4-C34 . These comprise natural compounds, synthetic LPS analogues, and small molecules used to treat TLR4-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as sepsis, lethal influenza infection, and inflammatory bowel disease. For example, in response to LPS, Eritoran was shown to prevent the production of inflammatory mediators by competitively blocking the binding of LPS to TLR4/MD2 with consequent inhibition of the NF-κB signaling cascade . Moreover, these molecules may attenuate neuropathic pain by blocking the TLR4-mediated signaling pathway, because this pathway is critical for the initiation and maintenance of chronic pain . In addition, subcutaneous administration of (+)-naloxone at a high dose of 10 mg/kg reversed chronic neuropathic pain in rats with chronic construction injury and spinal nerve ligation (SNL) within 3 hours . However, the duration of action of (+)-naloxone was very short due to its brief half-life in the blood, although it showed analgesic effects in rats with long-established neuropathic pain at 8 weeks after surgery. Therefore, alternative TLR4 antagonists are required for long-term reversal of neuropathic pain with a single treatment rather than multiple treatments. Recently, screening of virtual libraries and phage display libraries may lead to the isolation of peptide TLR4 modulators capable of disrupting the TLR4/MD2 interaction or Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)/TIR interactions . Here, we evaluated TLR4 antagonistic peptide 2 (TAP2) as a new analgesic agent for neuropathic pain, considering its safety and efficacy compared with LPS analogues and small compounds.
In the present study, we examined whether TAP2, a peptide antagonist of TLR4, has an analgesic effect on SNL-induced neuropathic pain in rats. TLR4/MD2 complex-targeted TAP2 showed marked long-term attenuation of the mechanical allodynia in von Frey filament tests. Furthermore, the loss of neuropathic pain was attributed to the reduction in microglial activation and generation of pain inducers, such as proinflammatory mediators and reactive oxygen species (ROS), in the spinal dorsal horn of SNL-induced rats.
Sprague–Dawley rats (male, 6-week-old, 150~200 g) were obtained from Daehan Bio Link (Chung-buk, Republic of Korea) and allowed to acclimatize to the new environment for 1 week before the experiments. All animals were housed (three rats per cage) in a controlled environment (23±2℃, 50% humidity) under a 12 h-light/dark cycle and given food and water
In this study, we used a rat model of neuropathic pain induced by SNL, which is a proved model of neuropathic pain in animals [17,18]. Briefly, under isoflurane anesthesia (2% in oxygen; Hana Pharm, Kyung-gi, Republic of Korea), the animals were placed in the prone position, and the left side of the paraspinal muscles were spread wide apart via a 2-cm skin incision. After elimination of the lumbar (L) 6 transverse process to reveal the L4 and L5 vertebrae, the L5 spinal nerve was carefully separated from L4 without injury and ligated three times using 3-0 silk thread (Ethicon, Diegem, Belgium). After ligation, the wound was sutured with silk thread, and the animals were allowed to recover on a warm pad. The sham group received the same surgical procedures as in the SNL group except that the L5 spinal nerve was not ligated.
Pain behavior was evaluated as described previously [16,19,20,21] using von Frey filaments (NC12775-99, Touch Test® Sensory Evaluators, 20-Piece Hand Kit; North Coast Medical & Rehabilitation Products, Gilroy, CA). Briefly, rats were placed on a metal mesh floor covered with clear plastic boxes (18×8×8 cm) and left for 20 minutes to acclimatize to the new environment. Mechanical stimuli were applied with nine different von Frey filaments ranging from 0.6 to 15 g (0.6, 1, 1.4, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 15 g). Stimuli were applied with a von Frey filament in 3~4-second trials, each of which was repeated four times on each hind paw at intervals of approximately 5 minutes. The 2-g filament stimulus was applied first. Then, mechanical threshold was determined with the up-down method . If a positive response occurred, the next smaller von Frey filament was used. If a negative response occurred, the next larger filament was applied. The last filament applied was considered as a threshold of the test.
Intrathecal injection of compounds into the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord was performed as described previously . Briefly, animals were placed in the prone position on an operating table under isoflurane anesthesia. Next, 20 µL solution (PBS or TAP2 [AMALDCFRWGWRMWCSSG, Peptron, Daejeon, Republic of Korea], 25 nmol) was introduced intrathecally into the L5/L6 intervertebral space using a syringe (50 µL; Hamilton, Reno, NV) with a 26.5 G needle. Further, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated TAP2 (FITC-TAP2, Peptron) was used to examine the microglial specificity and the duration of action in the spinal dorsal horn of SNL-induced rats. An obvious tail flick was observed when injection was successful.
Total RNA was isolated from BV2 cells or the ipsilateral dorsal horn of the spinal cords (L4/L5 segment, 0.7 cm) using the Hybrid-R kit (GeneAll, Seoul, Republic of Korea) and then transcribed into cDNA using TOPscript RT DryMix (Enzynomics, Daejeon, Republic of Korea). qPCR was performed under the following conditions : 95℃ for 10 minutes, followed by 40 cycles of 95℃ for 15 seconds and 60℃ for 1 minute using the AriaMx Realtime PCR System (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA). Primer sequences (Cosmogenetech, Seoul, Republic of Korea) used in the qPCR were as follows: mouse GAPDH, forward: 5′-ACC CAG AAG ACT GTG GAT GG -3′, reverse: 5′- CAC ATT GGG GGT AGG AAC AC- -3′; mouse TNF- α, forward: 5′- AGC AAA CCA CCA AGT GGA GGA-3′, reverse: 5′- GCT GGC ACC ACT AGT TGG TTG T -3′; mouse IL-1β, forward: 5′- TTG TGG CTG TGG AGA AGC TGT -3′, reverse: 5′- AAC GTC ACA CAC CAG CAG GTT -3′; mouse IL-6, forward: 5′- TCC ATC CAG TTG CCT TCT TGG -3′, reverse: 5′- CCA CGA TTT CCC AGA GAA CAT G -3′; mouse COX-2, forward: 5′- TGA GTA CCG CAA ACG CTT CT - 3′, reverse: 5′- CTC CCC AAA GAT AGC ATC TGG – 3′ ; mouse iNOS, forward: 5′- GGC AAA CCC AAG GTC TAC GTT – 3′, reverse: 5′- TCG CTC AAG TTC AGC TTG GT – 3′; rat GAPDH, forward: 5′- CTC ATG ACC ACA GTC CAT GC -3′, reverse: 5′- TTC AGC TCT GGG ATG ACC TT -3′; rat TNF-α, forward: 5′- AGA TGT GGA ACT GGC AGA GG -3′, reverse: 5′- CCC ATT TGG GAA CTT CTC CT -3′; rat IL-1β, forward: 5′- CAG CAG CAT CTC GAC AAG AG -3′, reverse: 5′- CAT CAT CCC ACG AGT CAC AG -3′; rat IL-6, forward: 5′- CCG GAG AGG AGA CTT CAC AG -3′, reverse: 5′- ACA GTG CAT CAT CGC TGT TC -3′; rat COX-2 forward: 5′- CAG TAT CAG AAC CGC ATT GCC -3′, reverse: 5′- GAG CAA GTC CGT GTT CAA GGA-3′; rat TLR4 forward: 5′- TGA GCA GTC GTG CTG GTA TC -3′, reverse: 5′- CAG GGC TTT TCT GAG TCG TC -3′. The mRNA levels of each target gene were normalized to that of GAPDH. The fold changes in mRNA levels were calculated using the 2−ΔΔCt method as described previously .
Rats were euthanized with sodium pentobarbital (100 mg/kg, i.p.), perfused with heparinized phosphate-buffered saline (0.5% heparin in PBS, pH 7.4), followed by perfusion with ice-cold 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS for 10 minutes using a peristaltic pump at a rate of 20 mL/min. The lumbar region (L4~L6) of the spinal cord was separated, bathed in the same fixative overnight at 4℃, and then immersed in a series of sucrose solutions in PBS (from 10% to 30%) for cryoprotection . After 2 days, the lumbar segments were cut into transverse sections at a thickness of 30 µm using a cryostat (CM1950; Leica, Wetzlar, Germany) and kept at −20℃ in storage buffer (30% glycerol, 30% ethylene glycol in PBS) .
For fluorescence staining, tissues were first blocked with blocking buffer (5% normal serum, 0.3% Triton X-100 in PBS) for 1 hour at room temperature. The spinal tissues were then incubated with a mixture of primary antibodies (iNOS, 1:100 [BD-610329; BD Transduction Laboratories, Franklin Lakes, NJ]; Iba1, 1:400 [019-19741; Wako, Osaka, Japan]); diluted in blocking buffer overnight at 4℃ followed by a mixture of corresponding secondary antibodies conjugated with either FITC or Cy3 (1:400; Jackson ImmunoResearch, West Grove, PA) diluted in the same blocking buffer . The sections were counterstained with DAPI (5 µg/mL in PBS; Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA) for 5 minutes and then mounted on glass slides with mounting medium (Biomeda, Foster City, CA). Images were obtained using a laser scanning microscope (TCS SP8; Leica) and used for additional data analysis.
For diaminobenzidine (DAB) staining, the spinal tissues were first exposed to 0.3% H2O2 in PBS for 10 minutes to block endogenous peroxidase activity and incubated with the same blocking solution for 1 hour at room temperature. The tissues were then treated with the primary antibody (Iba-1, 1:400; Wako) overnight at 4℃ followed by a biotinylated secondary antibody and the streptavidin peroxidase complex (Vector Laboratories, Inc., Burlingame, CA). The specimens were visualized with DAB–peroxidase substrate solution (0.05% DAB/0.015% H2O2 in PBS) and mounted on glass slides using Polymount (Polysciences, Warrington, PA). Images were obtained by bright field microscopy (ECLIPSE E600 POL; Nikon, Tokyo, Japan).
The intensity of Iba1-immunoreactive (IR), FITC- positive, and DHE-positive cells in the spinal dorsal horn was measured using Image J software (NIH, Bethesda, MD) as described previously [16,29]. In brief, images (3 sections per animal, n = 3~5 animals) were first converted to gray ones. After background subtraction and shading correction, the intensity of rectangular area (650 µm×150 µm) in the layer I–IV of spinal dorsal horn was measured. In addition, the number of FITC-TAP2/Iba1-IR, iNOS-IR, and iNOS/Iba1-IR cells was counted in the layer I–IV of dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
Superoxide anion levels in the spinal cord were examined with dihydroethidium (DHE, Thermo Fisher Scientific), as described previously . Briefly, spinal sections were incubated with DHE (1 µM) solution for 5 min at room temperature and mounted on glass slides. The signals were grabbed with a confocal microscope (Leica Biosystems, Germany), and the fluorescent intensity was quantified with the Image J program.
A rat model of OA pain was established by intraarticular injection of MIA (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) as described previously . Briefly, under isoflurane anesthesia (2% in oxygen mixture; Hana Pharm, Kyung-gi, Republic of Korea), PBS (25 µL) or MIA (2 mg in 25 µL saline) was added to the intraarticular space of the knee joint of the left hind leg through the left patellar tendon using a Hamilton syringe with a 26.5 G needle. Once OA pain was established on day 7 post-MIA injection, PBS or TAP2 (25 nmol) was delivered intrathecally into the rats with the same procedure of SNL model above. The animals then underwent behavioral tests with von Frey filaments on the indicated days to validate the analgesic effect of TAP2 on OA pain. Furthermore, to examine the suppressive effect of TAP2 on spinal microglia in an OA pain model, on day 10 after TAP2 injection, L5 spinal tissues were immunostained with anti-Iba1 antibodies.
The data are expressed as the mean±standard error of the mean (SEM). The significance of differences between groups was compared by one-way or two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the appropriate multiple comparison test. Two-group analyses were performed using the two-tailed unpaired Student's
In mouse models of neuropathic pain with spinal nerve transection and chronic construction injury, neuropathic pain is mediated by TLR4 and its downstream molecules [10,11]. However, there have been no reports regarding whether neuropathic pain is also mediated by TLR4 in rats. Therefore, we first examined the expression of TLR4 in rats with neuropathic pain.
To verify the mRNA level of TLR4 in rats with SNL-induced neuropathic pain, we first performed L5 SNL ligation in rats insensitive to von Frey filaments (>10 g, baseline) and confirmed the incidence and continuation of neuropathic pain by von Frey filament test on days 3, 7, and 14 (Fig. 1A). The level of TLR4 transcription in the L4–L5 segments of the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn was then investigated by qPCR using primers specific for TLR4. The results indicate that the TLR4 mRNA level was upregulated by threefold on day 3 post-ligation in SNL-induced rats and subsequently downregulated (Fig. 1B).
These observations suggest that neuropathic pain may involve TLR4 due to the increased TLR4 expression in the rat model of neuropathic pain with SNL.
Prior to the administration of TAP2 in rats with SNL-induced neuropathic pain, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of TAP2 on microglial cells because TLR4 is upregulated on the surface of spinal microglia in animals with neuropathic pain . BV2 cells were pre-treated with TAP2 (10 µM) for 30 min and further incubated with LPS (100 ng/ml) for 3 h. The mRNA levels of the proinflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS, were markedly decreased by 54–83% in the LPS+TAP2-treated group compared with the LPS-treated group in qPCR analysis (Fig. 2).
These findings indicate that TAP2 has an anti-inflammatory effect on microglia
Before validating the analgesic effect of TAP2 on neuropathic pain, we investigated whether TAP2 preferentially targets spinal microglia in rats with neuropathic pain because TLR4 expression is markedly upregulated in microglia after surgery . To track the localization of TAP2 in the spinal cord, FITC was conjugated to the N-terminus of TAP2 (FITC-TAP2) and administered intrathecally to rats with SNL-induced neuropathic pain on day 3 after surgery. Immunofluorescent staining indicated that TAP2 was exclusively localized in Iba1-positive microglia of the spinal cord on day 4 post-injection (Fig. 3). Interestingly, the number of TAP2/Iba1-positive cells in the spinal dorsal horn was markedly increased by three-fold on the ipsilateral side compared with the contralateral side (Fig. 3).
Next, to determine whether TAP2 mitigates SNL-induced pain in rats, on day 3 after surgery, rats sensitive to von Frey filaments (<4 g) were randomly divided into two groups and treated by intrathecal injection of PBS (20 µL) or TAP2 (25 nmol in 20 µL PBS) (Fig. 4A). The von Frey filament test performed on days 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 24 after ligation indicated that the analgesic effect of TAP2 on neuropathic pain was significantly maintained for approximately 2 weeks compared with the control group. Interestingly, the analgesic effect of TAP2 lasted much longer than that of gabapentin (5 mg), which is used clinically for the treatment of neuropathic pain (Fig. 4A).
Microglial activation involved in neuropathic pain is mediated by TLR4 and its downstream signaling pathways [11,32]. Therefore, we examined the reduction in microglial activation induced by TAP2 in SNL-induced rats because TAP2 targets TLR4/MD2 complex expressed on the surface of microglia. On day 4 post-injection of PBS or TAP2, L5 spinal sections were immunostained with anti-Iba1 antibodies. The intensity of Iba1-immunoreactive cells was decreased by 67% in the TAP2-treated group compared with the PBS-treated controls (Fig. 4B).
Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between the reduction of pain and the duration of TAP2 in the spinal cord of SNL-induced rats. Thus, on days 4, 7, 12, 17, and 21 following administration of FITC-TAP2 to SNL-induced rats, the intensity of green fluorescence was measured on the targeted cells of ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn. Interestingly, mechanical allodynia decreased in reverse proportion to the intensity of FITC-TAP2 in the spinal dorsal horn of rats induced by SNL surgery (Fig. 4C).
Taken together, these observations suggest that TAP2 substantially targets microglia in the spinal cord and achieves long-term mitigation of SNL-induced pain in rats by reducing microglial activation.
To understand the mechanism underlying the reduction in neuropathic pain by TAP2, we examined the expression levels of the proinflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS, because the expression levels of these genes are noticeably upregulated in the spinal dorsal horn of animals with neuropathic pain . On day 4 post-injection, the mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn were significantly decreased by 52–71% in the TAP2-treated group compared with the PBS-treated controls (Fig. 5A). Furthermore, the numbers of iNOS- and iNOS/Iba1-immunopositive cells in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn were also markedly decreased by 39% and 46%, respectively, in the TAP2-treated group compared with the controls (Fig. 5B).
As SNL-induced microglial activation enhances the generation of ROS , we also examined whether TAP2 inhibits ROS production caused by the blockade of TLR4/MD2 complex and subsequent decrease in microglial activation. When L5 spinal sections were incubated with a ROS marker, dihydroethidium, the level of ROS in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord was significantly decreased by 55% in the TAP2-treated group compared with the PBS-treated controls (Fig. 6).
Together, our findings suggest that the alleviation of neuropathic pain induced by TAP2 may be attributed to decreased levels of proinflammatory molecules and ROS in the spinal dorsal horn.
Finally, to evaluate the therapeutic effect of TAP2 in a physiologically relevant disease model of neuropathic pain, we used an OA model because a subpopulation (~30%) of OA patients show neuropathic-like pain [34,35]. To establish the rat model of OA pain, MIA (2 mg in 25 µL PBS) was administered intra-articularly into the knee of the hind leg, which has been shown to induce OA via gradual death of chondrocytes in the cartilage of the knee joint, mediated by inhibition of ATP production in glycolysis . On day 7 post-MIA injection, PBS or TAP2 (25 nmol in 25 µL PBS) was administered intrathecally to rats with OA pain. The mechanical thresholds were then determined using von Frey filaments on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 17, 19, 21, and 24 post-injection. Similar to its effect on SNL-induced pain, TAP2 significantly improved MIA-induced pain behavior for 19 days compared with PBS control treatment (Fig. 7A).
Further, we investigated whether TAP2 could reudce OA pain by inhibiting microglia activation. When L5 spinal tissues were stained with anti-Iba1 antidodies on day 10 post-TAP2 injection, Iba1-immunoreactivity was decreased by 30% in the TAP2-treated group compared with the PBS-treated controls (Fig. 7B).
These observations indicate that TAP2 causes long-term attenuation of OA pain induced by MIA in rats by prohibiting microglia activation. Therefore, TAP2 is a potential candidate for the treatment of patients with neuropathic pain, including those with OA.
In the present study, we examined whether an antagonistic peptide fragment of TLR4 is a more effective analgesic for the treatment of neuropathic pain compared with other drugs, because TLR4-mediated neuroinflammation contributes to the induction and conservation of neuropathic pain . TAP2 administered intrathecally to the L5/L6 intervertebral space of rats with SNL-induced pain on day 3 after surgery markedly reduced pain behavior for approximately 2 weeks in von Frey filament tests, with the loss of microglial activation and subsequent downregulation of ROS and proinflammatory mediators, including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS, in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn.
In the innate immune system, TLR4 expressed on the surface of immune cells, including microglia, macrophages, and dendritic cells, recognizes the LPS on gram-negative bacteria and the envelope proteins of the respiratory syncytial virus and ultimately provides host protection against foreign microorganisms . Interestingly, TLR4 can also sense endogenous cellular components derived from injured tissues
Initially, TLR4 antagonists, such as Eritoran and FP7, were used to treat infectious diseases, such as sepsis, lethal influenza infection, and inflammatory bowel disease . Later, other TLR4 blockers were also validated as anesthetics for chronic pain, which is actually mediated by neuroinflammation via TLR4 in the spinal cord. However, they had a short duration (3 hours) of action on neuropathic pain in rats with CCI and SNL due to its instability in the blood . Therefore, as alternative to previous LPS derivatives and small compounds, we searched for agents with longer half-lives
Small peptide antagonists of TLR4 may be better candidates for blocking TLR4-intermediated chronic pain because they are more stable than synthetic compounds. As a novel therapeutic agent to satisfy these requirements for treating neuropathic pain, we investigated whether TAP2 isolated from a phage display library can alleviate chronic pain, as TAP2 showed a strong anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-elicited RAW264.7 cells by suppressing the activation of NF-κB and MAPKs in TLR4-mediated signal transduction . Prior to TAP2 treatment of animals with neuropathic pain
Although a single treatment with TAP2 had a long-term analgesic effect in animal models of neuropathic pain elicited by SNL and MIA, it is still inconvenient. Although intrathecal injection mitigated chronic pain for 2 weeks, it is necessary to extend the duration of pain alleviation because patients are unlikely to accept the injection procedure. One solution is the use of nanoparticles enclosed in nanomaterials, such as poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) or liposomes, to increase the release time of TAP2 in the cerebrospinal fluid. Further, TAP2 cannot easily penetrate the blood–brain barrier. This can be enhanced by the addition and modification of amino acids at the N- and C-termini of TAP2 . In addition, there were issues for the efficacy and safety of TLR4 antagonists, such as Eritoran and Resatorvid, in clinical trials. These TLR4 candidates were tested with high dose in the patients with sepsis, an extreme inflammatory condition. However, TAP2 may have high efficacy and less toxicity in several ways: 1) TAP2 was tested with low dose in a model of neuropathic pain with mild inflammation. 2) TAP2 was originated from peptides, which is the natural substance. 3) TAP2 is locally (intrathecally) treated to minimize the its side effects.
In summary, the findings from the present study indicate that a small antagonistic peptide of TLR4, TAP2, markedly mitigated chronic pain induced by SNL in rats via the loss of microglial activation, followed by decreased production of pronociceptive factors, such as proinflammatory mediators and ROS, due to inhibition of TLR4/MD-2 complex-mediated signal transduction. Therefore, it represents a promising candidate as an analgesic for the treatment of neuropathic pain. |
The storm before the storm: US banks use Q1 to prepare for worse to come
The economic pounding being meted out by the drastic global response to the Covid-19 pandemic was hard to spot in the first-quarter results from the biggest US corporate and investment banks released in April.
Rarely can there have been such a wide gulf between the performance of parts of banking, where trading and debt issuance revenues soared, and the dire underlying economic reality now gripping the corporate world.
So far, the bridge across that gulf has been government and central bank support on a scale never seen before. But that cannot last – and banks know it.
“The outlook is much more important than the last couple of months,” said Morgan Stanley chief executive James Gorman on his earnings call on April 16.
And that outlook is grim.
Look below the surface of some of the most striking numbers – the record investment-grade bond volumes, the extraordinary sales and trading results, an outstanding quarter for Citigroup – and the signs are ominous. As talk in many economies turns from short-term lockdowns to long-term adjustments to a new and unpleasant normal, early signs of a wave of future stress are emerging. And investment banks are having to prepare for life after a surge of volatility-fuelled trading and panic-driven issuance.
The outlook is much more important than the last couple of months
Loan loss provisions – set to be this crisis’s equivalent of the 2008 asset-backed securities write-down tally – are merely the most obvious way in which these signs are now evident in earnings statements. Mark-to-market losses on bridge financings are another.
Corporate deposits are also up, for the wrong reason, as companies that struggled to access commercial paper when that market froze mid-way through the quarter drew on revolvers instead – and could do nothing braver with the money than put it on deposit at those same lenders. At Bank of America, some 75% of loan draws not used for paydowns elsewhere came straight back to the bank.
Strategic pipelines are looking shaky as mergers and acquisitions and IPOs are put on hold. Market volatility might have helped traders, but it has played havoc with asset-management divisions.
None of the scenarios we are looking at are anything other than a recession
For some firms fund outflows in March wiped out inflows in January and February. Securitized products and municipal securities have been particularly badly hit by dislocation. After record levels earlier in the quarter, prime-broking balances cratered in late March.
Although the crisis has played out in markets, however, its real nature is closer to home for individuals. “This isn’t a financial crisis; it’s a public health crisis with severe economic ramifications,” said Mike Corbat, chief executive of Citigroup, on his bank’s earnings call – and his peers have echoed this view.
Bank of America’s vast reach makes it an extraordinary gauge of conditions on the ground in the US. The bank had received one million requests for assistance by early April. More striking still was its view of the flows of cash in the economy, whether by withdrawals at ATMs or cheques, credit and debit cards. In January and February, that was running at about $65 billion a week, according to chief executive Brian Moynihan. By mid April it was closer to $50 billion, but the rate of decline was flattening.
Events are moving fast. In JPMorgan’s view, economic prospects in the US worsened so sharply at the start of April that it almost doubled its already awful assumptions of falling second-quarter GDP and rising unemployment in the few days between the bank closing its books for the first quarter and CFO Jennifer Piepszak presenting those earnings to analysts on April 14.
Jennifer Piepszak, JPMorgan
She said that while the bank’s economists had been expecting a 25% fall in US GDP in the second quarter, this had now been revised to 40%. Unemployment was now expected to be 20% instead of 10%.
These are sobering numbers, even factoring in their accompanying expectations of a strong recovery in the second half of the year. The Great Depression of the 1930s saw US unemployment hit about 25%. The 2008 financial crisis saw it peak at 10%.
The changed assumptions are also getting closer to an extreme adverse scenario described by JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon in his annual chairman’s letter, published on April 6.
This envisaged a 35% drop in GDP in the second quarter, lasting through the end of the year, and unemployment peaking at 14% in the fourth quarter.
That Piepszak stressed this was not JPMorgan’s central case was scant consolation, as it gives a flavour of what the bank is preparing for.
She said that Dimon’s extreme example envisaged 2020 credit costs for the bank of more than $45 billion. To compare that with an earlier crisis, the five quarters from the fourth quarter of 2008 to the fourth quarter of 2009 saw credit costs of $47 billion.
Bank of America CFO Paul Donofrio told analysts that he was envisaging a big drop in US GDP in the second quarter, and then negative GDP growth to continue well into 2021, possibly to the end of the year.
The increased reserves and some markdowns fed into a 3% year-on-year decline in group revenues at JPMorgan, which fell to $28.2 billion.
