Science News

Curated by RSF Research Staff

Study Reveals Mysterious Equality with which Grains Pack

How do grains of sand or rice pack together – and how does this effect their mechanical properties and behavior? For example, when sand is packed together it behaves like a solid, whereas when it is loose, it behaves like a fluid.

These were the questions that Mathematician Sam Edwards pondered upon and subsequently set about solving through the development of a statistical mechanical framework to describe their physical properties and behavior. Analogous to the energy of an ensemble of atoms, where all states (of same energy) occur with equal probability, Edwards conjectured that any possible arrangement of the grains within a certain volume will occur with the same probability.

However, although this framework allowed researchers to better understand the physical properties of granular materials, the basic premise was never proved. Now for the first time a team of researchers, led by Stefano Martiniani and no stranger to modelling complex systems, have shown that Edwards conjecture holds true – but only under certain conditions. Utilizing numerical simulations of 64 soft spheres - to allow for compression - the team found that if the system is at the critical transition point between: being a system and acting coherently and being individual grains and acting separately, then the conjecture held. However, beyond this critical point, at higher densities, the conjecture fails.

This is another great example of how the behavior of complex systems follows the same patterns and dynamics across scales which can essentially be explained by a fundamental framework. It will be very interesting to see how these studies develop – which could have huge implications for unified physics.

Article: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/study-reveals-mysterious-equality-with-which-grains-pack-it-in

Article: http://physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/PT.6.1.20170724a/full/?utm_campaign=8501344_Q+-+TWIP+24%E2%80%9328+July&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Physics+Today&dm_i=1Y69%2C527OG%2CE1MRRJ%2CJFLE2%2C1

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The Politics of Information Management

The Politics of Information Management

Lisa A. Petrides (Teachers College, Columbia University, USA), Sharon Khanuja-Dhall (Teachers College, Columbia University, USA) and Pablo Reguerin (Teachers College, Columbia University, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-878289-74-2.ch010
OnDemand PDF Download:
List Price: $37.50

Developing, sharing, and working with information in today’s environment is not an easy task. With today’s technological advancements, the management of information appears to be deceivingly easier. However, building and maintaining an infrastructure for information management involves complex issues, such as group consensus, access and privileges, well-defined duties, and power redistribution. Furthermore, higher education institutions are continuously faced with the need to balance the politics of information sharing across departments, whether the administration operates in a centralized or decentralized manner. The need to develop, share, and manage information in a more effective and efficient manner has been proven to require a challenging shift in the norms and behavior of higher education institutions as well. This shift does not have as much to do with the actual use of technology as it does with the cultural environment of the institution. Davenport notes: Information cultures determine how much those involved value information, share it across organizational boundaries, disclose it internally and externally, and capitalize on it (Davenport, 1997, p. 35). Depending on the history, people, and cultural environment, each organization faces its own dilemmas around the task of compiling and sharing information. This case details one institution’s attempts, at a departmental level, to develop an information system for planning and decision-making. It looks at the department’s effort to manage and track students and to design a management tool that would help departmental faculty to function more effectively. It examines the challenges faced in managing information and the behaviors that drive new information management processes with the increased use of technology.

Complete Chapter List

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Rejoice, pop-aholics, for internet-famous dermatologist Dr. Pimple Popper has posted another video. In this one, called "ReCYSTance is Futile" (Get it? Get it?), Dr. Sandra Lee tackles what she calls a "cute cyst" on a "cute patient."

Sure, "human caviar" is one way to describe it. A "chunk of fresh mozzarella" would also not be wrong.


Adding And Subtracting Integers Worksheets

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viernes, 8 de mayo de 2015

May 8: Germany surrenders. It was all over with Nazis in 1945. Germans revealed surrender to Western Allies.

On the 8th of May in 1945, Nazi-Germany signed an unconditional surrender to the Allied forces of Great Britain, United States of America (USA), and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Thus, the war in Europe ended. However, war continued in Asia.

Adolph Hitler was believed to have committed suicide one week earlier when he finally realized that his forces could not win the war.

May 8

In Asia, the war continued between the Allied forces and Japan for another four months, until Japan also surrendered and the Second World War was finally over.


Cycling with Children

By Steven Goodridge, Parent and Cycling Instructor

Source: North Carolina Active Transportation Alliance

Cycling is a great way to spend active family time outside.

Cycling is a great way to spend active family time outside.

Bicycling is a popular, fun, healthy, and useful activity that people can do their entire lives. Bicycling provides low-impact exercise of variable intensity that improves health, fitness, longevity, mental focus, emotional balance, and stress levels.  Traveling by bicycle is often more enjoyable and affordable than other modes, and can be more convenient where automobile parking is limited. Teaching children to travel effectively by bicycle as they get older develops patience, discipline, self reliance and personal responsibility.  Learning to negotiate traffic by bicycle also teaches essential driving skills that will make them safer and more courteous motorists later.

Risk Management

Per hour of activity, bicycling has an injury rate similar to common sports such as soccer, and a fatality rate lower than swimming and similar to that of automobile travel.  The health benefits of bicycling outweigh any health risks by an order of magnitude in terms of disability adjusted years of life.  Like swimming and motoring, the safety of bicycling is determined primarily by behavior; education and skill development are key to success.   As a bicyclist’s skills and maturity progress, safe bicycle travel becomes possible in an increasingly wide variety of environments. An important consideration for cycling with children is matching route selection and adult supervision to the developmental and skill levels of the child.

Children as Passengers

Many parents enjoy bicycling with children as young as one year old (when they can safely support their own weight and sit themselves upright) by using a variety of child trailers and seats.  Transporting children as bike passengers allows parents to start modeling successful bicycling behavior early and helps interest children in bicycling.

Bike trailers let kids ride while you stay in control.

Bike trailers let kids ride while you stay in control.

Enclosed two-wheel child trailers are ideal for children under four years old; the low center of gravity avoids affecting the parent’s balance on the leading bicycle, provides good handling, and minimizes the potential for a fall-related injury (the vast majority of injuries to kids cycling).  Such trailers also provide room for toys and snacks inside the compartment, keeping little ones happy during the ride.  Somewhat older children will prefer trailercycles, aka trailer bikes, which attach to the back of the parent bicycle and feature one wheel, a seat, handlebars, and pedals to assist with the work.  These trailers require more maturity and cooperation from the child and can be more difficult for the parent to control due to the higher center of gravity.  Tandem bicycles are another option, and can be configured to work for children of various sizes as long as the child can stay seated. Child carrier seats are also available, and are usually the most affordable option for transporting children. However, a child in a carrier seat can make a bicycle top heavy and difficult to control, especially when mounting and dismounting.

Are We There Yet?

Long bike rides can be tiring or tedious for children; it’s useful to start small and break up longer trips with stops every 20 minutes or so.  Planning a round trip to destination of interest such as an ice cream shop, restaurant, or park works especially well.

Water and snack breaks keep kids happy.

Water and snack breaks keep kids happy.

Teaching Cycling to Children

The essential skills required for safe cycling can be learned through informal mentorship (e.g. knowledgeable parents or other experienced cyclists), organized classes, or a variety of media.  Children can learn bicycle handling skills very quickly, but take much longer than adults to learn traffic negotiation skills due to developmental factors and are limited in what traffic situations they can handle until they reach their teens. This requires that a child’s learning objectives and cycling environment be carefully selected by the parent or educator to match the child’s cognitive development and maturity.

Basic bicycle handling includes starting and stopping, steering, riding in a straight line without swerving, looking back over one’s shoulder without swerving, and emergency braking. These skills should be taught in areas void of traffic, including other bicycle traffic.

Stopping at the Edge

An essential traffic behavior that must be learned by children as soon as they start bicycling is to stop when they reach the edge of a driveway, path, or sidewalk.  The most common cause of car-bike crashes involving children is when the child rides out from a driveway, path or sidewalk into the roadway without stopping and yielding to other traffic.  Children often have “tunnel vision” that  causes them to overlook or ignore threats outside their direct line of sight, and often lack the maturity to stop and look both ways when they are not aware of traffic in advance of reaching the edge.

Riding with their child affords a parent the opportunity to supervise their child’s cycling, especially at edge locations such as street crossings.  Practically all bicycling trips, including greenway rides, include intersection crossings and/or entrances into vehicular areas.  Parents should model consistent behavior by stopping and looking both ways before proceeding, and invite the child to assist in assessment of traffic conditions.

