Cañizares Ruiz, María del Carmen 2017 Producción Científica All landscapes are, by definition, cultural as they are «accumulators of heritage that fixes the process that forms them: they are both products and examples of their history» (Martínez de Pisón, 2007: 330). As territorial heritage, they are the result of the appropriation of space by the society that has modelled them and with which they are identified (Fernández & Silva, 2015: 256). From this heritage conception of the landscape, they all include a set of inherited resources that are the reflection of the values, beliefs and traditions in continuous evolution, together with aspects of the environment that appear through the interaction over time between the people and the space (CE, 2009). In order to correctly understand this, it is necessary to know the complementarity offered by the concepts of territory and heritage (Cañizares, 2009: p94 & ff.), as cultural landscapes appear through the hybridisation of these two concepts (Alonso, 2014: 221). The first concept, territory, is currently understood not only as the physical support of our activities, but also as «the most important heritage component of a human collective» (Fernández, 2005: 29). A «non-renewable, essential and limited asset», «a complex and fragile reality» that «contains ecological, cultural and heritage values that cannot be reduced to the value of the land» (AA.VV., 2006). The interest lies in the material reality of its organisation and geographical structures, but also in the interpretation that the culture makes of this medium, that is, of the landscape (Cruz & Español, 2009: 40). If the territory is broken down into landscapes, it is easy to understand their cultural nature, since they are «the mark or sign that imprints character on each territory» (Mata, 2008: 158). The second concept, heritage, is the indispensible reference in the concept of heritage or legacy for future generations. It has undergone a paradigmatic metamorphosis centred on the displacement of attention concerning heritage from the object (or heritage asset) to the subject (or agent of heritage status) (Silva & Fernández, 2017: 131), stressing the value attributed by the population (identity) and the institutions. Today, heritage is object, action, product and process, including not only the assets received as legacies, but also the processes that allow us to understand them, place them in their context, perceive them, manage them, and even modify or destroy them (Fairclough, 2009: p31 & ff.; Mata, 2016: 547). http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/36885 eng Thomson Reuters Aranzadi 54 Geografía 5403.01 Geografía Cultural Chapter 6 - Cultural landscapes and planning in Spain info:eu-repo/semantics/bookPart TEXT UVaDOC. Repositorio Documental de la Universidad de Valladolid Hispana


In the years leading up to 1914, Europe was dominated by two alliances between major powers: the Central Powers, comprising Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and their allies on the one hand, and the Entente Powers of France, Russia, Great Britain and their allies on the other. Most small nations, such as Denmark, were not included in these alliances.

At that time, Europe was dominated by an aggressive nationalism, unrest in the Balkans and a lack of willingness to negotiate among the major powers. The German government viewed war as unavoidable if Germany was to secure its foreign policy interests and the stability of its domestic policy.

The conflict that subsequently became the First World War was triggered by the murder of the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. Backed by Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire immediately issued a range of ultimatums to Serbia – not all of which were met. As a result, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July. Russia had guaranteed Serbian security and immediately began to mobilise. This led to a chain reaction – and marked the start of the Great War.


Secret History: The CIA's Classified Account of Its Operations in Guatemala, 1952-1954

Reviews with Integrated Context

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Author: Nick Cullather
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Copyright: 1999
Pages: 200
Cover Price: $ 18.95

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In 1992, the Central Intelligence Agency hired the young historian Nick Cullather to write a history (classified “secret” and for internal distribution only) of the Agency’s Operation PBSUCCESS, which overthrew the lawful government of Guatemala in 1954. Given full access to the Agency’s archives, he produced a vivid insider’s account, intended as a training manual for covert operators, detailing how the CIA. chose targets, planned strategies, and organized the mechanics of waging a secret war. In 1997, during a brief period of open disclosure, the COA. declassified the history with remarkably few substantive deletions. The New York Times called it “an astonishingly frank account . . . which may be a high-water mark in the agency’s openness.

In the Cold War atmosphere of 1954, the U.S. State Department (under John Foster Dulles) and the CIA. (under his brother Allen Dulles) regarded Guatemala’s democratically elected leftist government as a Soviet beachhead in the Western Hemisphere. At the CIA’s direction, the government was overthrown and replaced by a military dictatorship installed by the Agency. This book tells, for the first time, how a disaster-prone operation—marked by bad planning, poor security, and incompetent execution—was raised to legendary status by its almost accidental triumph.

This early COA. covert operation delighted both President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Dulles brothers, and Allen Dulles concluded that the apparent success in Guatemala, despite a long series of blunders, made the venture a sound model for future operations. This book reveals how the legend of PBSUCCESS grew, and why attempts to imitate it failed so disastrously at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 and in the Contra war in the 1980’s. The Afterword traces the effects of the coup of 1954 on the subsequent unstable politics and often violent history of Guatemala.

Click for the original review.

Background Information

John Foster Dulles served as Secretary of State under President Eisenhower and advocated liberation rather than containment of worldwide Communism. The Central Intelligence Agency succeeded the Office of Strategic Services after World War II as the country's espionage service.


Buckeye Lake

Buckeye Lake, about 25 miles east of Columbus, was created in the 19th century as part of the Ohio and Erie Canal project. Now, it is 3,300 acres of recreation for boating, fishing, waterskiing and swimming. When you’re boating, pay attention to signs warning of shallow water. Not good for boats, but because the lake is shallow, it warms up fast in the spring, and you can get out on the water early in the season and bring in some nice largemouth bass

In the winter, the lake freezes and is used for ice skating, ice fishing, ice boating and cross-country skiing. During the hunting season, waterfowl blinds are alloted by lottery.

Buckeye Lake has the only known floating island in the U. S., Cranberry Island. As unusual are the carnivorous round-leaf sundew and pitcher plants growing there and the orchids. Mostly, as you may have guessed, the island is overflowing with cranberry plants that are in full bloom in June.

Cabin Rentals

Buckeye Lake/Columbus East Koa

4460 Walnut Road
Buckeye Lake, OH 43008
Phone: 740-928-0706
Website: Buckeye Lake KOA


Target brightness
Kind Code:

An infrared measurement method and device is described having light projecting target sighting means. Changing the sighting display controls brightness of the sighted target. Automatic brightness control of the target is provided by a light sensor and/or according to target distance. Switching the display light into different patterns changes brightness, which is also changed by changing the electrical supply to the sighting light and by optical attenuation of the sighting light.