At Goldman Sachs and Bank of America, revenues dropped 1% to $8.7 billion and $22.8 billion respectively, while at Morgan Stanley they fell 8% to $9.5 billion.
Citigroup, bolstered by a strong sales and trading performance as well as mark-to-market gains on loan hedges, saw a remarkable 12% rise in revenues to $20.7 billion. And the bank also notched up leading increases in corporate and investment bank profits as well as revenues in advisory and sales and trading.
Early in the 2008 financial crisis, it was write-downs of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities and their derivatives that quickly became the statistic for bank-watchers to tally. This time around it will be increases in credit reserves and markdowns in loan portfolios and bridge books.
Economic outlook revisions of the sort revealed by JPMorgan mean that reserves that looked prudent in the first quarter are very likely to be outstripped by what is to come.
Piepszak said that reserve builds over the next few quarters would be “meaningfully higher” than in the first, despite the fact that JPMorgan’s loan portfolio was more prime than the Street average.
At Bank of America, Donofrio took a more literal approach, telling analysts who wanted colour on future reserves that “if we thought we were going to have to add more reserve build in the future, we would have put it into this quarter. That’s how the rules work.
That said, he added: “When we get to the end of the second quarter, we may have a different view of the future.”
Coronavirus-related reserve increases are coming on top of what had already been a big one-off slug of extra reserves applied at US banks on January 1 as a result of the adoption of current expected credit losses (CECL), a new accounting standard that recognizes upfront a loan’s expected losses to maturity and that will also complicate crisis-related reserve assessments.
Banks had only just got to grips with a new approach based on what was a reasonable set of expectations on January 1; now all that has gone out of the window.
“The range of potential outcomes is the widest I’ve seen in quite some time,” said Morgan Stanley CFO Jonathan Pruzan, with considerable restraint.
Adding to the difficulty of assessing the future is that, for all the market dislocation seen in March, quantifying where and by how much credit quality will suffer is still largely guesswork.
“There’s no evidence right now that you can point to of asset degradation,” said Donofrio. “So, we are all doing this based upon just our view of the future based upon all those inputs that we use in our models.”
Happily for the big banks required to implement CECL in 2020, the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on March 27 announced a new interim final rule that delayed the impact of CECL on regulatory capital for two years, with a three-year transition period after that.
This matters because CECL reserves do not count towards either common equity tier-1 (CET1) or additional tier-1 capital but only to tier-2, and then subject to a cap.
At JPMorgan, the first-quarter net reserve build of $6.8 billion (to $25.4 billion or 2.32% of total loans) was a 37% increase on the firm’s January 1 credit loss allowance. Some $3.8 billion of the new reserves have come from the credit card business and $2.4 billion have come from wholesale, particularly in relation to consumer and retail but also to oil and gas.
The bank also recorded bridge book markdowns of $896 million, as well as a $951 million hit in corporate and investment banking from the widening of funding spreads on derivatives
Piepszak’s calling-out of oil was timely. Less than a week after JPMorgan’s earnings call, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) on the last day of dealings for delivery in May turned negative for the first time on April 20 as storage was expected to be almost impossible to find.
At that time the June delivery had been holding at around $25 a barrel, although the next day it too dropped sharply, but remaining in positive territory. Piepszak said that JPMorgan’s assumption was that WTI would remain below $40 until the end of 2021.
Bank of America’s total credit reserves rose 27% from January 1, to $17.1 billion. Loan and lease loss reserves now account for 1.51% of the portfolio, up from 1.27%, while the reserve for unfunded lending commitments rose 21% to $1.4 billion.
The bank also recorded some $450 million of net markdowns in its investment bank related to loans and underwritten commitments held at fair value, as well as about $500 million on derivative positions and non-core securities within global markets.
Citigroup said credit reserves were up 23% from January 1, to $22.7 billion, with loan reserves at 2.91% of the portfolio. Some $2.3 billion of the increase came from consumer, with $1.4 billion from wholesale. Reserves for unfunded commitments rose by $500 million to $1.9 billion.
It saw quarterly provisions rise more than four times year on year, to $937 million, taking total credit reserves to $3.2 billion, compared with about $1 billion at the end of 2019. The bank said its increased provisions related to growth in corporate and credit card loans, and they were the result of the Covid-19 crisis and turbulence in the energy sector.
Goldman took a hit of about $500 million related to derivative valuation adjustments in its markets business. And there were undisclosed fair-value markdowns on acquisition finance commitments.
But it also saw $500 million of markdowns on its $2 billion public equity portfolio, including a $180 million loss related just to Avantor.
In addition, it posted $500 million of markdowns on its $19 billion private equity portfolio, spread over some 280 names, and there were also marks on the debt portfolio. All told, the asset-management division posted revenues of negative $96 million, compared with a positive $3 billion in the previous quarter.
At Morgan Stanley, there were new loan loss provisions of $388 million, of which $273 million related to its $49 billion portfolio of held-for-investment loans and $115 million to unfunded lending commitments. It also booked $610 million of mark-to-market losses in its $47 billion held-for-sale portfolio.
The firm labelled the credit deterioration as “notable”. But it thinks stressed sectors account for only about $11 billion of its $108 billion corporate book.
With no exposure to credit cards or unsecured credit, Morgan Stanley has nothing like the reserve requirements of JPMorgan or Bank of America. And its retail and wealth businesses are exposures of high credit quality. But it did have one more blip: a $700 million loss involving falls in investments related to deferred cash compensation schemes.
Reserves and markdowns hit pre-tax profits at all five banks. Morgan Stanley’s 27% year-on-year fall was the best of the lot. Bank of America, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs dropped by about 50%. At JPMorgan, profits fell by 72%.
Good, then bad
Until markets seized up in March, things had been going well for the big US banks. January and February had been good, with risk assets looking buoyant and markets rising.
Capital markets issuance was strong, trading was profitable and flows were good on the asset management side.
March was a different story, with even short-term funding markets struggling to operate without wide-reaching government and central bank support. Clients cut risk and raised cash.
By that time JPMorgan had distributed some $8.8 billion in capital to shareholders, including $6 billion of buybacks. Like many other banks, it stopped doing that on March 15; and with distributions outweighing earnings and risk-weighted assets growing because of more lending and higher market volatility, capital ratios have fallen.
JPMorgan’s CET1 ratio fell to 11.5% at the end of the first quarter, down 90 basis points from the end of 2019. Bank of America returned $7.9 billion of capital to shareholders, with its CET1 falling 40bp to end the quarter at 10.8%. Citigroup’s CET1 was 11.2%, down 60bp, after returning $4 billion.
Morgan Stanley’s fell by 160bp to 15.3% and the firm repurchased $1.3 billion of stock. At Goldman Sachs CET1 fell by 140bp to 12.3% and the firm returned $2.4 billion to shareholders.
Situations like the current crisis are precisely why capital buffers exist, as JPMorgan’s Piepszak reminded analysts, and regulators have given banks flexibility to dip into those buffers.
JPMorgan’s CET1 ratio may fall below its 10.5% regulatory minimum. The extremely adverse scenario described in Dimon’s annual letter would see the bank end the year with a CET1 ratio of 9.5%, for example – at which point the board would consider suspending dividends. Below 10%, automatic restrictions on dividends and other payouts begin to take effect in any case.
JPMorgan approved more than $100 billion of new credit in March and saw corporate borrowers draw down more than $50 billion of their revolvers. The start of the second quarter had seen a pause in those drawings, according to Piepszak, “but it could be just a pause”.
Bank of America saw commercial loans rise $67 billion, most of which was through drawdowns in March, of which over 90% was to investment grade clients. The first week of the month had looked normal, but drawdowns accelerated in the second week before peaking in the third. They had fallen in every week since then, said Donofrio.
Drawdowns totalled about $32 billion in the quarter at Citigroup, representing just over 10% of outstanding loans. Corbat said that the bank had seen very little of this activity as it entered the second quarter, however.
Morgan Stanley reported gross drawdowns of $13 billion, with a further $5 billion of new facilities. At Goldman the drawdowns totalled $19 billion, evenly split between investment grade and non-investment grade clients.
Demand for revolver drawdowns showed up in loan growth numbers and in other places too.
Companies drawing down revolvers, either because of worries that this liquidity might not be accessible if the crisis envelops the financial sector or to provide extra reassurance, are placing those drawn funds on deposit with those same financial institutions.
At Citigroup, some $92 billion of new deposits came into the corporate and investment bank in March alone, while the quarter saw an increase of $124 billion or 16%. About a third of that was from corporate clients who had either drawn down facilities or completed new issuance.
Goldman, which was already actively trying to build deposits as it rolled out both consumer banking and transaction services platforms, was able to report a $30 billion quarterly increase in total deposits, of which $12 billion were in consumer, a record for the firm. Commercial deposits in the transaction banking platform now total $9 billion and it is now serving more than 80 clients.
This environment has created opportunities for us to accelerate our strategic plans
It was one of the more obvious ways in which Goldman – as might be expected – was looking to take something positive from the crisis. This was a point emphasized by chief executive David Solomon as he took the opportunity to reinforce his commitment to the medium and long-term goals set out at the firm’s investor day in January.
“Interestingly, this environment has created opportunities for us to accelerate our strategic plans in certain areas,” he told analysts on his earnings call on April 15, citing transaction banking and the acceleration of a strategic solution fund in its alternatives business, designed to help clients grab “attractive investment opportunities”.
Uncertainty around client intentions is hampering some of the opportunities that might arise from increases in client deposits.
Morgan Stanley is reluctant to deploy the excess deposits of its wealth clients who have shifted out of equities, for example. Deposits were up $45 billion in the quarter and $30 billion in March alone. While the firm expects that cash to be sticky for a while, Pruzan admitted he would need to wait to see how resilient it was.
The usual accounting gremlins that pop up in troubled markets are already making their presence felt. Revenues in JPMorgan’s lending business were up 36% year on year, but this was down to spread widening on loan hedges. Morgan Stanley also saw a gain from the same source, although it was booked through its sales and trading business. Goldman clocked up $375 million; Citigroup $816 million.
DCM and trading up
JPMorgan’s investment banking fees were up 3% year on year and the bank stayed top of rankings with a 9.1% market share. But there had already been some hurdles cropping up before the Covid-19 crisis began to bite. The bank’s 22% fall in advisory fees, for instance, was partly down to a strong quarter one year ago, but it was also because of more delays to regulatory approvals.
At Bank of America, total investment banking fees were up 10% and the number of transactions was up 9% despite of an industry fall of 20%.
Equity capital markets revenues were up across the board, except for a 1% fall at Morgan Stanley, but the year-on-year increase was partly a reflection of the US government shutdown that effectively closed new issue markets for 35 days at the start of 2019.
And banks warned that volumes would be muted for the rest of 2020, particularly for IPOs. Accelerated secondary deals could be an area of activity, however, as clients look to monetize holdings when short windows open.
One striking feature of the quarter, with the exception of a short period in early March, has been the very strong activity in investment grade bond issuance. Borrowers grabbed the opportunity to secure longer dated funding as short-term markets looked rocky and worries grew over a worsening of the crisis later. With $260 billion of deals, March was easily the busiest month on record.
JPMorgan reported its largest-ever quarter of investment grade debt issuance, leading $380 billion of deals, helping to drive a 15% year-on-year increase in debt underwriting fees, which topped $1 billion for the first time.
Bank of America’s $927 million wasn’t quite a record for the firm, but its 24% year-on-year increase was the biggest among peers. At Citi revenues fell 2% from a strong 2019 result.
Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have much smaller DCM franchises, but they still posted increases of 21% and 10% respectively. Morgan Stanley took $70 billion of corporate and municipal debt to market in March alone.
In contrast to investment grade, it has taken far longer for high-yield markets to reopen as spreads widened; and that segment was largely shut at the end of the quarter after a strong start to the year. Banks are having to mark their outstanding bridge loan book accordingly.
Dimon has often made the point that the financial industry entered the coronavirus crisis in much better shape than it had entered the 2008 crisis, not least in terms of leveraged finance.
JPMorgan took an $896 million markdown on its firm-wide book of bridge finance commitments in the first quarter, which drove a 49% fall in investment banking revenues, even though investment banking fees were up 3% year on year.
There may be grounds for that optimism given that Piepszak said there were already signs that the high-yield market would improve in the second quarter. Banks can also eat into fees before they take losses. And as Dimon noted, in the leverage finance business “every now and then you have a not particularly good quarter.”
Secondary markets businesses can be a great counter-crisis revenue engine; and so they are proving for those firms with sufficient scale, like the US investment banks. Before the coronavirus panic hit the US late in the first quarter, markets were already reacting to events elsewhere in the world. Investors were positioning themselves in response as well as in preparation.
What you won’t see banks do is price gouge, which you see in other industries
The world looks a different place to when JPMorgan held its investor day on February 25, but back then the bank was already telling investors how well the quarter was going for its markets business. Since then there has been a correction in equity markets, a widening of spreads in debt markets and a spike in volatility in all asset classes, as well as a collapse in treasury yields and oil prices.
That adds up to record trading volumes: as early as January, volumes of rates and currencies trading were peaking at more than triple the average for that month, according to Piepszak.
Overall trading volumes in March were about 2.5 times average levels, according to Morgan Stanley’s Pruzan, and there were four times as many margin calls as usual. Bank of America handled $1.7 trillion of trades in one day and at one stage its global markets balance sheet was up $130 billion compared with the year end.
Industry-wide, global cash equities volumes rose about 50% year on year in the quarter. Revenues are reflecting the trading surge. At JPMorgan fixed income was up 34% year on year, driven by rates, currencies and emerging markets. Equities was up 28% as client activity drove a strong equity derivatives result.
Bank of America had a record quarter in equities as revenues jumped 40% to $1.66 billion. Fixed income was up 13%, to approach record levels too. Citigroup’s 39% increase in fixed income was driven by rates, currencies and commodities, while the same rise in equities revenues was attributed to a strong quarter for derivatives.
Morgan Stanley saw a 29% gain in fixed income and 20% in equities. Fixed income was particularly strong in macro and commodities, and continues to benefit from years of work by the firm to rationalize that business. Commodities was strong as energy and metals prices swung.
The other side
Although different countries are at different stages of their coronavirus crises, the first quarter earnings of banks elsewhere are likely to follow the US sector’s playbook, with this first period dominated by immediate impact and response, occasionally strong trading activity and the navigation of policy measures.
But minds are already turning to the longer-term outlook, routinely referred to by the commentators as “the other side”, a term that captures the hope of an exit from crisis and the unknowable nature of that exit.
Here there are positive glimpses. For the moment the focus is on how banks are building reserves, but as Bank of America’s Moynihan notes, the important metric in the longer term might be pre-provision profits, “which we all learned after the last crisis”.
At Bank of America these were down just 5% year on year, which Moynihan argued was relatively strong given movements in rates and credit spreads. What mattered was “how much capacity you have to keep generating capital and keep generating earnings that you can offset whatever comes at you, and that’s what we feel good about,” he said.
And market function and liquidity have now been essentially restored, according to Pruzan, itself a remarkable outcome so soon after companies found themselves unable to fund even through commercial paper, and reflective of the way in which authorities have run the 2008 crisis response in fast-forward.
Pruzan said that clients were now weighing how to look at unemployment and economic disruption in the context of the biggest monetary and fiscal actions in history.
It was a similar story at Bank of America, where Moynihan said clients’ attention was turning “from securing liquidity to a more structured view of their capital position and their needs to better understand how they prosper and fare in the Covid-19 impacted business model.”
For now, the emphasis is on individuals and companies, but in time the banking industry will also reflect on itself, and even for banks in as good a shape as the big US firms, there will be lessons to be learned. And as in 2008, the biggest of those may be related to lending and underwriting.
At Bank of America, Moynihan reckons discipline around his bank’s “responsible growth” mantra will stand it in good stead through the crisis, given that charge-off ratios at the bank have been lower than peers in six of the last seven years.
“For years now, we have been focused on client selection and getting paid appropriately for the risk we take,” he said. “What really impacts banks in a recession is not the loans put on your books during stress but rather the quality of your portfolio booked during the years leading up to stress.”
Evercore analyst Glenn Schorr put the question in blunt terms to JPMorgan’s Piepszak and Dimon: “Do you get paid enough for your balance sheet?”
For Piepszak, JPMorgan’s philosophy of taking a long-term franchise view on such matters had not changed, although “the marginal cost of new activity is higher for us right now.”
Dimon is banking’s biggest cheerleader and never more so than when the sector is under stress. He noted that new credit was being extended at different levels to the revolvers that were also being drawn, and that over time there would be a tightening of credit in the market.
But “what you won’t see banks do is price gouge, which you see in other industries,” he added. “Banks are very careful to support their clients in times like this.”
That may be so, but this support has so far been enabled by central banks and governments writing cheques that the world may struggle to cash as time goes on. A commercial shake-out must follow.
Banks will support their clients, but may have fewer of them when they get to the other side. |
Gabapentin is a prescription medication that is sold under the brand name Neurontin. Gabapentin is FDA-approved to manage epileptic seizures and treat pain associated with nerve damage; however, it is frequently prescribed “off-label” to treat other disorders like restless leg syndrome, drug and alcohol use disorders and uncomfortable symptoms associated with menopause, among others.
Regular use of gabapentin is unlikely to lead to increased tolerance to the drug. However, there is a risk of increased tolerance for people who misuse the drug. If someone is dependent on the drug, they will experience physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms when they reduce the dose or stop taking gabapentin altogether.
Gabapentin Tolerance Symptoms
The hallmark symptom of tolerance is a reduced response to the same dose. It’s possible that someone who takes gabapentin daily to manage chronic pain finds that they eventually need to increase the dosage in order to continue to manage their pain.
Another sign of tolerance development is the presence of physical and/or psychological withdrawal symptoms that surface when someone reduces or stops taking gabapentin. Withdrawal symptoms could include:
- Irregular heartbeat
Causes Of Gabapentin Tolerance
Drug tolerance is a consequence of the brain adapting to the consistent presence of the drug and reacting less strongly. Gabapentin, like many other drugs, could lead to tolerance if it is taken regularly for several weeks or months at a time. However, the people who are at the highest risk for tolerance and dependence are those who misuse gabapentin. People who misuse the drug often do so to increase the high they experience from other drugs of abuse (often opioids or benzodiazepines) and when they attempt to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms.
The most significant factors that influence tolerance development include:
- Gabapentin dose: Increased dosage is associated with more rapid tolerance development
- Frequency of use: Increased frequency is associated with a more rapid onset of tolerance, even when doses are relatively low
- Duration of use: People who have misused gabapentin regularly are at higher risk for developing tolerance and dependence
- Other factors: Genetics, age, gender, metabolic state and mental/physical health can all contribute to tolerance development
While there is not a lot of data on gabapentin drug interactions, gabapentin can interact with other antiepileptic drugs — some antacids (including cimetidine), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug naproxen (Aleve) and the opioid morphine. In addition, gabapentin can increase the effects of the pain relievers tramadol and metamizol. Caffeine may reduce the efficacy of gabapentin. It’s never a good idea to mix prescription drugs with non-approved drugs or substances.
How To Prevent Gabapentin Tolerance
Gabapentin has a lower risk of developing serious tolerance and forming a dependence compared to pregabalin — a similar drug in the “gabapentinoid” family of drugs. Nevertheless, regular gabapentin use is not risk-free.
Currently, the only reliable way to prevent gabapentin tolerance is to take it as infrequently as possible and at the lowest effective dose. If you are concerned that you are developing a tolerance to gabapentin, make an appointment with your prescriber to discuss your options.
It is important that people never increase their gabapentin dose or administration frequency without getting an updated prescription from their doctor. Any use of gabapentin in a way other than prescribed constitutes misuse or abuse and can increase the risk of developing physical dependence and even addiction.
Getting Help With Gabapentin Addiction
Gabapentin has a low risk of abuse and addiction, but dependence and addiction can occur — especially among people who use gabapentin recreationally to enhance the effects of opioids or other drugs that are being abused. If you are faced with a gabapentin use disorder, the best way to start your path to recovery is to seek an evaluation with an addiction specialist who can make recommendations and referrals. Gabapentin addiction treatment may include a period of medically-supervised detox, followed by a period of residential or outpatient rehab.
If you or someone you know is struggling to overcome a gabapentin use disorder, help is available. Call The Recovery Village Ridgefield to learn how professional rehab can maximize success in short and long term recovery. |
Many nursing homes in Illinois are safe and comfortable places. Unfortunately, though, nursing home abuse is probably more common than you think. Not all forms of elder abuse involve physical injuries or emotional harm, however. In fact, health care fraud may be strong evidence of nursing home abuse.
There are several theories about what constitutes health care fraud. When trying to determine if your aging mother or father is the victim of elder abuse, though, health care fraud has a specific meaning. That is, the nursing home represents care in a way that does not match with reality. Here are some ways health care fraud may be nursing home abuse.
Your aging loved one may take one, two or several pills every day to treat or prevent illness. For medication to work, your mother or father must receive proper dosages. If you have proof that your elderly loved one is receiving too much or too little medication, you may also have evidence of health care fraud.
Caring for aging individuals often requires many different health care professionals. If the nursing home does not have sufficient staff, your loved one may not receive even basic care. While this is an indicator of health care fraud, it may also lead to nursing home abuse or neglect.
For a variety of reasons, nursing home administrators are good at issuing invoices for facility services. If you notice billing anomalies, health care fraud may be to blame. Unfortunately, if an administrator is billing for unprovided or duplicate services, your mother or father may also be the victim of nursing home abuse.
Health care fraud is a serious matter on its own. While you want to protect your loved one’s financial interests, you also must worry about his or her overall care. If you notice the signs of health care fraud, you should probably investigate whether nursing home abuse is also happening. |
SACRAMENTO November 17, 2017 – California’s unemployment rate fell to 4.9 percent in October, while the state’s employers added 31,700 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to data released today by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) from two surveys. California has now gained a total of 2,673,700 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.
The U.S. unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage point in October to 4.1 percent, while the nation’s employers added 261,000 nonfarm payroll jobs.
In October 2016, the state’s unemployment rate was 5.3 percent. The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.
Nonfarm payroll jobs in California totaled 16,860,300 in October, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The survey of 71,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. The year-over change, October 2016 to October 2017, shows an increase of 256,800 jobs (up 1.5 percent).
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN CALIFORNIA
The federal household survey, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, shows an increase in the number of employed Californians over the month and the year. It estimates the number of Californians holding jobs in October was 18,406,000, an increase of 97,000 from September, and up 261,000 from the employment total in October of last year.
The number of unemployed Californians was 952,000 in October – down by 35,000 over the month, and down by 63,000 compared with October of last year.
PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT DETAIL (SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)
EDD’s payroll employment report (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 16,860,300 in October, a net gain of 31,700 jobs from September. This followed a revised gain of 50,300 jobs in September.
Month-over Job Gains
Six of California’s eleven industry sectors added a total of 35,700 jobs in October. Leisure and hospitality posted the largest jobs increase with a gain of 15,300 jobs, followed by educational and health services, up 8,500 jobs, and government, up 4,800 jobs. Other sectors adding jobs over the month were trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; and construction. One sector, mining and logging, reported no change over the month.
Month-over Job Losses
Four industry sectors reported job declines over the month, down a total of 4,000 jobs. Other services posted the largest decrease over the month, down 1,900 jobs, followed by information, down 1,700 jobs. Other sectors posting job declines over the month were professional and business services and manufacturing.
Year-over Job Gains
In a year-over-year comparison (October 2016 to October 2017), nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 256,800 jobs (a 1.5 percent increase).
Nine of California’s eleven industry sectors added a total of 262,100 jobs over the year. The largest job gains were in educational and health services, up 76,400 jobs (a 3.0 percent increase), construction, up 44,400 jobs (a 5.7 percent increase), and leisure and hospitality, up 37,500 jobs (a 2.0 percent increase). Other sectors adding jobs over the year were government; trade, transportation and utilities; other services; professional and business services; information; and financial activities.
Year-over Job Losses
Two industry sectors posted job declines over the year, down a total of 5,300 jobs. Manufacturing fell by 4,700 jobs (down 0.4 percent), and mining and logging declined by 600 jobs (down 2.6 percent).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)
In related data, the EDD reported that there were 299,272 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the October survey week. This compares with 312,933 in September and 323,124 in October of last year. At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 42,114 in October, compared with 39,575 in September and 44,808 in October of last year. |
UPDATE: Bill Gertz reported on Dec. 4 that China had conducted “this week” a third test of its WU-14 hypersonic boost-glide vehicle, according to his unnamed military sources. I expect that a test was conducted, although its outcome remains publicly unknown. Gertz quoted Carnegie expert Lora Saalman as saying that a third test (the quote gave no indication that Saalman had independent information about it) showed that the WU-14 “is a priority program for China”; Gertz also quoted China threat monger Richard Fisher as saying the test shows the need for more funding of rail guns, which “offer great potential for early solutions to maneuvering hypersonic weapons.” [I don’t think that makes even a little bit of sense. The problem with shooting at fast objects with fast guns is that they tend to shoot past each other, and the problem with rail guns is that rocket motors are cheap but guidance systems less so. But I digress.] The main point is that if, in fact, China did conduct another test, successful or not, there is nothing the United States can say about it, since we continue to say nothing about a possible test ban. Indeed, the more likely response is to accelerate US hypersonic programs, as advocated by another of Gertz’s sources.
