SHTFPreparedness may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
Whether you’re trying to save money, prepare for a long-term disaster, or simply want to be as self-sufficient as possible, one of the best things you can do is plant lots of trees. There are countless benefits of having some good fruit, nut, and medicinal trees on your property.
Foods You Can Make With Trees
For example, having some fruit trees such as apple trees, pear trees, and cherry trees means you’ll have extra food for snacking. You can use the fruit to make jams, jellies, pies, pastries, juice, vinegar, syrup, applesauce, and so forth. And we haven’t even mentioned nut trees. For example, acorns are high in calories and can be used to make flour for cooking and baking.
Yes, you could stockpile those things ahead of time, but that can be expensive, and eventually, your supply will run out. With fruit trees, you’ll have fresh fruit year after year.
Benefits of Having Fruit Trees
Having more food to eat isn’t the only advantage of planting and growing trees. Fresh fruit is full of vitamins and fiber, both of which are crucial for good health. Having trees also means having firewood, along with wood you can use for smoking fish and game.
There are also many trees with medicinal benefits. For example, the white willow xylem contains something known as salacin, which is the active ingredient in aspirin. By making an infusion with white willow bark, you can make an effective pain reliever.
Which Trees Are Best To Plant?
So by now, you realize how important it is to plant trees in addition to traditional garden plants. But what are the best trees to plant?
That is debatable, but a few good options include apple trees, pear trees, cherry trees, mulberry trees, oak trees, white willow trees, and ginko trees. If you live in the right part of the country, you could also plant orange and lemon trees. Be sure to find out which trees will thrive in your area before you start planting.


Becker Elementary is proud to implement a Social Emotional Learning program as part of the Austin Independent School District’s focus on educating the whole child. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) teaches the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships, and our work effectively and ethically. These skills include recognizing and managing our emotions, developing caring and concern for others, establishing positive relationships, making responsible decisions, and handling challenging situations constructively and ethically.
Our Becker Bobcats all participate in weekly social emotional learning lessons, in which our wonderful staff teach critical life skills. In addition to the lessons, our Becker teaching staff integrate social emotional learning into all aspects of the day, including at daily morning assembly. Our Becker community also participates in the Compassion Games, which focus on global unity, throughout the year. Students and staff work on demonstrating compassion for self, others, and the earth and draw awareness to these acts that lead naturally to their replication. This year, our compassion games will culminate on the United Nations International Day of Peace, which we’ll celebrate with Peace through Pie. These initiatives support students’ living by our Becker Guidelines for Success (Perseverance, Responsibility, Respect) and are part of the Bobcat identity. Students are recognized for displaying these at morning assembly on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Your mistakes do not define you. Mirror, mirror on the wall There's a leader in us all! Todo esfuerzo da su fruto. Mural by Acso Darling


An official website of the United States government
Both the unemployment rate, 5.9 percent, and the number of unemployed persons, 8.7 million, were essentially unchanged in November.
Unemployment rates for most of the major worker groups—adult men (5.7 percent), adult women (5.1 percent), teenagers (15.5 percent), whites (5.2 percent) and Hispanics or Latinos (7.4 percent)—were little changed. The rate for blacks (10.2 percent) was down over the month. The unemployment rate for Asians was 5.2 percent, not seasonally adjusted.In November, 2.0 million unemployed persons had been looking for work for 27 weeks or longer, about the same level as in October. They represented 23.7 percent of the total unemployed.
These data are from the Current Population Survey. Numbers in this article are seasonally adjusted, unless otherwise specified. For more information, see The Employment Situation: November 2003 (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 03-817.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unemployment rate in November at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2003/dec/wk2/art02.htm (visited June 01, 2023).


Read the text below.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently announced that it is willing to pay private companies that can collect dirt, rocks, and other minerals from the Moon.
Companies that intend to sell lunar resources will need to provide proof that they have indeed collected samples by sending images and data to NASA. According to NASA, it is willing to buy samples that weigh between 50 to 500 grams for $15,000 to $25,000. The space agency will eventually retrieve the rock samples and bring them back to Earth.
Through this initiative, NASA would like to set the norm for buying resources found on the Moon and other off-world locations. According to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, the space agency wants to buy lunar dirt, rocks, and other minerals to show that it is possible to get resources from the Moon. He added that the move can become the first step in creating a marketplace for outer space resources, and the policies that will be put into practice during these transactions may pave the way for space exploration and further discoveries.
NASA intends to utilize the lunar resources for its Artemis program, a space mission that aims to send the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024.
Through the Artemis program, NASA aims to make humans’ lunar travel sustainable by creating a prolonged presence on or around the Moon. Utilizing available resources on the Moon is an important part of the program’s goal because it will eliminate the need for NASA to send all resources that astronauts will need from Earth.


We have stated that the Earth will be under volcanic dust gloom for 25 years. Obviously, this will depend upon region,
proximity to burping volcanoes, being down or upwind of same, and elevation. Our emissary, Nancy, has developed an
animated graphic, shortly after ZetaTalk began, which is available from the Pole Shift TOPIC in the Info section. This
shows the Earth turned to its new geography, with major volcanic regions pouring gray dust into the atmosphere. After a
few turns of the globe, indicating time passing, this creates a gray cloud cover of sorts over the entire globe. However, this
is not entirely true, and we will explain the differences.
Volcanic gloom is always heavier within a thousand miles down wind from the volcano. Thus, if one if outside of the downwind corridor, one escapes this heavy fallout. Volcanic gloom is always heavier at lower elevations in such places, as the heavier particles fall back to Earth, after being air born by the force of heat rising or explosions, and high elevations some 500 miles downwind from a burping volcano might find they have less dust than a lower elevation 1,000 miles downwind. The size of the volcano also matters, and whether it is under water of above ground. As silly as this statement seems, this is something to consider when planning a survival location. Remember that the sea level will rise, our estimate some 675 feet above current levels. If a volcano, such as those in Indonesia or the Philippines or Central America, goes under water during this time, the ash will be carried by water, not air. Also, some volcanoes ooze, others belch, and the amount of ash differs.
Thus, some areas will find themselves groping through the dusk for 40 years, as Moses reported where he wandered just east of the volcanoes in the Mediterranean, and other locations will find the gloom like overcast days, the sun rarely shinning through, but occasional sunlight beaming through like a promise. In those areas, which can be plotted by careful analysis of the new geography and factors to be considered, survivors will find vegetation struggling through, but crops will still be pathetic to nonexistent. These areas will find after 15 years, that the gloomy days are lightening up, and think this a return to normalcy, in their joy.


Accreditation is a way to enforce education quality. In the United States, accrediting agencies work with the Department of Education to review post-secondary education programs and ensure quality control. These agencies assess student services, courses, educational resources, and faculty experience. Accreditation allows students to transfer credits and sit exams for post-graduate programs. Grand Canyon University accreditation is regional, so students can use credits earned at that university to transfer or gain admission to other accredited institutions.
There are three main types of accreditation in the US.
1. Regional Accreditation
Regional accreditation is the most common type to receive. Accreditation agencies break up the US into six regions. All accredited schools in one region are evaluated according to the standards of the regional agency. For example, Grand Canyon University accreditation professionals include regional peer reviewers in order to ensure the university continually meets current educational standards.
2. National Accreditation
Some accreditation agencies do offer national accreditation. This type of accreditation is common for for-profit institutions, as well as career-based institutions, like technical colleges and vocational schools. Credit transfer tends to be an issue between regionally and nationally accredited institutions. Generally, nationally accredited schools accept credits from other nationally accredited schools, but not from regionally accredited ones. The same can be said for regionally accredited institutions.
3. Specialized Accreditation
Also called programmatic accreditation, this type of accreditation is meant for specific degree programs offered by a freestanding educational institution, rather than a department within a larger institution. Programs eligible to receive specialized accreditation include legal, healthcare, humanities and performing arts. This type of accreditation typically applies across the US for the institution’s program.
Accreditation is an important aspect of quality assurance in higher education. When you’re looking into higher education, it can be a good idea to check the accreditation statuses of schools you’re interested in.


The working principle of the dynamic sterilization and disinfection machine developed by Liden Environmental Protection Institute uses its plasma generator to generate a large number of positive and negative ions. The charged ion clusters actively attack the virus and bacteria, destroy the cell membrane, the DNA and protein of the virus, and rapidly inactivate the air bacteria and viruses until they are killed and decomposed, which has reached the standard of the shelter hospital
The dynamic air disinfector is used by many food production enterprises. Now it is generally used in food cooling and packaging, which can effectively avoid the secondary pollution of our food by microorganisms in the air during cooling and packaging. After using the dynamic air disinfector, the food safety problems caused by excessive microorganisms in food are avoided. It reduces pollution and greatly improves the shelf life of our food.
When the machine is started, the indoor air containing bacteria will be sucked into the machine. The first layer of sterilization chamber will kill the natural bacteria in the air, the second layer will kill the mold in the air, and the third layer will kill the legionella in the air. When disinfecting indoor air, workers can produce simultaneously, without any harm to human body and any residue to food, medicine and other products. It is mainly used for uninterrupted and continuous synchronous dynamic disinfection in the presence of people.
The technology of dynamic sterilizing machine is very mature now. The machine does not need to be stopped at work, just shut down after work, even if our 24-hour work can always be open to disinfect our workshop. The dynamic air disinfector can work in the presence of people without any harm to the human body.
The dynamic air disinfector is a machine that can realize the simultaneous sterilization of the air in the workshop while the workers are working. The key is that it will not cause any harm to the health of our workers. High voltage ion plasma electrostatic field is used to decompose and break down bacteria, carbonize and adsorb dust, and then combine drug impregnated activated carbon and electrostatic mesh components for secondary sterilization and filtration. A large amount of clean air after treatment circulates rapidly.