Kids’ enthusiasm for cycling easily outpaces their ability to understand traffic. Parents need to limit their children’s destinations and routes based on their cognitive ability and maturity.

The Sidewalk Dilemma

Although many parents and children are tempted to think of sidewalks as safe places for children to ride, traveling any distance on a sidewalk inevitably results in crossing intersections and driveways or crossing roadways mid-block.  Such movements are associated with the most common collision types for child bicyclists, in part because of children’s errors, but also because motorists are less likely to notice bicyclists entering their path from sidewalk locations when they are focused on traffic approaching in the roadway. The most common type of car-bike crash in urban areas of NC involves a bicyclist riding on the sidewalk being struck by a motorist pulling out from a stop sign, red light, or driveway. Parents should consider all such conflict locations when deciding where they will permit their children to ride, and should supervise any and all crossing movements as needed depending on the maturity of the child.  In general, if a child does not have the maturity to bicycle safely on the roadway portion of a particular corridor, the child probably lacks the ability to handle the more challenging intersection conflicts that accompany sidewalk cycling on that corridor – at least, without supervision.  A suggested rule of thumb is to limit children’s bicycling to those areas where they are capable of safely negotiating the intersections as well as riding safely in the roadway itself.

Riding Right

A leading contributor to car-bike crashes is bicycling on the wrong side of the road.  At intersections, where the vast majority of car-bike collisions happen, other drivers aren’t expecting or looking for traffic approaching from the wrong direction. Between intersections, a wrong-way bicyclist requires a driver to make evasive maneuvers to avoid them; the driver cannot simply slow down and wait for a safe passing opportunity as they can with a same-direction bicycle traffic.  For these reasons, traffic laws everywhere require bicyclists to ride on the same side of the road in the same direction as other vehicle traffic. In North Carolina, bicycles are defined as vehicles and bicyclists have the full rights and duties of drivers of vehicles.

Children should be taught to ride on the right half of any corridor, including greenway paths and neighborhood streets.  In combination with this, they need to learn to ride in a reasonably straight line, without suddenly swerving, so that other bicyclists and automobile drivers can travel beside them and pass them safely. They should choose an imaginary straight line down the roadway that keeps them safely away from surface hazards and parked cars. Prior to making an adjustment in their lateral position on the roadway, such as when noticing a parked car ahead, the bicyclist must look back and scan for traffic that may be about to overtake them, and only make the lateral movement when it can be made safely.  Simply riding in a straight line well out into the roadway is not hazardous to bicyclists of any age, especially on the neighborhood streets where most children ride.  What is hazardous is suddenly moving into that position unpredictably when a driver is too close to reduce speed.

Supervising as Wingman

When riding with a child to supervise their bicycling, an ideal riding position is slightly behind and to the left of the child, with the child setting the pace. This position allows the parent or instructor to watch and communicate with the child, while also diverting overtaking traffic to pass at a larger distance from the child. The extra passing distance provides the “wiggle room” the child may require as their skill develops and makes the ride more comfortable for them.

Route Selection

Children between the ages of 7 and 10 can develop the traffic and handling skills to operate safely on low speed, low traffic two-lane residential streets.  By their early teens, they can develop the skills to handle multiple lane streets.  Although some cyclists may prefer more direct, important roads depending on their travel objectives, low traffic streets and greenways are often the most enjoyable places to ride for a wide variety of cyclists. Some cities provide maps that highlight low traffic streets and greenway routes; these can be of tremendous value in finding an enjoyable route for recreation or transportation.  Google Maps includes most of the local greenway trails, which can be used when generating travel routes for bikes.  The satellite and street view features of Google Maps are useful for determining the cross section and character of a street when choosing a route.

Older cities often have a grid of low traffic streets that provide alternatives to busy roads.  This is less common in some newer suburbs, but many progressive municipalities now actively pursue development of collector street networks and local street connectivity to provide redundant travel routes and to disperse traffic bottlenecks.  This allows many bicycle trips to be made on lower speed limit roads and two lane roads with wide pavement that afford easy passing at safe distance.  Some cities have also developed an extensive interconnected system of greenway paths in their own rights of way. By combining pleasant streets and greenways, a wide variety of enjoyable low-traffic cycling routes becomes available for family cycling.

Older children can develop intersection negotiation skills that greatly expand the range of routes available to them.

Keeping Tabs

Even after learning good cycling practices, kids usually start taking risks and short-cuts when they leave their parent’s sight, and are quick to emulate the bad habits of their peers. Parents can reinforce good practices by riding frequently with their children and discussing the reasons behind the rules.  Parents can also monitor their children’s cycling behavior alone or with peers by catching up on them with their own bikes at unexpected times.  Lastly, parents should always model good behavior when operating any vehicle.

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From the community:

Climate Change: Past and Present

How does an understanding of the Earth's immense history, which includes sultry "greenhouse," frigid "icehouse," and high-sea-leval "water world" phases, shed light on our understanding of modern Global Warming? To what extent is our one species changing the climate in the twenty-first century? Raymond Wiggers, author and Earth Science instructor, will explain the science behind Climate Change on Wednesday, October 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the St. Charles Public Library.

Wiggers is an adjunct faculty member at the College of Lake County and Oakton Community College, a highly-praised author of four science and natural-history books for the popular-adult and K-12 markets, and provides custom-made consulting services in the botanical and Earth sciences to academic, corporate, and individual clients.

Copyright © 2017, Chicago Tribune


0 Replies Latest reply on Oct 4, 2014 4:02 AM by Mitsuru Yamada

    Diameter of a photon?

    Mitsuru Yamada

      Think the quantum mechanical double slits experiment.  Quantum mechanical entities show the particle-wave dual nature in the experiment.  It is said that an electron travels as a wave, but departs and arrives as a particle.  A single photon does behave in the same way.  Reading a book, it is written that a single photon makes a single white dot on the photographic plate in the double slits experiment.  A single white spot?  Oh, what a surprise!  I have been thinking that the travelling photon must be described by the plane wave that extends infinitely in any direction that is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave.  Such an infinitely extending plane wave converges to a single spot?  Then, if so, I would like to ask you a question.

      How large do you think is the diameter of a single photon that is recorded on the photographic plate?

      You say that a photon is a particle.  If it is a particle, then it should have a measurable spatial extention.

      Thank you for reading


What Is an Atmospheric Scientist?

Atmospheric Scientists can work in almost any field relating to the atmosphere. They are not simply meteorologists and weather forecasters; their qualifications give them the broadest scope of research and study of the atmosphere - future, present and past from large weather systems to small impacts on other biological life.

What Does an Atmospheric Scientist Do?

Atmospheric Science is the umbrella term for anyone who works in studying the atmosphere of our planet. Although the subject covers meteorology (the study of the weather) that is not all it is. Atmospheric scientists may study the weather and make predictions for what it might look like in an hour, a day, a week or in the next season. For example, where a meteorologist may understand and predict the effects of El Niño and La Niña, an Atmospheric Scientist will have the background to understand the process that will lead to those two phenomenon in the first place and will predict when they are expected to appear. They will look at regional patterns and build a map of what the overall picture will look like - the causes and the effects.

In some cases they may work in public health studying air quality and their impact. This often has little to do with weather. They may also predict long term patterns concerning drought and advise on mitigation. Once again, short-term weather is only one small part of this work.

Atmospheric Scientists will also look at older data to build a picture of the climate, weather and atmospheric conditions in the past; meteorologists focus on the present. They are more likely to study ancient data (paleoclimate data) such as tree ring records to the composition of the atmosphere in the past. They will look not just at physics, but chemistry, climatology and the dynamics of weather systems - on this planet and the others in the solar system.

Where Does an Atmospheric Scientist Work?

Thanks to their broad knowledge base, Atmospheric Scientists can work almost anywhere. The EPA may very well be the largest employer of scientists with these qualifications, particularly in pollution monitoring and air quality analysis; they may even play some part (advisory or practical) in remediation.

A large body of atmospheric scientists will be employed in education. At High School level, they may teach geography or earth sciences. At college and university, they will teach students related subjects such as meteorology, earth sciences and atmosphere-related subjects. They may also be employed in public engagement, educating the public about climate science, weather patterns, planetary processes and other information on geoscience from our museums about which they are qualified to speak. Those who have a background in paleoclimate data (or forensic climatology / meteorology) may work with archaeologists (which these days studies ancient climate and landscape data) and other experts who work with historic data.

