US officials claim a 'massive strategic blunder' made by Vladimir Putin could see the Sweden and Finland joining NATO as early as this summer.

It is reported that the western alliance could swell from 30 to 32 members as a direct result of the invasion in Ukraine. The officials from Washington say that representatives from both Nordic countries attended talks with NATO's foreign ministers last week.

It is claimed that membership was a topic of conversation across multiple sessions. “How can this be anything but a massive strategic blunder for Putin?” one senior American official asked, reports The Mirror.

Read More: USAF B-52 bombers fly 15-hour mission over Europe as war rages in Ukraine

Washington is expecting Finland’s application in June, while Sweden is expected to follow suit soon after. Both are neighbouring countries to Russia, which sits just across the Baltic Sea. Finland also shares an 830-mile land border with Russia.

Finland’s prime minister Sanna Marin has said it was time for her country to seriously reconsider its stance on joining the alliance. Speaking on the weekend, she said Russia was not the neighbour she once thought it was.

“I think we will have very careful discussions, but we are also not taking any more time than we have to in this process, because the situation is, of course, very severe,” she said.

Similarly to Finland, Sweden is carrying out a security policy review expected to be completed by the end of the month. Magdalena Andersson, the Swedish prime minister, said a fortnight ago that she did “not exclude Nato membership in any way”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin

While the two countries were working together to build domestic consensus, the final decisions would be taken independently. The countries are working together to build domestic consensus but, officials emphasise, the final decisions will be taken independently.

Late in February, just days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin threatened Sweden and Finland with ' military and political consequences' if they joined NATO. Maria Zakharova, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman, said there would be serious repercussions for their close Arctic neighbours.

Zakharova said during a news briefing: "Finland and Sweden should not base their security on damaging the security of other countries and their accession to NATO can have detrimental consequences and face some military and political consequences."

Speaking to Sky News on Friday, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov doubled down on this warning. He said: “Everything is about mutual deterring and should one side — and we consider Nato to be one side — be more powerful than the other, especially in terms of nuclear arms, then it will be considered a threat for the whole architecture of security and it will take us to take additional measures."

NATO now has 40,000 troops under its direct command in eastern Europe, from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Its force has increased nearly tenfold since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. The alliance is making plans to deploy a permanent full-scale military force on members’ borders to prevent a further Russian invasion as it adapts to a “new reality.

NATO’s general secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, said Putin’s actions had provoked a “fundamental transformation” of the military coalition, which would reflect the long-term consequences of the war in Ukraine. The bolstering of NATO’s military power would be carried out with the aim of enabling countries that share borders with Russia and Belarus to repel an attempted invasion.

If Finland and Sweden join NATO, Putin would be expected to redeploy troops to his northwestern flank, putting further pressure on his stretched military. European diplomats have said the addition of both countries to NATO would significantly bolster the group’s capabilities, particularly in terms of intelligence-gathering and air force powers.

Nato membership for Finland and Sweden would prompt redeployment on Putin’s northwestern flank, further stretching his military, which has been badly affected by Ukraine’s resistance and the prolonged conflict.


Day 2 in the Corona house: Tell me more, tell me more

It’s day two in the Corona house and we find ourselves dealing with some of the practicalities of being in self-isolation. It appears there is no real guide, I checked Debrett’s without success so we’ve made it up as we’ve gone along. However, I’m very happy with that position as it appears to me that so is everyone else.

Day 2 in the Corona house

At least in the UK, the general tone seems to be shifting from containing a pandemic towards staging it to permit the most effective response. Depending on your personal take on the information being released that’s either eminently sensible or simple kicking the can down the road. In either event, it seems likely many of us will be self-isolating in the coming weeks, perhaps more than once. So what are these practicalities of which I speak?

The first question was when is isolation really isolation? Is it, for example, ok to drive between London and the acreage? As we can’t get local food delivery in London this week, is it ok for one of us to pop to the local shop or supermarket briefly if we take reasonable precautions? How do I manage walking Taz? As border collies go he’s very understanding, but I don’t think he’d relist self-isolation much. More importantly, how do I recover Taz from his stay in the country without breaching the integrity of the isolation?

The strict answer is we should stay at home, have no contact with others and stay indoors. However, how practical is that? Today would suggest it’s possible to significantly reduce interactions, but not dispense with them entirely. Two examples of the practical issues we may all be facing in the not too distant future.

Contactless deliveries arrive

We managed to arrange food to be delivered but at the Acreage, there were no home delivery slots to be had in London this week or most of the following week. So, having run down food stocks having thought we would be on holiday we had to pick some up from somewhere. Do we wander into our local supermarket so long as we feel well? That didn’t seem sensible or appropriate. It did mean picking up from the Acreage or asking a friend to deal with the delivery for us. In any event, we would be likely to have contact with either that friend or the delivery driver. We elected to be at the Acreage (driving in our car and not stopping en route) and collect the food quickly and from a distance. The driver was content to work that way and it was a pragmatic solution, but technically not total isolation.

As an aside, since the large supermarkets have stopped delivering in plastic bags, all the foodstuffs were in plastic crates which are handled by dozens of customers and staff without being washed and cleaned. The risk from those is, in my view, about the same as the trays in an airport security check and much higher than that we posed 2m away from the driver. The last thing we wanted to do was bring a new meaning to you shop we drop.

Email notification of isolation

This linked to the second issue to resolve – disclose or not disclose, that is the question. We weren’t expected back at the Acreage but needed to be both to collect food and Taz. However, we could also expect a construction of builders to arrive during the morning to continue the ongoing work taking place. We could isolate ourselves within the house and have no contact with them until the food arrived when we could return to London. The question was do the builders have the right or expectation to know we’re technically isolating and had just returned from a Corona hotspot?

That’s probably something everyone will decide based on their own values and conscience. However, we decided they did have that right and may choose to stay away for the half-day we would be about (albeit they wouldn’t see us).

A quick exchange of messages with the office and everyone was up to date. The builders were able to make a decision and having done so turned up as planned, waving encouragement and shouting through the window interested in what had happened but otherwise unfussed.

I was slightly concerned that one had turned up wearing a face mask – then the stone saw came out and my suspicion of concern was replaced with a far more practical reason for it being worn.

A similar approach was taken with those looking after Taz. I can do without social interaction for fourteen days, but doing without my dog is a step I wouldn’t want to contemplate – however, I don’t want to put others at risk in collecting him.

In what can only be described as something more akin to a cold war prisoner exchange, I arrived and parked in the agreed location. There as promised was a carrier with lead, chewy sticks, blankets and a card offering good wishes. After putting that in the boot I opened the passenger door and sounded the horn. Around 30 seconds later Taz trots out of the house, jumps in the car, sits on the back seats and waits to be driven to his next destination. All these interactions are cases in point. They can be managed and risk mitigated and reduced, however, total isolation is only possible when the infrastructure and support services are in place. In my view, that isn’t the case at present and as any pandemic evolves it’s unlikely they will be at any scale that would cope fully especially for those in most need. Food for thought indeed.

On a lighter note, two updates from Vaughan. The first relating to the madness that is evidenced by the panic buying taking place across the country at this time. Amazed by the buying of dunny paper (toilet paper for the English among us), he has produced a brief example of panic buying for dummies.

I’m ready for my close=up Mr DeMille

In a not entirely unrelated experiment, I am able to report on Operation Billy the bog-roll. Vaughan seemed to think that the use of toilet paper in the UK was excessive and abnormal. I have committed to updating on progress through said roll over the period in quarantine.

Barely moved…

Those with an eye for detail and who saw the original depth of tread of half an inch will notice a small reduction in the intervening period, however, there is little risk of the next cab off the rank being deployed today or based on current consumption tomorrow as far as I can see.

Day two done – twelve more to go.

#Coronavirus #isolation #quarantine


The Heartfelt Turkish Drama Catching Attention On Netflix

In 2021, Netflix significantly increased its output of original content and aimed to further diversify its international film and TV offerings. A report from Yahoo! explained that the streaming service was "expected to benefit from international content deals," while bringing more variety to its catalog. These expansions came to "combat intensifying competition" from rival platforms like Hulu and Disney+.

The focus on international content proved successful for Netflix, with the South Korean thriller series "Squid Game" breaking record after record. Additionally, the acclaimed Spanish crime drama "Money Heist" and the French mystery thriller "Lupin" proved unlikely hits with U.S. audiences.

With various films and TV shows from around the world consistently landing in Netflix's Top 10 throughout 2021, it's no surprise that the trend is continuing into 2022. Despite being on the platform for less than a week, this new Turkish drama has already made its way into the Top 10.

My Father's Violin cracked Netflix's Top 10

The 2022 Turkish film "My Father's Violin" was added to Netflix on January 21 and is winning over viewers with its emotional message about the importance of family. Directed by Andaç Haznedaroglu, the film follows the precocious Özlem (Gülizar Nisa Uray), a young girl whose widowed father, Ali Riza (Selim Erdogan), is terminally ill.

