Icelandic Air Policing is a NATO operation conducted to patrol Iceland’s airspace. As Iceland does not have an air force, in 2006 it requested that its NATO allies periodically deploy fighter aircraft to Keflavik Air Base to provide protection of its airspace. The first deployment of aircraft took place in May 2008.
As Iceland does not maintain an air force, the country was left without means to patrol its airspace when the United States Air Force (USAF) ceased deploying fighter units to Keflavik Air Base in September 2006, and the U.S. Iceland Defense Force was withdrawn.[ Following the American withdrawal Russian Air Force 37th Air Army aircraft entered Icelandic airspace on several occasions.
Prime Minister Geir Haarde requested that Iceland’s NATO allies assume responsibility for protecting Iceland’s airspace during the Riga Summit in November 2006. The North Atlantic Council agreed to this request at its July 2007 meeting.The other NATO member states who lack the ability to patrol their own airspace have similar arrangements in place.In March 2008, Prime Minister Haarde denied that the air policing operation was targeting Russian aircraft, and stated that “It is going to be a general patrolling exercise. We consider Russia to be our friends, by the way.”
As of January 2013, NATO had re-designated the deployments to Iceland as being the “Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet Iceland’s Peacetime Preparedness Needs” mission, and emphasised to reporters that it was focused on training rather than air policing.
Since 2014 the aircraft deployed to Iceland have been placed on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) status and flown armed patrols. While these tasks were not previously undertaken, it was decided to commence them in response to the deterioration in relations between Russia and NATO countries following the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the conflict in Donbass, Ukraine.
In 2018, the deployments to Iceland came under the Allied Air Command and were controlled by NATO’s northern Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem in Germany


On the Myths of a Green Economy
It will stop climate change and the extinction of species and in so doing will create high growth rates and millions of jobs: the green economy. It’s seen as a miraculous weapon. Through it, global capitalism will not only be stabilized, but will become sustainable as well. But what is the green economy?
In a green economy, policy parameters are supposed to ensure the flow of capital to make markets and the economy “greener” and create “green” jobs. Enterprises are to pay an “appropriate” price for environmental damage. And not least: The state is supposed to orient its public procurements according to sustainability criteria and create sustainable infrastructures.
In June 2012, at the UN’s “Rio plus 20” conference in Rio de Janeiro, the green economy was to become a new central concept of global policy. As its title indicates, the conference was taking place on the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, where the magic formula “sustainable development” was coined. However, Rio plus 20 drastically demonstrated that sustainable development is not faring so well. CO2 emissions are increasing. Biological diversity is contracting. Famine, impoverishment and social inequality are increasing in many countries. The much feted “conciliation of ecology and economy” is proving hard to construct. In short: The green economy is not what many want to see it as: a magical formula offering solutions on a silver tray for many problems.
With this brochure Ulrich Brand, Professor for International Politics at the University Vienna, Austria, demonstrates that green economy is a contested term, which can be filled with many different contents—according to different interests. At the same time, Brand shows where the proposals fall short, seek a too hasty compromise with the ruling forces and suppress alternatives rather than promote them. One thing is certain: If the green economy does not break with the structures of the old economy and merely serves as a growth program, it will quickly lead to disillusionment and lose its sheen.


Current Research/future Developments
As in many other fields of psychology, research into underlying biological (physiological, genetic, hormonal) factors in mental phenomena is thriving. Studies concluded in the early and mid-1990s clearly show learning/memory mechanisms occur at synaptic connections—the site of information transfer between neurons. Dozens of different mutant learning/memory genes have already been identified which specifically block learning and/or short-term, amnesia-resistant, and long-term memory. Further studies will surely help uncover intricate mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level involved in learning and memory. Continual advances since the 1970s in brain-imaging techniques that allow non-intrusive visualization of the brain at work have contributed immensely to this area of research. Improvement in brain imaging techniques such as computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), development of new techniques, and neurobiological and genetic research will undoubtedly lead to exciting discoveries about the basis of memory and other mental functions in the brain.
Gregg, V.H. Introduction to Human Memory. New York: Routledge, 1986.
Lutz, J. Introduction to Learning and Memory. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks-Cole, 1994.
McGaugh, J.L., N.M. Weinberger, and G. Lynch, eds. Brain Organization and Memory: Cells, Systems and Circuits. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.
Morris, P.E., and M.E. Conway, eds. The Psychology of Memory. Vols. 1-3. New York: New York University Press, 1993.
Science EncyclopediaScience & Philosophy: Mathematics to Methanal trimerMemory - History, Theories Of Basic Memory Processes, Models Of Memory Operation, Three Information Processing Systems - Divisions of long-yerm memory


In light of the announcement of the impending canonizations of Bl. John XXIII and Bl. John Paul II, I have been doing a lot of research on canonizations in Catholic history, particularly the role of the Promotor Fidei, also known as the Devil's Advocate, whose office was basically eliminated in 1982. Please take some time to read this extensive article on the historical reasons for the institution of the office, the role of the Promotor Fidei, and the consequences attendant upon the elimination of the office. Here is an extract from the introduction:
"Chances are we have all heard the phrase "devil's advocate" to describe the role of a person who argues against a point he is in favor of for the purpose of testing the argument for flaws or weaknesses. The devil's advocate was actually the official name of the Promoter Fidei, an office first attested during the pontificate of Leo X (1513-1521) and formally established by Sixtus V in 1587 during the Counter-Reformation. The duty of the Promotor Fidei was to oversee every aspect of the beatification and canonization process, ensuring that no person received the honors of sainthood rashly, that proper juridical form was observed, and that every potential weakness or objection to the saints canonization was raised and evaluated in order that only those who were truly worthy would be raised to the dignity of the altars. Because the Promotor Fidei took a juridical position against the canonization of any given saint, it was joked that he was taking the devil's part in the proceedings, hence the common appellation "Devils' Advocate" (advocatus diaboli). In this article, we will examine the historical origin, office, and rationale behind the advocatus diaboli as well as the consequences attendant upon the abolition of office by Bl. John Paul II in 1982."
Click here to read the whole article at the Unam Sanctam Catholicam website.
Dear Brother Boniface First rate. Excellent.
Very valuable and a tsunami of ice cold water in the happy face of the new church.
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Hemichordates (heh-mee-COOR-duhts) are wormlike sea animals that live alone or in colonies. The type that lives alone, called acorn worms because of the shape of their heads, is a few inches (centimeters) to several feet (meters) long. They have a three-part body plan of a snout, a simple collar, and a trunk. Hairlike fibers covering the body are used for movement and for distributing mucus. The type of hemichordates that lives in colonies is only about 0.04 inches (1 millimeter) long. They also have a three-part body plan, but the snout is short and shield-shaped and the collar is complex, in some species having tentacled arms. Colony-forming hemichordates live in a network of tubes built with mucus from each animal's snout. A third type of hemichordates has only one species, and only its larvae have been found. Larvae (LAR-vee) are animals in an early stage that change form before becoming adults.
Animal Life ResourceJellyfish, Sponges, and Other Simple AnimalsHemichordates: Hemichordata - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Hawaiian Acorn Worm (ptychodera Flava): Species Accounts, Spaghetti Worm (saxipendium Coronatum): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, HEMICHORDATES AND PEOP


To make soap, lye serves as an emulsifying agent that allow oil and water to combine in the exothermic process known as saponification. There are two types of lye used in modern soapmaking: potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide.
Potassium hydroxide, chemically known as KOH, is used primarily in liquid soapmaking. Sodium hydroxide, chemically known as NaOH, is used primarily in bar soap making. Sodium hydroxide can also be heavily diluted to be used as a pH raising agent in cosmetic formulations. Shave soaps are generally dual lye formulations using both KOH and NaOH.
Lye, in both forms, is a highly alkaline and caustic substance that can cause severe chemical burns to the skin. It is inert in its dry form (granules or flakes) but when added to water, it produces an exothermic reaction (it gets really hot...very fast) that releases bubbles and may appear to boil--which it normal. It also generates fumes which are very irritating to the eyes, nose, and lungs. Goggles, gloves, long sleeves, and a respirator or mask is beneficial in alleviating the effects and irritation. It is common practice to never pour water over lye--always slowly add lye to the water. Before using lye, be sure to familiarize yourself with safe handling and mixing methods, proper storage, and protective gear for your safety and the safety of others who come into contact with your workspace and product.
It is highly recommended that you use a soap calculator to accurately determine the amount of lye needed to saponify your oil base. Here are a few popular choices but more exist:
Majestic Mountain Sage Lye Calculator


ApartTogether Survey: Preliminary Overview of Refugees and Migrants Self-reported Impact of COVID-19
Reference: World Health Organization. (2020). ApartTogether survey: Preliminary overview of refugees and migrants self-reported impact of COVID-19. Geneva: World Health Organization. Licence: CC BY‐NC‐SA 3.0 IGO.
Abstract: ApartTogether is a collaboration between World Health Organization and a consortium of research centres led by Prof. Ilse Derluyn and Dr. An Verelst at Ghent University (Belgium) and Dr. Morten Skovdal at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark). The online survey contains 30 questions that can be answered within 15 minutes using a mobile phone or other handheld devices or laptops. It uses a simple language and has been translated into 37 languages. The questions cover socio-demographic details, experiences of COVID-19 and preventative measures. It also asks about daily stressors and stigma, psychosocial well-being, as well as coping strategies. The survey ran from April 2020 and closed on 31st of October 2020. This report describes the main findings obtained globally in relation to the ways in which the COVID-19 has hit the lives of refugees and migrants. It draws on the perspectives of 30000 respondents who live in 170 countries. The report underlines that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionately hard impact on refugees and migrants and highlights the need of including them in inclusive policy responses.
Full text: ApartTogether Survey.
More information: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240017924?fbclid=IwAR3GH4NbFmD2qLh466erEThQKhpkXdoLZoUEzMN6-5iZCpk3uQ_kY7hmWGA


|Academic Learning Coach|
PROBABILITY in the Real World
What are the odds of getting "tails" when you flip a coin? What is the chance that it will rain tomorrow? If you guess on a multiple choice test, how often will you probably guess correctly? All these questions involve calculating probability, and while these particular examples might seem trivial, learning how to figure probability is not. It is how weather forecasts are created; it is how businesses make some decisions; it is even how your insurance rates are calculated. The more accurately you can determine the probability of an event's occurrence, the less risk you face when you make choices. This site from the BBC's Skillwise series can provide students with a framework of understanding about probability so they can see that there are ways they can minimize their risks and maximize positive outcomes in everyday decisions by using statistics and calculating probabilities. This practical application of math skills moves the understanding of math from the theoretical to the real-world, and answers the perennial student question of "When am I ever going to use this?"
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Valerie Bourbour is a certified educator and past Co-Director of The Academy of Ormond Beach. Ms. Bourbour has experience in online learning platforms and aims for student success.


