Cyber Attacks can now be thwarted with the help of Microprocessors eventually leading to a phase where the software based anti-virus solutions will be replaced by hardware-based silicon chips.
Yes, the researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology of Madras (IIT-M) have developed a microprocessor chip which helps in protecting computer, smartphones, and tablets from almost all variants of cyber threats.
Called Shakti-T, the processor has the ability to detect suspicious software like WannaCry accessing a system’s memory in an unauthorized way and restricting the malware’s access to stored data in the memory.
Technically, the silicon wafer works on the concept called “Tagged Instruction Architecture” where all instructions are pre-coded into software that controls the way a computing device behaves to any command or instruction.
In general, as soon as a user clicks an infected email or forwarded link, the program launches itself and gains unauthorized access to memory locations in the system and encrypts the stored data.
The Shakti T processor has the ability to detect the malware program and guard it against being executed which eventually protects the memory from being accessed in an illegitimate way.
Assistant professor Chester Rebeiro said that the newly invented processor could abolish the need to use an anti-malware solution provided it gets support from the operating system and the applications.
Currently, the researchers under the leadership of Professor Kamakoti are busy in redesigning the OS and the applications that go with it. Once this is done, Shakthi T will be available for testing and can later be used for commercial purposes.
The Researchers of the Madras University are aiming the Cyber Attack Defense related Microprocessor at critical applications like those used in Military and Nuclear Power Grids.


Unlike the makers of pharmaceutical drugs, those who manufacture medical devices apparently receive little oversight. Some critics report that the few rules the FDA issues to device manufacturers are often ignored with impunity. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has re-assessed its own policies for evaluating medical devices. Unless changes are made, some fear that patients in Ohio and elsewhere may be at risk when those devices are used as part of their medical treatment.
Within 30 days of learning that a medical device may have caused an injury, pharmaceutical companies are required to report those injuries to the FDA. However, at least one company withheld over 1,000 reports related to a certain device used in back surgeries. The FDA apparently did nothing to discipline the company for its delinquent and often incomplete reports. In fact, the FDA says such practices are efficient and beneficial to public welfare. Nevertheless, thousands of patients who were injured by the device are now filing lawsuits.
Some safety advocates are highly critical of the FDA’s history of approving medical devices with little to no research. Until recently, the agency defended this practice. Now, a new website invites patients, as well as doctors, to report any injuries that may be related to medical devices. This development comes on the heels of an FDA investigation of more than a dozen hospitals that failed to report adverse incidents involving medical devices.
Health and safety watchdogs remain skeptical of the new policies the Food and Drug Administration has launched. They feel the agency is more concerned about protecting the devices than protecting patients. It remains to be seen whether the agency will follow through with consequences when medical devices lead to the injuries or deaths of patients. Meanwhile, those in Ohio who are adversely affected by faulty medical devices have recourse to the legal system by contacting a dedicated lawyer for help in pursuing potential damages.
Source: consumeraffairs.com, “After years of criticism, FDA tries to step up oversight of medical devices“, Amy Martyn, Oct. 27, 2016


In this article, we will show you how to draw a reindeer drawing step by step. You can watch the below video tutorial on how to draw reindeer easy.
Visit our website for more drawings. I request you to read this article because we provide step-by-step explanations on how to draw a reindeer.
Step: 1 Draw the nose & mouth of the reindeer
In step 1 draw the two small curves on either side then draw the two small curves in the middle of the curves which are the nose and mouth of the reindeer as shown in the above figure.
Step: 2 Draw the eye & ear of reindeer
In step 2 draw the small circle in between the curves which is the eye of the reindeer and draw the ear of the reindeer as shown in the above figure.
Step: 3 Draw antler of the reindeer
In step 3 draw the antler of the reindeer on the top of the head on either side as roots of the tree as shown in the above figure.
Step: 4 Draw the body & tail of reindeer
In step 4 draw the long line from the ear part and make a small hook which is the tail of the reindeer as shown in the above figure.
Step: 5 Draw the legs & hoof of reindeer
Step 5 draw the legs and hoof of the reindeer under the body part as shown in the above figure. Thus by following the above 5 steps it is easy to draw the reindeer step by step.
Also Read: How to draw a parrot
We have learned how to draw a reindeer drawing. If you like the drawing article please visit our website and comment below. Do follow if you want more drawings. Thanks for reading.


Vapor compression is used to cool buildings and data centers because it is the most efficient cooling technology available. A typical vapor compression cooling system will produce twice as much cooling power as it consumes in power depending on the operating conditions. No other cooling technology comes close to this level of efficiency. The most common competing technology is thermoelectric-based Peltier devices, which draw at least 2 times more power than it provides in cooling, or at least 4 times more power than a vapor compression system under the same operating conditions.
By comparison, Vapor compression has a maximum Carnot efficiency of 80% and a commercially attained efficiency of 60%. Thermoelectric systems, on the other hand, have a maximum Carnot efficiency of 35% and a maximum commercially attained efficiency of ~15%. The attained efficiency of thermoelectric systems is one-fourth of that attained by vapor compression systems.
This means that a vapor compression system providing 1000 watts of cooling with a Coefficient of Performance of two (COP= Cooling Watts/power draw Watts) will draw 500 watts of power to achieve that cooling capacity. A thermoelectric system providing 1000 watts of cooling at the same temperatures with a COP of 0.5 (Cooling Watts/Power Draw) will draw 2 KW of power to achieve the same cooling load.
This COP comparison holds true whether the system is cooling air, a pumped liquid chiller, or a direct cooling approach is used. The vapor compression cycle will always be more efficient than a concomitant Thermoelectric based cooler due to the innate limitation of the technology. No amount of packaging can overcome the efficiency limitation. As we shall see in additional posts, the efficiency limitation of TECs causes a number of additional limitations in their use in a wide range of cooling applications.
The bar graph shown here was generated by running tests on Aspen’s ECU-550, a vapor compression-based ECU for electronics enclosures, and a competing thermoelectric device with the same nominal capacity. The data was gathered over a wide range of ambient temperatures and case temperatures. The data was only limited by the failure of the thermoelectric system to provide adequate cooling under high ambient, low case temperature, and high delta T conditions. As can be seen from the graph the vapor compression system is 65% smaller, used 77% less power, and weighs 82% less than its thermoelectric counterpart.


Per very early style of Roman architecture, the “opus quadratum” dates back onesto the time of the ancient Etruscans, before the beginning of the Roman Republic
Like any other concrete, Roman concrete consists of aggregate and mortar. Per binder, such as gypsum, was used. What other type of binder was also used? Be careful, though. You don’t want onesto put this per your mojito!
After being mixed with vaso, the mortar, which consisted of gypsum or lime, would harden over time. Per some areas pozzolana, also called pit sand, was used.
It was common mediante ancient times for prominent Romans onesto construct tombs along the Appian Way. The original covering of the tomb sopra the picture has been removed preciso show the bare concrete.
Placed at verso forty-five degree angle, the diamond-shaped bricks were normally made of tuff or tufa, which is verso rock made from consolidated volcanic ash pushed out during per volcanic eruption. “Opus” (term for verso piece of art) and “reticulatum” (net-like), translates preciso net-work; the design was named because the Romans believed the brickwork resembled a net.


Water is a precious commodity; life would not be possible without it. Looking out of the window in November you would be forgiven for thinking that we have plenty of water in the UK, but in fact Manchester gets less rain than Milan or Sydney. In spite of the heavy rain of recent times, the water supply in England remains under long-term threat.
Tips to save water
There are simple ways to cut consumption:
- Do you have a water meter? This helps us stay aware of how much we are using, and rewards us for using less by cutting water bills;
- Check for leaks on pipes and taps. If you do have a water meter, turn off all the taps and the main stop valve, where the water enters the building. Take two readings a couple of minutes apart. If there is any change in the reading you may have a leak;
- Fix leaking taps and make sure they are fully turned off.
- Lag your pipes. This saves on your heating bills, and prevents burst pipes in winter. But don’t insulate a loft floor underneath your water tank – it may freeze;
- Save both water and electricity by only boiling as much water as you need, whilst making sure the electric heating element is fully covered;
- Make sure sinks have plugs and use a bowl to wash up;
- When replacing your washing machine or dishwasher, choose the most efficient type. Run them full but not over-full;
- Collecting rainwater in a water butt, and use it for the garden.
If we don’t learn to conserve, we’ll all be fish out of the water, and You Know the Result!!