Before his death, Ali attempts to reconcile with his estranged brother, Mehmet (Engin Altan Düzyatan), who believes that he was abandoned by Ali as a child. He refuses to take Özlem in but is eventually convinced by his wife, Suna (Belçim Bilgin). The uncle and niece slowly forge a bond, connecting through their mutual passion for music. As their relationship grows, Mehmet learns the truth about his childhood and realizes how much Ali had sacrificed to protect him.

Netflix users have been enjoying the film so far, with many taking to social media to gush about the "very heartwarming and sweet" story. "It was amazing specifically the message it was very near to the heart," @irti tweeted to Düzyatan.

"This film was so beautiful. Also, Gülizar Nisa Uray was so cute and so good ya!! Such a talent! She's a star!" exclaimed @JstUrAvrageJane.


What The Critics Are Saying About Triangle Strategy

"Triangle Strategy," the oddly named title from "Octopath Traveler" creator Tomoya Asano, is finally ready to debut. Critic reviews have begun to be published for the game praising the HD-2D art style and its tactical combat. "Triangle Strategy" is a tactical RPG, in the vein of "Final Fantasy Tactics" and "Fire Emblem," where three kingdoms fight for the dwindling resources of salt and iron. While the game isn't a direct sequel to "Octopath Traveler," it does share a similar setting, with fantasy elements and magic wielders.

"Triangle Strategy" is also the latest HD-2D release from Square Enix, with "Live A Live" and "Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D" also using the same art style in the future. For reference, "Octopath Traveler" is currently sitting at an 83 on Metacritic, receiving modestly positive reviews. So, how does "Triangle Strategy" shape up compared to its predecessor? Here is what the critics are saying about "Triangle Strategy."

Triangle Strategy is a long but well made tactical RPG

"Triangle Strategy" actually shares a Metacritic rating of 83 with "Octopath Traveler," though that number could change. Chris Scullion at VGC gave the game a 4/5, writing that after a few slow opening chapters, the game gets rolling on a story about a war-torn region that never slows back down. Scullion also praised the game for not only giving each member of the party their own story and personality, but spending enough time with them for the player to care about each one. Scullion did mention that it is a lengthy game where characters like to talk, perhaps a bit too much.

Eurogamer recommended "Triangle Strategy," with critic Malindy Hetfeld saying that the game does an excellent job of navigating medieval warfare in a way that feels honest and real, at the expense of not having a "hero moment" towards the end of the story. Hetfeld complimented the combat, which takes place on an isometric field,\ and allows each character to both move and take an action during their turn. Players also have to consider other strategic elements, like which direction characters are facing at the end of their turn, since any attack to the back is a critical hit.

Digital Trends gave it 2.5/5, with Giovanni Colantonio criticizing the game for its overly long dialogue sections, referring to the game as a "laundry folder," since he felt like he could finish an entire load of laundry between combat sequences. Colantonio said the combat is fun, but there is far too much down time. Overall, "Triangle Strategy" is a niche experience that, like "Octopath Traveler," will appeal to some gamers, but not to all.


Working out your 'why' & Leaving a legacy

This is a staple question in almost every medical school entry interview, and it is one I’ve also had to answer many times in the past. Even five years post-graduation from medical school, you would think I’d left that question a long way into my past but no, it follows you. That store attendant will ask it. Your friends will ask it. Your UBER driver will ask it (many times…. trust me). The question never leaves you…. *sigh*

When I was in secondary school, it wasn’t even asked in the most encouraging way. It was usually asked as a prefix to statements such as “wow, seven years in university is loooong” or “Your mates will be earning money years before you do, it’s not worth it!” I even had a careers advisor try and encourage me to reconsider my career options, because “people from this area [East London in the early ‘00s] rarely become doctors.” True story. Name withheld. Let’s move on…

So that much-repeated question…The question itself may seem simple enough, but it has layers of depth to it. It has identified a purpose and is probing the heart behind the purpose. That is why it’s asked so regularly in medical school interviews: to navigate past all the rhetoric, ego and performance of the person on the other side of the table and reveal the true contents of the person’s mind and soul…

I had a love of anatomy and medicine from early childhood. If I wasn’t playing Zelda and Goldeneye on my N64, I was perfecting my art skills by drawing the insides of the human body. A heavy reader in my early ages, alongside Roald Dahl books and Harry Potter, I’d be leafing through ‘Human Body’ books – fascinated by anatomical design and how all those organs worked, what made them work, what went wrong and how one could possible fix things when they did. Shows like ‘ER’ and ‘Chicago Hope’ were dotted in among my regular TV schedule alongside ‘Sabrina The Teenage Witch’ and ‘The Fresh Prince’ (wow this whole paragraph is saying a lot about my age…)

Many people have a flashpoint in life. A moment where their purpose become clear as day. Mine occurred watching an awards show on TV years ago. It was a show awarding people who have made a significant impact to everyday people or done amazing things – soldiers, charity workers, etc. However, the closing aspect of the show changed my life forever. It has stayed with me until today, throughout my medical career to-date. And it is this more than anything which crystallised my thoughts and formed the foundation of my ‘why’…

The presenter introduced a heart surgeon who was to be presented with a Lifetime Achievement award. This man from North Africa, retiring following a 30+ year career in cardiac surgery, walked out and looked so unassuming. So humble. A medical giant stood before us as a minnow; Clark Kent standing where we would expect a tall & imposing Superman to be, with his red cape billowing beneath the warm stage lights.

The presenter, after presenting the award, told the surgeon that a few patients he had helped over the years had attended the awards and wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you. Immediately from each end of the stage rushed on 200 people of all ages, all colours, all sizes. Babies cradled by their thankful parents. Teenagers running to hi-five him. Children reaching for his hand, looking up at him in awe. Middle-aged parents, managers, people who had become successes in their own field. Elderly ladies and gentlemen, grateful to this man for a new lease of life.

The image was incredibly powerful. This humble man, by merely pursuing his passion in life, was standing here completely outnumbered on this stage by a heaving army of humanity – each person standing with him so giddy to be re-united with their hero, the man who saved their life. And this was just a minute proportion of the people he had operated on over the years.


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In Greek mythology, Zeus is the God of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods. Zeus corresponds to the Roman god Jupiter.

Zeus, Father of Gods

According to Homer, Zeus was considered the father of gods and mortals as well. He did not create either gods or mortals; he was their father because he protected them, as well as ruling both of the Olympian family and the human race.

He was lord of the sky, the rain god, and the cloud gatherer, who wielded the terrible thunderbolt. His breastplate was the aegis, his bird the eagle, his tree the oak. Zeus presided over the gods on Mount Olympus in Thessaly, Thessalia.

His principal shrines were at Dodona, in Epirus, the land of the oak trees and the most ancient shrine, famous for its oracle, and at Olympia, where the Olympic Games were celebrated in his honor every fourth year. The Nemean games, held at Nemea, northwest of Argos, were also dedicated to Zeus.

Zeus was the youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and the brother of the deities Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera.

According to one of the ancient myths of the birth of Zeus, Cronus, fearing that he might be dethroned by one of his children, swallowed them as they were born. Upon the birth of Zeus, Rhea wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes for Cronus to swallow and concealed the infant god in Crete (Kríti), where he was fed on the milk of the goat Amalthaea and reared by nymphs. When Zeus grew to maturity, he forced Cronus to disgorge the other children, who were eager to take vengeance on their father. In the war that followed, the Titans fought on the side of Cronus, but Zeus and the other gods were successful, and the Titans were consigned to the abyss of Tartarus. Zeus henceforth ruled over the sky, and his brothers Poseidon and Hades were given power over the sea and the Underworld, respectively. The earth was to be ruled in common by all three.

Greek author Homer pictures Zeus in two separate ways:

  • he is represented as the god of justice and mercy, the protector of the weak, and the punisher of the wicked.

As husband to his sister Hera, he is the father of Ares, the god of war; Hebe, the goddess of youth; Hephaestus, the god of fire; and Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth;

  • he’s also described as falling in love with one woman after another and resorting to all kinds of tricks to hide his infidelity from his wife.

Stories of his infatuations were so many, such as the resulting offspring his love affairs with both goddesses and mortal women. His many affairs with mortals are sometimes explained as the wish of the early Greeks to trace their lineage to the father of the gods.

The name Zeus is related to the Greek word dio's, meaning bright.

Main Belief

Being the supreme ruler Zeus upheld law, justice and morals, and this made him the spiritual leader of both gods and men.

Zeus was a celestial god, and originally worshiped as a weather god by the Greek tribes. These people came southward from the Balkans circa 2100 BC.

He has always been associated as being a weather god, as his main attribute is the thunderbolt, he controlled thunder, lightning and rain. In Homer's epic poem the Iliad he sent thunderstorms against his enemies. His other attributes as well as lightning were the scepter, the eagle and his aegis (this was the goat-skin of Amaltheia.

Before the abolition of monarchies, Zeus was protector of the king and his family. Once the age of Greek kings faded into democracy he became chief judge and peacemaker, but most importantly civic god. He brought peace in place of violence, Hesiod (circa 700 BCE) describes Zeus as the lord of justice, Zeus was also known as Kosmetas (orderer), Soter (saviour), Polieos (overseer of the polis -city) and also Eleutherios (guarantor of political freedoms). His duties in this role were to maintain the laws, protect suppliants, to summon festivals and to give prophecies (his oldest and most famous oracle was at Dodona, in Epirus -northwestern Greece). As the supreme deity Zeus oversaw the conduct of civilized life. But the father of gods and men as Homer calls him, has many mythological tales.