Report on Sheveluch (Russia) — 17 May-23 May 2023
Smithsonian / US Geological Survey Weekly Volcanic Activity Report,
17 May-23 May 2023
Managing Editor: Sally Kuhn Sennert
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 2023. Report on Sheveluch (Russia). In: Sennert, S K (ed.), Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 17 May-23 May 2023. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
56.653°N, 161.36°E; summit elev. 3283 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
KVERT reported that the eruption at Sheveluch was ongoing during 11-18 May. A thermal anomaly over the active crater and Karan lava dome area was identified in satellite images all week. Intense fumarolic activity at the active crater was likely associated with dome growth. Plumes of ash, originally deposited during the 10-13 April eruption and resuspended by strong winds, were visible in satellite images drifting 400 km SE during 14-15 May. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale). Dates are based on UTC times; specific events are in local time where noted.
Geological Summary. The high, isolated massif of Sheveluch volcano (also spelled Shiveluch) rises above the lowlands NNE of the Kliuchevskaya volcano group. The 1,300 km3 andesitic volcano is one of Kamchatka's largest and most active volcanic structures, with at least 60 large eruptions during the Holocene. The summit of roughly 65,000-year-old Stary Shiveluch is truncated by a broad 9-km-wide late-Pleistocene caldera breached to the south. Many lava domes occur on its outer flanks. The Molodoy Shiveluch lava dome complex was constructed during the Holocene within the large open caldera; Holocene lava dome extrusion also took place on the flanks of Stary Shiveluch. Widespread tephra layers from these eruptions have provided valuable time markers for dating volcanic events in Kamchatka. Frequent collapses of dome complexes, most recently in 1964, have produced debris avalanches whose deposits cover much of the floor of the breached caldera.


For the first time, a woman has given birth after surgeons implanted ovarian tissue that had been removed when she was a child. Several babies have been born from tissue taken from adult women, but this is the first success with tissue removed before puberty, reported the doctors in Human Reproduction.
Isabelle Demeestere at Erasmus Hospital at Brussels Free University, whose team carried out the transplant, said, "This is an important breakthrough in the field because children are the patients who are most likely to benefit from the procedure in the future."
The girl, born in the Republic of Congo, was diagnosed with sickle-cell anemia, a genetic blood disorder, when she was five-years-old. After she emigrated to Belgium at the age of 11 years, doctors found the disease was so severe that she needed a bone marrow transplant. The procedure required chemotherapy or radiotherapy to disable the immune system so that it does not to reject the transplanted marrow. Since there was a possibility of ovary damage due to the therapy, her right ovary was removed and frozen in fragments in the hope that it could be used if she ever wanted to become a mother.
A decade later, when the women wanted to have a family, surgeons in Belgium grafted four ovarian fragments to the remaining left ovary and 11 fragments at other sites. The patient started menstruating regularly five months later. More than two years after the transplantation, the woman became pregnant naturally and a baby boy was born November, 2014.
The patient's ovary continues to function normally, while she also has the remaining fragments in storage.


Devotion and Discipline
Today, as well as being Armistice Day, is St Martin’s Day.
Martin was born in 316 AD in what we now know as Hungary. He was soldier who, one day, encountered a beggar at the town gate. He found himself moved as never before. In a dramatic gesture, he removed his cloak, cut it in two, and gave half to the beggar.
That night, while he lay sleeping, he dreamt. In his dream he saw the beggar, only this time he recognized him. It was Jesus.
Martin gave up being a soldier and became a servant instead, a servant of God. He was baptized and ended up as bishop of Tours in France, where his tomb can still be found in the rebuilt basilica.
At baptisms we pray that each child or adult will be Christ’s ‘soldier and servant to the end of their life’. Military language is far from fashionable in the contemporary church, and perhaps more fashionable than it should be in the lips of our politicians. Are we worn out with the metaphor of ‘fighting’ Covid? Yet November may offer a chance to look at such language afresh: as soldiers, we serve Christ with devotion and discipline in equal measure.
I remember a hymn from primary school called ‘When a Knight won his Spurs’. I wonder if you do too? Verse three begins like this:
Let faith be my shield and let joy be my steed,
'Gainst the dragons of anger, the ogres of greed.
That’s not a bad motto for us to adopt in the month when we remember the cost of fighting for the truth – both those who laid down their lives in war for our freedom, and the One who laid down His life that we might know Love.


How the Environment Affects People?
Humans have always needed to be sensitive to their environment in order to survive, so we are innately aware of it and are drawn to locations that have particular characteristics.
First and foremost, humans have a strong desire for protection and security and actively seek those qualities out in their surroundings. We also seek out physical comforts, such as the proper temperature in a setting. Additionally, we look for a psychologically soothing environment, such as familiar surroundings with just the perfect amount of stimulation.
The Impact of the Environment on People
Interactions between people can be encouraged or discouraged by their surroundings (and the subsequent benefits of social support). For instance, a family may be persuaded to stay and chat with a patient in an enticing setting with cozy chairs and solitude.
Emotional and Behavioral Effects
People’s motivation and behavior can be affected by their environment. For instance, a filthy hallway lined with surplus hospital equipment can tempt staff to leave another item, whereas a clean hallway and enough storage will motivate the team to take the time to put the thing away.
Moods can be affected by the environment. For instance, the outcomes of multiple studies show that brightly lit rooms, both natural and artificial, might enhance health outcomes, including sadness, agitation, and sleep.


In this week’s edition of the Heartbeat Blog, we will be exploring some of our CNA continuing education content. We have been working hard to get more courses approved by the California Department of Public Health (NAC approved CE # 1187). A sample of our current offerings are:
- Infection Control Guidelines for Long Term Care
- Assisting Residents with Heart Disease and Promoting Heart Health
- End of Life Care
- Understanding Diabetes Mellitus
Exploring Diabetes Type II
There are generally two types of diabetes. They used to be called adult and juvenile onset diabetes. However, as more and more youth have been diagnosed with “adult” onset diabetes, the name was changed to simply Type I (the old juvenile onset or insulin dependent diabetes) and Type II (previously called adult onset or sugar diabetes.)
Diabetes Mellitus Type II
Did you know?
Diabetes affects 8-10% of the entire population of the United States ~30,000,000 people! 1 in 4 people with diabetes don’t yet know they have it. Worldwide ~6.4 of all adults are living with diabetes.
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States!
Diabetes disproportionally affects minorities! Incidence rates in the SEARCH study showed that in 2012 Diabetes Mellitus Type II affected 3.9/100,000 non-Hispanic whites, but 32.6/100,000 non-Hispanic blacks and 46.5/100,000 Native Americans.
The incidence of Diabetes Type II has more than tripled in the past 20 years and has closely followed our collective “waistlines.” Diabetes is soaring due to a combination of sedentary lifestyle and intense marketing campaigns for sugary foods and sodas.
Diabetes accounts for almost 15% of the United States’ entire health care expenditure! Much of this expense is spent on dealing with the effects of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, eye disease and diabetic foot ulcers all at least partially caused by the vascular effects of Diabetes Type II.
Early screening saves lives and may alter the course and trajectory of Diabetes type II if lifestyle modifications are initiated early and adhered to.
To find out more about Diabetes, enroll in Project Heartbeat’s continuing education course titled, “ Understanding Diabetes Mellitus” today.


People in New Jersey with rare diseases may face an especially high risk of misdiagnosis and incorrect, sometimes dangerous, treatment. There are around 400 million people around the world affected by so-called rare diseases. In the United States, when 200,000 people or less are affected by a condition each year, it is considered “rare.” As a result, these uncommon illnesses may have relatively little funds invested in research or pharmaceutical development. Furthermore, doctors may be unlikely to consider these illnesses when making a diagnosis.
One rare disease that is commonly misdiagnosed is mesothelioma. This form of cancer is usually related to asbestos exposure. While 50 percent of rare disease patients are minor children, mesothelioma usually affects people later in life, often decades after the original exposure to asbestos. Every year, there are around 3,000 new cases discovered across the country. In many cases, people with mesothelioma are originally diagnosed with asthma, pneumonia or even a common respiratory virus. Of course, the failure to diagnose cancer can be especially serious. Because it is a progressive disease, even a correct diagnosis later on may not allow time for adequate treatment.
Gallbladder cancer is another rare and often-misdiagnosed malignancy. It is often initially diagnosed as less serious, more easily treatable gallbladder diseases. Because it does not cause many unique symptoms, patients are often diagnosed only when the cancer has reached a very late stage.
Doctor errors can lead to serious effects for patients, especially if a disease progresses to a terminal point due to misdiagnosis. A patient who has suffered because of a health care mistake can consult with an attorney about the potential to seek compensation.