Recent Chinese (Aug. 7) and American (Aug. 25) hypersonic missile development tests have highlighted an otherwise little-noted element of the resurgent technological arms race, an element that now involves at least the United States, China, Russia and India, with France and Britain lurking in the wings and no doubt other nations watching closely. The failures of those tests have highlighted also another fact: hypersonic propulsion and flight are difficult technologies involving extreme airspeeds, temperatures, pressures, stresses and combustion rates, combined with the usual requirements for compact airframe construction and low weight. These technical challenges have frustrated hypersonic development programs for decades, and if their solution may now be within reach, using new materials and high-performance computing to solve the exquisite problems of extreme engineering, it remains inconceivable that hypersonic weapons could be developed, perfected and validated for operational use without actual testing.
Two Evil Birds, One Good Stone
A bit of clarification is in order here: hypersonic missiles actually fall into two distinct categories. In boost-glide, the hypersonic weapon is first “boosted” onto a ballistic trajectory, using a conventional rocket. It may cover considerable distance as it flies to high altitude, then falls back to Earth, gaining speed and finally, at some relatively low altitude, pulling into unpowered, aerodynamic horizontal flight. After that, it glides at hypersonic speed toward its final destination. The second category is powered hypersonic cruise missiles, which typically are launched with a small rocket to high speed, and then drop the rocket and ignite a supersonic combustion ram jet, aka scramjet, for powered flight at Mach 5 or greater.
The recent failed Chinese and American tests were of boost-glide systems, while the X-51 WaveRider, which the US successfully tested last year after a string of failures, is an example of the scramjet cruise. The boost-glide test failures were probably caused by issues with the booster rockets rather than with the hypersonic gliders, although system integration can also cause problems. In any case, these systems didn’t work, and that demonstrates that both boost-glide and powered cruise missiles require testing. Such tests are easily observable from space, radar, signals intelligence and old-fashioned spying. A test moratorium would thus throw a huge obstacle in the path of all these programs, and a permanent test ban would make it clear that they aren’t going anywhere. And that would be a good thing, because where they are going is nowhere good.
It’s not often that one can say an entire technology is evil and should be stopped and banned because it has no positive use. Hypersonic missiles present such a case. There is simply nothing they are likely to be useful for outside of war between major, nuclear-armed powers. LA to Tokyo in an hour? As unlikely as that is to become technologically possible in the near future, let alone economically justifiable in an era of high-cost energy and low-cost video telepresence, if it ever could make sense it would take the form of a large airplane, not a small missile. Low-cost satellite launches? Hypersonic space planes such as DARPA’s planned XS-1, which would lift rockets to high altitude and initial speeds around 3 km/s, might make sense, but again, to achieve economies of scale, they would tend toward large size; when cost is the driver it would make no sense to build them small.
What’s all this hype about anyway?
Back in the crazy days after 9/11, hypersonic weapons were sold as a form of “conventional prompt global strike” to fulfill the supposed need for a weapon that could be launched from fortress America and strike Osama bin Laden’s lair on the other side of the world in less than an hour. That was an idea so nutty that, unfortunately, few people took the matter seriously, even when it was later revealed that another killer app for prompt global strike was to destroy Chinese anti-satellite weapons before they could be launched. Of course, when the US military finally did get bin Laden, it was a Special Forces raid launched by helicopter from nearby Afghanistan. And it was never very clear why China would be any less offended by our targeting their strategic weapons and facilities, deep inside the Chinese mainland, with hypersonic cruise missiles rather than somewhat faster ballistic missiles. The vague reasoning is that the Chinese (or Russians, in some other scenarios) might mistake ballistic missiles with conventional warheads for those with nuclear ones. However, hypersonic missiles could also carry nuclear warheads, and more to the point, in an attack on China or Russia the likely targets would include Chinese or Russian nuclear weapons, and other systems of strategic importance in a major war between nuclear-armed powers. To imagine that such exchanges could be kept polite by using a fancier, slower, and hardly any stealthier type of missile is the kind of airy fantasy that survives in political discourse precisely because it obviously isn’t serious. But the race to develop and deploy hypersonic weapons is serious.
Although these weapons are slower than ballistic missiles, they are still very fast, and offer a different attack profile, presenting a qualitatively different threat to adversaries. The idea that they might be used to attack a nuclear power, and even its nuclear weapons and related strategic faciliites, because they would be easily distinguished from ballistic missiles, and the enemy might be willing to believe that no hypersonic weapons carried any nuclear warheads, can hardly be expected to be stabilizing. Rather, this theory purports to pose a credible threat of strategic strikes in spite of nuclear deterrence. It must be expected that potential adversaries will seek countermeasures including symmetrical capabilities; indeed, this is apparently just what China and Russia are doing. Hypersonic missiles are not only intended for deep land attack, however. They are also likely to be used at sea, for attacking ships, island bases and shore facilities. Shortening the strike time for naval missile warfare is a recipe for hair-trigger confrontation between major powers contending for regional or global dominance. If there is a way to stop or slow this development, we should take it.
How to stop a speeding hypersonic missile race dead in its tracks
Fortunately, a hypersonic missile test ban would be one of the most rigorously verifiable arms control measures one could think of. It could begin with an informal moratorium, which might be agreed and announced among the major players, and followed up by negotiations for a binding, permanent ban treaty. I would propose a moratorium on tests of any aerodynamic vehicle of less than, say, 10 meters length and 1 meter diameter, traveling in powered or unpowered flight at speeds in excess of 1 km/s over a horizontal distance greater than 100 km. These numbers are somewhat arbitrary and could be fine-tuned or adjusted substantially while preserving the intent of the agreement. However, it is desirable to maintain as wide a margin as possible between what is allowed and what we seek to prevent. The numbers suggested here would just barely permit Russia and India to retain their joint BrahMos 1 supersonic cruise missile, while forcing them to cancel the hypersonic BrahMos 2. The US and China would then be permitted to develop comparable systems, but would have to cancel their hypersonic programs. While an even lower speed limit would be desirable, canceling future programs verifiably via a test ban should be easier to agree on than eliminating existing proven and deployed systems. We should just do it – and later do more.
The United States should take the lead in proposing a hypersonic missile test moratorium and seeking a permanent test ban. Production, stockpiling, deployment, transfer and use should also be prohibited under a permanent treaty, but the test ban is the critical element which makes any such agreement feasible, because it would be reliably verifiable and all but preclude the rest. Nations do not go to war relying on untested weapons, particularly not aggressive war, when they have a choice. Hypersonics are a technology particularly in need of thorough testing both to perfect and to validate weapon systems. Fortunately, it is also a technology, and a new type of weapon, that we are not in need of. Neither are any other nations, but of course we can’t expect that just because the United States proposes a test ban, other nations will line up to join in renouncing hypersonic missiles. That is one reason why I am not proposing the US self-impose a unilateral moratorium, although it wouldn’t hurt if we suspended testing for a while to show good faith. What we can reasonably hope is that other nations will see their shared interest in avoiding or slowing a dangerous escalation of the arms race. If not, we will resume our programs, while still advocating that everybody agree to stop. Let the Russians, the Chinese, the Indians or the French play the spoilers, and let’s seize the moral high ground. The fact that others might not join us there is no excuse for not going to the mountaintop and calling them to join us. Indeed, if we are unwilling to do so, others have every reason to be cynical about our real motives and intentions. I’m not sure myself that I know what those are. But I am reasonably sure that hypersonic missiles will not help to make America stronger or more secure, because everybody we might want to target with them will soon enough get their own, and the world will then be a more dangerous place. |
Digital has brought about a huge disruption in the way the brands were marketed. Now a marketer must either adapt quickly to the changing environment or risk losing touch with their consumers. In todayâs multi-screen behaviour, a brand can no longer focus on a single screen but have to make multi-screen campaigns in order to attract audiences.
The change is mainly taking place due to an increase in platforms such as video on demand (VOD) and over the top (OTT), strategic banner ads, and in games and apps websites that have allowed consumers to view content in whichever way possible. Majority of OTT platforms such as Hotstar, Voot, Zee5 and Sony Liv among others employ a hybrid revenue model that has further boosted advertisersâ interest.
In the earlier days, advertisers had a clear demarcation of screens to market their brands, but it seems that divide is lost in todayâs content-driven world. With the advent of technology, there is an overlap of screens where one can watch digital content on television and vice-versa, turning it into family viewing. With the digital-first approach of several movie production houses, users can now easily access movies on OTT platforms.
This raises the question of whether screen size holds relevance for brands or is it more audience-led and content-specific. BestMediaInfo.com spoke to marketers to analyse.
Sameer Makani, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Makani Creatives, said that although the world has become a content-driven place, screen size still plays a vital role in hitting the right chord with the consumer. He said majority of active viewing converts into sales than passive viewing. For instance, ads on TVs have 100% coverage in screen size without clutter and scrolling as compared to ads on Facebook and YouTube, which average to 10% and 30%, respectively.
âAnything below 100 pixels on the screen will not be able to gain attention and drive sales. Brands can only attract attention of the consumer if they possess a dynamic and striking digital ad along with the right digital advertising screen with prominent sizing. Brands also need to ensure the screen they choose is compatible with their digital signage software as it is feasible to choose right display (TV, smartphones, tablets and multiplex) for a business that meets all the requirements from the start to ensure it serves the purpose by creating a multi-screen environment. While choosing any screen, brands should always think about the purpose of the screen/ digital signage installation, environmental factors (type of displays), the size of the display along with the resolution to be used to create a better impact. Overall, it is important to have a larger screen space for an advertisement to drive better sales,â Makani added.
While one cannot deny that the viewing experience overlaps, Chirag Gander, Co-Founder, The Minimalist, said the word experience is very subjective and even if technology merges all three experiences, every person will crave for a tailor-made experience that cannot be replaced by the generalised version. For example, even if Avengers: End Game comes on your TV or is available on any of the OTT apps, the experience you get while watching it in theatre cannot be matched.
âThe brands have to keep in mind the fact that the content projected on every screen creates a deeper connection with our emotions and moods. There's a purpose behind the type of screen a person selects to consume content. Big screens are meant for an experience where the person wants to be a part of the entire story and connect with it. Whereas, opting to watch something on TV is meant for discussions and spending time together. Last, but not least, the content on the mobile screen is meant for getting disconnected from the world and having a 'me-time'. So, while connecting with the audience on each screen, the content needs to have a solution that meets the purpose,â Gander said.
There is another perspective also. BK Rao, Sr.Category Head-Marketing, Parle Products, feels that today, brand marketing is more audience-oriented than screen-specific. âWhile TV still remains as the key form of advertising, there is a slow and steady shift in focus. Today, a consumer doesn't want to stick to appointment viewing offered through TV; they want to watch content as per their convenience. So, digital is definitely added in the plan when it comes to marketing. Currently, only the premium brands are placed on digital. So we pick and choose, according to brands that have better reach through the digital,â he added.
Sai Sangeeta Israni, GM Marketing, Spykar Lifestyles, said their approach focuses on both media and content. âAt times, we create content on the basis of the media and at other times, we select media on the basis of an idea and content. Either way, the screen size is a relevant discussion. For large impact, cinema screens work best, providing size, audio and video facilitation. Therefore, a TVC can deliver maximum impact on cinema. However for frequency and recall, television and digital work best. Digital and social interaction on mobile screens require tailored content that can further tell a detailed story as that is a more personalised screen. As a brand in the B2C segment, we tailor-make and filter content according to our touch points planned for the campaigns. We realise that today's multi-screen behaviour means most of the users usually end up using two screens at once.â
As content and media consumption habits have evolved over a period of time, more so after the arrival of smartphones, it has led to cross-screen usage or multi-screen behaviour. These days, most consumers use two or more screens simultaneously to access unrelated content; for example, consumers often use mobile to search for information related to what they are watching on TV.
Looking at this behaviour pattern, Rishi Sharma, AVP, Head Digital Marketing, LIVA, P&F Business, Grasim Industries, stated, âFor the brands, it is about understanding how to communicate effectively with consumers as they engage with multiple devices and use these opportunities to reach consumers âin their momentâ. And it has worked phenomenally well for Liva. When Liva had launched its first TVC, we used audio content recognition platform to retarget the same audience on their mobile device. Whenever a TVC would play, consumer would get a push notification with a contest through which consumer would win exciting gifts. A simple tech intervention that further enhanced brand engagement.â |
Los Angeles County is projected to add 133,000 jobs over the next five years, led by health services and administrative support jobs, according to a report to be issued Thursday.
The report by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. for the Southern California Association of Governments’ annual economic summit on Thursday, projects that by 2021, the county will have nearly 4.6 million nonfarm payroll jobs, up from today’s 4.4 million. But the job growth rate is projected to be quite modest at 0.7 percent, well under the average annual growth rate of the past five years of between 1 and 2 percent.
“As unemployment decreases, the labor market tightens which slows down job growth,” LAEDC economist Somjita Mitra said in an email. “We are seeing positive job growth which means we are still headed in the right direction.
But the report said the greatest growth in jobs will take place in the low-skill, low-wage sectors such as restaurant servers/baristas or retail clerks. More than half of the job openings will require a high school diploma or less and will pay median wages of less than $30,000 a year.
“Low-wage jobs are being created organically, but these jobs don’t necessarily increase prosperity for our region’s residents,” Mitra said. “And many of the low-wage job categories are under threat of automation in the coming 10 years.”
Health service job openings are projected to grow nearly 6 percent over the next five years, adding roughly 42,000 jobs. The administrative support services segment – which includes temporary employment – is expected to add 29,000 jobs for a growth rate of 10.9 percent. The accommodation/food services sector is projected to add 26,000 jobs, education, 23,000 jobs.
Among the report’s other findings: While the average annual household income have increased in dollar terms from $35,000 in 1990 to $61,000 last year, when adjusted for inflation, they have actually dropped nearly 5 percent. Also, the poverty rate, which peaked in 2012 at 19.1 percent, fell to 16.3 percent last year. |
HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT VOLUME 2
CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS NATIONAL MONUMENT
Stabilize Fort Pkg 116
Historical Architects C. Craig Frazier and Randall Copeland
Denver Service Center
Historian Luis Arana Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
U.S. Department of. the Interior / National Park Service
periodically patched by the park staff and well maintained. Those that lie-below present surfaces are presumed to be appropriately protected. (For further discussion of tabby slabs, their properties, and duplication, see appendix J).
Technically, the terreplein is an earthen deck upon which defensive cannon are operated. At the Castillo, the terreplein is an architecturally complex system including a tabby slab surface, stone firing steps, sentry boxes, chimney penetrations, and a rainwater management system consisting of drainage ports, scuppers, and flashing. Any recommendations about this system must take into account the elevational relationships of all these elements and also the functioning of the terreplein as a rainwater management feature and walking surface for thousands of visitors. The preservation and condition of the stone parapets at the terreplein level have been discussed above. This subsection will examine the deck itself and several related features that interrelate with the function--and dysfunction--of the terreplein today.
The existing condition of the terreplein is analyzed below in terms of the various functions for which it was built and by addressing relevant historical and contemporary design questions.
a. Floor Function
Does the terreplein serve as a functional floor surface, i.e., permit the mounting and operation of cannon and walking use by
visitors? Yes. The structure supporting the terreplein can accommodate the load of cannon and visitors. The conservative engineering calculations (see appendix L) give the terreplein a loading capacity of 100 to 250 pounds per square foot. The current tread surface has stood up fairly well to millions of visitors in its 20-year life.
b. Proper Elevation
Does the terreplein, being a succession of layers, replacements, and restorations, have the proper design elevation? Maybe not. The terreplein is currently about 28.5 feet above mean sea level. The "correct" elevation of the terreplein is not an easy matter to determine. When originally installed, the crest of the mid-18th century parapets was said to be 6 feet above the deck. However, the historical Spanish foot is not equal to our present 12-inch foot; its length, in fact, has not been confirmed.* Furthermore, such a statement as "the parapets are six feet high," must be considered a generalized statement, since the level of the terreplein deck surely sloped then, as it does today, for drainage and therefore varied in elevation several
*Note: In 1568 Felipe II established the standard Spanish yard or vara at 33.755 inches, i.e., just over 11 inches per foot. For various reasons this length fluctuated throughout the empire (e.g., in Nicaragua the vara measured 27.507 inches, while in Costa Rica it stretched to 38.375); however, in Mexico it seems to have maintained its standard at just under 33 inches (32.96 or 32.9731 inches, depending on temperature) (Bowman 1961). Deagan (1976) states on p. 105 that "the St. Augustine vara was determined by the author through correlation of archeological house footing measurements with the vara dimensions given by Roque (1788) for the same buildings" to be 1.02 meters or 40.1574 inches, or 13.38 inches per Spanish foot. Thus, the Spanish, foot probably equalled something between 11 and 13 inches.
inches, while the crest of the parapets was quite likely consistent. On the one hand if today's parapets are within 4 to 6 inches of 6 feet in height, the terreplein elevation may be considered "correct." In fact, the parapet crest consistently measures 5'10" to 6'0", quite satisfactory.
On the other hand, one could conclude that the terreplein is 8 or 9 inches higher than it was in 1756 and that most of one historic floor layer (tabby floor C) is currently below the modern layers. Over the centuries the elevation of the terreplein has fluctuated measurably--as much as 10 inches--because of repairs, replacements, remodeling, and restorations (see figs. 10, 11, and 12). The lowest colonial terreplein surface identified by Manucy in his December 1939 report occurred some 10 inches and three distinct floor layers below the (then) existing surface (at about 27.76 feet). The deck installed after his investigation in 1939 created an elevation about 2 inches lower than the one it replaced, which would make it about 8 inches above the lowest historic surface. The present concrete slab (installed in 1960) and the Laykold wear coat waterproofing system (installed in 1964) vertically match the post 1939 elevation (approximately 8 inches above the lowest colonial surface).
The pre-1939 level was established when 2 inches of concrete with an asphalt impregnated paper underlayment was installed between 1889 and 1891. This deck received a coating of paraffin and petroleum in 1892, followed by subsequent repairs and partial replacement in some locations. It was then totally removed in 1939. Two of the other three floors documented by Manucy (tabby floors A and B, totaling about
7-3/4 inches) were also removed in 1939 because they did not provide a satisfactory base for the proposed terreplein restoration. When tabby floors A and B were installed is unconfirmed. It is known that the original deck (probably the 1-foot-thick deck labeled C in 1939) was in place by 1756, and records indicate that the Spanish replaced the terreplein (probably installing a new tabby slab over the existing) on three sides and two bastions in 1800-1802 (this is very possibly Manucy's floor A). Many other repairs--mostly patches--are noted in historical accounts, but no other clearly identified floor installation is recorded. It is possible that floor B was installed by the British, since they installed a new terreplein at Fort Matanzas, but the records are lacking to confirm or disprove this hypothesis.
It is clear that the current surface is above the historic surface (about 8 inches); but it is also true that the general elevational relationship between terreplein and parapets is acceptable. A restoration of the terreplein could be considered appropriate if it resulted in a decrease in elevation (approaching the historic level) and an increase in the height of the parapet (approaching 6 Spanish feet, which is perhaps
6 feet 6 inches).
Fig. 71. General Cross Section of the Terreplein, 1891-1939. This drawing is based on the findings of Albert Manucy (1939 NPS file report) and shows typical conditions prior to the replacement project of 1939.
Fig. 72. Terreplein Section Detail, 1939. This illustration shows the terreplein design of 1939. Notice that tabby layer C--possibly the original 1756 deck--was left in place, and any future work should make
(see the discussion above); but, clearly, the major source of water is the leaking terreplein. This leakage is also a nuisance to visitors, a hazard to exhibitry, and disruptive of park staff functions (see figs. 74 and 75).
An even greater concern than leakage through the terreplein into the casemates is leakage into the bastion fill. Water entering the bastion fill contributes to the more serious problem of structural destabilization. When water enters the fill, which can be likened to a mass packed tightly in a box, it increases in weight and may expand and overload the walls, then it drys, contracts, and erodes out through the cracks and below the foundations, creating voids in the fill; then the destructive cycle repeats itself. This line of thinking was first reported by Lieutenant Black in his assessment of the bastion cracks in April 1886 (cited in the 1983 HSR).
Waterproofing the bastions' terreplein is, structurally speaking, very important. In fact, the bastions (especially the northwest and southwest bastions, where the deck is most deteriorated) exhibit the most obvious terreplein Laykold membrane deterioration. There are cracks in the deck, some with vegetation growing out of them, and areas where water puddles. In the past few years the park staff has attempted repeated repairs with a decreasing degree of success. Now they commonly attempt'repairs of previous repairs.
Leakage through the vaults is not restricted to one location (such as at the vault crown or vault spring); but, there is a predominance of leakage at the rear of the casemates, near the scarp, where the 1960 slab joins the 1940 firing steps. It is suspected that the 1960-64 terreplein system failed most rapidly and cdnsistently at its intersection with the portion of the 1939 work that was not removed in 1960 (see fig. 76). One can observe, too, that the copper flashing is not secure at many locations along both the scarp and courtyard wall parapets and that cracks are present at most scuppers. In Manucy's 1963 file report "Urgent Need to Waterproof the Terreplein," he recommended that, in order to control the excessive leakage, the 1939 work be removed entirely and a new system installed on the pre-1939 base. As a less expensive alternative, Manucy thought something like the Laykold system might work. The Laykold approach was selected, but it has not performed well.
In most areas the terreplein has a proper slope, and most of the rainwater is channeled away from the courtyard and the center of the bastions toward drainage ports and scuppers below the parapet at the scarps. However, cracks have developed between the terreplein and the drainage ports, and several of the 29 existing concrete scuppers (installed in 1890) are broken. Thus, water is allowed to pass directly into the top of the scarp walls.
d. Appearance and Safety
Does the terreplein have other problems? Yes (see figs. 76 and 77). Besides its function as a floor and roof the terreplein has a historic aesthetic and interpretive role to play. Here, there are currently major flaws. The appearance of the terreplein is that of a modern waterproofing membrane painted battleship gray. This is out of character and incongruous with the adjacent historic fabric, and it is inconceivable today that such a system was ever permitted on so significant a historic structure as the Castillo. The only good thing about this Laykold system is that in less than 20 years it has proven a failure and its replacement is necessary. (This is a rather short life for a Castillo terreplein compared, for example, to the deck installed in 1800-1802, which apparently lasted nearly 90 years.) In all fairness to the Laykold system and to the previous deck, which lasted only 21 years, it is quite likely that they may have served longer if it had not been for several post-construction deck modifications, such as the channeling of the deck for installation of electrical wiring.
The firing steps pose another problem area on the castillo terreplein. Besides the fact that they suffer the same aesthetic incongruity as the terreplein deck--being covered by. the Laykold membrane--several of them (installed in 1940) are mislocated or should not have been installed at all. Because the Eastillo parapets and embrasures were not simultaneously restored to the same period, the restoration of all the firing steps to the 1740s period now creates a situation that never existed historically. At two locations, firing steps were reconstructed in
Front of embrasures, mistakenly inviting visitors to step into the embrasures and creating a safety hazard. As a temporary measure, two embrasures have been boarded up with wooden barriers. Manucy rationalized (November 8, 1939) that a future restoration of the parapets and embrasures to the 1740s period would rectify this problem. However, current management policy inclines us away from such a restoration and toward a compromise firing-step arrangement that could accommodate the several periods that are represented today within the historic fabric and
-1 interpretive plan of the castillo.
Fig. 74. Laykold Membrane Detail, August 1984. The 1964 Laykold membrane is no longer a water-controlling system; it is full of cracks. Fig. 75. Terreplein Flashing Detail, August 1984. Mortar at the terreplein flashing raglet has fallen out. This type of failure is common enough to make the present roof function of the terreplein a failure.
Fig. 76. Laykold System at Firing Step, August 1984. The cracking Laykold membrane seen here follows the line of intersection between the 1939 paving left in place and the 1960 concrete slab. This failure is virtually universal.
Fig. 77. Firing-Step Safety Hazard, August 1984. The park-installed wooden infill at the embrasure was necessary because the firing step built at this location in 1940 mistakenly invited visitors to step into the embrasure, some 30 feet above the moat. Note also the Laykold membrane failure.
e. Terreplein Summary
Collectively the deficiencies present in the terreplein easily justify a recommendation for corrective action. The extent of the treatment intervention is the only question left to be resolved. Table 2 summarizes the nature of the situation.
No costs or immediate impacts would be associated with a decision to not take the corrective actions noted in the summary chart. However, over the long term, damage to the fort would become more obvious and irreversible. To attempt only a partial treatment--to reduce the water management deficiencies by replacing the Laykold system with a similar new system--would have a moderate price tag and only a minimal physical impact on the resource. However, such a solution would be short lived, would require replacement every 15 to 20 years, and would not correct the other deficiencies discussed. Replacement of the entire deck, flashing, scuppers, and firing steps is the logical action plan. This approach would entail installation of a moisture membrane at the lowest possible level without excessive impact on the historic tabby layer, followed by installation of a historically appropriate (tabby duplicate) tread surface correcting the appearance, elevation, and firing-step deficiencies.
Table 2: Summary of Terreplein Deficiencies and Corrective Actions
Area of Concern Deficiencies Corrective Actions
1. Design elevation Present deck surface is Without adversely impacting the higher than historic single remaining historic floor surface. layer (C), install a new deck at a lower elevation, improving
functional and historical
2. Rainwater Rain leaks through the Replace the present membrane,
management present deck, permitting flashing, and scuppers to excessive moisture in the ensure proper drainage bastion fill, accelerating gradients and flow of water casemate fabric deteriora- out of the fort; install the tion, and creating problems new membrane on a sound for park operations. base.