Theogony: Zeus told by Hesiod

His most famous was told by Hesiod in his Theogony, of how Zeus usurped the kingdom of the immortals from his father. This mythological tale of Zeus' struggle against the' Titans (Titanomachy) had been caused by Cronus, after he had been warned that one of his children would depose him.

Cronus knowing the consequences, as he had overthrown his father Uranus. To prevent this from happening Cronus swallowed his newborn children Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon, but his wife Rhea (who was also his sister) and Gaia her mother, wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes in place of the infant Zeus. Cronus thinking it was the newborn baby swallowed the stone. Meanwhile Rhea had her baby taken to Crete, and there, in a cave on Mount Dicte, the divine goat Amaltheia suckled and raised the infant Zeus.

When Zeus had grown into a young man he returned to his fathers domain, and with the help of Gaia, compelled Cronus to regurgitate the five children he had previously swallowed (in some versions Zeus received help from Metis who gave Cronus an emetic potion, which made him vomit up Zeus' brothers and sisters). However, Zeus led the revolt against his father and the dynasty of the Titans, defeated and then banished them. Once Zeus had control, he and his brothers divided the universe between them: Zeus gaining the heavens, Poseidon the sea and Hades the underworld. Zeus had to defend his heavenly kingdom. The three separate assaults were from the offspring of Gaia: they were the Gigantes, Typhon (Zeus fought them with his thunder-bolt and aegis) and the twin brothers who were called the Aloadae. The latter tried to gain access to the heavens by stacking Mount Ossa on top of Mount Olympus, and Mount Pelion on top of Mount Ossa, but the twins still failed in their attempt to overthrow Zeus. As he did with the Titans, Zeus banished them all to Tartarus, which is the lowest region on earth, lower than the underworld.

Zeus and his affairs

According to legend, Metis, the goddess of prudence, was the first love of Zeus. At first she tried in vain to escape his advances, but in the end succumbed to his endeavour, and from their union Athena was conceived. Gaia warned Zeus that Metis would bear a daughter, whose son would overthrow him. On hearing this Zeus swallowed Metis, the reason for this was to continue to carry the child through to the birth himself. Hera (his wife and sister) was outraged and very jealous of her husband's affair, also of his ability to give birth without female participation. To spite Zeus she gave birth to Hephaestus parthenogenetically (without being fertilized) and it was Hephaestus who, when the time came, split open the head of Zeus, from which Athena emerged fully armed.

Zeus had many offspring; his wife Hera bore him Ares, Hephaestus, Hebe and Eileithyia, but Zeus had numerous liaisons with both goddesses and mortals. He either raped them, or used devious means to seduce the unsuspecting maidens. His union with Leto (meaning the hidden one) brought forth the twins Apollo and Artemis. Once again Hera showed her jealousy by forcing Leto to roam the earth in search of a place to give birth, as Hera had stopped her from gaining shelter on terra-firma or at sea. The only place she could go was to the isle of Delos in the middle of the Aegean, the reason being that Delos was, as legend states, a floating island. One legend says that Aphrodite was the daughter of Zeus and Dione

Besides deities, he also fathered many mortals. In some of his human liaisons Zeus used devious disguises. When he seduced the Spartan queen Leda, he transformed himself into a beautiful swan, and from the egg which Leda produced, two sets of twins were born: Castor and Polydeuces and Clytemnestra and Helen of Troy.

He visited princess Danae as a shower of gold, and from this union the hero Perseus was born. He abducted the Phoenician princess Europa, disguised as a bull, then carried her on his back to the island of Crete where she bore three sons: Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon. Zeus also took as a lover the Trojan prince Ganymede. He was abducted by an eagle sent by Zeus (some legends believe it was Zeus disguised as an eagle). The prince was taken to Mount Olympus, where he became Zeus' cup-bearer. Zeus also used his charm and unprecedented power to seduce those he wanted, so when Zeus promised Semele that he would reveal himself in all his splendour, in order to seduce her, the union produced Dionysus, but she was destroyed when Zeus appeared as thunder and lightening. Themis, the goddess of justice bore the three Horae, goddesses of the seasons to Zeus , and also the three Moirae, known as the Fates.

Leto, the daughter of the Titans Phoebe and Coeus. Known as the hidden one and bright one, her name came to be used for the moon Selene. Hera was jealous of Leto because her husband had fallen in love with her. From their union Leto bore the divine twins, Artemis and Apollo. Leto found this to be an arduous task, as Hera had refused Leto to give birth on either land or on an island out at sea. The only place safe enough to give birth was Delos, as it was a floating island. Therefore, Leto did not refute the wishes of Hera. In some versions, Leto was refused by other vicinities because they feared the great power of the god she would bear. To show her gratitude, Leto anchored Delos to the bottom of the Aegean with four columns, to aid its stability. A conflict of legends arises when in one version it says that Artemis was born one day before Apollo, and the birth took place on the island of Ortygia. Then the next day, Artemis helped Leto to cross to the island of Delos, and aided Leto with the delivery of Apollo.

Leto, being the mother of Artemis and Apollo, figured as the motive for the slaughter was Niobe's children was that Niobe had been bragging to Leto about bearing fourteen children (in some versions six or seven). Leto had only born two, and to make matters worse, Niobe then had the audacity to say, it must make her more significant than Leto. When the divine twins were told of this insult, they killed all Niobe's children with their deadly arrows. After which Niobe wept for her dead children so much that she turned into a pillar of stone. From one version of how Apollo slew the monster Python, it was said that while Leto was still pregnant with the divine twins, Python tried to molest her. As punishment, Apollo killed him and then took control of the oracle of Delphi. Leto was worshiped throughout Greece, but principally in Lycia (Asia Minor). In Delos and Athens, there were temples dedicated to her, although in most regions she was worshiped in conjunction with her children, Artemis and Apollo. In Egypt there is the Temple of Leto (Wadjet) at Buto, which was described by Herodotus as being connected to an island which floated. On this island, Khemmis, stood a temple to Apollo, but Herodotus dismissed the claim that it floated as merely the legend of Delos brought to Egypt from Greek tradition. The Romans called Leto Latona.

When Zeus had an affair with Mnemosyne, he coupled with her for nine consecutive nights, which produced nine daughters, who became known as the Muses. They entertained their father and the other gods as a celestial choir on Mount Olympus. They became deities of intellectual pursuits. Also the three Charites or Graces were born from Zeus and Eurynome. From all his children Zeus gave man all he needed to live life in an ordered and moral way.

Zeus and his cult

Zeus had many Temples and festivals in his honour, the most famous of his sanctuaries being Olympia, the magnificent "Temple of Zeus", which held the gold and ivory statue of the enthroned Zeus, sculpted by Phidias and hailed as one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World". Also the Olympic Games were held in his honour. The Nemean Games, which were held every two years, were to honour Zeus. There were numerous festivals throughout Greece: in Athens they celebrated the marriage of Zeus and Hera with the Theogamia or Gamelia.

The celebrations were many: in all, Zeus had more than 150 epithets, each one being celebrated in his honour.

In art, Zeus was usually portrayed as bearded, middle aged but with a youthful figure. He would look very regal and imposing.

Artists always tried to reproduce the power of Zeus in their work, usually by giving him a pose as he is about to throw his bolt of lightening. There are many statues of Zeus, but without doubt the Artemisium Zeus is the most magnificent. It was previously thought to be Poseidon, and can be seen in the Athens National Archaeological Museum.

  • Comte, Fernand, The Woodsworth Dictionary of Mithology. ISBN 1853263370.
  • Ely, Talfourd,’’The Gods of Greece and Rome”, Dover Publications, ISBN 0486427986.
  • Graves, Robert, The Greek Myths 1955.
  • Kerenyi, Carl, The Gods of the Greeks 1951.
  • Ruck, Carl A.P., and Staples , The World of Classical Myth 1994.

See Also


Serious creativity 3*; Setting the scene!

    * this is the last blog in a series of three on serious creativity.

    The four components of creating magic

    b2bIn the first two blogs on serious creativity, I focused on the mindset of people and some ideation techniques. Assuming that you have assembled the right people and defined the content carefully, getting the most out of your teams and creating magic ALSO requires a specific process and a creative environment. Let’s start with the WHY.

    Intuitive inspiration, allow yourself to listen!

    While it is true that we do not know what we do not know, it is even worse that we do not know what we know! Our cognitive brains shield and hide our valuable knowledge and experiences. Although the brain ensures logical reasoning, at the same time it makes it difficult to allow inspiration to flow from our intuition. This intuition is essential, in my view, to finding new paths. We should create space for listening to it. A great process and great environment will make that possible.

    GET in the mood for SPACE

    It is a known fact that the environment greatly influences our mood and feelings. Designing a creative session requires a careful consideration of the space and environment. At DSM we installed some creative rooms for that purpose no less than seven years ago (see picture above). Nowadays, these creative environments have become a part of our everyday working lives at Brightlands in Geleen.

