Dream research in it's most base form has been occurring for centuries.
The next major event in dream research occurred with the discovery in 1953 by Aserinsky and Kleitman of the phase of sleep called REM, characterised by rapid eye movement and intense brain wave activity.
Sleep laboratory research showed that people woken during this REM stage of sleep reported vivid dreams, leading to the conclusion that dreaming occurred in this stage of sleep.
This discovery opened the door to the experimental study of dreams. Using EEG (Electroencephalograph) the activity during this phase of sleep was recorded for researchers to see. It was evident that brain activity during this stage resembled that of the awake brain. And thus, the discovery that during sleep the brain is far more active than previously thought.
But what exactly this meant, is still unsure to this day. There are multitudes of theories on the topic though.
Sitting on one side of the fence are scientists like Allan Hobson of Harvard, who believes in the random nature of the content of dreams. In 1970 Hobson and colleague McCarley proposed the “activation-synthesis hypothesis”. This hypothesis claims that dreams are merely nerve impulses sent out during REM from an area called the pons.
This was unwelcome news to the general dream research community as it meant their research into this field was without purpose…if dreams were in fact meaningless.
Theories of late have regained the interest into dream research however. In 1997 Mark Solms, University of Cape Town, carried out studies in brain damaged people, and found that there was more than one area of the brain used in dreaming.
Over the past 50 years dream research has been made more accessible with the advent of sophisticated machinery such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Research into dreams can now be conducted via sleep laboratory awakenings, content analysis, cognitive development studies, and neuropsychological studies of brain-injured patients.
Through these techniques it is now known that the area of the brain most active in dreaming is the area that controls emotions…giving more credence to Freud’s theory of dreams revolving around emotions.
So over 100 years on from Freud, it could be another 100 years before we have a definitive answer to what function dreams really serve.


Many people suffer from bad breath which often has a significant impact on their quality of life. People with bad breath are often insecure, very self-conscious and avoid being in social settings. Eventually mental health can start to really suffer, which can lead to depression. Bad breath can have a number of causes, but usually involves some oral hygiene problems. In some cases, bad breath can be (partially) caused by what you drink during the days. That’s why we’ve listed a few of the best drinks you can have for keeping a fresh breath.
Drink Plenty of Water
Number one on the list is pretty obvious. Ample consumption of water is essential not just for keeping your mouth healthy and breath fresh, but also keep your entire body functioning well. Water helps rinse away bacteria and food particles that can make your breath smell bad. It also hydrates your mouth and throat, again helping get rid of bacteria and food. Make sure to drink some water after every meal and every time you have a sugary snack or beverage. This will help combat the negative oral health effects that these drinks and foods have.
Not only has green tea been linked with a lower risk of heart disease and other conditions, it’s also good for your oral health. Green tea has been shown to lower the amount of bacteria in your mouth and decreases the acidity of your saliva. Because it kills bacteria that make your breath smell, drinking green tea should improve your breath. The antioxidants in green tea have also been associated with a lower risk of cancer, with some studies showing that green tea could help control oral cancer.
Peppermint Oil Rinse
Many mouth washes can actually make bad breath worse because of the high alcohol content in some of them that can irritate oral tissue. Instead of using mouth wash to combat bad breath, add a few drops of peppermint oil to a glass of water and rinse well.
If you are brushing and flossing daily, eating a healthy diet and sticking to healthy drinks, but are still suffering from bad breath, you should see your dentist or doctor about it, because there might be a more serious underlying condition causing it.
The qualified dentists at Greenspoint Dental are happy to help you out, so contact us today to schedule an appointment.


The U.S. has experienced its warmest year-to-date (January-August) on record, and unless the next four months are about as cold as the first eight months were hot, 2012 will go down as the hottest year on record.
According to the National Climatic Data Center, 1998 was the warmest year on record in the U.S., with an average temperature of 55.08°F. So far, 2012 has been on track to smash that record by about 3°F. This Climate Central graphic illustrates that in order to avoid setting the record for the warmest year, the period of September through December would need to be exceptionally cold, ranking in the coolest third of average temperatures for the period.
Additionally, according to The Weather Channel, taking only the years since World War II, the odds of not surpassing the warmest year are just 7 percent. So while it’s certainly possible that 2012 won’t be a record-breaker, it would take a heck of a cold snap to pull that off.
Graphic illustrating temperature anomalies for some of the warmest years on record in the U.S., and how much cooler than average the September through December period would need to be to avoid setting a record for the warmest year.


Textures play a vital role in interior design. They can be used to create a sense of warmth and comfort, or to create a dramatic and sophisticated look. Textures can be used to create a variety of effects, from subtle to bold. They can also be used to create a sense of balance and harmony in a room. By understanding the impact of textures in interior design, you can create a space that is both visually appealing and comfortable.Step 1: Understand the Different Types of TexturesThe first step in understanding the impact of textures in interior design is to understand the different types of textures available. Textures can be divided into two categories: tactile and visual. Tactile textures are those that can be felt or touched, such as a soft velvet or a rough burlap. Visual textures are those that can be seen, such as a shiny silk or a matte cotton.Step 2: Consider the Impact of ColorColor is an important factor when it comes to textures in interior design. Different colors can create different effects. For example, a bright yellow can create a sense of energy, while a muted blue can create a calming atmosphere. Consider how the colors of the textures you choose will work together to create the desired effect.
The Impact Of Textures In Interior Design
Step 3: Understand the Impact of LightLight can also have an impact on the way textures appear in a space. Natural light will often bring out the subtle details in a texture, while artificial light can create a more dramatic effect. Consider the type of lighting you will be using in the space and how it will affect the textures you choose.Step 4: Consider the Impact of ScaleThe scale of the textures you choose can also have an impact on the overall effect. Smaller textures can create a subtle effect, while larger textures can create a more dramatic look. Consider how the scale of the textures you choose will work together to create the desired effect.ConclusionUnderstanding the impact of textures in interior design is essential for creating a space that is both visually appealing and comfortable. By considering the different types of textures, the impact of color, the impact of light, and the impact of scale, you can create a space that is both beautiful and inviting.


Chapter 23 Homework
Terms/Names Section 1 & 2
Old Regime-the old form of government, monarchy, in France with King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette-Queen of France married to Louis XVI. She was hated by the third estate because of her excessive spending of their taxes and her overall frivolous lifestyle. Was supposed to provide France with an alliance with Austria but this failed. estate LouisXVI- incompetent king of France during the Revolution. He wasn't ready to lead a country and the people hated him. He was eventually executed for treason. National Assembly-governm ...view middle of the document...
He supported the overthrow of the monarchy and was an eloquent speaker that sent thousands of "traitors" to the guillotine during the Reign of Terror. Reign of Terror-time in France when more that 40,00 French citizens were executed émigré-a noble fleeing France for fear of the guillotine
sans-culotte-radical city worker that wanted to kill the king. Named for their clothes that mocked royal life. Jacobin-extreme Revolutionists that wanted to kill the king and overthrow the monarchy
Based on your reading, was the Revolution inevitable? Yes. Ultimately, perhaps by the mid-19th-century, British North America would have become independent in the same way Canada, Jamaica, and Australia became independent and self- governing under the British Commonwealth. Franklin thought this would happen naturally. The nature of the American Revolution though, was not inevitable. I believe American independence was inevitable, not necessarily in 1776 but within decades. The continental colonies were growing too fast and as Paine pointed out there was something ridiculous about an island ruling a continent.


It refers to neutral total carbon emissions, which are balanced by offsetting as much carbon as emissions.
For example, humans produce 10g of carbon dioxide when they breathe, while plants absorb 10g of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. In this process, the amount of carbon emitted and the amount of carbon absorbed cancel each other out, and no produced excess carbon dioxide.
"Carbon neutrality" electrifies transportation. To achieve "carbon emission neutralization", policies have been explored to explore transportation electrification plans and policies have been formulated to ban the sale of fuel vehicles.
In the future, transportation will electrify, and fuel vehicles will gradually replace. The utilization rate and sales volume of new energy vehicles will increase. It even promotes the development of the automobile industry to hybrid and pure electric cars and expands the business of electric vehicle manufacturers.
The development of automobile brands electrification. Automobile companies such as Volvo, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz have all proposed electrification strategies. And stop the production of pure fuel vehicles, switch to electric, and develop in the direction of hybrid and pure electric. From last year to this year, the stock prices of many electric vehicle companies have been affected and have soared. Among them, Tesla CEO Musk was promoting to the world's richest man. From this year to the next ten years, the electrification of automobiles may become the mainstream trend.
The industrial chain that drives automobile production. When the demand for electric vehicles gradually increases, the need for manufacturers and aluminum alloys will also increase, which promotes the development of aluminum alloy die-casting plants. The formation of the industrial chain will help the economy and production development, reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.