Backyard Birds of Spring, Summer, and Fall
Throughout the year, a wide diversity of birds can be seen in Lawrence and surrounding areas. Some are year-round residents; some are passing through on their migration; and many come in spring to breed and raise young before moving on. Here are some of the birds most commonly seen in our area spring through fall.
Blackbirds & Orioles
Year-round: Red-winged Blackbird; Brown-headed Cowbird; Common Grackle.
Breeding Season: Baltimore Oriole (shown); Orchard Oriole; Eastern Meadowlark; Brown-headed Cowbird.
Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Buntings
Year-round: Northern Cardinal.
Breeding Season: Indigo Bunting (shown); Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Summer Tanager.
Chickadees & Titmice
Year-round: Black-capped Chickadee; Tufted Titmouse; White-breasted Nuthatch
Crows, Magpies & Jays
Year-round: American Crow; Blue Jay
Breeding season: Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Spring/Fall migrants: Black-billed Cuckoo.
Year-round: House Finch; American Goldfinch. Winter: Purple Finch.


Is it envy or jealousy?
One of the common questions my editing clients ask me is, "What's the difference between envy and jealousy? Which word should I use?"
The two words describe slightly different emotional states, but sometimes it's hard to tease them apart. I like to put it this way: Envy says, "I want this to be me also." Jealousy says, "I want this to be me instead."
In other words, envy means you look at someone else and you wish you also had whatever they have (that great job, that fabulous suit, that gorgeous lover). In envy's ideal world, the end situation would involve both of you having the thing you're envious about.
Jealousy is a little different. It involves a feeling that the other person has something that should be yours; in other words, you think you should have that great job or fabulous suit or gorgeous lover and they shouldn't. Jealousy says, "They have something that's rightfully mine." In jealousy's ideal world, you would have the thing you're jealous about and the other person wouldn't.
There's a big difference between the two in terms of how the emotion drives motivation, and this is important if you're writing characters who experience either envy or jealousy. If your character is envious, that might motivate them to work hard to achieve similar results on their own. But if your character is jealous, that might motivate them to try to take away whatever the other person has, since jealousy says, "That should be mine and not yours."
So which one does your character experience: envy or jealousy? And where does that lead your story?


I've been learning a bit about heat waves.
The WMO defines heat waves as a sequence of five straight days when the daily maximum temperature exceeds the average maximum temperature by 5 °C. Heat waves can extend much longer than 5 days and can exceed average maximums by much more than 5°C. Although heat waves are a categorical classification, they are part of continuous variation in climate.
Here at Konza, over the past 25 years, there has been a lot of variation in climate. We haven't had a major drought since 1980 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_United_States_heat_wave). One thing I didn't have in my head is when the heat waves come and how hot they can be. With the standard definition of heat waves, heat waves should be equally likely across the year. Yet, if you look at the climate data for Konza, the strongest heat waves happen a bit later in the year than one might think.
I took the climate data for Konza and averaged the maximum temperature for each day in 15-day periods from early July to early September. It turns out that the hottest mean daily temperatures are in late July (not shown), but the strongest heat waves are in late August.
Here's a graph of the min and max mean daily maximum temperatures for 15-day periods from 1984-2010.
Although the hottest mean temperatures are generally at the end of July (not shown), the greatest heat waves come at the end of August. In 2003, high temps averaged 40°C for 2 weeks in the last two weeks of August.
Ecologically, the interesting questions about heat waves become how plants (and animals) respond to heat waves at different times of year. Most C4 grasses are shutting down in early September. One would think that heat waves at that time of year would have much of an effect compared to ones in July or early August.
At some point, we'll have another summer like 1980. Preparedness is an important topic, but also for ecologists. I wonder if we're measuring the right things so that when it comes around we can understand our ecosystems better.


Have you been experiencing dry mouth? If so, you may be wondering what causes dry mouth and what you can do about it. Aside from being an annoyance, dry mouth can cause serious dental issues. Read on to learn more about causes, treatments, and dental care as related to dry mouth.
Dry mouth, clinically referred to as xerostomia, can be caused by a variety of conditions and behaviors. For example, many medications have the side effect of dry mouth. This includes many medications for blood pressure and other common conditions. Additionally, going through more serious medical treatment, such as radiation therapy, can cause this side effect.
Experiencing dry mouth may also be a symptom of an underlying condition. For example, if you suffer from “silent” acid reflux, where you don’t experience pain, you might instead notice a dryer mouth. If you breathe through your mouth at right, which may be caused by sleep apnea or congestion, you may also end up with dry mouth.
Foods and Drinks to Alleviate Dry Mouth
Dental Damage from Dry Mouth
Gum disease: Gum disease is a common complication of dry mouth. Caused by a bacterial infection from plaque and tartar buildup at the gums, gum disease is dangerous to oral health because it increases the risk of tooth decay, allowing decay to reach the tooth roots. Gum disease may even spread to the structures supporting the teeth, resulting in loose teeth and tooth loss.
Tooth decay: Dry mouth allows harmful acids, plaque, and food remnants to stay on the teeth, often resulting in tooth decay.
Enamel erosion: Acids left on the teeth as a result of dry mouth can lead to enamel erosion, a loss of the protective layer of the teeth. As the enamel erodes, the teeth are left vulnerable to tooth decay and root canal infection.
Dental staining: Dry mouth increases the risk of dental staining and discoloration as a result of enamel erosion and increased levels of plaque and food debris on the teeth.


Reasoning is one of the most important sections in a Competitive exam. You can score a great marks in competitive exams, if you get a good score in Reasoning test. This can be achieve only if you have a very good reasoning skills. Basically reasoning is divided into few sections according to logic and type. This Essential Part topic is one of them.
Essential Part is one of the important topic in reasoning section. In Essential Part questions, each question contains a word followed by answer choices. It is important to choose the word that is a necessary part of the word given in the question.
Example 1:- Guitar
a) band b) teacher c) song d) strings
Answer:- d) strings
Explanation: A guitar does not exist without strings, so strings are an essential part of a guitar. A band is not necessary to a guitar (choice a). Guitar playing can be learned without a teacher (choice b). Songs are by products of a guitar (choice c).
Example 2:- Pain
a) cut b) hurt c) nuisance d) burn
Answer:- b) hurt
Explanation: Pain is suffering or hurt, so choice b is the essential element. Without hurt, there is no pain. A cut (choice a) or a burn (choice d) may cause pain, but so do many other types of injury. A nuisance (choice c) is an annoyance that may or may not cause pain.
One of the most important chapters of Reasoning aptitude test is Essential Part. In your reasoning exam, few questions will definitely come from this topic. Here in this page we will discuss Essential Part reasoning with solution which will help you to solve Essential Part questions very easily and quickly.
LearnFrenzy provides you lots of fully solved Essential Part Questions and Answers with explanation.


Elsevier, Health Policy, Volume 124, June 2020
Achieving the SDGs: Evaluating indicators to be used to benchmark and monitor progress towards creating healthy and sustainable cities
In 2016, the World Health Organization declared that ‘Health is one of the most effective markers of any city's successful sustainable development’ (World Health Organisation, 2016). With estimates that around 6.7 billion people will live in cities by 2050, 21st century city planning decisions will play a critical role in achieving the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They will determine the city structure and access to health-enhancing (or health-damaging) urban environments, and ultimately lifestyle choices that impact both individual and planetary health.
Elsevier, The Lancet, Volume 388, 8 October 2016
Measuring the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in 188 countries: a baseline analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
Background In September, 2015, the UN General Assembly established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs specify 17 universal goals, 169 targets, and 230 indicators leading up to 2030. We provide an analysis of 33 health-related SDG indicators based on the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 (GBD 2015). Methods We applied statistical methods to systematically compiled data to estimate the performance of 33 health-related SDG indicators for 188 countries from 1990 to 2015.


Bones and Skin
Calcium absorption from a variety of sources, can help keep your bones strong, to avoid the condition known as osteoporosis.
But dietary calcium can only help strengthen your bones, if it's absorbed and delivered properly. Uptake of minerals like calcium, amino acids and vitamins by your digestive system, is in part dependent upon a normally functioning GI tract. With a more permeable or "leaky" gut, your system may not absorb the nutrients it needs, including calcium.
In fact, not only can leaky gut cause a deficiency of calcium, it may also allow undigested food molecules to directly enter the bloodstream. If these incompletely digested molecules are proteins – like dairy products – they may then come under attack from your immune system as foreign bodies, potentially causing inflammatory reactions. Ultimately, these can show up as food allergies and a variety of autoimmune diseases.
Loss of calcium can occur when the overall pH of your body lowers, which indicates that it is becoming more acidic. To combat this acid load, your body may pull calcium out of your bones to very effectively buffer the pH back up to healthy levels, so your systems can function normally. While this use of calcium can remedy your pH problem temporarily, it can also cause long-term issues of calcium depletion.
Osteoporosis, Starches, Sugars
Starches and sugars may contribute to an increased acid load in your body. So do some forms of protein. But plant protein, like that found in ProBiotein, seems not to. Additionally, through fermentation, ProBiotein has had its starches removed, and its proteins concentrated. By keeping your uptake of calcium working optimally, adding plant protein with starches removed that don't acidify your system, ProBiotein may help in the daily battle against osteoporosis.