What Is the Average Atmospheric Scientist Salary?

Salary will vary depending on the specialization and where the graduate prefers to work. However, the median salary is presently $89,820; median hourly pay stands at $43.18. Most people with these qualifications are employed by the Federal government in authority roles such as EPA and NOAA. They also pay the highest salary at a median $99,920. Education roles tend to be a little lower, particularly in universities at $71,010. The lowest 10% earned an average salary of lower than $50,630, whereas the highest 10% earners had a salary of over $132,180.

StateTotal EmploymentBottom 25%Median SalaryTop 75%
New Hampshire50$45,550$51,800$57,440
New Jersey80$80,250$104,690$131,030
New Mexico100$76,840$90,020$106,360
New York320$59,320$85,360$108,670
North Carolina160$71,100$89,450$103,990
North Dakota40$64,750$84,850$100,900
South Carolina90$46,550$82,560$100,910
South Dakota80$68,820$80,270$94,770

Atmospheric Science Jobs & Job Description

Recent Atmospheric Science Job Listings

Use the search box below to find all the atmospheric scientist job listings in our job board.

An atmospheric scientist studies and predicts atmospheric conditions and events to better understand climate patterns and the effects of air pollution, as well as to analyze weather patterns and the processes that cause them. This career choice requires a set of responsibilities, which vary significantly from job to job, but the list here includes typical job duties that may be expected of an atmospheric scientist:

  • Interpret data obtained from weather and meteorological stations, as well as radar images, satellite images, GIS and computer simulations
  • Study climates and gases, their chemical reactions, clouds and the interaction of ultraviolet radiation with atmospheric processes and events
  • Study the physical interactions that occur at the atmospheric level
  • Consider how terrain affects weather and climate; how oceans cause turbulence; and how solar events affect satellite communications and navigation
  • Use computer software that analyze data about the atmosphere (also called meteorological data)
  • Write computer programs to support mathematical modeling efforts
  • Issue warnings to protect life and property when severe weather or oppressive atmospheric conditions become evident
  • Produce forecasts for transportation activities that may affect commercial or recreational consumers
  • Predict future climate and weather trends based on current and historical data
  • Research factors that affect climate change; test theories and data against current body of evidence
  • Illustrate how climate may impact atmospheric conditions throughout the world
  • Advise policymakers on how atmospheric science may impact economics, transportation, society, and agriculture on a local, national or international scale
  • Communicate research findings through appropriate and accessible channels

Senior atmospheric scientists often have enhanced job responsibilities that focus on managerial elements of the department or team, due to the individual's breadth of experience and maturity. Such responsibilities often include:

  • Advise consumers about atmospheric data sets
  • Provide consultation and data interpretation of data to outside agencies, professionals, or researchers
  • Create and deliver scientific presentations
  • Engage in the design, development and testing of new atmospheric data collection systems, devices, and software
  • Vet software programs to aid predictive atmospheric modeling
  • Report findings and analysis through approved platforms to clients and the public
  • Create grant applications to fund future projects
  • Oversee finances and deliverables on behalf of the team
  • Provide guidance for junior employees and create a proactive work environment for all staff
  • Ensure that each project phase meets workgroup milestones

What Is the Job Demand for Atmospheric Science?

Demand between 2014 and 2024 could increase by 9% or more; this is higher than the average increase across all industries according to BLS data. Over 12,000 people work in the various sub-disciplines of atmospheric science. These will include an accumulation of all roles mentioned above. However, it's possible that demand will be even higher in some sub-disciplines depending on which area the graduate opts to work.

What Are the Education Requirements to Become an Atmospheric Scientist?

Many of our top colleges in the US offer Atmospheric Science as a bachelor's degree, or a variation on it. The broad scope of the qualification means that a graduate with a degree in this subject has the flexibility to decide his or her own career path. They may work in climate science, meteorology, environmental law and studying ancient climate data.

For those seeking High School education jobs (typically as a geography teacher), a bachelor degree should be enough in most cases. To teach in a college or university, a master's would be the minimum expected qualification although most establishments would tend to favor those with doctorates. Research scientists would certainly need a doctorate.

A master's will also be minimum requirement for other government jobs such as monitoring and fieldwork. Report writing skills will be essential, and these would need to be developed to a high level. A program with a dissertation or thesis would be more attractive than one without.

Atmospheric Science - Related Degrees

What Kind Of Societies and Professional Organizations Do Atmospheric Scientists Have?

The following organizations are Atmospheric Science umbrella organizations or authorities:

  • IAMAS: The International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences is the largest global organization of its kind. They have been around for almost a century and provide a global platform for the world's community to discuss and promote work amongst themselves and other interest groups.
  • CAS: Commission for Atmospheric Sciences is a division of the World Meteorological Association that focuses on climate mitigation and information pertaining to research and supporting the global community.
  • NOAA: The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is the largest US organization dedicated to the study of the wider atmosphere. Their scope includes ocean sciences, earth sciences, extraterrestrial forcings on our environment, human and natural processes.


Islam and Logos

by E. Michael Jones. Many assume incorrectly that Islam is one coherent body of doctrine and action. There are many forms of Islam, including Sunni and Shia, which themselves differ in their approach to religious and social issues. After an introduction to the 1979 Iranian revolution and a history of earlier Islam, Islam and Logos turns to the significance of the concept of Logos, including an examination the nature of Islam in the light of Logos. It next details the approach of the Sunni and the Shia and that of Catholicism concerning faith and reason, before discussing the different approaches of Western and Islamic philosophy. Islam and Logos then addresses specific issues, most importantly: the question of Logos and sex; the allegation that the United States is the Great Satan; and Foucaults contribution to thought on the Islamic revolution.

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≣ The train ride ≣

When traveling by train, there is something very romantic, it's the wheels and endless running off rails over the horizon. The heroine of our new dress-up game from Sevelina loves to travel by train, looking out the window a long time, especially in the fall when the leaves on the trees turn yellow, small drops of rain leave marks on the glass. In such a journey she would like to dress in some special way, creating a romantic mood around her.


Photographer Dirk Braeckman was invited to the 57th Biennale di Venezia, where he showed a selection of monumental works in the Belgian pavilion. His black-and-white photographs convey a sense of stillness, and combine intimacy and distance to create a private, secluded world whose meaning remains undefined. For Bozar, Braeckman adapts the project to the architecture of Victor Horta. From Venice to Brussels, from one iconic interbellum building to another.


Benjamin Northey talks Hitchcock & Herrmann

Without a doubt, my favourite scene in movie history is one from Hitchcock’s 1958 film Vertigo. As James Stewart kisses Kim Novak in her hotel room, a fantasy world spins around them and composer Bernard Herrmann’s tense and wildly romantic strings seem to ascend into infinity.

Herrmann scored many of Hitchcock’s films – the pairing of creative geniuses resulted in some of the most recognisable film moments of all time (think Psycho’s shower scene; the strings jabbing as violently as the knife).

Benjamin Northey will this week conduct the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Chorus through a concert featuring scenes from Hitchcock’s classics, and he takes a moment to chat with us about all things Herrmann.

What’s your personal connection to Bernard Herrmann?

I have always been an admirer of Herrmann’s music. After Psycho, the first score to really make an impact on me was Cape Fear which is a great example of his angular style of writing. Studying his music more deeply, I have come to realise just what an important and influential composer of film music he was.

Why is it that Herrmann’s music connects so powerfully with Hitchcock’s movie scenes?

There is a seriousness and a complexity to Herrmann’s music which suits Hitchcock’s style and the thriller genre more broadly. The scores he wrote add so much to the suspense and drama. They show a real sense of understanding of the psychology of the characters and their motivations. I think this is why the partnership worked so effectively. Hitchcock was mostly able to give Herrmann a free hand and trust that he would come up with just the right approach.

How do you go about conducting such a famous soundtrack for a live audience? Many of us are highly familiar with Hitchcock’s films. Is it your responsibility to be true to Herrmann, or is it necessary to give it your own spin?

It’s important with concerts of this kind to be faithful to the original recordings, but as always the context of a modern symphony orchestra creates many new opportunities. The obvious difference will be simply the quality of the sound of the live orchestra. The original movies were very limited in sound quality by the available technology. I think it will add another dimension immediately and enhance the experience for the listeners.