This thesis presentation delves into the world of tiny ultrafast organisms, specifically sharpshooters, springtails, and slingshot spiders, to explore the role of fluid dynamics in their rapid biological movements.
In the first part, we investigate the fluidic, energetic, and biomechanical principles that enable sharpshooter insects (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) to thrive on a nutrient-sparse xylem sap diet. We examine their remarkable superpropulsion strategy during droplet ejection through the temporal coordination between the stylus and the droplet. Employing experimental, mathematical, and computational approaches, we explore the physical limits of this unique droplet propulsion strategy and demonstrate why it is energetically favorable for these insects to fling their droplet excreta instead of using alternative mechanisms such as 'jetting' and 'dripping.' Using dimensionless analysis, we show how biological organisms living in a world governed by surface tension develop novel strategies to overcome capillary adhesion during fluidic ejection.
In the second part of the presentation, we introduce a mathematical framework for the arrest and damping of ultra-fast movements in biological organisms. We contextualize and validate this framework through field and lab experiments on two organisms: the rapid launch of slingshot spiders (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) and the controlled landing of semi-aquatic springtails (Arthropoda: Collembola) at the water-air interface. For slingshot spiders, we demonstrate how these organisms use their tension line and viscous drag to halt their ultra-fast movements. For springtails, we investigate the adhesive landing mechanisms employed by these creatures on water surfaces, revealing how collophore adhesion assists in controlling their upward movement after reaching maximum depth.
By analyzing the movement of these extreme invertebrates through physics-based arguments, we unveil how these finely tuned ultrafast organisms harness their structure-fluid interactions to survive and fulfill their biological functions, including excretion, predation, and predator avoidance.


The World Food Program (WFP), the food-assistance branch of the United Nations, has recently bought 36,000 tons of maize for a value of about $ 9 million from the Tanzanian National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) for refugees in the western Kigoma region of the country.
The maize is part of 160,000 tons of food purchased by the WFP in Tanzania in 2018.
The WFP Country Representative for Tanzania, Michael Danford, noted that due to the good relationship between Tanzania and the WFP of the last 40 years, in 2017 the organization has decided to be the largest buyer of food products in the country to assist refugees and neighboring countries with food shortages, and it intends to continue to increase the amount of food that will be purchased from Tanzania.
Tanzanian President Hon. John Magufuli congratulated the WFP for its decision to buy food from Tanzania to help refugees and troubled countries and asked NFRA to provide 45,000 tons of maize the WFP asked to purchase so that the money would be used to buy maize from other farmers.
Maize is Tanzania’s most important cereal crop in terms of food security. The country’s maize production amounted to 6m t in 2015, compared to 4.7m t in 2010, representing an increase of 28%.
According to recent comments of Tanzania’s Agriculture Minister Japhet Hasunga, maize production was 6,148,699 tonnes in FY 2015/2016 season, 6,680,758 tonnes in FY 2016/2017, and 6,273,150 tonnes in FY 2017/2018.
He underlined that Tanzania’s current total demand for maize currently stands at 5,462,390 tonnes, with a surplus of 810,760 tonnes.
However, on November 2018, the Ministry of Agricultural of Tanzania has instructed the Tanzania Institute for Agricultural Research (TARI) to terminate Genetic Modified Organism-GMOs at its research centers, de-facto undermining the country’s efforts to advance in biotechnology.


Oral health refers to the condition of the mouth, including the teeth, gums, tongue, and other oral tissues. It encompasses the practices and habits that maintain the cleanliness, functionality, and overall well-being of the mouth.
Maintaining good oral health is important for several reasons. Firstly, it helps prevent oral diseases such as tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath. Secondly, oral health is linked to overall health, as poor oral hygiene has been associated with various systemic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory problems. Additionally, oral health plays a significant role in speech, chewing, and digestion.
Some key components of maintaining good oral health include:
Regular brushing: Brushing your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste helps remove plaque, which is a sticky film of bacteria that can cause tooth decay and gum disease.
Flossing: Flossing once a day is important for cleaning between the teeth and along the gumline, where a toothbrush may not reach effectively.
Healthy diet: A balanced diet that is low in sugary and acidic foods can help prevent tooth decay. Consuming a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins promotes good oral and overall health.
Limiting sugary and acidic drinks: Frequent consumption of sugary and acidic beverages like soda and fruit juices can contribute to tooth decay. It's best to opt for water or unsweetened drinks instead.
Regular dental check-ups: Visiting a dentist for regular check-ups and professional cleanings is essential for maintaining oral health. Dentists can identify and address any potential issues early on, provide guidance on oral hygiene practices, and offer preventive treatments such as dental sealants or fluoride applications.
Avoiding tobacco products: Smoking or using smokeless tobacco increases the risk of oral cancer, gum disease, and other oral health problems.


Under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, you may apply for benefits for a minor child who suffers from a severe physical or mental health impairment. First, your child must meet the definition of disabled under the Social Security Administration’s guidelines. Qualifying impairments include:
- Loss of hearing or speech
- Asthma, cystic fibrosis and other respiratory impairments
- Behavioral disorders such as anxiety and depression
- Growth impairment
- Musculoskeletal conditions
- Immune system disorders
- Muscular dystrophy
In order to qualify for disability benefits, the child’s condition must have lasted at least 12 months, be expected to last for 12 months or be expected to result in death.
Income requirements apply
For a child to be eligible for SSI benefits, his or her parents’ income must fall below a certain threshold. The income requirement is based on a formula that takes into account factors such as the parents’ gross income, child support arrangements and the number of other children in the family. If you are uncertain of whether or not your child qualifies for benefits, consult with an attorney who is experienced in handling SSI claims and appeals.
How does this disability affect your child?
In evaluating SSI claims for children, the SSA seeks to determine how the child functions in key areas such as acquiring information, interacting with others, self care and general health and well being. For parents, it is important to take note of these functional areas and how your child measures against them. The more information you have about your child’s disability and how it affects their ability to function, the better chance you have of filing a successful claim for benefits.


By Sakura Muto . Japan
The reason why I chose eclipses as a theme of this article is that there was an eclipse phenomenon here in Santa Barbara. I couldn’t watch the eclipse because of the weather, but I could see it on TV and it was very amazing.
Now I’m going to show you what an eclipse is.
There are four types of eclipses
- Partial solar eclipse: it occurs when the Moon only partially obscures the Sun’s disk and casts only its penumbra on Earth.
- Annular solar eclipses: it occurs when the Moon’s disk is not big enough to cover the entire disk of the Sun and the Sun’s outer edges remain visible to form a ring of fire in the sky. An annular eclipse of the Sun takes place when the Moon is near apogee, and the Moon’s antumbra falls on Earth.
- Total solar eclipses: it happens when the Moon completely covers the Sun and it can only take place when the Moon is near perigee, the point of the Moon’s orbit closest to Earth. You can only see a total solar eclipse if you’re in the path where the Moon casts its darkest shadow, the umbra.When we can watch the next total eclipse?
You can see the next on July 2, 2019 in the southern region of North America and much of South America.
You can often see eclipses if you travel around the world.


Combining universal themes and generalizations is a great way to take students to the next level. This facilitates a complex exploration of the topic.
Structure + Power
Structure can provide power!
Before introducing a generalization (or combined generalization) to students, I always plot out my own answers or response to the prompt I plan to provide to students. To the right, you can see my thinking as I planned this for my students. Consider how you can use this with your students to explore across disciplines how structure can provide power . Some ideas: Earth Science (natural forces -hurricanes, tornadoes, etc), Physical Science (atoms, etc), Life Science (muscles, cells, etc), Mathematics (geometry, measurement, etc), Business, Military, and the list goes on…
I have included a template for Structure Can Provide Power with blank columns should you like to use it with your students and also a blank Big Idea template should you wish you use it for something else.
Download file Structure can Provide Power here. Structure can provide power blank
Download blank Big Idea template here. Big Idea Template with edges
Combining Universal Themes: Other Examples
Download File combine universal themes
- Power impacts systems
- Exploration may perpetuate order or chaos
- Exploration may lead to relationships that are both good and bad
- Structure is necessary for power
- Force may contribute to conflict
- Conflict may result in new relationships
- Conflict may perpetuate chaos or order
- Change may lead to relationships
Words in the boxes may be used to broaden the context of the generalization. You can see from the examples below the difference in each prompt.
Systems change: body systems, government systems, school systems, systems of language, legal systems
Systems undergo change
Systems undergo change: body systems change as one grows; systems of rule change as new leadership emerges
Systems may lead to change
Systems may lead to change in _____________: systems of technology may lead to change in behavior/ communication/transportation/food production/etc; systems of communication may lead to change in relationships


Effect of spaceflight and simulated microgravity on plant defense responses National Aeronautics & Space Administration Award #80NSSC19K1495
Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, Purdue University Erin Sparks, University of Delaware
The production of healthy food is essential to sustaining human life during long-duration space flights and for long-term space station survival. In space, plants must adapt to a novel environment with different stimuli and constraints not seen on Earth. Understanding how plants respond and adapt to the unique pressures of the spaceflight environment is critical for growing food required to sustain human life during long-term space exploration.
On Earth, plant pathogens cause upwards of 20 – 40% global crop loss from disease. Microbes, including plant pathogens, have been isolated from the International Space Station (ISS), and thus disease loss also threatens crop production in space. If we are to sustain human space exploration for long durations, we must have the ability to grow and harvest edible crops without crop loss from disease. This will require knowledge of how the plant immune system responds to spaceflight, and how plant pathogen colonization and virulence is impacted by spaceflight conditions including microgravity. However, our current knowledge plant-microbe interactions in space is very limited.
In this proposal we investigate how the plant immune system adapts to spaceflight and simulated microgravity. We first ask how the tomato immune system adapts to spaceflight when grown in the newly developed Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) aboard the ISS. We use both wild type and immune-deficient tomatoes and elicit defense responses with a chemical elicitor. Next, we ask how tomato colonization by a fungal pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum, is altered by simulated microgravity on Earth.
The goals of this work are twofold: 1) gain fundamental insights into how the activated plant immune system responds in space in a horticultural crop, 2) gain knowledge of the impact of simulated microgravity on plant colonization and disease development by a pathogenic fungus.