IELTS Writing Sample #129
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of the following topic:
According to those in the travel business, the nature of the average
'holiday' is changing. Rather than seeking a relaxing break in a far-away place,
people now want exitement on their holidays and are keen to participate in
unusual and challenging activities.
Do you agree or disagree?
You should write at least 250 words.
Use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and with relevant evidence.
Holidays are important because they provide a break from our normal daily
routine and from the world of work. Traditionally, holidays have been seen as a
time for relaxation and as an opportunity to visit another country in order to
find out about its geography and customs. Nowadays, however, it seems that other
types of holiday are becoming popular.
Some people want their holiday to be a kind of adventure, and find this more exciting than going to the beach or visiting museums. On an adventure holiday, you may stay in quite basic accommodation, rather than a luxurious hotel. Activities may involve things such as bush walking or cycling, or may form part of an aid project designed to help communities in remote areas. Holidays such as these are popular with people of all ages and can often help to promote tourism in rural environments.
The increasing popularity of dangerous sports has also boosted the number of adventure holidays; for example, water sports, mountain climbing or paragliding. These holidays are more popular with the younger generation, as they can be both physically and mentally demanding. Participants are often seeking the sort of thrills that they cannot get in ordinary life.
There is now greater awareness of the damaging effects of mass tourism and this may be one reason for the changing nature of holidays. This can only be a good thing. But perhaps people are also discovering that it is just as refreshing to take an active holiday, as it is to lie on a beach - though that is still a question of personal preference.


Urinary catheters have been used for more than 3,500 years to drain the bladder when it cannot drain itself. They are made of rubber, plastic, or silicone materials. They come in many shapes and sizes and are an essential member of the urological supplies family.
Urinary catheters are used if for some reason the bladder will not empty itself. When urine builds up in the bladder, it puts pressure on the kidneys. This can be incredibly dangerous because the pressure can lead to kidney failure and permanently damage the kidneys.
Reasons for Catheter Use
There are many reasons that a person's bladder is not properly functional, and therefore a catheter is required. The most common reason is that the flow of urine is blocked by something like a kidney stone, blood clot, or severely enlarged prostate gland. Surgery on the prostate gland or genital area may also result in the need for a catheter. Finally, nerve injury, spinal cord injury, certain medications, or physical disability may warrant the use of a catheter.
Types of Catheters
Intermittent catheters are also referred to as short-term catheters. After a surgery, for example, a patient may only need a catheter for a short period of time while they recover.
There are also indwelling and external catheters available for patients. Indwelling catheters can have a short or long-term use, and reside inside of the bladder. External catheters are placed outside of the body and are typically more comfortable.
Closed system catheters are a self-contained, sterile, pre-lubricated catheter housed within a collection bag. Closed system catheters are a part of the intermittent family. The self-contained collection bag makes it a great type of catheter for patients who need a wheelchair or cannot easily get out of bed. Closed system catheters also have a very minimal risk of infection because of the type of introducer tip it uses. They come in many different sizes, so they can be used for almost every patient who requires a catheter.
Urinary catheters are very beneficial for patients who cannot urinate on their own, regardless of the reason. They are available in hospitals as well as for home care. If you need more information on catheters, contact us today.


What is Cytology?
Cytology is an examination of a sample using a microscope. The sample is first processed so that certain features are easier to see under the microscope. In veterinary medicine, it is most frequently used to look at material collected from an animal's ears or skin to try to determine what might be causing symptoms.
Common Cytology Findings
Yeast and Fungi
White Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells
What do the cytology values mean?
The technician looks at the sample under a microscope to see if there are any cells, microbes, parasites, or bugs present. If they see any of these things, they count how many they see and report the number. Because they are looking at a magnified image, they cannot see the entire slide. So they count what they see in several areas and report a range. The magnification used determines how large the area is that they see. That is why the range includes either /LPF (low powered field) or /HPF (high powered field) after it.
What does a cytology report for a healthy animal look like?
Animal ears and skin are not sterile, so it is normal to see some spherical (cocci) shaped bacteria and yeast in a sample. Some skin cells are also generally present in samples. Mites and other parasites should never be seen. Rod shaped bacteria and blood cells should not been seen either.
Want to get updates about us?
Sign up here to receive occasional emails about our products.


From Preschool – 12th grade, our students are learning about and celebrating Native American Heritage Month. Here are a few examples:
In Ms. Faith’s Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten music classes, students learned songs in the language of the Mi’kmaq Tribe in Canada and learned a social dance called the “Cherokee Bear Dance” from musician Martha Redbone, who is part Cherokee, part African-American. She spent much of her childhood in the Black Mountain, Kentucky with her grandparents.
Ms. Dayton’s first graders are learning about groups of Native Americans from three parts of the United States: the Woodland, the Plains, and the Southwest. Students are comparing and contrasting their homes, what they wore, what they ate, and what they are known for.
Ms. Brock’s second graders are studying American tribes of the woodlands, plains, and the Inuit of Alaska. They also learned an authentic woodland hunting dance and are making Inuit laughing masks.
Fourth graders with Ms. Rash are participating in and studying drum circles. With Ms. Dewberry they were introduced to what a Land Acknowledgement is. Students found the name of the tribe that lived on the land where our School sits and presented their findings at morning meeting. Two fourth graders presented a Land Acknowledgement acknowledging that the land our school is on was once the home of the Kaskaskia people. Our School community thanked them for taking care of this beautiful land.
Ms. Holmes’ sixth grade students also have done research about what tribes were the original inhabitants of the land where our School is today.
In High School, Ms. Pecknold’s US History class is discussing westward expansion, which will include discussions of the Sand Creek Massacre and the Ghost Dance.


Common Argillaceous Slate, or Schistus
- Class 2. Earths.
- Order 2. Aggregate.
- Schistus. Linn. Syst. ed. 13. 3. 37.
- Argillite. Kirw. 354.
- Argile schisteuse. Haüy, 4. 446.
- Clay Slate. Jameson’s Mineral. 1. 334.
It is not always that the substance which contains the same ingredients as Slate, has the schistose fracture, as appears by its being turned in a lathe on some occasions. It is rather remarkable that the Snake-Stone from Ayrshire is a variety of the same substance as Slate, but is not generally recognized to be such, on account of its possessing the slaty fracture when in large pieces only, not showing it when broken small. It is imported as a valuable and truly useful article in many branches of manufacture; as for smoothing copper, marble, &c. For the latter it is formed into the shape of mouldings, as in the upper figure. This substance is known in a great measure by its being so regularly spotted, which, perhaps, has obtained it the appellation of Snake-Stone, by which it is well known among workmen. The light brown colour is analogous to the unspotted part of a snake’s skin, I have gathered nearly the same in Cornwall, and some varieties are to be found, with the dark spots beautifully relieved by satiny Talc of a looser texture:—see the under figure. I have specimens nearly like it, but more indurated, from Keswick. The black spots seem to be Hornbtend, Chlorite, or Manganese.
In the upper specimen the black is generally of an equal hardness and texture with the rest, or it would not suit the workmen. When a stone from any quarry is found to have the proper qualities, it becomes of much consequence, and is a valuable article of commerce.


Blood vessels are the series of tubes that are used to pump blood throughout the body. There are three types of blood vessels: arteries, veins and lymphatics.
Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to every part of the body, including the brain, intestines, kidneys, arms, legs and the heart itself. When disease occurs in the arteries, it is called arterial disease. Veins return blood back to the heart from all parts of the body. When disease occurs in the veins, it is called venous disease. Lymphatics are a third type of blood vessel that return fluid from the skin and other tissues to the veins.
TYPES OF VASCULAR DISEASE:
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
Carotid Artery Disease
Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI)
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI)
Congenital Vascular Malformation (CVM)
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Mesenteric Artery Disease Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
Post-Thrombotic Syndrome (PTS)
Renovascular Hypertension (RAS)
Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm


Crystallization and Melting of Diopside - Anorthite
This short exercise introduces students to the binary phase diagram in the diopside-anorthite system that contains a eutectic invariant point.
This exercise is designed for a mid/upper-level undergraduate geology course on the principles of mineralogy.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
Students should have knowledge of basic chemistry and of minerals equivalent to what they would learn in an introductory geology class.
How the activity is situated in the course
This activity is the 13th of 36 mineralogy exercises and is used towards the beginning of the course.
Content/concepts goals for this activity
- Learn more about phase diagrams.
- Learn about eutectics and peritectics.
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
- Learn how to translate a phase diagram into something meaningful.
Other skills goals for this activity
Description of the activity/assignment
This short exercise introduces students to phase diagrams that have a eutectic and a peritectic. After learning about such phase diagrams, students answer questions about melt composition, temperature, cooling and melting, crystalization, and melt:crystal ratios.
Determining whether students have met the goalsMore information about assessment tools and techniques.
Teaching materials and tips
This assignment can be downloaded in Word (RTF) (Rich Text File 485kB Jul7 05) or pdf (Acrobat (PDF) 20kB Jul7 05) format.


A community group in Aceh, Indonesia uses Forest Watcher to monitor deforestation
VIDEO: Patrol the Leuser Ecosystem with Forest Defenders at HAkA
It’s the last place on Earth where orangutans, Sumatran rhinos and elephants and tigers still roam wild together, and it’s under threat. The Leuser ecosystem in Indonesia is a hotspot for biodiversity and a vital carbon sink, but encroachment from logging and oil palm and rubber plantations is eating away at the forest. Forest, Nature and Environment of Aceh (HAkA), an organization dedicated to protecting the environment in Indonesia’s Aceh province where the Leuser ecosystem is located, has been using the GLAD alerts on GFW in conjunction with satellite imagery to fight back.
The rugged topography and dense rainforest – the same features that make the Leuser ecosystem so important to protect— mean that detecting deforestation early enough to stop it is a challenge. But the early warning alerts on GFW, derived from satellite data, mean that forest monitors at HAkA can watch for deforestation from the skies. And satellite imagery from Planet can help monitors verify alerts and plan their patrols and future conservation or restoration projects. Watch the video above to hear from HAkA about their work.