Our solar system lies in the Local Arm, one of several spiral arms that wind around the core of the Milky Way Galaxy. Recent research indicates that the Local Arm is longer and more prominent than previously thought. [Robert Hurt, IPAC; Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF]
You are here
The bright star Deneb stands high in the west-northwest at nightfall. It represents both the tail of Cygnus, the swan, and the top of the Northern Cross. And if you have a dark sky, you can see that it’s immersed in the glow of the Milky Way — the light of millions of stars that outline the disk of our home galaxy.
Many of those stars are in the same feature of the galaxy as the solar system — the Local Arm. It’s one of several spiral arms that make the Milky Way look like a pinwheel spinning through space.
For a long time, it wasn’t considered an “arm” at all. Instead, it was classified as a “spur” — a short spike sticking off one of the major spiral arms. But over the last couple of years, several studies have found that it’s a lot longer than thought.
One study plotted the locations of hundreds of thousands of stars, plus hundreds of star clusters. The positions came from Gaia, a space telescope that’s mapping more than a billion stars. Another study plotted the positions of “masers” — bright beams of microwaves energized by hot stars.
Both studies found that the Local Arm extends for at least 25,000 light-years. That’s not nearly long enough to loop all the way around the galaxy. And it may not “loop” at all — it may extend straight across the galaxy. Yet it’s clear that the Local Arm is bigger than expected — an impressive neighborhood for the Sun, Deneb, and most of the stars we see in the night sky.
Script by Damond Benningfield
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Human impacts and development in the Mississippi River Basin
The following list contains resources describing how humans and development have impacted the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina.
Historic levees along Mississippi River. Details
- Hurricane Impacts on the U.S. Oil and Natural Gas Markets . This website contains official US energy statistics. The site provides reports summarizing Hurricane Katrina impacts on US oil and gas markets. The site contains shut-in statistics, Gulf oil and natural gas facts, price information, plus links to news, related data and references. (more info)
- Making the Mississippi Over Again: The Development of River Control in Mississippi. This website is part of the Mississippi History Now web newspaper. The feature story discusses engineering of river control in the Mississippi. Topics discussed in the story include the need for river control, efforts to control the river, the 1927 flood and impacts on the environment. The story includes suggested readings and a lesson plan associated with the story. (more info)
- The Mississippi River and Tributaries Project . This website, provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers, describes the Mississippi River Basin and the engineering history on the river and in the basin. Specific topics include a description of the flood project, main stem levees, floodways, channel improvement and stabilization, tributary improvements, old river control and navigation. The site also includes a map showing the location of levees along the Mississippi River. (more info)
- World Wind. This site features World Wind 1.3, a NASA Learning Technologies application that lets the user zoom from any satellite altitude into any place on Earth. It features 3D Engine, Blue Marble, Landsat 7, SRTM, Animated Earth, MODIS, GLOBE, Country & State Borders, Place Names, Visual Tools and Landmark Set. The user can download World Wind, reference an online manual, post to an online forum, view screen shot examples from various satellites, and read press coverage about World Wind. (more info)


Encyclopedia of Space and Astronomy covers this timely and popular topic in a clear, comprehensive manner. Offering a complete presentation of the main concepts, terms, facilities, and people in astronomy, the encyclopedia pays special attention to space-based astronomy and space exploration. Broad coverage includes terms such as astrophysics, planetary science, and cosmology, as well as both American and international astronomy and space technology. Containing 600-700 entries, 10-15 essays, 75-100 line illustrations, and 75-100 black-and-white photographs, this authoritative reference provides students and teachers with a visually stimulating learning experience. Encyclopedia of Space and Astronomy focuses mainly on modern astronomy and space achievements but also includes the most important accomplishments of classical astronomy. The impact of astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology is presented in terms of the development of the scientific method and also with respect to philosophy.
Encyclopedia of Space and Astronomy Free Download
April 13, 2022
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Daily G-BOMBS Provide Anti-Cancer Benefits & Adequate Nutrition
“G-BOMBS” is an acronym used by Dr. Joel Fuhrman as a way to remember the best anti-cancer,
health-promoting foods on the planet. These are the foods that you should eat every day
G is for Greens.
Leafy greens are the most nutrient dense of all foods with the majority of calories from protein. Green vegetables are rich in folate, calcium, and lutein (an anti-oxidant).
B is for Beans/Other Legumes.
The soluble fiber helps with decreasing LDL-cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar, helps us feel full and decreases risk for many cancers.
O is for Onions.
Onions/Garlic have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular and immune systems, as well as anti-diabetic and anti-cancer effects.
M is for Mushrooms.
Consuming mushrooms regularly is associated with decreased risk of breast, stomach, and colorectal cancers. Mushrooms should only be eaten cooked: several raw culinary mushrooms contain a potentially carcinogenic substance called agaritine.
B is for Berries.
Their vibrant colors mean that they are full of antioxidants reducing risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer and improving brain function.
S is for Seeds/Nuts.
The omega-3s, fiber and anti-oxidants aid in diabetes, heart disease and cancer prevention.
Outreach Health Coordinator Dawn Dingeldein’s daughter, Mackenzie, has made eating fruits and vegetables a priority in her life to help her successfully fight cancer.
One of the easiest ways to get your G-BOMBS into your diet is juicing as many fruits and vegetables as you can on a daily basis. Here she is juicing a recipe of spinach, kale, carrots, oranges and apples!


Crush injuries are among the worst types of injuries that a person may experience. Despite their association with industries like construction, they can actually happen to anyone.
Thus, it is important for people to have an understanding of the basics regarding crush injuries.
How do crush injuries happen?
Up To Date discusses crush injuries and how they affect people. First: what are they? A crush injury occurs in situations where a person ends up pinned between, flattened by, run down, smashed, pressed, hit or otherwise compressed by a larger and/or heavier object.
Crush injuries happen in a number of situations. For example, someone could suffer from a crush injury by getting their hand caught in a door or having their foot run over by a vehicle.
These injuries also often happen during natural disasters, especially earthquakes and hurricanes due to the high amount of debris and the potential for collapsing structures.
Crush injuries require immediate attention because they can do a lot of potential damage at essentially any level of duration or intensity.
Expected potential complications
Some of the complications of crush injuries include gangrene, sepsis, necrosis, the risk of amputation and the risk of organs beginning to fail. The type of complication a person faces will usually depend on the area of the body that suffered the injury. For example, extremity crush injuries have a higher rate of gangrene while torso crush injuries put the organs at risk.
Of course, a crush injury could easily lead to permanent disability or even death depending on the severity. This is why medical aid is critical.


Oregano is a perennial herb with purple or white flowers and is an ultimate staple in Italian cuisine. Sprinkle oregano on meats, soups, pizzas, and pasta sauces for super flavorful dishes. Today we'll show you how to grow oregano from seeds! You can grow oregano either in your garden or in a pot or container on your windowsill. Learn how to grow oregano, care for it, and harvest it right here!
How to Grow Oregano
- Oregano loves the sun – the more sun it receives, the stronger the flavor. Place your oregano plant in a spot where it will get at least 6 hours of sun.
- Plant oregano seeds or cuts 6-10 weeks before the last spring frost.
- Plant the seeds or cuttings in well drained soil once the temperature of the soil is at least 70F.
- Space the oregano plants 8-10 inches apart. Each plant should grow to about 1-2 feet in length and spread out to about 18 inches.
Caring for Oregano:
- Allow your oregano plant to grow to 4 inches and then thin or pinch off to encourage a denser plant.
- Regular trimming of your oregano plant is very important, as it will grow faster and bushier.
- Water only when the soil feels dry – oregano doesn't require as much water as other herbs do.
- Thin out the plants that are 3 or 4 years old in the early spring. Oregano is self seeding, therefore the plants will grow back easily without you having to do anything!
- You can harvest oregano once the leaves are big enough. The most flavorful oregano leaves are the ones right before the flowers start to bloom.
- You can easily store the oregano leaves and dry them.


By Antoinette Rahn
Barite is one of those minerals that seem to "be everywhere." By that, I don't mean locality and abundance, more about its presence in various aspects of industry, science, and mention in mineralogical connections. Plus, there's the controversial aspect of the mineral, but more about that later.
As the main ore of barium, barite is used to produce paper and rubber, and it's part of the process of preparation of the digestive system for x-ray procedures, as stated at www.minerals.net. All photos are courtesy of The Arkenstone Gallery of Fine Minerals and specimens are available at Arkenstone's website, www.irocks.com.
Diverse Localities and Color Variety
Barite is not limited to a specific region of the world, as it's been discovered in several locals from Europe to China and Peru to Canada. The variety of locales also lends to the wide range of colors associated with specimens of barite. Bright yellow is a common color of barite extracted from localities in the U.S. and Canada. In contrast, some of the most well-known localities for barite, such as Sichuan Province, China, Mibladen, Morocco, and Huanuco, Peru, are known for producing blue specimens of barite, according to information at www.minerals.net. Additional colors of barite include brown, rose-colored tint, colorless, white, and green.
As for the controversy, it's all about the name. The origin of the word barite is Greek, barys — which means heavy — and speaks to the minerals known attribute of being weighty. As explained on www.minerals.net, the mineral was always spelled "barite" in the U.S., and "baryte" in the U.K. Originally, when the International Mineralogical Association first approved it in 1971, the U.S. spelling was utilized, but several years later, the IMA chose to adopt the U.K. spelling "baryte." However, as sometimes is the case, many collectors and mineralogists living in the U.S. continue to spell the mineral "barite."
However, you choose to spell it, this mineral's uses are impressive in scale and longevity and matched by its popularity among mineralogists.