Photo credit: Foodtank
Trials and Tips for Southwest Gardening
The Spruce Park Community Garden adapts to scarce water resources in an arid and urban environment. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the community faces fines of US$20 to US$2,000 for wasting water, enforced by patrolling water cops. Spruce Park serves as an example for local growers by employing specialized landscaping and garden techniques to stretch water resources while boosting productivity.
The garden sprouted from an empty lot near the heart of Albuquerque. Margaret Ménache is the Facilitator and Juliane Bohan is the property owner, and both are Master Gardeners. As Margaret explains, “In starting the garden [the founders] wanted it to help build a sense of community within the neighborhood and to introduce neighborhood kids to food plants and how they grow.”
To conserve water, landscapers employ a style called xeriscaping that requires little to no irrigation or maintenance. Xeriscapers commonly use gravel and local plants, adapted to an arid environment, such as lavender bushes, rosemary, desert willow, and purple smoketrees. New Mexico State University’s Southwest Yard and Garden Plant Advisor includes a database of hundreds of plants ideal for xeriscaping in this region. Spruce Park gardeners grow locally adapted crops like chili peppers and desert herbs.
The original garden soil is sandy loam, common in the region but poor at retaining water. The garden uses drip irrigation hoses to slowly deliver water so roots can soak up more. Water retention is increased by using compost to promote symbiotic fungal growth in plant root systems. Mulch helps reduce evaporation. Unfortunately, the city of Albuquerque currently has no water program to encourage community gardens, but the County does provide a rebate for water barrels.
Compost is important for holding water, lowering fertilizer use, and providing nutrients to the soil, which is often poor quality in the Southwest. Composting needs the right amount of moisture to work effectively. In a desert environment, the Bernalillo County Master Composters recommendperiodic soaks, keeping the material in the shade, and using a container with few air holes to keep the moisture up while conserving water.
Read the full story: Foodtank


Main author and presenter: Leo Cazenille
Other authors: Nicolas Lobato-Dauzier, Alessia Loi, Mika Ito, Olivier Marchal, Nathanael Aubert-Kato, Nicolas Bredeche, Anthony J. Genot
April 18th, 2023, 11am
Biological swarms have showcased their extraordinary capabilities in tackling geometric challenges by employing limited perception and mobility. They achieve this feat by internally diffusing information to bridge the gap between local and global scales, ultimately facilitating collective consensus and decision-making, even when individual agents only have access to local information. In this study, we strive to adapt this paradigm to robotic swarms, which consist of small robots with constrained sensing and computational abilities.
Our bio-inspired approach leverages spectral shape analysis, enabling the robotic swarms to identify the shape of a given arena. By estimating the second eigenvalue of the Laplacian collectively through information exchange, the robots can effectively obtain a fingerprint of the arena’s geometry. This metric, known as algebraic connectivity, proves invaluable in the context of swarm-based problem-solving and coordination.
To evaluate the performance of our proposed method, we conducted experiments involving 25 real robots as well as simulations using Kilombo, a state-of-the-art simulator for kilobots. Our objective was to assess the efficacy of our approach by attempting to classify a set of 8 shapes with varying geometric properties. The results of these experiments and simulations indicate that the diffusion-based spectral analysis can indeed empower robotic swarms to accurately sense and classify the geometry of their environment.
In conclusion, our innovative approach offers a promising avenue for advancing swarm-based problem-solving and coordination by drawing inspiration from the remarkable capabilities of biological swarms in addressing geometric challenges with limited perception and mobility.
(Presentation in French with slides in English).


Earlier today I was very sad to find out about the passing of Professor Alan Katritzky of the University of Florida. He is one the legends of chemistry with countless contributions to the field.
This giant of heterocyclic chemistry has always struck me as someone with remarkable clarity of thought when it came to teaching the fundamentals of heterocycle construction. I think that his legacy will live on, and this is not a cliché: Katritzky’s teachings are engrained in our understanding of heterocycles. I myself learned an important and simple lesson about nitrogen chemistry from Professor Katritzky. Shown below are the three kinds of nitrogen one might expect in heterocycles. Despite the mind-boggling diversity of nitrogen-containing structures, there are only three ways of having nitrogen within the frameworks of heterocycles. This concept is both powerful and simplifying. In my own classes, I have always observed that this simple concept really helps students in their efforts to navigate the treacherous and often confusing concepts of heterocycle synthesis.
I wondered what would be the best way to pay a tribute to the legacy of Professor Katritzky and realized that there could be nothing better than an example from his own work. I chose his regioselective synthesis of pyrazoles. In this process, Katritzky used benzotriazole, one of his favourite tools. In the regioselective pyrazole synthesis shown below, the Bt-reagent condenses with an aldehyde, which is followed by another condensation with a substituted hydrazine. Subsequent alkylation and extrusion of the elements of benzotriazole produces the pyrazole ring as a single regioisomer. This powerful condensation/alkylation/elimination method of preparing polysubstituted pyrazoles has been used countless times in medicinal chemistry. The wonderful world of Katritzky’s synthetic tools will continue to provide versatile solutions to the synthesis of small molecules.


When the system is configured for Projected Fringe Moiré, laser light is directed into a shearing interferometer, which generates two interfering beams that form fringes that fan out to illuminate the object at an angle to the observation direction of the TV camera. The spatial frequency of the fringes is adjustable to any horizontal or vertical spacing, and one of the mirrors in the interferometer is mounted on a piezoelectric actuator. The fringes are given a quarter cycle displacement between TV frames so that they appear to sweep across the object.
these TV frames are fed into the HoloFringe300 interferometry program, they are processed in the
same way as for holography, shearography, or speckle correlation.
A motion of the object out of its surface plane causes the fringes to
shift sideways in the camera's image, and this causes a phase
shift analogous to holographic interferometry, except that the
displacements are now on the order of the projected fringe spacing.
The HoloFringe300 interferometry program can, therefore, display
vibration fringes or static displacement fringes for really large
motions. Unlike holography, however, one object can be replaced
with another because the surface microstructure is not part of the image
being used. (In fact, it is necessary to suppress object speckle
to make this process work properly.) It is possible,
therefore, to compare the surface contours of manufactured parts against
a master, or monitor a tool or die for wear.
Because the projected fringe pattern has to be resolved by the camera, and the sensitivity to displacement is governed by the fringe spacing, the resolution is related to the field of view. If the displacements are to be detected visually as fringe displacements, the resolution is in the order of 1/1000 of the field of view. If the displacements are to be detected numerically by data processing, the resolution can be 1/5000 to 1/10,000 of the field of view.


Date of Original Version
Computer Science and Statistics
GPS data is noisy by nature. A typical location-based service would start by filtering out the noise from the raw GPS points that are generated by moving objects. Once the locations of the objects are identified, the location-based service is provided. In this paper, we decide not to throw away the noise. Instead, we consider the noise as an asset. We analyze the various noise patterns under different conditions and region characteristics. More specifically, we focus on one example where a lot of GPS noise is experienced; which is urban canyons. We believe that learning the GPS noise patterns in a supervised environment enables us to discover knowledge about new areas or areas where we have little knowledge. This paper is based on the analysis of GPS traces that are collected from the shuttle service within the Microsoft campuses around Seattle, Washington.
Hendawi, Abdeltawab, Sabbineni, Sree Sindhu, Shen, Jianwei, Song, Yaxiao, Cao, Peiwei, Zhang, Zhihong, . . . Ali, Mohamed. (n.d.). Proceedings of the 27th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems - SIGSPATIAL '19 (The 27th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference). ACM Press.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License


School Safety Tips
Ten Important Back-to-School School Safety Tips
- Teach your children to always TAKE A FRIEND with them when walking or biking, and stay with a group while standing at the bus stop. Make sure they know which bus to ride.
- Walk the route to and from school with your children pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they’re being followed or need help. Teach your children they should NEVER TAKE SHORTCUTS and always stay in well-lit areas.
- It is not safe for young children to walk to and from school, even in a group. Parents should always provide supervision for young children to help ensure their safe arrival to and from school. If your children wait for a bus, wait with them or make arrangements for supervision at the bus stop.
- Teach your children that if anyone bothers them, makes them feel scared or uncomfortable to trust their feelings and immediately get away from that person. Teach them it is ok not to be polite and IT IS OK TO SAY NO.
- Teach your children if anyone tries to take them somewhere they should RESIST by kicking and screaming, try to run away and DRAW ATTENTION by kicking and screaming “This person is trying to take me away” or “This person is not my father/mother”.
- Teach your children NOT TO ACCEPT A RIDE from anyone unless you have said it is ok in that instance. If anyone follows them in a vehicle they should turn around, go in the other direction, and run to a trusted adult who may help them.
- Teach your children that grownups should NOT ASK CHILDREN FOR DIRECTIONS, they should ask other adults.
- Teach your children to NEVER ACCEPT MONEY OR GIFTS from anyone unless you have told them it is ok to accept in each instance.
- Make sure the school has current and accurate emergency contact information is on file for your children and confirm names of those authorized.
- Always know where your children will be. Teach your children to always CHECK FIRST before changing their plans before or after school. Teach your children to never leave school, with anyone unless they CHECK FIRST with you or another trusted adult.