Illustrative photo – The dry riverbed of Italy's Po River in Sermide on August 11, 2022.
Rome – Italy could face another exceptional drought this year similar to the one that plagued the country last summer, which was the worst drought in seven decades. The concern was caused by a dry winter with a lack of precipitation. This was reported by the Reuters agency today with reference to the Italian environmental organization Legambiente.
This year, the Alps received half as much snow as the long-term average, the Legambiente organization said. She also pointed out that Italy's longest river, the Po, which originates in the Alps, now has 60 percent less water than is usual for this time of year. The organization has therefore turned today to the Italian government to develop a national water management strategy. Environmentalists are proposing various measures to reduce water consumption and better use of rainwater.
The level in Lake Garda has dropped to a record low level, which makes it possible, for example, to reach the islet of San Biagio on dry foot, where you usually sail by boat . Bloomberg also showed footage of nearly dry canals in Venice, which usually faces flooding at this time. According to the Bloomberg agency, however, the lack of water in the Venetian canals is caused by a combination of several factors, in addition to minor precipitation, also high pressure or sea currents.
“In the northwestern regions, we would need 50 days of rain,” said Italian climatologist Massimiliano Pasqui. .
Higher temperatures than are usual for this period are also experienced elsewhere in Europe. However, meteorologists are predicting precipitation and snowfall in the Alps in the coming days.
Last year in July, due to the long-lasting drought, the Italian government declared a state of emergency in several regions, especially in the north of the country. At that time, some cities limited water consumption, Venice or Milan, for example, did not water part of the fountains.


At a glance
What are the black spots on a cat’s gums, lips and nose?
Lentigo is the name of a common condition in which flat, brown or black spots appear on mucocutaneous junctions of the face (gums, lips, nose and eye margins) of orange, tortoiseshell, calico, yellow, flame (red) point cats. It is the result of an increase in the number of epidermal melanocytes – pigment-producing cells – which causes hyperpigmentation.
Black areas of pigmentation first appear on the lips, and later lesions can develop on the eyelids, gums, and nose. Lesions start small and become more widespread as the cat ages.
The presence of lentigo is completely normal and harmless, however, any changes to the skin and mucous membranes must be evaluated by a veterinarian to differentiate them from melanoma, which is a cancer of the melanocytes.
- Single (lentigo) or multiple (lentigines) flat brown/black lesions with a clear and defined border. The skin or mucosa surrounding the area is normal. Lesions start small and increase in size often merging to create larger areas of black pigmentation.
- Most cats have a single or a handful of lesions (lentigo simplex), others may have a significant number of lesions (lentigo profusa).
Freckles are associated with sun exposure in humans; however, the cause of lentigo is unknown in cats.
Lentigo is a benign condition, and most veterinarians can diagnose it based on presenting symptoms. In some cases, the veterinarian may recommend a biopsy with a fine needle for microscopic evaluation.
Lentigo is a cosmetic condition only and requires no medical treatment.
Black spots on the lips and chin of cats
Image © Dianne, Flickr
Feline acne is a common skin disorder characterised by the presence of black comedones (blackheads) predominantly on the chin but can also develop on the lips.
I have already covered this topic in detail here, so won’t go over it again. Acne can range from mild, as in the cat below to severe. Severe acne can become inflamed and progress to open sores on the chin, which will need treatment with antibiotics and medicated shampoos.
Related article on Cat World:


When you see your doctor or go to the hospital, you expect a certain standard of care. The basic purpose of the health care system is to safeguard your health and save your life.
Unfortunately, this is not how things always happen. Some of it is due to natural consequences. Not all diseases are treatable, not every surgery is a guaranteed fix and so on. However, sometimes the industry is at fault for preventable incidents due to negligence, errors and omissions. Three common areas in which these occur are as follows.
1. Medical malpractice
Medical malpractice cases can be difficult to prove because not all instances are so cut and dry. A more obvious case may be something such as a doctor performing a medical procedure while intoxicated. A more complex claim may involve something like providing an unnecessary treatment, as you would have to prove the treatment was unnecessary and not a part of the standard care any other doctor would provide. Other acts of medical malpractice include:
- Leaving equipment inside your body
- Misdiagnosing or not diagnosing you at all
- Delaying treatment
- Administering the wrong type or dosage of medicine
Doctors and surgeons are not the only guilty parties. Nurses and others can also make these mistakes.
2. Harmful drugs
Your doctor may not have made an error in your prescription, but the manufacturer of the drug may have made an unsafe product. Drug companies may have withheld information or not completed enough testing before putting something on the market. Sometimes damaging side effects do not come to light until years later, and the medicine that was supposed to help you ends up causing more harm than the problem it was supposed to treat. You can find a list of recalls through the FDA to find out if this affects you.
3. Defective devices
The amazing strides society has made in technology can be both a blessing and a curse. Medical devices can help someone to walk or breathe, but they can also damage organs and result in infections. You deserve financial compensation for the long-term health consequences from these defective devices.


Lightning Effects on Wind Turbines
Wind turbines have quickly grown into one of the largest sectors in all of alternative energy. Wind farms are popping up all over the world, many of which are producing many mega-watts of power output.
Without adequate protection, lightning can severely damage wind turbines. Simply repairing and retrofitting a damaged wind turbine doesn’t prevent future issues from occurring. Reliability is a substantial differentiator in the wind turbine market.
Many of the taller and larger power generating wind turbines are located in remote areas that are difficult to access. These present significant operating condition advantages but present maintenance and repair challenges that are costly and expensive.
As a result, understanding the performance of a wind turbine in the presence of lightning is paramount. Unlike aerospace and other test-heavy industries, the testing of wind turbines is extremely difficult. The size and impedance of wind turbines presents huge logistical challenges for both test coordination and generator setup standpoints. In order to test a wind turbine blade, it needs to be physically transported to the test facility!
EMA has employed the use of simulation and analysis across myriad projects to help overcome this.
With the use of 3D simulation, EMA is able to accurately predict lightning attachment probabilities, current and electric field distrbutions, arcing/flashover risks, and a number of other highly valuable studies. These models can be used to optimize lightning protection, perform failure analyses for blades struck in the field, or as an integral part in design tradeoffs. EMA’s models have been validated by a number of thorough test campaigns.
EMA has experience and expertise in the following areas:
- 3D Lightning Attachment Simulations (IEC 61400-24)
- 3D Simulations of Lightning Protection Designs
- Arcing/Flashover Risk Assessments
- Damage and Root Cause Analysis
- Geographical Lightning Probabilities
- 3D Simulation of High Voltage Effects
- Repair and Retrofit Analyses
- Site Inspections
Contact EMA today to learn how we can help protect your wind farm or wind turbine design from the effects of lightning. Wind turbines that aren’t spinning don’t generate power (or money)!


A traumatic brain injury (TBI) or acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury to the brain caused by trauma to the head or body. Some common causes of brain injury include car accidents, falls, assaults, and sports.
The severity and effect of a brain injury can vary from person to person, but even a mild brain injury can have a serious impact on your life. Difficulties you may experience after a brain injury could include:
- Difficulty with attention (e.g. can’t focus, easily distracted, can’t do two things at once)
- Memory impairment (e.g. forgetting conversations, losing things, forgetting people’s names)
- Trouble with reading or writing (e.g. needing to re-read things, not understanding what you read, not being able to organize your thoughts)
- Problems with speaking or understanding (e.g. trouble finding your words, speech isn’t clear, difficulty understanding other people)
- Difficulty swallowing (e.g. coughing or choking on food, food spilling out of your mouth)
- Trouble with problem solving or planning (e.g. getting overwhelmed easily with large tasks, being unable to figure out solutions to everyday problems)
- Problems with social skills (e.g. interrupting more, saying rude things, not understanding jokes or sarcasm)
A Speech-Language Pathologist can work with you to improve these skills as well as to come up with strategies to work around the difficulties you’re having so that you can get back to doing the things that are important to you!


California's Proposition 8 has generated much controversy of late. Recently Proposition 8 was overturned by a Judge. Proposition 8 was voted on by the people, and made the marrying of same sex individuals illegal. The Judge's decision argued that those who voted for proposition 8 were basically intolerant and that gays/lesbians have a right to marry.
This case is just one of many in the country today that has moral implications. In our country's desire to become more and more secular, power seems to drive the decisions that are made and not natural law. Positive law or man-made law now seems to be rule of the day.
Proposition 8 is just one of many cases that divides the country. For example, the mosque that is to be built near ground zero, though not illegal, begs the question, "What is the right thing to do?" It seems to me that if a Christian church building were to be placed in Kabul, Afghanistan, there would be a tremendous outcry from the entire Muslim community. Likewise, abortion and fetal stem cell research is pushed though irregardless of the moral implications or the will of the people.
In, How Should We Then Live, Francis Schaeffer describes the breakdown of society since the advent of Christianity.  Schaeffer points out how man has pulled away from God through politics, science, education, and the arts. He rightly diagnoses how man through time has willfully made the break from God. He calls this human condition "autonomous man."
So, it is in the present where we find autonomous man. Autonomous man has assumed the position of who decides what is right and wrong. Autonomous man is in direct conflict with God to the point where autonomous man says he is god. Who decides? Unfortunately, it seems the autonomous man with power gets to cast the deciding vote in our country today.
 Francis Schaeffer's, How Should We Then Live
Post a Comment


MH-370: “The aircraft that was never found”
January 17, 2017- Sydney
The lost Malaysian Airlines flight MH-170 has been confirmed ‘not found’. All the search programs and parties involved in the extensive finding of the aircraft in the deep and extended Indian Ocean have stopped looking for it and the programs have been shut down as no trace was found of the aircraft.
About 120,000 square kilometers (46,000 square miles) search area was covered which was conducted by the Joint Agency Coordination Centre in Australia, which has aided lead the $160 million hunt for the Boeing 777 in isolated waters west of Australia.
The officials have sent emails to the respective families stating about the termination of the searching of the aircraft.
“All kinds of meticulous effort including use of best science available, cutting edge technology as well as demonstrating and guidance from extremely capable professionals, who are the best in their field, tactlessly, the search has not been able to find the aircraft,” the agency said in a statement, which was a combined announcement amid the transport ministers of Malaysia, Australia and China and stated that the subversive search for MH370 has been postponed.
Investigators have been hindered again and again in their labors to the discovery the aircraft since it disappeared during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. The search for the aircraft has been considered most expensive, complex search in aviation history.
In July, 2015, came the principal evidence that the airplane was undeniably in the Indian Ocean when a wing flap from the airplane was found on Reunion Island, east of Madagascar. Subsequently, more than 20 objects either set or supposed to be from the plane have eroded ashore on beaches throughout the Indian Ocean. Nonetheless while the debris showed the plane went down in the Indian Ocean, the site of the main underwater rubble and its vital black box data recorders remains inflexibly mysterious.