    I once visited Rijkswaterstaat’s LEF future center. They invested millions in creating a creative space. As they also had to validate the investment, they collected evidence on the effect of creative environments. It is worth visiting the LEF website for some inspiration, where studies and impact analyses can also be downloaded (

    Minimal WAND for a space that will contribute towards creating the MAGIC:

    • Walls to write on (to share your ideas visually as well);
    • Active seating; only laid-back armchairs for recovering;
    • No tables or objects that are physically between people;
    • Decoration in line with the theme of the brainstorm or working session.

    MIND the space duality

    The other space we have to create is the space in our mind. To allow our intuition to be accessed, we need to fill up our cognitive brain so that it will be too busy to control our thinking. Fortunately, our cognitive brainpower is easily filled. Depending on your mental capacity, it can still only process 7 ± 2 pieces or elements of information. In our brainstorm sessions, we provide many pieces of information that are intended to provide inspiration, but are also used as a functional brain‑filler. After this part of the session, with the right process and directive, we will more or less automatically access our intuitive parts. It will also ensure that people are open to each other, as their minds are full and confused. I am not sure who said it, but remember that “a confused mind is willing to accept a helping hand”.

    Six thinking hats to design your mindful process

    The easiest way to create a mindful process is by using the six thinking hats of de Bono. Each hat represents a “way of thinking and behavior”, a “mindset”. If all participants are wearing the same hat at the same time in the process, it allows everyone to play on a level playing field. It ensures mutually understandable dialogue, as everybody is in the same state of mind, postponing other thoughts until the process allows it. The flow of a creative session could look like this:

    1. The blue hat controls the process
    2. The meeting could start with all the facts surrounding the problem being shared (the white hat)
    3. The blue hat shares the problem statement or challenge that requires a resolution
    4. The ideation on these challenges can start with the green hat (during this part of the process, the lotus flower technique is a valid technique, to be used in several iterations; see blog “serious creativity 2: Inside or outside the box?”)
    5. The blue hat can facilitate the clustering of ideas
    6. The yellow hat and the black hat are used to look for the pros and cons of the next logical step
    7. The blue hat can facilitate the selection of the top 5 ideas
    8. Once all the ideas are listed, a reflection round with the red hat allows all participants to give their personal view on the top 5 ideas
    9. The blue hat concludes the meeting with the next steps

    Prepare to DESIGN

    Organizing for creativity requires thorough preparation and a clear design of the process, the environment, the selection of the right people and a clear articulation of the challenge (the content). Thinking through and preparing all the elements of the design will ensure a magical creative workshop or event that will be remembered.

    Get serious on creativity

    As marketers, we need to be agile and creative, going beyond the artistic creativity required for campaigns, value propositions and tag lines. In today’s complex world, we need to discover new routes to market, new business models, new launch tactics and so on. We cannot rely on the past, but can also not afford to be paralyzed by it. It is our obligation to escape! Escape from our ingrained learnings. Escape from our box (see serious creativity blog 1). Once we are in an exploring mindset, we need to overcome the fallacy that breakthrough ideas are really “mind‑blowing”. In many instances, the breakthrough ideas are right under our noses, INSIDE OUR BOX (see serious creativity blog 2). Serious creativity doesn’t come automatically. Creating MAGIC requires the right people, the right content or challenge, a serious process with the right techniques, but above all a creative environment. As long as we understand these elements and consciously use them, we will be able to boost creativity dramatically.


UI Layout Row Component

You can use a LayoutRow component to organize child elements into a row. To use this feature, you add the LayoutRow component to an element and then add child elements. The UI system positions the child elements within the row, from left to right or right to left, depending on the order you choose. The child elements can contain a texture or image, a piece of text, a button, a check box, more columns, rows, grids, and so on. To control the sizes of specific, or all, children, add the LayoutCell component to those children.

Similar to the LayoutColumn component, the LayoutRow component has an Ignore Default Cell property. For more information, see LayoutColumn .

LayoutRow with children

To see an in-game example of a completed canvas with the Layout Row component, open the level UiFeatures in the project SamplesProject. Press Ctrl+G to play the game, and then choose Components, Layout Components, Layout Row. You can view examples of different child sizes within a row. Press Esc to exit the game.

To view this same canvas in the UI Editor, navigate to the \Gems\LyShineExamples\Assets\UI\Canvases\LyShineExamples\Comp\Layout directory and open the SimpleRow.uicanvas file.

You can add a prebuilt Layout Row element from the slice library. When you do this, a simple layout row is automatically created and nested in your Hierarchy pane.

To add a Layout Row element from the slice library

  • In the UI Editor , choose New, Element from Slice Library, LayoutRow.

To edit a layout row component

In the Properties pane of the UI Editor , expand LayoutRow and do the following, as appropriate:

Type values in pixels, relative to the element’s borders.

Type values in pixels to adjust spacing between elements.

Select Left-to-Right or Right-to-Left to specify the order in which the child elements appear in the row.

Child Alignment

If the layout’s children don’t occupy all the available layout space, use this setting to determine how the children are aligned.

For Horizontal, select Left, Center, or Right to determine how the children are aligned horizontally.

For Vertical, select Top, Center, or Bottom to determine how the children are aligned vertically.

Ignore Default Cell

Selected by default, this property causes the layout row to give each child an equal amount of space regardless of their contents (unless the child has a LayoutCell component). The layout row ignores the layout cell’s content-based default calculations.

When you clear this option, the layout row uses the children’s layout cell calculated values to determine how much space to give each child based on its contents. For more information, see LayoutCell .


Developing Skills Through Photographic Storytelling at the Yellin Center

The Yellin Center in New York City is launching an innovative program this fall, which couples art education and academic success. Through photography, a very democratic medium, which has the power to connect people visually and emotionally to the world, children capture their unique worlds and become storytellers; In the process they are exposed to sequential and methodical reasoning that is so important in writing... - September 10, 2009

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Beard Support

For some men it takes time for the hair on the face to properly mature for maximum growth and coverage.  In most cases, men have hair in the mustache and chin area and while there is no way to force hair to grow where there is no follicle, any facial hair can be matured and helped to grow at peak performance.


Danny Echevarria - Sept 20 2020

Common Mix Issues that are Actually Musical Issues

DDigital music production offers a vast array of tools to tweak sounds in ways that were once imaginable. Better still, the internet is a treasure trove of resources for those who are searching for better ways to use those tools to make stronger mixes and tighter tracks.
Sometimes, though, even the cleverest of mix tricks falls flat, and no amount of sidechain compression or multiband processing seems to be able to rescue a track that just doesn’t pop. The reality is that most of the tools we producers have at our disposal really work best when they’re used to support strong musical choices.

Here are a few common scenarios where problems with the music get easily confused with problems with the mix, and some ideas on how you can handle them like a pro:

1 Weak or Muddy Low End

Though the standards vary from genre to genre, as a general rule, we want bass to feel powerful. You’re probably already familiar with many of the tools used to get big, impactful bass: shelving EQ, compression, saturation, multiband processing, layered samples… the list goes on.

However, in those scenarios where no combination of familiar tricks seems to be bringing the power you want to the low end of your mix, the solution may be musical rather than technical. Try to take a step back and ask yourself: what are the primary bass elements of the mix, and how are they working together? Do they support each other, or do they fight?

It’s relatively easy to create space in a mix for two dominant low-end elements - kick and bass, pitched 808s and kick, etc. - even if it’s common to have to negotiate the way those instruments share the bass frequency real estate from 20-150 Hz or so. Usually, only one of those elements will have much real sub-bass energy, say below 60 Hz, while the other generally sits higher.

If your low end feels weak or lacking clarity, take a look at how those bass instruments are interacting. Do the kick and bass support each other rhythmically, or do they compete for space? Is it clear which one is the dominant low end layer, or are they both contributing lots of sub bass energy?

If the bass instruments in your track are stepping on each other’s toes, get clear on how they’re meant to interact, and what frequency ranges they need to occupy. If they need some of the same bass frequency real estate, the best way to get them to both “speak” clearly will be to make sure that the arrangement gives each the space it needs to really rule the low end. And if there are low-end layers beyond a typical kick/bass setup, look for ways for them to occupy space - both in terms of frequency and the stereo field - where they don’t interfere with those core bass elements.

2 Vocals That Don’t Cut

Vocals are going to be a central part of just about any production. Even in genres where it’s common for vocals to sit a bit behind the rest of the mix, it’s usually still desirable for them to cut through without feeling too big.

Though there are lots of great tricks for getting vocals to sit on top of a mix, the best way for a vocal track to claim its place in a mix is to leave space for it. If no amount of massaging is getting your vocal to pop the way you want, take a look at what’s going on around it. Are there other instruments - especially melodic ones - that live in the same frequency range? Is there a natural sense of breath and phrasing, with the instrumental and vocal leaving room for each other to shine through?