How One Can Smartly Avert Swine Flu Contraction
People are concerned about their health these days because of the H1N1 epidemic. But you won’t catch the swine flu virus if you bear three things in mind.
The first thing to do is to wash your hands often. For example, be sure to wash them before you eat. It doesn’t matter if you’re at home or eating out. And when you return home from a public place, be sure to wash your hands before doing anything else.
If, for any reason, you can’t wash your hands, be careful to avoid touching your face, and especially your mouth, with them. This will go a long way in preventing the spread of disease. When soap and water are not available, hand sanitizing products can be used. But remember to use these only occasionally. When used too often they can destroy the good bacteria we need to help keep germs at bay.
The second thing is to keep to a healthy diet, eating foods that contain plenty of antioxidants – spinach and blueberries, for example.
Also, take a daily multivitamin supplement and drink lots of water. Be sure you’re getting enough vitamin C as this is essential for the upkeep of your immune system. Eating probiotic yogurts will also help, as they will give your body the good bacteria it requires. A well balanced diet will be one of your best weapons against disease.
Vaccination is the third way to prevent swine flu. Get a flu shot if you haven’t done so already.
You can have this done now at most local clinics or at your doctor’s, even if you’re not in the high risk category. Clinical trials have shown the vaccine to be innocuous, and the government is urging us all to get it done.
By taking these simple precautions you’ll protect yourself from catching swine flu this season. All you need to do is wash your hands, eat healthy and get yourself the flu shot.
The writer also often shares knowledge about things such as wires that go behind the wall along with flat speaker wire.


One of the fundamental paradoxes of quantum mechanics is that measurements taken at different points in space and time appear to affect each other, even though there is no mechanism that allows information to travel between them.
A sub-atomic particle can be in more than one place at once. In reaching its destination, there are an infinite number of possible paths that it could have taken. We do not say that the electron could have travelled along each of these routes, but really it ventured along one particular path. Rather the electron is ‘somewhere within the wave’ by which we mean that it is simultaneously everywhere in the wave following all possible paths at once. The reality is smeared over an area, and is not as atomistic and discrete as we are used to thinking.
However, quantum physics says something even more dramatic about the unity of matter. One of the most fascinating quantum phenomena is something called coupling or entanglement. (It is also variously known as superposition and non-locality.) This means that two sub-atomic particles are linked to each other in such a way that when you change the spin, say clockwise, the other immediately changes accordingly and balances with a counterclockwise direction (or something else) on the particle.
Even if it is on the other side of the universe, it “knows” what you have done with the first particle and it responds accordingly.
Now, we know that no information (or anything else) can travel faster than the speed of light. (Einstein told us this.) But the changes in a coupled-particle take place instantaneously. (That is a lot faster than the speed of light!) That can only mean that these are not two particles communicating with each other – they are one particle! This is just one example of how quantum points to the essential unity of the universe. In fact, physicists now understand that, to some degree, the whole universe is entangled.
When Einstein first realized that quantum physics predicted entanglement, he thought that this was a mistake – it must be that quantum physics is an incomplete theory. But, today entanglement has been proven in the laboratory many times involving many particles.
If you want more information about the hard science behind this blog, click here for more from Rabbi Edelstein about non-locality.


Aims and Scope
The scope of the journal "Annals of Archaeology" encompasses the scientific study of human cultures and societies of the past, including the investigation of material remains, landscapes, and other forms of evidence. This includes, but is not limited to, the following fields:
- Prehistoric archaeology: The study of human cultures and societies that existed before the advent of written records. This includes the study of stone tools, ceramics, architecture, and other material remains from ancient human societies.
- Historical archaeology: The study of human cultures and societies that existed during recorded history. This includes the study of artifacts, architecture, and other material remains from civilizations such as ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
- Classical archaeology: The study of the archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean world, including Greece, Rome, and the Near East.
- Anthropological archaeology: The study of human cultures and societies from an anthropological perspective, including the study of social organization, technology, religion, and other aspects of human behavior.
- Experimental archaeology: The use of experimental techniques to investigate and understand ancient human societies, including the replication of ancient technologies and the study of ancient materials using modern analytical techniques.
- Archaeometry: The application of scientific techniques to the study of archaeological materials, including the use of radiocarbon dating, DNA analysis, and other methods.
- Archaeological theory and method: The development and application of theoretical frameworks and methodologies for the study of human cultures and societies of the past.
In addition to research articles, the journal "Annals of Archaeology" also publishes reviews, perspectives, and brief communications in the field of archaeology. The journal is open to submissions from researchers around the world and aims to promote the dissemination of high-quality, original research in archaeology.


Of all the hazards Minnesotans face on the job, workplace violence is one many don’t see coming. From nurses facing backlash from patients to bartenders dealing with rowdy customers, the dangers of workplace violence are real and can cause significant physical and financial damage.
Where do violent attacks occur?
The Occupational Safety and Health Organization (OSHA) lists a number of factors that make some workers more vulnerable to violence than others. Among the most dangerous occupational situations are:
- Exchanging money with the public: If you work as a cashier, bank teller or other job in which you routinely exchange cash with customers, this creates a natural source of danger. Your employer must provide adequate security measures, but even the tightest security has its vulnerabilities.
- Providing care: Doctors, nurses and other health care professionals face a persistent threat of violence committed by patients. Some patients lash out because they don’t want to accept the treatment they are being given, while others commit violent acts while in distressed mental states.
- Serving alcohol: Drunk and disorderly customers create a work hazard for bartenders, servers and other bar and restaurant staff. Working late at night adds another layer of danger to your shift.
- Enforcing the law: We can’t forget about workers whose very job it is to arrest and apprehend violent criminals. Police officers face the threat of violent acts every time they go to work, as do private security personnel.
The law can protect you financially
Violent attacks at work can be extremely frightening. Injuries sustained from such attacks can leave you with steep medical bills and even temporary or permanent disability. Remember that workers’ compensation laws are here to protect you if you have suffered an injury on the job, including an injury arising from a violent act.


Choline: Needed For Normal Development of Memory
Steven H. Zeisel, MD, PhD
Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org
Choline is a dietary component essential for normal function of all cells. It, or its metabolites, assures the structural integrity and signaling functions of cell membranes; it is the major source of methyl-groups in the diet (one of choline’s metabolites, betaine, participates in the methylation of homocysteine to form methionine); and it directly affects nerve signaling, cell signaling and lipid transport/metabolism. In 1998, the National Academy of Sciences, USA, issued a report identifying choline as a required nutrient for humans and recommended daily intake amounts. Eggs are an excellent dietary source of choline.
Pregnancy and lactation are periods when maternal reserves of choline are depleted. At the same time, the availability of choline for normal development of the brain is critical. When rat pups received choline supplements (in utero or during the second week of life), their brain function changed, resulting in the lifelong memory enhancement. This change in memory function appears to be due to changes in the development of the memory center (hippocampus) in the brain. The mother’s dietary choline during a critical period in brain development of her infant influences the rate of birth and death of nerve cells in this center. These changes are so important that we can pick out the groups of animals whose mothers had extra choline even when these animals are elderly. Thus, memory function in the aged rat is, in part, determined by what the mother ate. This is not the first example of a critical nutrient that must be present at a specific time in brain development. If folate isn’t available in the first few weeks of pregnancy, the brain does not form normally. Thus, we suggest that pregnancy is a period when special attention has to be paid to dietary intake.