Specifically, the junction
between the remaining
portions of the 1939 deck
and the present (1960-64)
system has failed, flashing
and scuppers have become
disconnected, the Laykold
membrane is cracked, and
repeated repairs are no
3. Aesthetics Present appearance of the Install a deck composed of deck, flashing, and firing materials that duplicate the steps (color, texture, and color and texture of historic materials) is incongruous materials, are compatible with adjacent to the historic the adjacent features, and fabric. provide a sound wear surface.
4. Firing Steps Locations of several steps Replace firing steps as part of create a situation that never terreplein replacement, installexisted historically and that ing them above the new moisture poses a safety hazard for barrier so that they can be visitors. Also the steps exposed masonry construction; are aesthetically inappro- do not reinstall a number of priate (see above). the steps for both historical accuracy and safety reasons.
3. Foundation and Structural Condition
This section of the report addresses the integrity of the foundation and superstructure--walls, scarps, and arches--of the Castillo. The engineering design characteristics are followed by a discussion of each group of problems: scarp cracks, vault cracks, and covered way wall cracks. It should be pointed out that these problems have been manifest at the Castillo for many years and that extensive archival recordation was consulted as part of the current assessment. However, the analysis presented here does not rely entirely upon the historical records and observations, but also upon a recent crack-monitoring program conducted by DSC and the park maintenance staff (see appendix K).
a. Design Characteristics
The engineering design concepts used in the Castillo may be categorized as relying on (1) the principles of mass construction to support both vertical and horizontal loads (see fig. 78), and (2) the principles of the arch and vault as vertical load-carrying structures (see fig. 79). These are sound principles and well executed in the case of the Castillo except for two corollary provisions or potential agents of weakness: (1) that stone masonry laid up in courses with lime mortar as used in the Castillo has poor horizontal load resistance and (2) that the foundation substrate for mass-type vertical load bearing is crucial to the
----'--------------success of this design approach and is in fact of questionable reliability. The following figures illustrate the design principles and inherent weaknesses of the approach and can be used to predict types of
deformation or structural failure. By comparing these graphic models with- observations, it is possible to answer the question: Are the observed--and in some cases measured--deformations in structural fabric a matter of preservation concern?
(I) Oueru-rn 1
Fig. 79. Principle of Arch/Vault Construction, Illustrating Methods of Failure: (1) Sliding: Horizontal thrust developed by arch at the spring line exceeds the allowable shearing stress of the abutment. (2) Settlement of the abutment: Axial loads exceed the allowable soil-bearing pressures. (3) Rotation of the abutment: Horizontal thrust developed by the arch overturns or rotates the abutment. (4) Crushing: Compressive stresses in the arch exceed the allowable compressive stress of the stone; fm (max) generally occurs at the skewback. Previous failures usually
precede this one.
Sliding, settlement, or rotation of abutments would induce critical stress, such as tensil stress, for which the arch/vault is not designed. This would cause cracks to develop in the intrados of the arch. Crushing would generally occur first at the skewback, and joints would possibly
open in the extrados of the arch (structural engineer Jana Chalk).
I e e Ix tr
The following list summarizes the predictable structural deformations and compares them with corresponding observations:
(1) Scarp walls of curtains: Bulges? Vertical shear cracks?
Slippage? Overturning? Not present. Differential settlement?
Yes, slight; but it does not appear to be an active problem.
(2) Scarp walls of bastions: Bulges? Yes. Vertical shear cracks?
Yes. Slippage? Yes, slight. Overturning? Possibly yes.
Differential settlement? Perhaps long ago, but not at present.
The bastions pose a mix of structural concerns.
(3) Counterscarps: Bulges? Vertical shear cracks? Slippage?
Overturning? Not present. Structural overloading does not
appear to be a problem.
(4) Covered way wall: Bulges? Yes. Vertical shear cracks? Yes.
Slippage? Yes. Overturning? Yes. Structural failures are
(5) Casemate vaults: Differential settlement? Perhaps long ago,
but not at present. Cracks? Yes, some cracks are present.
Sliding? Rotation of abutment? Crushing? No.
(6) Sea wall of battery: Bulges? Vertical shear cracks? Slippage?
Overturning? Not present. Structural overloading does not
appear to be a problem.
b. Scarp Cracks, General
More than 300 years ago the castillo scarp walls were laid directly on the sand in a 5-foot-deep foundation trench with no subfoundation cribbing, grillage, or pilings employed. The enormous spread and square foot distribution of the scarp load--the base being more than 16 feet wide (compared to a height of only about 25 feet)--was largely successful in transferring the vertical mass of the wall load to the substrate without exceeding the bearing capacity of the soil. As a rule, if differential settlement and subsequent cracking are going to occur, they appear shortly after construction.
This apparently did not happen at the castillo with the one possible exception of the bastion scarps at the San Pablo (northwest) bastion, where the engineering inspector observed shoddy construction in his report of 1680. Not only had massive voids been left in the masonry work, but according to the report, the foundation had not been constructed properly. It was reported that these deficiencies had been corrected by 1682; however, one wonders if the initial construction of this bastion (between 1676 and 1682) involved soil-bearing or masonry problems that were never completely or properly corrected. By 1802 (if |
A recent article by NPR titled “Real Parents, Real Talk About Kids And Screens” states “Screen time isn't going anywhere. So let's talk about it.” It’s the honest truth. We live in a technology-ruled age,...
All children are born so pure and innocent. They come into the world so full of love. They surely are not born racist or with bigotry. And especially not with hate in their little hearts. Racism and hate have to be taught to children – by families, friends, educators, the media they consume, or by the very broken systems of society.
When I look at my children, I see the innocence and blind love that young children have where they just want to love and get to know everyone. It’s so simple and pure. I wish I could just preserve that in them and let them take their overflowing love and curiosity out into the world to share. But we know it’s much more complicated than that.
Alex and I want to teach our children not just to not be racist, but to be anti-racist. Not just to love the LGBTQIA community, but to support them. To stand up and to try and make the world better for their friends and others in their lives who have been marginalized. We’re the first to tell you that we don’t have all of the answers on how to do this. But we are trying our best. We have to.
One place we know we can make decisions that impact these conversations and teachings for our children and others is our company. When we started Wonder Bunch Media last year, we knew we wanted to use real kids in our apps, not make-believe characters. And from the beginning, it has been important to us that as many children as possible can see themselves in the main Wonder Bunch characters or in characters we introduce along the way. We don’t just want them to see themselves represented, but to see themselves included, helping each other, learning, and leading.
We are thinking about this even more carefully now and listening to and learning from parents and experts to find out how we can be even more intentional with the products we make.
We’re also sharing resources from experts on teaching children about diversity, equity, and inclusion because we know we can’t and shouldn’t try and go it alone.
Parents, you are going through a lot right now, we all are. But personally, I see great hope within our little ones. Maybe if we learn, grow, teach, and act, my children and your children will be part of the generation that takes down the last of the broken systems and creates the inclusive and equitable world we’ve always hoped was possible. |
I submit that this view will get you into trouble, but it is essentially what many of us are taught in that we are to control our angry behavior and even turn the other cheek. A display of anger is considered bad manners at the very least and usually is embarrassing or creates more trouble for us.
When we or others behaviorally display anger we generally think of that as having “lost control”, so we do our best to retreat into civilized behavior, but the anger remains and is then internally destructive and may eventually be overtly manifested when the pressure “blows the lid off”. The controlling of behavior is not such a bad thing, but trying to keep the lid on or ignoring the underlying anger can be.
This internal anger can not only eat away at our psychological well-being, but our physical well-being. If we do not resolve the anger, we may stay in a state of constant preparedness which can eventually have an adverse physiological affect in the form of hypertension, heart problems, ulcers, stroke, etc.
In this news report, they note a study of 1305 men with an average age of 62 that indicated that angrier men had a three-fold increased risk of heart disease and another study of 1055 medical students over a period of 36 years that indicated a six-fold increased risk of having a heart attack by 55 for those with anger problems.
I will discuss more about anger in future Counselor's Corner spots where we will learn more about how to make anger work for you and how to be less vulnerable to these potential emotional, social and physiological negative consequences. It really is more than just controlling the overt behavioral reaction. Stay tuned! |
"The Knowledge of our Field" is a project which takes as it's focus "the lawn".
"The lawn," here, is understood as a largely-monocultural ecosystem of turfgrasses, created in many places across the world, which many social meanings are collected. This project seeks to simultanoursly heighten and display the functions of the lawn.
This project takes "the lawn" as a site of critical inquiry. What societal anxieties convene in lawns? What are the ecological demands of lawn? What biological and social ecosystems are lawns a part of? How do lawns exist simultaneously as private and public spaces, and how does this space suggest questions about privacy and consent?
Central to this project is the "lawn kiosk". This portable structure serves as a public pavilion, to be deployed in parks.
This is list of the various texts which are most actively referenced in this project.
Please reach out if you'd like help finding any of the titles.
Animal Acts: Perfroming Species Today, edited by Una Chaudhuri & Holly Hughes. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2014.
Beard, James B. Trufgrass: Science and Culture. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1972.
Crosby, Alfred W. Ecological Imperialism: The Biological Expansion of Europe, 900-1900. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1986.
Drouin, Jean-Marc. A Philosophy of the Insect. Translated by Anne Trager. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2019.
Hamera, Judith. Parlor Ponds: The Cultural Work of the American Home Aquarium, 1850-1970. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2021.
Jenkins, Virginia Scott. The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession. Washington D.C., USA: Smithsonian Books, 1994.
Lowen, Sara. "The Tyranny of the Lawn." American Heritage, September 1991.
Parkinson, James. Democracy adn Public Space. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2012.
Robbins, Paul. Lawn People: How Grasses, Weeds, and Chemicals Make Us Who We Are. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2007.
Schindler, Sarah B. "Banning Lawns." George Washington Law Review 82 (2014): 394-455.
Tsing, Anna Lowenhaupt. The Mushroom at the End of the World. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2015.
Wampole, Christy. Rootedness: The Ramifications of a Metaphor. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2016 |
Learn the 5 types of foods to eat and which ones to avoid for optimal health.
More than 34.2 million people have diabetes (10.5% of the U.S. population), and it is the leading cause of premature deaths. Improperly managed, diabetes can lead to a number of health issues. There is a strong association between acidosis and diabetes. Consumption of acidic food has been associated with a multitude of diseases to include inflammatory diseases and cancers. Paying closer attention to food choices, such as decreasing the intake of sodas, refined food, fast food, and regularly ingesting more fruits and vegetables (alkaline diet) will lead to significant effects on overall health. Properly managing daily nutrition can drastically reduce the risk of diabetes as well as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and cancers.
Take a closer look acclaimed Dr. Ahmad Nooristani’s recommendations on which foods to choose and the ones to lose to elevate health, longevity, wellness, and overall pH balance.
Diabetes & Wellness
Diabetes is a highly complex and dangerous disease that is heavily reliant on the daily intake of food choices. Dr. Nooristani strongly believes that proper diet and nutrition can help to safeguard against this devastating disease. Minor changes in everyday lifestyle and eating behaviors have a tremendous impact in the body’s internal system. Even with intermittent diets and caloric reduction, these risks can be substantially decreased.
Overall, keeping an eye on the level of consumption for each of the food groups is an integral start to monitoring how nutrition can impact overall health and how achieve better mindfulness each day. Here’s a general guideline for the foods to ingest and those to minimize.
* High in unsaturated fatty acids
* Daily consumption of fruits and vegetables
* Low-fat dairy products and whole grains
* Low consumption of fish and poultry
* Daily consumption of tree nuts, legumes
* Extremely small consumption of red meat
Recommended Daily Intake
Dr. Nooristani advises these top priority foods to consume daily:
1. Leafy Greens: Not only are they low in calories but are also packed with good sources of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, C, D, E, K, and much more. They are also low in digestible carbohydrates. 2. Avocados: A great choice for pre-diabetes, diabetic patients and for everyone in general. Avocados have a low sugar content, high fiber, and most importantly, it has healthy fats. They also contain essential vitamins C, E, K, and B6, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids and much more.
3. Eggs: This food plays a role in insulin sensitivity, is low in carbohydrate and high in good cholesterol (HDL). Eggs are also enriched with vitamins C, D, B12, and B2 iron, magnesium, folate, and antioxidants.
4. Beans: Extremely nutritious, as it is low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. Beans also offer much needed vitamins B1, B6, C, E, and K, iron, and much more.
5. Nuts: These are high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. They also contain vitamins B and C, iron and magnesium.
If good nutrition is the mission, eating quality food is just as important as being aware of the foods to avoid or minimize as much as possible. Dr. Nooristani urges a significant reduction of these 5 foods.
1. Sugary Drinks: They are all bad and should be avoided as much as possible. Some examples include: sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened or unsweetened fruit juices.
2. Alcoholic Beverages: Maybe reduce to one-two drink per day.
3. Meats: Decrease the consumption as much as possible.
4. White Bread and Pastas: They will significantly increase blood sugar levels.
5. Sweetened Breakfast Cereals: Despite health claims, most cereals are highly processed and contains tons of carbohydrates. |
Since sexual satisfaction plays a crucial part in a women’s physical and mental well-being, problems with low sex drive deserve an equal amount of attention and treatment as any other physical or mental illness. To understand the nature of low sex drive in women here’s a breakdown of most frequent causes.
Sex drive issues in various forms affect nearly 50% of women. Relationship issues, anger, and resentment towards themselves all result from unaddressed sex drive issues.
Cultural aspects of a women’s upbringing, such as religion and subtle messages about female body anatomy passed through generations, also affect women’s sexuality. Familial and cultural influences have a lot to do with the psychological aspect of female sexuality.
If your background and upbringing included harboring shame towards your own body, or subtle messages that having sexual desires is wrong or immoral, you are most likely to experience low sex drive.
Here are the 5 most common reasons that lead to low libido in women.
Stress impacts your sex life
Stress is one of the most frequent causes of low sex drive. Common stressors that affect the women’s overall wellbeing including her sex drive include:
- Financial problems: debt, low income.
- Stress at work: hostile and dysfunctional work environment, long hours, overworking, lack of motivation and appreciation for the made efforts.
- Relationship problems: unaddressed relationship issues, lack of communication about sex, lack of emotional support.
- Family issues: parenting and pregnancy, or not having enough help and support with children and housework.
While only a doctor can pinpoint the exact causes of low sex drive, you can do a lot to relieve stress from your life and regain a sense of balance and satisfaction. While getting the right treatment to help you overcome low sex drive, you can try easing the load in your daily life by:
- Getting more help at home.
- Prioritizing friends and quality time with family over housework.
- Getting more sleep, even at the cost of unfinished work.
- Addressing relationship issues. Would your relationship benefit from counseling? Could you and your partner spend more time together and regain the lost connection?
- Talking about sex. Don’t keep your problem to yourself. If sex is a taboo topic in your circles, find friends who you trust enough to share your struggles.
- Diseases decrease libido
Physical illness can affect your body in a way that reduces your desire for sex. Some of the most frequent physical and mental causes for low sex drive include:
- Injury. Any injury that affects reproductive organs, as well as nerves and blood vessels can reduce sex drive. Disrupted blood flow to female genitals often results in reduced sex drive. Procedures like hysterectomy, but also injuries that result from childbirth, link to less desire for sex.
- Chronic illness, particularly pain, harms the overall physical and mental wellbeing. A range of illnesses, from hormonal imbalance, hypothyroidism, diabetes, anemia, or neurological disorders, all affect the female body’s normal functioning. If these conditions affect healthy sleep and disrupt normal daily routines, it’s normal for women to feel ‘out-of-place’ and lose the sense of balance necessary for a healthy sex life.
- Mental problems. Anxiety and depression most often reduce sex drive in women. Aside from underlying issues with self-love and self-confidence, depression and anxiety drain physical energy. This further results in a sluggish, tired feeling that doesn’t go hand-in-hand with a vibrant sex life. If you’re taking medications for mental illness, such as anti-depressants, or regular treatment for other chronic illness, the side effects can also include low sex drive.
What can you do to reduce the effect on illness on your sex drive? You can discuss the issue with your physician. They will recommend you the right methods to improve your mood and regain energy. Healthy lifestyle changes in this case include:
- More rest and leisure time. If you’re coping with chronic illness and trying to keep up with usual routines, you can get overworked and more exhausted than you have to be. Ease the load of daily work and focus on healing.
- Diet improvements. With most illnesses, a healthier diet with fewer carbs helps increase energy levels. Consult a dietitian to tailor a diet plan specifically for your health situation and lifestyle.
- Physical activity. An appropriate amount of exercise and outdoor activities for your condition will help you feel more relaxed and energized.
Imbalances in hormone levels, such as cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones, affect sex drive.
- Cortisol levels can fluctuate due to daily stress. If you constantly feel tired, overall drained and overwhelmed, it’s possible your cortisol levels are off-the-chart. Cortisol also links to blood sugar problems and cravings for unhealthy foods. If you feel like you’re constantly running around, feeling restless, but not energized, you should look into your cortisol levels.
- Estrogen, the main hormone to affect women’s health, causes many health issues once out of balance. Aside from reduced sex drive, increase or low levels of testosterone link to bloating, sudden weight gain, mood swings, dryness of the vagina, light or heavy periods, and abnormal Pap smears.
- Underactive thyroid causes fatigue and rapid weight gain. It will also cause you to feel constantly tired and be in a bad mood. Treating underactive thyroid is simple, but you need a detailed health check to make sure the gland is healthy.
- Testosterone typically starts declining in your twenties, which is why you might experience low sex drive. Problems with acne and skin tags, hair loss, excess hair, anxiety, and infertility, are only some of the problems caused by testosterone disbalance.
Women’s sex drive naturally decreases starting at the age of 40, with menopause playing a vital role. Women’s high sex drive after 40 is also common and can result from reduced stress with children leaving home and not having to bother with birth control due to menopause. Crashing estrogen levels in the women past 40 cause the women to feel less desire for sex. In addition, the abrupt menopause, a condition that takes place once the women’s reproductive organs get removed (*e.g hysterectomy), can also affect sex drive.
Be aware how your sex drive is related to your cycle
Tracking sex frequency with Flo allows you to notice patterns in your sex drive in relation to your period.
Alcohol or smoking abuse can affect sexual performance
Taking too much alcohol and cigarettes over an extended period of time can reduce sex drive, or even cause impotence.
Alcohol can also reduce your chances of getting pregnant, especially if you’re experiencing fertility issues. Cutting back on alcohol and smoking, and focusing on a healthy lifestyle is an overall better option for you, and it can affect your sex drive in a positive way.
Psychological issues may cause loss of libido
Mental illness can reduce stress drive, put underlying psychological problems that don’t require treatment can have a lot to do with your sex drive. Here are some of the underlying problems that are affecting your desire for sex:
- Confidence and self-esteem. A woman needs to carry love and acceptance for herself and her own body in order to have a healthy sex life. If your confidence is shaken, you could feel insecure about your body and desire less sex.
- Trauma and abuse. Being in an abusive relationship, whether the abuse is emotional, physical, or sexual, can cause low libido in women.
- Childhood trauma. Dysfunctional and unhealthy views on the female body and sexuality can pass through generations, and these familiar influences can stand in the way of feeling liberated and enjoying sex.
How to put sexual desire back?
If you’re wondering how to improve your sex drive, the answer is as complex as the condition itself. Working with a right team of experts, that includes a physician, a therapist, and a sex therapist will help you regain physical health and solve psychological issues that result in less desire for sex.
There are many low sex drive remedies available in pharmacies and drug stores, but you shouldn’t use them without consulting your doctor. Women’s sex drive pills are a pharmaceutical innovation, and they might help you overcome your issues. Still, considering how complex low sex drive issue is, you want to look into the right causes behind it.
When to seek professional help?
What drives women’s libido is a tender balance between physical and mental health, as well as satisfaction with one’s self and personal relationships. When a woman experiences distress in one or multiple of these areas, be it physical illness, stress, or being in a bad relationship, sexual dysfunction might follow.
To overcome low sex drive and regain a healthy relationship with your own body, you must look into the major reasons for low sex drive and how they’re affecting you. While it’s normal to feel a lack of desire for sex at times, you should seek help if the issue starts to concern you. |
What Are DOMS Exactly?
DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) is the pain and stiffness felt in the muscle several hours to days after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise. Some people often have the misconception here that they have done an injury due to the fact that they are sore, this is generally not the case.
The best way to treat DOMS is by doing low to moderate exercise to promote blood flow (walking and easy cycling) plus stretches and foam rolling. This activity promotes new blood flow which brings new oxygen cells to the working muscles.
Another way to help speed up the DOMS process is by hold and cold therapy (ice bath then warm bath) or cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen chambers to help the healing process.
Whatever you decide to do to tackle DOMS never lay idle as this will essentially delay the muscle soreness. |
There are a number of people working on 3D Network Visualizations in AR/VR, but not as many as our society needs as the main research focus in industry (both commercial and government) regarding network security (for now and the foreseeable future) is in AI and machine learning.
From this has emerged a kind of “cold technical civil war” going on between those who believe machines and algorithms are superior to human cognition, and those who believe that machines and algorithms will never replace the human mind and human cognition.
I am (quite firmly) in the later camp obviously and believe that “humans cognitive situational awareness” and not “machine intelligence” are the key to the future of our cybersecurity (augmented by machines and not replaced by them especially in matters of critical operational SA). This of course means that 3D network visualizations and the virtualization of networks (see attached “in perpetual review” preprint ACM paper, Human Cyber Consciousness – The Next Frontier (2017), for a high level overview).
In addition, I also refer interested cybersecurity researchers to a copy of a unpublished technical report, Virtualized Cyberspace – Visualizing Patterns & Anomalies for Cognitive Cyber Situational Awareness (2017), where we (Bass, Zuech & Gutzwiller) discuss methods with references to other work and related tech in this area. Candidly speaking, and I hope I am not being too candid and honest, there is much less research and references than there should be in this area as the research trend, unfortunately, favors machines versus human cognition.
Also, unfortunately, many people who are interested in this fascinating research area do the have hands-on operational experience in network management and day-to-day network security and cyber SA to understand the “brave new world” of the future of cybersecurity. The world (social media especially) is full of “arm chair quarterbacks” who seem to know it all and yet have never actually been in the game (no hands-on experience at the computer in a real cyber defense or critical operational network outage).
From a technical perspective, I would recommend everyone read these two papers in the links above (perhaps the higher perspective CACM draft first) and feel free to contact me. For technologists and researchers, I recommend you focus on first building a working 3D model with a gaming engine like Unity 3D or Unreal (we used Unity 3D) and then when you are an expert in this development phase, then bolt on the VR/AR hardware & software support as you might see fit.
In my view, although VR has a lot lot of attention lately, the hardware is still too cumbersome (uncomfortable) and the state-of-the-art for effective (also meaning comfortable) field operations are still at least a few years away. In the meantime it is best that cybersecurity researchers focus on the 3D desktop application first using a technology that can easily add AR/VR when appropriate; but without a solid working 3D application and a standard gaming application (like Unity 3D or the Unreal Engine), it is a premature to jump to AR/VR.
I’ve been busy on other projects since August of 2017, self-funded and doing this project “out of the goodness of my heart and concern for the future security of our networks.” Sorry to sound too patriotic, but it is non-trivial to solve the CSA problem and requires more research, funding and people that a semi-retired guy hanging out in a beach condo with in Thailand with a fiber optic connect to the Internet and a few MacBooks can muster and still enjoy a normal life.
I need an army of technical people and a lot of resources to build the tech discussed in my “apparently way ahead of it’s time” vision we have for operation network situational awareness and I am dismayed by the lack of funding in the US for what I consider one of the most important projects for our future security – the virtualization of cyberspace so we can operationalize cyber defense.
The current commercial tech zeal in favor of machine learning and AI versus human cyber consciousness is not favorable to a secure future for humans and democratic processes; but I am powerless to stop this debasement of the human mind in favor of the current push toward AI-dominated social networking. |
Skin problems are common in dogs and cats and can be caused by hormonal disorders, allergies, infections, or parasites such as fleas and mites. These issues can be particularly difficult to treat and should be addressed promptly.
We can often diagnose a skin problem by simply examining your pet. Some dermatologic diseases or conditions do require additional diagnostic procedures to ensure a correct diagnosis. Depending on your pet’s symptoms and the results of our physical exam, we may run blood work or perform a urinalysis, skin scraping, or biopsies.
Contact us if you notice your dog or cat scratching excessively or if he or she develops any bare patches, scabs, scaling, redness, inflammation, lumps, or bumps.
A flea problem on your pet means a flea problem in your home. Understanding the flea life cycle and methods for its control can be a daunting task. We will gladly assist you in this process. We can provide you with safe, effective flea prevention and if necessary, flea treatment. |
Cities as Infrastructures of Diversification and Homogenisation: Constructing Multiformal Spaces in Paris and Shenzhen
by Stephen Read (Delft University of Technology)
Cities have made urban people. Cities are the material condition of complex urban societies and people have been actively formed in them as products of and complements to the politics and economies that cities have engendered. Urban identities and economic roles have formed and massively differentiated and complexified beyond those of pre-urban and rural societies. People have diversified as economic roles especially have divided and formed them around organising and integrating cultures and practices. Cities have, at times and under particular conditions, been diversifying infrastructures, but cities have also, in different times and under conditions of modernisation, industrial rationalisation and the rescaling and financialisation of economies, become infrastructures of homogenisation. In historical and at least partly contingent processes cities have complexified and opened rich and diverse opportunities for livelihoods in particular times and places and decomplexified and closed and diminished opportunities in others. The paper will take the reader on an historical journey through a number of iconic cases, starting in medieval Paris and finishing in contemporary Shenzhen to demonstrate that processes of diversification continue, still today, to open urban lives and livelihoods to urban newcomers, while modernising and homogenising processes threaten those lives and livelihoods.