If the answer to those questions is “no,” it might be time to take a critical listen to your arrangement. There are plenty of ways to effectively allow lead/melodic layers to sit behind a vocal - using surgical EQ cuts or filtering to create space, or using reverb and other ambient effects to push them into the background, to name just a few - but if the vocal and leads in a track are really competing, you may want to ask yourself if those lead parts are really adding anything.

Maybe the solution is to cut parts that fight with the vocals entirely, or maybe they can be rewritten to stay out of the vocals’ way. Either way, it’s crucial to get clear on which layers of your song are most important, and then to make mix decisions that support that hierarchy. I always encourage clients and collaborators to record a guide vocal track early in the production process. It’s very easy to add layer after layer that will fight with a lead vocal if that vocal isn’t present in the mix as you’re tracking. If you can maintain that perspective, it’s much easier to create an arrangement that supports the vocal rather than fighting with it. With an effective arrangement in place, mix tricks like sidechain ducking that help a vocal to sit on top will work much better.

3 Muddy Instrumental

This third point dovetails off the second - just as vocals can struggle to be heard over a dense mix, instrumental parts can compete for space as well. With most DAWs offering essentially unlimited track counts, it can be very easy to pile on instrumental layers without giving much thought to how they will interact, and to end up with a muddy, indistinct mix as a result.

Though a lack of clarity in a mix can occur for all kinds of reasons, too many instrumental layers competing for space is a very common cause. If you find that your instrumental mix is cloudier than you’d like, and your favorite mix tricks aren’t improving the clarity, try to identify which are the most important layers in the arrangement. There should only really be a few central elements - maybe three or four - sounding together at any given time. From there, look at the rest of the arrangement. Are there parts that sit in the same register as those central elements you just identified? If so, what role do they serve in the arrangement and mix? Some might be purely textural, some may serve to strengthen another, more important layer. If it’s hard to identify what benefit a given layer adds, that’s probably a sign that your song could do without it. Cut it!

For the rest of those supportive layers, identify what processing they need to best serve their purpose, without worrying about whether the listener will consciously be able to hear and identify them. Remember, someone hearing the song for the first time is not going to notice every last nuance of your production. Try to focus on making the arrangement work to support the most crucial parts that the listener’s attention will actually gravitate towards.

4 Everything Feels “Small” or “Distant”

Music production and mixing are all about perspective. We create the sense that elements of a mix are big or small, close or far, based on how they relate to other parts of the arrangement. If everything in a mix feels small, that may be a sign that your production isn’t creating the context necessary to have that sort of scope and depth.

Are there elements in your mix that you’re actively making “bigger,” even if they don’t need to feel big? Aggressive compression and saturation, dramatic EQ boosts, and doubling are common methods of making tracks come across as large in a mix. If you find yourself making those sorts of moves on tracks that don’t need to feel big, they may be making other tracks that should feel big seem smaller in comparison.

The same principle applies with regard to the sense of depth in a mix. Heavy reverb and aggressive filtering can make instruments feel more distant, or smaller. If everything in your mix is drenched in reverb, your mix may lack a sense of foreground and background, with everything instead feeling remote and cloudy.

The musical problem at the root of these mix issues is, again, a lack of purpose in the arrangement. Make sure you feel solid on the intention of your mix - what needs to feel big, what needs to be in the foreground - and then make sure that your processing and production choices support that intention.

Doubling parts often makes them sound bigger, wider, and more engaging, but doubling everything in a song is a great way to make it feel muddy and indistinct. Similarly, aggressive processing may make an instrument sound great when it’s soloed - but if that processing doesn’t support that instrument’s role in the song, it’s ultimately only serving to weaken the whole. The common thread in all these scenarios is a lack of clear intention: not understanding just how something is meant to function in your mix means you’re more likely to add other parts or processing that may undermine that intention. Because it can be very difficult for artists and producers to remain objective about their work, it’s easy to grow attached to layers in a song that only serve to weaken the music as a whole. Though it may be clear that something about the production isn’t working, it can be hard to see that musical choices are responsible for problems that may seem at first like mix issues.

The solution to these sorts of problems is perspective. Taking a step back and hearing what elements really drive a piece of music can be very illuminating, and helps to inform choices that will strengthen the song as a whole. Those choices can be difficult - cutting or pushing into the background parts that seemed brilliant as they were recorded, but ultimately distract from more important elements in the song - but maintaining that sort of objectivity is crucial to growing as a producer

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Managing Unknown Contacts

Keep potential trouble at a distance where you can deal with it appropriately.

posted on April 12, 2022
Managing Unknown Contacts

Each of us has encounters with strangers every single day of our lives. The vast majority of these encounters are just normal, everyday events such as paying for things in a retail store or talking with people in line at the movies. These types of things don’t cause us any concern. They feel normal because they are normal, and shouldn’t cause us any problems as we go about our day.

Occasionally, though, we have encounters that are out of the ordinary. It could be any number of things, from a panhandler asking for loose change to the sudden appearance of a stranger asking to use our mobile phones. Instantly, we know that something is not right about them, and we need to deal with a situation that has a greater chance of turning to violence.

Dealing with this sort of encounter is defined as “Managing Unknown Contacts” (or “MUC” for short), and was the subject of a two-hour class I attended at the 2022 Rangemaster Tactical Conference in the suburbs of Dallas, TX. The class emphasized the idea that owning and carrying a defensive firearm with you on a regular basis is not a “be all and end all” solution to our personal safety. Knowing how to deal with an overly aggressive stranger without bringing a firearm into play can keep you out of our court system, and being able to let a potential attacker know that you are not to be trifled with can stop a violent encounter before it even starts.

The techniques taught in Managing Unknown Contacts were first created by Craig Douglas, aka Southnarc. The class at the Rangemaster Tactical Conference was taught by Chuck Haggard and Cecil Burch. Chuck is a well-known law enforcement officer and firearms trainer who specializes in teaching less-lethal methods and pistol skills for the average citizen. Cecil has a long history in the martial arts and teaches an integrated approach to combatives and the defensive pistol.

The class emphasized the importance of being aware of our surroundings and using the clues and signals we pick up from the people around us. The fact is, the faster we pick up on the fact that “something isn’t right,” the more options we can employ and the better we can articulate the reasons for our actions after the fact.

“There isn’t a fighting system in the world that teaches you how not to fight,” Burch said. “We need to understand that cell phones and surveillance video cameras are everywhere, and we need to take that into account. A video of one person clearly backing away and trying to disengage looks completely different than a video of two people yelling at each other and then getting into a fight. We want to make sure our actions and our body language clearly show that we are not eager for a fight, because we can’t count on a camera picking up our words on the recording.”

Once a potential “That doesn’t seem right” problem is identified, our goal is to keep the unknown contact as far away as we can. More distance between you and the unknown contact means more time to react, and more time gives more options like running away, deploying a less-lethal response or going to your gun. Just a few feet in between you and the person you’re dealing with can make a big difference. Haggard explains why.

“I call it ‘micro-ranging’,” he said. “Close distances, 3 feet or under, are where we like to keep our family or close friends. Further out, 5 feet or so, is where we interact with strangers who we know aren’t going to cause us a problem. Anyone else should stay well outside that area.”

distance matters in managing unknown contacts
This is far too close of a distance for someone who is this angry.

Keeping people who “Just don’t look right” at a distance is first done with verbal commands. Typically, these types of encounters start with a question, something like, “Hey, can you loan me a dollar?”. Our response should include a command for them to come any closer, and consist of three different types of commands.

  1. Request the person not come any closer.
  2. Ask again, with more force. If they persist in trying to close the distance between you, it’s a good sign that something isn’t right, which means it’s time to…
  3. Yell the command to “Stop!” at the top of your lungs. If they still keep coming, then it’s up to you to choose an appropriate response to the danger you perceive is headed your way.

Body language also plays a large part in this sort of thing. If you present your hands up in a non-threatening manner, such as clasped in front of as if praying or waving around as you are talking, it allows you to keep them out to block any incoming assault, without looking like you’re itching for a fight.

Less lethal option
Pepper spray or some other less-lethal option comes in really handy in these types of situations.

Movement is also important. Attackers quite often work in pairs, so moving to one side or the other and keeping an eye out for any other interested parties is also a very good idea. We don’t want to escalate things by assuming an aggressive stance in what could be just a simple request for spare change. On the other hand, we don’t want to be caught off guard and let an attacker in too close.

At night, a flashlight can accomplish many of these goals, all by itself. A bright flashlight lets potential troublemakers know that “something isn’t right” because we’re aware that it's dark outside and that trouble might be out and about in our vicinity.

The goal of this class was to help people like me, who have chosen to live the armed lifestyle, a way to assess the amount of danger another person might present to us, without letting them get too close to us, while still maintaining a normal, relaxed body posture. We shouldn’t be hunched over, afraid of every random stranger that might pass us on the street. Rather, we should have the skills, tools and knowledge to spot trouble before it becomes dangerous, and defuse the situation before it gets out of hand.

X Vision Thermal sight
X Vision Thermal sight

First Look: X-Vision Optics Thermal Reflex Sight

First Look: Hornady RAPiD Security Safe Keypad Vault

Keep your defensive firearm is secure and away from prying hands.