For e.coli, doctors recommend drinking water
Given the tainted water in Pembroke, it’s ironic that doctors advise patients infected with E. coli bacteria to drink more water.
“The key is hydration, not panicking,” said Dr. Todd Ellerin, head of infectious diseases at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth. “I think people shouldn’t be freaking out.”
Ellerin said bacteria in water is common, like the recent red tide that struck the South Shore. And caution is the best course of action.
“They tested the water and they found that the E. coli levels were high,” he said. “What they want to make sure is people are not drinking until they can get the levels down.”
E. coli is the second most common bacteria in the human body, Ellerin said.
“It lives in our gut, everywhere from the mouth to the anus There’s millions and millions of colonies of E. coli living in our colon.
“You’d have to drink a large amount that has E. coli in it and the E. coli would also have to produce a toxin in order to get really sick.”
E. coli can become deadly, but Ellerin said that usually happens in developing countries that don’t have clean water.
“Here, it’s more of an inconvenience,” he said. “Rarely would people succumb to this in the United States,where you have access to care.”
No cases of E. coli illness have been reported at South Shore Hospital.
Jordan Hospital in Plymouth reported one case of a woman in her early 20s who complained of some symptoms and had drunk the water in Pembroke. Whether it was because of e. coli is unclear at this point.
Ellerin said it can take a couple of days for those who have been infected to feel sick. He said it can take up to five days for people to feel back to normal.
He said if residents are concerned that they are showing symptoms of E. Coli infection, they should contact their doctor.
GateHouse news service


Russian-born American painter Mark Rothko is usually classified as an abstract expressionist painter. However, he rejected this label as he was more concerned with investigating meaning through his art.
Rothco's Jewish family emigrated to Oregon IN the US to avoid persecution in Russia when he was ten. In 1923 he left to move to New York, where he attended the art students league.
In 1935, he co-founded 'The Ten,' a group of artists who painted in expressionist Styles.
He soon moved into a more Surelistic phase inspired by Max Earnst and Miro. From 1947, he began developing his distinctive mature style abandoning any realistic representations and painting large hazy edged patches of color. His canvases were usually large, and the colors appeared to float, emitting feelings of Tranquillity. He said he was not an abstract artist and not interested in color relationships but in expressing human emotions. He drew on his inner feelings and said,
For most of his career, Rothko remained poor. He taught at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco in the 1940s. Rothko collaborated with artists, including Clifford Still, Robert Motherwell, and Barnett Newman, in running a new york art school called The Subjects of the Artist. He taught in the art department at Brooklyn College from 1951 for three years. By that time, his reputation was growing, and he was becoming more successful. However, as a knowledgeable and thoughtful man, he feared his work was misunderstood. He suspected that people bought his painting simply because they were fashionable and that the true purpose of this work -the expression of human emotions- needed to be realized. By 1958 these expressions were becoming increasingly unhappy. He began replacing bright reds, yellows, oranges with dark blues, browns, and maroons, and his last works were a series of monochromatic canvases. Rothco died in his studio at the age of 67


good news bad news
Scientists discover 11 new penguin colonies in Antarctica. But it's not all good news.
There are a lot more emperor penguins in Antarctica than previously thought, a new study has found.
Using space technology to identify guano, or penguin poop stains on the sea ice, scientists discovered there are about 20 percent more emperor penguin colonies than were previously recorded. This represents a 5 to 10 percent increase in population, bringing the total to just above half a million.
The study, published in Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, relied on satellite imagery from the European Space Agency's Copernicus Mission's Sentinel2 sensor.
Many of the newly discovered colonies are breeding offshore, a surprising new behavior. But these locations aren't ideal with the way Earth's climate is shifting. They are in "areas likely to be highly vulnerable under business‐as‐usual greenhouse gas emissions scenarios," the study reports.
Phil Trathan, Head of Conservation Biology at British Antarctic Survey, and one of the study's authors, notes that birds in offshore areas are likely to be "canaries in the coalmine," for climate change, and will need to be monitored carefully.
The study concludes that climate change is likely to affect the emperor penguins, and the newly discovered colonies are projected to become extinct or quasi‐extinct by the end of this century. "Our findings therefore suggest the possibility of an even greater proportion of the global population will be vulnerable to climate change, than previously considered."


The functioning of this tool and the content on this page have been verified by iCliniq medical review team.
Generally, children inherit their eye color from their parents. Our Baby Eye Color Predictor Calculator predicts your baby's eye color by selecting the mother's and father's eye colors. But inheritance of eye color is not that simple because it is polygenic. Polygenic means that the trait is influenced not by one gene, but by different genes working together.
Each person carries two copies of every gene, one copy inherited from the mother and the other inherited from the father. Homozygous means that the two copies match. For example, maybe both copies are for brown eyes. A heterozygous person has two non-identical copies of the gene. For instance, one brown and one which is not brown. Hence, it is beyond the bounds of possibility to ascertain if a person is homo- or heterozygous by just seeing the person's eyes.
When genes mutate, they form alternative forms which are called as alleles. If the child receives a recessive allele (blue) from one parent and a dominant allele (brown) from the other then the child will have brown eyes. If the child receives recessive blue alleles from both the parents and no dominant allele from either of the two, the child will have blue eyes. If the child receives green alleles from both the parents or one green allele and one blue allele then the child will have green eyes. However, a child’s true eye color cannot be fully determined until the age of 3.
|Parents Eye Color||Chances of Baby Eye Color|


I’ve been reading up on the ways in which quantum physics may help expand out understanding of chemistry and biology. This was one of the more interesting ideas I came across: that quantum entanglement may be what holds DNA together.
So: this part is tough. The nucleotides in DNA—the molecules that make it up—join together to form the helix. There’s a bit of a problem in that the electrons in each molecule shake in certain ways that would seem to make the whole helix shake apart. Elisabeth Rieper at the National University of Singapore and “some buddies” came up with a model that keeps the structure from doing this and it involves quantum entanglement.
- Summary: http://motherboard.tv/2010/6/28/quantum-entanglement-could-be-working-in-our-dna
- Summary: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-06/quantum-entanglement-may-hold-dna-together-new-study-says
- Source: http://arxiv.org/abs/1006.4053
- More articles by Elisabeth Rieper


Nutrients for a Planted Tank
We can bring nutrients into an aquarium in two different ways: via the substrate, and via the water. When choosing the right way for your tank, please take the preferences of your plants into consideration. There are those that take up nutrients mainly with their roots (and thus from the substrate), and those that absorb nutrients with their leaves, i.e. out of the water column. Generally speaking we can say that plantkeeping is made easier if you provide your plants with nutrients both ways so you meet the requirements of each type of plant. Intact natural waters with vigorous underwater plant populations usually have very low nutrient levels in the free water, which are replaced as soon as they are taken up by the plants, though. Moreover, the ground is an almost endless nutrient reservoir, and in the biomass itself, large amounts of nutrients are bound, too. This makes it difficult to draw direct conclusions for the artificial biotope in an aquarium. Nature may show us how things can work and under which (not always optimal) circumstances waterplants will grow, which survival strategies and adaptations enable waterplants to live in their habitats - however, plantkeeping in an aquarium should rather be modelled on modern gardening. Controlling the nutrient ratio and other growth preconditions enables us to cultivate plants very efficiently by satisfying their direct needs. The conditions in the habitat do not necessarily have to be imitated to achieve this.
Waterplants in an aquarium may be supplied with nutrients on a range of strictly limited to vastly abundant. In general, there are different (and differing) ways to provide waterplants with nutrients, as these organisms have proven astonishingly adaptable.


On Shavuot, the holiday when we celebrate receiving the Torah marks the completion of counting the omer, we are reminded of the historic and nation-altering moment our ancestors experienced in the desert when God revealed God’s self. While we our counting days, I propose that we look ahead on the calendar and see that the American holiday, Memorial Day, follows the Jewish Festival of Shavuot.
This year, I propose that we mark the days leading from Shavuot to Memorial Day as a significant period for the American Jewish community to remind us that from the Revolutionary War through today’s ongoing fight against terrorism, American Jews have served nobly in all branches of the military, and many are counted among the casualties of war.
This year, let’s observe Memorial Day as a Jewish holiday and honor the lives lost in uniform to secure the freedoms that our American Jewish community cherish – freedom of speech, free press, freedom of religion.
Beginning with Shavuot Yizkor, consider adding the Memorial Prayer for Fallen Military to the prayers of remembrance recited by your congregation, or share this historical sermon from the dedication of the Marine cemetery at Iwo Jima. On the Shabbat preceding Memorial Day, the Prayer for America’s Military Personnel, the “Song of Service” may enhance your tefillah and prepare your congregation for marking Memorial Day. And on Sunday, May 30 at 7:00 PM EDT join the National Jewish Community Observance of Memorial Day: Honoring Gold Star Families in an online commemoration. During this event, you will hear from families who lost a loved one in military service and learn of the legacies they want us to preserve by remembering their fallen heroes.
May your Memorial Day and the days leading up to it be filled with meaning, memory and gratitude.


Galvin / Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Galvin / Family History
Galvin / Family History
The family history of the ancient name Galvin was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. The name Galvin is derived from the Gaelic O'Gealbhain sept name, possibly derived from the Gaelic words 'geal', meaning 'bright' and 'ban', meaning 'white'.
A sept or clan is a collective term describing a group of persons whose immediate ancestors bore a common surname and inhabited the same territory. It is also the case that many Irish septs or clans that are related often belong to a larger groups, sometimes called tribes. For example the 'Tribes of Galway' consisted of fourteen distinct families. The 'Tribes of Kilkenny' were ten families, etc.The Galvins are a sept of Thomond and are mentioned among the County Clare septs who took part in the Battle of Loughraska, otherwise called the Battle of Corcomroe Abbey, in the year 1317. Representatives of the sept have remained continuously in their original homeland and are still found today in Counties Clare and Kerry. A branch located in County Roscommon was strong enough to be included among the more numerous names in the barony of Athlone in the 1659 census. The prefix 'O' is seldom used with this name in modern times. Galvan and Gallivan are variants mostly found in County Kerry.The Galvin family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Galvin descendants.
Meaning of Symbols & Colors on the Galvin / Coat of Arms
|Gules/Red||'The Martyr's colour', signifies Military Fortitude and Magnanimity.|
|Fish||Symbol of Christ|
Wonderful GALVIN / Gifts For Every OccasionShow Off Your Heritage With Our Range Of
Galvin / Family Crest Gifts
For a Limited Time We Are Offering Free Delivery.


