30x30 Challenge Day 2
The Difference Between Observation and Perception
Strong emotions require a great deal of energy to keep up. We fuel them with our mental narrative. All we have to do is stop entertaining the self-conversation and return to the moment.
Many of us are aware of the observation/perception dichotomy. In theory, we understand that to notice something or have something happen to us is different than our reaction to it. Emotion, positive or negative, is not a foregone conclusion of a specific event. We have a choice. However, actually putting this into practice is another skill entirely. And yes, it is a skill and, like a skill, it can be trained.
One of the best places to begin is to build awareness around the areas that tend to make us overreact the most, in either a positive or negative way. What type of annoyances hit us the hardest? Which relationships seem to chafe us worst? What type of prospects are most likely to make us overly optimistic?
Question/Journal of the Day:
In what situations do you often find yourself being swept away by negative emotions? How are you perceiving those experiences and how could you change your perception or your response?
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“I love the feeling of the fresh air on my face and the wind blowing through my hair.” (Evel Knievel)
The primary somatosensory cortex and the brainstem nuclei are important regions in our brain that help us generate feelings and emotions. The brain’s complexity should help us increase our faith in God!
Feeling screening is a technique used in psychoanalysis, and it helps people get in touch with their deepest self through their feelings. This can be seen as an experience of rediscovery and a cognitive journey of self-exploration. St. Ignatius of Loyola always invites individuals to pay attention to their deepest spiritual movements and feel what is going on within themselves. This method can help us uncover God’s voice or presence through our passions, desires, gifts, and even our shortcomings. Feeling screening can aid in pointing us towards the road to freedom.
Let us discover how to engage what we feel while screening ourselves to more clearly experience the greater glory of God in our lives and in the world around us. Take a moment and to screen your feelings and recognize God in the deep recesses of your soul. Close your eyes and relax as best you can and ask yourself:
- What am I feeling now?
- Is there a significance to that feeling?
- Using your senses, what is the smell, the touch, or the sound of your feeling?
- Does it conger up a memory, an idea, a moment, a sentiment, an emotion?
- Consider what God might be saying to you or inviting you to look more closely.
- Give thanks to God for the gift of feelings.
Video Production by Matthew Bjorklund, SJ


The Galton Board is an ingenious math gadget, that demonstrates the most important distribution in all of statistics.
The Galton Board is named after its inventor Sir Francis Galton. The box contains thousands of tiny metal balls, and when you turn the board, they start falling through the pegs and scatter randomly. Once all the balls have fallen into the slots, they form a curve of the same shape almost every time. This curve is also plotted on a Galton box and is called a normal distribution curve or a Gaussian curve. The normal distribution is an approximation of the binomial distribution for a sufficiently large number of trials.
A ball bouncing off the peg and falling into a certain slot can be seen as a random event. The ball can bounce off the peg either to the left or right. It is more likely that it will have bounced roughly the same number of times to the right and left before reaching the slot and falling into the middle slot. The probability of a ball falling further to the left or the right is less likely because, for this, the ball has to make more bounces to the left or right, respectively.
A sufficiently large number of balls allows us to observe in the Galton box how seemingly random events can form a certain regular distribution every time. This makes a Galton Box a great math gadget that helps you visualize the most famous distribution in all of statistics.


A recent WIREs Water review explores a significant archaeological phenomenon represented in Sardinia Island by the construction of impressive prehistoric monumental buildings identified as a cult site.
In fact, Sardinia is the only Italian region where later prehistoric standing monuments identified specifically as cult buildings have survived. After a long period characterized by impressive dwellings (nuraghi) and funerary monuments (giants’ tombs), a new cultural phase began in Final Bronze Age Sardinia (XII-X century BC), marked by the development of villages and the spread of new monumental buildings such as isolated temples or cult complexes (sanctuaries).
These monumental cult complexes were often related to rituals that implied the use of water, and represent the most visible expressions of Nuragic religious behaviors. Sacred springs, well temples and numerous buildings such as rectangular or circular-plan buildings with stone vats provide significant traces of these practices. The survival of this monumental architecture provides an important documentary source for the reconstruction of cult practices, aspect that for prehistoric societies, frequently, can be reconstructed only through scarce clues deduced from archaeological findings.
These sanctuaries are complexes articulated in structures of different types and sizes where large amounts of wealth, mainly tools, ornaments, weapons and bronze figurines were accumulated as offerings, and where were practiced rituals and ceremonies. The frequent presence of imported objects, specially from the Italian peninsula, is an element that confirms the role of sanctuaries as poles of attraction for goods and resources. The water sanctuaries show the power and wealth of Nuragic communities through the monumentality of their structures, their elaborate stone decoration and the presence of exclusive built-in stone furniture and votive offerings. Water sanctuaries were centers of not only religious importance, but also of political, economic and social significance for the Nuragic communities that met at them to govern society and to manage wealth and resources, under the auspices of water.
Kindly contributed by Anna Depalmas.


In an interactive world of communication and information, it is possible that Virtual Reality will be a trend towards the future, where Virtual Reality headsets will be used in classrooms to enhance learning and interaction of children. This will be done without any physical contact between the teacher and child, making the learning process much more effective. Virtual Reality headsets for teachers may incorporate video within the teaching lessons, giving an overall experience of the lesson, rather than just the static images presented on a screen by a teacher. It would help if the headset had some type of image display system integrated with the display, such as a form of LCD or plasma screen. Video games may also be integrated into the virtual reality experience to provide students with a gaming environment not found in a traditional classroom.
Virtual Reality and the future
A positive benefit of Virtual Reality and the future will come from the many uses of Virtual Reality in entertainment. Medical and health care industries are using Virtual Reality technology, such as putting a patient inside of a computerized model of their body to better diagnose and treat patients. Entertainment industry giants like Pixar are using Virtual Reality to create a technologically advanced and realistic environment for their film and video games. The future may see even more applications of Virtual Reality in education, business, and entertainment.
Will the future of education see an upgrade to what we know today? Probably, yes, but how will we know? Will our children in the future be able to interact with each other in a completely realistic environment, where they can “talk” to each other? One thing is for sure, Virtual Reality is changing the way we learn and educate.


Preventing a collision requires a driver to notice a potential road hazard, respond appropriately and react quickly enough to stop the vehicle safely. Even at the modest speed of 55 miles per hour, it takes only five seconds to travel the length of a full football field, and even a momentary distraction may result in a deadly accident.
Handheld cellphone use is one of the most common forms of driver distraction, and in Pennsylvania it is illegal to text while operating a moving vehicle. However, any activity that compromises a driver’s attention increases the risk of a collision, including eating, conversing with passengers, tending to children or handling an unsecured pet.
Distracted driving statistics
Despite the risks, many drivers are confident about their ability to multitask safely behind the wheel. However, the statistics reflect the grim reality that distracted driving endangers everyone sharing the road.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted driving was a factor in over 2,800 U.S. deaths in 2018 alone, including 400 pedestrians, 77 bicyclists, 605 passengers and 1,730 drivers.
In Pennsylvania, the Department of Transportation’s 2019 statistics show that distracted drivers caused 13,729 collisions and 56 fatalities.
Texting while driving is especially risky
Reading or writing a text while driving is especially dangerous because it distracts the driver in three ways: manually, visually and cognitively. In addition to needing to take at least one hand off the wheel, a texting driver takes his or her eyes off the road and shifts attention away from surrounding traffic and potential hazards.


Pharmaceutical products are simply anything used in the medical industry to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. These products are typically in high demand. The international spending for pharmaceuticals reached $1 trillion for the very first time in 2014, and it is expected to continue increasing up to $1.12 trillion by 2022.
These products are critical to the medical field because without them, lives could be lost. They are often very fragile, so pharmaceutical products need special care when they are shipped around the world. Effective pharmaceutical logistics take these extra care steps into account so the products arrive at their destination safe and intact.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to pharmaceutical shipping is that the cargo needs be to kept at extremely precise temperatures in order to ensure they get from one location to another uncompromised. If the products are not stored at their proper temperature during the shipping process, irreversal damage can occur.
In fact, a change as small as two degrees Celsius during shipping can damage the pharmaceutical products beyond repair. This can have devastating effects as patients may not receive the products they need, and there may be no other option for them.
To address this danger, many pharmaceutical logistics companies use special containers to maintain a steady temperature. These containers are called cryogenic containers, and they are used to ship biological matter like blood and tissue. They can keep a consistent temperature of -150 degrees Celsius for 10 or more days.
To some, shipping pharmaceuticals may seem like a major hassle. Is it worth it? In reality, the value of temperature controlled pharmaceuticals is expected to rise approximately 10.7% over the next year.
Pharmaceutical products are extremely important for the way of life the world has created, as extended life and health are valued so highly. Pharmaceuticals are not going anywhere, especially not ones that need temperature control. Fortunately, logistics companies have the shipping demands under control.
Whether you're a company looking to improve one facet of your supply chain, your entire supply chain, or simply looking for a transportation and logistics consultation, we can help.