The gospel of Jesus refers to a small fragment, honey-colored piece of papyrus, measuring only four centimeters in height by eight centimeters wide, with writing in Coptic script (an Egyptian language form) on both sides.
It includes the words “Jesus said to them, my wife.” This fragment of the fourth-century papyrus was revealed at a conference in Rome recently. This discovery has already received much attention in the media across the world.
The idea of the marriage of Jesus was notably brought up after the 2003 publication of Dan Brown’s bestseller “The Da Vinci Code.”
Karen King, Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts was contacted by an anonymous private collector who contacted King to help translate and analyze it.
Was Jesus Married?
Now the itching question that many have is that does this prove that Jesus was married?
No, this fragment does not provide evidence that Jesus was married.
According to the researchers, this papyrus is dated around the second half of the second century. All the other older and most reliable evidence is entirely silent about the marital status of Jesus. This comparatively late date of this papyrus argues against its value as evidence for the life of the historical Jesus.
Its late date also means that the author is not someone who knew Jesus personally. Whereas the New Testament in the Bible was written by those that lived, walked and witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus.
It was over a century after Jesus’ death before Christians began arguing about Jesus’ marital status to support their different positions of whether it was best to be married or to be celibate. This brought in many more novels and paintings around this topic.
There is no deep dark secret here, just publishers, artists and movie makers trying to make a quick buck with the popularity of Jesus.
Let’s stick to the Bible, the Word of God, that has also been historically proved.
Question: Have you come across such controversial issues regarding Jesus or the Bible itself? How do you deal with them?


Quite often, a major rail route will also have smaller branches associated with it. Where these are within a few kilometres of the main route, it is usually possible to keep them on the same grid.
However, there will be other situations in which one major route branches off from another, and goes in a different direction. In these situations, we can create a divergent grid that shares the same coordinates and orientation at the junction, but then develops separately. In this way, continuous survey work can be carried out through the junction point and on in either direction.
An example of this is the OBB12 grid, which originally defined the coordinate system from Oxford to Bicester to Bletchley and was created in 2012. This was subsequently seamlessly extended to Bedford with the creation of OBB12ext, and then in 2015 a new grid from Claydon Junction to Princes Risborough via Aylesbury (CAPR15) was created with common coordinates at the junction. [See the case study for more details].
Each of these grids has a separate parameter file. However, in order to transform data that straddles the different grids a combined “ASA” (alternative SnakeGrid algorithm) file was created that merges them all together.


With over 1,000 types of cherries, there are almost as many health benefits of cherries as there are varieties to choose from.
The benefits range from antioxidants to pain-reducing compounds in tart cherries. Surprisingly, the benefits of cherry juice> are comparable to those of cherries in any form.
One of the most extraordinary benefits of cherries is the scientific confirmation that tart cherries can reduce inflammation and pain levels while offering protection against neurodegenerative and connective tissue diseases.
In a recent study, researchers showed that one of the many benefits of cherry juice was that it decreased the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage.
Sweet cherries contain boron, which is shown to increase the health of bones. In addition, the vitamin C and potassium in cherries of all types help control blood pressure.
Cherries contain fiber, carotenoids, and anthocyanins.
Anthocyanins have been shown to have cancer-preventing effects. In addition, cherries have an anti-inflammatory component that aids in managing arthritis, back pain, and sports injury pain.
As if this list wasn’t long enough, cherries also naturally maintain and regulate sleep patterns and assist in lowering blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. They may also offer protection against gout – a painful inflammatory condition caused by urate crystals infiltrating joint fluid.
The skin of the cherries holds most of the essential antioxidants vital to the stated health benefits.
Do you know more about the benefits of cherries? Please comment below.
Buy natural cherry products online.
Read and learn more about cherries by visiting these pages on antioxidant-fruits.com!:
- Acerola Cherry
- Antioxidants in Tart Cherries
- Cherry General Information
- Fresh Cherry Recipes
- Health Benefits of Cherries
- Types of Cherries


Henk Guth was born in Arnhem, Netherlands, and studied there at the Academy of Art and Design from 1938 to 1942. After graduating from the Academy, he moved to Amsterdam to pursue his career.
In 1960 he emigrated to Melbourne, and in 1966, moved to Alice Springs, where he opened an Art Gallery. He started manufacturing his own oil paints from an old Dutch formula.
Gradually the Art Gallery grew into a museum of aboriginal culture. In 1971 plans were drawn up for ‘Panorama Guth’. The idea came from a similar project in The Hague – Panorama Mesdag – a seascape painted in 1880 and housed in a purpose-built museum. The panorama is a cylindrical painting (also known as a Cyclorama).
Guth made a similar circular painting on canvas that was also viewed from a central platform, giving the impression of standing on a look-out. It measured 6 metres in height, and 70 metres in circumference, with a diameter of 20 metres. Like Panorama Mesdag, the foreground here extended 6 metres from the platform to the painting and was of natural sand and flora. It gave the effect of being in the bushland. It was a spectacular achievement and the only panorama of its type in the world. It was opened by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975.
It became one of Alice Springs’ major tourist attractions. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire in 2005.
Guth’s works are represented in galleries and collections throughout Australia and Europe.
The DACC archives has approx 25 items on Henk Guth they include also photos of Panorama Mesdag. Search for Guth and Mesdag on our site.
Paulus Breedveld (2021)
The set of reproduction below are also from our archives.


In this challenge, we proposed an augmented reality (AR) project titled “Human-Aware Projection Mapping for Robot Intention”. Leading a team of three, we were awarded $2,500 seed funding and this project led to two scientific publications.
Robots are now increasingly deployed in areas ranging from factories and warehouses to private homes. Externalizing a robot’s internal states to reveal its intentions improves understanding of the robot and builds trust. Displaying robot information directly on the environment with a mounted projector allows for accurate externalization, improving productivity and safety by in-place monitoring. However, the surface that the projector projects to might not be visible within the human’s line of sight. By adding human awareness, the projection will be made to surfaces that are visible to people.
We plan to fuse data from a 3D ToF LiDAR and an infrared light angle sensor from Analog Devices, to be mounted onto a robot’s head by actuators, with an RGB-D sensor already attached to the robot, which serves as the robot’s eyes. A projector will also be mounted onto the head or the shoulder area to project the robot’s internal states, detected objects or navigation path for example. The LiDAR will be used to detect human pose in real-time – especially eye gaze. The pose of the projector will be adjusted to possibly project to other areas like a wall or a divider so the human can see. To supplement the human pose detection by LiDAR and increase accuracy and responsiveness, the light angle sensor will be used to detect infrared light attached to a safety helmet of a worker or any hat for other robot users.
Participation in this competition led to two publication:
- Tabletop projection published at AI-HRI in 2020
- Navigation intent projection published at HRI in 2022


10. Lyretail Anthias
Lyretial anthias is a marine aquarium fish native to the Indo-West pacific. The most interesting feature about lyretail anthias is all the fishes in the species born as females and will change to male upon growing. The color of this species also changes in growing stage. They mainly found in blue, pink and gold colors. Male lyretail anthias have a size of five inches, females are little smaller. They mainly live in coral systems.
The sea goldie (Pseudanthias squamipinnis), also known as the lyretail coralfish, lyretail anthias, and scalefin anthias, is a small species of colorful fish in the subfamily Anthiinae.
The sea goldie is found in the western Indian Ocean including the Red Sea, and in the Pacific Ocean as far east as Japan and southeast Australia. It is absent from the Persian Gulf and Oman.
Female: Length up to 7 cm (2.75 in), orange/gold color with violet streak below the eye. Male: Length up to 15 cm (5.9 in), fuchsia color with elongated third ray of the dorsal fin, a red patch on the pectoral fin, and elongated margins of the tail. The midas blenny, Ecsenius midas, goes through a phase of yellow colouration and is a social mimic of the sea goldie.
The sea goldie feeds primarily on zooplankton. Like other anthias, the sea goldie is a protogynous hermaphrodite; a male retains a harem of five to 10 females, but when the male dies, one of the females will undergo sex reversal and take the place of the missing male. Spawning occurs at sunset, between December and February (in the Red Sea).