Principle #7: New technologies, sensors and tools — as well as new applications of existing technologies — are expanding scientists’ abilities to study the land, ice, ocean, atmosphere and living creatures of the Polar Regions
7A: Historically, Polar explorers took photographs and collected observational data (primarily atmospheric and meteorological observations) at various intervals during explorations to the Poles, providing a discrete understanding of the Poles.
7B: Today, scientists use satellites, drifting buoys, tethered buoys, subsea observatories, unmanned vehicles, automated weather stations, sensors, ice cores, airplanes, helicopters, magnetometers and more to constantly and remotely study the Poles.
- 7B-1: This baseline information is coupled with regular scientific explorations to the Poles to collect samples and measurements, including photographic evidence.
7C: Piecing together historical data recorded by early explorers with ice cores and sediment cores gives scientists an understanding of natural history.
- 7C-1: Combining current data with historical data, scientists can construct models to understand connections in the past and improve predictions of future environmental conditions at the Poles.
7D: Antarctica’s high elevation and dry atmosphere allow measurements of cosmic microwave background (fossil light from the early universe).
7E: Scientists measure the ice and snow levels over many decades to observe the impact of climate change in the Arctic landscape.
7F: Scientists are gathering genetic information across a range of Polar species, from DNA to the broad ecosystem.
- 7F-1: Genomic sequencing of polar species provides insight into complex biological processes and biotechnological exploitation (development of new drugs, bioremediation, food systems, etc.)
- Polar Data Stories – Interactive online actives featuring cool Polar research and data.
- I.D. Antarctica – Photographic mysteries of Antarctic animals for students to investigate.
- Project Swarm – A curriculum of lessons and data activities for middle and high school students featuring the influences of warming on the food web interactions between phytoplankton, krill and penguins


Typhoon Jebi – level 3
More than a million Japanese have been ordered to evacuate their homes as Typhoon Jebi approaches. It brings a160-kilometre-per-hour winds, and it is the strongest typhoon since 1993.
Airports and train stations have been forced to close because of incoming water. The runway at the Kansai International Airport was left flooded and the cargo storage submerged.
One of the most dramatic moments was when a tanker smashed into the side of a bridge.
Difficult words: approach (come), submerged (covered under water), smash (hit with a lot of force).
You can watch the video news lower on this page.
What do you think about this news?
LEARN 3000 WORDS with NEWS IN LEVELS
News in Levels is designed to teach you 3000 words in English. Please follow the instructions
How to improve your English with News in Levels:
- Do the test at Test Languages.
- Go to your level. Go to Level 1 if you know 1-1000 words. Go to Level 2 if you know 1000-2000 words. Go to Level 3 if you know 2000-3000 words.
- Read two news articles every day.
- Read the news articles from the day before and check if you remember all new words.
- Listen to the news from today and read the text at the same time.
- Listen to the news from today without reading the text.
- Answer the question under today’s news and write the answer in the comments.
- Choose one person from the Skype section.
- Talk with this person. You can answer questions from Speak in Levels.
Stock images by Depositphotos


What happened? 300 km from Lake Balaton there is another Lake Balaton on the map of Hungary
They are far apart in Hungary, but what can they have to do with each other?
The Hungarian Sea, Lake Balaton, is known in many places not only in Hungary, but also in many parts of the world, and is still an unavoidable place for many holidays. The Hungarian Sea is a famous sight and natural wonder far and wide, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to our small country every year.
But if we look at the map of Hungary on Google Maps, we will find not only one Lake Balaton, but also two bites. In fact, the two will be far enough apart
In addition to the lake, there is also a Hungarian settlement called Lake Balaton, in Heves County.
Did the famous Hungarian settlement Bugyi get its name from the panties? You will be surprised at the answer
How can this happen?
If you know that a Where does the word Lake Balaton come from into the Hungarian language, you will soon be able to get an answer as to why. The name Balaton is of Slavic origin, it comes from the word “blato / boloto”, which means swamp. The Latin name of the lake, Lacus Pelso, is also associated with it, as it means a shallow lake.
Although the Hungarian settlement of Lake Balaton is partly located in a mountainous area, there is also some marshy area nearby, where, for example, according to legends, many Hungarians found refuge during the Tartar invasion.
Thus, it seems that the two have nothing to do closely with each other, only in the names, only in the geographical specificity.
This is what the wonderful village of Lake Balaton looks like:
Brutal plan: they wanted to remove most of Lake Balaton from the map of Hungary – the queen had already signed the plans 250 years ago
Cover image: Profimedia


Life in the Northern seas
The North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans are teeming with life - as a great food resource that we live on and care for...
Despite the cold and harsh climate in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, the sea is teeming with life. Under the water surface, a lush environment unfolds, and the area is home to a rich abundance of natural resources.
In the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans overall, nearly 1,100 species of fish are known. About 600 are pelagic, while the rest are demersal. In the sea around Greenland alone, more than 250 different fish species are found, together with shellfish, mussels, 15 species of whales and dolphins, and six species of seals and walrus.
Characteristic of the species living in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions is that they are well-adapted to harsh weather conditions and cold temperatures. Nevertheless, small fluctuations in temperature take place over time, and even very small changes, below 1˚C, have a high impact on the climate and marine life.
In the new millennium, Atlantic cod have returned to Greenlandic waters in large number, due to the slight temperature increase. At the same time, prawn stocks are seen to be moving further north, towards colder waters.
The North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans contribute approx. 11 % of global marine catches each year. These oceans’ total catch in 2012 was 10 million tonnes, of which 8 million tonnes were caught in the Northeast Atlantic (FAO 27) and 2 million tonnes were caught in the Northwest Atlantic (FAO 21), including the Arctic Ocean. Despite the large number of species in these areas, today’s commercial fishing is focused on relatively few, renowned species.
Characteristic of the area is that fisheries are well-supervised and regulated, and efforts are being made to improve the data and management of the fisheries that have not yet achieved sustainability certifications, for instance from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).


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Callisto and Mercury are very identical in size. Callisto's diameter is approximately 99 percent that of Mercury.
Scientists anticipate that there might be a 150-200 km deep ocean of salt water present under its surface.
Callisto is called “the most ideal spot for future human base” to study the Jovian worlds.
Callisto is 99 percent the size of Mercury, but it is barely even 30 percent of its mass.
Callisto’s surface is considered to be “the most highly cratered in the solar system”.
This majestic moon has been explored by a number of spacecraft, including the Pioneers 10 and 11, Galileo, Cassini, and Voyagers 1 and 2.
The furthest Galilean moon from Jupiter is Callisto. Therefore, it is less disturbed by Jupiter's powerful magnetic field.
Only two moons—Ganymede and Titan—dominate Callisto in terms of size. It is the third largest moon in the solar system, to put it simply.
Callisto is tidally locked with Jupiter, meaning, the same side of Callisto always faces Jupiter.
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Clagett McLennan Library
At Bement, we love our books. The Clagett McLennan Library lets students take this passion for reading—and for studying and learning—to the next level. With a collection of 10,000 titles, 30 electronic databases, online encyclopedias, and our e-book and e-audiobook platform, the Grace Bement Reading Room, the Flynt collaborative study space, and the Haas Room, students and teachers use the library every day to research, explore, and create.
Our younger students spend time every week with our experienced and innovative librarian and learn information literacy skills, digital citizenship, and how to relax by the fireplace with a great story. Upper school students visit the library to complement their studies, work collaboratively, or conduct research.
Students in every grade are introduced to computational thinking and programming as well as an array of apps and web tools. The library offers hands-on exploration and the opportunity to film in front of the green screen, program a Sphero or Ozobot robot, explore electronics with LittleBits and Snap Circuits, or build with a vast collection of LEGOs and other building materials. The library allows students of all ages to bring their imaginations to life.


Stable Linux with Apache
Linux & Apache have existed in tandem for a long time now and are among the most common server setups. Learn why.
Linux is an OS, which is not that commonly used for desktop machines, but is one of the most frequently used OSs for web servers. It's free of charge, so you shall not need to pay any license costs as part of your website hosting payments. Linux is also considered to be the most secure OS these days and due to the permissions that files have and also the file types that can be run, virus files which may infect a regular personal computer will simply not be executed on a Linux-based hosting server. Moreover, the Operating System is 100 free, fast and reliable. It's the most frequently used web server available and is part of the LAMP bundle that numerous script apps, such as Joomla™ and WordPress, need. LAMP is an abbreviation for Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP.
Stable Linux with Apache in Cloud Hosting
All cloud hosting


A new US study has found a link between the exposure of pesticide DDT and the Alzheimer’s disease.
The study says that the people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are likely to have presence of higher levels of a type of chemical, DDE, left by the pesticide DDT in their body than their healthy counterparts.
The researchers say, they have found evidence of DDT exposure in 80% of Alzheimer’s disease patients, as well as 70% of those without the condition.
Notably, DDT was phased out in the US in 1972. However, it is rampantly in use across the world. In such a scenario, health experts and global health authorities consider it a big health threat.
DDE, which is a long-lasting metabolite of DDT, was found nearly four times higher in Alzheimer’s patients than those without the disease.
The situation was more worrisome as high DDE levels also found to increase someone’s risk of Alzheimer’s fourfold, according to the study.
For the study, the researchers compared 86 Alzheimer’s patients to 79 people of advanced age. The participants of the study came from the US states of Texas and Georgia, and their average age was 74,
The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Neurology.