Black holes are found throughout our universe. Astronomers discovered two black holes that are close to Earth, raising eyebrows. While discovering black holes near Earth isn’t unusual, these two holes are much further from their stars than expected.
This has presented some questions for astronomers because it differs from how these binary systems are usually set up. Normally, when a black hole and a star share a system, they are known as binary systems, and the black hole usually eats away at the star. This star-eating is what makes black holes easy to detect, since they emit high energy readings. Black holes such as those found closer to Earth than their star, are called “dark” because they don’t produce high-energy bursts. This makes it more difficult to find them and thus harder to detect. Astronomers also believe that these black holes are different from regular binary black hole formations because they’re so far away from the star.
So, what is the secret to black holes such as these two newer ones found near Earth? And how do we detect them more easily? To understand how black holes are formed in the universe, we will need to adjust our existing understandings and models.
These latest discoveries were fueled by data captured by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Gaia spacecraft. The spacecraft is continuing to gather additional data, and the hope is that more “dark” black holes will be discovered within that data, possibly even more black holes close to Earth.
A paper detailing the findings on these two black holes was featured in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society last month. Hopefully, as researchers look into them more, we’ll uncover how these black holes in wider systems formed and other markers that set them apart from regular binary black holes.
The post Astronomers discovered two black holes close to Earth unlike anything we’ve seen appeared first on BGR.


JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Does watching TV impact a young child’s attention span? Earlier studies have attempted to link ADHD and other attention disorders to devices, asserting that screen time can significantly affect behavior. However, a more in-depth study suggests otherwise.
Approximately 6.1 million children in the U.S. have ADHD, and according to scientists, the number of adult cases is rising. How watching television and other forms of screen exposure play a role in the development of attention problems has been highly debated in recent years. Researchers from East Tennessee State University examined data from a 2004 study that linked TV exposure in children to the development of ADHD. The team, led by Wallace E. Dixon, Jr., a professor and department head of psychology at the university, conducted a more comprehensive investigation of the data by creating 848 different questions.
This method, referred to as multiverse analyses, enabled the team to ask essentially the same question hundreds of times. All questions were focused on early childhood TV exposure and ADHD development. The team compared the answers to one another and to the data compiled in 2004.
“The findings from the original study, upon further scrutiny, are not borne out. We found that there is still no evidence that TV, by itself, causes ADHD or any kind of attention problems in young children,” Dixon says in a statement. “Our research also tells us that it’s important to be skeptical of earth-shattering findings that come in the form of ‘something that everybody is doing harms our children.” The overwhelming majority of studies indicated that there was no correlation between early childhood tv exposure and ADHD. The handful that did show a possible link, according to the researchers, indicate certain anomalies which are unlikely to be a correct representation of reality.
“What excites us about the research,” he continues, “is that we can ease up on blaming parents or making them feel guilty for letting their children watch television when they are very young.”
This study is published in Psychological Science.


The National Mall, looking toward the Capitol Building, as seen from the Washington Monument between 1906 and 1915:
The scene in 1945. Image taken by Reginald Hotchkiss, courtesy of the Library of Congress, FSA/OWI Collection.
The scene in 2021:
The National Mall is one of the most-visited places in Washington DC, yet it did not always have its carefully-manicured appearance, as shown in the first photo. Several major landmarks were already standing here along the Mall, most notably the National Museum of Natural History on the left and the Smithsonian Castle on the right, with the Arts and Industries Building just beyond it to the right. Further in the distance of the first photo is the Capitol, with the Library of Congress behind it. However, most of the Mall was still vacant at this point, and it would be many more decades before all of the current Smithsonian museums were constructed here.
The second photo, taken in 1945, shows several newer buildings in this scene, including the National Archives on the far left, the National Gallery of Art just beyond the Museum of Natural History, and the Supreme Court Building behind the Capitol. Aside from these major institutional buildings, though, the Mall area also became the site of many temporary War Department buildings during World War I and II. Some of these can be seen in the second photo, particularly in the lower left and upper middle of the photo. During the first half of the 20th century, the landscaping of the Mall also changed significantly, and in the 1930s a number of elm trees were planted in rows along the Mall, as shown in the second photo.
Today, more than 75 years after the second photo was taken, the Mall is home to even more museums, many of which were constructed on the sites of the temporary wartime buildings. In the lower left corner of the scene is the Museum of American History, and in the upper right is the Hirshorn Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, and the National Museum of the American Indian. Further in the distance on the left, the National Gallery of Art has since expanded, and now has a second building to the east of its original facility. Despite these additions, though, the scene is still easily recognizable from the second photo, and even many of the elm trees are still standing, despite being threatened by Dutch Elm Disease.


The White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy last year came out with the report Epidemic: Responding to America’s Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis. Its four central recommendations focused on education, tracking and monitoring, proper medication disposal, and enforcement. This is another glaring example of our 100 years of failed drug policy. Supply reduction has not worked and will not work. If this new “crisis” is truly an epidemic, then there should be a health response to it.
If there is a bright spot in battling opiod addiction, it is that there are effective medications to treat it (methadone and buprenorphine). However, the federal government has strict regulations around the use of these medications. This is despite the fact that they are very effective in eliminating cravings for opioids.
There is one simple thing the federal government can do to stop the prescription drug epidemic: make the 2mg Suboxone film (buprenorphine and naloxone) available as an over-the-counter (OTC) medication. People are buying it on the street because they can’t get into treatment. If Suboxone was an OTC, the street sales of it would dry up overnight, and people would not need to become criminals in order to get treatment. While there have been some overdoses, more people have died from water intoxication than Suboxone, and we are not looking at making water less accessible.
Maryland has been very aggressive with expanding the access of Suboxone throughout the state, and there has not been one report of someone admitted to treatment whose drug of choice was Suboxone. It is not a drug that can be used multiple times a day in order to get a high. Its pharmacology prevents this from occurring. There is no compulsive use, loss of control, and, most importantly, no cravings with Suboxone. Its risks are minimal, and the benefits will be extreme.
It’s not rocket science but it is science, the more accessible treatment is, the more likely people will be to use it.
This piece was originally published on the Open Society Foundations’ blog.


Future generations may never know the frustration of trying to solve a problem for which there is no solution. Quantum computers, though not yet sophisticated enough in themselves, will revolutionize computation by making certain types of classically intractable problems solvable with relative ease thanks to their ability at performing calculations quickly and without error correction.
Quantum computing has begun to take off in recent years due to its potential for optimization. Researchers are working on both the problem-solving side, as well as developing algorithms that exploit quantum properties like subatomic accuracy and super strong security measures against hacking attacks – which would allow us solve problems much more quickly than traditional computers can today.
The world is about to experience a quantum leap into the future. Today, computer scientists are exploring how they can change their current technology by looking into subatomic particles and atoms that make up molecules for futuristic computers known as qubits or quantum bits.These new forms of data storage could give us answers more quickly than ever before.
There are a number of other applications for qubit systems that go beyond the scope in this overview. Two prominent areas, quantum sensing and metrology which leverage their extreme sensitivity to environment by realizing measurements not possible with classical shot noise limits; while also there’s potentialities when considering networks or communications through revolutionary innovations linked back into information sharing capabilities created by these new types of strange-electronic components.
Researchers are developing quantum computers that will be more power efficient than their classical counterparts. They estimate this type of device could reduce the consumption by 100 to 1000 times, which is what makes them so promising for energy-efficient use in industries like medicine or communications where responsiveness matters most.
One day, quantum computers could even outstrip human capabilities and take on a greater role in controlling our lives. Quantum Computing will bring massive profits to the financial sector. With quantum computing, traders could do things like forecast markets with greater accuracy and speed than ever before – ultimately making it more profitable for them.
Just think about the possibilities: They’re more powerful than regular desktop processors; they’ll be able to perform calculations at lightning speed with unparalleled accuracy!


1. Which middle grade metrics predict ninth-grade failure? Based on those metrics, which middle grade students are at risk of failing their ninth-grade classes, and which are likely to pass their classes when they get to high school?
2. Which middle grade metrics predict earning high grades (3.0 or higher) in high school? Based on those metrics, which middle grade students have little chance of earning high grades in high school and which students are likely to do so?
3. Which middle school metrics predict reaching ACT’s college-readiness benchmarks? Based on those metrics, which middle grade students are at risk of missing the benchmarks when they get to high school and which students are likely to meet them?
4. How does students’ performance on key indicators change during the middle grades, and what are the implications for high school success?
- Only those students who leave eighth grade with GPAs of at least 3.0 have a moderate chance of earning a 3.0 GPA in high school—the threshold for being considered college-bound.
- Whether students are “ready” for high school depends not only on their academic performance in the middle grades but also on the context that they enter into in ninth grade. Students with the same academic record in middle school also have different high school outcomes depending on which high school they attend.
- Strategies aimed at attendance improvement could likely have as much or more of a payoff for high school and college graduation as efforts aimed at improving test scores because test scores are hard to move and do not show much variability throughout middle and high school. Meanwhile, attendance shows considerably more variation and middle school attendance is much more predictive of passing high school classes than test scores.