What’s your favourite Hitchcock-Herrmann moment, and why?

The famous crop dusting scene in North by Northwest is really powerful. Most composers when evaluating the musical requirements of that scene would no doubt throw a full-blown dramatic chase style cue at it. Herrmann writes absolutely nothing, leaving the scene to speak for itself. The impact is that the reality of the scene is amplified enormously and it becomes even more disturbing and terrifying. Sometimes it’s what composers don’t write which is the most powerful moment.

What impact do you feel Herrmann made on film music in a broader sense?

The genre was evolving quickly during Herrmann’s career and he was at the forefront of innovation. He was perhaps the first composer to resist constant use of a full symphony orchestra and instead experiment with unusual instrument groupings such as multiple harps and electronic instruments. His use of the spooky sounding electronic theremin in The Day the Earth Stood Still was the first use of the instrument in film. He basically invented a new genre there. I would say that every modern film score is influenced by his work, particularly drama/horror films. He was a brilliant composer, a true craftsman with a gift for story.

Herrmann was quite an early film composer – who are some of the masters that influenced his music?

Herrmann was first a conductor and creature of the standard symphony orchestra so he was constantly drawing on those influences. I hear a great deal of 20th Century modernist language, particularly the similar angular style of Prokofiev and Shostakovich, but also the chromaticism of Wagner and Debussy. Having said that, his music always comes across as non-derivative, always original. It sounds like Herrmann.

For more info on the concert, visit

Image supplied.

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EasySpeed Steam iron

EasySpeed Steam iron

Steam 25g/min;80g steam boost, Non-stick soleplate, Anti-calc, 1900 Watts GC1021/40

How to prevent stains on a Philips Steam iron soleplate

Stains on your Philips Steam iron can have different causes. With these instructions you can easily prevent them.

Ironing synthetic fabrics at high temperature causes stain when synthetic material is scorched. Synthetics or synthetic-mixed fabrics can only be ironed at ‘oo’ or ‘wool’ temperature setting or lower.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1. Always set the temperature according to the type of clothing being ironed; if unsure, always start with a lower temperature
Step 2. If the soleplate is stained, heat up the iron to ‘max’ temperature and iron the soleplate over a piece of moist cotton rag

Illustration of temperature dial with different settings for different garment materials.

Temperature dial

The information on this page applies to the following models: GC1021/40 , GC2048/30 , GC2046/20 , GC2040/70 , GC4865/22 , GC2710/02 , GC2730/02 , GC2720/02 , GC1490/02 , GC4412/02 , GC2910/02 , GC2960/22 , GC6530/02 , GC3560/02 , GC3540/02 , GC7420/02 , GC1930/02 , GC2810/02 , GC2860/02 , GC6430/02 , GC4620/02 , GC4630/02 , GC3135/02 , HI518/02 , HI570/02 , GC7240/02 , GC3320/02 , GC3321/02 , GC3360/02 , GC1830/62 , GC2560/62 , GC2560/02 , GC1110/02 , GC4310/02 , GC4420/02 , GC4330/02 , GC1720/02 , GC4430/02 , GC2530/02 , GC2520/02 , GC8280/02 , GC1115/02 , GC1010/01 , GC1015/01 . more less

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Distance between Portland and Eugene

Driving non-stop from Portland to Eugene

How far is Eugene from Portland? Here's the quick answer if you drive this relatively short distance without making any stops.

Nonstop drive: 111 miles or 179 km

Driving time: 1 hour, 56 minutes

Even though you can drive this distance straight through, it might be more interesting to stop along the way. You can scroll down to calculate how many hours it would take if you drive with stops.

Rooms:     Travelers:
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Flying non-stop from Portland to Eugene

Now let's assume you have a private jet and you can fly in the fastest possible straight line between Portland, Oregon and Eugene, Oregon. Because of the curvature of the Earth, the shortest distance is actually the "great circle" distance, or "as the crow flies" which is calculated using an iterative Vincenty formula.

Flight distance: 104 miles or 167 km

Flight time: 27 minutes

The straight line flight distance is 7 miles less than driving on roads, which means the driving distance is roughly 1.1x of the flight distance.

Your plane flies much faster than a car, so the flight time is about 1/3th of the time it would take to drive.

Portland to Eugene road trip

Road trip: 1 day of driving

Travel time: 3.5 hours on the road

Start in Portland.

Drive for about 43 minutes, then stop in Newberg and stay for about 1 hour. Next, drive for another 1.5 hours then stop in Corvallis and stay for 1 hour. Drive for 1 hour then stop at Sweet Cheeks Winery and stay for 1 hour.

Finally, drive for about 22 minutes and arrive in Eugene.

Portland to Eugene airports and flights

Departure airport: Portland International Airport (PDX)

Arrival airport: Eugene Airport (EUG)

Getting to the airport: 18 minutes

Getting to your destination: 25 minutes

Now finally, let's look at an actual flight from PDX to EUG on Alaska Airlines and figure out how long it would take to fly including take-off and landing, and time to taxi on the runway.

Commercial flight time: 38 minutes

So now we can finally get an idea of the total travel time from Portland to Eugene including time spent getting to/from the airports, an estimated wait time of 2 hours at the airport for TSA security lines and waiting at the gate, and the actual flight itself.

Total travel time: 3 hours

Plan a trip to Eugene

Trippy has a ton of information that can help you plan your trip to Eugene, Oregon. Start by reading the Trippy page on where to stay in Eugene. Check out some of the questions people have asked about Eugene like What is your favorite restaurant in Eugene?. Click the button below to explore Eugene in detail.

How far is it the other way?

The distance is the same either way if you're flying a straight line (or driving the same roads back and forth). But for a real trip, there can be plenty of differences so go ahead and check the reverse directions to get the distance from Eugene to Portland, or go to the main page to calculate the distance between cities.

If you happen to know Portland, don't forget to help other travelers and answer some questions about Portland!

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At a Glance
without making any stops
total driving distance is 111 miles
driving time of 1 hour, 56 minutes
flight distance is 104 miles
flight time of 27 minutes
185 Portland travel answers
6 Eugene travel answers

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Preview Of Affordable Care Act Arguments, Day One

Day One of the arguments before the Supreme Court over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act are wonky, but probably some of the most critical of the three-day stretch.

In a nutshell, they concern whether or not the parties have the right to sue over taxes not yet levied.

Via SCOTUSblog:

Section 7421 is actually a section within the Anti-Injunction Act that traces its origins to 1867; that law is often referred to as the Tax Anti-Injunction Act to distinguish it from another congressional enactment that is similar. Both have to do with defining the powers of the federal courts. The tax version is a part of Title 26 of the code of federal laws, and Title 26 deals only with tax issues. The section’s most important words are these: “no suit for the purpose of restraining the assessment or collection of any tax shall be maintained in any court by any person, whether or not such a person is the person against whom such tax was assessed.”

Before the words “no suit,” the section lists 12 exceptions to the ban that follows. None of those exceptions is involved in the health care cases, so they can be omitted from the discussion. Congress could, if it wished, eliminate the section as a potential barrier to the insurance mandate challenges, simply by passing a law to create a new exception just for that purpose; it has not done so yet, so the ban as written remains intact. It is important to note that when the section refers to “any tax” it only means any federal law, not any state law.

The quoted words of Section 7421 serve a basic goal of the federal government. As the Supreme Court put it in a 1984 decision (Bob Jones University v. Simon), “the principal purposes of this language” is “the protection of the government’s need to assess and collect taxes as expeditiously as possible with a minimum of pre-enforcement judicial interference.”

The heart of the question is whether or not a lawsuit can be brought before the tax under the individual mandate has been levied on anyone. If the court finds that this provision applies, then the arguments over the mandate are moot, and the court can move on to the Medicaid expansion in their decision process.

More from SCOTUSblog:

Although this may be the most complex issue, legally, that the Court will be considering next week, and it is the one that has drawn the least public interest, this question is of major importance: it draws the Court to the core issue of whether anyone had a legal right to file a lawsuit to challenge the insurance-purchase mandate before it actually goes into effect (now scheduled for January 1, 2014). If lawsuits turn out to have been barred, the mandate may not be challenged probably until 2015 at the earliest. The answer actually depends upon answers to two separate issues: is the Anti-Injunction Act the kind of law that defines a federal court’s authority – that is, does a court have jurisdiction to decide the case at all — and, if it is jurisdictional, does that bar a court challenge to a specific law written as the insurance mandate is written?