Baghai, Shahin (Trumbull, CT, US)
Application Number:
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Primary Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
WILLIAM ANTHONY DRUCKER (Unit # 208 610 N. West Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314, US)
What is claimed is:

1. An infrared radiometer comprising a detector of heat radiation and a light projecting electrical sighting means which identifies a remote target surface area for aiming the detector; in combination with means controlling the brightness of illumination of said surface by said sighting means in response to detection of target brightness parameters such as target distance, ambient light and target display status.

2. A radiometer as claimed in claim 1 wherein brightness is increased or decreased by switching more or less sighting light into or out of operation.

3. A radiometer as claimed in claim 1 wherein target brightness is managed by optical attenuation means.

4. A radiometer as claimed in claim 1 wherein target brightness is managed by changing electrical supply to the sighting means.

5. A method of controlling the target sighting brightness of a radiometer according to operational needs, which comprises monitoring ambient light and/or temperature conditions, target distance and sighting beam display pattern and adjusting target brightness through a microprocessor.

6. A method of claim 5 in which brightness is managed by switching sighting lights and display patterns into and out of operation.

7. A method of claim 5 wherein target brightness is controlled by optical attenuation of the sighting light.

8. A method of claim 5 wherein target brightness is managed by variation of the electric supply to the sighting light.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 10/882,924 filed Jul. 1, 2004 for Laser Brightness, which application claims benefit from Provisional Application U.S. No. 60/486,951 filed Jul. 14, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This invention relates to the use of light beams to identify the location and size of a measurement target on a surface area for non-contact remote measurement (e.g. temperature) or for treatment; and in particular relates to controlling the brightness of a light display pattern projected by a sighting system onto said target, which light display is used to locate and to visualize an otherwise invisible energy zone of infrared radiation from said target, normally not visible to the naked eye.

It is known in the art of non-contact temperature measurement to direct an infrared radiometer, having a field of view, at a remote target surface to measure invisible heat radiation emanating therefrom; and by imaging the target via infrared optics onto the detector to identify the target location, distance and size by projecting and sighting one or more visible light beams onto the target so that the radiometer user can visualize an optically perceptible target and identify the target area detected by the radiometer and so direct the radiometer to the target area of the energy zone.

It is also known to use either moving (dynamic) or stationary light beams for sighting and targeting and to project one or more beams onto the target surface to indicate and to display the target area. More than one light source may be used for this sighting, such as multiple laser beam emitters, multiple light emitting diodes or halogen lamps or a combination of these sources, any of which may pulsate for higher visibility. Intersection of multiple beams on the target is a basis for a microprocessor to calculate and adjust projected light brightness for target distance. A single central spot may be formed from one or more beams or a dispersed pattern of at least three spots may be used to define the measurement area and/or to outline the energy zone. The light source of the sighting device is conveniently mounted together with a radiometer on a common hand held support of pistol style for direction of aiming light onto the target surface.

When light projection target sighting is used with a temperature measurement or control device, there are limiting operational features. The light display on the target surface must be bright enough to be seen on the target in ambient operating conditions, even at substantial distance from the instrument, but not be so bright as to cause eye damage. At times the beam must penetrate fog or vapor or fumes to illuminate the target so that the light display on the target may be seen clearly. It is useful to provide variable brightness of the light display on the target surface. Target brightness is managed in the various ways described herein.

Some instruments use sighting lasers at the lowest workable brightness, which is cheaper and safer, since brighter lasers require greater safety regulation and control and greater power. Battery power is preferred in a handheld device.

The present invention provides a device and method wherein target sighting brightness is controlled within safety limits. This control is automatic by a microprocessor, according to ambient light and/or ambient temperature and/or target distance from the detector and according to the character of a particular display pattern, e.g., a central spot and/or a circular peripheral outline spot display, or is switchable either automatically through a microprocessor or selectably by the operator. Variable target brightness is a feature of the invention.

It is known from HOLLANDER (U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,400) and (U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,830) and (U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,434) and (U.S. Pat. No. 659,639) and (U.S. Pat. No. 6,901,089) to (a) project a sighting beam through an opening of selected size, shape or diameter and/or (b) to change an aiming light display pattern to alter or to attenuate beam brightness when measuring temperature. It is also known to attenuate beam brightness by passage across a diffraction lens. It is known in the firearm art from KRANICH (U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,348) to use a laser intensity adjustment mechanism controlled by the operator to aim a firearm.

Brightness of sighting beams and target surface is increased or decreased to a useful extent by switching more or less beams into or out of operation, as well as by adjusting brightness of separate beams. For example, one may form selectively either a single separate central spot from one or more beams; and/or a circle of spots outlining the energy zone is used, and in the present invention the light display brightness is managed by use of more or less beams by switching so that the display on the target is brighter when more beams operate. Brightness is managed by optical attenuation, such as by interposition of an optical element between a light source and the target, such as a diffraction lens or the iris diaphragm or by an optical brightness filter as used in photography. A best mode of brightness control is by change of electrical power supply to the light source as by use of a resistor, which may be fixed, or variable.

In accordance with the invention, either the operator alone, manually or in combination with an automatic sensor and microprocessor control means (which may also function without operator intervention), varies the brightness of the sighting light and of the target brightness display derived therefrom to control visibility and safety limits, so that the target display is both safe to the eye and useful to see for aiming the device. when the target measurement area is located at a relatively long distance away from the instrument, or in obscure illumination conditions greater refulgence is valuable. The brightness of the target is controlled via microprocessor from detectors of ambient light and/or temperature, target distance and the setting of the display switch, which selects the number of lamps in use and the character of the display pattern (e.g., a single central spot and/or an outline circular target illumination).

For commercial and safety reasons, laser devices are commonly classified in brightness as Class 2 (less than 1 milliwatt), or Class 3A (less than 5 milliwatt), or Class 3B (more than 5 milliwatt), as measured under standardized conditions. Brighter lasers require greater safety regulation and control. Use of the lowest workable brightness is cheaper and safer. According to the invention, means are employed to obtain optimal safe illumination of a target measurement or treatment area on a remote surface. A sighting laser light source of power output between 0.3 milliwatts and about 5.0 milliwatts best controls target brightness.

Brightness of one or more light sighting elements (e.g. laser emitters or LEDs) mounted upon a hand held measurement instrument (e.g. radiometer with a temperature display and/or a distance measurement display) with integral power supply may be controlled by pulsation and/or by selection of the number and strength of light elements (e.g. pattern switching) used separately or together and managed by automatic microprocessor response. For example, a light sensor to ambient illumination located near a laser provides a target brightness display of optimal character to match working conditions and is managed by microprocessor. Any or all of the sighting light elements are mounted to tilt or swivel so that beams are directable most effectively onto the target surface to form a display; and combinations of selectable and/or switching of lamps are provided when changing brightness between display of a single central aiming spot and/or a switch position selected to display the outline of the target area, for example, as an outline circle of spots. The following control methods illustrate the invention.