Keywords: urban diversity, urban economy, relationality, Paris, Shenzhen |
Pretty much everybody has some type of houseplant within their home. There are numerous people who enjoy their crops and treat them additional special. You have to consider that home plants are living organisms as well. Hence they get infected by living things as well. To be able to support your home place keep healthy and prevent illness you need to be concentrated on the best way to take care of them.Once in a while you may observe a bright powdery substance in your plant. That usually ensures that the flowers are suffering from some type of fungi. It may be easily wiped off with a cloth. This powdery mildew is really a really popular home place illness. The dust can actually be white or brown and is generally located on the the surface of the leaves. The long term alternative to the mildew problem is to take care of with Mildewcide. Do Air Plants Need Sun
Because devoid of enough gentle is one of many triggers, be sure you let sufficient sunlight. Be sure you are tearing that seed relating using its species specifications. The brown spots may be originating from bad watering habits. That provides leaf spot fungus. Again, make sure this plant is provided every possibility by watering it and providing sun relating having its specifications.
Some areas may be concentric bands, still another kind of fungus. You will need to get rid of any dead leaves. This may allow the plant to breath only a little easier. Though it is difficult, try not to leave any extended water locations on leaves. And also this advances fungi.Another reason for leaf areas is bacteria. You are able to observe bacteria locations as it looks like an orange halo. If the plant is kept moist the spot will develop out of control. You need to go it to a dryer location. Handle with Bacteriacide. As always, address your seed relating with the species specifications.
A typical water stimulated issue is base rot. The outer ends will begin to change yellow and fall off in your hand. You can apply fungicide for fast benefits and then stick to your species specs. Origin rot is another popular issue produced by an excessive amount of watering that causes the soil to own too much moisture. Therefore bacteria strike the roots and can therefore perform its way up the plant. Leaves can be discolored. Most plants won’t get over origin rot.The most readily useful elimination is to begin with a infection free plant and then keep it that way. Use just the very best sterilized soil. When you recognize a challenge, handle it easily and efficiently. Don’t allow problems to build until it’s too late. |
Johann Walter-Kurau was a Latvian painter.
Walter was born in Jelgava, 45 km (28 mi) south of Riga, and had German citizenship through his Baltic German mother.
He studied art at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg with Janis Rozentāls and Vilhelms Purvītis, and built up an oeuvre that ranged from the academic realism of the 1890s, through a style inspired by Impressionism and Expressionism, to the verge of abstraction with a peculiar non-objective vision of nature late in his career.
At the turn of the 20th century Walter stood out as one of the most important emerging artists in Latvia, but left in 1906 to work in Dresden, where he changed his last name to Walter-Kurau. He lived in Dresden for 10 years before moving to Berlin in 1916 or 1917.
More than 120 of his works are in the collection of Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga, including his most famous work from the pre-Germany era, Bathing Boys (1900). He is included in Latvian cultural canon. |
You will then have two choices.
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Esl fun games worksheets ppts flash cards puzzles etc 100 free. This is a comprehensive collection of free printable math worksheets for grade 7 and for pre algebra organized by topics such as expressions integers one step equations rational numbers multi step equations inequalities speed time distance graphing slope ratios proportions percent geometry and pi. |
Technology has always been a fundamental part of our lives, and it’s only going to become more prevalent in the years to come. With so many different devices and platforms available, it can be hard to know which one is right for you.
Most people don’t think of themselves as tech-savvy, but that’s not always the case. A lot of people have a basic understanding of how to use technology and can take advantage of technology and its many features. In this article, we’ll explore some tips for becoming more tech-savvy.
In order to be tech-savvy, you have to be organized. If you want to keep your computer and devices running smoothly, you need to have a plan and put it into action. Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Make a list of the programs and apps you use on your computer and devices. This will help you determine which ones need to be updated regularly.
2. Organize your files into folders by category. This will make them easier to find when you need them.
3. Back up your data regularly. This is one of the most important things you can do to protect your information.
4. Delete files that are no longer needed. This will free up space on your devices and make them run faster.
5. Keep your software and operating systems up to date.
In order to be tech-savvy, it’s important to always stay updated on the latest technology news. By doing so, you’ll be aware of the latest gadgets and devices that are hitting the market, as well as the various changes and updates to existing technology. Additionally, staying up-to-date will help you better understand how technology works and how to use it more effectively.
There are many ways to stay updated on technology news. One way is to subscribe to a few technology magazines or websites. Alternatively, you can attend technology conferences or watch tech-related documentaries. No matter which method you choose, make sure you set aside some time each day or week to stay informed about the latest in technology.
Technology is constantly evolving, so it’s important to keep up with the latest trends if you want to stay ahead of the curve.
As technology advances, so does the need for people to be competent in using online tools. If you want to stay ahead of the curve and be labeled as tech-savvy, you need to get used to using these tools more and more. This isn’t a suggestion but rather a requirement in today’s world.
The first online tool you should make use of is social media. Almost everyone has a social media account by now, so it’s a great way to start becoming comfortable with using technology. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are extremely popular and can be used for personal or professional purposes. Once you’ve got social media down, move on to mastering email. Email is another essential communication tool that most people use on a daily basis. There are many different email providers out there, so find one that works best for you and learn how to use all its features.
Being tech-savvy on a budget is possible. You just need to be creative and resourceful. There are a lot of ways to get the most out of your technology without spending a lot of money. So, don’t be afraid to try something new. Be open to learning, and you’ll be able to save money while keeping up with the latest technology trends. And, please read more about . |
Envisioning the World in the Middle Ages
De Sphaera Mundi
Medieval science was strongly influenced by the works of Aristotle, whose work became known in the Christian west through Islamic and Jewish scholars and scientists, many of whom were working in al-Andalus, later Spain.
The works below by Aristotle, Alfonso X, and Sacro Bosco, printed in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, reflect this heritage.
Aristotle's Physica depicts the Sphera Mundi, a Ptolemaic, geocentric vision of the universe. Writing in the 4th century BCE, Aristotle proposed that 55 concentric celestial spheres were made up of the moon, planets, sun, and stars, encircling the earth at the center.
Special Collections' edition, bound in the sixteenth century with other works by Aristotle, is heavily annotated by a sixteenth- or early seventeenth-century hand and doodles, as well as a later hand, a testament to Aristotle's enduring relevance to discussions of astronomy and physics, nearly two millennia after his death.
Alfonso X. Alfontij Regis Castellae Illustrissimi Caeslestium Motum Tabule. [Venice]: Erhard Ratdoldt, 1483.
Alfonso X of Castile commissioned the Alfonsine Tables in the mid-thirteenth century. The Tables were based on earlier astronomical observations and writings by Islamic and Jewish scholars: Yehuda be Noshe, Isaac ibn Sid, and others.
The first printed edition, seen here, was published in 1483 by Erhard Ratdolt, who was also responsible for the earliest publication of Euclid (1482). Ratdolt was perhaps the first printer/publisher of scientific or mathematical works, all elaborately illustrated with detailed woodcuts and decorative initials.
The Alfonsine Tables track the locations of planets at specific times and the times of eclipses. The earliest observations date from 1 January 1252. The Tables were highly influential even as late as the sixteenth century; Nikolaus Copernicus used parameters derived from them in his Commentarioulus, first circulated in Latin by 1514.
Special Collections' copy of the Alfonsine Tables is especially interesting for its original, hand-tooled, chained binding with brass clasps and bosses; the hole in the back cover was used to chain the book to a library shelf, a medieval and early-modern means of preventing the theft of a library’s most valuable treasures. One leaf (seen here) shows a fifteenth-century version of a sticky note fashioned of a medieval manuscript fragment and attached with thread.
Johannes de Sacro Bosco. Iohannis de Sacro Busto Libellus de Sphaera. Wittenberg: Philippi Melanthonis, 1574. Gift of Sam Tour.
Johannes de Sacro Bosco. Sphaera Ioannis de Sacrobvsto. Venetiis: Heredem Ioannem Patauinum, Expensis Melchioris Sessae, .
Scottish or British(?) mathematician Johannes de Sacrobosco (John Holybush) worked in Paris in the early thirteenth century. Like the authors above, his De Sphaera Mundi reflects a Ptolemaic view of the universe and the work of Islamic astronomers.
De Sphaera formed the foundation for medieval astronomical and cosmological education. It begins with a discussion on spheres and their properties, followed by discussions on planetary motion and the causes of eclipses.
Like Aristotle's universe, Sacrobosco’s system was geocentric; the unmoving Earth was the center. His work was gradually superseded by Copernicus’ study, De Revolutionibus, which argued for a heliocentric system. Special Collections 1574 edition, Iohannis de Sacro Busto Libellus de Sphaera, attests to the work's enduring use as a text book, even in the years following the publication of Copernicus' work in the 1540s.
Special Collections’ 1557 edition, published in Venice, shows a worm hole (see left) created by an intrepid bookworm at some point in the book's past.
Special Collections 1574 edition, published in Wittenberg, Germany with a preface provided by the Protestant reformer, Philip Melanchthon, is unique for its cover (below, right). It is fashioned of a re-used medieval manuscript, possibly a work on the life of Dionysius the Areopagite, a convert to Christianity in 1st century Athens.
Both editions feature extensive woodcut illustrations of the spheres, eclipses, the motion of the planets, and the signs of the zodiac.
Hartmann Schedel. Liber Chronicarum. Nuremberg: Anton Koberger for Sebald Schreyer and Sebastian Kammermeister, 12 July 1493.
On the eve of the sixteenth century, notions of the earth's place in the solar system continued to locate it at the center, as seen in this Creation scene, the spheres of planets, sun, and stars surrounding the earth. This woodcut appeared in Hartmann Schedel's Liber Chronicarum, published in 1493.
The Prussian mathematician and astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, was then twenty years old. His manuscript, Commentariolus, which contradicted centuries of geocentrism with his heliocentric vision of the solar system, would begin to circulate just two decades in the future, in 1514. |
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the Navy’s full-spectrum corporate laboratory, conducting a broad-based program of scientific research and development for maritime application related to oceanic, atmospheric, and space sciences. They have selected Concept Laser’s 3D metal printing technology for rapid prototyping and materials research. This is their first laser powder-bed metals machine.
NRL will be using Concept Laser’s M2 cusing machine to print in Stainless Steel. Along with the machine, they will be using QM Meltpool 3D to monitor the quality of their metal applications, inspecting the part as it grows. This will also help them identify any design defects and if an application is on the edge of acceptability. Additionally, they will be using CL WRX Parameter 2.0 to freely design and develop custom parameters.
“We require a wide range of Additive Manufacturing (AM) capabilities, ranging from quality monitoring to process parameter development, and need an architecture conducive to that research and development effort.” Dr. Charles Rohde, NRL Acoustics Division.
Additive manufacturing involves taking digital designs from computer aided design (CAD) software, and laying horizontal cross-sections to manufacture the part. Additive components are typically lighter and more durable than traditional forged parts because they require less welding and machining. Because additive parts are essentially “grown” from the ground up, they generate far less scrap material. Freed of traditional manufacturing restrictions, additive manufacturing dramatically expands the design possibilities for engineers.
“It is very exciting that the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is bolstering their focus on metal additive manufacturing. There are so many advantages of 3D metal printing that our defense strategy could benefit from, including reduced lead time, less material waste, and printing complex geometries with no required assembly. NRL has a history of over 90 years of innovation in naval power and we look forward to hear how they will use 3D metal printing to break boundaries.” John Murray, President and CEO of Concept Laser Inc.
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory provides the advanced scientific capabilities required to bolster our country’s position of global naval leadership. The Laboratory, with a total complement of approximately 2,500 personnel, is located in southwest Washington, D.C., with other major sites at the Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Monterey, Calif. NRL has served the Navy and the nation for over 90 years and continues to advance research. |
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As a Spiritual Warrior and Seeker of the Way, I look for synchronicities and commonalities in the various Spiritual Paradigms that are currently vying for our attention. Among the multitude of information to choose from is a theme of quiet contemplation. I see this as a metaphor for meditation. In many cultures, belief systems and martial training systems meditation plays a vital role. The list includes Yoga, the whirling of the Dervish and even the chanting of some monastic orders.
Recently, I went back to studying Tai Chi through the Tai Chi Academy here in my home town. One of the main tenets is to still the mind and achieve a tranquil state.
- Dan Tian = body centre 2
- Qi = Chi = internal energy 3
- Qigong = Chi Kung = art of cultivating internal energy 4
- Yuan qi = your original energy inherited from parents 5
Tai Chi, for me, is a form of moving meditation that allows you to empty your mind and focus solely on the movements being undertaken by your body, a form of exercise with both physical and mental health benefits. As part of the study of Tai Chi, I have been introduced to Qigong which is described as follows:
…Qigong is the use of the mind as the main ingredient in the cultivation of qi. 6
Now lets check the etymology of the word meditation. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary the word meditation has its roots:
early 13c., “discourse on a subject,” from L. meditationem (nom. meditatio), from meditatus, pp. of meditari “to meditate, to think over, consider,” frequentative form from PIE base *med- “to measure, limit, consider, advise” (cf. Gk. medesthai “think about,” medon “ruler,” L. modus “measure, manner,” modestus “moderate,” modernus “modern,” mederi “to heal,” medicus “physician,” Skt. midiur “I judge, estimate,” Welsh meddwl “mind, thinking,” Goth. miton, O.E. metan “to measure”). Meaning “act of meditating, continuous calm thought upon some subject” is from late 14c.
Wikipedia says the following:
The word meditation comes from the Indo-European root med-, meaning “to measure.” It entered English as meditation through the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated any type of physical or intellectual exercise, then later evolved into the more specific meaning “contemplation.”
So, Qigong would seem to be a meditative technique for gathering energy. Brett writes further that:
In the oldest texts written on the subject of Qigong, we find the Chinese idiom, “Dam Bu Wu Wei“. The message is…both simple and profound: to have a peaceful, good heart, to cultivate your character, to look after your personality, to lead a life of frugality and simplicity, to be natural, to maintain a quiet mind and to practice clear and deep thinking.7
Does this passage above describe anything familiar to you? It is what, as a Spiritual Warrior and Seeker of the Way, we hope to achieve through our own personal journey to improve ourselves. Now, as with Yoga, Qigong can be practiced by lying, sitting, standing or moving and is very beneficial to effective meditation.
What do we understand by the term mind? One more foray to Wikipedia reveals the following:
Mind (pronounced /maind/) is the aspect of intellect and consciousness experienced as combinations of thought, perception, memory, emotion, will and imagination, including all unconscious cognitive processes. The term is often used to refer, by implication, to the thought processes of reason. Mind manifests itself subjectively as a stream of consciousness.8
In a previous article, Perception is Reality, I wrote about how we interact with our surroundings. The article outlines a small amount of information on Cymatics which reinforces the idea of sound and vibration as creative forces. Thought too can be measured as a wave-form similarly to sound and vibration implying that through the power of our thoughts we can have an impact on reality as we perceive it. Thought is formulated in our mind, which for most people is undisciplined and chaotic (just like mine at times). This has led to the term “monkey mind” being used to describe our thought patterns as monkeys are seen as continually moving and chattering.
Meditation is a way to calm or quiet the “monkey mind” and focus your thought on one thing or nothing at all. One tip when meditating is to try to avoid recalling negative events, thoughts or emotions and do not dwell on mishaps. This could lead to the reinforcement of these influences on your life.
Professor Harry Mercer once said, “Discard disappointment before it devours you.” … As you replay (a bad experience), you are giving more significance to the experience than it is worth. 9
This leads to fixation and an increase in the difficulties you encounter on your path. Focus on positive events, thoughts, and emotions, release the negative and your life will steadily improve.
Meditation master Lama Choedak Rinpoche said, “What you go to bed with is what you wake with. Make a habit of farewelling the day and letting go all negatives at the end of the evening, so that you can greet the new day with gratitude and celebration.10
Should we fail to do this, then our life becomes one long battle, moving from situation to situation where we feel totally out of our depth. This feeling of being out of control is the chaotic mind at work. While it is not the only method, meditation can help in bringing the momentum of runaway reality under control. It is a way of achieving the quiet mind or quiet contemplation required to consider your path as a Spiritual Warrior or Seeker of the Way. I am attempting to increase the time that I spend in meditation and I also use my Shamanic Star Stones (Mochi Balls or Moqui Marbles), one in each hand, to enhance the experience.
It seems to me that the way in which we use our minds certainly seems to have an influence on not only our physical structure by cultivating energy but also on our perception of reality. We can generate and harness energy through the concentrated effort of our minds. Meditation, Yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi and other forms of relaxation and exercise teach us about this energy accumulation and the interaction between our minds, bodies and the perception of reality. Through these practices, we are able to bring or restore balance and harmony to our lives. Achieving balance and harmony will provide positive reinforcement to our thoughts, increasing our ability to create a perception of reality that we are happy to inhabit during this turn of the wheel of life. |
There are many reasons for hiring an interior decorator. An interior decorator is also known as an interior designer. The two words are often used interchangeably to refer to the same type of professional. Their meanings are very similar. Many people need some sort of guidance when designing their kitchen. This is because a kitchen design incorporates many elements in it. Not all the elements are equally important. Some of them are more important than the rest. You should check the relative importance of each element before spending time and money on it. You should only spend time and money on a certain element of kitchen design if it is worth it. This can be a hard decision to make in many instances. This is because there is a lot of subjectivity involved. It can be hard to objectively evaluate kitchen designs and to compare them with one another. Yet, this is the standard practice in most places.
Hiring an interior designer:
An interior designer is an expert when it comes to renovating kitchens. Many interior designers deal specifically with kitchens. This makes their work very important. You should always arrange a specialist interior designer when you want to renovate your kitchen’s design. An interior designer can give you an idea of the costs that will be incurred if you choose to upgrade your kitchens interior design.
Usually, the tiles of the kitchen are an important part of the design. There are at least thirty to forty different kinds of kitchen tiles. Tiles used to be made of ceramic, previously. Ceramic tiles have now largely been replaced by cement tiles. Clay tiles are also a common choice. White tiles provide a clear contrast to the darker body of the kitchen. This is because most of the furniture in a kitchen is of a dark colour. Many tiles have intricate designs on them. The designs are engraved on the body of the tile using special machines. They give the tiles a near and modern look. You should visit your local hardware store to learn more about the range of kitchen tiles available. The range of tiles available for using in the interior of a kitchen is truly immense. You have so many times to choose from. They come in both solid colours and patterns.
The tiles are fitted to the floor and walls of a kitchen using plaster. The plaster is laid out on the floor in a thin layer. The plaster is mixed with water to dilute it. This layer is usually three to four inches thick. It can be thicker in the case of large sized tiles. The role of tiles on modernising the design of DIY kitchen the world over cannot be overlooked. They can change the design of a kitchen overnight. Check here to find out more details. |
Appendix:Irish fourth-declension nouns
The Irish fourth declension is made up primarily of masculine nouns; however, abstract nouns ending in a vowel are nearly always feminine (eagla, aigne). The nominative singular can end in: a vowel; the diminutive suffix ‑ín (cailín); a few that end in a consonant (bus, ainm).
There is no special form for the genitive singular. The dative and vocative singular are likewise identical to the nominative singular.
The fourth declension plurals are strong plurals with very few exceptions.
The vocative forms, both singular and plural, are the same as the nominative.
- bó f (“cow”), gs. bó, npl. ba, gpl. bó
- grásta f (“grace”), grásta, grásta, grást
- neach m (“person”), neach, neacha, neach
|Vocative||a bhó||a bha|
A strong plural is characterised by the genitive plural maintaining the same form as the nominative plural. Strong plural forms found in the fourth declension are (singular: plural):
- -a, -e: -aí, -í
- -ín: -íní
- -le, -ne: -lte, -nte
- -í, -aoi, -é: -the
The first two are the most common.
|Vocative||a fhile||a fhilí|
As a general rule, nouns of the fourth declension are masculine.
The feminine nouns are:
- Most abstract nouns ending in a vowel:
- Female personal names ending in -ín
- Máirín, Nóirín.
- Concrete nouns that are nonetheless feminine
For female nouns of masculine gender, the referential pronoun is feminine: is cailín í.
Nouns ending in consonants other than -ínEdit
Most nouns of the fourth declension end in vowels or -ín. Nouns with other, consonant endings (with their plural form) include:
- ainm m (“name”), ainmneacha
- béarlagair m (“jargon”)
- bus m (“bus”), busanna
- cailif m (“cailif”), cailifí
- cic m (“kick”), ciceanna
- cleas m (“gang”), cleasanna (as 1st, trick)
- cliamhain m (“son-in-law”), cliamhaineacha
- cruicéad m (“cricket”) (teanglann: 1st)
- dabht m (“doubt”), dabhtanna
- dosaen m (“dozen”), dosaenacha
- Eanáir m (“January”), Eanáirí
- éimír m (“emir”), éimírí
- fabht m (“fault”), fabhtanna
- gild m (“guild”), gildeanna
- Iúil m (“July”), Iúilí
- laghad m (“smallness”) (teanglann: 1st, but unchanged genitive)
- Máirt f (“Tuesday”), Máirteanna
- máistir m (“master”), máistirí
- méid m (“amount”) (as 2nd f, size)
- mosc m (“mosque”), moscanna
- saibhir m (“richness”), saibhirre
- sáirsint m (“sergeant”), sáirsintí
- seilf m (“shelf”), seilfeanna
- seoch m (“dyke”), seochanna
- stad m (“stop”), stadanna
- téacs m (“text”), téacsanna
- tiubh m (“throng”)
- tobac m (“tobacco”)
- uncail m (“uncle”), uncailí
- veain m (“van”), veaineanna
- veist m (“vest”), veisteanna
- -eas,-iam (modern technical jargon via Latin -us, -ium)
- e.g. úráinium, víreas
- -blast, -clast (modern technical jargon via Greek βλαστός (blastós) κλαστός (klastós))
Verbal nouns in short or long vowels (i.e., first verbal declension) form their verbal genitive using the verbal adjective e.g. -(a)ithe. Therefore, they are not classed as fourth declension nouns.
However, their substantive genitive is in the fourth declension.
- dóigh, vn. dó, gs as s. dó, gs as vn. dóite
- luaigh, lua, luaite
- leáigh, leá, leáite
- nigh, ní, nite
- suigh, suí, suite
The substantive genitive of second declension verbal nouns ending in vowels have the form of the verbal adjective.
- éirigh, vn. éirí, gs s. and vn. éirí
The fifth declension is the only other declension with nouns ending in a vowel, albeit relatively few.
- Alba f (“Scotland”)
- araí f (“bridle”)
- cara m (“friend”)
- caora f (“sheep”)
- comharsa f (“neighbour”)
- cú m (“hound”)
- dearca f (“acorn”)
- dearna f (“palm of hand”)
- Éire f (“Ireland”)
- eo m (“salmon”)
- faocha f (“periwinkle”)
- gualcha f (“coal mine”)
- ionga f (“nail”)
- lacha f (“duck”)
- leaba f (“bed”)
- leite f (“porridge”)
- meanma f (“mind”)
- monarcha f (“factory”)
- pearsa f (“person”)
- The cardinals greater than 10 ending in a vowel (20, 30, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 - all except 40):
- ^ In the Hiberno-English sense of "two or three or so" |
There are so many advantages to having a whiter, more attractive smile. That’s why it should come as no surprise that so many people are choosing to whiten their teeth. And while there are countless over-the-counter whitening products available, most people who have used these can agree on one thing: the results are disappointing. Fortunately, this is not the case with professional whitening. In fact, virtually anyone can enjoy a remarkably whiter smile in just a single trip to the dentist’s office. If you’re wondering what is the best teeth whitening product, you should know that many dental professionals report that one consistently ranks among the best: the Zoom! teeth whitening system.
Why Teeth Become Stained
While it’s certainly true that teeth can be stained by foods and drinks, and even by some medications, there are other reasons for staining. What follows are three categories of tooth stains that you should be aware of before having your teeth professionally whitened.
- Extrinsic stains: This type of discoloration occurs on the surface of the tooth and is caused when particles of food and drink build up on top of the enamel layer. Eating foods that cause stains – such as berries and tomato sauces – as well as drinking certain beverages – such as coffee, tea, or red wine – often leave behind tiny particles that form a film of protein which covers the surface of the tooth. Tobacco use also contributes to extrinsic stains. This category of tooth discoloration can be resolved by having your teeth cleaned at the dentist’s office and/or by professional whitening services performed by your dentist.
- Intrinsic stains: This type of tooth stain is one that occurs below the enamel layer of the tooth when tiny food and drink particles work their way into the enamel layer of the tooth. Although an intrinsic stain is more difficult to remove than an extrinsic stain, it can be done by professional teeth whitening performed in the dentist’s office.
- Stains related to age: Over time, both extrinsic and intrinsic stains can build up and result in discolored teeth. But those aren’t the only reason for age-related staining. As a person gets older, the dentin layer of the tooth begins to turn yellow and the enamel layer on top of the dentin becomes thinner. That means that the yellowish dentin layer begins to show through. In some cases, professional whitening performed by a dentist can improve the appearance of age-related staining, but if the enamel is very thin, most whitening products won’t work. Prior to the development of the Zoom! whitening system, patients with compromised enamel had to rely on other cosmetic procedures (such as bonding or porcelain veneers, for example) to achieve a whiter smile. The Zoom! system, however, has proved to be somewhat effective in lightening the dentin layer.
Although professional teeth whitening works incredibly well for most dental patients, it may not be the answer for people with compromised enamel. Your dentist can tell you what type of stains are present on your teeth, and whether or not you are a good candidate for professional teeth whitening.