Without question, these three days' arguments are not only deeply rooted in history, but will be historical regardless of the outcome. Audio recordings of the arguments will be released midday, and I'll be writing them up as quickly as I can. Onward.


Title: Growing Resilience through Interaction with Nature (GRIN)
Author: Marselle, Melissa
Awarding Body: De Montfort University
Current Institution: De Montfort University
Date of Award: 2013
Availability of Full Text:
Access from EThOS:
Access from Institution:
Well-being is fundamental for health. However, health and well-being are under threat by increased prevalence of depression and physical inactivity. Interaction with the natural environment may prevent these critical health issues, as research has shown that walking outdoors contributes to better well-being than walking indoors. The aim of this thesis was to investigate outdoor group walks as a potential public health intervention to enhance positive mental and emotional well-being, reduce stress, and foster resilience. This thesis evaluated Walking for Health, a national group walking programme in England using a nonexperimental, longitudinal design. Individuals who did (Group Walkers) and did not (Non-Group Walkers) take part in outdoor group walks completed two online questionnaires about their mental and emotional well-being, and covariates. To gain a broader understanding of how outdoor group walks may contribute to positive well-being, integrations were proposed between the Attention Restoration Theory and the psycho-evolutionary model, and the theories of coping and resilience. Findings show that Group Walkers had greater mental well-being and positive affect, and less negative affect, depression and perceived stress than Non-Group Walkers. Group walking had no affect on social well-being, connectedness to nature or resiliency. Outdoor group walk participation affected positive well-being through a decrease in perceived stress, and an increase in physical activity. Group Walkers demonstrated resilience against adversity on negative affect. No evidence of resilience from outdoor group walks was found for mental well-being, positive affect or depression. Group walks in farmland and green corridor environments may further boost mental well-being, and reduce negative affect and perceived stress, when compared to group walks in the urban environment. This research suggests that outdoor group walks are effective at improving mental and emotional well-being, and could be a useful public health intervention to reduce stress and foster resilience. Implications for theory are discussed.
Supervisor: Not available Sponsor: Not available
Qualification Name: Thesis (Ph.D.) Qualification Level: Doctoral
EThOS ID:  DOI: Not available
Keywords: group walks ; Walking for Health ; mental well-being ; depression ; emotional well-being ; perceived stress ; resilience ; green exercise ; propensity score matching ; nature and health ; restorative environments


Hina: The Ominous Blade, also known as the Cursed Blade, the Yoh-katana Hinata or the Hina Blade, is a cursed katana sword possessing the spirit of an enemy that once fought the entire line of Shinmei-ryu swordsmen to near extinction.

Able to possess and sap the power of its wielder, or if channelled correctly, provide immense strength and power at the cost of the wielder’s soul, the sword was responsible for turning the city of Kyoto into a sea of flame, it took the entire Shinmei-ryu school to defeat its wielder and seal the sword.
Kept under the safe keeping of the Urashima Family in the East of Japan, the Hina Blade later appears in the possession of mercenary swordswoman Tsukuyomi, who uses it to enhance her power in a duel against Setsuna Sakurazaki. It is unclear how she obtained it.

Other Appearances

Love Hina

Naru Possessed
Main Article: Hina Blade (Love Hina)

Occuring before the events of Negima!, the sword ended up as a family heirloom for the Urashima Family, who presumably guarded it, the sword was presented to Motoko Aoyama as a replacement blade for her Shisui katana. However, Motoko sensed the evil that the sword emanated and refused to wield it, instead Naru was possessed when she drew the blade to help Motoko in a battle against her sister, Tsuruko Aoyama. Fortunately the blade was sealed by Motoko before it could do much damage.

Although it was sealed, it only meant that Motoko could wield it without the danger of being possessed while other possessors; such as Tama and a Hot Springs Monkey, were still in danger of being consumed.

  • During her training in Kyoto, Tsuruko Aoyama teaches Setsuna Sakurazaki about the Hina Blade (having presumably loaned it from the Urashima Family for the lesson). During the lesson Tsuruko accidently becomes possessed by the blade and runs riot.

Artifacts Bombus GlobusDiarium EjusEnsis ExorcizansEvangeline's ScrollFlabellum AustraleFlabellum EuriFrango StipesImperium GraphicesIris TormentumLiberum LemniscusMile VinculaOculus CorvinusOrbis Sensualium PictusSceptrum VirtualeShinchintetsu JizaikonSica ShishikushiroTakemikazuchiTengu no KakureminoType-2130 Chao Bao Zi Satellite Support System: Al-Iskandariyah
Weapons FN P90Heckler & Koch PSG1Hina BladeIMI Desert EagleKaede's ShurikenKunaiM40A1Magic GunMagic Staves and WandsMana's BulletsMG42Negi's StaffOnmyōdō CharmsPactio ArtifactPGM Hecate IISIG-Sauer P228Yunagi
Transportation AirfishAyaka's "Negi Jet"Boeing StearmanChao Bao ZiFly Manta JohnnyGreat Paru-SamaMil Mi-24ShinkansenTramV-22 Osprey
Robots and Golems All-Terrain ChachamaruAmphibious ChachamaruAverruncusChachamaru KarakuriChachazeroSayo-Chan DollShikigami
Fashion CosplayGothic Lolita FashionHakamaKimonoKogalLingerieNaked ApronSchool UniformSlave CollarsYue's Panties
Other Adult MagazineAge-Deceiving PillsBook of MelchizedekCassiopeiaChiu's Net Idol Information WebsiteComptina DaemoniaComputerDemon-sealing BottleEnglish Culture Research Club BadgeLove Talismans and PotionsMagic CatalystMagic Talismans and CharmsMobile PhoneNagi Springfield FanclubNegi's RingNuru Nuru XPhotoshockSayo's PoemWilhelm's PendantYaoi DoujinshiYue's Drinks

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Friday, 20 May 2011

Some more New inventions

Bladeless Fan
Dyson fans use Air Multiplier technology to draw in air and amplify it. With no blades or grille, they are safe and easy to clean.

Two Way Toothpaste
Two way toothpaste is ideal for those who get angry with their partner for squeezing the toothpaste from the front. [

Infinite USB
Innovative USB plug designed to act as a USB hub when plugged in. [

Sixpack Bottle Carrier
It can safely transport up to six beer, soft drink, or water bottles.

Greenbo Rail Planter
Simply place your Greenbo planter on your railing, deck or fence. State of the art unique design assures its secure fit and stability.

Innovative Sewing Needle
With a bit of pressure, the loop eye of Big Eye Needle expands to the size of a button hole - making threading a cinch! [

Butter Stick
Butter on a stick from Japan will make a great addition to any kitchen.

Upstanding Toothbrush
When the toothbrush is set down, it will sway momentarily until it reaches a balanced position - just like a tumble doll.

           உன் பெயரைக்கூட நான் எழுதுவதில்லை..
 ஏன் தெரியுமா ?
 பேனா "  முனை உன்னை குத்திவிடுமோ என்று..

 தெரியாமல் சமாளிப்போர் சங்கம்

 அவள் என்னை திரும்பி பார்த்தாள்..
 நானும் அவளைப் பார்த்தேன்..
 அவள்..மறுமடியும் என்னைப் பார்த்தாள்
 நானும் அவளை மறுபடியும் பார்த்தேன்..

 பரிட்சையில் ஒன்னுமே தெரியாமல்
 திருதிரு வென முழிப்போர் சங்கம்

 காதல்  One Side - ஆ பண்ணினாலும்
          Two side-
 ஆ பண்ணினாலும்
 கடைசியா  Suicide-  தான் பண்ணக்கூடாது

 காதல் பற்றி  Four Side- ம் யோசிப்போர் சங்கம்

 அனுமதி கேட்க்கவும் இல்லை...

 அனுமதி வழங்கவும் இல்லை...

 பிடிவாதமாக ஒரு முத்தம்..

 கன்னத்தில் கொசுக்கடி "

 புரண்டு புரண்டு படுத்து யோசிப்போர் சங்கம்

 புலிக்கு பின்னாடி போன
 பொண்ணுக்கு பின்னாடிப் போன
 பிழைத்ததாக சரித்திரம் இல்லை..