Manually or automatically adjusting target display light brightness based upon ambient light measurement near the target surface display.

Manually or automatically adjusting target light brightness based on distance measured to the target. Distance is conveniently determined by sonic ranging or by optical rangefinder operated by the sighting beams.

Manually or automatically adjusting brightness based upon target display pattern configuration, such as laser dot/circle switching.

Manually or automatically adjusting target light brightness based on ambient temperature near a laser. For example, laser brightness changes with a change in ambient temperature.

The invention is next described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying DRAWING, in which

FIG. 1(a) is a circuit diagram of an electrical method, apparatus and system for target brightness management, and FIG. 1(b) is a detail of a potentiometer used;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a brightness control system employing a microprocessor; and

FIGS. 3(a) and (b) are diagrams of control devices employing power modulation for brightness management;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing methods of adjusting target light display brightness in an infrared radiometer. A microprocessor controls target brightness responsive to signals from detectors such as display switch position, ambient light/temperature and target distance.

Referring to the DRAWING, and in particular FIG. 1, there is illustrated a power/brightness control system circuit for a light source device or module (10) (LED or laser) which comprises a potentiometer (12) connected between a voltage supply V, and ground (14) through a resistor (16). The output (18) from the potentiometer (12) goes to an amplifier (20) and to a transistor (22), in turn connected to the light source (10). Variation of the potentiometer (12) varies the power fed to the source (10) accordingly. The source device (10) emits a light beam (24), the brightness of which varies in step with changes in power. The potentiometer (12) is illustrated in detail in FIG. 1(b), where a dial is labeled to indicate the level of optical power and target brightness. For example, the dial indicates selectably from 0.5 to 4.5 milliwatts with indication marks for Class 2 and for Class 3A limits. The potentiometer (12) is a single turn switch, a slide switch or a swing arm step switch.

Turning to FIG. 2, the brightness control system illustrated here includes a micro-processor (26) connected to a display (28) and having a keypad input (30). Output from the processor (26) is connected, via a digital to analog converter (32) and a transistor (34), to a voltage supply V, to a light source (10) as before. The key pad (30) is used to adjust the power output and, as the keypad adjusts the output, the display (28) indicates the brightness and classification limit, e.g. as shown in FIG. 2.

Light display methods involve pulsing, such as pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3(a), the width of the pulse is varied in proportion to brightness by a timing circuit (34). In FIG. 3(b), a processor (26) is employed to vary the width, amplitude or frequency of the power pulse in proportion to brightness. Various pulse modulation modes are used individually or together sequentially in the same device or used simultaneously.

FIG. 4 shows different ways of adjusting target brightness for a radiometer based upon ambient light, target distance and light switch status by the use of a processor (1) which manages the target light display from sensing a switch (central dot and/or outline circle) (2), and/or from an ambient light sensor/photo detector circuit, and/or from an ambient temperature detector (3), and/or from a target distance measurement range finder (4), which may be sonic or optical; and controlling a light driving circuit (5) connected to an aiming light source (6). The distance and ambient light controls work either separately or together. An infrared detector (7) and/or an ambient temperature sensor (9) measures target temperature with output signal going to a preamplifier (8), which feeds the heat signal information to the processor (1).

The main processor (1) sends a pulse width modulation signal (PWM) to the light driving circuitry (5), which in turn drives a light source (6) such as a light emitting diode or a laser module. The PWM signal from the processor controls the target brightness. The processor (1) detects the ambient light close to the target via a photo detector circuit (3). The more ambient light around the target, the more light brightness is needed to be projected onto the target. The processor adjusts brightness automatically based either or both upon target distance as measured by a range finder and/or the ambient light photo detector circuit. The range finder (4) measures the distance to the target. The longer the distance, the brighter the light must be to outline the energy zone. The processor adjusts brightness in response to distance measurement.

The processor monitors a light switch as a central dot/circle switch, and automatically adjusts target brightness with respect to switch status and according to the number of separate lamps in operation. More brightness is needed for a circle than for a central dot alone.

The processor monitors ambient temperature (9) near a laser and adjusts light source brightness accordingly so that target brightness is maintained even when there is a change in ambient temperature. For example laser brightness changes with ambient temperature. The processor controls and maintains laser brightness at a selected value regardless of change in ambient temperature.

The present invention enables a simple and inexpensive control of the light beams providing target brightness in an infrared detection system to produce optimal brightness and visibility within safety margins.


I am very pleased to offer tubers from my organic, beloved, dahlia garden. My dahlia garden started with just a few tubers from a friend, and grew into a bit of an obsession. Every spring, I get to divide them and spread the beauty to other cut flower enthusiasts. Thanks for supporting my dahlia obsession!

Dahlia tubers are available online from March through June. Please Contact me if you have any questions!

~Here is the link to my Esty.com shop to purchase tubers (March through June)~

How to Grow Dahlias

Spring Planting

Dahlias love sunshine! A spot with at least 8 hours of direct sunlight is ideal. However, in very hot climates, dahlias are better planted where they receive morning sun and afternoon shade. They should be planted between mid-April and May, around the same recommended local time to plant a vegetable garden. The soil temperature should be around 60 °F/ 16 °C, with no more chance of frost.

If you have heavy soil, amend it with compost. Dahlias love it if you add a handful of bone meal to the planting hole. They prefer a pH of 6.5-7.0, so if you live in an area with acidic soils, you should also add a handful of lime.

To plant your tuber, dig a hole slightly larger than the tuber and 4 to 6 inches deep. The tuber should lay horizontally in the soil, with any visible buds pointing up. Do not water your dahlia tuber until it you see it coming up. Otherwise, it might rot. The exception to this is in very hot climates, where you should water them only a little. This is also a good time to protect dahlias from slugs, using whichever slug prevention means you prefer.

Summer Care

Once your dahlia begins growing, they will require deep watering every 2-3 days (more or less, depending on the weather). Dahlias should be kept well weeded, by hand only.

Dahlias do not require a lot of fertilizing, in fact too much and the plants will not grow as well. It is important to avoid fertilizers or composts that are high in nitrogen. The small amount of fertilizer that is used should be low in nitrogen but high in phosphorous and potassium, and other micronutrients. Fertilizing can be done within 30 days of planting and again about 4 weeks later.

