Crystals and the Cosmic Energy 2017-03-19T11:46:09+00:00

Image result for crystals and cosmic energy fantacy art

Crystals and the Cosmic EnergyImage result for crystals

Stones are believed to have an extensive memory, remembering where they’ve been, who they’ve touched, and all forces and energies that have surrounded them. A stone can pass onto others any energy that it has stored within it. Periodically, stones need to be cleansed of any unwanted energies that they may have collected from you, from others, or from the environment.

Crystals are solids that form by a regular repeated pattern of molecules connecting together. In crystals, a collection of atoms, called the Unit Cell, is repeated in exactly the same arrangement over and over throughout the entire material.They are a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macroscopic single crystals are usually identifiable by their geometrical shape, consisting of flat faces with specific, characteristic orientations. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography. The process of crystal formation via mechanisms of crystal growth is called crystallization or solidification.The word crystal have roots from the Ancient Greek word κρύσταλλος (krustallos), meaning both “ice” and “rock crystal”, from κρύος (kruos), “icy cold, frost”.

Examples of large crystals include snowflakes, diamonds, and table salt. Most inorganic solids are not crystals but poly-crystals, i.e. many microscopic crystals fused together into a single solid. Examples of poly-crystals include most metals, rocks, ceramics, and ice. A third category of solids is amorphous solids, where the atoms have no periodic structure whatsoever. Examples of amorphous solids include glass, wax, and many plastics.Crystals are often used in pseudo scientific practices such as crystal therapy, and, along with gemstones, are sometimes associated with spell work in Wiccan beliefs and related religious movements.

A crystal is a hard, solid substance made of molecules that bond together in specific patterns to form an interesting shape that has straight edges and flat surfaces. Not all crystals have the same shape, as you can see in the salt vs. sugar project – there are actually lots of different kinds of crystals, and each kind has its own special shape. Some crystals that you are probably very familiar with are sugar, salt, and ice. But many other solids are made of crystals too; we just can’t see them because they are so small! Lots of minerals form beautiful crystals that are used for jewelry, like diamonds or emeralds. Crystals are often transparent, which means that you can see through them sort of like you can see through glass. Other kinds have beautiful colors.Crystals are repeating, three-dimensional arrangements of atoms, ions, or molecules.Crystal energy is the power that crystals naturally give off and that you are able to use to heal yourself.You can apply the metaphysical properties of these more powerful crystals, as you learn how you can use them to heal yourself.It is a great advantage to have natural crystals of any sort in your environment, and the stones with a higher vibration are powerful aids to move you forwards in your life.

Related imageCosmic Energy is life force vitality energy that fills your body and is utilized almost like free energy, providing energy to your body, mind, and spirit.We are giving it many names :Chi, Ki, Prana, Orgone, Ether, the Universal Life Force  or “fifth element”, the essence of it one Universal Life Force or Cosmic energy. We all know an underlying energy beyond any confining definition exists, empowers and flows through everything. Mainstream science has consistently choked on recognizing this since to them it crosses into the metaphysical which they claim can’t be quantified.But this is changing rapidly as previous defining lines of distinction are intellectually and vibration dissolving. Very carefully  hidden Truths are now coming to the surface and perspectives are continuing to shift, despite the Controllers’ efforts to hold the illusion together.Cosmic energy is the life force that is existent everywhere. It is present in the cosmos, between the galaxies, the molecules and in the space. It is essential to maintain the order of our life and expand our consciousness. Cosmic energy is received by being at peace with one’s own self and living in the present moment. Blissfulness is the basic characteristic of cosmic energy. It is a state of mind that combines peace, love and joy.Cosmic energy is the basis of all our actions, reactions to situations and functions in totality. Our body receives some amount of cosmic energy when we are in sleep, total silence and in peace of mind. Cosmic energy is essential for the reason to maintain an orderly life, lead a happy and healthy life, obtain knowledge,completely involve in all the situations in life and expand our consciousness.Related imageOur body and mind are surrounded with an energy field which is nourished by cosmic energy. This positive energy always helps in the healing of the physical, mental and spiritual self. Cosmic energy reduces negativity, aids in complete healing and creates harmony in life. The physical benefits of cosmic energy are that the Cosmic energy supports the regulation of blood flow and lowers the stress on the heart, helps in lowering cortisol and lactate levels in the body. These are often associated with mental stress, helps in eliminating free radicals from the body, does wonders in treating all psychological issues such as anxiety, irritability and depression, aids in healing cardiovascular diseases and develops skin resistance and helps to improve the memory function. It plays an excellent role in enhancing the psychological self by supporting the self-actualization and rejuvenation feelings.Our life force is our energy. There are many names for it, and it is absolutely essential to life.  There are internal energy channels in the human body and we all have life force energy flowing through these channels.Many people don’t believe in energy because they can’t see it or touch it. Interestingly though, most everyone feels energy, even if they are not recognizing it for what it is. It’s easy to explain off those feelings as one thing or another, but make no mistake about it, energy is all around us. If it weren’t, then you and I wouldn’t be here.    Most people believe that life is nourished and sustained by other ‘physical objects’, such as food, yet, this is not actually how life maintains itself.Image result for crystals and cosmic energy fantacy art Energy is the substance that sustains life. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, etc. do not sustain life, it is the energy inside of these substances that enables life to exist here. Our bodies are in essence biological machines which run on energy, not dirt. Without energy, there is no life. Energy is flowing and moving around us all the time, if it were not so, we would not be alive. It sustains and nourishes our bodies and it can be used to support and increase the body’s natural self-healing ability. This can speed up recovery from illness and injury. Life force energy can be used to boost our physical vitality and energy levels and to support us and heal us on the emotional and psychological levels as well.As a conscious, energetic being we have a unique way of interacting with energy, and our mind consciously controls our energy.

Image result for programming crystal fantasy artMany great pioneers in philosophy, spirituality, metaphysics and true science (meaning knowledge or “knowing”) have spoken to humanity about this seemingly ethereal resource, including those using powerful meditative, shamanic, psychedelic and other esoteric approaches. Today, with the exponential growth of alternative research and information rapidly approaching what’s loosely called the Singularity, even modern physicists are coming to paradigm shifting conclusions.Oddly enough, many still refuse to fully acknowledge the fact that this essence is an already known and experienced phenomenon that’s been utilized by spiritually advanced civilizations for millennia. A very humbling realization for a stubborn egghead, but a thrill for a true learner.And once you know, you know.We know  that the unlimited power or the divine light is the source of all the existence. Everything in this world is connected to the divine light. This ultimate energy is abundant and it’s everywhere around and within us. Every creation in this world begins with this energy and ends into this. Specifically an unknown and mysterious power of gods, spiritual being or human beings to express themselves communicative through spiritual means, rather than through physical capabilities. Everything in this global from the sun to the smallest living organism posses its own magnetic field surrounding it.This magnetic field is unequaled and cannot be same always. Disturbance created in earth’s magnetic field through severe radiations result in natural disasters.Every crystal has its own specific light, or put another way, its specific radiation that naturally influences our organism. Crystals have powerful metaphysical properties and are strong stones to aid astral … It is said to be protection against the evil eye and negative energies.Some crystals have higher frequencies, and their strong energy fields can be used to raise our personal vibration.Almost any solid material can crystallize—even DNA. Crystals are rock-solid objects made of matter wherein particles form a pattern that creates its overall shape. Crystals emit a polished look, making it look glossy and glittering. You can see crystals not just on minerals but also in salt and sugar! If you have seen a block of sugar you should look closely to see crystallized patterns within the sugar. Crystals can be lovely in color, and have the glimmer or shine throughout it. This is why most jewelry or gemstones like diamonds and rubies are set in crystal, because it attracts most people to its allure.Certain crystals are highly priced in the market because of its actual value (if it’s a mineral or precious stone). The value goes up when the object is cut and designed beautifully to achieve the perfect shine regardless of the angle. Everybody can appreciate crystals whether it’s on jewelry, as salt or sugar crystals, and even molten lava rock that has been formed through a volcanic eruption.