 சிங்கிளா வாழ்ந்தாலும்
 சிங்கம் போல வாழ்வோர் சங்கம்...[படித்ததும்...மறந்துவிடவும்]

Safety - How to detect hidden cameras & 2 way mirrors in changing rooms of Shopping malls

How to detect a HIDDEN CAMERA in trial rooms.........
In front of the trial room take your mobile and make sure that mobile can make calls....... .
Then enter into the trail room, take your mobile and make a call..... If u can't make a call......!! !! There is a hidden camera......
This is due to the interference of fibre optic cable during the signal transfer.... ..Please forward this to your friends to educate this issue to the public...... To prevent our innocent ladies from HIDDEN CAMERA...... .....
So, please forward to all girls. Also forward to all boys who have sisters and girlfriends.
Feel comfortable and free in forwarding this message. Because, it is about protecting the integrity of all girls & ladies.
When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel rooms, changing rooms, etc., how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wall is a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror i.e., they can see you, but you can't see them. There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors in female changing rooms or bathroom or bedrooms.
It is very difficult to positively identify the surface by just looking at it.  So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of Mirror we are looking at?
Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, then it is a GENUINE mirror.
However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES the image of your nail, then BEWARE, IT IS A 2-WAY MIRROR! (There may be someone seeing you from the other side). So remember, every time you see a mirror, do the "fingernail test." It doesn't cost you anything. It is very simple to do.
This is a really good thing to do. The reason there is a gap on a real mirror, is because the silver is on the back of the mirror UNDER the glass. Whereas with a two-way mirror, the silver is on the surface. Keep it in mind! Make sure and check every time you enter in hotel rooms.

The Healthy Wonders of Water

Stay Slimmer With Water

Trying to lose weight? Water revs up metabolism and helps you feel full.
Replace calorie-laden beverages with water, and drink a glass before meals to help you feel fuller. Drinking more water also helps amp up metabolism - especially if your glass is icy cold. Your body must work to warm the water up, burning a few extra calories in the process.

Water Boosts Your Energy

If you’re feeling drained and depleted, get a pick-me-up with water. Dehydration makes you feel fatigued.
Water helps the blood transport oxygen and other essential nutrients to your cells.
If you’re getting enough water, your heart also doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood throughout your body.

Lower Stress With Water

85% of your brain tissue is water. If you’re dehydrated, both your body and your mind will be stressed. If you’re feeling thirsty, you’re already a little dehydrated.
To keep stress levels down, keep a glass of water at your desk or tote a sports bottle and sip regularly.

Build Muscle Tone With Water

Drinking water helps prevent muscle cramping and lubricates joints in the body.
When you’re well hydrated, you can exercise longer and stronger without "hitting the wall."

Nourish Your Skin

Fine lines and wrinkles are deeper when you’re dehydrated. Water is nature’s own beauty cream.
Drinking water hydrates skin cells and plumps them up, making your face look younger.
It also flushes out impurities and improves circulation and blood flow, leaving your face clean, clear, and glowing.

Stay Regular With Water

Along with fiber, water is essential to good digestion.
Water helps dissolve waste particles and passes them smoothly through your digestive tract.
If you’re dehydrated, your body absorbs all the water, leaving your colon dry and making it more difficult to pass waste.

Water Reduces Kidney Stones

The rate of painful kidney stones is rising because people - including children - aren't drinking enough water.
Water dilutes the salts and minerals in your urine that form the solid crystals known as kidney stones.
Kidney stones can't form in diluted urine, so reduce your risk with plenty of water!

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

Generally, nutritionists recommend we follow the "8x8 rule."

Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

You may need more water if you exercise or sweat heavily.

You may need less water if you drink other beverages often.

Water and Your Diet: Staying Slim and Regular With H2O

Find out if you're getting enough water to keep your metabolism cranking at peak efficiency and your digestive system functioning well.
By Gina Shaw
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ve probably heard a lot about water and weight loss. Can drinking more water really help you lose weight? The short answer is yes -- and no.
If you’re already well hydrated and getting plenty of water, getting more water into your diet probably won’t make a lot of difference. But if you’re going through your days a little -- or a lot -- dehydrated, as many people are, getting enough water could help.
“In my experience, most people are not aware of how much they’re drinking and are not drinking enough -- many, as little as half of what they need,” says Amanda Carlson, RD, director of performance nutrition at Athletes’ Performance, which trains many world-class athletes.

How Water Boosts Metabolism

“Water’s involved in every type of cellular process in your body, and when you’re dehydrated, they all run less efficiently -- and that includes your metabolism. Think of it like your car: if you have enough oil and gas, it will run more efficiently. It’s the same with your body.”
“Your metabolism is basically a series of chemical reactions that take place in your body,” says Trent Nessler, PT, DPT, MPT, managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville. “Staying hydrated keeps those chemical reactions moving smoothly.” Being even 1% dehydrated can cause a significant drop in metabolism.

Hungry or Thirsty? How Water Helps a Diet

It’s also very difficult for the body to tell the difference between hunger and thirst. So if you’re walking around feeling a gnawing sense of hunger, you might just be dehydrated. Try drinking a glass of water instead of grabbing a snack.
Research has also shown that drinking a glass of water right before a meal helps you to feel more full and eat less. “Many people do find that if they have water before a meal, it’s easier to eat more carefully,” says Renee Melton, MS, RD, LD, director of nutrition for Sensei, a developer of online and mobile weight loss and nutrition programs.
One study, for example, found that people who drank water before meals ate an average of 75 fewer calories at each meal. That doesn’t sound like a lot -- but multiply 75 calories by 365 days a year. Even if you only drink water before dinner every day, you’d consume 27,000 fewer calories over the course of the year. That’s almost an eight-pound weight loss.

The Digestive Health Benefits of Water

But getting enough water doesn’t just help you regulate how much you eat -- it helps you digest it properly, as well.
“Water allows your kidneys to function properly and filter everything they need to, and allows us to eliminate effectively and not be constipated,” Melton says. “People who don’t get enough fluids in their diet tend to be constipated.”
And that’s not all. The single biggest cause of painful kidney stones is chronic dehydration. When you don’t get enough water, calcium and other minerals build up in your urine and are harder for your body to filter out. They can form the crystals that make up kidney and urinary stones.
Doctors who specialize in pediatric kidney problems report seeing more kidney stones in children in recent years, and they believe it’s because of a combination of factors. Many kids aren’t drinking enough water. Also, many kids are overweight and eat a poor diet.
“I’ve been in this field for over 30 years, and I’d say that until about the last 10 to 15 years, you almost never saw stones in kids,” says Robert Weiss, MD, chief of pediatric nephrology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital of the Westchester Medical Center in New York. “Lately, the frequency is increasing dramatically.”

How Much Water Do You Need?

How can you know if you’re getting enough water to keep your metabolism cranking at peak efficiency and your digestive system functioning? The formula used to be “one size fits all” -- eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. But that’s changed, experts say.
“It depends on your size and weight, and also on your activity level and where you live,” Nessler says. “In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.” For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. If you’re living in a hot climate and exercising a lot, you’d be on the higher end of that range; if you’re in a cooler climate and mostly sedentary, you’d need less.
Another quick way to check: look in the bowl after you’ve gone to the bathroom. If your urine is clear or very light yellow and has little odor, you’re well hydrated. The darker and more aromatic your urine, the more dehydrated you are.
How can you build more water consumption into your day? Try these tips:
  • Carry an insulated sports bottle with you and fill it up periodically.
  • Keep a glass of water on your desk at work.
  • Keep another glass next to your bed. Many of us wake up dehydrated first thing in the morning.
  • Switch one glass of soda or cup of coffee for a glass of water.
  • Drink small amounts of water throughout the day. Six glasses all at once isn’t good for you!

Wednesday, 18 May 2011

Where is God?

They are always getting into trouble and their parents know if any mischief occurs in their town, the two boys are  probably involved.

The mother sent the 8 year old in the morning, with the  older boy to see the preacher in the afternoon. The  preacher, a huge man with a deep booming voice, sat the  younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Do you know where God is, son?"

So the preacher repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God?! Again, the boy made no attempt to answer. The preacher raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "WHERE is GOD?!"