A welding technique developed by Ohio State University engineers could dramatically increase the applications of advanced and alternative metals.
Despite significant upgrades in advanced materials in recent years, they remain impractical for manufacturers in large part because traditional resistance spot welding makes them weaker.
“Materials have gotten stronger, but welds haven’t,” said materials science and engineering professor Glenn Daehn. “We can design metals with intricate microstructures, but we destroy the microstructure when we weld.”
In response, Daehn and other researchers pioneered a process called vaporized foil actuator welding.
The technique uses an electrical pulse to vaporize a very thin piece of aluminum foil. The burst of hot gas then pushes two pieces of metal together at very high speeds.
Instead of melting the metals together, the process directly bonds their atoms and makes the bonds 50 percent stronger than conventional welding.
The process also uses 80 percent less energy than other welding techniques and can shape metal at the same time, which can save manufacturers a step during production.
OSU engineers successfully bonded aluminum, copper, iron, magnesium, nickel and titanium, as well as established a previously impossible bond between commercial steel and aluminum alloys.
The technique could make a particular impact in the auto industry, which hopes to use alternative metals to reduce vehicle weights and improve fuel efficiency.
Filed Under: Industrial automation


1. The table shows real GDP and unemployment for an economy.
|Real GDP ( $ billions )||40 000||38 000|
|Unemployment ( millions )||2||3|
What can be concluded from the data?
A Demand-pull inflation is likely to increase.
B Potential output is likely to increase.
C The balance of payments deficit is likely to increase.
D The budget deficit is likely to increase.
2. The diagram shows data on various aspects of four countries.
Which country is likely to be most developed?
3. What is illustrated by the Laffer curve?
A As income increases, fewer hours will be worked.
B As income increases, tax revenue will increase.
C As the tax rate increases, tax revenue always increases.
D As the tax rate increases, tax revenue will eventually fall.
4. A government decides to increase direct taxation.
Which combination would describe the impact of this policy on unemployment, growth and
balance of payments?
|Unemployment||Growth||Balance of Payments|
5. How will inflation and unemployment most likely be affected by a rise in the rate of income tax if
government expenditure does not change?


Once again, it is useful to study the past to learn what applies here to our ecosystematic journeys. Of particular interest is the work of Donella Meadows, who taught us how to focus on having the most impact on a system (Bill Gates, listen up!) >>
Where to intervene:
12. Constants, parameters, numbers (such as subsidies, taxes, standards).
11. The sizes of buffers and other stabilizing stocks, relative to their flows.
10. The structure of material stocks and flows (such as transport networks, population age structures).
9. The lengths of delays, relative to the rate of system change.
8. The strength of negative feedback loops, relative to the impacts they are trying to correct against.
7. The gain around driving positive feedback loops.
6. The structure of information flows (who does and does not have access to information).
5. The rules of the system (such as incentives, punishments, constraints).
4. The power to add, change, evolve, or self-organize system structure.
3. The goals of the system.
2. The mindset or paradigm out of which the system — its goals, structure, rules, delays, parameters — arises.
1. The power to transcend paradigms.
Read all about it >>


Vietnam’s Ambitious Clean Energy Goals
In recent decades, Vietnam’s demand for energy has increased along with its rapid economic development. This surge in demand could provide the impetus to quickly further develop Vietnam’s emerging renewable energy industry.
Vietnam’s GDP grew at an annual rate of 6.8 percent between 1990 and 2013, and is projected to hover around 7 percent annually from 2016 to 2030. Industrialization, coupled with population increases, drives the need for more energy and especially more electricity. This is evident in the increase of final energy consumption at an average annual rate of 5.7 percent between 1990 and 2012, and of electricity use at 14 percent annually during the same period.
To meet increasing power demand, Vietnam’s Power Master Plan VII projects its output will need to increase from 194–210 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2016, to 330–362 billion kWh in 2020, and to 695–834 billion kWh in 2030. As renewable sources are part of Vietnam’s energy mix, surging power demand will also boost the demand for renewable energy.
In comparison to other more traditional energy sources such as oil and coal, renewable energy is relatively new in Vietnam. Its presence is strongly driven by government policies, and is mostly positioned within sustainable development and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction frameworks.
The Sustainable Development Strategy 2011–2020, for example, identifies clean and renewable energy development and its growing share in Vietnam’s energy consumption mix as priorities for a sustainable development.
The National Strategy on Climate Change also highlights the development of ‘new and recycled energies including wind power, solar energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, biofuel and universal energy’ as avenues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly, the National Action Plan on Green Growth 2014–2020 explicitly mentions the need to promote clean and renewable energy to reduce GHG emissions.
To realise its energy vision, Vietnam has put in place enabling policies to encourage renewable energy development. The Electricity Law 28/2004 stipulates the need for incentives on investment, electricity prices and taxes. Decree 04/2009/ND-CP further lays down the incentives and supports for environmental protection activities, including renewable energy.


Throwback Thursday December 8th!
- 1765: American inventor Eli Whitney was born in Westborough, Massachusetts. He was the inventor of the cotton gin, which dramatically increased the production of cotton.
(Shapers of Society)
- 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary plan for post-Civil War Reconstruction. Radical Republicans in Congress, worried this plan was not strict enough, passed a stricter plan that Lincoln refused to sign. The public letter denouncing the president's actions known as the Wade-Davis Manifesto is available here!
- 1886: Mexican mural painter Diego Rivera was born in Guanajuato, Mexico. He is widely considered the greatest Mexican painter of the 20th century, if not all time. He was married to fellow Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
- 1915: Screenwriter Ernest Lehman was born in New York City. Overall he received 6 Oscar nominations. Some of his best known films are North by Northwest (1959) and The Sound of Music (1965).
- 1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave an address to Congress, often called the "Day of Infamy" speech. In it, Roosevelt asked Congress to respond to the Pearl Harbor attack by declaring war against Japan. Read excerpts of the speech and the joint resolution here.
- 1941: Japanese American Kiyo Sato was a student at Sacramento Junior College at the time of the Pearl Harbor attacks. Read her recollection of the fear and uncertainty she felt following the Pearl Harbor attack ("wherever I go I feel the daggers of hate"). Eventually, Japanese Americans were put into internment camps for the duration of World War II.
- 1985: NBA player Dwight Howard was born in Atlanta, Georgia. The eight-time NBA All-Star gave this quote after losing the NBA championship, "It hurts a lot, but you can learn a lot from losing. Sometimes you've got to lose to win."
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Einstein defined insanity as repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. I was reminded of this when reading Paul Krugman’s piece in the New York Review of Books.
The turn to austerity after 2010, however, was so drastic, particularly in European debtor nations, that the usual cautions lose most of their force. Greece imposed spending cuts and tax increases amounting to 15 percent of GDP; Ireland and Portugal rang in with around 6 percent; and unlike the half-hearted efforts at stimulus, these cuts were sustained and indeed intensified year after year. So how did austerity actually work?
The answer is that the results were disastrous—just about as one would have predicted from textbook macroeconomics. Figure 2, for example, shows what happened to a selection of European nations (each represented by a diamond-shaped symbol). The horizontal axis shows austerity measures—spending cuts and tax increases—as a share of GDP, as estimated by the International Monetary Fund. The vertical axis shows the actual percentage change in real GDP. As you can see, the countries forced into severe austerity experienced very severe downturns, and the downturns were more or less proportional to the degree of austerity.
There have been some attempts to explain away these results, notably at the European Commission. But the IMF, looking hard at the data, has not only concluded that austerity has had major adverse economic effects, it has issued what amounts to a mea culpa for having underestimated these adverse effects.
It’s patently obvious that the current policy of ‘austerity’ isn’t working, and yet our governments are hell-bent on continuing with it. Madness on stilts.


Fort Speelwijk excavation in 2011. (Credit: Lim Chen Sian)
The Sultanate of Banten was one of the largest coastal settlements in the Malay Archipelago in the mid-2nd millennium; it’s spectacular rise and demise signals the end of a series of the port cities that once monopolized the trade in Southeast Asian produce and natural resources. Today, the ruins of the famous palaces and fortifications from the golden age of Banten are still visible and visited by thousands of tourists every year. Surprisingly, very little archaeological research has been undertaken at this once powerful trading emporium.
Banten’s history consists of a complex narrative involving trade, political change, and cultural interactions. Banten was the largest city in the East Indies during the 16th and 17th centuries, where the Portuguese, Dutch, English, Japanese and Chinese were amongst many who established trading stations in the cosmopolitan port.
The Banten Lama research focuses on the daily life-ways and interaction between the multifarious populations in ancient Banten. The archaeological investigation at Banten Lama is collaboration between the Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan Arkeologi Nasional Indonesia (the Indonesian National Centre for Archaeology), the Department of Southeast Asian Studies (National University of Singapore), and Department of Archaeology (Boston University). There have been three annual seasons since 2009; from 2012, the project will be spearheaded by the ISEAS Archaeology Unit. The principal archaeologists for the project are Sonny Wibisono, Naniek Wibisono, and Serji Yanto from the Pusat Arkeologi; Kay Ueda of Boston University; and Lim Chen Sian (NUS SEAD, ISEAS AU).
The exterior of Fort Speelwijk. (Credit: Lim Chen Sian)
Visit the 2011 Season Project Log created by the student participants: http://archaeologybantenlama.wordpress.com


Chair: Audrey Lessard-Fontaine - Project Manager (CartONG)
In the past 10 years, a lot more focus has been put on Disaster Risk Reduction and studies have established that managing risk instead of managing disasters is more cost effective. However, assessing risks and establishing a strategy is often not included in planning operations and budgets since this is seen a specialist’s task and passed as a standalone activity instead of an activity which should be integrated into programs especially in countries with higher risks. Also, for many humanitarians it is not clear what open data is out there which can be integrated into assessing risks and how, and not many user friendly tools exist to help a non-specialist to make sense of what is at stake. Several actors are now not only focusing on making resources on disaster risk reduction available but also working on tools which allow a non-expert to gain an insight on prevailing disaster risks on a country basis, as well as understanding which open data is available for this. Can such tools be used and promoted to create awareness and understanding of how DRR activities can be integrated more systematically in humanitarian programmes? Can the availability of open tools and data lead to more effective risk assessments, including by non-experts?
DRR experiences and strategies: the Afghan experience - Emlyn Hagen - Senior Information Management Officer (IMMAP)
Open Source Data and tools for DRM - Stuart Alexander Fraiser - Disaster Risk and Catastrophe Analytics Consultant (GFDRR - World Bank)
The use of participative cartography to develop local governance to develop risk management - Flore Giffault (PhD - Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales Paris)