Image result for programming crystal fantasy artCrystals have an orderly and symmetrical atomic structure and a definite chemical composition, definite external geometrical shape bounded by plane faces and physical (and optical) properties which vary with direction (except for the isometric minerals).Only if a mineral is allowed to grow without interference from other minerals will it form crystals. Minerals “grow,” or crystallize, from many types of solutions. They may precipitate from evaporating sea water or crystallize from magma when lava cools. While growing, minerals may develop a distinct crystal form with smooth, flat planes called crystal faces. The geometric pattern of the crystal faces reflects the internal atomic arrangement of the crystal structure. This is one of the most important things about a mineral.Crystals are formed depending on the water level, heat level or temperature and air. The creation of crystals also depends on the substances that exist within the matter. These include the chemicals available within the matter where the crystal is formed. Crystals from metals and precious stones may have been buried for thousands of years before being discovered, thus the price. Natural erosion of soil and rock sometimes contribute to crystallization of metals such as silver and copper. The patterns are formed when particles within matter continue to create a certain contour until the entire object has this pattern.A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions.In addition, macroscopic single crystals are usually identifiable by their geometrical shape, consisting of flat faces with specific, characteristic orientations.Although crystals can be man-made designs, the movement of the particles within matter does not move. None of the atoms and molecules budge at all, even if the object changes its shape. The scientific definition of a “crystal” is based on the microscopic arrangement of atoms inside it, called the crystal structure. A crystal is a solid where the atoms form a periodic arrangement.Crystals will continue to show brilliance no matter the cut.Image result for structure of the crystals

Take a look at any crystal and see if there is any difference between sides.A crystal is a material whose constituents, such as atoms, molecules or ions, are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure. These constituents are held together by inter atomic forces (chemical bonds) such as metallic bonds, ionic bonds, covalent bonds, van der Waals bonds, and others. Because the atoms and molecules in an object are squeezed into matter, these create a general kind of pattern in each side and angle. As matter expands or grows, the patterns do not change shape at all, and this helps form the crystals.Stalactites and stalagmites in caves usually gleam and sparkle in the form of crystals. These are formed when vapor from the water that evaporates end up becoming frost, creating geometric patterns in the process.A crystal structure is composed of a unit cell, a set of atoms arranged in a particular way; which is periodically repeated in three dimensions on a lattice.Some crystals are spherical, while others are square in shape. Snow and snowflakes are crystals too. Nearly all kinds of crystals can be modified in texture and shape depending on the kind of design you want.Crystals vary in size, color, shape and shine depending on the substance it was made of. What a crystal is made of actually depends on what kind of crystal it is.Crystals can be formed in several different ways. Most crystals are formed through evaporation. For example, when water from saltwater evaporates (or is dried up into the air), salt crystals are left behind . Ice crystals are formed when water from the Earth evaporates into the air and becomes a gas called water vapor. The water vapor becomes clouds and then freezes and falls back down to earth as snow. Ice crystals can also form as frost on windows and on the ground when the air has a lot of moisture (water vapor) and the temperature is below freezing. Some types of crystals are formed from melted rock in the earth . When the hot rock cools gradually, it will sometimes form crystals. Geodes are round rocks that are formed when bubbles are trapped in the melted rock. As the bubbles cool down, crystals grow inside of the bubble of rock.

Image result for programming crystal fantasy artAs a crystal grows, the pattern that makes it a certain shape will be repeated over and over, so the crystal will always keep the same shape as it gets bigger!
The chemical elements that a crystal is made of are what tell the crystal what shape it will be.  A lot of crystals might seem to look alike at first glance, but what elements the crystal is made out of will make it a unique shape and color. Even the same element can make different crystals, though, based on conditions such as temperature and light and what other elements are around. For example, the graphite used inside of pencils is a kind of crystal made from the element carbon, which is actually the same element that diamonds are formed from.For instance, healers take care to clean their healing stones after each use because the stones might take pain (both physical and emotional) into themselves and pass it onto others if they have not been cleansed of those energies between uses. If a stone has absorbed negative energies, it may not work well for whatever purpose it has been programmed.

There are many different Crystal formations such as Crystal Generator, Double Terminated, Laser Wand, Bridge Crystal, Channeling Crystal, Transmitting Crystal, Window Crystal, Isis Crystal, Dow, Trans Channel Crystal, Record Keeper Crystal, Phantom Crystal, Crystal Cluster, Twin Crystal, and Rainbow Crystals just to name a few.

Crystal Generators are 6 sided crystals with a single terminated point.

Promotes clarity and concentration.

double terminated

Double Terminated

laser wand

Laser Wand
Laser Wand or Laser Point Crystals are single crystal fingers.

Channeling Crystal

Inner wisdom and inner light.

Transmitting Crystal

Teaches us to ask and receive.

Window Crystal

Isis Crystal

Feminine power, symbolizing the Goddess. Provides inner strength and the ability to overcome obstacles and renew life.

Dow or Trans Channel Crystal

Represents perfection of everything as it exists. Teaches us to balance the material world with that of our spiritual essence.

Record Keeper

Record Keeper Crystal

Phantom Crystal

Phantom Crystal

Twin Crystal

Twin Crystal
Twin Crystals are two points sharing the same main body.

Elestial Crystal

Crystal Cluster

Teaches harmony and cooperation through working together.

aggregator Crystal

Aggregate Crystals are large crystals partially or totally covered in smaller crystals.

Rainbow Crystal

Rainbow Crystal
Rainbow Crystals are crystals with visible rainbows within the crystal structure.

Self Healed Crystal

Self Healed Crystals

Crystals come in every sizes, shapes and colors. Many are multi-colored.Their matrix’s follow the patterning of Sacred Geometry.All crystals and gemstones are living organisms. Crystals have a life energy of their own, they are alive and usually grow in clusters.They are part of the Mineral Kingdom.All crystals ‘vibrate’ on their own individual frequency. The frequency they send out will determine which crystal you will choose at a certain point in your life. You do choose different crystals as your needs change.Many crystals are as old as our planet and record the history of the planet.Some crystals supposedly come here from off of the planet – such moldavite or other elestial crystals.
When you chose a crystal – it will seem to ‘call’ to you as if it has been waiting for you. This is because you and that crystal are on the same frequency.The crystal will ‘catch your eye’ and you will feel an immediate connection, even if it is not the crystal you came for. When you hold the crystal in your hand, you will feel a connection of frequency.Image result for crystals and cosmic energy fantacy art
Some people find crystals. Some people ‘feel’ that crystals find them. Once you have your crystal – the next step is to clean and clear the energies from it. You clear it to clean frequencies in it that are not in balance for with you. Quartz crystals and gemstones easily attract all kinds of ‘vibrations’; negative as well as positive. The stones are always ‘open’ to receiving impressions from everyone and everything around them! Your stone, which you have just selected, may well have traveled many thousands of miles before coming to you – and may well have acquired many negative energies and ‘ vibrations’ before it became yours. Therefore before starting to use your stone for any purpose whatsoever it is very important that you first remove any of these unwanted ‘vibrations’ and disharmonious energies. You must do everything you possibly can to ensure that only the most natural – and purest – energies remain within your stone.
The method you use is always a matter of personal choice. Approach the crystal as if it is a living entity. Most people wash their crystals in water or soak them for several hours in sea salt mixed in water. My method seems silly to most people – but it works for my crystals. I use a liquid soap – such as “Soft Soap”. I rinse my crystals – apply a bit of soap – rinse them gently again – then place them on a soft cloth to dry. Next I place them in sunlight to energize them. Moonlight will do the same thing especially during a Full Moon. Once my crystal is clean and clear – I hold it in my hand and the crystal and I begin a discussion. The crystal usually tells me where it wants to be in my home and what its purpose is at that time. This can vary after a period of time when crystal tell you that they want to be placed somewhere else in the home. Talking to crystals telepathically is called Scrying.
Hold the cleansed crystal in your hand (right or left) and send it a telepathic message. The energy of your thoughts will be incorporated into the crystal. Meditating with your crystal: Crystals can enhance the energies of your mtation. You can hold the crystal, wear it, place it on a specific chakra (if it is small enough), or combine it with other crystals you are using.Planets and crystalsRelated image

Sun: Garnet

Vulcan: Malachite

Venus: Lapis, Pearl, Turquoise

Moon: Pearl, Turquoise

Mars: Amethyst, Garnet

Jupiter: Amethyst

Saturn: Garnet, Jade

Neptune: Jade, Malachite, Pearl

Uranus: Amethyst, Lapis, Malachite, Quartz

Pluto: Amethyst, Garnet, Malachite, Quartz

Promotes self healing and regeneration.Image result for crystals and cosmic energy

Depending from the thickness of the frequency of the electromagnetic waves or vibration of the energy, it maintain the structure, shape and the color of the Crystals. Therefore they are different by their shape,color and their energetic value, the resonance with which they vibrate in their energetic field. Some Crystals energy Vibration frequency is suitable with our’s body energy vibration depending on which level or resonance of the energy vibration is our body. Therefore some Crystals are suitable for us and can help us in any purpose we guide and program them,and some are not. That is why we should always carefully choose our Crustal.Each Crystal are different from the other and we should find ours.We should not be in a rush for doing it. just take our time as much as we need it.Crystal meanings including: clear quartz, smoky quartz,fluorite ,rose quartz, amethyst crystals and many more. Please visit again soon and check out more crystal meanings as this list will continue to grow.