The boy screamed & bolted from the room, ran directly home & dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"

The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time!" "GOD is missing, and they think WE did it!"

Tuesday, 3 May 2011

1. Introduction to the mechanism of prayer
When faced with difficult or insurmountable situations in day-to-day life like loss of a valuable, incurable illness, major financial problem, etc. people pray to God or to an aspect of Him, also known as a deity. These are prayers with material or worldly expectations.
Seekers of God whose main focus in life is spiritual growth also pray regularly to God, not only in difficult situations but even in day-to-day situations. The prayers however are not about worldly expectations but about their spiritual growth and are said as a part of their spiritual practice.
This article explains the mechanism of how both varieties of prayers are answered.
To understand this article better please read:
It is important to note that when there is any problem or difficulty in life, the root cause can be physical, mental or spiritual in nature. Research carried out by SSRF shows that up to 80% of problems in life have their root cause in the spiritual realm. Destiny and departed ancestors are two very important factors among the spiritual causes of problems in life.
2. How are prayers answered? What is the mechanism?
2.1 Who answers our prayers?
  • The following diagram shows who answers our prayers depending on the type of prayer. Generally the prayer differs as per the spiritual level of the person. For example a person who is at a 30% spiritual level will more often than not pray for worldly things. A person at the 50% spiritual level will more often than not pray for his spiritual progress. Accordingly the prayers are answered by various subtle energies in the Universe. What is interesting is that even negative energies answer prayers either where harm is requested and or to entrap a person under their influence by initially granting their wishes. For example, as shown in the diagram below, a person who prays for the death of another person will be helped by a negative subtle entity from the 4th Region of Hell. Prayers for worldly benefit are generally responded to by lower deities or lower positive energies. Prayers for spiritual growth are responded to by higher level deities and higher positive energies. .
How answers what type of prayers?
  • When we make a prayer with expectation such as asking for a job or overcoming an illness, to God or a specific deity, our prayers as stated earlier are answered by lower level deities or lower positive energies. Let’s take the example of a person who has prayed intensely for a job. If it is in the person’s destiny to be without a job for 5 years, then the lower positive energy or the lower level deity can answer the prayer by pushing out this five year jobless period to somewhere later in the person’s life. Thus the person still has to go through a phase of being jobless. (This is because regardless of anything one has to undergo one’s destiny; it can only be overcome by one’s spiritual practice.)
  • Sometimes higher level deities also help the worldly situation of a seeker if it is causing an obstacle in his spiritual growth.
2.2 How are prayers answered?
  • When a person prays, he remembers God intensely and has an intimate dialogue with Him about issues very close to his heart. By the law of reflex action, God also feels closer to him.
  • Prayers have the ability to activate the deity principles (aspects of God) in the Universe. The subtlest frequencies are generated when one pays gratitude along with the prayer. These frequencies have the ability to not only activate but also touch the deity; hence the deity principle is activated faster. This activation of deity principle (aspect of God) results in fulfilment of prayers. The deities bring about the fulfilment of prayers by the power of resolve. Refer to the article on who is a deity?
    Example of prayers followed by gratitude:
    • Lord please let me get this job, I really need it. Lord, my gratitude for giving me the thought to pray.
    • Lord may I do all activities in this entire day as my spiritual practice. Lord, I express gratitude at your Holy Feet for having given me the thought and for having got this prayer done through me.
  • Prayers attract subtle divine frequencies towards the person and as a result the raja-tama covering around the person is destroyed. Thus the environment surrounding the person becomes comparatively moresaattvik. As the subtle basic sattva component in the surrounding environment is increased, the thoughts of the person are reduced and they also become saattvik. This is because the mind is influenced by the external environment.
  • SheathsPrayer increases the particles of the subtle basic sattvacomponent in the vital body sheath. When we pay gratitude the particles of the subtle basic sattvacomponent in the mental body sheath increase. Thus prayer complemented with gratitude results in spiritual purification of the vital body and mental body sheaths.For further information about the vital and mental body, refer to – “What are we comprised of?”Because of spiritual purification of the vital body sheath and mental body sheath, the impressions in both the sheaths begin to be destroyed. As the impressions are reduced thoughts about oneself are minimised and attraction towards worldly things (Maayaa) decreases and this leads to increase in desire for God and a yearning to merge with Him. Also as both sheaths are purified negative energies cannot enter the body.Refer to the article on – How chanting helps to purify the impressions in our mind.
  • When we pray we accept our inability to solve a problem ourselves and hence in seeing ourselves as lesser, our ego is reduced. With a reduction in ego there is a temporary rise in spiritual level. This causes a temporary increase in subtle basic sattva component. Further when we pay gratitude it generates humility in us which has an even greater positive effect on our spiritual level. Hence our communion with God increases. This rise in the subtle basic sattva component itself increases our capacity to overcome or bear the problem.
3. When do our prayers work?
In our life, 65% of events happen as per destiny. Destined events are those events that we have no control over. Please refer to the article on destiny and wilful action.
Destined events good and bad are bound to happen in our lives. Bad destined events may be an illness or a bad marriage. The average person mainly prays to God when bad events happen in his life. He prays to God to relieve him of the bad event. However we find that our prayers are not always answered. Refer to the article – Destiny as a spiritual root cause of difficulties in life
So what is the law? When does prayer override a bad destined event; so that with the prayer the event itself does not happen or at least we are insulated from it?
The rule of thumb is
  • If the prayer is stronger than the intensity of the destined event then the prayer will be answered
  • If the intensity of the destiny is stronger than the prayer, then the prayer will be answered partially or not at all.

4. What decides the effectiveness of one’s prayer?

The following factors add to the effectiveness of the prayer
  • Spiritual level of the person praying – the higher the spiritual level the more effective is one’s prayer
  • Quality of prayer – whether the prayer is mechanical or heartfelt or with spiritual emotion (bhaava) of the seeker
  • For what is he praying (i.e. whether for himself or others) – When we pray for others the spiritual strength required is much more. The more the number of people in society intended to be affected by the event, the greater is the spiritual strength required to effect the desired result. Only Saints of a higher order can effect change in society.
  • Ego – Lower ego contributes to the effectiveness of prayer
  • What prayer posture (mudraa) is a person using? This becomes a major factor for the majority of people as the above factors are lesser in most people.

4.1 The spiritual level of a person and prayer

The spiritual level of a person praying is one of the main criteria in deciding the effectiveness of the prayer.
  • For seekers above the 60% spiritual level, prayer is not required. They act from the spiritual emotion/feeling that ‘Let everything happen as per God’s will.’ They actually experience that everything in their live is happening and is provided for by God’s grace. Their mind is constantly in a state of gratitude to God. Once this state is achieved prayer is not needed.
  • Prayers of people who are below the 30% spiritual level lack potency and at best they provide them with only psychological benefit. This is because the covering of ego is too great for their prayers to reach the deity principle.
  • Thus we can see that prayer works most effectively for people between the spiritual level of 30-60%.
From time to time we hear a call by some people to gather and pray for world peace or for a noble cause such as reduction in global warming. From the perspective of actual results, this is at best a psychological effort. This is so because major world events have a strong spiritual basis and can only be overcome by spiritual efforts of highly evolved beings such as Saints of a higher order. Even if millions of people (of average spiritual level) get together and make the same prayer for a major world happening, it is akin to many ants trying to lift a boulder.Note: Some people may think that if Saints can effect global change, then why don’t they orchestrate world peace or a reduction in global warming? The paradox is that while Saints have the spiritual strength to influence world events, they have the spiritual emotion that God only knows best. Also as they are in the ‘observer state’ (saakshibhaav), they by their very nature do not interfere in God’s plan and are in complete accordance with His plan. They have the complete awareness that as per God’s plan everything happens according to individual and collective destiny. (Destined events are those events in our life which happen due to our past actions, either in this very birth or in our previous births.)