What is Low Testosterone?
Male hypogonadism, or low testosterone, is a disorder in which the male reproductive glands—or testes— do not produce enough testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone produced by the testicles’ Leydig cells, which are responsible for the regular growth and development of male organs and the preservation of other sexual traits. Aside from having a healthy lifestyle and sexuality, testosterone plays a role in a number of important bodily functions, including:
- Development of facial hair.
- The size and growth of muscles.
- A sufficient number of red blood cells.
- Density of the bones.
- The feeling of well-being.
- Reproductive and sexual functions.
- Good function of the brain.
Normal testosterone levels range from 300 to 1100 ng/dL. A man’s blood sugar level should be between 800-1100 ng/dL. When a guy enters his mid-30s, his testosterone production drops by an estimated 1% per year, or 10% in ten years or more. Obesity, viral disorders, excess blood iron, and inflammatory conditions can all cause testosterone levels to drop.
Nearly 40% of males aged 45 and up suffer from low testosterone. Normal testosterone levels are difficult to define since they fluctuate during the day and are influenced by factors such as BMI, nutrition, alcohol consumption, certain medications, age, and sickness.
See More Resources
If you are looking to
improve or restore your
sexual health, talk to a
Clinic for Him physician to
see how they can help.


May 2021, 8th - online lecture on Great Ape Conservation
We are excited to announce that there is a free online lecture about "Gorilla Doctors: working on the frontline of Great Ape Conservation and One-health during the COVID-19 pandemics" happening this Saturday, 8 May 2021. Please note the event is at 9:00 am Pacific Time, which is 6:00 pm South African Standard Time (GMT + 2). Please sign up using the following link if you would like to attend. https://forms.gle/ uQS4aLK54kMEde5a6 Speaker Bio: Dr. Kirsten Gilardi (DVM, DACZM) is a wildlife veterinarian, Director of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, and a Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine & Epidemiology at the University of California, Davis. Topic: The majority of the world's 1,063 mountain gorillas are human-habituated to facilitate tourism and research. Close proximity to people on a daily basis makes them uniquely at risk for infection with human pathogens. Gorilla Doctors, a partnership between the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the non-profit MGVP, Inc., works to ensure the long-term health and survival of mountain and Grauer's gorillas through life- saving veterinary medicine and science using a One Health approach. Dr. Kirsten Gilardi, wildlife veterinarian and Executive Director of Gorilla Doctors, will discuss how Gorilla Doctors detects and treats illness and injury in habituated gorillas through health monitoring, clinical intervention, and research. In the face of the COVID-19, which is known to infect captive gorillas, Dr. Gilardi will also discuss how Gorilla Doctors has helped to mitigate risk for wild gorillas. This talk is organized by the UC Davis student groups @WAAMatUCDSVM and @TWSatUCD, the Wildlife Disease Association, and the Zoo & Wildlife Medicine Study Group as part of the WDA / ZWMSG webinar series.


I’ve discussed the science of sleep here before. Elements of our arguably overstimulated society can make it difficult to get some truly good rest. Not only does this lead to highways full of practically drunk people, it also lowers our productivity at work. For example, new research from one pair of economists find that increased sleep gain lead to wage gains in both the short run and the long run. From the abstract:
We investigate the labor market effects of the single largest use of time—sleep. Motivated by a productive sleep model, we show that sleep is complementary to work in the short run and complementary to home production for non-employed individuals in both the short and long run. Using time use diaries from the United States, we demonstrate in both parametric and non-parametric frameworks that later sunset time reduces worker sleep and wages. After investigating these relationships and ruling out alternative hypotheses, we implement an instrumental variables specification that provides the first causal estimates of the impact of sleep on wages. A one-hour increase in location-average weekly sleep increases wages by 1.3% in the short run and by 5% in the long run.
Employees: Want a raise? Get some sleep.
Employers: Want more productive employers? Let them get enough sleep.
1 thought on “Does the Amount of Sleep Affect Wages?”
Can we also stop with the daylight savings? We already spend enough on sleep problems, why exacerbate it twice a year?
Comments are closed.


Through this lesson let’s learn about some minerals, fibre and water in our food.
Just like vitamins, mineral containing food help your body grow, develop, and stay healthy.
Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Zinc are some of the minerals in our food.
1) They help to build strong and healthy bones and teeth. (E.g. – Calcium)
2) They help to carry oxygen throughout the body by forming ‘hemoglobin’ in red blood cells. (E.g. – Iron)
3) They keep your muscles and nervous system working properly. (E.g. – potassium)
4) They help your immune system, which is your body’s system for fighting off illnesses and infections. (E.g. – Zinc)
5) They help with cell growth and helps heal wounds, such as cuts. (E.g. – Zinc)
Another name for fibre is roughage. Also, foods rich in fibre are called fibrous food. Foods with fibre are really good for you and your bowels. Fibre is found in plants and can’t be digested. So, it helps clean out your intestines by moving bowel movements along.
Fibrous food make your faeces (poo / poop) large and soft, so that it can be easily pushed out through your gut. If you eat lots of root vegetables and have a high fibre diet, you can pass more poo without any difficulty and feel much better.
Like food, water is also essential.
Our body needs water.
You can get enough water by drinking water, milk and other liquids and from our food.
Now, try the Proteins & Minerals Quiz.


Create a platform for the dialogue of ideas, projects, and approaches and experiences the status of recent railroad investigations in Mexico, as well as contributing to the strengthening of collaboration between universities, academic institutions, research centers and documentation.
- History and Railway, its objective is to know the sources and research historical facts about railways, with special emphasis on those related to the first half of the 20th century.
- Railway and city, its purpose is to present the studies related to the impact of the railways on the shaping of the urban environments.
- Railroad and territory, it is oriented to reflect on the impacts economic, social, cultural and environmental of the railway projects that are currently being develop in Mexico: Mayan train, trans-isthmian, train’s regular suburban and interurban passenger transport.
- Railroad and memory, Seeks to recover experiences of democratization of the local cultural heritage and cultural identity of the community, through the oral narrative transmitted generationally.
- Railway and heritage, Its objective is to know and reflect on the impact that the railroad has generated on Mexican society, from diverse approaches: technology, migration, sustainability, culture, architecture, among others.
- National and international researchers and academics who dedicate themselves to the study of the railway, from the historical, economic, political, social, technological and cultural views.
- Undergraduate and graduate students in areas related to the subjects that addresses the encounter.
- Active and retired railroaders, as well as the interested public in the themes.
- Propose a presentation aligned with one of the thematic axes before raised and send a summary of it to the email firstname.lastname@example.org, no later than September 4.
- The abstract can be presented in Spanish or English, with an extension maximum of 250 words and must include: title, thematic axis in which it participates, keywords, full name and email address of the participant.
- The acceptance of the papers, as well as the guidelines for their presentation, will be notified by email on September 11, as deadline.
- Participants who have been accepted will have until the 30th of September to send your full papers.
The meeting will take place from October 5 to 23, 2020
More reports in:email@example.com
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.


Probably the most used and most talked about graph in any statistics class, a histogram contains a huge amount of information if you can learn how to look for it. While it is possible to go into great detail about the different shapes you may encounter or where the mean and median will “end up”, this article will only focus on reading the information the histogram is giving you.
The general idea behind a histogram is to divide the data set into groups of equal length which allows us to see the patterns in the data instead of the detailed information we would get from what is basically a list of numbers.
In the histogram of salaries above, those groups are 24-32, 32-40, 40-48, etc. Once the groups have been chosen, the frequency of each group is determined. The frequency is simply the number of data values that are in each group.
Let’s look at the very first group 24-32. The bar goes up to 7, meaning that this group has a frequency of 7. This tells us that there are seven data values (if we had the list of all the salaries) that are between 24 and 32 thousand. In other words, seven people in this group made between $24,000 and $32,000.
Very important: this group does not include the 32. There are seven data values bewteen 24 and 32 thousand, not including 32 thousand. Keeping this in mind and reading from the next group: there are six data values between 32 thousand up to (not including) 40 thousand. Again, this means that six of the people in this group had a salary of $32000 up to $40000 a year. (anyone making exactly $40,000 is in the next group)
Be careful in making more detailed conclusions. While I can say that most people in this group made less than $50,000 (that’s where the most frequency is) I can’t use this graph to say how many people made EXACTLY $35,000 or how many made EXACTLY $25,000. In a histogram we “lose” the information about individual data values when we group the data. If we didn’t want to lose that information we may choose to use a dotplot or a stemplot to display the data instead.


Where do I start with my personal financial planning in these uncertain times?Wednesday | 08 April | 2020
Start with your budget. Your budget forms the basis of any financial planning, but when was the last time that anyone told you how to draw up a budget? The most important rule for your budget is to spend less than you receive.
Step 1: Determine your fixed expenses for each month (expenses you are going to incur every month, and every month the amounts will be exactly the same), e.g. car insurance, income tax and savings.
Step 2: Determine the variable expenses in your budget (these are expenses that vary from month to month), e.g. spending on social activities. Sometimes you budget, but later realise that your planning should be better in order for you to make it through the month.
Step 3: Draw up your budget at the beginning of the month. As soon as your first salary has been paid into your bank account, your budget template must be completed.
Step 4: Compare what has been budgeted for the month, and what you have actually spent.
This budgeting method is an effective way of identifying your own spending patterns. Initially, the method can be applied weekly until you feel comfortable with what your actual weekly expenses really are. Then it can be done on a monthly basis.
Solidarity Financial Services (FSP 15556) provides independent advice for needs such as retirement planning, income protection and estate planning.
For more information, send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org* All information was correct at the time of publication.