Zinc sulfate is an inorganic compound. It is used as a dietary supplement to treat zinc deficiency and to prevent the condition in those at high risk. Side effects of excess supplementation may include abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, and tiredness. The most common form includes water of crystallization as the heptahydrate. It was historically known as “white vitriol”. Zinc sulfate and its hydrates are colourless solids.
Usage of Zinc Sulphate:
Medicine, Manufacturing and other.
In medicine it is used together with oral rehydration therapy (ORT) and an astringent. The hydrates, especially the heptahydrate, are the primary forms used commercially. The main application is as a coagulant in the production of rayon. It is also a precursor to the pigment lithopone. It is also used as an electrolyte for zinc electroplating, as a mordant in dyeing, and as a preservative for skins and leather.
Zinc sulfate is used to supply zinc in animal feeds, fertilizers, toothpaste, and agricultural sprays. Zinc sulfate, like many zinc compounds, can be used to control moss growth on roofs.
White vitriol, Goslarite
3.54 g/cm3 (anhydrous)
2.072 g/cm3 (hexahydrate)


We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
The Bible teaches us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). In Psalm 119:34, we read, “Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.”
To illustrate the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God, we can use an object lesson with quarters and a plastic Easter egg. First, we place a pile of coins to represent the things of this world. Then, we use an Easter egg to represent our relationship with God.
The task for the children is to pick up all the coins on the table with one hand while holding the egg in their hand. They cannot change the position of the egg or remove it from their hand. At the end of thirty seconds, they get to keep whatever they have in their hands, except for the egg. The egg contains $5.00.
This object lesson teaches us that when we prioritize our relationship with God, we can resist the temptation to pursue the things of this world. By choosing the egg over the coins, we receive a greater reward. We must set our priorities and not give up what we have with God for something the world offers. Remember to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and obey His laws.Teach your kids the importance of prioritizing their relationship with God with this fun and interactive object lesson. #RelationshipWithGod #ObjectLessonForKids #catsinthecradleblog Click To Tweet
One thought on “Prioritizing our Relationship with God: An Object Lesson for Kids”


A new EU-wide approach is needed to help wildlife rescue services at breaking point
The action plan should in theory result in more successful prosecutions of illegal wildlife traders and more confiscations of illegally traded wildlife.
Dealing with the ‘parts and derivatives’ –fur, bone, scales, meat and so on - of wild animals that have been seized or confiscated is relatively straightforward for the authorities from a logistical point of view. When live animals are involved things get a lot more complicated.
The illegal trade in ‘live’ wildlife involves a huge number of species, all of which require specialist care. Following seizure, animals will likely be highly stressed and in poor health, so it is essential they are placed in appropriate housing quickly.
Difficulties housing animals
However, finding facilities with the expertise to care for these traumatised animals is difficult, and finding such facilities with available housing is even more of a challenge. In 2017, European Alliance of Rescue Centres and Sanctuaries (EARS) and Animal Advocacy and Protection (AAP) surveyed 112 rescue facilities in Europe and found that they had received requests to house 22,000 animals in that year alone. When asked what their main reason was for refusing animals, 41% of respondents cited lack of space, 16% a lack of appropriate facilities and 13% a lack of funds.


Subtracting monomials is essentially the same process as adding monomials just as subtraction is the 'addition' of a negative number!
If your child is unfamiliar with the proper identifying terms of a monomial, be sure to cover this before moving on.
Like Terms are monomials with the same VARIABLE part.
N.B. The same variable part emplies the terms have the same variable raised to the same Exponent (power, Index).
Confirm you are adding like terms (identical variables):
Subtract the coefficients:
Keep the variable: a^3b^2c
As you can see, when it comes to subtracting monomials it is simply a case of confirming that the variables are IDENTICAL and simply subtracting the coefficients.
When you are subtracting the coefficients, the rules that apply to those numbers individually remain the same.
Once you are comfortable subtracting monomials, you can move forward and explore how to multiply and divide them also.
We have all of the main topics of elementary math detailed starting at the Basic Math Section or you can explore everything else Printable Math Worksheets has to offer from here.
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A online video purports to show two people playing the classic video game Pong using what looks like an an EEG machine to read electrical activity from the brain.
Although I’m no EEG expert, the kit looks authentic and it’s certainly a technically possible feat with the current state of neurofeedback research.
So if anyone can actually verify whether this was genuinely an example of ‘mental pong’, or knows more about the event being filmed, I’d be interested to find out.
Link to video of ‘Berlin Brain Computer Interface’.
2 thoughts on “Mind-controlled pong”
It seems legit, assuming this video does actually display a demonstration of Berlin Brain Computer Interface (BBCI) technologies. You were correct to identify EEG recordings as the input to the computer that controls the board movements. The specific signals used are the EEG signatures corresponding to motor intentions. Apparently BBCI has also developed a machine learning algorithm that allows it to hone in on individual, idiosyncratic versions of these EEG signatures.
More in-depth material can be found using Google:
Berlin Brain Computer Interface is apparently developed by Fraunhofer Institute and Berlin Charite and the video shows a demonstration that was attended by the then German Minister for Education and Research Mrs. Bulmahn.
The German government is funding this research.
Further steps will be a non-touching EEG.
See more at http://www.bernstein-zentren.de/de/105.php – in German actually.


Today we examine what it means to call a weapon "Gothic". Though there is a subset of our readers who may have in mind the sword of Azrael Abyss, the term Gothic was used historically to identify a certain artistic style that primarily developed in the Germanic lands of Northern Europe.
The Gothic style is complex, but in terms of swords is differentiated from other medieval forms by, among other things, the writhen, or twisting, style of crosses and pommels. Our German Branch Sword, a faithful copy of an original in the Royal Armouries London, is an excellent example of a Gothic style sword.
Arms and Armor German Branch Sword
Sculpting the cross and pommel to resemble twisted branches was a very common decorative motif. Sometimes the twisting was more subtle, as on our German Bastard Sword and Schloss Erbach swords, below.
Check out the video below for some more information.
Here is the book mentioned in the video.
Nathan Clough, Ph.D. is Vice President of Arms and Armor and a member of the governing board of The Oakeshott Institute. He is a historical martial artist and a former university professor of cultural geography. He has given presentations on historical arms at events including Longpoint and Combatcon, and presented scholarly papers at, among others, The International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Craig Johnson is the Production Manager of Arms and Armor and Secretary of The Oakeshott Institute. He has taught and published on the history of arms, armor and western martial arts for over 30 years. He has lectured at several schools and Universities, WMAW, HEMAC, 4W, and ICMS at Kalamazoo. His experiences include iron smelting, jousting, theatrical combat instruction and choreography, historical research, European martial arts and crafting weapons and armor since 1985


In an expansive white-tiled room in Livermore, California sits Sierra, the world’s second most powerful supercomputer. Sierra looks like an unassuming server farm, but is actually a massive connected hive of 190,000 processing cores. It was completed earlier this year, and has been on a shakedown cruise since then: researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ran astrophysics, climate, and precision medicine simulations on Sierra while ferreting out bad components and other technical hiccups.
But early next year, Sierra’s real work will begin. The system will be “air gapped,” meaning that it will be disconnected from any external network to prevent unauthorized access. Once that happens, it can begin the calculations it was purpose-built to carry out: simulations of nuclear weapons launches and detonations.
The exact nature of the simulations, not surprisingly, is classified. But for one day, Livermore Lab allowed The Verge and other press access to the secure facility. We got to see Sierra and speak with the engineers and physicists tasked with detonating virtual nukes in the name of national security. Check out the video above to find out what we learned, and why the United States needs a supercomputer to support its enormous nuclear stockpile.
Verge Science on YouTube /
The home base for our explorations into the future of science.


Access to education is a fundamental right in most countries across the world. And yet it either does not translate into much for some people (girls for instance) or excludes others (refugees and migrants for instance). According to a recent UNHCR report, 48% of all school-age refugee children are out of school, only 31% of ‘displaced’ children are enrolled in primary and secondary schools, and only 3% of refugee students are currently enrolled in higher education. Social norms (for girls) and the lack of documentation and impact of trauma (for refugees and migrants) remain some of the key reasons behind this exclusion.
The panel will discuss questions such as:
- What do we know about the nature and extent of identity-linked exclusion in school and higher education across the world?
- Which communities are most at risk?
- What are the different kinds of actions that are needed to address this?
- What role do different players in global development need to play more actively to address this issue?
- What is the role that data and measurement play and how can we improve our understanding of this issue?
- What are some innovations or successful examples we can learn from.
Moderator for the session: Dayoung Lee (Associate Partner, Dalberg Advisors)


This plant grows spontaneously in my garden and made me a little obsessed with Euphorbia genus. Thus I found out that one of the houseplants I thought was succulent is actually Euphorbia hypogaea and that there are thousands of Euphorbia species with fascinating shapes and colors.
Here are few of my favorites:
Euphorbia have naked flowers, entirely missing sepals or petals. The inflorescence is composed of bracts, male flowers and female flowers and is called cyanthium.
In the first stage of flowering, the female flower appears in the middle of a ring of involucral glands. These glands can be round, horse-shoe shaped or horned, often of a different colour than the bracts (yellow, red or black) and secrete a layer of nectar which is attractive to flies and other insects. The female flower is reduced to its reproductive parts: a 3-locular ovary and 3 styles with bilobed stigma.
In the second stage of flowering, the female flower bends away and makes room for the male flowers, very reduces, to one stamen and a bilobed anther.
Beneath the involucral glands a new generation of inflorescences can be seen appearing.
In today’s video I’m sketching the cyanthium inflorescence of Euphorbia platyphyllos with ink and watercolor, adding the 15th sketch of flower to my June project.
Join me on Patreon for 30 days of daily flower sketches!
Every day of June I will post a video tutorial in which I will draw a flower from scratch. You will learn how flowers are composed, how to sketch and render them realistically using ink and watercolor.
By joining my Patreon you will have also instant access to another 40+ tutorials and live sessions on classical drawing and botanical illustration!