Written by: Fraser Shaw, Heritage Conservation Advisor
Paskapoo sandstone has been maligned for poor durability, compared to Indiana limestone and sandstones from Ohio or Spain that have been used for conservation projects in Alberta. But to be fair to our homegrown sandstone, masonry in general suffers in Alberta’s climate and in the intense sunlight, drying winds and freeze-thaw cycling in areas like southern Alberta. De-icing salts used for public safety during the long winter months are the nemesis of historic masonry and will relentlessly attack sandstone, limestone and granite alike. How stone is laid in a wall, masonry mortar composition, and design details all contribute to how stone performs over time.
An imposing landmark in downtown Lethbridge, Southminster United Church is a large 1913 building (additions in 1914 and 1950) with a bold Modernist 1961 chapel. The Classical Revival original building dominates with its symmetrical front facade, prominent pediment, monumental engaged columns and exterior of buff-coloured brick with sandstone details. Interestingly, while stone decoration of the 1950 north addition superficially resembles the regional sandstone, it is actually imported Indiana limestone, a different and relatively durable material. Other notable Lethbridge buildings with this combination of local and imported stone are the Galt Museum (former Galt Hospital) and the Bowman Arts Centre (Manual Training School), both Provincial Historic Resources. Lethbridge designated Southminster United Church as a Municipal Historic Resource in 2016.Read more


By- Kelli Drummer-Avendano
Parlez-vous français? Well, if you don’t already, now is the time to learn! Besides being able to communicate with almost 300 million people around the world who speak French, you’ll become familiar with the rich culture and customs of the Francophone countries. In 1988, as a way to celebrate the French language and culture, International Francophonie Day was created, known in French as Journée Internationale de la Francophonie.
The day is celebrated every year on March 20th, the day that the Niamey Convention was signed in Niger, establishing an organization representing countries and regions where French is spoken. Today, this organization is known as the International Organization of La Francophonie and has 88 member states and governments. Their purpose is to collaborate with one another on issues of culture, science, economy, justice, and peace.
So, how should you celebrate International Francophonie Day? For starters, you don’t have to limit the celebration to only one day, because the entire month of March is now known as Francophonie Month, and there are events taking place all over the world, from Québec to Chicago to South Africa.
Nevertheless, you can celebrate right at home by watching French-language movies and eating un baguette with good French cheese or fromage, such as brie or Roquefort. Likewise, it would be interesting to investigate what other countries speak French. For example, did you know that French is an official language of Vietnam? Or, that Réunion, an overseas department of France, is a small island off the coast of Madagascar? Learn about one of the over 25 countries that are Francophone and celebrate by listening to music that is popular there or eating traditional food.
However you decide to commemorate International Francophonie Day or Month, just know that there are millions of other Francophone lovers celebrating with you. Bonne chance!


Erythrops serrata (G.O. Sars), Boreomysis megalops G.O. Sars, Leptomysis gracilis (G.O. Sars) and Lophogaster typicus M. Sars were studied at 150 m depth in Fanafjorden, western Norway in April, June, September, and December 1979. Sampling was performed with hyperbenthic sledges in intervals of 0-80 cm and 30-80 cm above the sediment. During daylight all species were concentrated in immediate vicinity of the sediment. During darkness E. serrata performed increased swimming activity near the bottom. A part of the population of B. megalops always undertook vertical migration at night. Distribution of the remaining hyperbenthic part was less stratified than during daylight. A substantial portion of vertically migrating individuals returned to depth before sunrise. Almost the entire population of L. gracilis and L. typicus left the hyperbenthic region prior to sunset, and returned after sunrise. Approaching sunset distributional changes first occurred for L. typicus (1-2 hours prior to sunset), followed by L. gracilis and later by B. megalops and E. serrata. At twilight conditions, occasionally a transition state between daylight- and night-distribution was found, most prominent in L. typicus in the afternoon.
|Original language||English (US)|
|Number of pages||9|
|State||Published - Dec 30 1985|
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Aquatic Science


Day 18 of 30 - Rural Impressions
Sweet Cora the Donkey is having a little Roll.
Curious about why do Donkey's roll??
(credit to the Donkey Sanctuary for this information)
- Rolling helps groom/scratch hard-to-reach areas
- Dust provides great insulation, protecting donkeys from both hot and cold conditions - especially in their natural dessert environment
- 80% of donkey rolling occurs in a spot where another equine has rolled. Depositing scent over the body may be a function of rolling.
Here is the Donkey Sanctuary's bio on Cora:
"Born in 2008, Cora is a grey dun, small standard donkey. She was admitted to The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada in November, 2012 with another donkey named Jace, and a miniature pony named Honey. Cora, Jace and Honey were part of a petting zoo located in Southwestern Ontario and the owners felt the DSC would be a more appropriate home.
Despite being at capacity, the DSC made room available for Cora and Jace, and Honey was taken in by Wind Dancer Pony Rescue Foundation.
Cora’s keen curiosity and friendliness soon made her a favourite among staff and volunteers, and she enjoys living with our main herd with our other jennies and gentle geldings."
~ Donkey Sanctuary of Canada
9/18/2017 10:18:22 pm
Great works, the rural themed art touches a cord of home. I am enjoying the 30 in 30, something to look forward to every day.
Leave a Reply.
Find out why I had to pursue a career as a dietitian to figure out I wanted to be an artist:


The Microsoft Security Intelligence Report is an evaluation of the threat landscape, based on data from more than 600 million systems worldwide. Microsoft Technical Director Dave Sawyer says there are several things computer users can do to protect themselves.
“Keep all of your software on your system updated. Run anti-virus software from a trusted vendor. I think a lot of people have run into ads that pop up on their screen for different anti-virus products that are from people you’ve never heard of and that is a definite sign of somebody trying to get on to your computer.”
Sawyer says there’s an integration between so-called botnets and malicious threats like trojans, viruses and worms.
“A botnet is basically an organization or group of computers that have been taken over by malware, and they do things like send spam on behalf of the people who are running that botnet, or host malware so that people would, you know. Basically have a place to go to download additional malware onto other unsuspecting computers. And so it’s important for people to get their computers cleaned up.”
Sawyer it’s a never-ending game with people who want to take control of your computer. He says beware of phishing attacks on social networks and use common sense before clicking links in email.


Did You Throw the Tough Dough in the Trough?
It is no secret that spelling in English is a daunting task, even for native English speakers. There are spelling and phonetic tools, which are supposed to help us make sense of the sounds, and then there are rules, which often make no sense to anyone. It’s kind of like Baseball.
English is a catch-all language, with the spelling rules and tools thrown into a linguistic melting pot, and it can cause spelling trouble that other languages don’t have. For example, Japanese has clear, ordered, phonetic rules. All rules, all the time. No matter what word it is, the “oh” sound always sound the same, and is always represented the same way. No wonder the Japanese trounce Americans in science and math. Japanese students don’t have to spend countless hours of extra time studying spelling just to master their language. They have more time to study math and science, since they are not worried about weekly spelling tests. You can't be a bad speller in Japanese.
Can you imagine a Japanese student, comfortable in his ordered phonetic world, trying to learn English? Give him a simple first grade spelling list in English and he will probably feel pretty good.
Cat, bat, rat, hat. These phonetic spelling tools make sense. Learn the beginning sound, and the end sound. Change the beginning sound to another beginning sound and the end sound stays the same. Just like Japanese.
Give him any fourth or fifth grade spelling test, however, and he may start to sweat.
Dough, thorough, bough, enough, trough, plough, and although
What? So much for knowledge of common letter-sound relationships. Nothing makes sense, and you have to rely on straight memorization. Is it no wonder that non-native English speakers need help with spelling? I will go so far as to say every English speaker needs help with spelling at some point in the acquisition of the language.
That’s enough. It’s making me cough. I think I need a doughnut….
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Suppose your audience/reader and your Main Character do NOT agree in attitudes about the central issue of the story. Even so, the audience will still identify with the Main Character because he or she represents the audience’s position in the story. So, if the Main Character grows in resolve to remain steadfast and succeeds, then the message to your audience is, “Adopt the Main Character’s view if you wish to succeed in similar situations.” If the Main Character remains steadfast and fails, changes their view and succeeds, or changes and fails, completely different messages will be sent to your audience/reader.
Clearly, since either change or steadfast can lead to either success or failure in a story, when you factor in where the audience itself stands in regard to the issues of your story a great number of different kinds of audience impact can be created by your choice.
Do you want your story to bring your audience to a point of change or to reinforce its current view? Oddly enough, choosing a steadfast Main Character may bring an audience to change and choosing a change character may influence the audience to remain steadfast. Why? It depends upon whether or not your audience shares the Main Character’s point of view to begin with.
Excerpted from the Dramatica Pro Software help text


What’s a Credit Score?
The mystery of credit scores is revealed.
Understanding Your Credit History and Maintaining Your Credit Score
What is a Credit Score?
A person’s Credit Score is calculated by the credit bureau provider (i.e. Equifax, Transunion) using universally recognized analytics and is printed on every credit bureau report.
In Canada creditors use the term Credit Score and Beacon Score interchangeably. A person’s Credit Score is a snapshot of one’s creditworthiness at a particular moment in time.
The Credit Score is a calculation arrived at by assessing all information about an individual’s loans, lines of credit and credit cards. It also includes information related to other matters, such as bankruptcies, collections, liens and repossessions. Credit Scores range from 300 to 850, with any score over 700 indicating that an individual is generally “creditworthy”.
Why is your credit score important?
Traditional lending organizations (banks, credit unions, credit card companies), and now companies (wireless service providers, insurance companies, employers) use the Credit Score to determine how much credit they will provide you, at what interest rate, and for what length of time. The Credit Score is used as a predictor of who is most likely to fall behind in their payments, whether these payments are on a loan, a credit card, or a cell phone.
The higher the Credit Score the more likely an individual will be able to obtain credit, and also obtain this credit at the lowest interest rates and fees.
How to increase your credit score:
- Pay loans and bills in full and on time.
- Keep the “balance to limit ratio” on your credit card/credit lines under 50% where possible. For instance if your limit on a credit card or credit line is $1,000, keep the balance under $500.
- Avoid holding many credit cards, including store credit cards.
- Make sure your credit reports are accurate.
- Avoid having numerous “credit checks” aka “inquiries” completed by the credit bureau provider by only applying for credit when you really need it.
Visit Equifax’s website for additional information.