The people of Afghanistan have endured nearly 40 years of conflict. And now, drought, economic collapse, and COVID-19 are fueling a massive humanitarian crisis. More than 24 million Afghans need immediate assistance to survive, and the UN is ramping up its appeal for urgent, immediate action.
Humanitarian needs in Afghanistan have reached unparalleled levels. Demand for assistance has increased by 30% in the last year alone, as the country spirals to catastrophe.
Access to food, healthcare, and other basic services is scarce — and the impacts are staggering.
In January, the UN estimated that 4.7 million people will experience acute malnutrition in 2022. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) projects that 97% of Afghans will fall into poverty by the middle of this year. Natural disasters and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have further exacerbated the rate of internal displacement.
The people of Afghanistan need immediate assistance.
At a WFP food distribution site in Herat city, a man registers for food rations. Photo: Sayed Bidel/ UNICEF
How the UN is Responding in Afghanistan
In a virtual pledging conference, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) urgently called on humanitarian donors to support an appeal for $4.4 billion — the largest appeal ever for a single country — and triple the amount requested in 2021. Forty-one countries responded, pledging $2.4 billion.
Even as other global crises escalate, Afghanistan cannot be forgotten. This moment marks an opportunity for the international community to stand in solidarity with the Afghan people.
“Ukraine is of vital importance, but Afghanistan, you know, calls to our soul for commitment and loyalty,” said Martin Griffiths, the chief of OCHA. “In simple terms, the humanitarian program that we are appealing for is to save lives.”
Keep Up-To-Date On The UN’s Work in Afghanistan
Stay informed on OCHA’s work in Afghanistan as the humanitarian situation unfolds, and find out how you can take action.


Born: August 31, 1935 Beaumont, Texas
Died: February 7, 2019
Frank Robinson, born in Beaumont, TX, was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams, from 1956 to 1976. The only player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of both the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), he was named the NL MVP after leading the Cincinnati Reds to the pennant in 1961 and was named the AL MVP in 1966 with the Baltimore Orioles after winning the Triple Crown; Robinson's 49 home runs (HR) that year tied for the most by any AL player between 1962 and 1989 and stood as a franchise record for 30 years. He helped lead the Orioles to the first two World Series titles in franchise history in 1966 and 1970 and was named the Series MVP in 1966 after leading the Orioles to a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1975, Robinson became the first black manager in big league history, as the Cleveland Indians’ player-manager.
A 14-time All-Star, Robinson batted .300 nine times, hit 30 home runs 11 times, and led his league in slugging four times and in runs scored three times. His 586 career home runs ranked fourth in major league history at the time of his retirement, and he ranked sixth in total bases (5,373) and extra-base hits (1,186), eighth in games played (2,808), and ninth in runs scored (1,829). His 2,943 career hits are the most since 1934 by any player who fell short of the 3,000-hit mark. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1982.
Robinson went on to manage the San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, and Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals. For most of the last two decades of his life, Robinson served in various executive positions for Major League Baseball concluding his career as honorary President of the American League.


Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau launched a $185 million climate-focused program today, called the Agriculture Climate Solutions program.
Aimed at building “climate resiliency” within the agriculture sector, the ACS program is intended to be led by farmers and farm groups tasked with developing and deploying climate solutions tailored for each region, the government says.
To be eligible for the ACS program, applicants must form a large network of partnerships within a province, including with agricultural non-profits, Indigenous organizations, and environmental groups.
The program will proceed in two phases. The first phase, which will launch April 1st, aims to support the development of proposals focused on regional collaboration hubs, also known as Living Labs, by offering grants of up to $100,000.
Already in progress, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Living Labs network in Manitoba was granted $6 million for projects back in December. There are similar networks already underway in Ontario, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island. The Living Labs model has been endorsed by the G20 as a model of innovation and collaborative research, the government says.
The aim is for every province in Canada to have at least one collaboration hub. Each hub will centre on farms, where farmers and researchers can co-develop best practices, which may include cover crops, intercropping, conversion of marginal land to permanent cover, shelterbelts, nutrient management, and inclusion of pulses in rotation.
Applicants will need to demonstrate their ability to engage with researchers and develop plans for knowledge transfer and adoption among their peers.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says it will host regional information sessions over the coming weeks on this initiative.
The program’s second phase will open as early as Fall 2021. At this stage, applicant groups can submit their applications for funding support of up to $10 million per project, says AAFC.
The ACS program is part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, and towards net-zero emissions by 2050. It also complements Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund which will provide $631 million over the next 10 years to support projects to “restore, enhance and conserve wetlands, peatlands, grasslands and forests to store and capture carbon.”
Please register to read and comment.


Greece - Athens
Greece-Athens Current Time
|Greece - Athens||11:31:42 PM|
|Local Time||04:31:42 AM|
Greece-Athens time vs. local time
Greece - Athens - Local Time = -19
Time Zone Difference：-19hours
Time Zone Difference：-1140Minutes
Athens date in Greece compared to local date.
|Greece - Athens||2023/05/31|
Where is Athens, Greece?
Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and the sea on the other, and is located 8 km southwest of the Gulf of Phaleron in the Aegean Sea. The city has a subtropical Mediterranean climate, with the rivers Kifisos and Ilissos running through the city. The city is surrounded by hills. Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, with a recorded history of more than 3,000 years. Today, Athens is the eighth largest city in Europe. Athens is the economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural center of Greece.
|Madagascar Morrissey.||Australia - Christmas Island||France - Mayotte|
|India -- Cox||India - Mahe||India -- Chagos|
|Africa -- Comoros||India-Maldives||Madagascar Antananarivo.|
|France - Kerguelen Islands|


Edison received a patent for his incandescent electric lamp. 1932: U.S. Bureau of Standards scientist
Louis Austin, who pioneered long-range radio broadcasts, died. 1943:
During World War II, the first all American air raid against Germany took place when
about 50 bombers attacked
1967: A fire engulfed the
Apollo 1 spacecraft during a launch pad test, killing its crew of
three. 1967: Astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom died. 1981: U.S. President Reagan greeted the
52 former American hostages released by Iran at the White House. 1989:
Sir Thomas Sopwith,
of Camel biplane and triplane fame, died. 1996: France conducted an open-air
test in the South Pacific. 2022: Radar technology pioneer
| Feb | Mar |
Apr | May |
Jun | Jul |
Aug | Sep |
Oct | Nov |
historical tidbits have been collected from various sources, mostly on the Internet.
As detailed in
this article, there
is a lot of wrong information that is repeated hundreds of times because most websites
do not validate with authoritative sources. On RF Cafe, events with
hyperlinks have been verified. Many years ago,
I began commemorating the birthdays of notable people and events with
special RF Cafe logos.
Where available, I like to use images from postage stamps from the country where
the person or event occurred. Images used in the logos are often from open source
websites like Wikipedia, and are specifically credited with a hyperlink back to
the source where possible.
Fair Use laws permit
small samples of copyrighted content.


Posted February 21st, 2020 by Fruidel Team
Kiwano Melon is an exotic, unusual looking fruit from the central and southern regions of Africa.
It’s formally known as Cucumis Metuliferus but informally also goes by horned melon and African horned cucumber.
5 Interesting Facts About The Horned Melon
- Packed full of essential nutrients – Kiwano Melon boasts an array of vitamins and minerals, many of which play a role in its ability to positively impact health.
- Horned melons have a sweet to sour taste, and are compared to courgette and cucumbers in regards to flavour, with a subtle hint of banana and lemon.
- The scientific name of Horned Melons is Cucumis Metuliferus and it is from the family Cucurbitaceae, the family of gourds.
- Provides Several Potent Antioxidants – Kiwano Melon is not only nutritious but also offers several potent antioxidants — many of which are nutrients themselves.
- Horned Melons are an exotic fruit with a fleshy exterior and numerous seeds that can be eaten both cooked with meat and raw, often served within a fruit salad.
Back to blog


Long and Short Essay on Reading is Good Habit in English.
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author.
As a result of reading books over a period of time, a learning process is formed. There are a great many benefits to be gained from reading books. It is proven that in this technological society the demands for higher levels of literacy are creating unfavorable consequences for those who fall short.
All of the chapters in the book have notes, and tips, as to how to approach an exam, how to write an essay, how to make notes, how to read and understand law cases and more. There are lots of worked questions and good advice on legal documents, as well as guides to resources. I think this is an excellent read for students, and teachers, alike.
Whatever the reason is, it seems that now less people are reading books. In my opinion we must spend some of our time for reading. If you don’t have money to buy some books there will always be a library near your place, because reading books whether fictions or non-fictions has many benefits for us.
IELTS essay questions for books and reading topic. Some people think books are losing importance as a source of information and entertainment. To what extent do you agree? (Reported 2017, GT) Children who start reading earlier in life, perform better later on in their school studies. How important.
Shared-book reading provides opportunities to children to ask questions and “learn about books, language, characters, feelings, emotions, etc” (Evans, 1997, p.2). Shared reading is linked with a number of gains in children’s cognition, including emergent literacy, oral language development and vocabulary development (Arnold, 1997).
Essay Writing for Those That Never Read the Book Your paper is due in two days and you have managed to completely avoid reading the book the essay is based on. Since you are not a speed reader or even don't know how to skim the text, this poses a serious problem, and you fear you will never have time to finish the book and get the essay done by the deadline.