8 iPhone Compatible Python Programmable STEM Kits & Gadgets0
Python is one of the most popular programming languages around with many applications in AI, IoT, data science and robotics. It is not a particularly hard language to learn but thanks to these Python coding STEM kits, you will have an easier time teaching it to young students:
JuiceMind: a Python coding kit that comes with everything you need to build a smart doorbell. It sends a text message to your phone when its button is pressed.
imagi: a Python coding game for kids that guides children how to write their first lines of code. It teaches them about variables, loops, conditionals, functions, and other programming concepts. Users can wear their coding creations around with a imagiCharm.
Marty: a smart robot that teaches your kids how to program using Scratch and Python. It can talk, dance, kick, and do other moves. It is expandable, so you can 3D print parts and add more sensors.
TonyPi: an AI humanoid robot powered by Raspberry Pi. It is ready for Python. It can recognize colors and faces, follow lines, and even play soccer.
GENIBOT: a coding robot that supports app and unplugged coding. It is ready for Scratch 3.0 and Python. It has line tracing, music, math, and other functions.
xArm 5 Lite Robotic Arm: a Python programmable robot for serious students. It has 3kg payload capacity and 0.1mm repeatability. It has 5 degrees of freedom and 700mm reach.
SpiderPi Pro: a Raspberry Pi 4B robot that teaches students machine vision concepts. It can pick and sort items, recognize shapes, follow lines, and track targets.
HEYKUBE Smart Cube: a smart magic cube that can be programmed through a Python library. It has sensors to track the position and rotation as you play.
Have you found other Python programmable STEM kits? Please share them here.


When it comes to treating samples through incubation, doing so in water is sometimes more reliable than doing so in an open-air chamber. Because of this, the circulating water bath is a very important piece of laboratory equipment. If you plan to invest in a water bath for your laboratory, it is always good if you arm yourself with a bit of knowledge about which features and functions will serve your lab the best.
Circulatory water baths are preferred because the constant rotation of water provides uniformity of the water temperature, but with multiple units available from different manufacturers, it can be hard to narrow down your choices and find the most well-equipped model. There are actually a few really important attributes to look for in the best-designed laboratory water bath.
Perimeter-Directed Water Flow
Perimeter-directed water flow is the best water flow you can find in a circulating water bath. In these units, the water is circulated from the perimeter of the inside of the tank, which effectively pushes the water in a circular motion for consistent, uniform mixing. Because the current to push the water is at the perimeter, the motion will also not interfere with whatever samples you have inside by pushing against and agitating them.
Hinged Lid with Extended Height
If you need to place something inside of your water bath that is taller than the unit itself, you will need to close the lid in order to keep the contents protected from contaminants. Therefore, it is best if you look for a lid that is hinged but offers extended height up over the actual unit. This design can take up more vertical space in the lab, but it is well worth the ability to use multiple container sizes inside the bath without having to leave the lid open.
Water can naturally evaporate if your water bath is in operation for a long duration of time. When the water levels inside of the bath get too low, it can cause the unit to overheat, which will not only damage your unit but also ruin the samples you have inside. The best water baths will have a sensor that detects when water levels are too low. The bath will then automatically shut down the heating elements and signal an alarm to let you know that the water level inside of the tub is too low for operation.
Contact a business that can provide you with laboratory water baths to learn more about what options may be available to you.


Von Restorff Effect definition
The Von Restorff Effect (named after the psychiatrist who first studied it, Hedwig von Restorff) describes our tendency to remember things that stand out or, in other words, that we are more likely to remember the unusual. For example, in a list of words that are all written out in the same way (same size, colour, font, etc.) except for one that is notably different (for instance the only one that is in red), we will obviously notice this one and remember it more clearly. This principle can be applied to all manner of things: words, products, images, communication messages, an unexpected happening during a course of standard events, etc.
This effect manifests itself due to the contrast evoked between one element and the others which causes our brains to wake up and pay more attention, meaning that this different element will not only be noticed in the present moment but stick in our brains for longer. Von Restorff showed in her studies how our eyes and brains are constantly on the lookout for things that disrupt the norm, meaning we are constantly waiting to have our attention seized by anything out of the ordinary. This principle is also known as the Isolation, Prominence or Distinction effect as it is the very fact of being presented with an element that is at odds with everything else.
This principle is often used in the world of marketing and advertising to engage a target audience and is particularly effective in this age of multiple communication platforms. An advert that stands out from the rest (be that through its tone, visuals used, unique message, or other mode of distinction) will be noticed and remembered more clearly than those that are more similar to each other.
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Today in the Allen Park family dentist blog we are going to discuss those small irritations in the mouth that can have the potential of becoming big problems.
Injuries, sores, or inflammation in the mouth can be very uncomfortable. These non-specific irritations, called stomatitis, have many different causes. They may be cause by cold sores, gum disease, or biting the inside of your mouth. They may also be caused by the irritation that results from broken teeth or braces.
In fact, any inflammation of the membranes in the mouth can be classified as stomatitis. Stomatitis can affect a person’s ability to speak, eat, and even to fall asleep at night. These pests can really have an impact on the lives of Dearborn, Allen Park, and Detroit residents!
The good news is that most of these irritations clear up on their own in less than two weeks. However, there is a possibility that a viral or bacterial infection can occur, so it’s important to let your Detroit dentist know about these sores. Even if there are no complications, your dentist can help you treat the symptoms of stomatitis with pain relievers and at-home remedies such as salt water rinses.
Hi, we are Drs. Greg & Joanne Szalai. We take care of patients in the Detroit area at our comfortable and friendly Allen Park dental office. We want our patients to have the best oral health possible. We also want them to look their best, so if you have any questions about a smile makeover, give us a call at 313-928-2323.
Common cosmetic dentistry procedures used in smile makeovers include teeth whitening, gum contouring, veneers, dental bonding, and dental implants.
We hope to see you in our Allen Park office soon!
Drs. Greg & Joanne Szalai
Szalai & Szalai DDS
5329 Allen Rd
Allen Park, Michigan
The following online article was used as source material for this blog:
“Stomatitis”, WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/stomatitis-causes-treatment, accessed on September 11, 2013


The Camisea Pipelines Transportation System (STD) owned by Transportadora de Gas del Peru (TGP) is operated and maintained by Compania Operadora de Gas del Amazonas (COGA). The system consists of two pipelines: a 730-kilometer long Natural Gas (NG) pipeline, which runs from the Upstream facilities in the Malvinas to the Receptor Station in Lurin (south of Lima), which has a loop in the area of Coast of 135 km in length and the Natural Gas Liquids pipeline (NGL) of 557 kilometers, which transports the condensed liquids from Malvinas to Pisco, on the coast of Peru.
In the first 210 km, it crosses a complicated zone of the Peruvian Amazon, between the kilometric poste (KP) 210 and KP 420, the sector of the mountain range is defined and between the KP 420 and KP 730, the coastal sector is located.
Due to the influence area and the project magnitude, solutions for many problems frequently require access to various types of information that can only be geographically related or by their spatial distribution. In this sense the Geographic Information Systems (GIS), provides the necessary tools to store and manage information using these references, thus allowing to analyze patterns of behavior, relationships and trends in information, all with the interest of contributing to the taking of better decisions.
Likewise, given the complicated geography on which the project is developed, as well as the populations dynamic, the threats of geohazards and damages by third parties respectively, require evaluations and field data collection on a permanent basis, this also because it is about threats that are independent of time and that represent the highest percentage of failures for the South American pipelines. In this sense, data collection using GIS technology allows users, through the use of previously established forms, to capture field information, as well as the corresponding photographic record. Also, during the data collection, users have at their disposal on their mobile devices relevant information that allows a more objective spatial and temporal analysis of a specific place. This information is synchronized with the GIS database of the organization and used in the evaluation of risks to the integrity of the pipelines.
This article describes the methodology for field data collection, using GIS technology, as well as the process of validation and publication of the data in the Geodatabase of the company and the benefits associated with having updated and available information to guarantee the best decision making.