The American Settlement Movement was an influential part of the social welfare reforms of the Progressive Era. In an era when America became an urban industrialized nation, the development of the settlement house was interwoven with that of the American city, and settlement workers, living and working among the poor in the city, were in the vanguard of a wide range of social welfare reform initiatives. This selective bibliography covers titles providing an introduction and overview of the American Settlement Movement. Arranged in six categories, the titles include materials pertaining to the influence of the English Settlement Movement on the United States, general surveys discussing the American Settlement Movement within the context of larger reform efforts, studies focused on the Settlement Movement, biographical titles, settlement workers' research and case studies, and reference works. The bibliography provides easy access to the literature of the American Settlement Movement.Barbuto, Domenica M. is the author of 'American Settlement Movement A Bibliography' with ISBN 9780313307560 and ISBN 0313307563.[read more]
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New Paper: Natural Nuclear Reactors & the Origin of Life
Zach Adam recently published a paper titled “Temperature oscillations near natural nuclear reactor cores and the potential for prebiotic oligomer synthesis” in the journal Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres. Below is a short summary of his idea.
This paper is about how complex geological energy transfer processes could have been on the early Earth. Most people don’t automatically think about nuclear fission reactors when they think about radioactive rocks. One reason is because we have this idea that rocks that contain elements like Uranium have to be highly processed and refined to create nuclear fuel. Another reason is because we think that reactors have to be designed, engineered and constructed by human thought.
But the young Earth was a very different place and time in our history. When Earth first formed, Uranium-bearing rocks at this time naturally contained so much fission fuel that processing the natural rock was not needed. And because this fission fuel was so abundant, you didn’t have to carefully design a reactor, you just needed to add water to sediments that happened to have some small amount of Uranium and a fission process would begin. We know this is true because we’ve found fossils of fission reactors that formed in geologic deposits about 2 billion years ago in Gabon, Africa.
In this paper, we take the reactor idea a step further to look at how a Uranium fission zone would have heated up and cooled down in cycles for hundreds of thousands of years. Like a pressure cooker, this would have heated and cooled prebiotic molecules in a very regular way, since the peak temperature would have been limited by the boiling temperature of water (once the water boils out of the system, the fission process stops and the zone cools down until the process repeats). This temperature profile resembles, in some ways, the temperature profile that we use today in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) devices to artificially amplify RNA and DNA sequences. The main conclusion of the paper is to emphasize that processes that seem very engineered, complex and artificial to us today may have had naturally-occurring geologic counterparts on the early Earth. These geologic processes could have helped to produce complex organic molecules that could have eventually become living systems.


Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) have developed a system that uses machine-learning algorithms to construct and animate three-dimensional (3D) models of celebrities based solely on large numbers of photographs.
Current 3D modeling technology, such as that used by major film studios, requires a painstaking process to capture every angle of a person's face and movements. The system designed by the UW researchers is meant to be much simpler. It combines several techniques developed over the last five years by a research group led by UW professor Ira Kemelmacher. The techniques include advances in 3D face reconstruction, tracking, alignment, multi-texture modeling, and puppeteering.
The system works by feeding at least 200 images of an individual, taken over time in various scenarios and poses, to machine-learning algorithms. The raw data is then used to create the 3D model, which can then be animated so it mimics a given person's distinctive traits.
The researchers say the technology could some day be used to create 3D models of absent loved ones or celebrities that people could interact with as though they were real.
From University of Washington News and Information
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Abstracts Copyright © 2015 Information Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Understanding How Your Skin Works
Your skin is amazing. It’s a constantly changing, dynamic and adaptable living organ. It can adapt in an instant, responding to differences in the environment, temperature and light. It is highly sensitive to heat, vibration, movement and pressure, and it protects us – from bumps and cold weather, to microorganisms and ultraviolet radiation.
Our skin is an amazing organ and it probably does much more then we give it credit for. As the body’s largest organ, human skin is responsible for:
EXCRETION (the skin eliminates sweat, salt, and wastes from the body, therefore helping remove toxins from the internal systems).
SENSATION (feelings generated by the nerve endings just under the outer layer of the skin make you aware of heat, cold, touch, pain and pressure. The reaction to a sensation is called a reflex).
RESPIRATION (to breathe, the skin takes in oxygen through its pores and releases carbon dioxide).
HYDRATION (The skin contains water to keep itself soft and supple. It secretes perspiration and an oily, sebaceous fluid that maintains the skin’s moisture balance).
ABSORPTION (the skin permits certain substances like water and oxygen to pass through its tissues)
REGULATION (the skin helps maintain the body’s temperature).
PROTECTION (the skin shields your body from the direct impact of heat, cold, bacteria, and other aspects of the environment that could be detrimental to your health).
SYNTHESIS: production of "Vitamin D" by the action of UV is another major function of the skin.
Skin pH and Acid Mantle
Sweat is a salty, watery solution produced by sweat glands, numerous microscopic channels opening onto the skin surface. As sebum and sweat mix up on the skin surface, they form a protective layer often referred to as the acid mantle. Acid mantle has a particular level of acidity characterized by pH from about 4 to 5.5.
A pH of 7 is considered neutral, above 7 is alkaline, and below is acidic. The skin secretes sebum (oil) and sweat (99% water and 1% salt, uric acid, urea, ammonia and lactic acid).
This combination of oil and water makes up our ACID MANTEL. In addition to helping protect skin from "the elements"


Opiate addiction spreading, becoming more complex
The growing availability of heroin, combined with programs aimed at curbing prescription painkiller abuse, may be changing the face of opiate addiction in the U.S., according to sociologists.23 Aug 2015
While heroin abuse is still relatively rare, the use of the drug is not only increasing, but it is now being coupled with the abuse of prescription painkillers, said Shannon Monnat, assistant professor of rural sociology, demography, and sociology, Penn State. She added that the heroin-prescription drug combination is also hitting groups that were not traditionally viewed as widespread opiate users.
"One of the things we've found is that the simultaneous use of heroin and prescription painkillers together has increased dramatically among whites and especially among young white men," said Monnat, who worked with Khary K. Rigg, assistant professor of mental health law and policy, University of Southern Florida.
Monnat described the recent trend as a domino effect of addiction that began in the 1980s and 1990s when the over-prescription of painkillers led to an increase in addiction to those drugs.
"Over the last several years there have been more restrictions put in place, including prescription-drug monitoring programs and the introduction of a tamper-proof opioid, making it difficult to crush, liquefy and inject the substance," said Monnat. "What this has done is restrict access to prescription painkillers for people who previously became addicted to them. These people sometimes transition into heroin, which has become incredibly cheap and easily accessible."
Some addicts who were introduced to heroin also turn to abusing both painkillers and heroin at the same time. While most opiate addicts are still addicted to only painkillers, the number of addicts using heroin and the number of users who are addicted to both painkillers and heroin are increasing faster than painkiller-only abusers.
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This is the VOA Special English Education Report.
This week is the sixtieth anniversary of the Fulbright Program of international educational exchanges. On August first, nineteen forty-six, President Harry Truman signed legislation to create the program.
Fulbright grants are given to graduate students, to scholars and professionals, and to teachers and administrators. Today about six thousand people each year receive grants. People come to the United States to study or teach, while Americans go to other countries.
The Fulbright program operates in about one hundred fifty countries. Around two hundred seventy-five thousand people have taken part over the years. Some have gone on to become Nobel Prize winners and leaders in areas like business, technology and politics.
Those who take part in the program are called Fulbright scholars or "Fulbrighters." They receive money for travel, education and living costs. The program is paid for by the United States government and by foreign governments and private groups.
Thomas Farrell is a deputy assistant secretary in the State Department which supervises the program. He says that right now the number of American students who want to spend a year as a Fulbright scholar is at the highest point ever. And, he says, so is the number of Fulbright scholarships they are being awarded. The number is close to one thousand two hundred a year.
In nineteen forty-six of Arkansas proposed the legislation to create the program. At that time, just after World War Two, he saw the idea as a way to improve world understanding.
Senator Fulbright thought exchanges would help people better understand other ways of life as well as their own. He believed the program could educate future world leaders.
You can learn more about the program online from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the State Department. We have a link to the Web site at voaspecialenglish.com, where you can also download archives of our reports and listen online.
And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. A program note -- in September we will begin our Foreign Student Series. This is information about how to attend school in the United States. So please send us your questions. Write to firstname.lastname@example.org. We cannot answer mail personally, but we might answer your question during our series. I'm Steve Ember.


Was a member of the 44th Bomb Group in England as a B-24 Liberator pilot. On his 20th mission, March 18, 1944, his plane was heavily damaged by flak, and the injured crew bailed out near Switzerland. Narrowly avoiding capture by the Germans, Cardenas was interned by the Swiss. In May, he escaped to France and returned to England in October.
Major Cardenas’ roles included Chief of the Bomber Operations Section of the Flight Test Division upon graduating from the Experimental Flight Test School in November of 1944 where he tested, evaluated, and gathered data on U.S. and captured German aircraft.
On February 9, 1949, Cardenas flew the YB-49 from Muroc to Andrews Air Force Base, setting a transcontinental non-stop flight record.
After attending Air Command and Staff School, in 1950, Cardenas completed his engineering degree and was assigned to Naha Air Base, Japan as Commander of the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing. For the next two years, he engaged in F-105 combat operations over Southeast Asia.
Commanded the 835th Air Division at McConnell Air Force Base in July 1966 , training pilots for Vietnam combat.
Deputy Chief of Staff for LIVE OAK, a NATO group that maintained Allied access to the divided city of Berlin.