Agate – Strength and Courage

Agate is a stone of strength and courage; it tones and strengthens the mind & body, grounding and stabilising emotions and physical energy. Agate helps with the acceptance of oneself and to see the truth. Its healing and cleansing qualities eliminate negative energy, soothing and calming the mind, body & spirit. Agate occurs naturally in many colors but is also often dyed brilliant bright colours.Healing: Tones and strengthens the body, heals emotional tension related diseases, stimulates the digestive system and heals skin disorders
Chakras: Third Eye & Crown

Amethyst – Spirituality and Intuition

Chakras: Third Eye & Crownn

Ametrine – Optimism
Ametrine powerfully combines the qualities of both Amethyst and Citrine creating a stone of optimism. Its high energy balances out stress, tension and emotional blockages to help harmonise and heal the body, creating a feeling of well-being. Ametrine connects the physical realm with the higher consciousness, it facilitates and protects during astral travel and brings greater focus to meditation.

Chakras: Solar Plexus, Third Eye & Crown

Apophyllitie – Recognize Trougth
Apophyllite creates a conscious connection between the physical and spiritual realms, allowing you to access the Akashic Records and past life experiences. It helps you recognise and act upon the truth in all situations. Apophyllite is mentally and spiritually calming and grounding It can be used to open the third eye and to bring light and energy into the heart.

Chakras:Heart & Third Eye

Aragonite Sputnick – Patience and Reliability

Chakras: Base & Earth Chakraa

Aquamarine – Clarity and Purification

Chakras: All (aligning), especially the Throat

Blue Lase Agate – Purification and Communication
Blue Lace Agate gently opens and expands the consciousness, stimulating intuitive and spiritual insight, encouraging creativity and confident expression. It aids communication, promotes harmony with others, calms the mind, sooths the emotions and reduces stress. Blue Lace Agate gives us patience, peace, wisdom, kindness and honesty. It enhances a positive attitude, aligns ones centre and encourages listening and understanding. Blue Lace Agate is nurturing and supporting, bringing a deep inner peace.

Chakras: Throat & Heart

Blue Quartz – Calming and Harmonious

Chakra: Throat & Third Eye

Clear Calcite – Amplifies and Cleanse

Chakra: All Chakras

Calcite Golden – Joy and Lightheartedness
Calcite is a powerful amplifier and cleanser of energy. Its uplifting energy brings joy, optimism, light heartedness and self confidence into your life. It helps to balance the emotions, boosts the memory, calms the mind, alleviates stress, enhances trust in oneself and strengthens the ability to overcome setbacks connecting the emotions with the intellect. Golden Calcite is excellent for meditation and attuning your mind to the higher planes and induces a deeper sense of relaxation.

Chakra: Sacral, Solar Plexus & Crown

Carnelian  – Warm and Joyous

Chakras: Sacral, Solar Plexus & Heart

Celestitie – Positive and Uplifting
Celestite has a gentle, calming and uplifting energy, bringing harmonious balance and alignment into your life, revealing the truth and helping to resolve conflict. It promotes purity of heart and attracts good fortune Celestite is an ideal crystal to place in your bedroom or healing room as an environment cleanser and source of soft positive energy. It helps you to access the angelic realm as well as urging you towards spiritual development and enlightenment.

Healing: Dissolves pain, treats disorders of the eyes and ears, eliminates toxins, helps fainting, releases chronic tension and hardenings in bones, tissue and organs.
Chakras: Throat & Crown

Chevron Amethyst – Spirituality and Intuition

Chakras: Third Eye & Crown

Citrine –  Revitalizing and Cleansing

Chakras: Solar Plexus & Crownn

Clear Quartz – Energizing

Chakras: All Chakra

Desert Rose – All things possible

Chakra: Crown

Epidote  – Recovery and Regeneration

Fire Agate – Courage and Protection
Fire Agate is the stone of courage, protection and strength, enhancing vigar and positive thinking. It has a deep connection to the earth bringing safety and security with its calming energy. Fire Agate promotes initiative, commitment and understanding. It helps alleviate fears and reflect harm away. It helps to eliminate cravings, addictions and destructive desires.

Chakra: Sacral & Solar Plexus

Fluorite – Focus and Protection

Chakras: Third Eye

Green Aventurine – Emotional Tranquility

Chakras: Heart

Green Jade – Emotional balance

Chakras: Heart

Hematite – Energizing and Vitalizing
Hematite is a grounding and protective stone that energies and vitalizes the physical body. It promotes optimism, determination, courage, self esteem and willpower, helping you to magnetize what you truly want and to strive for improvement. Hematite harmonize the mind, body and spirit, helping to dissolve negativity.

Chakras: Base

Jasper Red – Grounding and Stimulating
Red Jasper represents the earth and is a grounding stone that promotes stability and balance in life. It warms and enlivens the will and enhances courageous and dynamic energy that sustains and supports in times of stress. Red Jasper brings tranquility and wholeness into your life, gently stimulating your energy, helping you to face your problems, taking away your worries and calming the emotions.

Healing: Stimulates blood flow, the circulatory and digestive systems as well as the sexual organs.
Chakras: Base

Jasper Polychronic – Balance and Stability
Poly-chronic Jasper is also known as Desert Jasper it represents the earth and is a grounding stone that promotes stability and balance in life. It balances the vibrations and emotional energies of the body, and is very nurturing. It helps to bring balance between assertiveness and sensitivity, bringing tranquillity and wholeness into your life, sustaining and supporting in times of stress.

Chakras: Base, Sacral & Solar Plexus

Leumarian Seeded Crystal – Wisdom
Leumarian Seeded crystals are said to have been used in the ancient culture of Leumaria, holding ancient knowledge and wisdom from the past bringing it into the present to awaken our spirit. Leumarians hold a blessing of unconditional love as the earth enters into a new vibration, they show us how to move beyond boundaries and learn about ourselves from the past, reawakening the spirit and giving us self belief so that we can reach our full potential. They are excellent healers, used for balancing and clearing the chakras.

Chakras: All Chakras

Labradorite – Spiritual Connection

Chakras: Heart, Third Eye & Crown

Pyrite Cube – Protection

Chakras: Base, Solar Plexus & Heart

Petrified Wood – Inner Harmony

Chakras: Base, Sacral &Solar Plexus

Rose Quartz – Love and Peace

Chakras: Heart

Selenite – Clarity of Mind

Separtian  – Enhances Communication Abilities
Septarian is a gray clay called bentonite clay made up with yellow calcite and red/brown aragonite formations. Enhances communication abilities. A very good healing stone for yourself or others. Uplifting, it helps you to understand yourself spiritually:

Shungite  -Wonder Stone
Shungite is a hard black, amorphous, coal-like material composed or more than 98% carbon. Regarded as a “wonder stone” It is said to kill and absorb everything that does harm to people and live beings and concentrate and restore everything that is useful

Shiva Lingam  – Unified Male and Female Energy

Chakras: Base & Sacral

Smokey Quartz – Clears blocked energy
Dissipates blocked energy & negativity. Assist grounding, centering and enhances awareness and dreams

Chakras: Base & Sacral

Spirit Quartz – Uplifting
Spirit Quartz is also known as Fairy Quartz or Cactus Quartz, it is an exceptionally spiritual stone. Its uplifting, high vibration energy makes it excellent for meditation and psychic awareness, enhancing harmony and peace. Carrying the gifts of the spirit this stone carries the vibration of universal love and rebirth, opening, aligning and purifying the entire chakra system, perfectly balancing the male and female energies.

Healing: Facilitates multi dimensional spiritual and cellular healing, it is a good stone for overcoming grief or death.
Chakras: All Chakras, through opening the Crown

Tourmaline Black – Supportive

Chakras: Base

Tibetan Quartz  – Spiritual Protection

Chakras: All Chakras

Tiger Iron – Manifestation

Chakra: Base, Sacral & Solar Plexus

Tiger Eye – Personal Power

Chakra: Sacral & Solar Plexus

Ways Crystals Are Used

Related imageYou can see crystals in jewelry because gems can bear patterns that appear to be gorgeously designed by nature. As such, precious stones like diamonds, rubies and emeralds are always set in jewelry. Well-cut diamonds are a type of crystal, and have a clear yet slightly white, almost silvery shine in it. Rubies are mostly blood red, so that its crystals will allow it to stand out. Sometimes Swarovski crystals are added to watches as a design, and to increase its worth. Crystals can even be found in ladies shoes, hair accessories, bags and clothes! Many women like the sparkle that crystals produce. Certain crystals such as quartz are considered for its healing properties.