What Makes Zoom! Whitening So Effective
The Zoom! whitening system utilizes the very latest in dental technology to create a bleaching system that is fast, painless, and highly effective. Although there are many other whitening products available, Zoom! has proven to work particularly well, producing longer-lasting results, reduced tooth sensitivity, faster treatment time, and can even remove some stains from dental restorations like crowns and veneers. As we mentioned earlier, unlike many other whitening products, the Zoom! process can be effective in lightening the dentin layer of a tooth. This is the layer that is located directly under the tooth enamel. As we mentioned earlier, when we get older the enamel of our teeth becomes thinner and the dentin layer starts to turn yellow. Most whitening products don’t have any effect on the dentin, but Zoom! has proven somewhat effective in lightening the dentin portion of the tooth. This is one reason why Zoom! is the preferred whitening method used by countless dentists throughout the US.
The Zoom! Procedure
Your dentist will most likely recommend that you have your teeth professionally cleaned by a dental hygienist prior to the Zoom! procedure. Once that is completed, the process will begin with your dentist using cheek retractors to expose every tooth inside the mouth. After that, the gum tissue will be covered to prevent it from coming into contact with the bleaching gel. Then your dentist will apply the Zoom! whitening agent to the surface of each tooth, after which he or she will use a specially designed light for 15 minutes to activate the gel. Finally, the gel is removed and your mouth will be rinsed out. This entire process will then be repeated two more times before the procedure is complete. |
A blog is a kind of internet site that is created as well as edited by an individual. These blog sites are typically personal in nature, but they can be professional too. The reason for creating a blog site is to advertise a product and services. It can increase website traffic and can also build brand name loyalty with target audiences. It can help you offer valuable information to customers as well as establish you as a specialist. This aids create sales as individuals often tend to buy from resources they trust.
Blog writing can be made use of for a variety of objectives. Business blogs can be used to market product or services, as well as nonprofit organizations can use blogs to interact with components. It can also be utilized to speak about the goals and also activities of federal government companies. However, there are likewise several troubles related to blogging. For instance, an anonymous blog writer may write a blog criticizing a firm, an employer, or a college. They might even downplay organizations that have done points ‘right.’ Some people have shed their tasks as a result of companies discovering their blogs.
Blogs have different purposes, however one usual objective is to boost search engine traffic. The even more website traffic a blog site receives, the more visitors it has. More readers suggests more possibilities to make money or advertise a business via it. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to optimize a blog for raised website traffic. You can utilize the best search engine optimization tools to boost your blog site’s presence and popularity. If you want much more web traffic to your site, begin blogging today!
Blog writing has actually ended up being a prominent method to share thoughts and views. Actually, the idea of blogging has a lengthy background and also is an outstanding means to spread out info to a wide audience. Along with being a superb means to promote an organization, a blog site can additionally be made use of to spread out news about occasions or items. There are likewise a variety of methods to optimize a blog for online search engine presence. Try the leading search engine optimization devices to enhance website traffic to your website and make it easier to promote.
A blog site is a superb means to share your ideas as well as viewpoints. It can also be an excellent way to advertise a brand name and generate income. Enhancing your blog site’s website traffic and exposure is essential for any type of company. With the right devices, you can produce a blog site that is search engine optimization pleasant. It will assist your material get discovered by online search engine as well as improve your online search engine position. It can also aid you develop a devoted following. This is important for a lot of organizations.
There are a number of factors to create a blog. It can be made use of to advertise a service or a leisure activity. A blog site ought to be SEO-friendly to increase web traffic to it. There are several leading search engine optimization tools to assist you enhance your blog site as well as make it a lot more noticeable to the public. These devices can help you make your blog SEO-friendly. This is important to making certain that your content obtains observed by internet search engine. So, choose your specific niche very carefully.
A blog can be a great device for services. Numerous organizations make use of blog sites to market their products and get in touch with consumers. Others utilize blog sites as an avenue for non-profit organizations to advertise their reason. It is additionally an excellent way to advertise a service. Some companies additionally utilize blogs for marketing objectives. A blog site is an excellent tool for promoting a business or promoting a company. Then there are the advantages of using a blog for marketing.
As a conversational tool, blogs are really useful for services and nonprofits. It can aid you bring in brand-new customers. If you’re writing for the purpose of advertising and marketing, a blog site can aid you advertise your brand. Yet in the future, it can improve your traffic as well as create profits. You can additionally utilize it to promote an item. Yet just how to make your blog site SEO-friendly? There are numerous ways to boost your blog site’s SEO-friendliness.
There are numerous advantages to making use of a blog site. While it has come to be a lot more preferred as a way to promote a business, it is also a conversational tool. The even more website traffic you obtain, the much better. Because of this, more people will have the ability to discover you as well as read your web content. By making your blog site SEO-friendly, your company will get a lot more exposure and also be able to gain from the many advantages it can give. It also assists your target market.
An additional fantastic method to start a blog is to write in real time. When you’re writing in a word processor, you can make changes in real time as well as keep an eye on the changes you make. Unlike with various other applications, you can modify your blog in a real-time environment without impacting its top quality. In addition to that, you can include brand-new sections to your blog. If you’re a brand-new blog owner, you can include brand-new material to your existing blog to make it better.
As a new blogger, you need to be aware of the different types of content you can create. Your content is the primary element of your blog. It will attract your readers and make you money. It is also an excellent way to promote your website. If you aren’t delighted with the means your blog site looks, attempt changing your motif. This will make it easier for your viewers to locate the best material. This will certainly enhance your exposure on online search engine, which is important for a blog site to grow.
Blogging can be a terrific means to promote a brand name. You can do this by writing about your enthusiasms and also passions. You can also create an online community and also share your experiences with others. Numerous bloggers make money blogging as a leisure activity, which is a great method to make some added cash. This can be done by making a blog concerning a particular niche you are passionate concerning. Your audience will certainly appreciate it as well as see it as a resource of information.
If you’re new to blogging, you may be asking yourself how to get going. You can start a blog site by choosing a subject of passion and also creating a few messages. You can also broaden your web content by including widgets and other web content. Typically, this will permit you to integrate other devices right into your blog, like Google+, Facebook, and Twitter. This will certainly assist you make even more cash with your blog site. You can even make your blog site your occupation! here
There are numerous advantages to blogging. Some individuals favor to keep a diary offline, while others like to share their inner thoughts with a broader target market. Some people like to share their internal thoughts with a wider audience, whereas others favor to keep their thoughts exclusive. Similarly, people might make use of blogging as a means to deal with demanding occasions in their lives. So, if you’re considering beginning a blog, consider these variables. |
“You can’t be neutral on a moving train,” Howard Zinn famously said. He didn’t believe in staying closeted in the academy, though he was a brilliant historian whose book, A People’s History of the United States: 1492 to Present changed the way many people view history. Recently, a documentary based on his work, The People Speak, brought to life the many Americans whose lives and activism would otherwise have been forgotten.
Zinn died on January 27th at age 87. He lived a long, full life and was an inspiration to all of us at GRITtv. He spoke to Laura in 2008. We wrote at the time:
“With the financial crisis and the election of Barack Obama, allusions to the Great Depression, The New Deal, and FDR have become commonplace. But what can the past teach us about the current historical moment? Are the parallels useful? Historian and author Howard Zinn is well known for his People’s History of the United States. And he says that it’s still the people–from workers demanding an eight hour day to African Americans and the struggle for civil rights–who make change. Zinn says that the Chicago workers staging a sit-in are drawing on a rich and very powerful history.” |
Davis, CA – In February, the San Francisco voters ousted three school board members, who were seen as too focused on issues like racial justice. But several months later, the district is struggling to survive. New leaders are reluctant to step forward and teachers are leaving – there are currently, according to one tweet, 564 job openings in the district and more teachers will be resigning this summer.
While San Francisco is for certain an extreme situation, it echoes what is a systemwide problem – exacerbated by the pandemic and the strain put on teachers attempting to operate under extremely trying conditions.
Earlier this month, we received an email from our young child’s teacher from last year. Like many others, she is leaving the profession most likely. When we met her, she was a young, dynamic and energetic teacher, who taught with enthusiasm and compassion. The profession cannot afford to lose young teachers of this caliber.
In her message to a number of parents, she wrote:
Unfortunately, I’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to resign from my position and I won’t be returning back to the classroom next year.
As I’m sure all of you know, the profession is deeply unsustainable for educators and it’s taken an enormous toll on my mental and physical health, the last 4+ years that I’ve worked in various capacities in education.
Sadly, the issues that affect the roles of educators are systemic, and without structural changes, the everyday labor conditions and output required of teachers is limitless, making the job a daunting and unending task behind the scenes for all of us (though our smiling faces and upbeat energy might not seem like it). So, I have to step away to take care of myself.
Through it all, the humanizing aspects of the role have been what’s kept me going and I have honestly treasured every minute of being a maestra to your children and developing such special relationships with each of them. I have loved teaching them about how to be their best selves, wiping tears and giving hugs, being their cheerleader, pushing them to challenge injustice in all its forms, to meaningfully care for each other and our environment, and believing in them so they know they are deeply loved and valued.
In my view, while the pandemic did not cause the underlying problems in education, it exacerbated them to the point where we are really facing a crisis in our education system. Education is the pathway to prosperity in the contemporary world.
At the local level we have been fighting for more than a decade and a half to preserve what have been excellent schools. We are fortunate in Davis. Since 2007, the community has stepped up every time it has been called on to support its schools – including several times under emergency conditions, the most recent being in 2020 when the district needed money to be able to close the compensation gap.
Great schools have been a hallmark of our community since long before I moved here in 1996. And make no mistake, they are being threatened like never before.
The cost of housing in Davis combined with constrained housing supply has largely pinched off the ability of our community to replenish itself. There are fewer opportunities for families with school age children to move to this community, this community is increasingly out of reach of middle class families, and the result is a slow decline in enrollment and with it resources for schools.
Some have maintained that Davis is and will continue to be *fine* into the future.
But that’s not what I see. What I see is a slow but sustained bleed that is very slowly, maybe even imperceptibly choking off the lifeblood of this community. Moreover, it is all intermingled together.
One reason why this is not perhaps more apparent is that the school district has been able to apply temporary bandages to prevent the problem from becoming more urgent. We have shored up our budget through parcel taxes and shored up our enrollment through interdistrict transfers.
But in the longer term, the lack of housing that is affordable for families means that their numbers are slowly declining. Slow declines are devastating to schools because it means even if you are able to make big cuts to reduce costs, you constantly have fewer resources and are constantly attempting to shed costs.
It is not size that matters. This not about right sizing the district. Size really is irrelevant to this equation.
Rather, it is the year over year change that impacts whether the district is adding or subtracting resources. If enrollment declines, the ADA money declines with it, but because of large percentages of fixed costs and economies of scale, you can’t shed costs in a one to one ration that allows you slide up and slide down with no worries.
A big culprit here is that Davis’ land use policies have choked off its ability to provide housing for families that they can afford.
As we have pointed out, it is really the whole package – Davis has become less affordable, it has especially become less affordable for people with school aged children, many of whom will not be able to work in Davis unless they work for the university.
The community already has a fiscal gap between what it does spend and what it needs to spend on things like services, amenities, and infrastructure.
One of the big problems that Davis faces is that this is not going to be a quick and sharp decline. This is the proverbial frog in a pot of water. The water is not yet boiling which would alert us that there is a serious problem. Instead, the water is slowly increasing in temperature, and by the time most of our residents realize how hot the water is, it will be too late. |
Credit: NASA – Methane sources detected by remote sensing
Remote sensing science is considered a new science of the 20th century, where it was introduced initially in response to a sharp demand for it during the 1st and 2nd World Wars. They were used initially for military purposes, including reconnaissance and detection of the movements of groups of soldiers and identification of the topography of the land in order to develop detailed military plans. The most known spying military program was the American CORONA program, which used to photograph sensitive areas around the world with an accuracy of 2 meters during the period from 1960 to 1972. The said program was uncovered only in 1995 when more than 800 thousand aerial photos were made available for civilian use to allow scientists, specialists and researchers in the various fields to study, analyse and use them
Credit: NASA – Giza Pyramids
The term “remote sensing” was used for the first time in 1960 when James Campbell defined it as the science of extracting information and data of the surface of land and water bodies using photos taken from above by recording electromagnetic rays reflected by or emanating from the land. A close clarifying example of the principle of remote sensing is the human eye, which uncovers a great deal of information about things and phenomena through looking and without any contact. This is similar to what happens in satellites where the interaction between the electromagnetic rays and the materials making the surface of the earth leads to reflection of certain degrees of this energy that varies based on the nature of each material. The information is stored as light bands on the electromagnetic spectrum tape (see photo No. (2)). It is found that chlorophyll chemistry has the ability to reflect a greater quantity of infrared rays compared to other types of rays and, as such, indicates the percentage of plant health or fatigue.
Credit: ESA – Illustrative image of the Centennial 2 satellite
The decade after 1960, added a lot to remote sensing sciences. Photography equipment and Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS), are now carried on satellites instead of only on aircraft. This increased the ability to survey a greater part of the earth even outside the national boundaries of the state that owns the satellite as needed and within regular periods. This improved the quality of photos taken by satellites compared to photos taken by aircraft. Also, during this decade, and in light of the technological advancement in computer specifications, we moved from analogue to digital pictures. This heated the race between research centers, universities and space agencies for patents in the development of software and logarithms to help extract quality information to help understand and explain photos in a faster and more stable and accurate manner. This software was used to acquire information beyond the abilities of the eye to explain photos with the ability of sensors to get information outside the visible light; such as infrared and microwave rays on the wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Credit: ESRI – The electromagnetic spectrum
Research and technological development were not restricted to analysing software. They also included the upgrading of photo-taking equipment carried on the satellites themselves. Active sensors that are self-dependent in producing the light required for photography using microwave spectrum packages that can penetrate clouds and dust (See photo No. (4)) were introduced. The first such active sensor was launched in 1978 under the name of SeaSat. It was provided with a detector that uses the SAR radar rays when the first satellites were using passive sensors that rely on sunrays for day photography (See photo No. (5)), as the case with our mobile cameras of today.
Credit: gisgeography – Passive Sensors
Credit: Gisgeography – Active Sensors
Remote sensing technologies garnered increased attention as a result of the observed expansion of usage of its application areas and technological and practical developments in an attempt to uncover the underground materials from outer space and help understand and list environmental problems and introduce useful solutions to guarantee the sustainability of the environment to satisfy the requirements of earth inhabitants. The various applications of remote sensing provided the information required to improve decisions in various fields in order to manage the ecosystem and the natural resources, economic and natural planning, and control pollution. This made remote sensing a technological tool that can contribute to decision making and control its execution. We list below examples of some of these applications:
- Monitoring green lands, estimating agricultural crops, identifying plant health, and detecting agricultural diseases, if any.
- Studying soil types and estimating their productivity and suitability for agricultural uses.
- Studying water bodies, directing their better utilization, and searching for ground water.
- Studying geological phenomena and desertification, contributing to oil and gas exploration operations.
- Managing disasters and crises using early detection devices to detect, for example, oil slicks and foresee their direction.
- Studying climatic changes at all levels of earth.
- Identifying archaeological areas and assisting in the detection of sites buried under sand or in fields. |
- Women under-represented in world’s science academies
- Is Science Built on the Shoulders of Women? A Study of Gender Differences in Contributorship
- How Women Are Harassed Out of Science
- Ni et al., The gendered nature of authorship
- Science mag: Can rubrics combat gender bias in faculty hiring? - although some bias persists, rubrics seem to help.
In summary, we found that 10 prescription drugs have been withdrawn from the U.S. market since January 1, 1997. Eight of the 10 prescription drugs posed greater health risks for women than for men: four of these may have led to more adverse events in women because they were prescribed more often to women than to men, while the other four had more adverse events in women even though they were widely prescribed to both women and men. Of the two remaining withdrawn drugs, one belongs to a class of drugs known to pose a greater health risk for women, but we were unable to find direct evidence that the adverse events that contributed to its withdrawal occurred predominantly in women. We found no direct evidence that the health risks for the remaining withdrawn drug differed for women and men. In comments on a draft of this letter, FDA generally agreed with our analysis. |
All LoE coated glass used by Value Windows and Doors conforms to the following ASTM Standards
- ASTM C 1036-06 (Standard Specification for Flat Glass) Q3/Glazing Select
- ASTM C 1048-04 (Standard Specification for Heat-Treated Flat Glass)
- ASTM C 1376-03 (Standard Specification for Pyrolytic and Vacuum Deposition Coatings on Flat Glass) Kind CV specification.
All inspections are done with the viewing angle at 90 degrees to the glass surface, uniform diffused lighting that stimulates daylight, and with the inspector looking thru rather than at the glass surface. Architectural glass that is produced as annealed, tempered, non Low-E insulated, or laminated
Bubbles, Pits, Knots, and Dirt
With the inspector standing 39″ from the glass surface, and glass thickness is ¼” or less, bubbles, pits, knots, or dirt is allowed if the average of blemish’s length and width is 1/16″ or less. Blemishes with an average length and width of 3/32″ are allowed if they are separated from a similar blemish by at least 24″. Bubbles, pits, knots, and dirt are not allowed if their average length and width exceeds 3/32.”
DEPTH- measuring from the face of the glass a chip is allowed if it’s depth does not exceed more than 50% of the glass thickness WIDTH- measuring the perpendicular distance from the edge of the glass to the inner edge of the chip, a chip is allowed up to half of the glass thickness or ¼”, whichever is greater; for mirrors up to half of the mirror thickness or 1/16″, whichever is greater. LENGTH- measuring parallel from the edge of the glass to the edge of a chip, a chip is allowed if its length does not exceed two times its width. Architectural glass coated using a hard or soft coat low-E process. The factors inherent in the heat treating process may change the surface of the treated glass and result in a distortion of reflected objects when viewed on the glass surface. The ability of the viewer to see this distortion is dependent on the size and shape of the glass, the location that the glass is glazed on the building, and the distance the viewer stands from the glass surface. Reflective coated glass as well as the expansion and contraction of the air space between the glass surfaces of an insulated unit can also enhance this distortion. These are not considered defects and are not cause for rejection.
Maximum Bow and Warp Tolerances
Scratches and Rubs
The inspector begins the inspection by standing at a distance of 120″ from the glass surface. The inspector then moves closer to the glass surface, stopping at the point where the scratch or rub is first detected. If the scratch or rub is visible at a distance of 120″, is over 3″ long, and is located in the central viewing area (defined as 80% of the length and 80% of the width dimensions centered on the lite of glass) then it is cause for rejection.
Coating pinholes greater than 1/16″ of an inch are not allowed. Pinholes less than 1/16″ in diameter are allowed if they are located outside of the central viewing area. At a distance of 120″ from the glass surface, three or more pinholes greater than 3/64″ in size are not allowed if they are located within a 6″ diameter cluster of one another.
Low-e coated glass may exhibit a hue or coloration that is not apparent in architectural samples, especially in shaded or darkened light or when viewed at a glancing angle. This coloration is inherent to the coating process and is not a reason for rejection. |
Until I wrote My Music DNA: The AM Era I never thought about how my life has been one long experiment with technology. We like to think personal technology started with personal computers, or for some people, the iPod, iPhone or iPad, but now that I contemplate the topic, I realize The Gadget Age started in the 19th century with photography, then the phonograph, movie camera and radio. Before gadgets if you wanted to hear music you had to go where the musicians were performing. If you wanted to see Paris you had to go to France.
Gadgets bring the world to us, whether it’s voice, music, images or movies. To a degree, books and paintings are proto-gadgets, they bring distant words and images to us created by people, but gadgets bring snapshots of reality, whether it’s images (photography), voice and music (phonograph, radio) or movies (film and television). A personal computer or iPad are dazzling devices because not only can they bring us voice, music, images and movies, they can process these media like a word processer processes words.
Although FM radio was patented in 1933, first broadcasts weren’t made until 1939, and stereo not added until the late 1950s, I didn’t get my first FM radio until 1968. FM radio took a long time to catch on. If you look at the Fidelity Potential Index Table you will see how sound recordings have evolved since the invention of the wax cylinder. FM music has more fidelity than the 78 and 45, but not as much as the LP. I had already started buying 45s and LPs before I got my first FM radio. My first FM radio came in a small console stereo I bought in 1968 from the Columbia Record Club, when I was 16. It was my first installment plan purchase. I don’t have a photo of my first console stereo, but it looked something like this.
Working as paperboy, cutting lawns, babysitting, and eventually as a bagboy didn’t not pay enough to buy all the music I wanted to hear, so my FM radio was a magical piece of technology. AM radio was all about hit singles, whereas FM was about albums. FM radio took me out of the teeny-bopper tunes and introduced me to a more mature level of album oriented music.
Among the albums I discovered back in 1968 on my FM radio was Truth by Jeff Beck, which I immediately bought. I was transitioning from AM radio to FM and I discovered new groups like Cream, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Moby Grape, Steve Miller, Grateful Dead, etc. I also got into the albums of artists I had discovered on the AM airwaves like The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Buffalo Springfield, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Mamas and The Pappas.
I remember friends coming over in 1968 to hear the FM radio for the first time and being blown away – it was that different from AM.
My FM years didn’t last long, from 1968-1972. It was transitional technology. FM brought me a wide range of music from around the world, but it was a broadcast technology. I started buying LPs in the AM era, and by 1970 I had about 300 albums, but they were never enough. FM radio was my music news and how I discovered new music until I couldn’t handle the disc jockeys. At first, back in the 1960s, FM was considered underground music, but FM took over the hit parade as more people got FM receivers. At a certain point disc jockeys became so annoying I gave up FM and AM radio.
In 1969 I started getting my music news from The Rolling Stone magazine. For a brief while in the late 70s and early 80s I returned to FM to listen to WEVL, a volunteer radio station where music fans hosted music shows rather than professional disc jockeys. But for the most part I gave up radio listening in the 1970s. I became a album buying addict, buying over a thousand LPs before I switched to buying CDs in the 1980s, and I went on to buy 1,500 CDs before I phased into streaming music in recent years.
AM radio showcased top hits that were played frequently. AM hits of the 1960s provide the core music that Baby Boomers share. On any given day you could hear about 40-60 different songs.
FM radio offered a far larger range of music and styles until it was hijacked by the Top 40 format and became zany entertainment for automobile drivers. In the early days of FM if you tried hard enough you could hear 100-200 different songs in a day.
Buying LPs offered the choice of thousands of albums at better stores. And LPs allowed fans to own music, another kind of enabling technology.
With Internet shopping, collectors could buy a million CDs if they could afford it – then the MP3 revolution hit, and collectors could steal those million albums if they had the time, bandwidth and lack of ethics. Now with steaming music anyone can have easy access to over a million albums, or about 15-20 million songs for $9.99 a month.
iTunes and iPod reinvented the hit singles and almost killed the album. Streaming music is like combining FM and owning LPs with renting music, and it promotes the album.
FM radio still exists, as does AM radio and even LPs, but they are waning technologies that have been supplanted by the Internet. FM radio was a stepping stone technology that expanded the world of music over AM. FM radio is now a trailing technology – it fits a niche market, and has many competitors like Sirius Radio, a paid service, or Pandora Radio, free and paid, that offers music from a very wide selection of albums, and is a far superior to broadcast technology. Broadcast radio itself is a waning technology, even with HD Radio.
Streaming music offers the greatest selection and control – with instant access to most of the albums in print.
Strangely enough, it’s very hard for me to remember FM songs that I loved because of listening to the radio, versus songs from the same time period that I bought on LPs. The way I’ve discovered how to tell the difference is to listen to Play Cofi Jukebox at tropicalglen.com by the years below. The songs I loved but never bought are songs I can give thanks to FM radio technology. What’s surprising is just how many of those songs there were. Just click on a link and listen. How many of the songs did you buy, and how many are part of your memories because you listened to FM radio?
It’s strange to think that young people today may never have listened to an AM or FM radio, or bought a LP or CD. But I wonder, just what kind of technologies will supplant streaming music? Combining streaming music with a smartphone is about as close to thinking of a song and hearing it instantly telepathically as one can get. Will they ever invent brain transceivers that stimulate the neurons directly, and just bypass the ears? It’s just amazing to think of all the technological change in one lifetime.
But you know what? There’s one constant that doesn’t change. That’s listening to music. |
Are dogs protective of babies?
Dogs have great relationships with children and are often protective of them, so it comes as no surprise that they are just as protective of babies, if not more. This is definitely a behavioral trait that needs to be looked at a bit more closely.
How do dogs react to newborn babies?
Dogs who show aggression toward a new baby in the home often do so because they have not been well socialized to children and find them foreign and frightening. Some dogs don’t fear babies, but they become aggressive when guarding their food, toys or chew bones.
Do dogs know when you are sad?
Research Shows Your Dog Can Hear When You’re Happy or Sad. Dogs’ ability to communicate with humans is unlike any other species in the animal kingdom. They can sense our emotions, read our facial expressions, and even follow our pointing gestures.
Can my dog lick my baby?
While many dogs lick a human’s face as a submissive gesture of appeasement, others do it to get a reaction from their humans. … As such, a dog should never be allowed to treat a human baby as a puppy, including licking its face or bottom, for fear that the mothering could lead to dangerous behaviors.
Do dogs get depressed when a baby is born?
Further to that, a change in the home, such as a new baby, another pet, or a new partner, could also cause feelings of depression in your dog. Dogs can even feel depressed as a result of their owners own low mood or depression.
Can my dog sleep with my baby?
While your baby is tiny, you will generally be able to keep them and your pets apart for most of the time. Keep pets out of the room they sleep in, and never let a pet share a bed with your baby. Always introduce your pets gently to a new baby. Dogs may feel jealous of a new baby when you first bring them home.