symptomatology मीनिंग इन हिंदी
symptomatology उदाहरण वाक्य
डाउनलोड Hindlish App, कभी भी अनुवाद करें
उदाहरण वाक्यअधिक: आगे
- B . S . A . has an unruly range of symptomatology.
- B . S . A . has an unruly range of symptomatology,
- From 1956-1960, 87 % showed improvement in their symptomatology.
- To them, it hangs heavy with the symptomatology of frail, sedentary people.
- "Part One : The manifest Symptomatology and Other Basic Notions ".
- Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is linked with more severe symptomatology and worse prognosis.
- Drug abuse, including alcohol and prescription drugs, can induce symptomatology which resembles mental illness.
- The fungus can also exist in a carrier state on the scalp, without clinical symptomatology.
- This led to an illness from which he died 10 days later symptomatology consistent with amatoxin poisoning.
- However, less than 5 % of emergency services personnel will develop long-term PTSD symptomatology.


play a buzzer using arduino
33 次查看（过去 30 天）
Namila Bandara ，2016-9-12
回答： Madhu Govindarajan ，2019-4-16
hi i want to know how to play a buzzer with given frequency. previously i installed the latest arduino package to use the " playTone() function,but its says UNDEFINED (im using 2014a version) so are there any method to play a buzzer with given note frequencies ?
Madhu Govindarajan 2019-4-16
Have an arduino connected to MATLAB using a = arduino command. After that, what is the output when you type the following:
Find more on MATLAB Support Package for Arduino Hardware in Help Center and File Exchange
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Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!Start Hunting!


Southwest Virginia ROCCS
Free Recovery Resources, Services, and Support
- Students seeking help or curious about Substance Use Disorder and Recovery
- Students and Faculty in Recovery
- Family and Friends Services
- Recovery Ally Trainings
- Naloxone Training
For more information please contact
The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis and has been in the forefront of the news for a few years now. Any person, no matter their age, income, or any other demographic, can experience and suffer from addiction. Knowing how to respond and possibly reverse an opioid overdose can save someone’s life and might help them access needed resources for recovery. Come learn more about opioids, addiction, and how to respond in an emergency. You will receive the opioid overdose reversal drug, Narcan (Naloxone), to take with you free of charge.
When should you be worried about you or a friend’s substance use?
Signs that alcohol, marijuana, or another substance could be having a negative impact on your life:
- Continued use despite negative effects on relationships, mental or physical health, or academics
- Having a high tolerance (needing more to achieve the desired effect)
- Stopping participation in activities you used to enjoy because of your use
- Using a substance as a way to cope with stress, mental or physical health concerns, grief, etc.
- Spending a great deal of time getting, using, or recovering from alcohol or another drug


home who we are what we do non-discrimination statement our sites education materials recipe videos movement breaks supporting info success stories contact us feel free to use the lesson plans listed below in your own classroom to encourage your students to build healthier habits. the following five lessons were part of a three year high school outcome evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of these lessons to positively impact the knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes of eligible students in regards to eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, low fat milk, and calcium-rich foods for meals and/or snacks and increased physical activity. these lessons should be taught in the following sequence: nutrition education program drexel university 1601 cherry street, suite 110 philadelphia, pa 19102 215.895.2422 email@example.com
kick-start a commitment to healthy eating this national nutrition month with these fresh and fun nutrition lesson plan and activity ideas ted-ed lessons on the subject nutrition. ted-ed celebrates the discover hundreds of animated lessons, create customized lessons, and share your big ideas. hhs, national heart, lung and blood institute. use this lesson plan to teach kids how to listen to the body’s nutrition and physical activity needs., lesson plan on food and nutrition for grade 4, high school nutrition unit, high school nutrition unit, nutrition curriculum pdf, nutrition videos for high school students.
share my lesson provides free nutrition lesson plans and teacher resources. find creative ways to get students excited about learning. engage your classroom with health worksheets, health lesson plans, nutrition worksheets, and fun health class activities. many cross-curricular resources. the links in this category include lesson plans and other classroom resources on nutrition for middle and high school students., . what do you teach in a nutrition class? how do you teach nutrition to students? how do you teach food and nutrition? what are nutrients lesson?
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Eustoma is a small genus (3 species) of popular flowering plants that is native to grasslands in North, Central and South America.
More Information About Eustoma
One species in particular, Eustoma russellianum, is popular in the cut-flower industry for its large, richly-colored blooms. Although Eustoma is generally considered to be an annual (especially the highly hybridized cut-flower types), it is a perennial in some good garden locations. Eustoma is sometimes given the common name Lisianthus (particularly by cut-flower growers), it is actually a separate genus , completely unrelated to the true Lisianthus. Eustoma is also sometimes called Gentian, which is a close cousin, but is also a separate genus.
The name Eustoma comes from the Greek "Eu" (true or good) and "Stoma" (mouth) which refers to the beautiful color patterns found in the mouth of the flower. In addition to the pretty purple-blue flowers, Eustoma plants often produce attractive blue-tinted leaves. In the wild, Eustoma is a grassland plant that grows wild in the US from Texas to Montana. This means that Eustoma is very adaptable, in addition to being incredibly beautiful. Try growing Eustoma in a prairie-like garden with Panicum or other ornamental grasses. When you are ready to buy Eustoma for your garden, check out our online list of Eustoma for sale.


What are thyroid nodules?
Thyroid nodules are lumps that form in the thyroid gland, which is located in the neck. They may be a solid or fluid-filled lump that forms in the thyroid gland which can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). They can also be functional (overactive) or non-functional (not overactive). Thyroid nodules are relatively common and are found in up to 50% of the population. However, most thyroid nodules are benign and do not cause any symptoms or require treatment. The discovery of thyroid nodules is often incidental, found during a routine physical examination or imaging study for another reason.
What causes thyroid nodules?
Thyroid nodules are a common condition of which the cause is yet unknown. They are more common in women than in men, and the frequency increases with age. According to some studies, about 5-7% of thyroid nodules are malignant. These slow-growing lumps (millimeters over months or years) may be due to iodine deficiency as well as exposure in childhood to ionizing radiation – all without causing any symptoms most times.
How would I know if I have a thyroid nodule?
Most nodules in the thyroid do not cause any symptoms ie. patients are not aware that they have one. But when they reach a certain size, their location near the food pipe (oesophagus) and breathing tube (trachea), may lead to symptoms including a sensation of a lump in the throat and even difficulty swallowing or breathing. As mentioned earlier, if a nodule is overactive, it may be picked up on blood tests first and then confirmed with an ul;trsaound scan. Another way in which thyroid nodules may be detected is incidentally – when tests are being done for another reason, but picks up an abnormality elsewhere.
Investigation of thyroid nodules
Once a nodule is detected it is best you go and see your general practitioner for further investigations. Common investigations include blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the thyroid and possibly a nuclear medicine scan of the thyroid gland. Depending on the appearance and size of the thyroid nodule, a fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA or FNAB) of the nodule may be required. FNA of a thyroid nodule is one of the most important tests as it is getting cells from the nodule to help determine what the nodule is – benign or malignant (cancerous).


Classic DACB CollectionAll articles created or submitted in the first twenty years of the project, from 1995 to 2015.
Pilkington, George Lawrence
George Pilkington was a Church Missionary Society (CMS) lay missionary in Uganda. A graduate of the University of Cambridge and strongly influenced by the Keswick movement, he arrived in Buganda (now Uganda) with Bishop Alfred Tucker’s party in 1891. There he found a militarized society, rent by religious factionalism and the conflicts of the colonial scramble. Pilkington’s remarkable linguistic ability enabled him quickly to get alongside the Baganda soldiers and to realize their spiritual hunger and desire for literacy. In 1893, troubled by the confusion of Christianity and politics, he went on retreat to Kome Island, where he had an experience of the Holy Spirit. This sparked off a religious revival that profoundly affected the life of the Ugandan church, an inspiration to the Balokole revival of the 1930s, which looked back to Pilkington as a role model. Pilkington’s other great contribution was his translation of the Bible into Luganda. Ironically, despite his desire for a purely spiritual understanding of Christianity, he was a firm believer in the benefits of British colonialism. In 1897 he accompanied his beloved Baganda soldiers as they went to quell the mutiny of Sudanese troops in eastern Uganda. Pilkington’s death in battle was universally mourned.
C. F. Harford Battersby, Pilkington of Uganda (1898), J. V. Taylor, The Growth of the Church in Buganda (1958) gives a memorable account of the period.
This article is reproduced, with permission, from Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions, copyright © 1998, by Gerald H. Anderson, W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan. All rights reserved.