Decorative uses of Crystal

Jewelry or Slices of crystals can be used as book ends.

Large clusters placed in a room balance energies but also look beautiful, especially large amethyst clusters.Crystals made out of minerals are not only used in jewelry. These can also be used in various apparatuses such as electronic equipment (transistors, radios). Nowadays, television sets and even computers have LCD or liquid crystal display screens. This is because crystal allows the image to appear more vivid, much like reflection on a clear liquid. Watching a movie or television show on an LCD can make you feel that you’re actually part of or in the movie! This gives watching TV a whole new experience.

Many types of crystals are very beautiful to look at and are used to make jewelry. Diamonds, sapphires, amethysts, and rubies are all types of crystals that are often used in jewelry such as rings, earrings, and necklaces. Oftentimes the crystals will be cut into “gemstones” to make a more smooth shape and to make them fit onto the jewelry.

Crystals from rocks called quartz are used inside of computers, radio transmitters and receivers (the things that allow radios to send and pick up sound), and in watches. Energy can flow through certain kinds of crystals so that they can make watches work to keep time and radios pick up signals and send them to speakers so you can hear them!

LCDs (“liquid crystal display”) like television screens and computer monitors actually use a certain type of crystal too – but it’s very different from most crystals because it is more like a liquid than a solid! Even though it is a liquid, its molecules arrange themselves in a pattern, just like they would in a solid crystal. That’s why it’s called liquid crystal.


GourmetBeats by Joe Nice

Representing Baltimore, MD, USA, JoeNice is universally recognised as the ambassador of the dubstep sound in North America and has been instrumental in the global growth and success of dubstep for over a decade. He is North America's first and most respected dubstep DJ. n May 2012, Joe transitioned his monthly radio show from Gourmetbeats.com to the award-winning SubFM, where his GourmetBeats radio show can be heard on the second Tuesday of each month, 7pm - 9pm EST.


演讲者：胡丹  上海交通大学自然科学研究院

Blood vessels are continuously adapting their structures to meet the metabolic demands of the tissue.  Usually such an adaptation makes the vessel system more powerful in blood delivery.  At the same time, many cardiovascular diseases are also related to irregular vessel adaptation, e.g. the hypertension patients appear to have lower micro-vessel density, smaller vessel lumen size, and larger vessel wall thickness.  The wall shear stress and blood pressure play important roles in the adaptation.  However, previous models which take into account these effects are not stable without some unknown additional stimulus.  Our work shows that the pre-capillary sphincters, which are important in the blood auto-regulation, are also crucial in maintaining the adaptation stability.


#2 UDP Socket Pooling

UDP (1)

I've occasionally seen issues with UDP port exhaustion resulting from a high volume of DNS queries. I've been digging through the code an don't fully understand why this happens but netstat shows that the application exhausted all of the available UDP ports. I'm wondering if you would consider adding support for UDP Socket Pooling similar to what is supported by BIND and Microsoft DNS servers. This would allow DNSJNIO to re-use ports from the pool and would limit the number of actual UDP sockets that get allocated by the application.

  • alexd_nom

    alexd_nom - 2014-02-17

    Hi Allan -

    Actually, dnsjnio was originally written to perform all UDP and TCP queries over a single port (for each protocol). After the Kaminsky bug was discovered, source port randomisation was advised (RFC 5452), to prevent cache poisoning. At this point, I configured dnsjnio to use a new port for each query (thus reducing the performance, but increasing the security).

    If it was really desired to reverse this, then it is possible to rebuild dnsjnio with that configuration removed in NonBlockingResolver.java. Check the "useSinglePort" flag. Additionally, older versions of dnsjnio will be configured to use a single port (but they won't have any fixes applied to later versions).

  • Allan O'Driscoll

    Alex, thank you for your reply.

    Complete port randomization is definitely the most secure solution. However the side effect is the possibility of UDP port exhaustion.

    I've already implemented your suggested work around in order to avoid this issue. Right now I'm just exploring the possibility of creating a fix that could be part of the main code base. I don't really want to fork the project because my company requires legal approval for each and every change that we make to open source projects.

    UDP Socket Pooling would be somewhere in the middle security wise, between single port and port randomization. The system would still re-use ports (as in useSinglePort) but instead of a single port it would take them out of a variable sized pool at random. The response would still need to have the correct ID and would need to be received on the correct UDP socket. The advantage, at the cost of a little bit of additional security risk, would be better performance and management of system resources.

    This probably wouldn't be appropriate in all situations but maybe there could be an option to enable it if required.

    • alexd_nom

      alexd_nom - 2014-02-24

      Hi Allan -

      Sorry for the delayed response.

      Can I ask how many concurrent queries there are when you run out of ports?

      Is there a need to send all the queries at once, or could they be throttled to a sensible number to prevent port exhaustion?

      I'd be interested to see how strong the need is to add this feature. I'm uneasy about it, as it goes against the advice in RFC5452 - however, if there was a strong requirement, and a patch was contributed, I'd be happy to consider including it in the codebase.

  • alexd_nom

    alexd_nom - 2014-11-22
    • status: open --> closed

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Chess Explained: the c3 Sicilian - Collins

Chess Explained is a new series of books about chess openings. They are not theoretical works in the traditional sense, but more a series of lessons from a chess expert with extensive over-the-board experience with an opening. You will gain an understanding of the opening and the middlegames to which it leads, enabling you to find the right moves and plans in your own games. It is as if you were sitting at the board with a chess coach answering your questions about the plans for both sides, the ideas behind particular moves, and what specific knowledge you need to have. The c3 Sicilian is one of White's most popular and poisonous ways to avoid the main lines of the Sicilian. With the forcing line 1 e4 c5 2 c3, White denies his opponent the chance to demonstrate his preparation in some chaotic system; instead Black will have to fight carefully for equality in a more rational position of White's choosing. There are plenty of tricks and traps in the c3 Sicilian, and the open piece-play that often results can lead to quick attacks and means that careless play will rarely go unpunished. Sam Collins is a young International Master from Ireland who won the Irish Championship in 2002. He competed in several World and European junior championships and has represented Ireland in four Olympiads, winning a gold medal at Bled in 2002. He is also an experienced chess teacher who has lectured at the Berkeley Chess School in California. His previous book for Gambit was the highly successful general opening work Understanding the Chess Openings.
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Two eyes on the sky

January 8, 1999

Observatories and jobs were sacrificed to build twin giant telescopes, but was it all worth it? asks Alison Goddard

In coming days the first of two giant telescopes will open its eye on the heavens. The Gemini twin telescopes will be the first to provide complete coverage of both the northern and southern hemispheres of the sky, so that astronomers can continuously monitor interesting objects such as baby stars and black holes.

The first telescope is situated at the summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on Hawaii. Its twin, which will be completed later this year, is on Cerro Pachon, an extremely dry mountain top in the Chilean Andes.

It is 20 years since British astronomers had the idea of building a large telescope in collaboration with the United States. Since then the project has grown to include a second telescope and five more partners: Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina and Brazil. The United Kingdom has paid a quarter of the total $190 million price tag. "Gemini is designed to give the sharpest deep view of the universe that we can get," says Roger Davies of the University of Durham, who chairs the UK Gemini steering group.

Exciting stuff, yet the UK has paid a high price to take part - the closure of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in Cambridge, announced in July 1997. Much of the work to develop instruments for the Gemini telescopes was done at Cambridge and the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. But the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council was forced to close the Cambridge observatory to pay for Gemini's operation.

Malcolm Longair, president of the Royal Astronomical Society, wrote to members in April 1997: "(The financial) pressures come at a time when Gemini is nearing completion and provision has to be made for the UK share of operations and development. Further cost savings, or programme reductions, are therefore essential. Much of the burden must inevitably fall I on the future workload of the Royal Observatories."

The Cambridge observatory closed at the end of October with the loss of about 50 staff. Five transferred to a new astronomy technology centre created at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh to develop instruments for telescopes. "It is hard to see how you can afford to have a team just ready and waiting to develop telescopes," admits Pat Roche of the University of Oxford, the UK project scientist on Gemini. "As telescope projects get bigger and more international, they will pull in big teams of people as they need them," he adds.