The calmness of cats can delight many people, but when you try to wet your pet, he will immediately show remarkable aggression and will be able to bite and scratch anyone who tries to disturb the cat’s peace.
The question becomes obvious, why do cats react so negatively to water and where does a huge number of videos appear on the Internet where cats lie in a peaceful state in the bathroom or sink with water?
In order to see the full potential of pet aggression, it is enough to dip the cat in water.
Water getting into the ears
Comparing the cat’s ears with her body, it becomes clear that they are quite large. The probability of water entering the ear is incredibly high. The ear also has a fairly deep, internal channel. Removing water from the ear can be problematic.
In this case, the infection that got into the water can also get into the brain. Many cats, who are not averse to swimming, still protect their ears on a subconscious level.
The undercoat in the cat’s fur provides little protection from moisture. The wet undercoat has the effect of a wet T-shirt and will retain moisture for a long time.
At a low temperature outside, hypothermia is likely to occur, and its consequences can be unpredictable.
Staying in good shape
Long and wet hair can significantly reduce the mobility of the animal and restrict its movement. Despite the fact that cats are semi—domestic animals, their natural instincts imply their constant readiness to confront danger.
To do this, the cat must remain in good physical shape, be ready to run away or fight, as it happens in the wild.
The smell of water
Seals have an increased sensitivity to various odors. The smell of water, as well as the odors of chemicals contained in it, repel animals from coming into contact with this substance.
There are exceptions
Some cat breeds, such as Maine Coons, are very fond of swimming. Since ancient times, these huge pets have been fighting mice and rats on sailboats and feel very good while in the water, and also do not mind swimming a lot.
The Turkish Van has a unique coat that simply does not retain moisture. These seals love to swim, and their owners often purchase specialized pools for them.
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Courses fulfilling the CIT Requirement, though different in topics and approaches, generally will aim for depth of engagement into a few theologically rich areas of the tradition rather than breadth of coverage of all the areas of theology. They will all explore such questions as:
- What is the meaning of human nature?
- What is the best human life to live?
- What is the nature of the universe?
- What is the place of human beings in the universe?
- What are possible responses to meaninglessness, pain, loss, and evil?
- How ought humans to live as a community and for what purpose?
- How have humans imagined holiness, goodness, and beauty and for what purpose?
- How can humans live authentically in a globalized and pluralistic world?
- How can humans live sustainable lives in a harmed and precarious global environment?
- How do notions of God and religious faith inform responses to all of these questions?
- Critical inquiry. Engage with the rich traditions and questions that both emerged from and shaped Catholicism.
- Dialogue and discourse. Engage in conversation a range of theological, philosophical historical, or contemporary issues and make meaningful connections to public and/or scholarly discourse.
- Critical reading and analysis. Develop the ability to contextualize and critically analyze primary and secondary sources in print and electronic formats.
- Argument and expression. Develop the ability to set forth clear, well-supported, and persuasive arguments, orally and in writing. Develop the ability to write essays that reflect knowledge of essential facts and a command of analytical and writing skills.


Saint Bede the Venerable
Bede the Venerable lived his life in the darkest of times and was indeed a light shining in that darkness. Bede loved the Lord Jesus and devoted his life to the study and translation of Scripture. He himself commented on over twenty-five Books of Scripture. As the barbarians in Rome were burning books, Bede was recording them.
In Bede's commentary on Revelation, he praised Jesus as "The Morning Star." These words form the focus for the center of our Altar Cross. It is our conviction that the words of St. Bede incorporated into this sculpture are exhibited in only two places in the world: over the tomb of the Saint in Durham, England, and in our nave over the altar where we meet our Lord.
Christ is the Morning Star who when the night of this world is past brings to his saints the promise of the light of life and opens everlasting day. Bede: Revelation 2:28
The Icon of the Venerable Bede shown here was written by Br. Kenneth Hosley, OPC, of the Order of St. Anthony the Great in commemoration of the Jubilee Year (2010) of St. Bede's Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia.
The central figure is St. Bede the Venerable. He is surronded by ornamentation from the Book of Kells and the monasteries of Jarrow and Wearmouth in which he lived as a monk and priest. The inset icons are of Sts. Aidan of Lindisfarne, Hilda of Whitby, and Cuthbert. Bede is illuminated from above by Christ the Morning Star, just as Bede referenced in his famous work The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, which he is shown here writing. Each saint is represented in the colors of the liturgical seasons which follow England's transition from Celtic Christianity that came from Ireland into the Roman form that came from Europe. It is this story of transition that Bede so remarkably documented in his Ecclesiastical History.
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Our very own three-toed box turtle, Raspberry, is getting a new habitat at Seacoast Science Center! What type of habitat do you think would suit him best? If you were a box turtle, would you like a large space or a cozy space? Hidden or exposed? Up high or underground?
Follow these steps to learn all about box turtles and complete our design challenge!
Watch the video below to learn about Raspberry, the Three-toed Box Turtle that lives at Seacoast Science Center.
Ready for the challenge? Design and build a dream home habitat for a box turtle using our Challenge: Build a Habitat planning sheets.
Email a photograph of your habitat design by April 15th to firstname.lastname@example.org. Be sure to tell us your first name and age if you would like us to share it on social media.
Join us on Seacoast Science Center’s Facebook page for Turtle Time with Daryn, when she will give you a closeup view of Raspberry and share your submitted designs!
Turtle Time on Facebook Live
Friday, April 16
Want to learn more about other animal habitats?
Try our Habitat Match to pair animals with their homes and head to National Geographic’s Habitats. What would be your favorite habitat to live in? Can you Build a Shelter that would work well in your habitat?
Many animals hide, or camouflage, in order to stay safe from predators or to hunt their prey. Skates, lobsters, and other animals that stay on the bottom of the ocean have concealing coloration that help them to blend in. Box turtles have beautiful mottled colored shells, or carapaces, to help them camouflage with their surroundings. Want a fun game to play with your family and friends? Try this Disappearing Turtle Activity and see whose turtle survives the longest in hiding. Good luck!
Your Learning Connection is generously sponsored by Bank of America, The Fuller Foundation, Physical Sciences Inc., Rye Family Dental, and York Hospital.


Home Sustainable Home
The Archetype Sustainable House at the Kortright Centre in Vaughan opens to the public on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. This semi-detached, single-family dwelling one of two features JELD-WEN window and door products and showcases environmentally sustainable design and materials. The two houses serve as models of the next generation of green homes. “We’re really excited to be a part of this project,” says Sante Cigana, vice president of JELD-WEN Windows and Doors. “The building focuses on recycled, renewable and durable materials that reduce ecological impact. Those are elements that we’re very conscious of in all of our products.” As a leader in environmental stewardship and product design, JELD-WEN has donated energy-efficient windows and exterior doors to the Archetype Sustainable House. The construction called for building materials with an ENERGY STAR appropriate rating to reduce heat load and energy consumption. The donation includes Custom Wood, metal-clad windows and doors made with Low E and Argon-filled triple-pane glass. “Sustainable design is applied throughout the house,” says interior designer Terrell Wong, one of three women that conceived the home. “Low VOC and durable materials reduce detrimental ecological impact, create healthy indoor environments and long-lasting buildings.” The Archetype Sustainable House is a leader in LEED construction and once the project is completed, will become a model for energy efficient, renewable and sustainable buildings and materials. With an estimated 150,000 visitors expected annually, the test home will serve as an education facility for trades, builders, students and the public.


A rose-colored bird with an unforgettable beak and black wings with white patches is spending time at Jean Brougton’s feeders in Morgans Walke in Virginia Beach.
A white-winged crossbill, the bird has migrated farther south than usual because it’s a bad year for conifers in the north.
The trees are not bearing enough cones to keep these seed eaters well fed.
Their unusual beaks where the top crosses over the bottom are especially adapted for wresting seeds out of pine, hemlock and other cones.
Crossbills are like the red-breasted nuthatches that also have come south for pinecone seeds and more this winter.
The white-winged crossbill looks almost like its cousin, the red crossbill, also a cheerful rosy bird. But the white wing patches on the white-winged crossbill are the giveaway.
Female white wingeds are pale greenish-yellow, but they have the same black and white wings and odd crossed bill.
Broughton has had her visitor since the middle of November and it appears at her feeder every few days.
After hecking the rare bird alert maps, she said she thinks she may have the only crossbill in Virginia Beach, though the birds have shown up on the Eastern Shore.


One of the largest, most nationally representative studies of the effects of parenting on very young, deaf children who have received cochlear implants is being conducted by researchers led by University of Miami (UM) Psychologist Alexandra L. Quittner.
The findings indicate that mothers who are most sensitive in their interactions with their children receiving cochlear implants have kids that develop language faster, almost "catching up" to their hearing peers. The report is published in the Journal of Pediatrics.
"I was surprised that maternal sensitivity had such strong and consistent effects on oral language learning," says Quittner, director, Child Division in the Department of Psychology, at the UM College of Arts and Sciences. "The findings indicate that pediatric cochlear implant programs should offer parent training that facilitates a more positive parent-child relationship and fosters the child's development of autonomy and positive regard."
Participants were 188 children with severe to profound loss of hearing, ages from five months to five years. In addition to analyzing the effects of maternal sensitivity, on language development, the study also looks at the impact of cognitive and language stimulation. Parent-child interactions observed and coded included free play, puzzle solving, and an art gallery task with five posters mounted at different heights on the walls of the playroom.
The largest improvements in language development were observed in children whose parents displayed high sensitivity; Language stimulation was also an important predictor of language gains, but was most effective when delivered in a sensitive manner. Deaf children with sensitive parents had only a 1 year delay in oral language compared to. 2.5 years among those with less sensitive parents.
This cohort of deaf and hearing children has now been followed for approximately 8 years post-implantation; NIH has just funded the competitive renewal, allowing the researchers to follow them for another 5 years, into adolescence. The aims will focus on their cognitive and social development, as well as their academic achievement.