We Are Offering “Safer-at-Home” Math Classes for Parents to Help Their Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Our math tutoring consultants work closely with a small group of students. We offer home-school teaching for K-12 students, mentoring so students complete college degrees, and we raise college success rates all while building long-lasting relationships. Award-Winning Rocket Scientist and Author Olympia LePoint is the main educator, and she has been featured on NBC, TED Talks, People Magazine, PBS and CBS News speaking about her books and services.
Group Classes Offered
If you would like to take a class, contact us today. Enrollment begins August 1, 2022 for September 2022 classes.
- Algebra I
- Calculus I
What is Mathaphobia?
Mathaphobia is a silent, numerical illiteracy that cripples the frontal-brain lobes from understanding basic math concepts and making executive-decisions. Mathaphobia can be as crippling as a learning disability. It creates an emotional shame response that halts an individual from knowing their future success. Olympia’s End Mathaphobia Now program helps individuals of all ages overcome their fear, take-back their brain’s decision-making power, and unleash answers.
How Do We Eliminate Your Mathaphobia?
In Olympia LePoint’s book, Mathaphobia: How You Can Overcome Your Math Fears and Become a Rocket Scientist, Olympia LePoint creates a 3-Step Method for Success. We help you by:
- Making Math & Data Science Fun & Exciting
- Identifying Your Mathaphobia, with the Self-Test + Capitalizing Your Unique Thinking & Learning Style
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Air is breathed in through the nasal passageways, travels through the trachea and bronchi to the lungs.
Review Date: 2/22/2023
Reviewed By: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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Now the season of excess is over, we might need an excuse to cut down a bit. And this might also help the planet too, as reported in the i newspaper:
Greenhouse gases caused by food and transport means obesity is accelerating climate change, new study finds
Obesity also increases the amount of carbon dioxide a person’s body produces, compared to their “normal-weight state”, as the metabolic process of breaking down food into energy and body building blocks such as proteins and carbohydrates becomes bigger.
As a result, obesity has pushed up the UK’s carbon footprint by 2.9 per cent, or 16 million tonnes a year, according to the study, published in the journal Obesity. The increase in the UK is much higher than the global average, with obesity contributing 1.6 per cent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, amounting to 700 million tonnes in total.
Greenhouse gases caused by food and transport means obesity is accelerating climate change, new study finds | inews.co.uk
File:Red Apple.jpg – Wikimedia Commons
The NHS looked at a study earlier this year:
Obesity ‘adds to climate change’ | nhs.uk
And at the beginning of the year, the Food Climate Research Network, based at Oxford University, looked at how three factors are inextricably connected:
Obesity, undernutrition, and climate change
This report from The Lancet Commission identifies the drivers behind what it terms ‘The Global Syndemic’, i.e. co-occurring pandemics, of obesity, undernutrition and climate change. The report finds that no country has successfully reversed its epidemic of obesity because the underlying causes have not been solved.


In a nationally representative population-based survey of more than 40,000 US adults, around 19 per cent reported having a food allergy. However when questioned further, only an estimated 10 per cent reported having symptoms consistent with a ‘convincing’ allergic reaction to food, such as hives, swelling of the lips or throat, and chest pain. Others who didn’t have a convincing food allergy reported symptoms such as stomach cramps, a stuffy nose, or nausea.
The study, carried out via the internet and telephone from September 2015 to October 2016, sought to shed light on the prevalence, severity, and health care utilization related to food allergies among US adults. Previous studies have primarily focussed on the prevalence of childhood food allergy.
Nearly half of food-allergic adults in the survey had at least 1 adult-onset food allergy, and 38 per cent reported at least one food allergy–related emergency department visit in their lifetime.
The most common allergies reported were shellfish (3%), milk (2%), peanut (2%), tree nut (1 %), and fin fish (1%). Among food-allergic adults, 51% had experienced a severe food allergy reaction, 45% were allergic to multiple foods, and 48% developed food allergies as an adult.
From a health care utilisation perspective, 24% reported a current adrenaline (i.e. Epipen) prescription, and 38% reported at least 1 food allergy–related lifetime emergency department visit.
The findings, published this month in an open access paper, suggest millions of adults may mistakenly believe they have a food allergy and are likely to be avoiding some foods unnecessarily. The study authors stress the importance of getting a proper medical diagnosis so as to understand and treat any food allergy or sensitivity appropriately.
Reference: Gupta et al. 2019. JAMA Network Open. Vol. 2(1): e185630. DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.5630


Animals in space
Since the early days of space exploration scientist tried to study strange
effects that happened high above earth orbit and predict how will human body
react to them. The best way to test those conditions was with sending unmanned
missions witch carried both electronic equipment and animal life.
In the late 1940’s United States launched the first animal
mission to space. Carried by the V2 rocket in 1947 compartment with fruit flies
and corn seeds successfully went to high earth orbit and measured influence of
high space radiation to living tissue. Soon after US started to experiment with
various missions with monkeys, witch culminated in 1961 Ham mission witch
cleared the way for Alan Shepard and his first manned space flight. Another
notable 1960s US
space mission was Biosatellite flights 1-3 witch carried wide variety of animal
and plant life. In 1990s US Space shuttle mission carried animals on almost
every flight to space, tradition that is maintained even today on the
International Space Station.
Russian scientist focused themselves on dogs, most successfully mongrel dog
Laika witch was launched to the earths orbit in 1957. Laika died after the first few hours
into the mission, contrary to the official report from Moscow in witch Laika lived few days until she ran
out of the provisions and heat. Beside dogs Russian launched mice, guinepigs,
frogs and tortoise (who set the record of 90 days spent in space in 1975).
During 80s and 90s 12 Russian monkeys were sent to space in Bion capsules.
Four other countries also managed to send animals in space. France sent two rats
and two cats, China launched mices, rats and two dogs in 1960s, Japanese
journalist Toyohiro Akiyama carried frogs to Russian Mir station in 1900 and in
2010 Iran successfully launched and landed one mouse, two turtles and worms with
their Kavoshgar 3 rocket.
Over 60 years of space animal testing greatly improved our knowledge of the
universe and reduced human injuries and loss of life.


Maine State Government
|Contact:||Contact the governor|
|Main Address:||#1 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333|
Maine became the 23rd state to join the Union on March 15, 1820. Maine’s first senator, John Holmes, took office on June 13, 1820, followed the next day by Maine’s second senator, John Chandler. Maine’s longest-serving senators include Eugene Hale (1881-1911), William Frye (1881-1911), and Margaret Chase Smith (1949-1973). The first woman to serve in both houses of Congress, Margaret Chase Smith served 24 years in the Senate, a record for female senators that remained unbroken until 2011. Among those who rose to leadership positions are William Frye, who served as the Senate’s president pro tempore; Wallace White and George Mitchell, who became party floor leaders; and Margaret Chase Smith, who became the first woman to serve in a leadership position as Republican Conference chair. As vice president, Hannibal Hamlin served as the Senate’s constitutional president or presiding officer.


Standing at the edge of the worlds best preserved meteor crater in the Arizona desert gives you a feeling for both the vastness of the universe and the age of the Earth at the same time. It is not the crater of the meteor which killed off the dinosaurs, but the impact must have been almost equally violent - even if it was an isolated event.
50,000 years ago, an asteroid crashed into the Earth at the speed of 26,000 miles per hour. The impact was larger than any atomic bomb tested so far - it would take 20 million tons of TNT to make a similar explosion. The scar from the violent explosion is a mile across, and spectacularly situated in the desert makes for an amazing view.
Today, the crater is open to tourists. You can walk around the 550 feet deep, 2.4 mile circumference crater on specially prepared observation trails. The well-planned visitor center, with air conditioning and a movie theater showing recreations of the impact, is open between 8 AM and 5 PM, longer on Memorial Day but closing earlier on Thanksgiving.
Seeing the crater makes you want to take a piece of it home, but that is not allowed. However, in the gift shop adjacent to the visitor center, you can buy rocks and unique gifts from this natural wonder.
While the crater is usually known as the Meteor Crater, the formal name is Barringer's Crater, and it's commonly referred to as the Winslow Crater as well.
Despite the vastness (and emptiness) of the Arizona desert, this natural wonder is unusually accessible, situated on the I-35 only 35 miles from Flagstaff, and 20 miles from Winslow, the nearest city.
Meteor Crater location and hours
Meteor Crater is located off I-40 at exit 233, then 6 miles south on the paved road. 35 miles east of Flagstaff, 20 miles west of Winslow, in Arizona, USA
Visitor center 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
Photo by j.bautista on flickr
You should follow me on twitter here.
Cece on 03 December, 2011


Written by the Associated Press of Afro News – The Black Media Authority
Published on March 7, 2021
Bloody Sunday memorial, also known as the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee, honours civil rights legends who passed away 2020 and commemorates a crucial turning point in the Civil Rights movement. This memorial marks the 56th anniversary of Blood Sunday, where in March 7th1957 civil rights marchers were viciously beaten by law enforcement officials on Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge. Bloody Sunday incited wide support by the public for the Voting Rights Act after the abuses inflicted by law enforcement on Black citizens was recorded and witnessed on television. The late civil rights leaders who will be honoured are Rev. Joseph Lowery, the Rev. C.T. Vivian, and attorney Bruce Boynton.
The Reverend C.T. Vivian organized sit-ins against segregation in 1940s. In 1965 he led a group of civil rights marchers to a courthouse in Selma and confronted the local sheriff and advocated that they should be allowed to vote. The local sheriff punched him in the head.
Bruce Boynton was arrested for entering a white- segregated section of a bus station in Virginia. He contested his conviction, and this influenced the Supreme Court to abolish bus station segregation.
The march across the Selma bridge was fuelled by two incidents; the murder of two black citizens by law enforcement; one of whom was peacefully protesting and the second was shot trying to protect his mother.
Recently, some states have attempted to withdraw early and mail-in voting access. Although these efforts have been unsuccessful due to Voting Rights Act which requires that states must have federal approval for changes to voting procedure, it is worrying that people’s right and access to vote is being challenged. President Joe Biden will be releasing an executive order to promote citizens access to vote.
This memorial usually brings thousands of people to Selma but this year many of the events will be held virtually due to Covid-19 pandemic.