British astronomers are convinced that Gemini will be worth it. "Gemini is critically important for the UK, to allow us to continue at the forefront of ground-based astronomy," Roche says. They are confident, too, that they will still take part in large international collaborations. "It is not necessarily obvious that we can scale up Gemini," says Davies, "but it is very likely that, in future, there will be international collaborations to build mega-telescopes and bigger interferometers."

The bigger interferometers - networks of telescopes that are linked to become, in effect, one huge telescope - will include the large millimetre-wave array. This is an international project to build a linked array of 50 to 100 carbon-fibre dishes for highly sensitive studies of star formation and galactic evolution.

"The large millimetre-wave array is the highest priority for UK ground-based astronomy," Roche says. But astronomers were disappointed with their recent funding allocation, which left particle physics and astronomy with almost static funding for the next three years in real terms. Some planned projects will have to be axed. British physicists must decide whether to participate in the large millimetre-wave array within the year.

The Gemini telescopes are big, with circular mirrors to collect starlight that are eight metres across. This means that the telescopes can see distant faint objects but it also makes them too large to be launched into space. Instead users must peer through the atmosphere, which distorts and absorbs light, blurring the images.

To counteract this, the telescopes have been built on top of high mountains - Mauna Kea and Cerro Pachon are 4,200 metres and 2,715 metres above sea level respectively. Both sites have good weather and are very dry - water absorbs the infrared radiation that the telescopes need to detect. The telescopes will also use a new technology called adaptive optics to straighten bent starlight.

Unlike light, infrared radiation can penetrate the dusty nurseries where stars are born. Astronomers will therefore use Gemini to study star formation. "We know that stars form in dense clouds of dust within our galaxy," says Roger Davies of Durham University. "But if we are really going to understand how stars form, then we can't only look within our own galaxy, we must also look elsewhere. We would really like to know how stars form in galaxies other than the Milky Way."

Gemini will also help astronomers understand how galaxies form and evolve. Because the universe is expanding and light travels at a set speed, looking at distant objects is equivalent to looking back in time. "We can look at galaxies as they were five to ten billion years ago," says Davies. This will allow astronomers to test the theory of hierarchical clustering, which says that dwarf galaxies formed from denser regions and that these amalgamated with neighbours to become galaxies of the normal size that we see today.

Finally, Gemini will be used to test models of how planets form from discs of dust orbiting stars.

"It was the 1987 supernova," says Pat Roche of Oxford University. "It provided the first opportunity to look at a supernova in detail. We made observations using the Anglo- Australian telescope for about two years from shortly after the supernova went off. I was in the UK but I went to Australia every two to three months to pursue these observations."

"It is tremendously exciting to look through a telescope and see the moons of Jupiter and then look a few hours later and see that they have moved," says Davies. "And there are rare events that astronomers see just because they spend a lot of time watching the sky: fireballs and flashes."

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How to reconnect with your business.

We can be so busy running our businesses, that we can sometimes run adrift from the reasons we set them up in the first place.

Can you remember what those reasons were, have they changed, have you changed?

Every so often it’s worth reconnecting with your business. Asking yourself; what did you start it for? And where are you going now?

Maybe you didn’t even have a set of reasons, perhaps parenthood, redundancy or health made the decision for you and you stumbled into the path of self-employment, with only a solid notion that you had to make money doing what you could.

However, you started your business, whether you had a concrete set of notions of values, or whether you have just been flying by the seat of you pants; I’m inviting you to take 20 minutes and re-calibrate.

What are your values

Do you know what your values are?  What are the things you know to be true, expect of yourself and of others?

Here’s some values that you might feel an affinity to:

·        Trust

·        Integrity

·        Community

·        Love

·        Authenticity

·        Balance

·        Pleasure

·        Service

·        Loyalty

·        Leadership

·        Creativity

There are obviously many more!

Have a think about 3 core values that reflect you, your business and your work ethic.

These core values can act as an anchor as your business grows & changes.  If you have an opportunity that you’re not sure about, ask yourself, does it fit in with my values?

This also works with social media and promoting yourself on line. Your business is only as good as people say it is when you’re not in the room. What values do you want people to feel about you?

Coming up with 3 core values will help you to create content. Ask yourself, does this content add to my brand values?

If your core values are honesty, integrity and community and you’re thinking about sharing something about how much you dislike the Conservative manifesto, this may tick the honest and integrity box, but how about community? If you offend members of your community, are you upholding your values? Obviously, this is your business, so you make the decisions.

Once you’ve nailed down your values, have a think about your why.

What is your why?

Your why is the reason you do what you do, your quest, your guiding reason for existing.

Why do you do what you do?

Not what you do or how you do it, but why.

So, here’s my example to make sense of this.

My Why is to support people to live happy independent live

My What is to give clarity & confidence to women in business to work smarter with social media.

My How is by providing one to one coaching looking at all online communication and creating a strategy.

Once you know you why, this can provide the lynchpin to all your marketing. It’s why you exist and why you do what you do.

As well as your values, knowing your why will help you in tricky times, when you are given opportunities that you can’t make sense of.  Revert back to your why – does this action help you achieve your goal.

Having a why and knowing what it is will also help you to create an authentic brand. It’s a mission to create, build, do whatever you are on this earth to do.

I love helping women reconnect with their business, discover their values and their why and look at ways to use these to help build content to be shared on social media.

It’s really boring and difficult to keep talking about your products or services all the time. You’re your potential customers want is a connection to you. And what you need is to feel authentic and valued. Knowing your why and your values is part of the whole puzzle of promoting yourself online with authenticity!


Manchester Road Race photos, videos, and stories here

Missing 81-year-old Stratford man located

STRATFORD–An elderly Stratford man since Tuesday has been located at a New Haven hospital.

Anthony Petitte, who was born on September 14, 1934, went missing from Stratford on Tuesday.

Officials said. unknown to them,  Pettite was in the custody of Yale-New Haven Hospital.  Currently police are trying to determine how he got there. they describe him as being in good health. However, they don’t know what town he was transported from.


Last updated on March 13, 2014 at 12:00 am EDT by in5d Alternative News

In modern science, the prevailing opinion supposes that whatever falls into a black hole disappears forever and breaks apart into the component parts. However, a new theory states that black holes do not destroy the matter but rather are a kind of exit gate which lead to other universes just like our own.

The new theory was developed by Jorge Pullin of the State University of Louisiana and Rodolfo Gambino of the University of the Republic of Uruguay. The two scientists decided to study the predictions of the theory of quantum Every Black Hole Contains Another Universe, Claims New Study | In5D.comgravity in black holes. More specifically, they applied the equations of quantum gravity in a non-rotating black hole with spherical symmetry.

According to the new equations, the matter black holes absorb and seemingly destroy is actually expelled and becomes the building blocks for galaxies, stars, and planets in another reality. Essentially, every black hole contains a smaller alternate universe. And our universe might just exist inside a black hole of a galaxy in a much larger universe.

So within the 100 billion galaxies in our known universe lies 100 billion universes in the galactic Every Black Hole Contains Another Universe, Claims New Study | In5D.comblack holes of our universe, with 100 billion more galaxies each containing another universe with more galaxies, and so on infinitely.


Final Project

Part 1.3

Consider any triangle ABC. Select a point P inside the triangle and draw the lines AP, BP, and CP extended to their intersections with the opposite sides in points D, E, and F respectively. Explore (AF)(BD)(EC) and (FB)(DC)(EA) for various triangles and various locations of P.

Conjecture? Prove it! Also, consider the ratio (AF)(BD)(EC)/(FB)(DC)(EA).

This investigation discusses the relationship between similar triangles. We begin with triangle ABC and a point P arbitrarily placed inside the triangle.

To produce the relationships and the similar triangles, we connect point P with each vertex of the triangle.

Our goal is to prove that (AF)(BD)(EC) and (FB)(DC)(EA) are equal. One approach is to prove that the ratios are equal to one.

The following image shows the lengths of the sides that are to be multiplied together. I have also created some parallel lines to help us locate and recognize the similar triangles.

The lines are parallel to AD, which passes through point P.

You can click on the image to manipulate triangle ABC.

To prove that (AF)(BD)(EC) and (FB)(DC)(EA) are equal it is suggested to show that their ratios are equal to one.

That is

Our first set of similar triangles can be found using the lines parallel to PD and sharing the angle B. Because the two triangles share the angle B and have parallel bases, we know that the sides will be in proportion and therefore the triangles will be similar.