First Look: High Speed Gear Vigil EDC Belt

First Look: Mesa Tactical Sureshell Carrier with RMR Mount

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Certification Prep For Brake Adjusters

In this lesson you will be given a series of test related to the California Brake Adjuster Exam. You will receive a score for each quiz with explanation to each question. After you have completed all category quizzes take the final exam. The final exam is an accumulation of all the quizzes.

Note: You will not be given the same test twice.


'Frankenstein' Summary

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a Gothic horror novel about a man named Victor Frankenstein who discovers the secret to creating life. He uses this knowledge to form a hideous monster, which becomes the source of his misery and demise. The novel is presented as an epistolary nested narrative, following the first-person accounts of Captain Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the monster himself.

Part 1: Walton’s Opening Letters

The novel opens with Robert Walton’s letters to his sister Margaret Saville. Walton is a sea captain and a failed poet. He is traveling to the North Pole in pursuit of glory and has high hopes for geographical and scientific discoveries. On his journey, he spots what looks like a giant rushing by on a sledge; soon after, his ship passes an emaciated and frozen man floating on a slice of ice. The crew rescues the stranger, who reveals himself to be Victor Frankenstein. Walton is impressed with his wisdom and cultivation; they talk and Walton states that he would sacrifice his own life for the sake of a greater good, and for lasting glory. Frankenstein then launches into his own story as a warning of the dangers of such a life philosophy.

Part 2: Frankenstein’s Story

Frankenstein begins his tale with his happy upbringing in Geneva. His mother, Caroline Beaufort, is the daughter of a merchant and marries the older, reputable Alphonse Frankenstein. She is graceful and affectionate, and young Frankenstein has a wonderful childhood. He loves reading about the secrets of heaven and earth—natural philosophy, alchemy and the philosopher’s stone. He seeks glory and wishes to uncover the mystery of life. His close childhood friend, Henry Clerval, is his opposite; Clerval is curious about the moral relations of things, and is fascinated by tales of virtue and chivalry.

Frankenstein’s parents adopt Elizabeth Lavenza, an orphaned child of Milanese nobility. Frankenstein and Elizabeth call each other cousin and are brought up together under the care of Justine Moritz, another orphan who serves as their nanny. Frankenstein praises Elizabeth much as he does his mother, describing her as saintly, and admiring her grace and beauty.

Frankenstein’s mother dies of scarlet fever before he leaves for the University of Ingolstadt. In a state of heavy grief, he throws himself into his studies. He learns about chemistry and modern scientific theories. Eventually he discovers the cause of life—and he becomes capable of animating matter. He works in a feverish excitement to build a being in the likeness of a man, but proportionally larger. His dreams of beauty and fame are crushed when his finished creation is, in fact, monstrous and completely repulsive. Disgusted with what he has created, Frankenstein runs out of his house and happens upon Clerval, who has come to the University as a fellow student. They return to Frankenstein’s place, but the creature has escaped. Utterly overwhelmed, Victor falls into an intense sickness. Clerval nurses him back to health.

Frankenstein eventually decides to travel home to Geneva once he recovers. He receives a letter from his father, which relays the tragedy that his younger brother, William, was murdered. Frankenstein and Henry return home, and upon reaching Geneva, Frankenstein goes for a walk to see for himself the place where William was killed. On his walk, he spies the gigantic creature in the distance. He realizes that the creature is responsible for the murder, but he is unable to prove his theory. Justine, who was framed by the monster, is convicted and hanged. Frankenstein is heartbroken. He turns to nature for isolation and perspective, and to forget his human problems. Out in the wilderness, the monster seeks him out to talk.

Part 3: The Creature’s Tale

The creature takes over the novel’s narrative and tells Frankenstein his life story. Soon after his birth, he realizes that all people are terrified of him and hateful towards him solely because of his appearance. Chased away by villagers throwing stones, he runs to the wilderness where he can hide from civilization. He finds a place to call home close by a cottage. A family of peasants lives there peacefully. The creature observes them daily and grows very fond of them. His empathy for humankind expands and he longs to join them. When they are sad, he is sad, and when they are happy, he is happy. He learns to speak through observation, and calls them by their names: Mr. De Lacey, his son Felix, his daughter Agatha, and Safie, Felix's love and the daughter of a ruined Turkish merchant.

The creature teaches himself to read. With literature, he displays a human consciousness, facing the existential questions of who and what he is. He discovers his ugliness, and manages to disturb himself deeply when he spies his own reflection in a pool of water. But the monster still wants to make his presence known to the De Lacey family. He talks with the blind father until the other peasants come home and are terrified. They drive the creature away; he then journeys to Frankenstein’s home, and happens upon William in the wood. He wishes to befriend the boy, believing his youth would make him less prejudiced, but William is just as disgusted and fearful as anyone else. In a rage the monster strangles him and frames Justine for the murder.

After completing his story, the creature asks Frankenstein to create a female companion with similar deformities. The creature has come to terms with the fact that he won’t be able to have any relationships with humans. He believes his malicious acts are a result of his isolation and rejection. He gives Frankenstein an ultimatum: the master will either deliver a creature companion or all he holds dear will be destroyed.

Part 4: Frankenstein’s Conclusion

Frankenstein again picks up the narrative. He and Elizabeth make their mutual love known. Frankenstein then travels to England with Henry, so that he can finish his engagement with the monster away from his family and friends before he marries Elizabeth. They travel together for some time, and then separate in Scotland; Frankenstein begins his work there. He believes the creature is stalking him and is plagued by what he promised to do, as he is convinced that creating a female creature would lead to a "race of devils." Ultimately, he fails to deliver his promise, despite the creature confronting him. The creature threatens that he will be with Frankenstein on his wedding night, but Frankenstein will not create another monster.

He journeys on to Ireland and is immediately imprisoned. The creature has strangled Clerval, and Frankenstein is believed to be the suspect. In jail, he becomes deathly ill for several months. His father comes to his rescue, and when the grand jury validates the proof that Frankenstein was on the Orkney Islands when Clerval was killed, he is liberated. He and his father travel home. He marries Elizabeth and prepares to battle the creature, remembering the monster’s threat. But while he is readying himself, the monster strangles Elizabeth to death. The creature escapes into the night, and shortly afterwards, Frankenstein’s father dies as well. Frankenstein is devastated, and he vows to find the creature and destroy him. He follows the monster up to the North Pole, where he comes across Walton’s expedition, and thus rejoins his narrative to the present.

Part 5: Walton’s Concluding Letters

Captain Walton ends the story as he began it. Walton’s ship is trapped in the ice, resulting in the deaths of some of his crewmen. He fears mutiny; many want him to turn southward as soon as the ship is free. He debates whether or not to forge ahead or turn back. Frankenstein urges him to move forward with his journey and tells him that glory comes at the price of sacrifice. Walton ultimately turns the ship around to return home, and Frankenstein passes away. The monster then appears to find his creator dead. He tells Walton of his plan to go as far north as possible and die so that the whole sordid affair can finally end.

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Your Citation
Pearson, Julia. "'Frankenstein' Summary." ThoughtCo, Sep. 1, 2021, thoughtco.com/frankenstein-summary-4580213. Pearson, Julia. (2021, September 1). 'Frankenstein' Summary. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/frankenstein-summary-4580213 Pearson, Julia. "'Frankenstein' Summary." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/frankenstein-summary-4580213 (accessed May 27, 2022).


Open cheating in French elections

Election fraud in France.
The screenshot was taken 30 minutes before the end of voting. She was on the verge of winning. 30 minutes later, she lost by a margin of over 10%.

Did LePen take a fall, like Trump by conceding??

Jim Stone- This said, Trump is a traitor too, and Le Pen as well. It's all a Sadducee vs. Pharisee theater, with gullible sheeples as spectators !

Dominion Voting Systems (DVS) working its "magic" during the elections in the US, Canada, and yesterday in France.
Look at the Le Pen numbers: more than 14,4 million at 21h20, and then, o miracle, at 22h45 she had only 11,6 million votes left. This is clearly impossible. In any case, worst case, she should have stayed at these 14,6 million, and Macron should have gained extra millions of votes from Overseas voters. But 2/3 of those are Le Pen voters. So what happened? How did Macron get some 5 million more votes AFTER 22h45. Impossible! It is obvious that millions of LePen votes got eliminated from the count in between 21h20 and 22h45 to make up "in advance" the previsible loss of Macron after the Overseas count. ... Wake up !

Look, it started off as a Le Pen win, but then the infamous algorithm took 3 million votes out, flipping them to Macron, or, worse, simply eliminating them from the count !!!   It it not me, but the News Networks who give the numbers. Just start to think. All electronically managed elections are fraud ! We are all gullible sheeple, casting votes for nothing !


Study abroad semester in Uruguay

Uruguay is a small South American country. It has a favorable climate and hence agricultural production, and stock raising is an important factor of its economy. However, Uruguay is not purely a rural country: its economy is more developed than its neighbors’ ones, and its inhabitants enjoy one of the highest living standards in the entire continent. Uruguayans are of predominantly European origin, mostly descendants of Spanish and Italian immigrants. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion, while football is by far the predominant sport. Like Brazil, Uruguay has a strong Carnival celebration tradition.