Unlocking the Potential of Organoid Intelligence: Biocomputing Beyond Artificial Intelligence
Organoid intelligence is the future of computing.
Researchers have recently presented a concept known as organoid Intelligence, which aims to develop a new generation biocomputers. Researchers are hoping to use advances in the in vitro reproduction of brain cells to provide superior intelligence for computers and smart devices in the future. This technology promises to offer superior intelligence than artificial intelligence currently available.
In a paper published in Frontiers of Science by a number of scientists, mostly from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, this notion of organoid intelligent is explained. They claim that the work done on cerebral organoids derived from stem cells of human beings will allow for entities with memory and learning to be reproduced in a relatively short time. Organoids are miniaturized organs that have been grown in vitro. Organoid Intelligence (OI), which encompasses these developments, is a term that encompasses them all. It leads to a type of biological computing – or biocomputing – that uses neurons bred and grown in a laboratory. This is enough to make ChatGPT and similar systems seem dated.
Eventually, complex interfaces such as brain organoids could be connected with sensory organoids like retinal organoids. This could lead to, for instance, new therapeutic applications.


NPS.gov / Park Home / Learn About the Park / Nature / Animals / Birds / Perching Birds
Crows and jays are in the Corvidae family more often known as the crow family or corvids. Corvids are found all over the world except for New Zealand, the southern part of South America and the North/South poles. Corvids are very intelligent and have some of the best spatial memory of any animal.
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)• American Crows are very smart, curious, good learners, and problem solvers
• They are very social birds and they often work together and live together in large family groups to search for food or drive off predators
• American Crows eat many different foods including: grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, small animals, some aquatic animals, eggs of other birds, roadkill, and garbage
Identification Information:• Size: bigger than a Blue Jay but smaller than a Raven (Medium)
• Color: American Crows are all black, even their legs and bill
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)• Blue Jays sometimes mimic the calls of hawks and this warns other jays that a hawk is around or can be used to trick other species into thinking a hawk is around
• They love to eat insects, nuts, and seeds. Sometimes they will eat dead or injured animals and steal eggs from other nests. They also sometimes store food in secret places for later
• Blue Jays are excellent mimics and can imitate many different sounds. Captive Blue Jays have sometimes learned to imitate human speech and meowing cats
Identification Information:• Size: Robin sized (Small/Medium)
• Color: shades of blue all over the top, with black and white mixed in, white or light grey on belly
All of the above information is an abbreviated version of information gathered from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Please visit their website for more in-depth bird information.
Last updated: September 13, 2019


Description: Pyruvate kinase deficiency causes hereditary hemolytic disease, which occurs not only in humans and cats but also in dogs. Pyruvate kinase is a key enzyme in anaerobic glycolysis. Lack of enzyme leads to insufficient ATP production, resulting in erythrocyte lysis or premature destruction in the spleen. Increased erythrocyte death is clinically manifested as anemia. The lifetime of red blood cells in dogs is approximately one month, in the case of PK deficiency, the lifetime of erythrocytes is only a few days. Accompanying manifestations of PK deficiency include general weakness, increased heart activity, pale mucous membranes, hepatic impairment, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, exercise intolerance, and weight loss. The first clinical symptoms usually appear around 4 months of age. Heterozygous dogs (mutation carriers) are usually asymptomatic, even though they have half-levels of pyruvate kinase activity. Physically inactive affected individuals show a later onset of clinical symptoms. The hematological examination usually reveals high serum ferritin concentrations and severe anemia. Some dogs develop additional symptoms, e.g. severe secondary hemochromatosis, progressive myelofibrosis and osteosclerosis of the bone marrow. Since clinical symptoms may be easily interchangeable with other metabolic disorders, testing for responsible mutations in dog breeds is a good solution to make a correct diagnosis.
Inheritance: autosomal recessive
Mutation: 6 bp insertion in exon in PK-LR gene
Sample: EDTA whole blood (1.0 ml) or 2 buccal brushes. For official purposes, the confirmation of the dog’s identity by Veterinarian is recommended.
The analysis is suitable for the following breeds: Cairn Terrier and West Highland White Terrier
Notes: Beagle: PK-BEAG; Labrador Retriever: PK-LABR; Pug: PK-MOPS; Cairn Terrier and West Highland White Terrier: PK-WHWT


Interferon may be a strong weapon in the battle against fungal infections in immunocompromised patients, according to an article in the November issue of Microbiology Today. Scientists believe gamma interferon, a protein molecule produced by human cells in response to infections, may help to fight fungal infections.
“Immune cells called neutrophils are rapidly recruited to the site of infection and play an essential role in fungal killing,” say Drs. Javier Capilla, Karl Clemons and David Stevens, of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Stanford Medical School and the California Institute for Medical Research. “Gamma interferon enhances the mechanisms of these cells to make them more potent killers of fungi.”
Tests on many fungal infections, including blastomycosis, candidosis and aspergillosis have shown that gamma interferon has beneficial effects in terms of the reduction of the fungus in the organs and on animal survival. But according to Dr Stevens, interferon is not the only answer. “Therapy using gamma interferon alone has failed to clear the fungus completely from infected tissues but it has great potential to add to conventional therapy.”
Release date: October 31, 2007
Source: Society for General Microbiology
Filed Under: Drug Discovery


Ages 3-4, 4-5, 4-6
Students will explore the voice and basic instruments, and are introduced to music terminology, tempo, rhythm, and scales. Using voice work and hand-held instruments such as drums and shakers, exercises encourage students to use their imagination, start to work with others, and build self-awareness. By Ages 4-6, students will be singing in rounds and are able to recognize the sound each instrument makes.
Ages 3-5, 4-6
Through play and imagination, students are introduced to the “behind the scenes” world of theatre and the role of costumes, sets, props, and more. Using different stories as inspiration, students build pieces that help bring that world to life. Students learn elements of design thinking and problem solving, and the balance of safety and play in a building environment is emphasized.
Ages 3-4, 3-4, 5-6
Little ones develop imagination, creativity, and self-confidence through games and theatre exercises, planting the seed for future theatre classes. Students explore storytelling and using their body to convey a story, discovering ways of relating to self, one another, and the world around them.


Genealogy Bookstore with Hundreds & Hundreds of Genealogy Books for Sale
Richmond County Georgia, Records of.
By: Grace Gillam Davidson, Pub. 1930, Reprinted 2020, 408 pages, Index, ISBN #0-89308-007-1. Richmond County was created in 1777. It is one of the original counties of the state and was formed out of a portion of the colonial Parish of St. Paul. It is the parent county to: Columbia, Glascock, McDuffie and part of Warren Counties. It lies on the eastern side of the state boarding the Savannah River and just across from Edgefield County, South Carolina. This volume was originally published as Volume II of the Historical Collection of the Georgia Chapters National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Contents of this book: Will 777-1797 7 1798-1840, Index to Will Books 1840-1853, Administration and Guardians Bonds 1777-1830, Marriage Bonds 1785-1830 Marriages 1813-1839, Deeds 1750-1790, Minutes of the Inferior Court 1790-1830 and Walton Family History.
Dodson (Dotson) Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond Co., VA. The.: A History and Genealogy of their Descendants. ( Vol. #2 )


The vitamin D endocrine system is essential for calcium and bone homeostasis. The precise mode of action and the full spectrum of activities of the vitamin D hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)(2)D], can now be better evaluated by critical analysis of mice with engineered deletion of the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Absence of a functional VDR or the key activating enzyme, 25-OHD-1alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), in mice creates a bone and growth plate phenotype that mimics humans with the same congenital disease or severe vitamin D deficiency. The intestine is the key target for the VDR because high calcium intake, or selective VDR rescue in the intestine, restores a normal bone and growth plate phenotype. The VDR is nearly ubiquitously expressed, and almost all cells respond to 1,25-(OH)(2)D exposure; about 3% of the mouse or human genome is regulated, directly and/or indirectly, by the vitamin D endocrine system, suggesting a more widespread function. VDR-deficient mice, but not vitamin D- or 1alpha-hydroxylase-deficient mice, and man develop total alopecia, indicating that the function of the VDR and its ligand is not fully overlapping. The immune system of VDR- or vitamin D-deficient mice is grossly normal but shows increased sensitivity to autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or type 1 diabetes after exposure to predisposing factors. VDR-deficient mice do not have a spontaneous increase in cancer but are more prone to oncogene- or chemocarcinogen-induced tumors. They also develop high renin hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and increased thrombogenicity. Vitamin D deficiency in humans is associated with increased prevalence of diseases, as predicted by the VDR null phenotype. Prospective vitamin D supplementation studies with multiple noncalcemic endpoints are needed to define the benefits of an optimal vitamin D status.