The next set of similar triangles follow along the same thought pattern. You can prove their similarity using PD and VB, which are parallel. The triangle CBV and CDP share the angle C and have parallel bases. The parallel bases create two pairs of sides that are proportional. With these characteristics we can say that the triangles are similar.

Again, the parallelity of lines help to prove the similarity of the next sets of triangles. We can prove that triangle CPW is similar to triangle BPV through the Angle-Angle theorem of similarity. In the image below it is easy to see the vertical angles BPV and CPW created by the intersection of BW and CV. Vertical angles are equal. The next pair of equal angles are created by parallel lines (the extensions of CH and BI) and the transversals BW and CV, respectively.

Again, we turn our attention to triangles that have parallel bases and any angles that may have the same measurement. The parallel lines cut by transversals help to create angles that are equal, thus allowing the Angle-angle theorem of similarity to hold once again. The images below were found to be similar using this approach.

Now that we have determined the relationships between all of the similar triangles in our figure, we need to bring it together and prove our original ratio

We need to manipulate the ratios that we know are equal to create a ratio that is demonstrably equal to one. To enable us to reach our goal, we should substitute some known values.

We can substitute

we can use the transitive property of multiplication and conclude that

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Jason Pihl Dog Trainer Scottsdale ArizonaEver since Jason was a newborn, he has been around dogs. During his childhood in Chicago, Jason's parents taught him how to care for and respect the family dogs. They also introduced him to basic training techniques, which unlocked his passion for dog handling.

After high school, Jason ventured off to college in Germany. He made stops in England and Spain, before eventually settling in Phoenix, Arizona. In Phoenix, he was introduced to Lorenzo, who re-ignited Jason's enthusiasm for working with dogs. Using Lorenzo's philosophy, Jason and Gunni, his rescued German shepherd, help owners and their dogs develop mutually beneficial relationships, promoting communication and respect for all.

If Jason helped you and your dog, please, WRITE A REVIEW to share your experience.


Eight Tips For Better Digital Photos

800px-PhotographerWhether you are an amateur photographer, or if you simply want to create better family photos, there are many things you can do. Here are eight easy tips to use next time you get out your digital camera.

#1. Be Prepared

Keep all of your photography equipment ready to go; a roomy camera bag is ideal, it will keep all your equipment together, and it’s easy to carry with you. A good camera bag will let you organize extra batteries, memory cards, a miniature tripod, even a waterproof housing to protect your camera in wet weather.

Hold your Camera Steady

Out of focus, blurry photos are nearly always the result of camera movement. Steady yourself and your camera before you take the shot, by planting your feet firmly, tuck your elbows in close, and hold your breath. You can also steady your body by leaning against a tree, rock or wall, or better yet, use a tripod. Instead of using the LCD viewer, frame the shot using your camera’s viewfinder for better focusing. Once you’ve framed the shot, press the shutter release gently in one quick motion. Pressing the shutter release too hard could jerk the camera.

Get Closer

One difference between really great photos and “snapshots” is the photo’s color and composition. Unless you’re shooting a landscape, you can improve most photos by getting closer to your subject. You can use the zoom, or physically move closer to your subject. Get within a few feet of your subject, to eliminate most of the background.

Take more Pictures

Professionals take many, many of shots of the same subject, just to get just a few that are exceptional. With a digital camera, you can simply delete the images you don’t like, and only print the best, so do not hesitate to take more than a few shots of the same subject. Change the angle, get closer, adjust the lighting.

Vary the Lighting

Natural light will yield more attractive skin tones when photographing people, so avoid using the flash if you don’t absolutely have to. Outdoor daylight shots are easy, but you’ll have to be a little more creative with your lighting when shooting indoors. Try using the sunlight light from a window for warmer tones than you would get from a flash. Experiment with natural lighting, try getting stronger shadows, by moving your subject closer to a window, and creating more dramatic shadows.

Eliminate Red-Eye

Red eye is caused by light passing through your subject’s eye, and reflecting off the back. This will happen more often when using a flash, because the light from a flash is not as diffused as natural light. The first tip to eliminate red eye is simply avoiding your flash when you don’t absolutely need to. Another way to reduce red eye is have your subject look away from the camera. Some digital cameras have a built in feature to automatically remove red eye. Use it.

Go for Candid

Rather than posing people with everyone looking directly at the camera, pose your shot of the group interacting with one another. Even two people having a conversation will be more interesting than two people standing next to each other, staring at the camera. Often professional portraits pose the subject as if in deep in thought, with their attention focused inward, rather than focusing on the camera.

Create a Scene

Placing your subject in the center of a photo is boring; try placing your subject off center, when framing the shot. Placing your subject so that they occupy 1/3 to 1/2 of the total composition, but NOT in the center of the frame is a professional technique. Have an interesting background in the rest of the frame.


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Tour Conditions

Participating Carriers: All members of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The Airlines concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not on board their planes or conveyances. The passage contract in use by the airlines concerned, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and the purchasers of the tours and/or passengers. Itineraries are based on air schedules currently available and are subject to change without notice.

Air Fare and Land Cost: The price quoted is in U.S. Dollars and valid until December 31, 2017. Prices are subject to change without notice due to currency fluctuations in rate and foreign tariff increases. Airport taxes and two pieces of luggage per person are included.

Hotels: Accommodations as specified based on twin-bedded rooms. A limited number of single room accommodations are available at an additional charge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

Airport transfers in the Holy Land, transportation, sightseeing and porterage: Included as listed in the itinerary

Taxes: Airport taxes are included in the cost.

Not Included in the Tour Price: Expenses of a personal nature, passport and visa fees (if applicable). Passports must be valid until 31 December 2017.

Tips: Not included for hotel staff, guide, driver and other persons rendering services to the group.

Cancelations and Refunds: A $200.00 non-refundable deposit is required upon completion of the registration form. 90 days prior to the departure date an additional deposit will be required to secure the space on the airline as well as on the land tour portion.  Cancelations made within the 90 days will result in a forfeiture of the initial two deposits.  30 days prior to departure the balance will due.  Any changes made within the 30 days are at the sole discretion of the tour operator.  See payment schedule for more details.

Insurance: While every effort is made to ensure that baggage is properly handled, United Travel or its Representative/Agent is not responsible for damage, loss or theft. Baggage, trip cancellation and health insurance are inexpensive and highly recommended.

Itinerary Variations: United Travel is constantly striving to improve each itinerary and feature. If improvements can be made, or conditions beyond our control deem changes necessary, we reserve the right to vary itineraries and make substitutes in consultation with each tour leader.

Responsibility of Tour Operator: United Travel, Jerusalem, (its Representative/Agent) gives notice that all tickets and coupons are issued by them, and all arrangements for transportation, conveyance or hotel accommodation are made by them as AGENTS upon the express condition that they shall not be liable for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or through the acts of default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger, or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour, or otherwise in connection herewith, or of any hotel proprietor or servant. Such conveying, etc. is subject to the laws of the country where the conveyance, etc. is provided. The aforesaid company can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in plane or other services, sickness, weather, strikes, war, quarantine or other causes. All losses or other expenses will be borne by the passengers. The right is reserved to refuse to accept or retain any one as a member of any tour at any time, or to cancel or alter any tour if circumstances require. Any and/or all transportation companies herein mentioned shall have or incur no responsibility or liability to any traveler aside from their liabilities as common carriers. The airlines concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission, or event when passengers are not on board its aircraft. The usual passage contract used by the carrier when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airline and the passengers.


Media Coverage

All inquests must be held in public and someone from the press might be present in court. The coroner will make every effort to treat the family sympathetically and will often not read out personal notes or letters or display other sensitive evidence unless it is essential. The Coroner may warn the family before such evidence is produced to allow them to withdraw if they wish.

In some cases the person, company or organisation who is said to have caused the death might be present. They might give evidence. They may be represented by lawyers.

In some instances the family may want to publicise the inquest, and it is possible to prepare a press statement to give to journalists.

Activity stream


University of Edinburgh

Improving BSL Skills Workshop - using non-manual features

Presented on 27 February 2002

Non-manual features in BSL

Non-manual features are used at different levels of BSL.

We need to know the form and function of the features, ie: what features are used and what they are used for.