What do I do if my dog doesn’t like my baby?
Teach her do things like leave it, go out of a room, settle, etc. Set up your home with gates and a safe place (such as a crate, bed, or room) for the dog to retreat to. Use praise and treats to help the dog associate the baby with good things. Don’t reward attention-seeking behaviour like barking, jumping and begging. |
The logical place to begin a discussion of the political power of the Roman Catholic Church today is, of course, the Vatican, a sovereign city-state within the city of Rome. Established in 1929, the Vatican City is the world’s smallest state, both by area (108.7 acres) and population (c. 800). Its citizenry is 100% Roman Catholic, its highest functionaries are Roman clergy, and its non-hereditary, elected monarch is the pope. Jesuit Thomas J. Reese mentions several other remarkable features of this unique state.
The . . . Vatican City is a sovereign state recognized under international law . . . . As ruler of Vatican City the pope is the last absolute monarch in Europe, with supreme legislative, judicial, and executive authority. He also controls all the assets of the Vatican, since this is a state economy without private property other than personal possessions of the employees and residents…its purpose is to provide an internationally recognized territory where the Holy See can operate in total freedom, without political interference.¹
The Holy See claims the oldest continuous diplomatic service in the world, going back at least as far as the Council of Nicea (325). It also possesses one of the world’s most capable diplomatic corps.
Nuncios [i.e., papal ambassadors] . . . speak for the pope to local governments and local churches. As professional diplomats who know their business, they are given high grades by their secular counterparts because of their training, experience, and extensive contacts in the country. While most embassies have few contacts outside government circles, nunciatures through contacts with the local church have sources of information unavailable to most embassies many times their size. The newsgathering potential of these contacts would be the envy of CNN or the CIA. This is one reason governments find it valuable to have embassies to the Holy See. “If you want to know what’s going on in Mozambique” or other countries, Ambassador Flynn [America’s official representative to the Holy See, 1993-1997] reports, “there’s any one of a thousand Catholic workers that are in there administering to the poor, out in the villages, out in the boondocks, out in the grassroots, and they report back to the Vatican. I can have conversations with the Vatican, and the Vatican can tell me what’s going on there or in Libya.”²
Rome’s political power rests upon her nominal membership of about one billion, some one-sixth of the earth’s population, making it the largest multinational organization in the world. Many voters and powerful people around the world are Roman Catholics. All of them are under the authority of the “Holy Father” and “Vicar of Christ,” owing (but not always giving) the pope complete obedience.
. . . the “subjects” of the state of Vatican City . . . live in every part of the world. Every person who has been baptized in the Roman Catholic Church, and who has not left the Church or been excommunicated by the Church, is a subject of the state of Vatican City. These subjects owe to the sovereign of the state of Vatican City absolute, complete and unquestioning spiritual and political allegiance no matter where they may be living and no matter what the laws of the nation within which they are living may be.³
Although many are not aware of it, Rome has significant political influence in the United States. For example, Roman Catholic social teaching, enshrined in Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum (1891) and Pius XI’s Quadragesimo Anno (1931), as well as liberal Protestantism’s social gospel, facilitated the election and subsequent re-elections of the longest-serving U.S. President, Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933-1945), and the implementation of the New Deal, which promoted government interventionism, state redistribution of wealth, and trade unionism.4
Although formal diplomatic relations between America and the Holy See began only in 1984, since then the U.S. has called upon Vatican ambassadors for help on various occasions.
The Vatican has . . . been secretly used to convey messages to governments that the United States has poor relations with, such as Iraq, Iran, and Libya. The nuncio in Iran visited the American captives at the U.S. embassy, and the nuncio in Iraq helped in getting two American prisoners released in 1995.5
Today, Roman Catholicism accounts for a higher percentage of the population of the United States than ever before and is, in fact, the largest church in the world’s most powerful nation.6 This would have gratified John Ireland (1838-1918), Archbishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota, who famously declared,
Let me state, as I conceive it, the work which, in God’s providence, the Catholics of the United States are called to do within the coming century. It is twofold: to make America Catholic, and to solve for the Church universal the all-absorbing problems with which religion is confronted in the present age . . . . The work defines the measure of the responsibility. . . . The work is to make America Catholic. . . . The Church is triumphing in America, Catholic truth will travel on the wings of American influence, and encircle the universe.7
Republican George W. Bush is probably the most openly pro-Rome U.S. President in history. He repeatedly referred to John Paul II as a great spiritual and moral leader. The 43rd President even hosted the eighty-first birthday party of the 265th pope, Benedict XVI, in the White House (16 April, 2008).
As presidential hopeful, Democratic Senator Barack Obama significantly chose for his running mate Senator Joe Biden, an Irish-American Roman Catholic. The number 1 and the number 3 most liberal politicians in the 100-member Senate subsequently won the election and about half of the Roman Catholic vote. Some Roman Catholics voted against Obama on the basis of their church’s right-wing bio-ethics; others—much to the disgust of their staunch pro-life co-religionists—voted for Obama because of the broad agreement between his left-wing socio-economic ideology and that of their church or because of the liberal media hype, etc. American Roman Catholics, always amongst the most “progressive” in global Romanism, are both increasingly left-wing and increasingly divided. This would not have been
The name changes from the European Economic Community (EEC, 1957) to the European Community (EC, 1979) and the European Union (EU, 1992) are significant, reflecting progressively greater integration towards a European superstate.8 Adrian Hilton points out,
The [EU, as it is now called] started under the inspiration of [Roman] Catholic politicians—such as [Konrad] Adenauer of Germany, Paul-Henri Spaak [of Belgium], Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman [both of France]. They were all Christian Democrats. They were all deeply influenced by Catholic social teaching.9
Robert Schuman, the “Father of Europe,” was an especially devout Roman Catholic, strongly influenced by the writings of Pius XII, Thomas Aquinas, and Jacques Maritain. He, Adenauer, and Alcide de Gasperi (founder of the Italian Christian Democratic Party), three of the pioneers of European unification, are in the process of being made into “saints” by the Vatican as a reward for founding the new Europe “on Roman Catholic principles.” The European Union’s “single market,” “social chapter,” and “subsidiarity” are concepts of the Vatican’s social teaching.
But Rome is not having everything its own way in the European Union. Despite John Paul II’s placing Europe in Mary’s hands and urging that the final draft of the European Constitution (2004) should explicitly recognize the Christian roots of the continent, the Vatican’s representatives failed to secure any mention of Europe’s “Christian [i.e., Roman Catholic] heritage”—one of the papacy’s cherished goals.
Rome claims that John Paul II, the Polish pope, was instrumental in bringing down communism in eastern Europe, by being the spiritual inspiration behind its downfall. But whether this is so or not, he was disappointed in his hope that Poles and other Roman Catholics would emerge from behind the Iron Curtain to revitalize Romanism in western Europe. Secularization proceeds from the Atlantic to the Urals. In part through the scandal of paedophile (i.e., homosexual) priests, Roman Catholic vocations are well down in Europe.10 Even in the Republic of Ireland, a very Roman Catholic country, and despite much pressure from the hierarchy, in a national referendum (24 November, 1995) a (narrow) majority voted to repeal the constitutional prohibition of divorce.
The League of Nations (1919) was formed after, and in response to, World War I (1914-1918), as an international governing body designed to prevent war through disarmament, collective security, negotiation, and diplomacy. The United Nations (1945) was founded as its more powerful successor after World War II (1939-1945), which the League of Nations had been unable to stop.
“From the very beginning,” writes Thomas Reese, “the papacy has . . . been a strong supporter of the United Nations, despite its problems, as the best hope for peace.”11 Rome repeatedly calls for the strengthening of its powers and even appeals for one world government as the most effective way of ending all war. Vatican II’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (1965) issues this impassioned plea, for what will be, in effect, the global kingdom of Antichrist in whose day war (Matt. 24:6-7) will come to an end (cf. I Thess. 5:3; Rev. 13:3-4, 8, 12, 14-17):
It is our clear duty, then, to strain every muscle as we work for the time when all war can be completely outlawed by international consent. This goal undoubtedly requires the establishment of some universal public authority acknowledged as such by all, and endowed with effective power to safeguard on the behalf of all, security, regard for justice, and respect for rights. But before this hoped-for authority can be set up, the highest existing international centers must devote themselves vigorously to the pursuit of better means for obtaining common security. Peace must be born of mutual trust between nations rather than imposed on them through fear of one another’s weapons.12
Rome’s Way Forward
The Church of Rome is numerically stronger than it has ever been but more doctrinally divided than at any time. Beyond the biblical framework of predictive prophecy, no one knows what the future holds except the sovereign God. But we can consider where the Vatican wants to go from its current labors and policy statements. As it casts about for a “winning combination” to restore its fortunes in an aggressively secular and pluralist world, the major factors in Rome’s push for greater religious and political power are false ecumenism and syncretism. The Holy See desires one world religion, with the pope at the summit of the earthly kingdom of god/man.
³ Albert Lévitt, Vaticanism: The Political Principles of the Roman Catholic Church (Vantage Press: New York, 1960), p. 23.
4 Cf. John W. Robbins, Ecclesiastical Megalomania: The Economic and Political Thought of the Roman Catholic Church (USA: The Trinity Foundation, 1999), pp. 46-47, 81-84, etc. Roman Catholic priest, socialist, and radio personality “Father” Charles Coughlin, of Oak Royal, Detroit, famously proclaimed, “The New Deal is Christ’s deal!” When, however, Roosevelt “rehabilitated rather than expropriated the banks,” Coughlin announced, “I am in favor of a New Deal,” for even more radical left-wing policies (David M. Kennedy, Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945 [New York: Oxford University Press, 1999], pp. 231-232).
5 Reese, Inside the Vatican, p. 267.
6 There is a Roman Catholic majority in the U.S. Supreme Court. The top governorship in America, that of California, is held by Roman Catholic Republican, bodybuilder, and movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
7 Quoted in Lévitt, Vaticanism, p. 12; italics mine.
8 The Treaty of Rome (1957), the founding treaty of the EEC (now the EU), focused on economic co-operation, but it also called for “an ever closer union” to “eliminate the barriers which divide Europe.”
9 Adrian Hilton, The Principality and Power of Europe (England: Dorchester House Publications, 1997), p. 18.
10 Over 90% of the sexual abuse victims are teenage boys rather than girls or prepubescents.
11 Reese, Inside the Vatican, p. 272. |
I was always told that I was allergic to shellfish. Because of this, I stayed away from it most of my life. There were occasions where I accidentally ate shrimp and immediately got nauseous and/or threw up. I also got nauseous at the smell of it. One year, I went to a crab feast despite my allergy. After eating a full non-shellfish meal, I ate crab. My reaction on that occasion was similar to a cold. I had a runny nose and was sneezing. A year later, I tried crab again, and again, I had a full non-shellfish meal before the crab and had the same reaction. The next day, eating crab before anything else caused my tongue to get itchy and my lip swelled up.
There are three types of food related sicknesses that are often lumped together as food allergies; food aversions, food intolerance, and food allergies. Food aversions are psychological and isn’t the body reacting to the food, but rather the mind reacting to the thought of the food. Intolerance is the body’s inability to digest the food properly, think lactose intolerance. A food allergy is the body’s defensive mechanism being triggered to protect itself from harm. It’s this reaction that’s the danger and not the actual food.
There are two categories of shellfish, crustacean and mollusk. Crab, lobster, and shrimp are crustaceans, while mussels, clams, and oysters are mollusks. Keep in mind that squid (calamari) and octopus are also mollusks. It is possible to be allergic to just one kind of shellfish, but can eat others without an issue.
How I Overcame it
After those times of eating crab with only a mild allergic reaction, I developed a love for it. Over the years, I would eat a non-shellfish meal followed by crab legs. It was only once in a while, but eventually I stopped having reactions. I can eat crab, calamari, and clam chowder without having to eat a meal first. I’ve since tried shrimp and lobster without a reaction. I don’t care too much for shrimp or lobster, so I tend not to eat them. There are current studies in the treatment of peanut allergies (). The treatment is a safeguard for accident ingestion by lessening the allergic reaction.
Food Allergy and Survival
A food allergy in a survival situation can literally be damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If that food is the only food available, you can’t eat it and try to suppress your allergic reaction. At the same time, you must eat something. Finding out that you’re allergic to a food in a survival situation or an emergency is extremely dangerous. The resources needed to treat a severe allergic reaction may not be available and can result in death. Food allergies limit how we can prepare for emergencies or survive in the wilderness.
If you think you have a food allergy, have an allergist confirm it. At times we’re told we have allergies that we don’t really have, but instead develop an aversion. Under a doctor’s supervision, some allergies can be treated using oral immunotherapy (what I did). Doing it on my own could have had a disastrous outcome and I don’t recommend it. Once you have a confirmed food allergy, be sure to get an epinephrine auto injector and work with your doctor for possible treatment. We’re led to believe that the best course of action is avoidance, but we should try to treat and/or cure it, under medical supervision, if possible. The price of the EpiPen epinephrine auto injector was recently over $600 for 2, just because they can. If we treat food allergies to the point where the reaction to an accidental ingestion is a mild irritation, it can minimize the need for EpiPens and possibly prolong our survival if SHTF. |
I'm not just talking about superheroes that power up when a friend is threatened, the way it works in Western fiction. In the Japanese version it runs deeper than that.
In the X saga it's explicitly stated that each of the good guys draw their power from having someone—one person—who they want to protect. Who? That question is part of X's plot—the "most precious person" isn't always who we think. But if that person is killed, or hurt in the wrong way, the protector loses their power—not so much from magical backlash, as from simple despair. This isn't something that happens once per week per good guy, the way it would work in a Western comic. It's equivalent to being Killed Off For Real—taken off the game board.
The way it works in Western superhero comics is that the good guy gets bitten by a radioactive spider; and then he needs something to do with his powers, to keep him busy, so he decides to fight crime. And then Western superheroes are always whining about how much time their superhero duties take up, and how they'd rather be ordinary mortals so they could go fishing or something.
Similarly, in Western real life, unhappy people are told that they need a "purpose in life", so they should pick out an altruistic cause that goes well with their personality, like picking out nice living-room drapes, and this will brighten up their days by adding some color, like nice living-room drapes. You should be careful not to pick something too expensive, though.
In Western comics, the magic comes first, then the purpose: Acquire amazing powers, decide to protect the innocent. In Japanese fiction, often, it works the other way around.
Of course I'm not saying all this to generalize from fictional evidence. But I want to convey a concept whose deceptively close Western analogue is not what I mean.
I have touched before on the idea that a rationalist must have something they value more than "rationality": The Art must have a purpose other than itself, or it collapses into infinite recursion. But do not mistake me, and think I am advocating that rationalists should pick out a nice altruistic cause, by way of having something to do, because rationality isn't all that important by itself. No. I am asking: Where do rationalists come from? How do we acquire our powers?
It is written in the Twelve Virtues of Rationality:
How can you improve your conception of rationality? Not by saying to yourself, "It is my duty to be rational." By this you only enshrine your mistaken conception. Perhaps your conception of rationality is that it is rational to believe the words of the Great Teacher, and the Great Teacher says, "The sky is green," and you look up at the sky and see blue. If you think: "It may look like the sky is blue, but rationality is to believe the words of the Great Teacher," you lose a chance to discover your mistake.
Historically speaking, the way humanity finally left the trap of authority and began paying attention to, y'know, the actual sky, was that beliefs based on experiment turned out to be much more useful than beliefs based on authority. Curiosity has been around since the dawn of humanity, but the problem is that spinning campfire tales works just as well for satisfying curiosity.
Historically speaking, science won because it displayed greater raw strength in the form of technology, not because science sounded more reasonable. To this very day, magic and scripture still sound more reasonable to untrained ears than science. That is why there is continuous social tension between the belief systems. If science not only worked better than magic, but also sounded more intuitively reasonable, it would have won entirely by now.
Now there are those who say: "How dare you suggest that anything should be valued more than Truth? Must not a rationalist love Truth more than mere usefulness?"
Forget for a moment what would have happened historically to someone like that—that people in pretty much that frame of mind defended the Bible because they loved Truth more than mere accuracy. Propositional morality is a glorious thing, but it has too many degrees of freedom.
No, the real point is that a rationalist's love affair with the Truth is, well, just more complicated as an emotional relationship.
One doesn't become an adept rationalist without caring about the truth, both as a purely moral desideratum and as something that's fun to have. I doubt there are many master composers who hate music.
But part of what I like about rationality is the discipline imposed by requiring beliefs to yield predictions, which ends up taking us much closer to the truth than if we sat in the living room obsessing about Truth all day. I like the complexity of simultaneously having to love True-seeming ideas, and also being ready to drop them out the window at a moment's notice. I even like the glorious aesthetic purity of declaring that I value mere usefulness above aesthetics. That is almost a contradiction, but not quite; and that has an aesthetic quality as well, a delicious humor.
And of course, no matter how much you profess your love of mere usefulness, you should never actually end up deliberately believing a useful false statement.
So don't oversimplify the relationship between loving truth and loving usefulness. It's not one or the other. It's complicated, which is not necessarily a defect in the moral aesthetics of single events.
But morality and aesthetics alone, believing that one ought to be "rational" or that certain ways of thinking are "beautiful", will not lead you to the center of the Way. It wouldn't have gotten humanity out of the authority-hole.
In Circular Altruism, I discussed this dilemma: Which of these options would you prefer:
- Save 400 lives, with certainty
- Save 500 lives, 90% probability; save no lives, 10% probability.
You may be tempted to grandstand, saying, "How dare you gamble with people's lives?" Even if you, yourself, are one of the 500—but you don't know which one—you may still be tempted to rely on the comforting feeling of certainty, because our own lives are often worth less to us than a good intuition.
But if your precious daughter is one of the 500, and you don't know which one, then, perhaps, you may feel more impelled to shut up and multiply—to notice that you have an 80% chance of saving her in the first case, and a 90% chance of saving her in the second.
And yes, everyone in that crowd is someone's son or daughter. Which, in turn, suggests that we should pick the second option as altruists, as well as concerned parents.
My point is not to suggest that one person's life is more valuable than 499 people. What I am trying to say is that more than your own life has to be at stake, before a person becomes desperate enough to resort to math.
What if you believe that it is "rational" to choose the certainty of option 1? Lots of people think that "rationality" is about choosing only methods that are certain to work, and rejecting all uncertainty. But, hopefully, you care more about your daughter's life than about "rationality".
Will pride in your own virtue as a rationalist save you? Not if you believe that it is virtuous to choose certainty. You will only be able to learn something about rationality if your daughter's life matters more to you than your pride as a rationalist.
You may even learn something about rationality from the experience, if you are already far enough grown in your Art to say, "I must have had the wrong conception of rationality," and not, "Look at how rationality gave me the wrong answer!"
(The essential difficulty in becoming a master rationalist is that you need quite a bit of rationality to bootstrap the learning process.)
Is your belief that you ought to be rational, more important than your life? Because, as I've previously observed, risking your life isn't comparatively all that scary. Being the lone voice of dissent in the crowd and having everyone look at you funny is much scarier than a mere threat to your life, according to the revealed preferences of teenagers who drink at parties and then drive home. It will take something terribly important to make you willing to leave the pack. A threat to your life won't be enough.
Is your will to rationality stronger than your pride? Can it be, if your will to rationality stems from your pride in your self-image as a rationalist? It's helpful—very helpful—to have a self-image which says that you are the sort of person who confronts harsh truth. It's helpful to have too much self-respect to knowingly lie to yourself or refuse to face evidence. But there may come a time when you have to admit that you've been doing rationality all wrong. Then your pride, your self-image as a rationalist, may make that too hard to face.
If you've prided yourself on believing what the Great Teacher says—even when it seems harsh, even when you'd rather not—that may make it all the more bitter a pill to swallow, to admit that the Great Teacher is a fraud, and all your noble self-sacrifice was for naught.
Where do you get the will to keep moving forward?
When I look back at my own personal journey toward rationality—not just humanity's historical journey—well, I grew up believing very strongly that I ought to be rational. This made me an above-average Traditional Rationalist a la Feynman and Heinlein, and nothing more. It did not drive me to go beyond the teachings I had received. I only began to grow further as a rationalist once I had something terribly important that I needed to do. Something more important than my pride as a rationalist, never mind my life.
Only when you become more wedded to success than to any of your beloved techniques of rationality, do you begin to appreciate these words of Miyamoto Musashi:
"You can win with a long weapon, and yet you can also win with a short weapon. In short, the Way of the Ichi school is the spirit of winning, whatever the weapon and whatever its size."
—Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings
Don't mistake this for a specific teaching of rationality. It describes how you learn the Way, beginning with a desperate need to succeed. No one masters the Way until more than their life is at stake. More than their comfort, more even than their pride.
You can't just pick out a Cause like that because you feel you need a hobby. Go looking for a "good cause", and your mind will just fill in a standard cliche. Learn how to multiply, and perhaps you will recognize a drastically important cause when you see one.
But if you have a cause like that, it is right and proper to wield your rationality in its service.
To strictly subordinate the aesthetics of rationality to a higher cause, is part of the aesthetic of rationality. You should pay attention to that aesthetic: You will never master rationality well enough to win with any weapon, if you do not appreciate the beauty for its own sake. |
Over the last weeks many people have experienced vomiting and diarrhoea. The Public Health Department Saba and the Saba Health Care Foundation are investigating the cause through laboratory testing; based on current information a virus (like Noro) seems most likely.
If you are sick:
– drink plenty of fluids (especially important for young children and the elderly)
– see a doctor if you are very ill or if there is blood in your stool
Protect yourself and others by taking extra hygiene measures to limit further spread:
– wash hands well frequently, especially after bathroom use
-clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces (like bathroom) with bleach based household cleaner
– do not prepare food for others until 2 days after symptoms disappear
Norovirus is a very contagious virus. You can get norovirus from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed. This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up. Most people experience mild symptoms and recover within a few days.
When & How to Wash Your Hands
Keeping hands clean through improved hand hygiene is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.
Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and water. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to clean hands.
When should you wash your hands?
– Before, during, and after preparing food
– Before eating food
– Before and after caring for someone who is sick
– Before and after treating a cut or wound
– After using the toilet
– After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
– After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
– After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
– After handling pet food or pet treats
– After touching garbage
How should you wash your hands?
– Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
– Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
– Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
– Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
– Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
What should you do if you don’t have soap and clean, running water?
Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of microbes on them in most situations. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of microbes on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.
Hand sanitizers are not as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
How do you use hand sanitizers?
– Apply the product to the palm of one hand.
– Rub your hands together. |
Ottawa – Media Awareness Network (MNet) has launched Privacy Pirates, a new interactive resource to teach children about online privacy and how to distinguish between public and private information when playing on the Internet. The game was unveiled today by MNet’s Director of Education Matthew Johnsonat the Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Federation Conference in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
“For the most part, the Internet is an unregulated universe where users are constantly prodded for information regardless of their age; and children often lack the skills to understand how to protect their privacy on the sites they visit,” said Mr. Johnson. “Privacy Pirates explores the different scenarios kids encounter online and helps them understand what information is appropriate to give out and what information is better kept private.”
In the game, children attempt to assemble a map leading to pirate treasure -- introducing the concept that their information has value. Along the way, players encounter a variety of situations in which they are asked to give up information. Making the correct choice – based on the type of information they’re being asked to give, and the context in which they are being asked – is rewarded with an additional piece of the treasure map.
Privacy Pirates was developed with financial support from Google. It is part of MNet’s extensive suite of digital literacy games, which are freely available on its website at
Media Awareness Network (MNet) is a Canadian not-for-profit centre for digital and media literacy. Its vision is that young people have the critical thinking skills to engage with media as active and informed digital citizens. MNet's programs are funded by its public and private sector sponsors, donors and partners, who include: Bell Media • Shaw •Bell • TELUS • CIRA • Google • National Film Board of Canada • Government of Canada. |
Cats and Earth's magnetic field
Scientists have proven the fact that cats have a strong connection with the place of their habitat. For example, if a cat is greatly attached to his home, was taken away in an unfamiliar place, then it will not take much effort to overcome the path of over 100 km to come back. There are many stories and documentary evidence, telling about how fluffy the Dodgers overcame hundreds of kilometers to return to the "native land".
According to scientists, cats are the link between the people and the area that is beyond ordinary human perception. That is why their powers are still one of the modern mysteries.
Scientists believe that, most likely, the reason of such behavior of cats lies in the change of the magnetic field of the Earth. This hypothesis was confirmed after these animals were wearing special magnetic collars. The fact that these devices cats instantly lost their navigational skills. Curiously, it did not affect their psychic abilities! This is – more.
As cats are anticipating the death of the owner
In fact, today almost no one is surprised by the fact that cats can sense the approach of any danger. In particular, we have shown that before an earthquake they have a genuine activity and anxiety. Same thing with volcanic activity: people living on the slopes of active volcanoes, have come to rely precisely on the gut of felines, rather than on forecasts of scientists-seismologists.
About how cats can predict the deaths of their owners, there are several versions. One of them, a man who must die soon, shall issue the corresponding "death" smell that recognize cats. Some scientists suggest that this smell there is a fine admixture of blood.
Cats, like many other animals, feeling the smell, fall into a real riot, experiencing a panic fear: they begin to worry, run around the house from corner to corner, etc. Some people think that such behavior of their Pets is a sign of natural disasters, but after a while for one reason or another they themselves depart to the other world.
According to another version, explaining the mechanism of foreboding cats death of their owners, these animals are highly developed intuition. In other words, it is a cat's sixth sense. People who knowingly uses the same feeling called psychics. Feline intuition miraculously adapts to the human energy field. In most cases, these animals are involuntarily adjust to the karma of their masters.