Aka Name Affidavit Form – affidavit refers to a sworn (written) declaration of fact that is utilized in various legal proceedings or in court. You’ve probably seen shows about lawyers and court cases, as well as the lawyer who takes the witness swearing affirmation. This means that if witnesses lie under oath, they could be prosecuted for criminal offenses of perjury.
Aka Name Affidavit Form The affidavit is essentially the written form that you swear under the swearing of the oath. It’s the same as testifying in the courtroom, but you’re not necessarily in the courtroom , and everything you state is in written form. Like signing the (court) swearing oath it is valid only when you coerce doing it and you do it at your own discretion. Do you have an age requirement for making and using an affidavit? No, there isn’t. It is essential to fully comprehend your responsibilities (including the terms of the Affidavit) and keep a clear mind. If you sign an affidavit that contains inaccurate information, not just you could be disqualified from the case, but you could be charged for perjury.
Affidavits against Declarations
Many people believe that declarations are the same as affidavits. In reality, they have similarities. Both have the same purposes. However, declarations tend to be quicker (in processing). They are not signed prior to the notary public has signed it. It’s likely that notarization is the one element that can make a document an affidavit – not simply a declaration.
Whatever Affidavit forms you are using the elements must be correct and included in the document. Two signers must sign the document. The first person is the one making the declaration. The person who is second in line would be known as the affiant. The third person would be the one who administers the swearing. They must be legally authorized. They could be officials from the government, certain court officers or a notary public.
It is crucial that all people who sign the document fully understand its contents. It is important that they be sure to carefully read the document, verifying that it contains correct and true details. If the document contains the person’s belief or opinion, the truth (considering the belief or opinion) must be clearly stated. In this way, it can be clear between the two types of information: opinion, belief, or fact.


Do you want to see how many bacteria are currently present on your hand? You may be curious to see how they look.
You may want a microscope to see the bacteria’s presence around you. The traditional microscope may be the answer to that but, maybe a little expensive.
How about we use our smartphones as a microscope? You may think how will that work? We thought too. Researchers from Houston University have found a way to turn your existing smartphone into a microscope.
They have to build a flexible plastic lens which when attached to the smartphone camera, can magnify the image same as other optical microscopes by 120 times. Well, it will take some time to be available in the market, so that we can purchase it.
But, there’s always an option and one such product is DIPLE. It comes as a small smartphone-like box. Costs a little expensive than then BLIPS kit its previous predecessor. Diple creators say that it can zoom up to 1000 times depending on the smartphone type you are using.
Blips come in the form of micro and macro shots. They stick on with reusable adhesive and are slim enough (between 0.5 mm and 1.2 mm thick) to fit into your wallet. BLIPS created by the group SmartMicro Optics says that its the thinnest lens available in the market currently.
It can magnify up to 100 times if the digital zoom works just fine. There are many other products that give you an option to turn your smartphone camera into a mini microscope. Here are some photos from the Diple lense you can check out.
We can try on these products to see how amazing our smartphones are and if some app developers develop apps around this, it may revolutionize the market. There are also DIY kits available for you to experiment and build your own smartphone microscope.
Do let us know how likely are you to purchase a microscope kit for a smartphone instead of the traditional optical microscopes in the comments below. Also, share with us how will you use it if you buy one.


Exploring the emotional responses of undergraduate students to assessment feedback: implications for instructors
assessment feedback, emotions, thematic analysis, feedback literacy, learning attitudes and behaviours
Summative assessments tend to be viewed as high-stakes episodes by students, directly exposing their capabilities as learners. As such, receiving feedback is likely to evoke a variety of emotions that may interact with cognitive engagement and hence the ability to learn. Our research investigated the emotions experienced by undergraduate students in relation to assessment feedback, exploring if these emotions informed their learning attitudes and behaviours. Respondents were drawn from different years of study and subject/major. A qualitative approach was adopted, using small group, semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries. Data were analysed thematically and they revealed that receiving feedback was inherently emotional for students, permeating their wider learning experience positively and negatively. Many students struggled to receive and act upon negative feedback, especially in early years, when it was often taken personally and linked to a sense of failure. Negative emotional responses tended to reduce students’ motivation, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Some students, especially in later years of study, demonstrated resilience and engagement in response to negative feedback. By contrast, positive feedback evoked intense but fleeting emotions. Positive feedback made students feel cared about, validating their selfworth and increasing their confidence, but it was not always motivational. The paper concludes with recommendations for instructors, highlighting a need to communicate feedback carefully and to develop student and staff feedback literacies.
Hill, J., Berlin, K., Choate, J., Cravens-Brown, L., McKendrick-Calder, L., & Smith, S. (2021). Exploring the emotional responses of undergraduate students to assessment feedback: Implications for instructors. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 9(1), 294-316. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.1.20
Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)


In 1637, the French philosopher René Descartes coined the famous phrase; ‘Cogito, ergo sum.’ Translated in English, it is ‘I think, therefore I am.'
It makes for an interesting topic around the dinner table if one starts to dissect this.
Few of us would probably grasp the full meaning of what René meant, but most of us will agree that we do think (it differentiates us from slugs and spiders, after all.) Our thinking is essential at some level, and it affects our conduct and well-being.
But we are so negative
What would Mr. Descartes say if he knew that the thoughts we have today are overwhelmingly negative?
Yes, according to the National Science Foundation, up to 80% of our 50 000 thoughts per day are gloomy and defeatist.
Would Descartes change his famous quote?
Do you think perhaps he would alter it to: 'I think bad, therefore I am bad'?
Or 'I think dumb, therefore, I am dumb?’
What about, 'I think stink, therefore I am stink?'
One thing’s for sure, he wouldn't change it to; ‘I think stink, therefore I am good.' Any ‘thinker’ will identify the flaw in the sentence at a glance. Kangaroos do not lay duck eggs, and lemon trees don’t produce oranges, yet we live as if they do! We bombard our minds with negativity and then expect it to somehow, miraculously produce a positive outcome.
‘Stinking thinking’ is the obsessive, repetitive, and uncomfortable thoughts we have, and it produces the following lemons:
Resentment toward people
Bitterness about the past
Blaming others and never taking responsibility
Being overly pessimistic
Negative thoughts (or stinking thinking) cause us to look outside of ourselves to solve our problems. We look in the wrong place while the problem often lies within ourselves.


The copper indium gallium（CuInGa）alloy sputtering target is one of the most important materials for producing copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin film batteries. Xinkang can produce copper indium gallium targets of various proportions through the vacuum melting method. The copper indium gallium rotating target can also be produced by smelting method (with the advantages of high density and low gas content). At present, only Xinkang can produce copper indium gallium target by smelting method, which is Xinkang's advantage technology.
Copper indium gallium selenium (CIGS) thin film batteries have the characteristics of stable performance, strong radiation resistance, and relatively high photoelectric conversion efficiency. They are currently the first of various thin film solar cells and are close to the conversion efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells, the mainstream products in the market. It is precisely because of its excellent performance that it is called the next generation of cheap solar cells internationally, and it has broad market prospects in the application of ground sunlight power generation or space micro-satellite power supply.
The following picture shows the microscopic metallographic detection of the copper indium gallium sputtering targets with different composition , the average particle size is <100 microns.


In the previous exercise, we learnt how we can use the art of writing to deal with the horrors of past. The healing takes place over a period of time as we repeat that exercise regularly.
In today’s class, we’ll employ a similar technique to:
- Learn about empathy.
- Clear misunderstandings.
- Add sensitivity to your writing.
The primary cause of most of the misunderstandings around us is our failure to understand other people’s point of view. It may sound like an easy task but it is one of the hardest ones in the world. Try asking a manager in an organisation. Or a married person.
Understanding others is a skill which can only be learnt once we are capable of generating empathy for them. And in order to do that, one must see the world using the other person’s lens. This is what a writer or a filmmaker does when they tell you a story using text or visual medium. They let you experience the journey through a character’s eyes. The result? You are often far more empathetic towards the people in those stories than those in real life.
Let’s try to bring that aspect of art into our everyday lives.
Think of a particular incident described by someone to you. It could be their own personal story or someone else’s. Recall that story in your head and write it down on paper. While writing, make sure that you are understanding their perspective and are being fair to them. Now read the whole piece and try to see the world through their eyes. Repeat this exercise with a number of people and events. It will surely add a new dimension to your personality.