What are the best universities in Uruguay for semester students?

Are you still undecided whether or not Uruguay might be an appealing destination for you? On wearefreemovers you can find a selection of just 1 academic institution offering you the possibility of spending a semester or a full academic year in Uruguay. Let’s check some statistics about it.

Please provide a valid CSV file.

Well, not an outstanding result. However, the good facts are that Catholic University of Uruguay is recognized by the QS World Universities Rankings, which is one of the most prominent international universities rankings, and by Eduniversal, with 2 palmes of excellence.

Costs and fees of studying in Uruguay

Uruguay is quite a cheap country. Monthly costs of living for a single person are close to 550€. Here you can find a detail of the various costs that you can encounter in this country. Keep in mind that, as a student, you could have access to various discounts which can include food, travel, and accommodation expenses.

When it comes to university’s fees, Uruguay does not have specific semester fees for free movers.

Which Uruguayan cities are available for free movers?

Just Montevideo. Do you want to study there? Awesome! Check the details here:


What killed the Mayans?

What killed the Mayans?

For years, researchers pointed at wars, famine and the possibility of invaders taking over Mayan communities. It wasn’t until the mid-1990s that archaeologists began pointing to a devastating drought that hit the community, located on what is now known as the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

Are there any Mayans alive today?

The Maya today number about six million people, making them the largest single block of indigenous peoples north of Peru. Some of the largest Maya groups are found in Mexico, the most important of these being the Yucatecs (300,000), the Tzotzil (120,000) and the Tzeltal (80,000).

What color was the first human?

The results of Cheddar Man’s genome analysis align with recent research that has uncovered the convoluted nature of the evolution of human skin tone. The first humans to leave Africa 40,000 years ago are believed to have had dark skin, which would have been advantageous in sunny climates.

What is the oldest Civilisation on earth?

Sumerian civilization

How were Aztecs brutal?

For the Aztecs, human sacrifice was a major component of society, a fact of everyday life, for reasons which went beyond religious ceremonies and rituals. It was but one part of the brutal nature of life in the Aztec empire, in which activities which would today be regarded as torture or self-mutilation were prevalent.

Why did the Inca empire rise?

When the Incas were originally forming their power base around Cuzco, they formed alliances with a variety of different ethnic groups through intermarriage, so that the Inca ruler would marry the daughter of a local ethnic leader and then would give one of his daughters in reciprocal marriage to that local leader.

Did the Aztecs know the Incas?

While there is no evidence of any contact between the Inca and Aztec, it is not a wasted mental exercise. The Aztecs were extending their “empire” southwards at the same period the Inca were pushing northwards into what is today Ecuador.

How did the Inca empire rise and fall?

The Inca Empire which once dominated South America is now only a distant memory. Once a civilization of great power and influence, the Incas came to a sudden demise in the 16th century after small army of Spanish Conquistadores successfully invaded the continent.

Are all the Mayans dead?

The Maya are thought to have been in Belize and the Yucatán region since the second millennium BC. Much of Belize’s original Maya population died as a result of new infectious diseases and conflicts between tribes and with Europeans. They are divided into the Yucatec, Kekchi, and Mopan.

Which is older Mayan or Aztec?

In short, the Maya came first, and settled in modern-day Mexico. Next came the Olmecs, who also settled Mexico. They didn’t build any major cities, but they were widespread and prosperous. They were followed by the Inca in modern-day Peru, and finally the Aztecs, also in modern-day Mexico.

What disease killed the Mayans?

What are 3 differences between the Mayans Aztecs and Incas?

The Aztecs led a more brutal, warlike lifestyle, with frequent human sacrifices, whereas the Maya favoured scientific endeavours such as mapping the stars. The Inca were based much further south in the Andean region (home to modern-day Peru and Chile) and were accomplished builders.

When did Inca civilization rise and fall?

The Inca civilization flourished in ancient Peru between c. 1400 and 1533 CE, and their empire eventually extended across western South America from Quito in the north to Santiago in the south, making it the largest empire ever seen in the Americas and the largest in the world at that time.

What is the greatest civilization in history?

Mongol Empire

Did Aztecs cut out hearts?

In addition to slicing out the hearts of victims and spilling their blood on temple altars, the Aztecs likely also practiced a form of ritual cannibalism. Aztec priests, using razor-sharp obsidian blades, sliced open the chests of sacrificial victims and offered their still-beating hearts to the gods.

Are there Incas alive today?

“Most of them still living in the towns of San Sebastian and San Jeronimo, Cusco, Peru, at present, are probably the most homogeneous group of Inca lineage,” says Elward. The same pattern of the Inca descendants was also found in individuals living south to Cusco, mainly in Aymaras of Peru and Bolivia.

Did Aztec and Maya fight?

They were a collection of city-states and small kingdoms, so while the Aztec may have fought some Maya, they never fought “the Mayans,” implying that it’s a war with all of them. The very beginnings of Aztec civilization first came along about AD 1300, around 400 years after the Mayans disappeared.

Did the Mayans and Incas ever meet?

No, they didn’t. The Incas were in Peru, whereas the Maya were in Yucatán, and they never ventured far enough to know of each other. First, typically what people think of as the Maya civilization is the Classic Period Maya (200-800 AD). The Inca empire was founded in the 15th century AD.

How old is human history?

about 200,000 years

Are Aztecs and Incas the same?

The Maya were native people of Mexico and Central America, while Aztec covered most of northern Mesoamerica between c. 1345 and 1521 CE, whereas Inca flourished in ancient Peru between c. 1400 and 1533 CE and extended across western South America. The Maya used two calendars.

Are there any Aztecs left?

What are the 7 civilizations?

7 Oldest Civilizations in the World

  • Ancient Egyptians (c. 3,150 BCE – 332 BCE)
  • Norte Chico (c. 4,000 BCE – c. 1,800 BCE)
  • Mesopotamians (c. 6,500 BCE – 539 BCE)
  • Jiahu (c. 7,000 BCE – 5,700 BCE)
  • ‘Ain Ghazal (c. 7,200 BCE – 5,000 BCE)
  • Çatalhöyük (c. 7,500 BCE – 5,700 BCE)
  • Aboriginal Australians (c. 50,000 years ago – Present)

What happened to the Inca and Aztec empires?

They came in search of gold and souls — gold to enrich the coffers of the Spanish king (and their own), and heathen souls to rescue for Christianity. Within a generation, America’s ancient civilizations were crushed. Both the Aztec and Inca Empires collapsed after campaigns lasting just a couple of years.

What was the downfall of the Inca empire?

300 years

Who was the first human?

Homo habilis

Are humans still evolving?

Takeaway: Evolution means change in a population. That includes both easy-to-spot changes to adapt to an environment as well as more subtle, genetic changes. Humans are still evolving, and that is unlikely to change in the future.

Did Mayans and Aztecs exist at the same time?

Mayan Indian communities still exist, so yes Mayan people coexisted with the Aztecs. However, the great Mayan Civilization collapsed centuries before the Aztecs first wandered into the Valley of Mexico, so no the two civilizations did not exist simultaneously.

Is Nicaragua a Mayan or Aztec?

Although Nicaragua was far south of the large Mayan and Aztec civilizations, they did not completely miss out on their influence. Aztec calendars and carvings of the Mayan god Quetzalcóatl have been discovered in Nicaragua. The Spanish also found tribes speaking dialects of the Mayan and Aztec languages.

Is Mexico a Mayan or Aztec?

The people who are known as the ‘Aztecs’ and ‘Maya’ live in Mexico and Central America today, and lived in the same areas in the past. The Aztec political centre was present-day Mexico City and the land around it. Unlike the Aztecs, the Maya were never an empire.

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SAXNS-RAMBO: BioSAXS Molecular Weight Calculator

If you have buffer-subtracted SAXS data, in standard format (s,I(s),σ), this server will use the method of Rambo & Tainer (2013)
to determine the molecular weight of the object in solution. Check the DNA/RNA box is the major component is composed of nucleotides and not protein.

The possible oligomeric state will also be calculated, based on the monomer's MW

Upload the buffer-subtracted SAXS data "*.dat" file

SAXS Data *.DAT:

Check if S is in nm.