It is believed that cats are wonderful healers. Scientists can not yet explain this ability, but did not deny it. To cure various diseases of cats taken by breed, personality, temperament.
Here we are not talking about magnetism, about which it was told above, and on closer energy ties cats and people. If the biofield of the owner is present approaching death, Pets (cats and dogs) can sense it. It is a pity that they are unable to report it, so I Express my concern and worry by any means available to them: visibly nervous whine (if your dog), running around the house, etc. |
Updates on the economic impact of the coronavirus
On Friday, business groups, food industry executives and agricultural executives expressed skepticism about the UK government’s plans to allow some essential workers to avoid self-isolation, warning that the guidelines put up-to-date will not solve staff shortage issues.
Ministers confirmed on Thursday that some workers in 16 sectors, including emergency services and transport, could avoid self-isolation if contacted by NHS Test and Trace provided they have been fully vaccinated.
Although the latest Covid-19 figures for the UK released on Friday showed a further drop in daily cases, separate data from the Office for National Statistics showed that one in 75 people had Covid-19 in England in the week before July 17, compared to one in 95 the week before.
To reduce pressure on some critical industries as Britain tackles its latest wave of the virus, the government has also announced that around 500 food-related workplaces, including manufacturers and depots of supermarkets, would have access to a daily testing program that could allow up to 10,000 workers – regardless of their immunization status – to avoid self-isolation.
Despite government action, Ranjit Singh Boparan, chairman of 2 Sisters Food Group, the UK’s largest chicken producer, said his business was suffering from an underlying staff shortage – in part due to Brexit – which the latest measures would not solve.
âThe government must act immediately if it is to avert the most severe food shortages this country has experienced in more than 75 years,â he said.
Tom Bradshaw, vice president of the National Farmers Union, said the exemptions did not go “far enough to avoid disruption further down the chain.”
âWe are hearing reports from farmers and producers who have put in place strong Covid safety plans, but are increasingly concerned about labor shortages, especially as the increase in cases of Covid coincides with the start of the harvest and when the picking and packaging of fruits and vegetables is in full swing, âhe said.
The government has also been criticized for allowing only a limited number of exemptions in each sector.
For example, some members of the retail industry argue that supermarket workers should have been included, pointing out that at the start of the pandemic these workers were seen as essential workers.
âThe food supply chain only works if there are teams in place at every step – there is no point in solving manufacturing and logistics issues if there is no one there to put the products on the shelves and serving customers, âexplained the managing director of Iceland. Richard walker.
Environment Secretary George Eustice defended the decision not to extend the exemption to supermarket workers, telling the BBC: âThe main reason is that this would be a really big business, as you say then. [about] thousands of different stores and a lot more people and we still want to keep the test, trace and isolation system going. “
Other industries have reported similar discrepancies. In the transport sector, for example, railway flaggers are seen as essential while drivers and guards are not, potentially putting services at risk.
The concerns came as the UK rail network began to feel pressure from staff shortages, with several operators cutting services and switching to new emergency schedules in response to downsizing.
South Western Railway, one of the UK’s largest rail operators, has canceled many of its trains over the coming weekend, accusing “high levels of Covid-related absences”, while Southern, Thameslink, Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway also have reduced schedules.
Karen Dee, CEO of the Airport Operators Association, was among those who questioned the practicality of the guidance for businesses, saying the requirement to seek individual approval for each isolation exemption “is simply impractical â.
As part of these guidelines, companies were asked to provide a range of information to relevant ministries, including the number of employees needing to self-isolate, their roles and the effect of staff shortages.
âIf you’re asking for exemptions, it’s because you have a personnel problem and then you’re not going to want to do all of this administrative work,â said an industry leader in the energy sector. “It seems pretty heavy on administration for something that should be pretty straightforward.” |
Seroepidemiology of human enterovirus71 and coxsackievirusA16 in Jiangsu province, China
Virology Journal volume 9, Article number: 248 (2012)
The major etiology of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is infection with human enterovirus A (HEV-A). Among subtypes of HEV-A, coxsackievirusA16 (CoxA16) and enterovirus 71 (EV71) are major causes for recurrent HFMD among infants and children in Jiangsu Province, mainland China. Here, we analyzed maternal antibodies between prenatal women and their neonates, to determine age-specific seroprevalence of human EV71 and CoxA16 infections in infants and children aged 0 to 15 years. The results may facilitate the development of immunization against HFMD.
This study used cross-section of 40 pairs of pregnant women and neonates and 800 subjects aged 1 month to 15 years old. Micro-dose cytopathogenic effects measured neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and CoxA16. Chi-square test compared seroprevalence rates between age groups and McNemar test, paired-Samples t-test and independent-samples t-test analyzed differences of geometric mean titers.
A strong correlation between titers of neutralizing antibody against EV71 and CoxA16 in prenatal women and neonates was observed (rEV71 = 0.67, rCoxA16 = 0.56, respectively, p < 0.05). Seroprevalence rates of anti-EV71 antibody gradually decreased with age between 0 to 6 months old, remained low between 7 to 11 months (5.0–10.0%), and increased between 1 and 4 years (22.5–87.5%). Age-specific seroprevalence rates of anti-EV71 antibody stabilized in >80% of children between 5 to 15 years of age. However, seroprevalence rates of anti-CoxA16 antibody were very low (0.0–13.0%) between 0 to 6 months of age, gradually increased between 7 months to 4 years (15.0–70.0%), and stabilized at 54.0% (108/200) between 5 to 15 years. Seroprevalence rates against EV71 and CoxA16 were low under 1 year (0.0–10.0%), and showed an age dependent increase with high seroprevalence (52.5–62.5%) between 4 and10 years of age.
Concomitant infection of EV71 and CoxA16 was common in Jiangsu Province. Therefore, development of bivalent vaccine against both EV71 and CoxA16 is critical. The optimal schedule for vaccination may be 4 to11 months of age.
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is characterized by brief febrile episodes and characteristic skin rash, with or without oral ulcers in children. Over the last decades, many outbreaks of HFMD were reported in the Asia Pacific region, especially in areas with dense populations such as Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Australia, South Korea, and mainland China.
In mainland China, HFMD emerged as an important public health problem, and was already classified as a category C Notifiable Infectious Disease by the Ministry of Health in China on 2 May 2008. The outbreak was mainly caused by CoxA16 and/or EV71 infection [1–3]. Compared to CoxA16, infections with EV71 appeared severe, leading to more serious complications and fatalities .
In humans, the major protective mechanism against EV71 and CoxA16 is cell-mediated immunity [5–8]. Humoral immunity with neutralizing antibodies is also crucial for protection against EV71 and CoxA16 infection [9–11]. Currently, immunogenicity in maternal serum and the pattern of immune responses against HFMD has not been well studied in mainland China. In addition, only a few studies on HEV71 infection have been conducted in Singapore , Germany , Vietnam , Taiwan , Brazil and Japan . With regards to the distribution of immunogenicity against infection with CoxA16, further study is required.
The levels of neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and CoxA16 in prenatal women and their neonates were almost equally distributed. The titers against EV71 and CoxA16 decreased with age in infants aged from 1 to 9 months, while the titers increased with age in children aged from 1 to 3 years, and then reached a peak level in children at the age of 4 years. The titer level showed a decrease in children aged 5 years, 6 to 10 years and 11 to 15 years (Figure 1). In addition, from the 264 individuals with positive neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and 197 with antibodies against CoxA16, 62.3% (165/264) and 11.2% (22/197) of children aged from 1 year to 15 years demonstrated higher titers of antibody against EV71, and the titers of antibodies against CoxA16 were equal to or higher than 1:128.
Seroprevalence rates and geometric mean titers of anti-EV71 and anti-CoxA16 in pairs of blood samples from prenatal women and neonates
The seroprevalence rates of anti-EV71 neutralizing antibodies in prenatal women and their neonates were 80.0% (32/40) and 75.0% (30/40), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference with regards to seroprevalence rates of anti-EV71 antibodies between prenatal women and their neonates (p = 0.688, by McNemar test). The geometric mean titers (GMT) of anti-EV71 antibodies in prenatal women and their neonates were 18.7 (95%CI: 12.9-27.1) and 20.0 (95%CI: 12.8-31.4), respectively. Again, there was no statistically significant difference between the two means (Paired-samples test = 0.408, df = 39; p = 0.685). In addition, there was a correlation between anti-EV71 antibody titers in neonates and anti-EV7 antibody titers in their mothers (r = 0.67, p < 0.01).
The seroprevalence rates of anti-CoxA16 neutralizing antibodies in these prenatal women and their neonates were 12.5% (5/40) and 10.0% (4/40), respectively. No statistically significant difference in seroprevalence rates of anti-CoxA16 antibodies was observed between these two groups (p = 1.000, by McNemar test). Furthermore, the GMTs of anti-CoxA16 antibodies were 4.5 (95%CI: 4.0-5.1) in prenatal women and 4.6 (95%CI: 4.0-5.3) in their neonates. There was no statistically significant difference between these two mean values (Paired-samples test = 0.298; df = 39; p = 0.767). The titers of anti-CoxA16 antibody in neonates correlated with the titers of anti-CoxA16 antibodies in their mothers (r = 0.56, p < 0.01), (Table 1).
Seroprevalence rates and GMTs of anti-EV71/anti-CoxA16 by age group
The seroprevalence rates of anti-EV71 antibodies showed a gradual decrease in infants aged 0 to 6 months old, ranging from 75.0% to 6.7%. There was a significant drop in seroprevalence rates in infants aged 0 to 6 months old (p = 0.000). The seroprevalence rates were relatively low (5.0–10.0%) in infants aged from 7 month to 9–11 months old. No statistically significant difference in seroprevalence rate was shown in this age group (p = 0.697). The seroprevalence rates showed a gradual rise from 22.5% in children aged 1 year old to 87.5% in children aged 4 years old, and thereafter reached a plateau in over 80.0% of children older than five years of age (Figure 2A).
The seroprevalence rate of anti-CoxA16 antibody was low in infants younger than 6 months of age (0.0–13.3%), compared with those of anti-EV71 antibodies. The mean seroprevalence rate was 17.5% in infants aged from 7 to 11 months old. There were no statistically significant differences in seroprevalence rates either in infants aged 0 to 6 months old (p = 0.053) or in infants aged 7 to 11 months old (p = 0.841). The seroprevalence rates of anti-CoxA16 antibodies gradually increased from 45.0% in children aged 1 year old to 70.0% in children aged 4 years old, and then was greater than 60.0% in children aged 5 years and 6 to 10 years old. It declined to 43.8% in children aged 11 to 15 years old. Together, the seroprevalence rate of anti-CoxA16 antibody demonstrated a similar pattern to anti-EV71 antibodies (Figure 2B). The GMTs of anti-EV71 antibodies decreased from neonates to infants at the age of 6 months (from 20.0 to 4.4), and then remained at a low but relatively steady state in infants aged 7 to 11 months old. The GMTs of anti-CoxA16 antibody were lower than for anti-EV71 antibodies and maintained a relatively stable level in neonates to infants aged 9 to 11 months old. The GMTs of anti-EV71 and anti-CoxA16 antibodies both gradually increased in children aged from 1 year to 4 years old, reached their peak levels in children aged 4 years old, and then declined (Figure 2).
If we consider the individuals aged 0 to 6 months old, 7 to 11 months old, 1 to 3 years old and 4 to 5 years old altogether, the pooled seroprevalence rates of anti-EV71 and anti-CoxA16 antibodies were 34.3% (233/680, 95%CI:30.7-38.0) and 24.6% (167/680, 95%CI:21.4-28.0), respectively. The seroprevalence rates and GMTs of anti-EV71 and anti-CoxA16 antibodies were relatively low in infants aged 0 to 11 months old compared with the other two age groups. The seroprevalence rates of anti-EV71 and anti-CoxA16 antibodies in children aged 4 to 5 years old were both significantly higher than those observed in children aged 1 to 3 years old (p < 0.05). The GMTs of anti-EV71 and anti-CoxA16 antibodies in children aged 4 to 5 years old were higher than those in children aged 1 to 3 years old, but the GMTs of anti-CoxA16 antibodies showed no statistically significant difference between children aged 1 to 3 years old and children aged 4 to 5 years old (p > 0.05) (Table 2).
Age-dependent immunity to HFMD
The seroprevalence rates of neutralizing antibodies against both EV71 and CoxA16 were relatively low in neonates to infants aged 9–11 months old (0.0–10.0%), and gradually increased in children aged from 1 years old to 4 years old. Immunity against EV71 and CoxA16 was relatively higher in children aged 4 to 10 years old (52.5–62.5%), nonetheless, it declined to 35.0% in children aged 11 to 15 years old. The seroprevalence rates against either EV71 or CoxA16 decreased gradually in neonates and infants at the age of 6 months (from 65.0% to 8.3%), and the individual (either EV71 or CoxA16) age-specific seroprevalence rates became steady in more than 30.0% of children aged 1 to 15 years old. The seroprevalence rates against neither EV71 nor CoxA16 increased in neonates to infants aged 1–6 months old, but reached a peak value (90.0%) in infants at the age of 6 months, and then gradually declined with age, the rates ranged between 32.5% and 77.5% in children aged from 7 months to 2 years old, and then decreased to 2.5% and 11.3% in children aged from 3 years to 15 years old (Figure 3).
This study describes maternally-derived and age-specific seroprevalence of anti-EV71 and anti-CoxA16 neutralizing antibodies in infants/children aged from neonates to 15 years old. Retrospective seroepidemiology indicated a geographical difference in EV71 and CoxA16 infection . The results of this study revealed that EV71 infections occurred more frequently than CoxA16 infections in children over 2 years of age in China.
In mice, trans-placental transfer of maternal antibodies following maternal immunization against EV71 protected newborn mice against lethal infection . In humans, the presence of maternal anti-EV71 antibodies was also demonstrated in neonates, and the seroprevalence rates and antibody titers of both antibodies demonstrated some correlation with those in their mothers . Our data also suggest a similar correlation with maternal anti-EV71 antibodies. Unfortunately, the data obtained from studies focused on anti-CoxA16 seemed to be very rare. A cohort study in mainland China revealed a pattern of age-related decline of anti-CoxA16 antibody levels, similar to that of anti-EV71 antibody levels . In addition, the titers and GMTs against EV71 and CoxA16 were almost equally distributed. It has been suggested that if mothers show higher levels of anti-EV71 and/or anti-CoxA16 antibodies, the antibody titers transferred vertically from mothers to their infants are also higher.
Previous reports showed that 23.7% of HFMD patients showed anti-EV71 antibody titers ≥1:128, whereas none of the healthy children showed such titers . A recent prospective cohort study showed that 29% of EV71 infections were asymptomatic . To our surprise, our study found that 62.3% of children aged over 1 year old later developed anti-EV71 antibody titers ≥1:128, although none of these children were confirmed with a clinical diagnosis of HFMD at a hospital or health care provider. This implies that clinically silent or almost silent disease is the most common manifestation of EV71 infection in infants and children in China.
Our data shows that only 11.2% of children aged more than 1 year old had anti-CoxA16 antibody titers ≥1:128. This observation reflects the absence of exposure to CoxA16. A lower seroprevalence rate of anti-CoxA16 compared to anti-EV71 antibodies in children aged 2 to 15 years is also supportive of our previous observation.
This study and several seroepidemiological studies in humans have revealed that the seroprevalence rates of anti-EV71 antibodies increased with age [11, 22, 23]. Our study not only provided data supportive of age-related seroprevalence of EV71 infection, but also suggested a similar age-related seroprevalence of CoxA16 infection. The seroprevalence rates of EV71 and/or CoxA16 were relatively low in children aged 4 to 11 months of age. In 70.2% (337/480) infants aged from neonate to 9 to 11 months of age there were no antibodies against either EV71 or CoxA16; thus, the high incidence of infection in younger age groups is attributable to the lack of protective antibodies [12, 23–26]. A cross-sectional study in Singapore also indicated that the infection was mostly acquired in pre-school years, with an annual infection rate of 12% . In our study, most children aged 2 to 5 years old received pre-school education in kindergartens, and demonstrated higher seroprevalence rates of EV71 and CoxA16, and this finding was supported by the highest incidence of HFMD in preschool years below 5 years of age . Hence, strengthening health improvement measures in kindergartens is required to effectively control infection. Furthermore, the GMTs and neutralizing titers reached peak levels in children aged 4 years old, and thereafter gradually declined with age, but were still relatively high, indicating reinfection with the same strain was rare and that neutralizing antibody titers were higher at early stages of natural infection. This is consistent with previous studies [8, 13]. Our data also demonstrated that the population immunity against EV71 and CoxA16 was relatively high in children aged 4 to 10 years old (52.5–62.5%), suggesting that EV71 and CoxA16 infections are highly prevalent in this age group.
Based on historical experiences with poliovirus vaccines and several EV71 vaccine candidates that were evaluated in animals , several phase I clinical trials to test EV71 vaccine candidates were conducted in Singapore , Taiwan and mainland China [31–36]. Some Phase II clinical trials for EV71 vaccine candidates have also been conducted in mainland China between 2010–2011. The inactivated whole-virus vaccine candidates may be available for clinical use in the next 5 to 10 years .
In conclusion, our data demonstrated that the optimal time for vaccination against EV71 should be infantile periods from month 4 to 11. However, if we take into account the higher co-infection rates in mainland China and the probably weak cross-protection of immunity to EV71 with CoxA16 , the development of a bivalent vaccine which provides protection against both EV71 and CoxA16 antigens should provide a more global coverage for HFMD.
Methods and materials
Human subjects and serum samples
The collected serum samples were analyzed to measure the titers of neutralizing antibody against EV71 and CoxA16 in prenatal women and their neonates at birth (cord blood). A total of 40 pairs of serum samples were collected. To further explore the age-related seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and CoxA16 in infants and young children, 16 more age groups were selected: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8 and 9 to 11 months, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to 10 and 11 to 15 years of age, respectively. Serum samples from 400 infants and children at the age of 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 to 11 months and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years were collected, with 40 individuals in each of the abovementioned age group. Samples from 240 infants from 3, 4, 5 and 6 months of age were collected, with 60 infants in each of the abovementioned age groups. Samples from 160 children at the age of 6 to 10 and 11 to 15 years were also collected, with 80 children in each of the abovementioned age groups. All 800 serum samples were collected randomly in Ganyu County and Donghai County in August 2010.
Medical history and related clinical data were collected through interviews with the parents/guardians of each infant or child before samples were collected. No subject showed symptoms or signs of HFMD at the time of sample collection. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant or from his or her parent/guardian. The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the study was conducted in compliance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Measurement of EV71 and CoxA16 Neutralizing Antibodies
In this study, EV71/Fuyang/m01/2008 (C4 genotype) and CoxA16 /G-10 (A genotype) were used to quantify neutralizing antibody levels of anti-EV71 and anti-CoxA16 by micro-neutralization assay. Blood samples were diluted to a ratio of 1:8, and then were inactivated at the temperature of 56°C for 30 minutes. The serum was serially diluted from 1:8 to 1:2048, and was thereafter mixed with 100 TCID50 of EV71 and CoxA16 equally. Then serum was added into a 96-micro plate at 37°C for 2 hours, and finally an RD cell suspension (1 × 105 cells/ml) was added. Cell control, serum control, virus control and virus back titration (if the result of backdrop is 32 ~ 320 TCID50/well, the test is successful) were included in each plate and incubated in a CO2 incubator at 35°C for 7 days. Cytopathogenicity was observed by microscopy to identify titers of neutralizing antibodies, defined as the inhibition of 50% cytopathogenic effect. This method was previously calibrated using reference sera of EV71 and CoxA16, and no cross-reaction was found. Neutralizing antibodies against EV71 and CoxA16 were considered positive, if the dilution was equal to or greater than 1:8 [15, 22, 39].
The titers of neutralization antibodies were log-transformed to calculate the GMTs with 95% confidence intervals. The statistical association between these two variables was tested by McNemar test. Paired-samples t-test and Independent-samples t-test were utilized to analyze the difference of GMTs. Chi-square test was used to compare the seroprevalence rates between age groups. All titers below 1:8 were assumed to be 1:4 for calculation. The titers beyond 1:2048 were designated 1:2048. Hypothesis testing was conducted by two-sided tests, with an alpha value set at 0.05 to define statistical significance. All statistical analyses were performed via Microsoft Excel 2007 (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) or Stata version 10.0 (StataCorp, College Station, TX).
HJ prepared manuscript, FCZ, MHZ, HW and YML designed the study and organized coordination, FYT, LL and JLH performed the field study, HMG, XSW, ZYZ, XQC and MLZ contributed to subject recruitment, WBX, BW,GJF and QD prepared and performed the experiments. All authors contributed to the collection and analysis of the data and to the preparation of the report. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Geometric mean titer.
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Visionaries dream up plans for updated City Hall Park
An architect and an art director say a park makeover could transform the way people experience downtown Burlington.
Doreen Kraft, executive director of Burlington City Arts, and H. Keith Wagner, a landscape architect, are two of the people working with the city on a new concept for City Hall Park.
The park is dormant at this time of year, still and covered with snow.
But as Kraft and Wagner looked down from the third floor of the Burlington City Arts building on Tuesday, they spoke of a dynamic future for the space — one that would draw people from Church Street year-round for arts, music, meals and events. It would also serve as a waterfront connector.
“That connectivity is critical,” Wagner said. “Hopefully this would be sort of the pebble in the water that starts to radiate out towards the lake.”
City Hall Park has been redesigned several times in its history, but this is the first time Burlington has created a comprehensive plan for the whole space, Kraft said.
“There never was a master plan,” Kraft said, “so it sort of evolved because somebody said, ‘Hey, I have this fountain that’s not being used, and let’s create a central feature.’ Or sometimes even incredibly well-meaning community groups that would come forward and say, ‘Gosh, there aren’t enough flowers. We’ll raise some money so we can create a flower garden.’ But it was all piecemeal.”
The park also hadn’t gotten the upgrades that would allow its use to change over the years, Kraft said.
“There’s a lot of decay, you know — inadequate stormwater system to begin with, soil compaction because there’s too many trees,” Kraft said.
Burlington City Arts partnered with the Department of Parks and Recreation to begin reimagining the space from the ground up. There’s still a long way to go before the first shovelful of dirt, but Burlington’s master planning process reached a milestone Monday when the park sketch received unanimous approval from the City Council.
Some current elements in City Hall Park would remain, according to the design: The Civil War memorial near the intersection of College and St. Paul Streets, the World War II memorial near City Hall, and the Millennium Sculpture bell sculpture next to College Street would all stay put.
If the city’s vision is realized, however, most of the park would undergo a complete transformation, from drainage and electric wiring to pathways, benches and trees.
The current walkway between Burlington City Arts and City Hall would continue straight through the park to St. Paul Street. Looking left, pedestrians would see a stage and an open lawn in front of City Hall that Kraft estimates could hold as many as 2,000 people. To the right would be an interactive fountain where families could gather with children — a space that could also be used as a stage — an outdoor cafe with public restrooms, and seating spaces.
Other elements would potentially include a rainwater garden, bike racks and a restaurant patio.
Those ideas flowed from a public brainstorming process — funded by a grant Burlington City Arts had received from the National Endowment for the Arts — that allowed residents to share what they liked about the space and what they wanted it to become.
Then Kraft, Parks and Recreation Director Jesse Bridges and landscape architects Wagner and Jeff Hodgson had to fit all of those priorities into a reimagined sketch plan.
“It’s like when you design a ship,” Kraft said. “Every inch counts.”
A safer park
In warmer months, City Hall Park bustles with visitors for the farmer’s market, artist’s market and art and music performances. But its location — and to some extent, its design — has also brought concerns about fights, noise and substance abuse.
The Police Department responds more frequently to City Hall Park than any other park in the city, largely because of the park’s location, Police Chief Michael Schirling said — and people often tell the police department that they don’t feel safe there. Schirling has been weighing in on the design process in hopes of mitigating some of the concerns.
“You want the park in use and occupied by a diverse group of people as often as possible,” Schirling said. “The general idea is the more positive activity you have, the less negative activity you have.”
That’s what happens during the farmer’s market or the Discover Jazz Festival in the summer, he said — though the downtown is filled with people, crime and police responses plummet.
Schirling hopes that the park’s redesign would also allow for some evening events.
“The idea is to completely avoid having crime and disorder because you have more people,” Schirling said.
Some city councilors honed in on the idea of access at the meeting on Monday — cautioning the City Hall Park presenters that they wanted to make the park accessible to everyone, not only those who can afford to buy a snack at the proposed cafe or performers who can rent a stage.
Bridges and Kraft responded that the elements that would involve some cost element are only a small piece of the larger vision for the park, and Kraft said at the City Council that she wanted the space to be “welcoming and diverse.”
The next step for the city, Bridges said, is to secure funding for the next design phase.
He’s hoping to return to the City Council in June having identified the funding sources that would be used to pay a design firm to make construction-ready drawings. Then the city would be able to put out a request for qualifications and proposals to design the details of the project, and the Board of Finance and City Council would approve the contract.
The bulk of the city’s public outreach has already happened, but interested parties will be able to follow the progress along the way at the Parks and Recreation Commission and the City Council Parks, Arts and Culture Committee.
The total cost of the renovation is estimated at $2.5 million.
Kraft and Bridges say they hope to be able to begin construction at the site in fall 2015 — but a lot of pieces need to fall into place first.
In the meantime, Kraft lights up when she speaks about the project in the Burlington City Arts backyard.
“When things get forgotten and space begins to deteriorate and decline, people move away from its use,” Kraft said. “When you focus the beacon again, you’re going to bring all kinds of users back.” |
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