The more cut flowers you harvest, the more cut flowers your plant will produce! Removing spent blooms will inspire the plant to continue to bloom. Pinching back new growth to the first leaf node will encourage a shorter, bushier plant, if that is preferred. Very tall plants may need to be staked.

If any pests show up, contact your local Master Gardener Program for regionally specific advice on how to protect your dahlias. They are typically susceptible to earwigs, cucumber beetles, mildew, spider mites, snails, and slugs.

Fall and Winter Care

In cold climates, it is best to protect your dahlia tuber in some way. Tubers have thin skin and will rot if they freeze or if they are too wet for long periods of time. It is good for the dahlias to experience one light, killing frost, so that the leaves can die back (turning brown) and allow the plant to transition into dormancy. Always cut dahlia stems completely to the ground after this point if not digging up. Some people plant their tubers alongside a house or structure, where absorbed sunlight and heat from the structure provides sufficient winter protection. Another option is to cover the area with a few inches of mulch. In wet areas, a layer of plastic under the mulch can provide additional protection from rotting. Digging and storing is the only way to be completely sure that your dahlia will survive. Where the ground freezes 4-6 in/ 10-15 cm deep, it should definitely be dug out. Pop the root system out of the ground with a shovel or digging fork and shake the soil off. Store them somewhere between 40-50 °F/ 5-10°C. They are best kept in boxes or crates filled with slightly dampened wood shavings, sawdust, peat moss or similar. Do not store in sealed containers or bags, otherwise they may rot.

Dahlias can be divided in the fall or spring. It is best to divide them every 1-3 years. An easy way to divide dahlias is to split the root center into halves or quarters, keeping in mind that new growth comes from eyes located where the tubers connect to the stems. Then you have more to plant or share!


Keeping the Brain Active Till Death

The community has left impressive research, stories and tips to manage hypoglycemia. If the source is difficult to detect, it is best to seek advice from a veterinarian, especially if you need x-rays. Maybe the person you are supporting has exactly the longevity activator review same years. Try to quit as much as possible whenever possible. The time had come to learn how to heal and overcome the 10-year delay. In about half an hour, my pain began to diminish and disappeared in less than an hour. When it comes to keeping a hybrid wolf for a pet, there are many things to consider. Ideally, you want to feed your adult dog twice a day and your puppy three times a day. It can be difficult to manage an ageing animal.

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The problem tends to resolve spontaneously within two weeks of the man or woman giving up the drug. Whatever the reason, you can make basic adjustments and activities at home that can benefit a late-speaking child. There are cases in which people feel uncomfortable in socializing. Your brain activates the proper hormone zenith labs longevity activator reviews that will allow you to maintain your positive attitude. The severity of the symptoms usually depends on several different aspects, such as which part of the intestinal tract is affected, whether the obstruction is partial or complete, and how long the obstruction is longevity activator review present. To find the best symptoms, understand what you are really looking for. In fact, it is likely that at night, you will discover a wandering active-pk longevity activator scorpion in your house. You can not change the time. If you can help them rest for a few days, a few weeks or a few months of longevity rest until they can rest a little, away from the area that surrounds them that night, it can give them even one hour of travel. Listen to them, please do it.

The Meaning of Longevity Defined

For people with diabetes, it is essential that you work with your doctor to control your blood sugar. Every man or woman differs, “he said, and everything depends on your body’s reaction to dose reduction, waiting times will vary depending on the drug you abuse. Do what you can longevity activator with resveratrol add to the conversation in the comments and on social networks. Going to the library for more information on the subject or searching for information on the topic online will stimulate your brain. You will have the most painful time trying to recover them later. Individuals are not engaged in a rigid response but have the potential to improvise. Stay strong, it will pass and it will go away. Know if you have completed your mourning or if you are ready to consider things rationally.

Do not worry if, at some point, during recovery, the tail may seem a bit lateral. In some cases, veins can be difficult to manage. If the incision is close to the abdomen or shoulder, you can try to discourage licking by letting your dog wear a shirt. A delay in a language in children can be caused by many elements of well-being and the environment. All you have to do is adapt to the current atmosphere. People who are not very tolerant breathe a lot and tend to la-3 longevity activator reviews suffer from chronic health problems. Maybe you still have a small proportion of the international population to infect? You are wrapped in positive electricity and almost everyone around you can really feel it. A new environment can play an important role.

Once you know the reason, it will be easier to recognize the different steps you must take to prevent the disease from spreading. Then, simply discuss the standard transmission updates while monitoring the spores to locate them globally. If all else fails and the disease is spreading, it must be protected. To be sure that the whole area will receive the electronic shock wave that is the rodent repellent, we need to configure 6 devices. Shake every time your hand trembles while threading a needle. Some people will not even hear if you talk about brain fitness just because they believe that there is absolutely nothing to do to improve brain function. When you are pregnant, it is simply inconvenient (or beneficial) for your doctor to tell you about any complications that may occur during pregnancy. Pain is one of the key considerations when evaluating an animal’s standard of living. Soon you will unblock the necrosis, which will help you reach your goals. Anything bigger and it is suggested to consult a doctor immediately. It can be difficult to persuade someone to visit your doctor. Once at home, many questions will begin to appear.


Mr Malcolm Fraser

The Right Honourable Malcolm Fraser

This statement is an extract from the Fifth Annual Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture, delivered by the Right Honourable Malcolm Fraser on 24 August 2000. The full text of the lecture is displayed on the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (CAR) website (archived files):

The extract is reprinted with the permission.

The Role of Government

Let me speak to the role of government. There have been some suggestions that in the future reconciliation must become more and more a peoples movement. In one sense people have responded to that by marching with their feet. But in another sense, it is wrong. Issues of race are always the hardest to resolve, especially when the issue involves property.

They are most unlikely to be resolved by the initiative of citizens alone unless those citizens so hound their politicians that the politicians become frightened not to act. But that happens rarely. 50,000 people in Brisbane, 250,000 in Sydney, 55,000 in Adelaide and 20,000 in Hobart represent a good start, and governments should take note. This is an issue on which votes will change.

But it is the government that is informed, it is the government that is meant to have all the facts, it is the government that has resources, authority and power, it is the government whose files contain the evidence of the past that today we condemn.

In a matter so critical to the future of society and the future of Australia, it is not reasonable to say the community must lead. The community and its actions are an important component but it is the government that must be to the fore and persuade all Australians that we must act with greater expedition and with greater generosity. government, if not this one, then another, will set the pace.