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Supplementary MaterialsFigure S1: Co-localization of rEhADH with claudin-1 about sparse MDCK cells

Supplementary MaterialsFigure S1: Co-localization of rEhADH with claudin-1 about sparse MDCK cells. adhesive features, generating epithelial aggregation and adherence to erythrocytes, as explained in trophozoites. Remarkably, the adhesin manifestation produced an increase of claudin-1, occludin, ZO-1 and ZO-2 at TJ, and also the transepithelial electric resistance (TEER), which is a measure of TJ gate function. Moreover, MDCK-EhADH cells resulted more susceptible to trophozoites attack, as showed by TEER and cytopathic experiments. Overall, our results indicated that EhADH disturbed TJ from the extracellular space and also intracellularly, suggesting that EhADH affects by itself TJ proteins, and possibly synergizes the action of other parasite molecules during epithelial invasion. is the protozoan responsible Destruxin B for human amoebiasis that infects 50 million people and kills between 30 and 100 thousand individuals around the world (Singh et al., 2016). Amoebiasis is characterized by acute Destruxin B diarrhea due to the substantial damage of the colonic epithelium produced by trophozoites (Cornick and Chadee, 2017). Trophozoites attach to and displace over the epithelium, contacting the epithelial cell surface. Then, they open the intercellular spaces by gradual parting of adjacent cells. Subsequently, epithelial cells are detached through the substrate and phagocytosed from the parasite (Martnez-Palomo et al., 1985). Many molecules get excited about this process, such as for example Gal/GalNAc lectin, amoebapores, serine and cysteine proteases, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), the EhCPADH complicated, amongst others (Chadee et al., 1987; Leippe, 1997; Garca-Rivera et al., 1999; Melndez-Lpez et al., 2007; Lejeune et al., 2011; Cornick et al., 2016). Tight junctions (TJ) regulate ion and macromolecules flux over the epithelium, and constitute the very first hurdle that pathogens encounter during sponsor invasion also. TJ are comprised by integral protein (e.g., claudins, occludin and junctional adhesion substances) destined to the actin-cytoskeleton by cortical protein, such as for example ZO-1,?2, and?3 (Capaldo et al., 2014). The original epithelial damage made by can be seen as a TJ opening, shown like a dramatic drop of transepithelial electric level of resistance (TEER) (Martnez-Palomo et al., 1985; Leroy et al., 2000; Betanzos et al., 2013), using the involvement of PGE2 (Lejeune et al., 2011) and EhCPADH (Betanzos et al., 2013). PGE2 raises ion permeability by changing claudin-4 (Lejeune et al., 2011), as the EhCPADH complicated impacts claudin-1 and occludin (Betanzos et al., 2013). EhCPADH also problems adherens junctions (AJ) and desmosomes (DSM) (Hernndez-Nava et al., 2017), constructions that reinforce adhesion among epithelial cells, take part in cell polarity establishment and constitute centers of Destruxin B intracellular signaling (Capaldo et al., 2014). The EhCPADH complicated (Arroyo and Orozco, 1987), shaped by an Rabbit polyclonal to LAMB2 adhesin (EhADH) along with a cysteine protease (EhCP112), participates in adhesion, cytolysis and phagocytosis of focus on cells (Garca-Rivera et al., 1999). EhCPADH, EhADH, and EhCP112 are secreted during trophozoite assault (Ocdiz et al., 2005; Bola?operating-system et al., 2016). Furthermore, an EhCP112 recombinant proteins drops TEER of epithelial cells, and degrades and dislocates junctional substances, including claudin-1, claudin-2, -catenin, E-cadherin, desmoplakin-I/II and desmoglein-2 (Cuellar et al., 2017; Hernndez-Nava et al., 2017). EhADH includes a Destruxin B Bro1 site (residues 9C349), quality of ALIX family that are scaffold and multifunctional protein (Odorizzi, 2006; Morita et al., 2007; Gruenberg and Bissig, 2014). Besides to its adhesive properties, EhADH can be an accessory proteins from the endosomal sorting complicated required for transportation (ESCRT) equipment, whose parts are pivotal players Destruxin B during phagocytosis in trophozoites (Avalos-Padilla et al., 2015, 2018). EhADH can be localized at plasma membrane and endosomal compartments, along with ESCRT people collectively, plays a part in multivesicular bodies development (Ba?uelos et al., 2012; Avalos-Padilla et al., 2015). Furthermore, EhADH affiliates to cholesterol-trafficking protein EhNPC2 and EhNPC1, suggesting a supplementary role within the uptake and transportation of this important lipid toward mobile membranes (Bola?operating-system et al., 2016). Monoclonal antibodies (mAbAdh) contrary to the C-terminal adherence site (residues 480C600) of the proteins (Monta?o et al., 2017), inhibit trophozoite adhesion to and phagocytosis of erythrocytes, in addition to damage of MDCK cell monolayers (Garca-Rivera et al., 1999). Nevertheless, the specific part of EhADH on epithelium harm is not fully researched. What will the parasite proteins perform when it.


What is the second name of meiosis?

cell division amitosis
cellular division cytokinesis

What is the other name of meiosis?

In this page you can discover 14 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for meiosis, like: meiotic, litotes, miosis, reduction-division, oogenesis, mitosis, prophase, cytokinesis, anaphase, telophase and gametogenesis.

What is the second stage of meiosis called?

Is meiotic and meiosis same?

In meiosis, DNA replication is followed by two rounds of cell division to produce four daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the original parent cell. The two meiotic divisions are known as meiosis I and meiosis II.

Comparison to mitosis.

Meiosis Mitosis
Genetically same as parent? No Yes

What is the difference between meiosis 1 and meiosis 2?

THIS IS INTERESTING:  Where does each allele come from?

Why is meiosis 2 necessary?

Meiosis is the type of cell division which is mostly associated with formation of spores or gametes.. The significance of Meiosis 2 is that it helps to maintain the chromosome no of mother cell and daughter cell by equational division

What are the features of meiosis 2?

Prophase II:

In each of the two daughter cells the chromosomes condense again into visible X-shaped structures that can be easily seen under a microscope. The membrane around the nucleus in each daughter cell dissolves away releasing the chromosomes. The centrioles duplicate. The meiotic spindle forms again.

All about hereditary diseases


Facebook activism alone will not prompt significant changes

Alexandra Stettner

As we get older, it seems like Facebook becomes more and more a place to discuss political views, rather than “connecting” over photos and experiences like Mark Zuckerberg intended us to do. That’s not a bad thing. It is good that we share ideas and start conversations with an audience who is hugely important – our friends. Communicating ideas to friends is one of the best ways to share an interesting belief you have or start a conversation among students, simply because many people bring things up more casually in conversation (and think about it more genuinely) when it comes from a peer, especially a friend. Facebook has proven that it is a terrific venue to do that in.

However, I’ve noticed a major issue with “Facebook activism” if used exclusively. It seems to be a recurring issue, where an individual is highly active on Facebook to encourage support for movements such as Black Lives Matter, Pray for Paris, Stand with Planned Parenthood or even to support a political candidate, but in real life, don’t share their views or correct people when they say “problematic” things.

This is frustrating. As powerful Facebook can be to encourage new ideas, it is not a good venue to try to convince people who oppose you to come and support your side instead. On Facebook, many people tend to disregard those who have differing views, right after they argue with them. In my experience, it really separates you further from those of other ideologies than yourself. It is hard to take just a name and a picture of someone you might not know very well seriously, especially when language is usually much more harsh and aggressive than what we might use while debating in person.

If someone were to disagree with me in class, or a friend were to bring up something in person that I might disagree with, the conversation is much more active. Not only will I be much more engaged in the discussion and debate, but I will probably have a stronger interest in the topic and be more willing to do further research.

I understand that some people may have social anxiety, or are even just nervous to discuss often personal and controversial views in public. But the fact of the matter is, Facebook arguments aren’t taken seriously, for the same reason they are called “Facebook fights” — they are petty.

If an issue truly matters  to you, it’s important to share your views through other means than Facebook. Another option is blogging. It’s the perfect way to get all those feelings and frustrations about a certain issue out in the open, without having to say it in public, but it is still on a public forum to read and the format allows for more thorough analysis. The best option, though, is to have  discussions in person when it’s easier to convey your point and your emotions. Joining smaller groups such as clubs or alliances on campus that are passionate about your issue is a great way to get into the nuances of a topic, and even come together to figure out possible solutions, big or small.

As the famed anthropologist, author and teacher, Margaret Mead, said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

By no means let this deter you from sharing ideas on Facebook, because the website is still a great way to share, connect and interact. The key is to understand that change does not happen from behind a laptop in the form of a sentimental status update or a profile photo filter. It happens when passionate people make their voices heard, and those voices must be heard if we are to make any significant difference.

Collegian Columnist Alexandra Stettner can be reached at letters@collegian.com and on Twitter @alexstetts


Risks of distibuted decision making

Written by Judy in Experiments
- 1 min read

Hi guys,
I would have a question about a dilemma I am facing many times since I have started to deal with the topic of progressive organisations. You may can help.
As we know, freedom and responsibility, distributed decision making and entrepreneurial mindset are the most important elements of progressive organisations.
But how can the management avoid the company descending into chaos or became the constant battlefield of rivalizing teams or individuals? I am asking, because based on my experience, in reality we never have enough resources for the implementation of every great idea, project or initiative. So I am curious, how can fairly prioritize a distributed decision making based organisation, when it comes to for ex two equally great ideas, both serving the company's best interest, but it has resources to implement only one of them. (Btw I always miss the limited resource dilemma from books about progressive organisations. :))
I guess the answer will be around the other factors of progressive organisations, but based on my experience of traditional ones it can be a bloodbath really quickly when teams just start to fight for the implementation of their own ideas and achievements without higher management prioritization or clear company goals.
As I am experimenting the progressive movement within my team, I would really appretiate some practical hints about this one. Thanks in advance, Judy

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