Various, eg: 'sh' lip pattern; puffed cheeks; sucked-in cheecks, etc Inherent 'phonological' element of signs: as much a part of the sign as the handshape. Multi-channel signs, eg: 'existence' signs; 'bang one's head againsta a brick wall'; negative markers such as 'vee' and 'th'. Part of the lexical resources of BSL.
'th'; 'sh'; puffed cheeks, tongue protrusion, etc. Non-manual morphemes we can add to give information often given by adverbs (adverbials), adjectives and intensifiers in English. Expressing meanings such as 'unpleasantly', 'carelessly', 'with difficulty', etc. Part of the morphological resources of BSL.
Furrowed eyebrows; raised eyebrows 'wh' questions; yes/no questions Part of BSL syntax
Eyebrows raised, eyes wide open, head tilt Marking the topic in topic-comment utterances Part of BSL syntax
Body shift Used to indicate who is being referred to, eg: in reported dialogue (role shift) Park of discourse structure, ie: the level of language beyone the sentence. This tells us who is communicating.
Eye-gaze To indicate the referent - ie: object or person being referred to Park of BSL syntax

Support materials

Handout: Examples taken from Sign 9: Non-manual features I
(Sign: a series of VHS bideotapes on BSL from the Edinburgh Research Project)

Handout: Extract from The visual world of BSL, showing phonological elements in 'that's right'; 'oh my God', 'bang one's head against a brick wall', 'saunter', 'could have happened', 'because', 'be', 'there'

Handout: Extract from The visual world of BSL, showing non-manual morphemes 'th', 'sh', 'ee', 'puffed cheeks', 'open wide', 'drawn in lips', 'puckered nose', 'downward droop'


September 1939 and the Soviet Occupation - History -

September 1939 and the Soviet Occupation

he course of events sped up after the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. 110,000 of the one million soldiers of the Polish Army were Ukrainian. They fought arm-in-arm with the other soldiers of the Polish Army. At the same time, however, a Ukrainian nationalist terror flared up in Volhynia, particularly after the Soviet invasion of Poland on September 17, 1939.

MapInstances of rape, looting, and murder spread across Volhynia. Polish manors and farms were set ablaze. The number of Polish victims is estimated at 2,000−3,000. Many of those people were soldiers, policemen, clerks, and refugees who had evacuated from Central Poland as it was being overrun by Hitler’s invasion force. Moreover, the Germans began to play the Ukrainian card. The “Sushko” legion is a good example. Six hundred men strong, this OUN detachment was trained by the Abwehr and organized by the Germany-based Col. Roman Sushko. The Sushko legion took part in the German invasion of Poland from the south.

The Polish territories that found themselves under the Soviet occupation stretched eastward from the Pisa, Narew, Bug, and San rivers and constituted 52 % of Poland’s territory (ca. 200,000 km²). Inhabited by over 13.7 million people, they were incorporated into the USSR.

The period of the Soviet occupation of Poland’s eastern territories was one of numerous repressions, mostly (but not solely) against Poles. The persecutions continued with varying intensity and in various forms until the German invasion of the USSR on June 22, 1941. By then hundreds of thousands of Polish citizens had been arrested, imprisoned, or deported to Siberia during four deportation campaigns. Various repressions were levelled against Polish political and social activists, reserve officers, priests, landowners, policemen, foresters, industrialists, merchants, military and civilian settlers and their families, along with escapees from the territories occupied by Germany. But in mid-1940 the Soviets intensified the repressions against Ukrainian nationalists.

After the German invasion of the USSR, the NKVD massacred almost all the people detained in Volhynian and Galician prisons before its evacuation from those territories. The number of victims in Łuck alone is estimated at 2,000−4,500. Similarly, approx. 500 people were killed in Dubno. Moreover, before their retreat from Lvov the Soviets murdered over 3,000 Polish, Ukrainian, and Jewish prisoners.

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November 25, 2017

Buddhist Eschatology and 2012

Does Buddhist eschatology support the end of the world on December 21, 2012 to coincide with the Mayan calendar? If not, how do Buddhists think the world ends?

Why Does the Mayan Calendar Want to Kill Us in 2012?


Potential Herniated Disc Symptoms

Herniated Disc Symptoms

Herniated disc symptoms, like many varieties of back pain, come in a wide range of descriptions, locations and levels of intensity. Symptoms might also vary greatly, depending on the actual cause and consequences of the herniation. While there is no sure way to diagnose a herniated disc without a positive confirmation via proper diagnostic imaging study, there are some indications that a disc abnormality might exist.

This resource section will examine the symptoms which are possible to experience in association with a bulging or ruptured disc. We will also discuss why most herniations are not symptom-generating and how a great number of disc issues are coincidental to any symptomatic expressions suffered.

Herniated Disc Symptoms / Pain

Herniated discs which occur spontaneously due to sudden trauma to the spine will generally produce sharp pain. This acute back pain is normal to experience from any trauma and might occur even if no herniated disc injury exists.

Most mild to moderate disc injuries will heal on their own and the pain will typically resolve in 2 to 8 weeks.

Herniated discs occurring from idiopathic reasons or due to disc degeneration are often not symptomatic at all. Usually, these herniations will not create any pain and might go unnoticed for many years. Degeneration of the disc structures is completely normal and only creates pain in a very small percentage of affected individuals.

Diversity of Herniated Disc Symptoms

Learn all about the many possible symptomatic expressions caused by intervertebral protrusions in the following topical essays:

Discitis describes an infection of an intervertebral spacer.

Sciatica from a herniated disc is an added burden to an already miserable problem.

Herniated disc muscle spasms can create acutely painful expressions.  Herniated disc spasms may exist anywhere in the spinal anatomy or surrounding musculature.

Herniated disc muscle imbalances may result if particular muscles are not innervated correctly and lose their physical abilities to function.

Herniated disc leg cramps are virtually always a result of lumbar herniations combined with sciatica symptoms.

Herniated disc incontinence is one of the worst possible symptomatic effects of cauda equina compression.  Herniated disc problem urinating may involve the inability to pass urine or the inability to hold urine internally.

Herniated disc headaches are often related to a cervical intervertebral pathology.

Herniated disc foot drop describes a dorsiflexion deficit usually enacted by a lower back disc protrusion.

Herniated disc flare-ups are recurrent acute pain attacks that affect many patients throughout life.

Herniated disc dizziness and vertigo can occur in some patients who suffer high level cervical disc pathologies.

Can a herniated disc cause hamstring pain? Yes it can and often does.

Herniated Disc Symptoms / Neurological

Associated neurological symptoms might accompany pain or may exist even when there is no pain at all. The most common of these neurological effects include: tingling, weakness or numbness in the affected area or in the region of the body served by the constricted spinal nerve root.

There are 3 main causes of neurological symptoms stemming from a herniated disc condition:

The first is due to mechanical compression of a nerve root. This is often called a pinched nerve when it occurs in the upper body and sciatica when it occurs in the lower back. In this situation, the bulging disc compresses a nerve root, limiting its proper function. This condition is also sometimes known as foraminal stenosis, although this same diagnosis can also exist due to other reasons, such as spinal osteoarthritis.

The second reason for neurological symptoms to occur is a herniation or rupture which impinges on the actual spinal cord or cauda equina. This event is typically diagnosed as spinal stenosis due to a disc protrusion. This can be a serious event in rare instances and is the source of such drastic symptoms as cauda equina syndrome.  Many herniated discs impinge on the thecal sac, which surrounds the spinal cord, but do not create any neurological effects on the cord itself.

The third reason behind neurological symptoms is due to chemical radiculitis. This is a controversial diagnosis and describes irritation of the spinal nerve roots due to exposure to the nucleus pulposus proteins which escape from a ruptured disc. Typically, the body will absorb and neutralize these proteins without treatment, although this process may take some time to accomplish.

Herniated Disc Symptoms / Misdiagnosis

There is a wide range of structural and psychosomatic back pain syndromes which can create the exact same symptomology as a herniated disc. Patients who are diagnosed with a disc herniation should respond well to appropriate medical treatment.

If not, there is a very good chance that the condition has been misdiagnosed.

In these instances, the herniation exists, but it is completely coincidental to the pain. This is extremely common and is the primary reason why so many patients can not find relief from pain which they believe to be caused by a herniated disc.

After all, how can herniated disc treatment work to resolve pain, if the disc is not the actual source of the symptoms?

Advice on Herniated Disc Symptoms

It is important to remember that the overwhelming number of herniated discs fall into 2 basic categories.

First are the ones which do not cause any pain or neurological symptoms at all. They are rarely even discovered, unless stumbled upon by chance during diagnostic imaging for an unrelated condition.

Second are the disc injuries which cause acute pain for a limited time frame and then fully resolve.

Herniated discs rarely cause perpetual pain, although they have a reputation for doing so. This unfair representation is not medically or historically accurate and has definitely been disseminated by the back pain industry due to antiquated Cartesian philosophies and perpetuated as a means of accomplishing the financial aspirations of care providers.