The dream about an exam echoes the first time such an anxiety emerged in your thinking, many psychologists and psychoanalysts believe.
This is a dream that everyone has at some time in some form.
Both Freud and Adler talked about the examination dream, and though they had different interpretations, they recognized it as one of the very few common dreams.
It is related to feelings of being to blame for your own failure, the guilt-inducing sense of being unprepared to meet an expectation that you put on your own self.
Developmentally, such feelings come around the school years.
Earlier dreams involve things like falling, as you learn that the external world is full of hard knocks, so that if you fall off a couch it hurts.
But in order to develop the feeling of being unprepared, of not doing your homework so that failure is your own dumb fault, you have to develop a certain sense of internalization, and this comes only during the school years.
Later, the feeling is echoed by many other scenarios in our life where we could have done better but goofed off and didn’t prepare enough.
Going to sleep worried about not preparing for a business meeting, for example, will trigger earlier memories in the same neural network or memory storage system.
The new anxiety triggers the same node, going back to when the feelings were first laid down in memories.
Going to sleep with troublesome business on the back burner of the mind may first trigger a contemporaneous kind of dream, then trigger earlier and earlier examples.
The one you wake up with in the morning is often the early-childhood example of the same anxiety, so your memory of your dream is often the instance most remote in time.


A train covered a certain distance at a uniform speed. If the train would have been 10km/h faster, it would have taken 2 hours less than the schedule time. And, if the trains were slower by 10km/hr, it would have taken 3 hours more than the scheduled time. Find the distance covered by the train.
Let the original speed of train be x km/hr and the schedule time of journey be y hours.
Therefore, s = d/t
i.e. d = xykm.
If speed of the train increases by 10km/hr, then increased speed = (x + 10)km/hr
Time reduces by 2hrs, so reduced time = (y - 2)h
Distance = (x + 10)(y-2) = xy -2x + 10y - 20
In both the cases distances are equal
xy = xy - 2x + 10y - 20
⇒ x - 5y = -10
⇒ x = 5y -10 ----- (1)
If speed is reduced by 10km/hr, then the reduced speed = (x - 10)km/h
If time is increased by 3hr, then the increased time = (y + 3)hr
Then, distance = (x - 10)(y + 3) = xy + 3x - 10y - 30
∴ xy = xy + 3x - 10y - 30
⇒ 3x - 10y = 30 ----- (2)
Using substitution method, subs. (1) in (2), we have
⇒ 3(5y - 10) - 10y = 30
⇒ 15y - 30 - 10y = 30
⇒ 5y = 60
⇒ y = 12
Subs. value of y in (1)
x = 5(12) - 10 = 50
x = 50
Therefore, distance = xy = 50 x 12 = 600km
Hence, distance covered by the train is 600km.


Listening is an important part of following Jesus. The Bible talks about listening a lot and Jesus often used the saying “he who has ears to hear, let him hear”. What do you think Jesus means when he says that?
It can be hard to listen sometimes but we can actually get better at listening. Let’s watch this together and learn three ways to be a good listener:
1 – Let’s review: what are the three skills to practice to be a good listener?
2 – What does it mean to be warm? What are ways we can show respect to someone who is talking? What does it mean to have empathy for someone?
3 – Let’s take an honest look at our family. How well do we do in listening to each other? What are some ways that we can grow in listening as a family?
*ProTip: Parents, let your kids guide this conversation and encourage them to be really honest. It’s easy to think that our kids aren’t great listeners (they sometimes aren’t), but we sometimes miss the ways we don’t show our kids warmth, respect and empathy. Let them answer first and be sure to encourage what they do well.
Bonus: Summertime can sometimes bring out some relational challenges in families. Not listening and being quick to speak can often lead to anger. Start off the summer by memorizing James 1:19-20 together and make “quick to listen and slow to speak” your motto as a family! Ask the Lord to help you and your kids grow in this area this summer.


What is colorectal cancer?
Colorectal Cancer is a type of cancer that originates in the cells of the large intestine and the rectum. Typically, the cancer begins as benign tumors, also known as adenomatous polyps, and over a period of time some of the polyps tend to become cancerous. The rectal cancer also develops in the large intestine, in the extreme lower part of the colon. Together these cancers are also termed as colorectal cancers.
Regular check-up to identify the presence of polyps and their removal is suggested to ensure that the risk of colon cancer is lowered.
What are the causes & risk factors of colorectal cancer?
Colorectal cancer is caused by the genetic mutation of cells turning them from normal to abnormal cells in the colon. The exact cause of the mutation is yet unascertained. Some of the factors that increase the risk of colon cancer are enumerated below:
- History of colon cancer in the family
- Presence of polyps or rectal cancer
- Genetic factors inherited from family
- Low-fibre and high-fat diet
- Sedentary lifestyle with no physical activity
- Type-2 diabetes
- Obesity and excessive weight gain
- Excessive smoking & alcohol abuse
- Undergoing radiation therapy for other cancers
What are the signs & symptoms of colorectal cancer?
The common symptoms of colorectal cancer can be enumerated as the following
- Rectal bleeding or blood in stools
- Frequent diarrhoea or constipation
- Abdominal discomfort – gas, cramps etc.,
- Unexplained weight loss
- Excessive & frequent fatigue
What are the treatment options for colorectal cancer?
The treatment options of colorectal cancers depend on the location and the stage of the cancer, with various surgical options available for each of the stages.
For early stage cancers, the surgical treatment options include:
- Removal of polyps via colonoscopy
- Endoscopic mucosal resection
- Minimally invasive surgical options
For later stage cancers, surgical treatment involves the removal of that part of the colon that is affected by cancer. In other cases, it may be required to create an alternative waste disposal mechanism from the body.


Why hand signals? Can't I just use my voice to warn others?
Yes, you could scream out warnings such as “Clear”, “Car”, “Stopping” etc. However, when in a group the riders in the back may not be able to hear you clearly and certain calls, such as “Clear” and “car”, could sound similar. This is why signaling is more effective. You could accompany a hand signal with a verbal call, if you see the need to do so.
To indicate that you are stopping, hold out your right arm bent 90 degrees at the elbow, palms open facing forward.
An alternative method used is to put your hand behind your back, fist closed and facing the rider behind you.
Stick your left arm out straight with your palm open and facing the road.
Stick your right arm out straight with your palm open and facing the road.
HAZARDS ON THE ROAD
With roads come potholes and other such obstructions like loose gravel, spilled sand etc. Some of these obstacles may cause a rider to fall if encountered with the wheel.
To prevent avoidable accidents, use your hand and point at the area with the hazard and make a circling motion with your pointer or index finger. If it is something such as loose gravel, spread your fingers out and move them up and down. This indicates it is more serious a hazard.
MOVING TO THE BACK OF THE LINE
If you are riding in a single file or a train, and you decide that you want to move to the back of the line, don't randomly cut off from the side and go behind. This could cause some serious accidents. To indicate that you are going to do so, while keeping your hands on the handlebar, flick out your right/left elbow away from your body, depending on which side of the group you mean to drift back on.
If you are riding in a group and are heading towards a narrow road that requires you ride in a single file, indicate so. Raise your arm vertically above your helmet and use an open palm to point forward.
To indicate that you are slowing down, stretch your arm out to the side, and move your palm up and down (like you're dribbling a ball)


If you are sexually active, even if you have only one partner, you are at risk for contracting a sexually-transmitted disease (STD). Just because a person looks completely healthy doesn’t mean they are disease free. Get tested as soon as possible.
What Are STDs?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that are transmitted during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. They are very common and many people who have them don’t show any symptoms. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 20 million new infections occur each year, nearly half among young men and women ages 15 to 24. The causes of STDs are bacteria, parasites, and viruses. There are more than 20 types of STDs, including:
- Genital Herpes
- Hepatitis B and C
What Are The Symptoms?
STD symptoms vary from disease to disease. Many of these STDs do not show symptoms for a long time. Even without symptoms, they can still be harmful and passed on during sex. Generally, if you do experience symptoms, they will include unusual vaginal/penile discharge, a burning sensation that accompanies urination, sores or ulcers, and pain during intercourse.
Free and Confidential STD Testing
If you think you or your partner has an STD, you need to be tested as soon as possible. The sooner you discover the STD, treatment options can be explored and the spread of infection can be stopped. Choices Resource Center provides free and confidential testing and treatment for chlamydia. In addition, we offer free and confidential testing and referral for the treatment of gonorrhea. Medicine can cure some STDs, like chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other STDs, like herpes, can’t be cured, but you can take medicine to help with the symptoms.
Please call (865) 483-0099 for more information about our free, confidential STD tests or request an appointment today.


In a bid to study the migration pattern of elephants and to reduce human-elephant conflict in the central-eastern landscape of the country, the Union environment and forest ministry is mulling GPS tracking of pachyderms in the region, ministry officials said. The idea was discussed in a meeting, called by the ministry on Thursday to formulate a regional management plan for tackling human-elephant conflict. Chief wildlife wardens from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and independent experts participated in the meeting.
Between 2005-06, elephant movement was tracked in north Bengal by Indian Institute of Science. Before that between 2001-2004, the World Wildlife Fund used a VHF radio-collar for tracking elephants in Kerala. “Unlike big cats, elephants are not territorial and migrate long distances. Only 20-23% of their migration happens through protected areas such as national parks and sanctuaries while they traverse outside these areas rest of time, bringing them in close contact with human habitations,” said a senior ministry official.
According to ministry officials, the central-eastern landscape sees the maximum conflict despite having a low concentration of elephant population. As per official data, the central-eastern landscape accounts for just above 10 per cent of the elephant population but almost 70 per cent of human deaths due to elephant attacks are recorded from this region. In south Bengal alone, where an estimated 120 elephants are found, around 70 deaths were recorded last year. Odisha, West Bengal and Assam records high casualties due to conflict each year, official data shows. While West Bengal saw 89 human deaths last year, Odisha recorded 64 deaths.
Independent expert Raman Sukumar, who participated in Thursday’s meeting said that the conflict in central-eastern landscape has been neglected and both short term and long term projects were required to reduce it. “We need detailed mapping of landscapes and habitats where elephants move along with the disturbances. Using GPS tracking will reveal their movement across seasons and indicate reasons behind their movement near human habitations,” said Sukumar, professor, Centre for Ecological Sciences
He added, “We also have historical data on dispersal of elephants and that should be put to use for reducing conflict and identifying elephant corridors.”