Amidst the disappointments, which are substantial, we should not forget that substantial and material progress has and is being made. That it is not as much as we would want is not a reason to be disheartened.

Progress made is a reason to continue to use our powers of advocacy to convince governments that governments must act and, if government will not act, this is a matter on which people must act to secure a government that will. The dignity and self-esteem of Australia demand it.


Sidestroke – Swimming Outside the Paradigm

Why would anyone give serious attention to the sidestroke? It’s neither powerful nor particularly graceful (or fast). Sidestroke is not a competitive stroke so it’s not useful for racing. Some may see it as a remnant of an earlier age of swimming, a kind of evolutionary anomaly, an archaic remain of swimming strokes long surpassed on the evolutionary chain. So why do I, a serious recreational swimmer, take so much pleasure and devote so much time to perfecting my sidestroke?

I became curious about the stroke after reading a book called The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness, by Stew Smith. Smith explains that this is the basic stroke used by the SEALs in open-water operational swimming. This was confirmed by an acquaintance of mine who had served in the Israeli Naval Commandoes. I saw a video clip of the stroke on Stews’ website and decided to give it a try.

Sidestroke, it turns out, has many advantages. First, it’s easy to learn. To see the mechanics of the stroke go to: // Second, it can be done for long distances with minimal exertion. Sidestroke can be swum with or without fins. It’s non-stressful to the shoulders, lower back, and knees. For the competitive swimmer, it could be a useful recovery or cool-down stroke. The major disadvantage is that you mostly see to the sides and rear and not in the direction in which you’re headed.

Why did I take to the sidestroke? I have a permanent injury in my right brachial plexus that prevents me from employing proper swimming mechanics. Essentially, I swim freestyle with one arm. I was very frustrated for a long time by the fact that I wasn’t improving my speed in the freestyle. My main problem is that most (experts say at least 70%) of the propulsion in freestyle is generated by the upper body. Leg power accounts for a small amount of forward progress, particularly in longer distances. For a long time I tried to overcome my disadvantage by emphasizing core propulsion. No good. I know that core emphasis and hydro dynamics has been the big thing in swimming these last few years but I’m sorry to say that it really doesn’t help if you are swimming the crawl with one arm. At least it didn’t work for me.

Sidestroke has been the answer for me. When I swim it, I feel I’m getting continual forward motion with minimal exertion. I feel completely coordinated and fluid. I am now at the point where I swim sidestroke faster than freestyle. The main reason is that the sidestroke kick is very powerful. I believe that, in my case, the powerful scissors kick accounts for at least 50% of forward motion, probably more. I have also modified the stroke to suit my unique needs. For example, I have added a slight flutter kick to coordinate with my arm stroke. Also, I undulate after pushing off the wall and before taking the powerful underwater double-arm pull. These give me added forward propulsion.

A typical workout will look something like this (in meters):
300: warm-up
2×500: switch every 50 between right side, left side, and freestyle.
200: cool down with fins

200: warm-up
1000: sidestroke for time. Switch sides every 100m.

300 warm-up
2x(4×75): each set of 75s done this way: #1: 75 right sidestroke
#2: 50 right sidestroke,25 left sidestroke
#3: 25 right sidestroke, 50 left sidestroke
#4: 75 left sidestroke
30 seconds rest between 75s, 2 to 3 minutes rest between sets. Speed done at about 90%.

300 warm-up
200 sidestroke with fins
200 sidestroke with paddles
200 sidestroke with fins and paddles x2
3 minutes rest
200 sidestroke for time
200 cool-down

Two points of emphasis:
1. As in other strokes, swim long. Try to take as few strokes as possible, but not to the point that you’re sinking between strokes.
2. Make sure your torso and arms are in streamline position (one arm straight up and the other at your side) when you kick. Good timing between legs and arms is essential if you want to take full advantage of the glide after your kick.

The sidestroke encouraged me to look outside the paradigm of the four competitive strokes. In some cases, the four strokes may not provide the best answer for a particular individual. The sidestroke has greatly increased my swimming pleasure. I am now considering training for a 1.5km. open-water swim and I’m planning to use the sidestroke.


Fellow white women. Hi.
I feel uncomfortable.

I was brought up probably in a similar way to you: don’t talk back, don’t raise your voice, be nice. And yet as a parent to a little girl, I have a lot of uncomfortable conversations about the difference between nice and good. Good people aren’t always nice. Good people speak up. Good people stand up for others when there is no benefit to them or even at risk of loss. Our training makes us nice, not good, and that makes it even more difficult to speak up when you see behaviour that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, especially when it’s coming from people you respect.

So here we go…
I need to talk to you about the way we’ve been sharing other people’s quotes.

I get that using other people’s words is a common way to elevate our own brands. Branded quotes on Instagram, bold statements on a webpage, we align ourselves by using words that other people said best. It’s a great way to nail down a point, situate yourself in the market, and make online friends all while keeping our Newsfeeds pretty. And fine. Except when we use those quotes out of context.

Just last week, I heard Staci Jordan Shelton say, “context is everything” and the truth of this statement made me want to sink to the floor on my knees.

Again for those in the back. CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING.

It’s not enough to credit the person or quote them properly, it is integral that we respect the context in which the person was speaking.

Case in point:
A perfect recent example is Missy Elliott’s quote from her Marie Claire interview.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Missy Elliott is a force and a champion. Imagine if BIPOC women were no longer systemically oppressed. Imagine if their voices were elevated to the point of no longer being ignored. How fucking unstoppable would they be? (that’s obviously rhetorical)

And yet…
I’ve already seen white entrepreneurs using this quote on social media to say “imagine if we all felt unstoppable”. Sure, yes, wow, great, but friend, that is the equivalent of saying “all lives matter”. We wouldn’t have to say Black Lives Matter if all lives
actually mattered in the eyes of our society.

Missy Elliott speaks as a woman of colour on behalf of and as a champion of other women of colour. As white entrepreneurs, when we take this statement and loop it back to what we’re doing, how our businesses run, and what our mission is, we are using her voice out of context for our own benefit.

Using a quote to talk about your business is one thing. Using a quote that speaks specifically about championing people who have been marginalized in this [broken] society for centuries in order to talk about ourselves is a whole other thing altogether. Spot the difference?

Context is everything and Missy Elliott’s point is strong enough to stand on its own…without us looping it metaphorically back into our businesses. Good intentions or not, her sentiment is not ours to own.