Learn the facts about herniated discs and you will find that most mild to moderate examples are simply not the nightmarish affliction portrayed in medical propaganda.

Herniated Disc  > Herniated Disc Symptoms


Blog: Dave LeggettCO2: can of worms

Dave Leggett | 12 June 2006

One thing about greenhouse gas emissions that is becoming clearer to me is that the whole thing is rather a can of worms. For example, the CO2 generated by vehicles in use is one thing, but what about the CO2 generated in a vehicle’s manufacture?

How significant is it and how would you set about measuring it (bearing in mind that there is a long list of brought in components and materials from suppliers); how transport intensive was the whole production process and how much energy – in total - was needed in manufacture (and distribution, end of life disposal)?

But what about the other CO2 culprits? Is the focus on the automobile out of proportion to its significance in the overall picture? Are our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions token at best anyway in the face of a surge in greenhouse gas emissions from China and India?

Let’s not go too far with those thoughts that can, if you take them to their logical conclusions, send you to one of two rather depressing scenarios: 1) let’s all ride bicycles, wear sackcloth, live in tents and forget about maximising economic growth; or 2) realistically, we’re doomed anyway, so let’s carry on polluting and at least enjoy ourselves while we can.

It perhaps is reasonable for all of us to take a little responsibility to do what we can in terms of our own lives and consumption decisions that we make every day. Recycling things where possible makes sense and so does minimising waste. I ride a bicycle sometimes because it is practical and fun.

What about the role of the authorities in pulling incentives levers to encourage people to do certain things, make a greener course of action more attractive?

Carbon-efficient alternative fuels are one area where incentives can be important in generating a volume shift that makes the provision of the fuel (refuelling infrastructure or alternative fuelled vehicles) more commercially viable so that nascent technologies can develop. That has been the experience with bio-ethanol in Sweden, for example.

But companies frequently have to work in a tough market environment with little government support. In such circumstances the commercial pay-off may be way in the future when the product has gained market acceptance and technology preferences have shifted. And in the meantime, progress to a lower CO2 vehicle fleet is slowed.

UK: Honda undeterred by low carbon car grants refusal

Colossal China powers on

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Titolo/Abstract/Parole chiave

Biophysical mechanisms of membrane perturbation and signal transduction produced by proteins and peptides

Fasoli, Anna (2015) Biophysical mechanisms of membrane perturbation and signal transduction produced by proteins and peptides. Tesi di Dottorato , Università degli Studi di Ferrara.

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    My primary research interest is focused on the field of cellular electrical activity, ranging from the ion channels that generates it, up to the study of intracellular processes regulating it, and new generation of drugs. For this purpose, during my Ph.D. I have learnt and improved different cutting-edge techniques, i.e. the patch-clamp technique, the fluorescence imaging, and the synthesis and use of model membranes. Moreover, to explore particular aspects of these molecular mechanisms and to overcome the issues raised during the investigations, non-conventional strategies were employed, even requiring the development of specific devices not commercially available. In summary, my Ph.D. thesis is focused on two projects: the biophysical characterization of a particular class of membrane active peptides, and the modulation of visual phototransduction in vertebrate cones. In the first project, I investigated the mechanism of membrane perturbation of cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides using the patch-clamp technique. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are short peptides that are able to cross the cell membrane via energy-dependent and/or independent mechanisms, with low toxicity and without the use of specific receptors. This ability is preserved even when CPPs are conjugated with a large cargo, thus representing an innovative pharmacological tool for the diffusion of large and hydrophilic drugs into the cells. Despite the mechanism of cellular uptake is still debated in literature, it has been proved that it can occur by either direct translocation or endocytosis. In the latter case, though, the cargo-peptide complex often remains trapped inside the endocytic vesicles and is not able to reach its therapeutic target. A possible solution to this problem could be found in another class of small peptides, similar to CPPs, i.e. the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). AMPs are 12-50 amino acids long peptides, which represent an essential part in the innate immune system in most organisms. Indeed, they are among the first defensive molecules released during infections and their activity is direct thorough the membrane of bacteria, causing its destruction and consequently the death of the pathogen. Therefore, the ability of AMPs to disrupt biological membranes could be exploited to improve the CPPs escape from the endocytic vesicles in addition to, of course, their application as a novel class of antibiotics. The idea is to conjugate the CPP with a molecule that possess an antimicrobial activity, which can destroy the vesicle membrane, and help the complex to reach its target once it has been internalized in the cell. On this ground, the first project I carried out regards the study of a novel chimeric peptide, CM18-Tat11, composed of the antimicrobial peptide CM18 (a cecropin-mellitin hybrid peptide) linked to the cell-penetrating peptide Tat11 (derived from the basic domain of HIV-1 Tat protein). In particular, I investigated the membrane perturbing activity of this peptide (and of its elements) using the patch-clamp technique and operating under strictly physiological conditions. This study has been carried out by recording the ion current flowing through the channels formed by these peptides (if any), once inserted in the membrane of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. In these experiments, the peptides were applied to (and removed from) the extracellular CHO membrane in ~50 ms with a computer-controlled microperfusion system. Therefore, besides assessing ion channel characteristics, the dynamics of pore formation and disaggregation could be precisely evaluated as well. I found that CM18-Tat11 produces a large and irreversible plasma membrane lysis, at concentration where CM18 and Tat11 give instead a nearly reversible membrane permeabilization and no perturbation, respectively. Furthermore, using the same method, I studied the biophysical characteristic of another antimicrobial peptide, called CM12, which sequence was obtained from the optimization of CM18. When applied on CHO, CM12 and CM18 produce voltage-independent membrane permeabilization, and no single-channel events were detected at low peptides concentration. These results indicate that both peptides form pores according to a toroidal model, in which the lipid layer bends continuously through the pore so that the core is formed by both lipid head groups and the peptides. Finally, I have studied the single-channels properties generated by the pore-forming peptide alamethicin (Alm) F50/5 and its [L-Glu(OMe)7,18,19] analog inserted in a natural membrane and in giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The possibility to compare the channel activity in the precisely controlled lipid environment of GUVs, with the one recorded in a natural membrane, will open new possibilities in the biophysical characterization of the pores. The second project of this thesis is focused on the study of the physiological role of the calcium sensor GCAP3 (guanylate cyclase activated protein 3) in the phototransduction cascade in zebrafish. I pursued this study simulating the over expressions and the knockdown of this protein, through the delivery of zGCAP3, or of its monoclonal antibody, into zebrafish cone cytoplasm, while recording their photorensponses with the patch-clamp technique. The proteins were administered inside the cone via the patch pipette thanks to an intracellular perfusion system developed in this thesis. This system allows the delivery of exogenous molecules inside the cell with a controlled timing, by expelling them with a small teflon tube inserted into the pipette lumen controlled by a microperfusion apparatus. Results indicated that the increase in the concentration in zGCAP3 did not altered significantly the light response, while the perfusion with the antibody anti-zGCAP3 caused the progressive fall of the dark current, together with the progressive slowing down of the flash response kinetics. The surprising lack of an effect of zGCAP3 incorporation, suggests that the endogenous number of zGCAP3 is saturating, therefore any further increase of this sensor is ineffective. However, the effects of the antibody can be explained as an inhibition of the target enzyme of zGCAP3, which is the guanylate cyclase (GC). Finally, no experiments mentioned above would have been accomplished without the development of a “pressure-polishing” system, which makes it possible to modify the geometry of the patch-clamp pipette. The pipette shank (the final part of the pipette) is, in fact, very long and tapered, thus generating a high resistance to the passage of ions and molecules, and making very difficult to perfuse efficiently the cell with the internal perfusion. The pressure polishing setup I developed enlarged the patch pipette shank, using a calibrated combination of heat and air pressure. These pipettes minimized errors in membrane potential control and allowed the insertion of teflon tubes in the pipette lumen very close to its tip.

    Tipologia del documento:Tesi di Dottorato (Tesi di Dottorato)
    Data:27 Febbraio 2015
    Relatore:Rampi, Maria Anita - Rispoli, Giorgio
    Coordinatore ciclo:Bignozzi, Carlo Alberto
    Istituzione:Università degli Studi di Ferrara
    Dottorato:XXVII Anno 2012 > SCIENZE CHIMICHE
    Struttura:Dipartimento > Scienze chimiche e farmaceutiche
    Soggetti:Area 05 - Scienze biologiche > BIO/09 Fisiologia
    Parole chiave:antimicrobial peptides, cell-penetrating peptides, phototransduction, peptidi antimicrobici, fototrasduzione
    Depositato il:04 Ago 2015 08:41

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