5. What is the best posture for prayer?

Through spiritual research, SSRF has identified and recommends the following mudraa or posture that is most conducive to gain the maximum divine energy through prayer.
The following subtle diagrams show the two stages in this mudraa (posture) and what actually happens at a spiritual level when one prays

5.1 Explanation Stage 1 of prayer posture (mudraa)

Stage 1 of prayer posture
The first stage in this mudraa is raising one’s hands in prayer with the thumbs gently touching the mid-brow region or the Aadnyaa chakra (the spiritual energy centre at the mid-brow region). It is best to begin praying after we are in this position.
When we bow our head in this prayer position, it awakens the spiritual emotion of surrender in us. This in turn activates the appropriate subtle frequencies of deities from the Universe. These divine frequencies come in through our finger tips which act as receptors. These divine frequencies are then channelised into our body through the thumb to the Aadnyaa chakra (the spiritual energy centre at the mid-brow region). The result is an increase in the positive spiritual energy in us which makes us feel lighter or gives relief from symptoms of physical or mental distress.

5.2 Explanation Stage 2 of prayer posture (mudraa)

Stage 2 of prayer posture
After one finishes his prayer, he should assume the second mudraa (posture) as shown in the diagram above. This means that instead of bringing his hands in prayer down immediately, they are to be placed in the mid-chest region in such a way that the wrists touch the chest. This facilitates the process of more completely imbibing the Divine Consciousness of the deity principle. So initially the Divine Consciousness of the deity principle that had entered the finger tips now also gets transmitted to the region of chest, the seat of the Anaahat chakra. Just like the Aadnyaa chakra, the Anaahat chakra also absorbs sattvafrequencies. By touching the wrists to the chest, the Anaahat chakra is activated and it helps in absorbing more sattva frequencies. When activated, the Anaahat chakra awakens a seeker’s spiritual emotion and devotion.
In this stage of the prayer mudraa, one should be introspective and contemplate upon the experience of being in God’s presence.

Correct posture when praying
Final prayer position
Points to note:
  • Body should be bowed and not erect
  • Fingers should be parallel to the forehead. Fingers should not be stiff but relaxed.
  • Fingers should be touching each other – not spread apart
  • Thumb should be lightly touching the area of the Aadnyaa chakra
  • Hands need to be gently pressed together – slight space between the palms. In case of seekers above 50% spiritual level, no space is required between the palms.

5.3 When praying with spiritual emotion

The following subtle diagram shows what happens when a person at 50% spiritual level prays with spiritual emotion. The main thing to note is that the people in the vicinity also derive the benefit of the Divine Consciousness accessed by that person. (Refer to the part of the diagram which shows 5% of frequencies of Divine Consciousness (Chaitanya) transmitted outside the body.) This is why quite often it has been observed that when people pray with spiritual emotion, the spiritual emotion in others in the vicinity too gets activated.
Prayer with spiritual emotion

5.4 Does it mean that every time we pray we should take this position?

If one is at a higher spiritual level (above 50%) divine subtle (intangible) frequencies begin to be received directly through the Brahmarandhra itself. The Brahmarandhra is a subtle opening above the Sahasraar Chakra (as per the spiritual science of Kundalini yoga) that has access to the Universal Mind and Intellect. This subtle opening is closed in people of a lower spiritual level. The primary factor that helps the opening of the Brahmarandhra is a lower level of ego. When in this phase of our spiritual growth the need for the prayer mudraaas explained above becomes less and less.
However if a person between the spiritual level of 50% – 80% complements his prayer with the recommended mudraa, then he gets the benefit of additional Divine Consciousness. This additional benefit is 30% more in the case of a person at the 50% spiritual level and it proportionately become less and less as the spiritual level increases.
Since most people are not of a high spiritual level they are unable to receive divine frequencies through the Brahmarandhra. Most people (level 30-60%) are however able to receive subtle frequencies through their finger tips (though to a much lesser extent) as our finger tips are very sensitive to receiving or sending out subtle energy. For this section of people it is best that they do utilise the prayer mudraa suggested above to make a prayer. All other factors remaining equal, by praying using the recommended mudraa a person will add 20% to the effectiveness of their prayer as opposed to not using this mudraa.

5.5 Comparative effectiveness of prayer positions

We are exposed to various hand actions when praying. When conducting spiritual research into the various hand postures (mudraas) related to prayer, the following were our findings in terms of efficacy.
Efficacy of varioius prayer positions
  1. 100% is getting full spiritual benefit which results in God realisation
  2. Level of the manifest deity principle, i.e. higher, medium or lower level deity
  3. Percentage of deity principle accessed
  4. This shows the possibility of negative energy interfering with the prayer to reduce a seeker’s faith. The negative energies interfere with the prayer so that the prayer is not answered thereby undermining the person’s faith.
Do try a subtle experiment by yourself wherein you say the same prayer using each of the above mudraas separately.
In some cases people hold hands and pray. This is also a spiritually incorrect practice as if the person beside one is affected by negative energy it is more likely that the black energy be transferred to you.

6. Key summary points on the mechanism of prayer

  • The spiritual level of a person generally defines whether a person prays for spiritual growth or for worldly benefit. Depending on the type of prayer higher level deities or lower level deities respectively answer a person’s prayers.
  • The spiritual emotion with which one prays has a positive impact on the effectiveness of one’s prayer.
  • Depending on what type of mudraa is used, the benefit that one gets through prayer can vary.
  • All other things being equal, using the recommended mudraa (posture) for prayer helps to improve the chances of one’s prayer being answered by 20%.
  • Prayers by people of lower spiritual level for things that affect the wider population such as world peace or a reduction in global warming have no effect.
  • When one pays gratitude along with prayer it helps to increase the effectiveness of one’s prayer.


World Cuisine

Ever since I saw the animated Pixar movie Ratatouille, I  always wanted to cook the humble dish made popular by this movie. Pretty simple to cook, Ratatouille originated from the beautiful French city Nice and is basically a peasant dish and is relished during the summers. My recipe was an […]

Ratatouille the Pixar Way


Chipmaker Rambus Wins $306M Patent Suit Against Hynix

Rambus Inc. (RMBS), a designer of high-speed computer-chip interfaces, won a $306.5 million jury verdict Monday in its patent-infringement lawsuit against South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc., company officials said.

Shares of Rambus rose $5.13, or 13.3 percent, to $43.73, after being halted earlier on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Jurors in the monthlong trial decided that all 10 Rambus patent claims were valid.

The patents involved technology known as dynamic random access memory, which increases the speed of memory in computer chips, along with several related technologies.

"We are very pleased with today's result," John Danforth, the company's lawyer, said in a release. He vowed to continue seeking compensation for the company's patented inventions.

The verdict, returned by a jury in federal court in San Jose, is the latest victory in Rambus' six-year battle to assert patents against a host of companies that sell memory chips used in personal computers and other electronic devices.

The Los Altos-based company has similar suits pending against Micron Technology Inc. (MU) of Boise, Idaho, South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. and Taiwan's Nanya Technology. Rambus also has filed antitrust suits against those three companies.

In August 2000, Hynix sued Rambus in an effort to have 11 of its patents declared invalid. Rambus countersued, saying Hynix's use of the technology infringed upon its patents and succeeded in getting the case expanded to include 14 patents.

In pretrial proceedings, U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte ruled that Hynix infringed on some Rambus patents and ordered the parties to try the remaining claims before a jury.

On Monday, Rambus said the award represents compensation only for Hynix's SDRAM, DDR SDRAM and DDR2 memory products sold in the United States, and covered Hynix sales between June 2000 and the end of 2005.

Rambus also has asked for a permanent injunction against Hynix to stop its manufacture, use, sale, or import of Hynix memory products.

That request isn't likely to be decided until after a third phase of the case addressing Hynix counterclaims is tried this summer, the company said.

Such Hynix counterclaims include challenges to the enforceability of Rambus patents and allegations that Rambus impeded market adoption of DDR SDRAM.

Not all Rambus patent battles have gone well for the company.

In March 2005, infringement claims against Infineon Technologies AG (IFX) were dismissed after a federal judge in Richmond, Va., learned that Rambus destroyed documents in anticipation of the case.

The two companies settled a few weeks later, with Infineon agreeing to pay Rambus a quarterly license fee of $5.85 million through 2007.


Carcinoma; Malignancy; Neoplasm; Oncology; Tumor

A perforation of the ear drum will generally heal without surgery. In some cases, however, instead of normally healing, the skin of the ear drum can grow through the hole into the middle ear. If infection is present, the skin will continue to grow into the middle ear and will become a tumor of the ear termed a cholesteatoma. Cholesteatomas are NOT a form of cancer. They are benign tumors. As they grow, they can look like an onion peel of white skin formed into a ball.

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tis...

Cholesteatoma as related to Cancer