Our pupils access a broad and balanced curriculum which is differentiated to meet individual learning needs.
We aim to develop confident, independent and inquisitive learners, who will become active members of their community. We acknowledge our special responsibility in preparing young people for life in modern Britain.
Lessons are taught in small groups (averaging 7 pupils) by teachers with experience working with children with language and communication difficulties. In addition to this, Learning Support Assistants enable learners to receive significant individual attention. Modified language and visual approaches are used so that children can understand and develop the language that they need for learning. Visual approaches to teaching can also support learning and development of vocabulary.
Speech and language therapists work closely with teachers to understand and support each child’s difficulties and strengths. Where appropriate teachers and Speech and language therapists plan and deliver some lessons collaboratively, and work together to help students develop curriculum language.
With specialist teaching and integrated speech and language therapy, students who have difficulties with language and communication find that they can access the curriculum, make progress and see enjoy learning.
A modified National Curriculum is taught with the core curriculum of English, Maths, Science and Computing/ICT being taught alongside Religious Education, Humanities, Drama, Art, Music, Design & Technology, Food Technology, PSHE and P.E and Spanish. Pupils also participate in enrichment activities weekly which offer the opportunity for them to develop communication and social skills .


Using machine learning, a computer model can teach itself to smell in just a few minutes. When it does, researchers have found, it builds a neural network that closely mimics the olfactory circuits that animal brains use to process odors.
Animals from fruit flies to humans all use essentially the same strategy to process olfactory information in the brain. But neuroscientists who trained an artificial neural network to take on a simple odor classification task were surprised to see it replicate biology’s strategy so faithfully.
“The algorithm we use has no resemblance to the actual process of evolution,” says Guangyu Robert Yang, an associate investigator at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research, who led the work as a postdoc at Columbia University. The similarities between the artificial and biological systems suggest that the brain’s olfactory network is optimally suited to its task.
Yang and his collaborators, who reported their findings Oct. 6 in the journal Neuron, say their artificial network will help researchers learn more about the brain’s olfactory circuits. The work also helps demonstrate artificial neural networks’ relevance to neuroscience. “By showing that we can match the architecture [of the biological system] very precisely, I think that gives more confidence that these neural networks can continue to be useful tools for modeling the brain,” says Yang, who is also an assistant professor in MIT’s departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Mapping natural olfactory circuits
For fruit flies, the organism in which the brain’s olfactory circuitry has been best mapped, smell begins in the antennae. Sensory neurons there, each equipped with odor receptors specialized to detect specific scents, transform the binding of odor molecules into electrical activity. When an odor is detected, these neurons, which make up the first layer of the olfactory network, signal to the second layer: a set of neurons that reside in a part of the brain called
This article is trimmed, please visit the source to read the full article.
The post Artificial networks learn to smell like the brain appeared first on MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology.


Radon and Lung Cancer
Among non-smokers, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s estimated that this gas is responsible for over 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year. It is such a cause for concern that the U.S. Surgeon General issued a national health advisory in 2005.
What is Radon?
Radon is a radioactive gas produced when thorium, uranium, and radium break down in soil and bedrock. Radon enters a building through cracks in the foundation and gaps around pipes. It builds up inside the building because it gets trapped within the structure’s walls.
You can’t taste or smell radon, so you won’t notice it inside your home, office, or school. It’s estimated that one in every 15 homes have unhealthy levels of radon. Radon isn’t an issue to take lightly, because it contributes to lung cancer.
Testing for Radon in the Home
A homeowner can purchase testing kits at a hardware store, however, professional testing will deliver the best results. Hire a home inspector who specializes in radon testing to perform the test. A home inspector will be well-trained in administering the test and in interpreting the results.
Mitigating Radon in the Home
If your test shows high levels of radon gas, contact a qualified mitigation contractor. This professional will design a system to reduce the amount of the gas in your living spaces.
There is a significant link between radon and lung cancer. Have your home tested and call a professional if you need to reduce the levels in your home.
ARK Inspections offers home inspection services, including radon testing, to the Twin Cities. Contact us to request an appointment.


Feature image: UNDP mission to restore 9 wetlands in Andhra beings (The Hindu, 05 May 2021)
Here we highlight the top ten Wetlands India stories about Government actions in 2021 from media reports, including some positive and some adverse decisions taken by various state governments and centre. The first part has presented current situation of wetlands in the country through top 10 reports. The next part would present top 10 judicial interventions in India in 2021 regarding the wetlands.
Continue reading “Top ten India Wetlands stories about Govt actions in 2021” →
(Feature image:- Deepor Beel wetland area has been suffering from environmental degradation due to continuous encroachment and waste dumping. The Guwahati Municipality dump yard, located at Boragaon, lies in the eastern corner of Deepor Beel. Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar/Front Line)
Wetlands are important part of hydrological cycle and play critical role in water purification, climate moderation, biodiversity conservation and flood regulation apart from offering innumerable environmental services to aquatic, wildlife and human beings for which they are also referred as ‘kidneys of the earth’. There are more than 2 lakh wetlands in India covering nearly 4.6 per cent of its geographical area. Despite their essential services and significance, the already neglected wetlands eco-system have been facing multiple existential threats.
As part of its annual overview for 2021, SANDRP in three part series attempts to highlight the state of wetlands in India during past one year. This first part compiles the 10 top critical reports representing the present day status of wetlands across the country. The second part would cover various actions and initiative taken by the state governments and central government all through 2021 impacting the wetlands. The final part would deal with the judicial interventions on wetlands.
Continue reading “India’s Wetlands Overview 2021: Gross Misuse of even Ramsar sites” →


TUESDAY, June 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new study links a gene variant found in Latinos to a fivefold increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes, potentially explaining why the condition is especially common in Latino people.
In Mexico, for instance, an estimated 14 percent of adults had type 2 diabetes in 2006. The condition is also common among Latino people worldwide.
In the new study, researchers studied DNA samples from almost 3,800 Latinos -- including Latinos from the United States and Mexicans -- who were recruited from 1993 to 2013. Of the participants, about 1,800 had type 2 diabetes and the rest, nearly 2,000 people, did not.
One type of DNA found from this group was further tested in a group of more than 14,000 people.
This rare genetic variant was found in slightly over 2 percent of those with type 2 diabetes and just 0.36 percent of those without diabetes. That means that the gene was associated with about a five times increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the study authors reported in the June 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
However, the association between the gene variant and increased risk of diabetes found in the study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
"Further research is warranted to evaluate the clinical relevance of these findings," Karol Estrada, from the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, and colleagues wrote in an institute news release.
The study team recommended that researchers look into the potential benefits of screening for diabetes using this genetic variant, or at the possibility of developing gene-based treatments.
For more about type 2 diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association.
This article: Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


An important question in group decision-making situations is how to estimate the consensus achieved within the group of decision makers. Dictionary meaning of consensus is a general and unanimous agreement among a group of individuals. However, most of the approaches deal with a more realistic situation of partial agreement. Defining a partial agreement of decision makers as a consensus up to some degree, the following question is how to obtain that soft degree of consensus. To do so, different approaches, in which the decision makers express their opinions by using symmetrical and uniformly distributed linguistic term sets, have been proposed. However, there exist situations in which the opinions are represented using unbalanced fuzzy linguistic term sets, in which the linguistic terms are not uniform and symmetrically distributed around the midterm. The aim of this paper was to study how to adapt the existing approaches obtaining soft consensus measures to handle group decision-making situations in which unbalanced fuzzy linguistic information is used. In addition, the advantages and drawbacks of these approaches are analyzed.
|Number of pages||14|
|Publication status||Published - Jun 1 2017|
- Group decision making
- Unbalanced fuzzy linguistic information
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Theoretical Computer Science
- Geometry and Topology


The human body is a complex system. It has a natural ability to grow and develop over time, as well as adapt to the frequent changes in the surroundings. The complexity associated with it and the various processes it undergoes lie in its structure and functionality. Complex chemical reactions play a central role in the evolution of structure and organization of this complex adaptive system, which are inherently directed along the paths of maximum entropy production. Entropy production causes a system to degrade itself by the gradual consumption of free-energy to a more thermodynamically-stable state. However, the human body, and open systems in general, have a tendency to preserve or increase order and complexity with time. This phenomenon of spontaneous appearance of order is known as self-organization. Thus, the human body has a structure and several underlying functions that give rise to organization. Simultaneously, it prevents the destruction of this state of organization by self-organizing itself with time. In the following chapter, we will look into the details of (self) organization from a physical and an information perspective, in order to see the relationship between complexity and the growth in organization of a system with time. Further, understanding the concept of (self) organization from a functional perspective is also important as it will allow us to relate metabolic reaction-sets to structural symmetry, metabolites to interacting nodes, and mapping these interactions into complex networks. Finally, our aim will be to relate ageing to the loss of energy, information, organization and functionality of the human body with time.
Keywords: Complexity, Dissipative Systems, Principle of Least Action, Second Law of Thermodynamics.