Fire Prevention Week Starts Today
While folklore has it that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern that started the tragic Chicago fire of 1871, it was never proven that the cow was at fault. However, the October 9 fire was indeed the key reason that this is national Fire Prevention Week.
Since 1922 Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the week in which October 9 falls, as a way to remember the importance of fire safety.
Actually, not a great deal has changed in the basic construction of barns, buildings and other structures since Mrs. O’Leary’s day. Most are still made out of wood, which of course, is very flammable. What has changed are the options people have for topping off their homes.
At DaVinci Roofscapes we’re proud that our impact-resistant polymer shake and slate roofing tiles can all help a roofing system achieve a Class A fire rating when installed with the proper underlayment. This means that fire won’t spread on a roof if a flame touches it … and it makes the roof system more resistant to burning (see it for yourself by clicking HERE).
These days it’s not a potential cow kicking over a lantern that homeowners have to worry about. It’s Mother Nature.
Severe wildfires across our dry country have destroyed many homes during the past several years. High winds that fuel the fires also carry flames toward structures. That’s where having a fire-resistant roof can help. While certainly any structure — including its roof — will burn when fully engulfed in a fire, it’s comforting to know that wind-carried flames from a wildfire simply won’t “catch hold” and cause a building to ignite.
At DaVinci, we think that keeping families safer with fire-resistant roofing is not just a great idea … it’s something to moo about!
For more on the 2016 campaign “Don’t Wait: Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years” sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association, click HERE. Also, learn more about simulated shake roofing at It’s Fire Prevention Week – How Important Is a Strong Fire Rating for a Roof? and Roof Check Recommended During Fire Prevention Week, October 6-12, 2013.


Jobs in this occupation generally require a high school diploma or equivalent. General maintenance and repair workers usually learn their skills on the job over several years. They start by doing simple tasks while watching and learning from qualified maintenance workers. Maintenance employees are expected to have sufficient knowledge of basic operating principles, safety requirements and technical specifications.
Having this specific technical expertise allows employees to effectively inspect, resolve and correct problems that may arise during the working day. Collaboration between senior and junior staff depends on how well the different levels are related. Good interpersonal skills will make it easier for junior workers to report problems, receive feedback and negotiate better working conditions. Perform work that involves the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of a building under repair.
Tasks may include assembling pipes, maintaining air conditioning, insulating, welding, machining, carpentry, repairing electrical or mechanical equipment, installing, aligning and balancing new equipment; and repairing buildings, floors, or stairs. Limble is a modern, easy-to-use mobile CMMS software that eliminates maintenance stress and chaos by helping managers organize, automate and optimize their maintenance operations. General maintenance and repair workers are hired for maintenance and repair tasks that are not complex enough to require specialized training from a licensed dealer, such as a plumber or electrician. Maintenance teams also keep records of maintenance activities, culminating in monthly or annual reports.
Maintenance departments are usually led by maintenance managers who are responsible for setting objectives and preparing departmental budgets. General maintenance and repair workers usually start by watching and learning from qualified maintenance workers.
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Activities for 5-7 Year Olds
Activities for 5-7s
Activity 1: Watch Jessie & Friends, Episode 2
Watch Episode 2: Sharing Pictures with your child.
Use questions to chat about the cartoon. For example:
How did lots of people end up seeing the pictures?o What made Mo feel sad?
How did the friends get help when they needed it?o What did Miss Humphrey say she would do to help?
Finish by watching the song again and having a sing-along!
Note: If your child wants to watch Episode 1 in our previous blog too, do watch it with them! It’s aimed at younger children, but it’s still fun to watch.
Activity 2: Draw a character
Ask your child to draw a picture of their favourite character singing the funny tummy song.
Ask them to include their favourite lyrics from the song on their drawing.
Thinkuknow is the online safety education programme from the National Crime Agency. Once a fortnight, On Tuesdays, They will produce an activity sheet to help you support your child while schools are partially closed.
You’ll find lots of support and advice for parents an carers on keeping your child safeonline at: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/


Arthritis Disease: The use of Complementary Therapies - Marie Potter
FOCUS Joint Pain.
Arthritis Disease: The use of Complementary Therapies.
by Marie Potter.
Background While effective drugs are available to deal with the symptoms and modify the progress of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, these may cause serious adverse events and not all patients will obtain relief. Many people with these diseases use complementary medicines.
Objective This article presents an overview of the evidence for the most promising complementary therapies for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, with other information that general practitioners need to know.
Discussion There is reasonable evidence to support the use of glucosamine, avocado/soybean unsaponifiables and chondroitin in osteoarthritis, and omega-3 fatty acids and gammalinolenic acid in rheumatoid arthritis. However, no current evidence does not equate to lack of effectiveness. Rigorous research into the use of complementary medicines in arthritis is evolving and many of the systematic reviews used in preparation of this article are being updated every few years to incorporate new trial evidence as it becomes available. Keywords: complementary therapies; arthritis/ rheumatic diseases; osteoarthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; musculoskeletal diseases; pain, therapy; pain, chronic disease


PM Modi brightly released eight Cheetahs into the Kuno National Park located in the state of Madhya Pradesh, flown in from Namibia, South Africa. The new members of our country's animal kingdom arrived in Gwalior via special cargo Boeing 717 this morning.
These big cats aren't exactly novices to India's wildlife; they only went extinct in 1952 due to illegal hunting and malpractices leading to habitat loss.Started by PM Modi himself, the efforts put into the project were decades in the making. However, immense research-based policies and public participation played a significant role in accomplishing this feat.
The main objective of Project Cheetahs, as emphasised by PMO, isn't limited to just sustainability or security but nature and the environment. All it encompasses is the basis for sensibility and spirituality for India. In addition, of course, the local ecosystem and biodiversity should flourish due to the admission of cheetahs by revitalising the wildlife.
The reintroduction of wild species is implemented per the guidelines established in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).The Supreme court initiated the plan to reintroduce the African cheetah, a suitable habitat here in India.
However, the discussion began back in 2009 by the Wildlife Trust of India. The likes of wildlife experts sought the decision to survey suitable sites, officials of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and state representatives for the potential reintroduction of cheetahs to the then extinct species.
The project is an inter-continental significant wild carnivore translocation, stipulated to be the first of its kind. Cheetahs will aid in the re-establishment of India's open forest and grassland ecosystems. In addition, it will benefit society by preserving biodiversity and improving ecosystem services, including water security, carbon sequestration, and soil moisture conservation.
The Centre unveiled a strategy for bringing Cheetah to India in January 2022. Fifty cheetahs will be released in various National Parks throughout the project's five-year lifespan. Due to habitat degradation and overhunting, the cheetah is the only big carnivore to have gone extinct in India. According to the Centre, introducing the cheetah is not just an effort to help the species recover. It allows ecosystems to recover a lost component essential to their evolutionary history.
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For a few years now, I’ve been seeing this large, grass-like plant growing in odd clumps up on Salt Pond Mountain, but I didn’t really know what it was. This year, I was lucky enough to be up there when it was blooming, and I literally gasped when I saw the profusion of flowers that the plant can produce! Despite a gusty wind yesterday, I took a few photos and then came home to do some research…
Slender Bunchflower is a member of the Lily Family and it is native to eastern North America. The very long, rough leaves of the plant have parallel venation and smooth edges–much like grass. The leaves form a basal rosette at ground level.
At bloom time (June-August), the plant sends up a central stem that can reach up to 5 feet tall. A few, alternately-placed leaves occur along this downy stem, which then terminates in a very large panicle of greenish-white flowers. Some might even say “it has BUNCHES of flowers” at the top of the stem–and hence the common name.
Each white flower on these panicles is about 1-inch across and has 6 oddly-shaped “petals” (technically tepals) that narrow at the base, 6 stamens and 3 styles above a green ovary. The flowers quickly fade to green with age, contributing to the plant’s overall uniqueness.
From my reading, I discovered that bunchflower prefers sunny, moist growing conditions. In the relatively open area at the top of the mountain where I took these photos, nearby plants included Yellow Lady’s Slipper Orchid, Fly Poison, American Lily-of-the-Valley, and Wood Betony, as well as many ferns.
With regard to edibility–all parts of Virginia Bunchflower are toxic to mammals, so I assume that includes humans too!
See the gallery below for more photos, and apologies for the blur factor…as I said, it was a windy day!
3 Comments Add yours
Those petals are fabulous and rare. Thanks. Fun to see.
This flowering plant is actually Veratrum hybridum not V. veratrum.
Thanks so much!