If you live in a zero energy house and power your electric cooktop and oven with solar it is, in Scheckel’s words, “fossil-free cooking.” If you’re living in a conventional home and want to chip away at your carbon footprint, you’ll want to consider the carbon emissions of your fuel choices. Burning natural gas directly to get 1 million btus releases 117 pounds of CO2. Burning coal directly for the same amount of energy would release just over 210 pounds. There aren’t too many people burning coal in the cookstove these days, so it makes the most sense to compare the total system efficiency of electricity with that of gas.
In Scheckel’s experiment the electric induction cooker released 0.29 pounds of CO2 to heat the water, while burning natural gas released 1.16 pounds. (CO2 emissions from propane are even higher than natural gas). So, even taking into account the gross inefficiency of coal-fired electricity, induction cooking dramatically reduces carbon when compared to gas (or to less efficient standard electric cooktops).
In addition to reducing energy use and increasing cooking speed, induction cooking has several more advantages. The electronics allow a wide range of programming. You can start, stop or change temperatures at pre-programmed times. You can precisely set the temperature by degrees. The durable glass top doesn’t get hot, so fingers don’t burn and neither does spilled food, making cleanup easy.
Induction cooking works by creating an electromagnetic field (EMF) that excites the molecules in cookware. So, you need pots and pans made with ferrous metal, i.e., stainless steel or cast iron. If you don’t have those, then you may need to buy new cookware. Those issues aside, induction cooking is safe, efficient, and a perfect addition to a zero energy lifestyle.


provide effective services and improve the community’s health
Providing health care services during a crisis presents several potential obstacles to communities. These can include limited resources, such as medical personnel and supplies; infrastructure challenges, such as transportation and communication systems; and social or cultural barriers that may prevent specific individuals or groups from accessing necessary care.
Language barriers may also impede access to healthcare for those seeking care and for providers delivering the treatment. To provide adequate services, community members need to identify any potential obstacles in advance so they can be addressed before the onset of an emergency. This will help ensure that all citizens receive safe and appropriate care when they need it most. Moreover, by taking proactive steps to address these issues, communities will be better equipped to respond quickly and effectively to future crises.
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By accounting for potential barriers in advance, communities can better prepare themselves for providing health care services during a crisis. This includes gathering information about the population being served, identifying any unique needs that must be addressed, setting up communication systems with healthcare providers, establishing emergency response protocols, and developing efficient transportation solutions.
To provide effective services and improve the community’s health, it is essential for all stakeholders—from government officials to medical professionals and citizens alike—to work together collaboratively. With cooperation and collaboration, communities can come together to overcome obstacles and ensure access to necessary healthcare services during a crisis.
What are potential obstacles in the community with regards to providing health care services during a crisis?


Mental health is a major concern worldwide, and it is important for everyone to actively participate in mental health awareness campaigns. In recent months, news about young people committing suicide has been prevalent on social media, raising important questions about why some people consider suicide as an option and what kind of help is available for those going through difficult times. It is possible that many people are struggling with mental health issues and dealing with them on their own.
To address these issues, the Zambia U-report team ran a mental health awareness campaign from March 1 to 31, 2022. The campaign aimed to shed light on those battling mental health illnesses and to support the survivors of mental health illnesses. It also aimed to raise awareness of mental health issues and to let young people know that the U-report SMS platform is a safe space where they can talk to professional counselors and share their problems.
One of the main objectives of the campaign was to bridge the gap in knowledge about where to access mental healthcare services. Many people are not aware of the organizations that offer mental health services, so the campaign was used as a tool to educate people about the many mental healthcare service providers in the country. Additionally, there are many misconceptions about mental health and mental health illness, as well as a significant amount of stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health issues. The campaign was used to correct misinformation and educate people about mental health in order to eliminate stigma and discrimination.
During the campaign, various activities were organized to engage U-reporters and others. The U-report team was featured on radio and TV talk shows to discuss mental health and the importance of awareness. The team had the opportunity to appear on UNZA radio, Spring TV, and Muvi TV. These media platforms were effective in reaching people in communities that the U-report team could not reach physically.


Citizen Science: A Developing Tool for Expanding Science Knowledge and Scientific Literacy
Citizen science enlists the public in collecting large quantities of data across an array of habitats and locations over long spans of time. Citizen science projects have been remarkably successful in advancing scientific knowledge, and contributions from citizen scientists now provide a vast quantity of data about species occurrence and distribution around the world. Most citizen science projects also strive to help participants learn about the organisms they are observing and to experience the process by which scientific investigations are conducted. Developing and implementing public data-collection projects that yield both scientific and educational outcomes requires significant effort. This article describes the model for building and operating citizen science projects that has evolved at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology over the past two decades. We hope that our model will inform the fields of biodiversity monitoring, biological research, and science education while providing a window into the culture of citizen science.
|Authors:||Rick Bonney; Caren B. Cooper; Janis Dickinson; Steve Kelling; Tina Phillips; Kenneth V. Rosenberg; Jennifer Shirk;|
|Year of publication:||2009|


Spring frost has been a reality for wine regions for years. However, more recently warmer winters are resulting in vines “waking up” earlier.
Delicate new buds are easily destroyed by frost. Additionally, frost negatively impacts yield and fruit quality. A severe frost event can wipe out an entire vintage.
In an effort to avoid catastrophic losses, like in 2021, Bourgogne wineries employ a wide range of active frost prevention techniques. From torches and heated wooden cauldrons, paraffin candles, burning vine clippings, portable wind machines, and even helicopters, each of these choices produce carbon emissions.
In seeking to first do no harm: Why are carbon dioxide producing active methods such widely utilized options for fighting frost in Bourgogne vineyards, and elsewhere?
Please click the link below and read my latest article in Forbes for free.
Bourgogne Grapples With Fighting Frost Without Producing Emissions
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Combating climate change perturbations without creating more issues is a complicated issue for all of us.
One response to “Bourgogne Grapples With Fighting Frost Without Producing Emissions”
Another good article honey. While much of this you shared with me, especially after your trip, it’s fun to see how it all comes together in your article. I love you
Dennis Sternitzky Marketing Strategist / Consultant P: (214)-244-9310


Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Robotics and autonomous systems are rapidly advancing fields that have the potential to transform the way we live and work. From manufacturing and logistics to healthcare and entertainment, robots and autonomous systems are being developed to perform a wide range of tasks.
One of the main benefits of robotics and autonomous systems is their ability to perform repetitive and dangerous tasks, freeing up humans to focus on more complex and creative work. For example, robots can be used in manufacturing to assemble products more quickly and accurately than humans, reducing the risk of errors and improving efficiency.
Autonomous systems, such as self-driving cars and drones, have the potential to revolutionize transportation, making it safer and more efficient. Self-driving cars can reduce the number of accidents caused by human error, while drones can be used to deliver goods and perform inspections in difficult-to-reach areas.
However, robotics and autonomous systems also raise ethical concerns. As these systems become more autonomous, it becomes difficult to assign responsibility for their actions. For example, if a self-driving car causes an accident, who is responsible? There is also a risk that these systems could be used to replace human workers, leading to job displacement and economic inequality.
To address these concerns, it is important to develop ethical frameworks and regulations to guide the development and use of robotics and autonomous systems. This includes ensuring that these systems are designed to prioritize safety and ethical decision-making, and that they are subject to regular monitoring and auditing.
It is also important to invest in education and training programs to help workers develop skills that are in demand in the age of robotics and autonomous systems. This includes not only technical skills related to the development and maintenance of these systems, but also skills related to creative and complex problem-solving that cannot be easily automated.
Although robotics and autonomous systems have the potential to transform the way we live and work, but they also raise ethical concerns that must be addressed. By developing ethical frameworks and regulations, prioritizing safety and ethical decision-making, and investing in education and training programs, we can ensure that these systems are developed and used in a way that benefits society as a whole.


The economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in major setbacks in addressing global poverty levels. The UN predicts significant delays in reaching a number of the Sustainable Development Goals and the World Bank reports a two-decade reduction in eliminating extreme poverty. In this context, almost every country in the world has expanded, adapted, or developed new social protection measures. Some 1.3 billion people were assisted through this expansion of social protection over the course of the pandemic, from stimulus cheques to caregiver benefits to supports for informal workers (Gentilini et al., 2020). By far the most popular form of support were direct cash transfers (CT), with many governments expanding coverage or eliminating conditionalities entirely.
Like many observers, I was initially hopeful that these expansions would provide opportunities to address the significant gaps in our social protection systems, particularly as the most vulnerable (women, informal workers and migrants) are often excluded. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case. Pandemic specific transfer programs lasted, on average, only 3.3 months, with only 7% extended beyond this (Gentilini 2021). Prior to the pandemic, some 4 billion people lacked social protection coverage. The limited duration of these measures, coupled with the long-run effects of disrupted employment, means we are effectively back to where we started—even as the pandemic shows no signs of abating in much of the world.
What has emerged instead are significantly different approaches to adapting the welfare state in a context of continuous and ongoing livelihood crises.Read More »


When Anthony Eden took over from Winston Churchill as Prime Minister in April 1955, his approval ratings were through the roof. He even called a general election, which boosted the Conservative majority from 17 to 60, but within less than a year his popularity had collapsed. This was largely a result of his handling of the Suez Crisis, which erupted in 1956, which in many ways marked an end to Britain’s role as one of the major world powers.
Eden had always been more interested in foreign affairs than domestic ones. During his premiership the Cold War was its peak, and for Eden, Britain’s position on the world stage often took priority over domestic or economic affairs.
When news that Nasser had nationalised the Suez Canal reached Anthony Eden, he was hosting a dinner for King Feisal of Iraq and his Prime Minister, Nuri es-Said, who unequivocally advised Eden to "hit [Nasser] hard, hit him soon, and hit him by yourself" – an opinion held by the majority of Britons.
Eden became committed to a plan of intervention and held secret discussions with French officials over a military operation to recover use of the Canal. The talks resulted in the formation of a plan by which Israel would invade Egypt and thus allow British and French forces to seize the Canal as an act of intervention between warring nations.
However, the invasion was badly performed and Britain received condemnation from the United Nations, the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth, and the United States. The loss of confidence and American backing for the already weak British economy forced Eden into calling a cease-fire.
The crisis divided British public opinion, with some arguing that the intervention was necessary, and others believing it be a poorly-judged move.
Sir Anthony Eden was forced to resign the office of Prime Minister on 9 January 1957 after doctors warned him that his health would detoriate further if he remained in office. John Charmley wrote "Ill-health ... provide(d) a dignified reason for an action (i.e.. resignation) which would, in any event, have been necessary.”
Suez Crisis of 1956
Background to the Suez Crisis of 1956
"Anthony Eden and Suez". HistoryLearning.com. 2023. Web.