More than a year after COVID-19 vaccines first became available, roughly half of the global population has been vaccinated, and data suggests massive disparities in access to these life-saving tools. Moderna chief medical officer Dr. Paul Burton told the PBS NewsHour’s chief correspondent Amna Nawaz on Thursday that the company isn’t enforcing its patent “during the pandemic phase” in case “other people want to produce the vaccine” and get more people vaccinated around the world. But, as Nawaz clarified, that’s not the same thing as waiving the patents, which would enable more countries to make their own vaccines.
While Moderna has donated hundreds of millions of doses to increase vaccination rates in underserved countries, critics say they could be doing more, such as sharing intellectual property so local supplies can be manufactured more readily. To expand vaccine access at this point in the pandemic, Burton said local distribution played a greater role than companies producing enough doses, and noted upcoming efforts to “produce a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility” to make doses for African nations. Overall, just one out of 10 people in low-income countries are estimated to have received a first COVID vaccine dose.
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HOW DOES CBD WORK?
CBD and THC interact with our bodies in a variety of ways. One of the main ways they impact us is by mimicking and augmenting the effects of the compounds in our bodies called “endogenous cannabinoids” – so named because of their similarity to the compounds found in the cannabis plant. These “endocannabinoids” are part of a regulatory system called the “endocannabinoid system”.
The discovery of the endocannabinoid system has significantly advanced our understanding of health and disease. It has major implications for nearly every area of medical science and helps to explain how and why CBD and THC are such versatile compounds – and why cannabis is such a widely consumed mood-altering plant, despite its illegal status.
The endocannabinoid system plays a crucial role in regulating a broad range of physiological processes that affect our everyday experience – our mood, our energy level, our intestinal fortitude, immune activity, blood pressure, bone density, glucose metabolism, how we experience pain, stress, hunger, and more.
What happens if the endocannabinoid system doesn’t function properly? What are the consequences of a chronically deficient or overactive endocannabinoid system?
In a word, disease.
Cutting-edge science has shown that the endocannabinoid system is dysregulated in nearly all pathological conditions. Thus, it stands to reason that “modulating endocannabinoid system activity may have therapeutic potential in almost all diseases affecting humans,” as Pal Pacher and George Kunos, scientists with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), suggested in a 2014 publication.
By modulating the endocannabinoid system and enhancing endocannabinoid tone, CBD and THC can slow – or in some cases stop – disease progression.


Notes from the session at SXSWEDU: Remix your Learning Experience Design Process
Led by: Martin Moran & Lindsey Own
Session designed for K12 educators, provided insights that are aligned with my own work with faculty in the learning design process in higher education.
Start the conversation with educator by asking “what is the cool thing that you are doing?”
Kindergartners may remember every student creating a windsock but they may not understand the “why they did it”.
No student choice. Ensure that you are tying the objectives and outcomes to the process.
Instead of everyone creating a windsock let’s let the students create a way to measure the wind. And allow them to test what they create and iterate on their designs.
Back up and ask “Why” “What do you want your learners to understand and be able to do upon completion of this activity?”
- Can visualizations be helpful?
- Can “what if’s” help in thinking about this?
- Is there a way to connect this to the community?
After reframing the lesson there can be incredible learning gains.
During the session the leaders had us think about the 10 core elements of an innovative learning experience and identify which were our greatest strengths and our weaknesses. We then relocated around the room to group into these categories and look for those who we could work with that had the strength to pull from.
Then we worked in groups to move through the design thinking process (a short version).
Design Thinking Steps: Redesign Process
Empathize: Question to understand needs of the teacher and students understand, pros and cons of existing activities.
Define: “Needs” statement, including basic learning objectives.
Ideate: Brainstorm through different types of learning pathways.
Prototype: Plan for maximizing “core elements”
Iterate: Adjust on the fly, take notes for future years.
The image above is a slide from my presentation: Using Design Thinking in the Course Redesign process that was developed for iDesignEDU while working with a partner University.


“There is a profound difference between management and leadership, and both are important. To manage means to bring about, to accomplish, to have charge of or responsibility for, to conduct. Leading is influencing, guiding in a direction, course, action, opinion. The distinction is crucial”.
In his 1989 book “On Becoming a Leader, Warren Bennis composed a list of the differences between managers and leaders for added clarification:
– The manager administers; the leader innovates.
– The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.
– The manager maintains; the leader develops.
– The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
– The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.
– The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
– The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
– The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader’s eye is on the horizon.
– The manager imitates; the leader originates.
– The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
– The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.
– The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.
This is a good distinction for us consultants to internalize.
Consultants are not managers. We’re leaders.
Sure, we can help empower the managers we work with. We even can be one of many leaders within the companies we work for.
But as Warren Bennis said, the distinction is crucial.
Be a leader.


Researchers have investigated why many of us wake in the middle of the night and dwell on our fears.
In response to gut inflammation, such as that caused by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the vascular barrier in the brain choroid plexus closes, locking down access to the brain, according to a new study.
A multiyear study of older adults found that both short and long sleepers experienced greater cognitive decline than people who slept a moderate amount, even when the effects of early Alzheimer’s disease were taken into account.
A brain circuit that works as a “brake” on binge alcohol drinking may help explain male-female differences in vulnerability to alcohol use disorders, according to a preclinical study led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine.
The Mediterranean diet does not only have beneficial effects for the cardiovascular health of those who follow it, but it can allow them to improve their memory and prevent or delay the effects of cognitive deterioration connected to aging.
People with higher levels of anxiety have altered perceptions of their breathing compared to those with lower levels of anxiety. The altered perception of respiration can lead to an increase in feelings of anxiety, researchers report.
Finally this week researchers reveal the neurobiological basis of why we often find it more difficult to find the right words as we age.


Business intelligence (BI) — what it is, and why it’s important
In this article about business intelligence, you’ll learn:
What is business intelligence?
Business intelligence (BI) is a subdiscipline of data analytics that involves gathering, analyzing, and presenting data visually. The purpose of BI is to help inform and improve business decision-making by making data easier to interpret and act on.
While BI involves collecting and visualizing data, the term also refers to the software tools that carry out these practices. These tools report on data by pulling it from a central dashboard to create reports and visualizations, like charts and graphs.
While both involve using data, BI and business analytics are not the same. BI uses data to gather insights about an organization’s present-day strategy, while business analytics uses data to build a strategy for the future.
The importance of business intelligence tools
Companies use business intelligence tools to improve anything from strategy to execution. By gathering data into a single environment, they’re able to extract insights faster and make decisions more efficiently. Specifically, BI tools help companies:
- Collect and store data. Because data is often stored in various places, gathering it allows teams to mine data for patterns that will inform visualizations.
- Maximize workflow efficiency. BI tools help companies extract better insights, which lead to better decision-making around strategies and processes.
- Reach business goals. By clearly measuring performance and benchmarking process, organizations can consistently track toward business goals and act on reporting insights.
Getting started with business intelligence
Business intelligence tools not only help companies gather data, but they also help analyze and visualize that data efficiently to improve decision-making and reach business goals. When you’re ready to get started with your own business intelligence, choose a reliable BI tool that’s right for your business.
Adobe Customer Journey Analytics brings data all under one roof to gain a realistic view of customer behaviors and business performance. With in-depth analysis, versatile reporting, and predictive intelligence, you gain the insightful foundation you need for better decision-making.
To learn more, watch the overview video or request a product tour.


Subarctic Alaska: A Land of Extreme WeatherNestled in the northwestern corner of North America, Alaska is the largest state in the United States of America. This subarctic state is known for its incredible natural beauty, breathtaking landscapes, and extreme weather conditions. Alaska is home to some of the most rugged terrains in the world, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, adventure-seekers, and scientists. One of the most distinctive weather phenomena in Alaska is hail. Every year, Alaska experiences a significant amount of hail that can range in size from small pea-sized hailstones to large grapefruit-sized ones. Alongside hail, Alaska also experiences other weather patterns such as snow, rain, and strong winds. These weather conditions can often make it difficult for visitors and locals alike to navigate through the state.
Hail Maps in AlaskaWhen it comes to forecasting hail, Alaska has an arsenal of tools at its disposal. Hail maps are one such tool that helps forecasters predict where and when hailstorms are most likely to occur. These maps show the distribution of hailstorms across Alaska and can help residents and tourists prepare accordingly. The maps are updated in real-time, allowing users to stay up-to-date with the latest hail forecasts. With the help of these maps, visitors and residents can take precautions such as avoiding outdoor activities during peak hail times or parking their vehicles in garages to protect them from hail damage.
Hail Reports in AlaskaDespite the precautions, sometimes hailstorms can be unexpected and catch people off guard. In such instances, hail reports are an essential tool to help people stay safe. These reports provide information on the size and location of hailstones, helping residents and tourists avoid areas that have been hit hardest by the storm. Hail reports also provide critical information to emergency responders, allowing them to assess the damage and respond accordingly. By staying informed with the latest hail reports, visitors and residents can stay safe during extreme weather conditions in Alaska.


If you had pure iron, and put it into pure water, very little would happen, since there would be no oxygen to react with the iron. But if you put the pure iron into pure dry oxygen, very little would also happen. The outer iron atoms would rust, but then that layer of rust would stand between the iron and the remaining oxygen.
Water helps iron react with oxygen. The first step in getting oxygen to react with iron is to break up the oxygen molecule. In water, oxygen can steal some electrons from iron to make four hydroxyl ions (the OH- ions in the following reaction):
O2 + 4 e- + 2 H2O → 4 OH-
The electrons come from the iron:
Fe → Fe2+ + 2 e-
But to make rust we need another reaction with iron:
4 Fe2+ + O2 → 4 Fe3+ + 2 O2-
In the process of making rust, the ferrous (Fe2+) and ferric (Fe3+) ions also react with water to form Fe(OH)2 and Fe(OH)3 (ferrous hydroxide and ferric hydroxide) and hydrogen. These hydroxides can then lose their water to form still more iron compounds. It is all these reactions that end up making the rust flaky, so it falls off the iron and exposes new iron that can start to rust.
All of these reactions are sped up by acids and by having more ions in the water, so it conducts electricity better, so that the iron and oxygen can exchange electrons.
Adding salt to the water makes the iron corrode more quickly, but adding an acid makes it corrode even faster than that.