Evolving Education System
- 29 November 2022
The most effective institution for giving kids the ability to grasp and set lofty goals is education! Since the beginning of time, education has been prioritized above everything else, and it is our primary obligation as educators to prepare students for life. The schools give children a chance to deal with real-world challenges and develop their entire personalities.
Being an educator myself, I love to draw a contrast at times, to analyze what we were and how far have we come in the field of education. So, thought of sharing the same with you!
With that in mind, we currently need to carefully assess if the system’s domain suits the interests of the students or not. Are we constructing machines, and are we to blame for not giving them enough resources to suit our requirements today?
There needs to be an instant change to the education system’s unchanging pattern. The procedure’s importance compromises its usefulness. Instead of only adhering to the outdated traditional methods of instruction, the students must enhance their skills. In addition, those who live in an era of invention, where many wandering creative minds are active, should possess the magic wand necessary to fully investigate who they are and prepare for society.
It gives me immense pleasure to be part of one of the best international schools in India. In order to establish the foundation for their future, the students at Oakridge International School are given a platform both inside and outside the classroom to identify and develop their innate skills.
Everything we encounter teaches us something, so we should never stop learning. If children are given a conducive environment that reflects their interests, it can work wonders for them and bring about a change.
Secondary English Facilitator


Education on sunscreen use vital to prevent melanoma risk
Although most survivors of melanoma take precautions to protect their skin from the sun and further occurrences of cancer, a study by Yale researchers revealed that more than a quarter do not use sunscreen when outside for more than an hour and more than 2 percent still use tanning beds.
As such, Anees B. Chagpar, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of surgery at Yale School of Medicine, has recommended the data is used to educate the general population, as the results revealed that only 17.2 percent of Americans will always use sunscreen and 5.5 percent still use tanning beds.
"We know that melanoma is a malignancy prevalent in our population, and we know that for many people with melanoma, sun exposure is a major risk factor for recurrence and sun protection may reduce their chances of getting melanoma again," says Chagpar.
"Although we found that melanoma survivors did better than the general public at protecting their skin from the sun, we also found that more than a quarter of melanoma survivors never wear sunscreen. That blew my mind."
Chagpar and colleagues evaluated data from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, presenting it at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013, held in Washington, D.C., focusing on data collected on self-reported history of melanoma, sun protection practices and indoor tanning.
Of 27,120 adults, 171 had a prior history of melanoma. Researchers found that compared with those individuals who reported no history of melanoma, survivors were more likely to cover themselves, stay in the shade or wear sunscreen if out on sunny day for more than an hour.
However, 27.3 percent of melanoma survivors still reported never wearing sunscreen highlighting that further education may still be needed.
"We now know that a significant proportion of melanoma survivors still could be doing better. This study speaks to what we could do to educate melanoma survivors on how to prevent recurrence," Chagpar said.


Component Qualification Validation
In quality assessment of semiconductor components, the engineering processes of characterization and qualification are important in order to finalise, verify and accept a product specification. This may be for the launch of a new device or for specific customer assurance to begin use of an existing specification for their project.
What is validation?
Validation is a sequence of electrical and mechanical test processes which determine whether the product being proposed meets a pre-existing specification. A detailed verification of the product is undertaken against the specification to assess whether device quality and all key performance indices are met.
- Quality assurance if a device is new or there is no significant mass production reliability data available
- Quality assurance when the application is high reliability and intolerant to failure or batch-to-batch variation. e.g. military, medical, space, oil and gas
- Quality assurance if component provenance is undocumented or there is uncertainty of suitability due to age, origin or a potential for counterfeit risk.
- On-going process control and production quality control, e.g. yield optimisation
- Measurement of critical parameters not otherwise testable in unencapsulated format.
How is validation performed?
A test process is applied which can follow either standard industry process, a customer product specific document such as a SCD (Source Control Drawing) or a bespoke customised test flow.
Typical steps are:
- Test concept development
- Software development
- Test hardware development
- Test verification
- Electrical testing
- exit inspection
- Data evaluation and documentation
The product is a data pack for further analysis.
View our parametric electrical test capability.


Cyanobacteria, especially the Nostoc and Spirulina genera, have been used for centuries as food, and currently their biotechnological potential is notable for the presence of several compounds relevant to the market, such as pigments and antioxidants. Cyanobacteria are appealing because of the increasing demand for natural pigments and antioxidants over the synthetic ones. Because cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms, one of the factors that most influences their metabolism is the level of incident light. However, the relationship between light intensity and the synthesis of bioactive compounds is not well understood in all species. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the influence of different light intensities on the yield of biomass and pigments present in Nostoc spp. isolates. Lower intensities were more advantageous in terms of the yield of phycobiliproteins and chlorophyll a. For the isolates examined in the present study, the content of light-absorbing pigments, such as chlorophyll a and phycobiliproteins, was higher when the light availability was low. When the light availability increased, the content of these pigments decreased as a strategy for prevention of photo-oxidative damage caused by the production of free radicals. However, with respect to carotenoids, after the content of light-absorbing pigments decreased, it increased again at higher irradiances, which reflects the function of these pigments as dissipaters of excess absorbed light energy and as antioxidants in the photosynthetic apparatus.
Keywords: Carotenoids, Cyanobacteria, chlorophyll., phycobiliproteins, pigments


If ever there was more reason to ensure you purchase sustainable timber products, a new study has estimated the number of trees on the planet and human’s influence on them.
A report on the BBC News website said that the study from Thomas Crowther at Yale University suggests there are over three trillion trees on Earth. The figure was produced through analyzing ground survey data with satellite pictures. The estimate was realized through data collected from over 400,000 forest plots around the world.
The study also suggests there are 1.39 trillion trees in the tropics and sub-tropics, 0.61 trillion in temperate regions, and 0.74 trillion in the boreal forests – the great band of conifers that circles the globe just below the Arctic.
Humans are cutting down 15 billion trees a year and rough estimates show only around 5 billion are being replanted each year. Although only 0.35% of the total, it shows human consumption of timber is huge. We need to maintain our forested areas because forests are natural highly efficient carbon sinks. Trees absorb CO2 through photosynthesis and release oxygen. By controlling carbon output, we can also limit the impact of climate change.
Here at the Solid Wood Flooring Company, we can help lessen the impact on the world’s ecosystems, by committing to use only FSC and PEFC certified timber sources for our wood flooring. We only supply Oak, Bamboo, Walnut and Canadian Maple timber flooring from sustainable sources and make sure not to use endangered or exotic wood species.
The Solid Wood Flooring Company were recently commended by the WWF for our efforts in sourcing sustainable timber for our flooring products and were awarded the top marks of three trees. All employees here are also keen supporters of the WWF’s Save the Forest campaign.
For more information on our Sustainability Policies, please visit our Architects section.
You can rest assured that when buying a unique and beautiful FSC Certified wood floor made by our team of expert craftsmen, not only will you get a floor that can last a life time, you will be purchasing the most environmentally friendly flooring possible.


Founded in 1985 by journalists and scholars The National Security Archive (NSA) works to put a check on rising government secrecy. The NSA combines a unique range of useful functions:
- a center for investigative journalism
- a research institute on international affairs
- a library and archive of declassified U.S. documents
- an advocate for open government
- an indexer and publisher of former secrets
White House Visitor Logs
NSA offers a place to spend some time in the working of government. For example, small things can reveal larger questions such as ending the disclosure of visitors to the White House log by POTUS45. (here)
Post 9/11 Policy
Because the information is drawn largely from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests the archive makes it possible to look to the past for some insight into the future. Changes in public policy, after 9/11 is covered in a detailed essay that outlines a long list of initiatives implemented to alter negative views of the United States in the Middle East in this example.
FEC Foils FOIA
The National Security Archive Audit found that only 38 out of 99 federal agencies have updated their FOIA regulations in compliance with the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. The Federal Election Commission was one of them. It passed with bipartisan, bicameral support. The law requires agencies to update their FOIA regulations within 180 days of passage. It was June 30, when President Obama signed the act which made December 27, 2016, the deadline.
The NSA alone provide insights, however, all the details are on FOIA.gov
Source: National Security Archive | 30+ Years of Freedom of Information Action
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Problems At School?
Resources can be found at: http://tellbullyingtell.weebly.com/
- Unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.
- The behavior is repeated over time and intended to cause distress.
- Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, harming someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
*** There are many other types of aggressive behavior that don’t fit the definition of bullying. This does not mean that they are any less serious or require less attention than bullying. Rather, these behaviors require different prevention and response strategies.
- Bullying that takes place using electronic technology.
- Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.
- Under federal civil rights laws, harassment is unwelcome conduct based on a protected class (race, national origin, color, sex, age, disability, religion) that is severe, pervasive, or persistent and creates a hostile environment.
- Although bullying and harassment sometimes overlap, not all bullying is harassment and not all harassment is bullying.
If your situation does NOT meet one of the definitions above, please do one of the following:
Peer Conflict -It is not bullying when two kids with no perceived power imbalance fight, have an argument, or disagree. Conflict resolution or peer mediation may be appropriate for these situations.
If you would like to request a meeting with a counselor please CLICK HERE.
BULLY BUTTON: If your situations DOES meet the definition of bullying or harassment, click HERE!