We need to use our privilege to elevate the voices of the people who are not heard, rather than their voices to elevate ours.

This is the work and it isn’t easy.

Dismantling a racist (and sexist and and and) system is not a button we can flick or a straight path we can follow. It is messy and difficult and necessary.

We need to keep having these hard conversations. We need to keep teaching each other how to be more anti-racist. We need to keep trying even if we make mistakes, even if our voices quake, even if we don’t know what to say. Because our silence equals our complicity. Because the silence of white women specifically helps forward an agenda that keeps people oppressed.

I am reminded of something Ijeoma Oluo said, “the beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward.

I don’t have all the answers (I barely have some of them) but there are incredibly gifted and generous people doing this work already including the fierce and eloquent, Desiree Adaway.

My recommendation to you is to speak up for others. Be good, not nice. Think before you share. Do your research. Elevate voices from people who don’t look like you. And consider this your permission to rise above your good intentions. Context is everything.


Side long

It’s subtle, almost imperceptible;

The sense you’re being measured.

It’s not malicious; it may not be conscious,

And it’s not the metric of any ruler or scale.

Rather it’s based on history.

Not world history; not even your history,

But a history of pain and joy;

A history of violence and caresses;

A history of anticipation, both eager and dread.

It’s a measurement made during a moment’s pause;

Through a renegade lock of hair;

In a side-long glance rather than challenging stare.

We measure the people we meet,

Seeking solace that this one’s different,

Checking for warning echoes of past sorrows.

Hoping for the best. Wary of the worst.

I am measured. You are measured. And yet,

The result speaks more of the measurer than the measured.

Our songs

SONY DSCWhere are the troubadours?

Who will sing our songs,

Tell our stories, shed our tears?

Our world has so much to say,

Yet our streets and courtyards

Boom with unrelenting silence.

I witness the horrors of another world,

Hear the cheers and jeers of strangers,

But my neighbour weeps in solitude,

Oblivious to the bonds we share,

Unknowing of my face, my voice, my heart.

Where are the troubadours?

Who will hear my story, my song,

Bring it to strangers in a familiar land?

Ghosts pass every day, unseen,

Faces held to the ground they trod,

Eyes focused on illusory distances,

Cacophonous words uncommunicated;

A wall of flesh and bone and cloth,

Devoid of spirit, absent of connection.

Where are the troubadours?

Who will touch our hearts, our souls,

With music, with stories, with love?

A strum of string. A strike of key.

Tremulous glottal vibration.

And an audience thirsting:

To see, to be seen;

To understand, to be understood;

To connect, to love.

Where are the troubadours?

From his water-laden branch,

Hidden among protective leaves,

The chickadee stares down

At the strange cyclops below;

His grasp on the limb

Is tenuous at best,

Close enough for details

Distanced for quick escape.

The one-eyed beast is calm,

Open to new connections,

Seeking only an audience

With his avian companion.

Words are unspoken, unnecessary,

As a bond is formed

In the hush of gentle rain,

Whispers of waving branches

Broken only by buzz-clicks

Of monocular blinks.

For this instant, this

Sodden, frozen moment,

Relationships are formed,

Connections are made,

Eventually to dissolve

Into photographic memory,

But vitally important

Both to he and to me,

Shared in wonder and awe.

Lead on, Macduff – Connecting characters

Something wicked

Many years ago, I struck upon the idea of Shakespeare’s Macbeth as a solo performance, where each of the secondary characters were not real people but rather manifestations of the Thane’s own psyche. The entire story, as I envisioned it, was one long inner monologue by a very confused man, struggling to rationalize his beliefs with his desires.

King Duncan represented the old way of doing things; slow, methodical, political.

Macduff represented the idealized warrior; righteous, proud, skilled, noble.

Lady Macbeth represented unbridled ambition; envious, avaricious, clawing, unfettered.

Banquo represented compromise; willing, hopeful, forward-looking.

The Witches represented chaos; confusing, enigmatic, truthful.

Beyond conversation with addled classmates and my bemused English teacher, however, this concept never really became more than a memory that I recount today. (Shakespeare himself had been dead for a few years and could not be reached for comment.)

But the idea has stuck with me ever since, and I have come to see its merits as a tool or approach to characters in many works I have written in the intervening years.

Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,

Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,

Raze out the written troubles of the brain

And with some sweet oblivious antidote

Cleanse the stuff’d bosom of that perilous stuff

Which weighs upon the heart?

Macbeth, V, iii, 40

So often, when reading stories written by others—I struggle to do this with my own work, to which I am too close—I find characters that seem to float into and out of the story. They enter, perform a function in the story, and then exit, leaving almost no impression. They are simply mechanisms to move the story forward.

Now, I am not talking about the nameless, faceless characters that populate the background of pretty much every story; the extras or day-laborers of the film industry. Even if they have an action or offer the odd line, I see those characters very much on par with props.

I’m talking about the somewhat larger characters who may be central to a scene, interacting regularly and with purpose with one or more of the main characters to raise a dramatic question, but seeming to be otherwise disconnected from the rest of the story.

I ask myself (and sometimes the storyteller):

If you eliminated this character from your story and gave his or her actions/functions to another character, would your story suffer?

If the answer is no, then the character should probably be eliminated.

But sometimes the answer is yes; exactly why, however, is not always clear.

This is where I go back to my Macbeth concept.

Much as the antagonist of any story is a reflection of the protagonist, I believe there are opportunities to solidify these more nebulous characters by asking what they represent to the protagonist.

Are they alter-egos to some aspect of the protagonist’s personality, needs or wants? And if not, can they be?

I am a firm believer that we invite into our lives people who serve a purpose, who help us rationalize our places in the universe, who either soften the blow of being stuck in a mire we hate or inspire us to become more than we are. We may never be conscious of what their purposes are, but we are somehow drawn to these people and they to us.

Understand your associates and you will understand yourself.

Our lives are a web of connections, but are we the spider or the fly?

As gods of the stories we create, we have introduced specific characters into those stories for a reason, and I suspect it goes well beyond functional plot points. Rather, I feel it speaks to the nature of the protagonist or one of the other central characters.

At the very least, it is an avenue to explore when you find a character that just seems to float through your story, a character that could easily be eliminated, but for some reason, you want to keep.

Your starting point may be in figuring out what they represent to the protagonist. In the process, you may just develop a deeper understanding of your central character(s).

To learn more about improving your story telling, as well as opportunities for story coaching and story analysis, visit:

So, What’s Your Story? (web site)

So, What’s Your Story? (Facebook)

Why story coaching?