On Tuesday, Jains throughout the country celebrated their most auspicious day, Mahavir Jayanti. The day is dedicated to Lord Mahavir, the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism. Jain communities were seen thronging temples to worship Lord Mahavir, and several rallies were taken out to mark the occasion. Renowned preceptors enlightened children and elders on the teachings of Lord Mahavir, preaching the path of morality and righteousness.
Innumerable holy places were visited in the name of Mahavira, and many traveled to temples to meditate and offer prayers. Sacred Jain temples arranged beneficial and advantageous lectures to examine fundamental questions of life and truth. Traditional pujas were performed with a set of rituals to honor the statue of Mahavir by offering flowers, rice, fruits, and Dudh Abhisheka.
On this holy day, many Jains atone fast for peace and salvation and conduct purposeful ceremonies and social awareness operations. People, especially youngsters, were seen chanting slogans like Trishala Nandan Veer Ki…Jai Bolo Mahavir Ki and Vande Veeram.
Mahavir Jayanti is observed on the 17th day of the month of the rising moon called Chaitra, mostly in March/April according to the Lunar calendar. Although it is observed strictly somewhere in April according to the Gregorian calendar. The day began with a traditional bath of the statues and idols of Lord Mahavira, known as Jal Abhisheka.
Jains also involve themselves in numerous charitable ventures and public-spirited acts at some familiar vicinity during the daytime. These benevolent activities allow Jain practitioners to connect with the outer world and show respect to Lord Mahavira. Traditional processions were also carried out where people participate in umpteen Mahavir carcades and carry out various processions in streets for the prominent festivity.
Mahavir, also called Vardhaman in his childhood, is regarded as one of the holiest and most accomplished missionaries of peace and harmony. Mahavir Jayanti has great significance for Jains as it commemorates the birth of Lord Mahavir. According to Svetambara Jains, Mahavir’s mother saw 16 auspicious dreams when she was pregnant, while Digambara Jains believe she saw 14 dreams.


Servus - the young tradition
Today I learned that the cultural phenomenon of saying “Servus” as a greeting in Bavaria and the rest of Germany is rather young. While many people associate it with “old Bavarian traditions” the greeting wasn’t used for most of history. It’s originating in the Latin language and is short for “I’m your servant”. It made its first appearance in Germany when the Roman empire expanded to the north. But it disappeared soon afterwards again until the 19th century where Latin was used as a military language by foreign armies. At that time words like “Ade” were more commonly used, but due to the war with France got out of the trends quickly and was replaced by “Servus”. Over time it made it’s way into more sayings and replaced various words to make things sound less direct. In the 20th century it got more and more popular due to pop culture and similar trend setting events. Nowadays basically everyone in Germany knows the greeting and a lot of people use it on a regular basis as a greeting.
I came across this while striving through the internet. A video by the BR (Bavarian public television)1 jumped at me and I decided to look into it. Language always fascinates me and therefore this was a nice opportunity to learn something new about a very commonly used word.
The video was removed by the BR. ↩


Share these talks and lectures with your colleaguesInvite colleagues
How do firms differ in their use of scarce resources?
Published on February 28, 2023 11 min
A selection of talks on Strategy
Hello, I'm Jeremy Short, the G. Brint Ryan Chair in Entrepreneurship and Professor of Management at the University of North Texas and I'm here to talk about how do firms differ in their use of scarce resources?
One of the concepts I always like to think about in this subject of managing resources is the idea of famous fine artists. For example, you might have seen the famous picture of Andy Warhol's Campbell's tomato soup. Recently one of those paintings, one of those prints sold for $12 million. Some of his other work recently has sold for over $70 million. But the basic resources, are paint, the creativity of the artist, the subject, and the art world is one that's very chaotic, very high risk. We also think of many starving artists. In the same way that I'm fascinated by this, I really find it interesting to think about the resources organizations use to put together their firms, to put together their corporations, and try to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Much like an artist tries to differentiate their work from that of others.
There are two basic types of resources intangible resources and tangible resources. Tangible resources include items that can be touched and quantified. Cash, assets, the physical buildings, the brick and mortar, as folks will call it, an expression about things that exist that are part of the corporation. Intangible resources are much more ethereal. Things like the corporation's culture. It's important that organizations manage both tangible and intangible resources.


Polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes are major cellular contributors in the process of inflammation in response to infections. These cells represent one of the first lines of defence against microbial invasion. Influx of neutrophils into inflammatory sites results in phagocytosis, killing and removal of pathogenic micro-organisms, and can also participate in healing and tissue repair (Smolen and Boxer, 1995). However, uncontrolled accumulation of neutrophils, and inadequate responses of these cells can initiate acute or chronic inflammatory disorders (Smith, 1994). One of the first steps in the inflammatory process is the release of various substances from host cells as well as from the pathogens, which will then attract and activate circulating neutrophils. Such chemoattractants include N-formylated peptides derived from bacterial walls, the complement-derived C5a, membrane lipid metabolites, and the more recently described chemokines (Sandborg and Smolen, 1988; Schall and Bacon, 1994). Chemotaxis implies that neutrophils will have to cross cellular barriers such as the vascular endothelium and possibly various epithelia, and to progress through connective tissues and extracellular matrices (Nourshargh and Williams, 1995). Major metabolic events then occur to initiate phagocytosis when neutrophils contact the offending organism. During phagocytosis, different harmful substances aimed at destroying the pathogens and which are normally restricted to internal phagolysosomes, can also be exteriorized. Then, they affect the host cells and extracellular matrices, contributing to tissue damage. The releasable granule products include lysosomal hydrolases, myeloperoxidase and serine proteinases. Cytotoxic agents are also formed from the plasma membrane, i.e. highly reactive oxygen metabolites such as the superoxide anion , hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radical and its chlorinated derivatives (Witko-Sarsat and Descamps-Latscha, 1994). Three other types of neutrophil-derived mediators, although noncytotoxic by themselves, participate to and can amplify the inflammatory process, namely the platelet-activating factor (PAF), chemokines, and arachidonate metabolites known as eicosanoids.


Operations on Fractions
Comparing two sets of products of proper and improper fractions to see if one set evaluates to a value that is equal, lesser or larger than the other set.
Mapped to CCSS Section# 5.NF.A.2, 5.NF.B.7c, 5.NF.B.5a
Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the same whole, including cases of unlike denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem. Use benchmark fractions and number sense of fractions to estimate mentally and assess the reasonableness of answers. For example, recognize an incorrect result 2/5 + 1/2 = 3/7, by observing that 3/7 < 1/2.,Solve real world problems involving division of unit fractions by non-zero whole numbers and division of whole numbers by unit fractions, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem. For example, how much chocolate will each person get if 3 people share 1/2 lb of chocolate equally? How many 1/3-cup servings are in 2 cups of raisins?,Comparing the size of a product to the size of one factor on the basis of the size of the other factor, without performing the indicated multiplication.


I read the New York Times on our porch on a spring Sunday afternoon, taking a moment to capture these fair weather cumulus clouds. Visible are Ithaca’s East Hill, downtown, and a forsythia bush in flower.
More about the flowers, from Wikipedia: Forsythias are popular early spring flowering shrubs in gardens and parks, especially during Eastertide; Forsythias are nicknamed the “Easter Tree”, the symbol of the coming spring.
More about this view, from Wikipedia: Cumulus clouds can form in lines stretching over 480 kilometers (300 mi) long called cloud streets. These cloud streets cover vast areas and may be broken or continuous. They form when wind shear causes horizontal circulation in the atmosphere, producing the long, tubular cloud streets. They generally form during high-pressure systems, such as after a cold front.
2 thoughts on “Fair Weather View”
This sky takes me back to memories of Montana’s Big Sky. Such a sky is filled with endless opportunities for imagination.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trains of cumulus clouds have that effect on me, as well. I’ve only been to Montana once, to visit Great Falls for a potential job opportunity, and I passed.
Comments are closed.