In Hindu scripture Devi Mahatmya, Chamunda Maa emerged as Chandika Jayasundara from an eyebrow of goddess Kaushiki, a goddess created from “sheath” of Durga and was assigned the task of eliminating the demons Chanda and Munda, generals of demon kings Shumbha Nishumbha. She fought a fierce battle with the demons, ultimately killing them.
According to a later episode of the Devi Mahatmya, Durga created Matrikas from herself and with their help slaughtered the demon army of Shumbha-Nishumbha. In this version, Kali is described as a Matrika who sucked all the blood of the demon Raktabija, from whose blood drop rose another demon. Kali is given the epithet Chamunda in the text. Thus, the Devi Mahatmya identifies Chamunda with Kali. In the Varaha Purana, the story of Raktabija is retold, but here each of Matrikas appears from the body of another Matrika. Chamunda appears from the foot of the lion-headed goddess Narsimhi. Here, Chamunda is considered a representation of the vice of tale-telling (pasunya). The Varaha Purana text clearly mentions two separate goddesses Chamunda and Kali, unlike Devi Mahatmya.
Marble Chamunda Maa
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Published Date : May 10, 2002
In 1968, Dr. Hilda M. Fife, using the Vermont Old Cemetery Association (VOCA) as a model, saw a similar need to identify small, neglected cemeteries throughout the state of Maine. Sponsored by the Maine League of Historical Societies and Museums and the University of Maine’s Department of History, Dr. Fife chartered the Maine Old Cemetery Association (MOCA) as a non-profit organization. Initially, the primary purpose of MOCA was to locate old cemeteries in order to encourage their care and preservation, which would in turn aid in the preservation of historic information. Over the years MOCA has worked with scout troops, Masons, various historical societies, and other organizations to clean up deserted and neglected cemeteries as they are identified. They also inspire and motivate local efforts by town or city officials to assist in this endeavor by calling attention to cemeteries in disrepair through local media channels.
As the growth of MOCA began to accelerate, programs were developed to record the writings on tombstones in order to preserve their historical and genealogical interest. MOCA has taken on the herculean task of recording and documenting the inventory of every cemetery in the state, whether large and well known or small and well concealed. What an absolutely worthwhile goal!
It is refreshing that MOCA, in addition to recording the tombstone inscriptions, also gathers the dedicated volunteer resources necessary to accomplish this task. Once the inscriptions are recorded, the next step is to transfer the raw material into some form of permanent record and make it available to repositories in the towns of Maine and beyond. It is a vast undertaking, made even more difficult by the condition of the stones themselves. Some tombstones are hundreds of years old and are worn due to long exposure to the environment. Older tombstones that are not set properly become cracked and settle, or even disappear, beneath the soil.


EUROPEAN IRONCLADS 1860-75 - LA GLOIRE SPARKS THE GREAT IRONCLAD ARMS RACE
NEW VANGUARD N. 269
Autore: Angus Konstam
Fornisce la storia, lo sviluppo, il design e l'impiego operativo delle navi trattate. Il testo, scritto dai massimi esperti della materia è essenziale ma esauriente. L'iconografia comprende foto dei mezzi in azione e di dettagli; le stupende tavole a colori e i disegni al tratto sono di grande aiuto per i modellisti.
From Spain to Russia, and from Ottoman Turkey to Bismarck's Prussia, this book explores 15 years that transformed European naval warfare.
When the Gloire slid down the Toulon slipway in 1859, it changed sea power forever. With this ship, the world's first oceangoing ironclad, France had a warship that could sink any other, and which was proof against the guns of any wooden ship afloat. Instantly, an arms race began between the great navies of Europe - first to build their own ironclads, and then to surpass each other's technology and designs.
As both armour and gun technology rapidly improved, naval architects found new ways to mount and protect guns. The ram briefly came back into fashion, and Italian and Austro-Hungarian fleets fought the ironclad era's great battle at Lissa. By the end of this revolutionary period, the modern battleship was becoming recognizable, and new naval powers were emerging to dominate Europe's waters.
18 x 25,5


There was Simon
Whom he named Peter.”
καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς δώδεκα, καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ὄνομα τῷ Σίμωνι Πέτρον·
This section about the names of the 12 apostles is similar to Mathew, chapter 10:2-4 and Luke, chapter 6:13-16. This list can also be compared to the list in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 1:13. Mark said that Jesus appointed these 12 disciples as apostles (καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς δώδεκα). First of all, there was Simon, known as Peter (καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ὄνομα τῷ Σίμωνι Πέτρον). Mark indicated that Simon’s name of Peter came from Jesus. It is interesting that his brother Andrew was not listed here as in in the other listings in Matthew and Luke, since his calling was linked with his brother Simon in Mark, chapter 1:16-17. Instead, he was listed with the other apostles later. Why did Andrew not make the cut with his brother Simon here?


β-adrenergic receptors are a class of G protein-coupled receptors that have essential roles in regulating heart rate, blood pressure, and other cardiorespiratory functions. Although the role of β adrenergic receptors in the peripheral nervous system is well characterized, very little is known about their role in the central nervous system despite being localized in many brain regions involved in autonomic activity and regulation. Since parasympathetic activity to the heart is dominated by cardiac vagal neurons (CVNs) originating in the nucleus ambiguus (NA), β adrenergic receptors localized in the NA represent a potential target for modulating cardiac vagal activity and heart rate. This study tests the hypothesis that activation of β adrenergic receptors alters the membrane properties and synaptic neurotransmission to CVNs. CVNs were identified in brainstem slices, and membrane properties and synaptic events were recorded using the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique. The nonselective β agonist isoproterenol significantly decreased inhibitory GABAergic and glycinergic as well as excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission to CVNs. In addition, the β1-selective receptor agonist dobutamine, but not β2 or β3 receptor agonists, significantly decreased inhibitory GABAergic and glycinergic and excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission to CVNs. These decreases in neurotransmission to CVNs persisted in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX). These results provide a mechanism by which activation of adrenergic receptors in the brainstem can alter parasympathetic activity to the heart. Likely physiological roles for this adrenergic receptor activation are coordination of parasympathetic-sympathetic activity and β receptor-mediated increases in heart rate upon arousal.
|Original language||English (US)|
|Number of pages||9|
|State||Published - May 17 2012|
ASJC Scopus subject areas


There can be points when running a CURE where there are tradeoffs between student learning and the best utilization of class time. In this case, we set-up and ran the PCR for the students ‘behind the scenes’ rather than using class time for them to do it themselves. These ‘black boxes’ can be detrimental to student learning, but are sometimes necessary to help with the overall flow and timeline for a CURE. Therefore, we started Week 8 with another re-cap of what happened to their samples, why, and how it connects to our next steps.
For class, we started by giving students the completed PCR reaction for their samples. We had a lengthy discussion about why we needed to make and run a gel of the PCR product, including the purpose of positive and negative controls.
Students followed this protocol to set up and cast their gels. We had a small bottleneck at the microwave and at the loading stage, which made class go a bit longer than we expected. The class period ended before the gels had finished running, so we uploaded images of the gels onto the class drive to be discussed the following class period. Unfortunately not a lot of samples actually worked, which you can see here.
While the gels were running, we filled the time with a discussion and demonstration about how to use social media for science. We had this discussion because part of the following homework assignment was to research and tweet about a scientific article they found interesting. We also asked them to do a teamwork reflection for their Term Project while considering the teamwork guidelines that were set for the project.


Dhaka’s air quality still ‘unhealthy’
Published : Saturday, 18 March, 2023 at 9:46 AM Count : 387
Dhaka's air quality continued to be in the 'unhealthy' zone this morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 158 at 9:03 am, Dhaka ranked seventh in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
Iraq’s Baghdad, Myanmar’s Yangon and and India’s Kolkata occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 185, 163 and 162, respectively, UNB reports.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.


Stress has become a normal part of our daily routines. From overflowing inboxes to packed schedules, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and underprepared for life’s curveballs. But stress can have serious impacts and can reveal unhealthy patterns in our lives.
This April, Valley Oaks Health is observing Stress Awareness Month and helping you find ways to deal with everyday stress and manage your mental health.
Why the stress?
The American Psychological Association found the most common sources cited for stress included:
- Economic outlooks
While these aren’t the only sources of stress, you may have nodded your head to a few and thought of other spots in your life where stress rears its head. It’s important to remember that stress is a normal part of life and can actually be helpful on occasion. The National Institute of Mental Health recognizes that in life-threatening situations, stress signals the body to prepare to face a threat or flee to safety, and in non-life-threatening events, it can motivate people to prepare for important events like tests or job interviews.
But when stress gets out of control, it can have negative impacts that decrease the quality and length of your life.
Prolonged stress can have the following effects on your mind and body:
- Changes in mood
- Difficulty sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stomach ulcers
- Weight gain or loss
- Skin problems such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis
Drawing the line
When stress starts taking a toll, it’s time to draw the line. Some ways to manage and prevent stress include:
- Regular exercise
- Healthy diet
- Better sleep
- Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing
- Relationship building
- Talk therapy
If you believe more intervention is needed to help you manage stress and lead a happier life, the team at Valley Oaks Health is here with resources such as individual counseling.


Aquapax Earth Day - Kids Quiz Answers
1. The oceans are full of diverse marine life. Which of these is NOT a fish? = Dolphin
2. How much on average does a Blue Whale weigh? = 200 tonnes
3.Where does most ocean pollution come from? = Land. Over 80 percent of all ocean pollution comes from land
4. Using less plastic is one way of protecting marine life. What are other ways of helping? All answers are correct!
5. How many teeth does a great white shark have? = 300
6. What is the world's largest sea turtle? = Leatherback Turtle
7. Which sea completely surrounds the island of Jamaica? = Caribbean Sea
8.What is Climate Change?
= A change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time.
9. Which is the only animal that can't jump? Elephant
10. A rhinoceros' horn is made of....? = Hair
11. The weather is the same as climate. = False.
12. Are fish hot-blooded or cold-blooded? = Fish are cold-blooded like reptiles and amphibians
13. New Delhi is the capital of which country? = India
14. What are Camels' humps made of? = Fat
15. What are 3 things I can do to help tackle climate change?
= Ride a bike instead of going in the car
= Swap meat for meat substitutes. Meat and dairy production is responsible for 14% of global climate-changing emissions
= Take the train, not the plane - Your carbon emissions will be sky high if you fly frequently.