No matter where you are in your writing career, your work can almost always be helped by feedback from fresh eyes that do not have a vested interest in the work itself.

Story analysis can help you see challenges in your story that might be invisible to you, whether through inherent biases or because you see the story clearer in your head than it has been recorded on the page.

Story analysis can also help you see opportunities in your work that you overlooked, if only because you are too close to it. Your priority for that early draft, in all likelihood, was simply to get things out of your head and onto the page, and we all walk with the fear of wandering down so many blind alleys that we never come out of the other end, wherever that end may be.

So fine, story analysis is helpful. But what the hell is story coaching?

Almost by definition, story analysis happens AFTER you have completed a draft (or several). It comes AFTER you have wandered the desert of creative confusion. It comes AFTER you have bled your creative juices onto the page and have become smitten with your creation.

And in some very unfortunate cases, it never comes at all, because the storyteller never completed the project, whether due to fear of failure, a sense of being intractably lost, or simply because Life intervened to distract from the task at hand.

This is where story coaching can help.

Story coaching is about a work-in-progress, whether a screenplay, a novel, the writer him or herself…whatever the storyteller needs most.

As with life coaching, business coaching or athletics coaching, story coaching is about providing guidance to the storyteller on a regular basis, whether simply as a second set of eyes to critique the work or as a mentor who uses the work-in-progress as a framework within which to help the storyteller develop as an artist.

Story coaching is also about commitment and accountability for the storyteller.

By hiring a story coach, the writer has made his or her creative art a priority in life. Why else spend the money?

And working with the storyteller, the story coach establishes expectations and deliverables, whether that is new story ideas, number of newly written pages, rewrites. These are the foundations of creative habits that can be difficult to develop and entrench in solitude because the creative process is so personal and fraught with self-doubt and self-recrimination.

But I can get this from a writing course or a writers’ group.

Yes, this is true…to an extent.

Writing classes can be invaluable, depending on the composition of your classmates and the skill of your instructor.

With a roomful of students, however, it can be difficult for the instructor to provide truly focused guidance to an individual student. More typically, the student is presented with a spectrum of general direction, all of which can be valuable but only some of which may be germane to a given work-in-progress.

Writers’ groups can also be a wonderful resource, again depending on the composition of the group. That composition and the individual writer’s position within the skill hierarchy, however, are critical.

Most writers’ groups are comprised of peers with relatively equal experience, and so may not be able to provide the more advanced analysis and mentorship that an individual wants or needs. And if an individual is the most advanced or skilled within a given writers’ group, he or she may find little opportunity for improvement.

[NOTE: I firmly believe that you will always find something in the feedback of any group of readers. The question is more whether it is worth the effort you put into the group.]

Although it is not impossible, you are very unlikely to ever become a professional football or hockey player by spending any amount of time playing flag football or pond hockey with friends. Why would we expect storytelling to be any different?

How do I know a story coach is right for me?

You don’t. Well, you don’t until you start a conversation with him or her.

Oh, hey! Is the story coach going to try to tell me what stories to tell?

Absolutely not.

The story coach is here to understand what story you want to tell or help you understand it better yourself, and then help you tell it in the most effective manner.

You are the Creator. The story coach is not.

If you want to learn more about Story Coaching, feel free to reach out to me (no obligation) at:

So, What’s Your Story? (web site)

So, What’s Your Story? (Facebook)

We are the stories we tell ourselves

Human beings connect through story. We define our individual selves by story. We even define our universe in terms of the stories we tell ourselves.

And despite often sharing experiences with others, my understanding and interpretation of those experiences—my personal Truth—is the story that I build around those experiences.

If I see something I have never seen before, I immediately construct a story. I give it context from items around it or its location or its presence at this time of day.

And remarkably, if I came upon this same thing tomorrow rather than today, the story I construct then might be entirely different from the one I build today.

Thus, story is malleable. It lives and breathes as we take in new information from our surroundings and incorporate that information into the story, making tweaks and adjustments to ensure that everything continues to make sense.

When the story doesn’t make sense, when congruence is lost, we get upset, and in some cases, put up hostile blinders. This is when human beings lose connection.

Because story is such a personal thing, the Creative—whom I define as anyone who pursues a task with passion—is faced with an essentially insurmountable challenge: How do I share my story through myriad personal filters?

Ultimately, you cannot control how another receives and interprets your story.

abstract art

What is my story for this work? What story did the Creative intend?

Even if the Painter tells me her intent in painting a portrait or landscape, the Novelist types out in no uncertain terms precisely what he means to convey, the Musician strikes notes and chords to instill specific feelings, I can remain oblivious to those intents, consciously or un-.

This simply is; and we can only hope that it does not negatively influence the passion to create.

That passion, the drive to create, must be given voice, however; and so the Creative moves forward, doing his or her best to share (much as I am doing now in writing this).

A dedicated Creative struggles on, regardless of the insurmountable barriers, and strives to convey the most effective story he or she can, looking for ways to layer thoughts and emotions and spiritual energies onto the personal stories of others.

We practice what we know. We experiment with the unknown. We seek guidance and critical analysis.

And most importantly, we accept that we will never achieve 100% success instilling our stories in others, and yet push ourselves and our Art as if it were possible.

As Creatives, as people of passion, that is central to our stories.

If you’re interested in learning how to build stories more effectively, seeking guidance for nascent projects or critical analysis of existing works, feel free to check out my website So, What’s Your Story or reach out to me here or via my Facebook page.

In the meantime, I wish you all the success in the world.

My (other) family

Dog Pound

The rowdy rabble that are Duke’s Dog Pound

This is my family.

Not in the genetic sense, you understand, or even in the social sense. We did not grow up in the same house.

But a couple of times a week for the better part of eight months of the year, we gather at our local house of passion—the Ricoh Coliseum—and join in frenzied excitement over our beloved hockey club.

This is my Marlies family.

We are an odd collection of people of all ages, temperaments and backgrounds. We come from all regions around the city (and abroad) and have quite unique life experiences. And yet we are family.

And like all families, we can irritate the hell out of each other. Sometimes the passions can overwhelm those sitting in nearby seats. We do not deal equally well with challenging times, whether for our team or our family. And disagreement over the smallest thing can take fire, forming a wedge however temporary between family members and forcing others to take sides.

But the second there is a threat from outside the family, we quickly band together in support, in concern and in love. And ultimately, we are drawn yet again by our shared love of our boys in blue and white.

I would do almost anything for these people, help them in whatever way they might need. And I know both from my gut and from experience that they would help me if I needed it.