While I try, not too patiently, to wait for the green light to begin travel again (fingers crossed soon) let me share what I hope are some surprising facts about national birds I have met so far in my travels. First, a little background.
How are national birds chosen? Basically a national bird is chosen to be the official bird of a country due to a number of factors that best symbolize its country. However, although National birds are selected for their abundance, ubiquity and uniqueness, some of the chosen are at least to me a bit surprising. I wold think that a bird’s beauty, or special song or spirit would make them obvious choices, but sometimes the choices are a little difficult to underststand.. See if you agree.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – BALD EAGLE
I am starting with probably one of the most familiar and most outstanding examples of a bird that more than qualifies to be a national bird, seen at the top of this post. It was way back in 1782 when the bald eagle was proposed and quickly accepted as the national bird for the newly formed United States of America, It was chosen as a symbol of authority and power – attributes that have been evident since Roman Times. It soon became iconic.
The bald eagle I met was named Adonis – his regal bearing so evident despite his tragic story. In 1995 Adonis was a shooting victim, despite the fact that it is illegal not only to harm an eagle, under the Bald Eagle Protection Act, but also to even possess a feather – only the First Nations indigenous people are allowed that honor.
Adonis’ left wing was so badly damaged that it unfortunately needed to be amputated. Undaunted, Adonis sits regally upon his perch and surveys all with a proud demeanor at his protected home in the 200 acre Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. What fierce beauty and strength.
COSTA RICA – CLAY COLORED THRUSH
Our Central American neighbor, Costa RIca is awash in magnificent birds- there are over 850 species which represents over 10 percent of the world’s total. I have seen eye popping beauties, from iridescent hummingbirds:
to big beaked aracari’s:
to stunning macaws:
But the deciding factor that clinched the national bird title in 1977 was the song of the clay colored thrush.
The thrush is ubiquitous in Costa Rica, and is quite a common looking bird:


Several farming methods exist which vary depending on the environment, the oyster farming basin, traditions, the species of oysters and the intertidal zone profile (foreshore area of coast uncovered by the tides).
Three principal oyster farming methods are used today:
- Raised (rack and bag)
- Sea Bed
Raised (rack and bag) farming
The raised farming method consists of raising the oysters on a structure (table, rack or trestle) installed on the substrate, on the foreshore. The oysters are placed in bags which are turned on a regular basis to prevent the proliferation of algae. This farming method is particularly widely used along the Atlantic coast, in Brittany and Normandy, due to the tidal systems.
The absence of tides in the Mediterranean encouraged the development of the suspended farming method. Placed in pearl or lantern nets suspended from culture tables, the oysters are permanently immersed in the water. Once they reach a size of between 2 and 3 cm, the oysters are glued to ropes with cement before being immersed in water once again until they reach their market size.
Long-line culture is another suspended farming method enabling the total immersion of the oysters. The method adopts the same principle as the culture tables of the Mediterranean but rather than being attached to culture tables, the lantern nets or baskets are suspended to cables stretched between two buoys.
Sea Bed farming
There are two methods of sea bed farming : on the uncovered sea bed and in deep water.
In the uncovered sea bed method oyster seed is sown in zones that are uncovered at low tide (on the foreshore). Harvest is carried out by dredging.
The deep-water technique consists of immersing the oysters completely in cages. Unlike with the uncovered sea bed technique, oysters do not come into contact with the sea bed itself.
The Australian basket, a new method that can be used in raised and suspended farming
The Australian basket is a recent method that can be adapted to raised and suspended farming.


How’s your WiFi working for you?
WiFi has gone from nice-to-have to mission-critical — particularly with the realities of COVID-19. Its use enables everything from mobile medical devices that help sustain and report on patient health, to staff communication and alarm systems, and to guest networks deployed to reduce stress and improve quality-of-life for those receiving care. If it is not working well, you may be experiencing weak WiFi signals.
Indications may include:
- Intermittent wireless connections.
- Unable to pair Bluetooth devices properly.
- Slow performance on one device when another is being used.
- Wireless signal strength decreases within normal ranges from the router.
- Decreased download and upload speeds.
The most common source of WiFi interference is other WiFi signals outside of the network operator’s control. This can happen when a signal is using the same channel. Co-channel interference may also result when access points are placed too close together and are configured with output power that’s too high. Walls, distance, and other devices can interfere with your WiFi signal. Weaker WiFi signals mean slower speeds and frequent disconnects.
A great WiFi network is not only about a solid initial design but depends equally on ongoing maintenance, the appropriate toolsets/training, and having a competent staff managing the network. WiFi does not abide by the “set it and forget it” mentality that often works well for wired networks. We design for the lowest common denominator with this in mind, but no one has a crystal ball to predict what is coming down the pipe in the next several years.
Contact us to arrange an assessment of your WiFi system.


"Anomie" is a descriptor in the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary thesaurus,
MeSH (Medical Subject Headings). Descriptors are arranged in a hierarchical structure,
which enables searching at various levels of specificity.
A state of social disorganization and demoralization in society which is largely the result of disharmony between cultural goals and the means for attaining them. This may be reflected in the behavior of the individual in many ways - non-conformity, social withdrawal, deviant behavior, etc.
- Social Disorganization
- Disorganization, Social
- Disorganizations, Social
- Social Disorganizations
Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more general than "Anomie".
Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more specific than "Anomie".
This graph shows the total number of publications written about "Anomie" by people in this website by year, and whether "Anomie" was a major or minor topic of these publications.
To see the data from this visualization as text, click here.
Below are the most recent publications written about "Anomie" by people in Profiles.


Fascination With Violence: What Role Do Emotions Play?
International conference on historical research of emotions
Do emotions trigger violence? Does violence produce certain emotions? Do emotions even have the power to stop violence? From 26 to 28 June 2013 around 20 international specialists will discuss the relationship between emotions and violence at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin.
The twentieth century was marked by severe violence. This violent era has been researched and published widely but the impact of emotions in this development remains largely unclear. What constitutes the fascination with violence? When does anger and shame turn into violence, what makes violence joyful, and which feelings are able to break through the circle of escalating?
The interdisciplinary conference Emotions & Violence in Twentieth Century Europe. Historical Perspectives on Violence Prevention and Peace Education aims to approach this relationship from a historical perspective. It investigates how feelings that cause or accompany violence are socially and culturally shaped and altered over time. The perspectives of perpetrators, victims and spectators are equally considered and so is the role of the media in the emergence of violence. "Anyone who wants to understand violence must understand the underlying feelings. We expect that results of historical research on emotion are relevant to current research approaches on violence prevention and peace research, "says Dagmar Ellerbrock, head of the Minerva research focus on violence and emotions at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin.
International experts participating in the conference include keynote speakers Professor Susanne Karstedt (Univ. Ledds / Cambridge), Prof. Roger Petersen (MIT / Cambridge) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheff (Univ. of California, Santa Barbara).
The conference is organized by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in collaboration with the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt and the University of Bielefeld. It is sponsored by the Minerva Research Project "Violence & Emotion" and the German Foundation for Peace Research.


When someone goes missing at sea, the search and rescue teams work tirelessly to find them. But what happens if they aren’t found? How long do their loved ones have to wait before they can declare them dead?
Families need closure, and they may also need financial assistance due to the absence of their loved ones. What are the rules for declaring someone dead, and what are the exceptions?
What happens when someone goes missing at sea?
Going missing at sea is a frightening prospect. If someone falls overboard, or if a boat becomes lost in a storm, the chances of survival are slim. Even in areas with heavy maritime traffic, a search and rescue operation can take days or even weeks to locate a missing vessel. And for someone lost at sea, the elements quickly become their biggest enemy. Sun exposure and dehydration are major threats, and hypothermia is also a danger in cold water.
California law states that a person must be missing for five years before being declared deceased. However, as an exception to that rule, the court can hold a presumptive death hearing to declare the missing person dead. A ruling is typically made based on circumstantial evidence.
When a loved one is missing at sea, it can be hard to find closure and move on. When you are grieving, it may be challenging to know which steps you need to take to have them declared dead and allow you to receive benefits. You may want to contact someone who can guide you through the process.


How Does Exercise Promote A Long And Happy Lifestyle?
It is no secret that a healthy body and mind is crucial, and that those who take care of themselves are and will be the happiest in the future. So how does exercise help with this?
Pic: Unsplash / Seth Macey
Advantages of exercising
It is said that 15 minutes of exercise a day is the bare minimum for the body. Fifteen minutes of exercise a day can increase life expectancy by three years and can cut your risk of early death by an average of 14%. Exercise prolongs life by keeping your brain and body active, also by eating healthy!
How does healthy eating contribute?
It is thought that happy people tend to have healthier diets. A study done on 7,000 adults in the UK found that those with positive, happy well-being were more prone to consume large amounts of fruit and vegetables. As well as making improvements in physical health, fruits and vegetables also work as energy and nutrition for the brain.
Why is exercise important in modern-day society?
Exercise in modern-day society has become a type of trend. But most can agree when I say a balanced diet and physical improvements to the body help dramatically with confidence. Being in the 21st century, everybody wants to look good and be a version of their best selves and exercise is the main link to that. It has been proven that exercise improves mental well-being and physical attainment and also personal resistance. The end result of regular exercising is that you live a happy and long life as exercise promotes health and stability.
In conclusion, exercise is something that is recommended highly for things like depression and other medical issues. Overall, it promotes a long and happy lifestyle via the physical and mental accomplishments that come with it.


As a worker in Florida, you may be aware of a movement to increase the national minimum wage to $15 per hour. Since the current minimum wage in the United States is $7.25, this would represent a dramatic change, more than doubling the current minimum. While once regarded as unfeasible, even quixotic, CNN reports that the Raise the Wage Act recently reached the congressional floor.
States have the authority to set their own minimum wage, as do some municipalities. The rule is that they are not allowed to go under the national minimum, although they can go over. The average hourly wage for fast-food workers was approximately $9 per hour in the year 2012. The movement pushing for a $15 per hour national minimum wage was born in New York City in late autumn of that year when a group of fast-food employees walked off the job to demand higher pay.
Approximately seven years later, in 2019, the Raise the Wage Act has come one step closer to becoming the law of the land. The House of Representatives passed the measure in mid-July. If it gains the approval of the Senate and the executive branch in its current form, then by 2025, most American workers would see their hourly pay increase to $15.
Nevertheless, the measure still has a long way to go before it can become law. The Senate would have to vote to pass it, and then the president would have to sign it. If the Raise the Wage Act passes in 2020, it would break a record for the longest period of time that the United States has gone without a minimum wage raise. The last raise was in 2009, and a federal minimum wage has been in effect since 1938.
The information in this article is not intended as legal advice but provided for educational purposes only.