June 10, 2015
Risks seem to outweigh whole-brain radiation's rewards
BY Laura Sussman
Whole brain radiation to treat cancer that has spread to the brain is associated with significantly worse cognitive function than radiosurgery, and should no longer be used after radiosurgery to kill the cancer, according to a study led by an MD Anderson researcher.
Paul Brown, M.D., professor of Radiation Oncology, presented the results at the annual American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting held recently in Chicago.
The North American study enrolled 213 patients — most with lung cancer that spread to the brain. Patients were randomized to receive either radiosurgery alone, or radiosurgery followed by whole brain radiation.
Participants underwent seven cognitive tests before treatment and at several intervals after treatment. Those treated with both approaches performed significantly worse three months later on tests involving immediate recall of words, delayed recall, and measures of verbal communication. Patients given both treatments also scored lower on a quality-of-life questionnaire. Median overall survival was 7.5 months for those receiving both treatments and 10.7 months for those on radiosurgery alone.
“While the more aggressive treatment was better at preventing recurrence of tumors in the brain, it didn’t extend survival,” Brown said.
The definitive findings show that the deleterious impact on cognitive function outweighs any benefit associated with whole brain radiation and tumor control, said Brown.
Whole brain radiation is typically administered in 10 20-minute treatments given over two weeks while radiosurgery, in which radiation is delivered in a powerful, focused beam, is a longer procedure given in a single day.
Whole brain radiation therapy’s side effects include hair loss, skin redness, dry mouth and fatigue. It is associated with significant interruptions in chemotherapy. In contrast, side effects associated with radiosurgery are minimal, and it’s generally not associated with significant interruptions in chemotherapy, said Brown.
Read the full press release on the MD Anderson website.


Nitrogen-inflated tires are not science fiction. They’re an alternative to tires filled with air, made possible by recent technology. Using nitrogen to fill tires has some advantages over air, but it’s not always useful to everyday drivers. This short article will help you figure out whether or not nitrogen-inflated tires are right for you.
So, are nitrogen-inflated tires for you?
There are some more benefits when using nitrogen-filled tires, but they depend on how you use your vehicle. Tires that are filled with nitrogen are typically identified with a green valve cap. Take a look at the following to help decide if you should inflate your tires with nitrogen:
- Nitrogen-inflated tires retain inflation pressure longer and don’t fluctuate as much based on outside temperature as much as air-inflated.
- Nitrogen-inflated tires may be of some benefit to you if-
- You drive very sparingly and your car sits unused for long periods.
- You own collectible cars that are seldom driven for any great distance.
- You store your vehicle for an extended time.
- You have one or more cars that are primarily used on a racetrack.
Cost and convenience
Since using nitrogen to fill tires is relatively new, air pressure is much more readily available. You’ll find it at nearly every service station you visit, and it’s usually free (sometimes, you might have to pay a small fee). Nitrogen, on the other hand, is harder to find and costs more.
Despite some rumors out there, nitrogen doesn’t affect fuel economy – negatively or positively. Gas mileage is indeed connected to tire inflation pressure because low pressure increases rolling resistance. Rolling resistance, in turn, causes your gas mileage to drop. However, using nitrogen doesn’t change a tire’s rolling resistance.
Monthly Tire Inflation Pressure Checks
Regardless of the type of air you use to inflate your tires, monthly tire inflation checks should still be performed. Nitrogen and air can be mixed in any and all proportions. Nitrogen filled tires can and should have normal air added whenever nitrogen is not readily available, to maintain proper inflation as specified by the vehicle manufacturer.
For more information, see Cooper Service Bulletin #110: “Tire Inflation”


Counterfeit and Poor Quality Drugs
Counterfeit (fake) antimalarial or other drugs are deliberately made to look like brand name drugs. However, they may have no active ingredients, they may have less than the required amount of active ingredient, or they may contain ingredients which are not what is described on the package label. Counterfeiters tend to focus on the more expensive brands. Substandard drugs are found even among cheaper products, because some manufacturers try to avoid costly quality control and good manufacturing practices.
The quality of commercially available drugs varies greatly in malaria-endemic countries:
- The amount of the active ingredient can vary due to lack of regulations and poor quality control practices in many of these countries.
- Some pills may release very little if any drug due to poor formulation techniques.
- Chemical break-down of some drugs can occur due to poor storage conditions, especially in warm and humid tropical climates.
- Some drugs may be contaminated with other substances.
- Counterfeiters may also obtain expired drugs and repackage them with new expiration dates.
Worldwide prevalence of counterfeit and substandard products is summarized in a Drug Quality Report matrix by the U.S. Pharmacopeia Drug Quality and Information (USP DQI) ProgramExternal. Information on domestic (U.S.) issues regarding counterfeit and poor-quality drugsExternal is provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
When Buying Drugs, Take the Following Precautions
- Travelers should buy in their home country all the medicines they will need before their trip.
- Travelers should write down the drug’s generic and brand names as well as the name of the manufacturer. In case they run out, they can look for the correct product.
- Make sure that the drug is in its original packaging.
- Inspect the packaging because many times poor quality printing indicates a counterfeited product.
- Be suspicious of tablets that have a peculiar odor, taste, or color, or that are extremely brittle.


Mental Health During Exams
By: Kate Sinodis and Rose Andrews
First semester exams are coming up quickly, and with that, student stress levels are rising as well. Maintaining good mental health is always important, but with exams coming up, that can be hard to do.
Mental health is a person’s psychological, social and emotional wellbeing. Good mental health is important because it means that a person has a healthy social life, can express their emotions well, and experiences a healthy balance of the whole spectrum of emotions. Even people with all of these things can still struggle sometimes with anxiety or can become overwhelmed in stressful situations. When this happens, it is important to recognize what is happening, why, and some good ways to help deal with it.
One good way to cope with stress, especially academic stress, is to stay organized and set up schedules and deadlines, even if they are personal ones that are not enforced by teachers. Setting up a study schedule based on what classes may be the most difficult and when these exams fall can help to prioritize what to study and help achieve the best outcome possible.
Another important thing to do is to stay on top of physical health as well. Physical health is not just exercise (although that can be part of it), but it also means making sure to
drink enough water, to go to bed early enough, and to be sure to eat balanced meals. All of these things may not necessarily seem like a big deal, but they can help immensely, or by not doing them, can add an unnecessary level of difficulty to an already difficult and draining week.
Mental health can generally be improved by taking care of yourself with the little things, like remembering to eat, getting enough sleep, and taking a moment to go outside and get some fresh air. These things are not cures, but by focusing on the little things, tasks may seem a little less daunting and your basic needs are fulfilled.
If things seem unbearable or too much, know that you are not alone. You can always talk to your teachers or your peers, and there are resources online, like online therapy or hotlines that can be reached at any moment. The national suicide hotline is 988.
Good luck with exams, Cougars. You’ve got this!


Where to find them?
Red Salmon, also known as Sockeye, can be located along rivers, streams, or lakes where freshwater is found. It is sometimes thought that the narrower and longer the body of water, the more likely to stumble upon a large amount of these fish for the reasons of spawning instinct. The best areas to find large numbers of Red Salmon will very much depend on the season and breeding cycles. During the prime years, the fish will populate these lakes and streams in incredible masses of 10 million or more. The most well-known area in Alaskan waters to find a good catch of Sockeye is the Kenai River, which plays host to our freshwater fishing charter.
The Sockeye Salmon’s most surprising feature is its range of appearance. While the fish is in its normal cycle in the ocean, it will appear silvery-blue along the top and sides with white scaling underneath. The head is typically blue with fins ranging from a grey-green to gold palate. You may be wondering, as the name suggests, where the “red” comes into play. When the Sockeye Salmon is ready to spawn, they will take on an entirely new look to enter the rivers and begin the breeding process. The tip of their face will elongate and turn downward, while the body transforms into a deep shade of crimson red and the fins develop into a deep green shade. These fish average 26 inches in length.
Sockeye salmon are known to favor crustaceans, plankton, and small organisms through their lifespan which presents uncertainty as to the best types of bait. It is widely thought that Sockeyes prefer small red lures but for what reason, no one is quite sure. It could be that they are confusing the lure with a pink or red crustacean that they are accustomed to.
Red Salmon will continuously swim with their mouth opening and closing so the overall goal to get the hook as close to the mouth as possible in the initial cast. Begin upstream from the goal location and be set at an angle while staying broadside to the fish using an 8-9 foot medium action rod. Experts believe that the best way to snag a Red is to pull the line the moment you feel it move before the fish has a chance to even consider spitting. Try this technique in waters with a nice dense gravel bottom of 3-5 feet deep.


Parks + Economy
Parks Make a Difference
What can public parks do for your local economy?
- Parks provide jobs for residents, boosting local employment rates.
- Businesses located near parks see a boost in traffic.
- Residential properties located close to parks see increased values.
- Parks create a draw for the community, stimulating tourism, attracting new residents, and encouraging new businesses to set up in the community.
- Green infrastructure makes communities more resilient to natural disasters, reducing recovery and insurance costs.
- Parks make us happy – thus improving our wellbeing and reducing our impact on health programs.
- An Oregon State University study found that Oregon residents’ engagement in one of 30 outdoor recreation activities in 2018 resulted in $735 million to $1.416 billion in cost of illness savings accrued to health insurers, providers and participants.
- Park and recreation agencies’ protection of land, water, trees, open spaces and wildlife improves air and water quality in communities. Through effective land management methods and green infrastructure investments, parks and recreation makes communities more resilient to natural disasters, reducing disaster recovery and insurance costs.
- Economic research has demonstrated consistently that homes and properties located near parklands have higher values than those located farther away. Higher home values not only benefit the owners of these properties, but also add to the tax base of local governments.
- More than 80 percent of corporate executives responding to a 2019 Area Development survey rated quality-of-life features as an important factor when choosing a location for a headquarters, factory or other company facility.
- Many local park and recreation agency amenities spur tourism to their respective locales, generating significant economic activity, including (but not limited to) increased sales at local restaurants/bars and hotels. An August 2017 NRPA Park Pulse poll found that people seek out park and recreation amenities, such as beaches, parks, trails and secluded and relaxing places, when choosing a vacation destination.
- NRPA, The Economic Impact of Parks