Omichlis dimorpha Kiriakoff, 1974: 399; Holloway 1976: 56, fig.
species is variable, the form with the posterior veins of the forewing picked
out in dark brown being unmistakable. Otherwise, the most distinctive features
are the uniformity of the reddish fawn of the forewing, the depth of the wing
and slightly angular distal margin, and the pale yellow reniform.
Taxonomic note. The
genus is most diverse in New Guinea, with a few species in Queensland and the
Bismarcks. The only other Oriental species is rufotincta Hampson (Burma,
N.E. Himalaya, ?Sumatra (Bender & Dierl 1977))
species has been taken infrequently in forested habitats from the lowlands to
about 1500 m. In the Mulu survey it was slightly more frequent in lower montane
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Every Accused charged with an offence may present evidence that the offence was committed in self-defence and/or the defence of others. Persons who themselves are the target of violence or the threat of violence may use reasonable force to defend themselves. Likewise, a person may use reasonable force in the defence of another party.
In this case, a fight ensued wherein the complainant was armed with a machete and a knife while the Accused wielded a hammer. At some point the Accused struck the complainant’s hand with the machete. A new trial was ordered on appeal after the trial judge failed to instruct the jury to consider self-defence and/or in the defence of a third-party.
The test for if a defence should be left with the jury, ie. whether there is an “air of reality” to the proposed defence, is three-fold. Is there evidence on which a jury could reasonably find that each of the three criteria of self-defence and/or defence of others were not disproven beyond a reasonable doubt:
(a) could a jury reasonably conclude that the Accused believed on reasonable grounds that force or threat of force was being used against them or someone else;
(b) could a jury reasonably conclude that the subjective purpose of the defensive act was for the Accused to protect themselves or others; and
(c) the reasonableness of the force used.


Arc welding is one of the most used methods of welding today, mainly due to its versatility and simplicity. Beginner arc welders often have trouble learning the proper way to strike an arc weld. But with a little bit of patience and time the skill can be mastered. As with any skill, having the proper knowledge and skills will help make the process go much easier and result in high quality welds that are free of defects. To become skilled in the art of striking an arc, you should practice striking beads of weld on a spare piece of metal. As with any welding process, Arc welding requires welders to practice in order to achieve the desired results. To become proficient in the art of striking an arc while welding, you may burn up to 40 pounds of electrode.
To begin you should position the electrode about 1/2 inch away from the area you will be welding. Your next step should be to quickly jab the electrode into the weld and immediately pull it back; this method is known as the jab technique. The strike method requires you to strike the electrode against the metal you are welding, which is also known as the striker, in order to create a weld. When performing this method you need to make sure that the stroke is performed relatively fast so that the rod doesn’t stick to the weld area. If your rod happens to freeze to the metal you are welding, you should increase your amp level by ten until the rod becomes free.
Once you have successfully produced an arc, you should then pull the welding rod back approximately 1/4 inch in order to prevent it from going out. During this step in the arc striking process you should listen for a crackling noise which will help you know that your electrode is being held at the correct distance. If you experience a popping noise accompanied with sparks, that is an indication that you are too far away. If you begin to hear less noise during the welding process it is an indication that you are too close and your arc will go out. If your arc should happen to go out while you are welding, you should stick it back into the weld puddle. After some practice you will become an expert at striking an arc and how to keep it lit.


Greases are semi-solid compounds formulated to protect, seal, and lubricate machine and vehicle components (gears, bearings, chassis, linkages, etc.) and are generally used when oil or fluid lubrication can't be accomplished.
Greases may act as lubricants and sealants in countless applications in an industrial or automotive setting.
Grease is ideally used in machinery and engine components that:
Are not in constant operation (Stop and Go operation)
Grease's increased viscosity allows for it to stay in place and does not settle
Do not lend themselves to easy, simple lubrication
Grease may lubricate isolated or difficult-to-access components in industrial machinery
Have worn components
Grease may extend the life of previously worn parts
Greases are generally made up of three main components:
The most important component is the Base Oil itself. The Base oil is what does the bulk of the lubrication between two surfaces. You select a proper base oil similarly to how you would select a fluid lubricant and the application requirement. Base Oil viscosity is the first consideration as well as the type of base oil such as Mineral or Synthetic.
Secondly would be the type of Thickener or "Sponge" that holds the oil in place. There are many different type of Thickeners due to the way they perform in different applications such as high temperatures, high water contact, extended use applications. Currently Lithium Greases are the most popular with is about 80% of the market.
Final consideration would be the Additives that are incorporated in the base oil as well as the thickener. Certain additives can provide considerable advantages in one application while being detrimental in another. For example, a grease with high levels of tackiness additive will perform well on the bucket pins of a Backhoe but in an industrial high speed bearing it would create internal friction leading to higher temperature and bearing failure.
Bottom Line, it is very important to select the proper grease for your application and PSC has broken out the greases in a multitude of categories to assist in your selection.
For more information on grease, check out our blog posts:


The Ethics Institute at Kent Place School is a first-of-its-kind institute at the primary and secondary school level. We believe that promoting the process and practice of ethical thinking and decision-making prepares people of all ages to be effective leaders and compassionate citizens.
What is the Ethics Institute?
Since 2007, the Ethics Institute has offered age and developmentally appropriate curricular programming and co-curricular experiences from Kindergarten through twelfth grade designed to introduce students to the concept of ethics, deepen their understanding of ethical decision-making, and empower them to act with integrity.
We offer meaningful learning opportunities for K–12 students. Our wide range of programming includes ethics in the disciplines, electives, clubs, advisory, lunch and learn events, summer programs, and Ethics Bowl competitions.
Adult Programming & Partnerships
We provide various avenues for families and community members to consider and discuss important ethical issues. Our workshops, chats, and speaker series provide a platform to learn, practice, and promote ethical dialogue and we partner with numerous organizations to provide comprehensive and context-based ethics programming.
Training & Curriculum
We lead professional workshops for all types of educators interested in incorporating ethics in their unique contexts. Training, coaching, and curriculum resources cover topics such as ethics across the curriculum, building an ethical community, and developing core competencies of ethical decision-making, literacy, and leadership.
We offer a number of one or two-week summer experiences for Middle and Upper School students. Summer 2023 includes: Ethics and the Arts, Ethics and Economics, and the Bioethics Summer Program.
Ethics Institute Blog
Our blog focuses on ethics in schools and communities. Here you will find articles highlighting ethics-based programming, educational research on ethics, and ethical issues in current events. We hope to provide resources to support the teaching and learning of ethics and ethical decision-making.


“They Are Not Yet Freed”
Today marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s call to Americans at every level of society for courage and action in the struggle for Civil Rights. Much of what Kennedy said from the Oval Office on June 11, 1963, remains sadly relevant today, as he describes a struggle for social and economic justice in communities of color across the nation. His words, if we let them, resound in our hearts and minds from the past into the present. To be sure there is much to celebrate and give thanks for fifty years later, but there is still much that needs to be confronted, transformed, and healed.
One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free. They are not yet freed from the bonds of injustice. They are not yet freed from social and economic oppression. And this Nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free.
A great change is at hand, and our task, our obligation, is to make that revolution, that change, peaceful and constructive for all.
Those who do nothing are inviting shame as well as violence. Those who act boldly are recognizing right as well as reality.
May God give us courage to “act boldly” in our times, each according to our gifts, and to recognize “right as well as reality.”
Read the full text and link to video here. From where you stand, which parts of Kennedy’s address, if any, do you find still resonant today, and why? (Or why not?)
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Development of children’s investigative skills through collaboration at a distance between two elementary schools in cyprus
Constantinou, Constantinos P.
PublisherDepartment of Educational Sciences, University of Cyprus
Place of publicationCY - Λευκωσία
SourceCBLIS Conference Proceedings 2003 Volume I: New Technologies and their applications in education
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MetadataShow full item record
The introduction of new educational technologies in elementary schools constitutes a decisive factor for the preparation of tomorrow's citizens, who will be called upon to respond to the challenges of the newly emerging information society. During the school year 2001-2002, the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, the University of Cyprus and the Bank of Cyprus implemented the first technology enhanced collaboration-at-adistance program, called “ODYSSEUS”, between two elementary schools of Cyprus. The program centred around a joint effort to prepare children for taking part in a science fair. The science fair is a non-formal learning environment that has been developed by the Learning in Physics Group as a context for developing investigative skills. Its is an organized educational activity that aims to engage students with science as a process of inquiry and to promote the development of science process skills as well as positive attitudes towards inquiry based learning. In the context of Odysseus, we have sought to implement teleconferencing and in particular to develop a methodology for tele-collaboration between the two elementary classrooms working on preparing science fairs in their respective schools. The participants were two grade 6 classes in different towns in Cyprus.