When viewed from outside, we are complete strangers to each other. Except for small pockets, we do not spend time together much beyond the arena. I don’t hear the minutiae of your life, nor you mine.

And yet, when the hockey season ends each Spring, I am saddened, not just because our boys didn’t advance further in the playoffs, but also because it will now be months before I once again see most of these people.

But when those gates open in October, and we wander down the familiar hallways to our familiar seats around the pristine sheet of ice, it is a moment of pure joy.

I am home with my family.

This is my family, and I adore them to pieces.


Abrahms et al. publish in PNAS on Memory and resource tracking drive blue whale migrations

Blue whales are the largest animals to every exist on earth but feed on some of the smallest animals on earth, so they need to eat a huge amount of krill to meet their energy needs. Blue whales are estimated to eat 8,000 pounds of krill per day! So it’s important they’re able to find enough food as they’re migrating up the coast of North America. Rather than surfing the contemporaneous “green wave,” the whales can hedge their bets by going with the average timing they’ve experienced in the past. This suggests memory or social communication over basin scales may be at play. From a commentary by William Fagan, “The ultimate analysis and results underpinning conclusions about memory-driven movement in whales are deceptively simple, but the data-intensive process to get there underscores just how much integration is necessary to make progress in cognitive movement ecology.”

B. Abrahms, E.L. Hazen, E.O. Aikens, M.S. Savoca, J.A. Goldbogen, S.J. Bograd, M. Jacox, L. M. Irvine, D.M. Palacios, B.R. Mate, 2019. Memory and resource tracking drive blue
whale migrations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 10.1073/pnas.1819031116. PDF

Continue reading


Question: Are Homeschooled Students Successful?

According to the U.S.

Department of Education, 3.4% of American children are homeschooled — and that number is growing.

Are homeschooled students more successful?

Are homeschooled students smarter?

Homeschool students appear smarter at the end due to their ability to adapt to a situation or topic, ask pertinent questions, and then answer their own questions through learning. They are lifelong learners. Public/private school students never get a deep view of a topic, just a shallow understanding.

Are homeschooled students less social?

They have consistently found that homeschooled students have fewer friends and a significantly lower amount of social interaction with peers. However, homeschooled students in some studies have reported loneliness and a greater degree of social isolation.

Is homeschool better than traditional school?

Homeschooling can be better for some families because of the flexibility that it gives. Homeschooling allows for individualized education as opposed to overcrowded public schools. According to National Center for Education statistics, the average class size in California is 20 students to one teacher.

Why Homeschooling is bad idea?

Homeschooling refers to the concept of educating children at home instead of sending them to public or private schools. Some parents believe that they know their child’s strengths and weaknesses best and hence, are in a better position to teach him. Some prefer it so as to keep their child away from bad company.

What are the disadvantages of homeschooling?

In this article, we will explore some of the disadvantages of homeschooling.

  • Time. When parents take the responsibility of educating their children at home, they may need to set aside time to make it work.
  • Cost.
  • Socialization.
  • Lack of Facilities.
  • Patience.
  • Motivation.

How many hours a day do you homeschool?

What are the disadvantages of homeschooling students?

Effects on social life can be another possible disadvantage for homeschooled kids. All kids need to have friends and be around other children. Some homeschoolers may feel cut off from kids their age or feel like they spend too much time with their families.

Can homeschoolers get scholarships?

Homeschool Scholarships. With their unique schooling, homeschool students may be eligible for scholarships based on their non-traditional education. There are several organizations, schools, and private donors that offer homeschool scholarships to help students obtain a college degree.

Does Homeschooling negatively affect social skills?

Does Homeschooling Affect Social Skills? Homeschooling generally has a positive impact on social skills. Homeschooled kids are not subjected to the peer pressure, violence, drugs, and other negative influences found in today’s schools. Yes, homeschooling will have an impact on her social skills — in a positive way!

How do homeschoolers get diplomas?

A homeschool diploma issued by a student’s parents will not carry as much weight as a diploma issued by a public school, private school, or correspondence program. Most colleges, universities, and employers will accept a parent-issued homeschool diploma as proof of high school graduation.

Will homeschooling ruin my child?

It’s not right for every family, but as long as parents take steps to encourage and support their children, homeschooling will not ruin them. It won’t make them anti-social. If they choose to go on to college, they’ll be just fine. Homeschooling didn’t ruin me.


What ESP Is and How to Develop It

How to develop your ESP reveals excellent tips for increasing your sixth sense abilities. ESP stands for Extra Sensory Perception. The term, ESP, implies receiving information not obtained through the standard five physical senses. Instead it’s perceived by the mind.

ESP primarily indicates *telepathic powers and includes the ability of Psychokinesis (PK), or mind-over-matter. ESP, also known as mind reading, is receiving information without speaking, writing words, or signaling. Moreover, information is passed between individuals either consciously or unconsciously or, even remotely.

This information can be anything from sensing emotions of another, knowing what’s going on with another person, group, or situation, to perceiving images or symbolic references. The bottom line? Someone who is high in ESP is telepathic.

Wonder If You Have Strong ESP Abilities?

Have you ever watched TV game shows and correctly guessed what’s behind Door Number 3 — a lot? Do you know what is going to happen in a television episode or book before the end? Have you thought of someone you haven’t heard from in years and then they email you out of the blue?

These are just simple examples of your ESP at work.

“What can I do to increase my psychic powers of ESP?”, you might ask.  The simple answer is strengthening your ESP through concentrated exercises over a period of time.

zener cards simple symbols

Zener Cards Created by J.B. Rhine

First, a Little Back History on ESP

Extra Sensory Perception was once considered impossible and only happened in comic books. In fact, psychic powers such as ESP, Clairvoyance, Telekinesis, and the concept of Astral travel, were in the early stages of burgeoning into Western thought.

ESP Explored by One Daring Pioneer

Until Parapsychologist J. B. Rhine, no one had bothered to do extensive laboratory experiments to find out if ESP was a reality or, could even be measured.

Rhine recognized that no real experimentation was being done around ESP. In 1936, Rhine bravely opened a research laboratory at Duke University.

He immediately set about creating a method for exploring ESP. Soon after, Rhine believed he had one. This came about through his invention of the now famous collection of symbols he named, Zener Cards (pictured above).

A sender took shuffled cards and one-by-one focused on the symbol pictured. The sender mentally sent this image to someone else who would then jot down what they thought the card was. All these readings were statistically documented, measured for hits and misses, and amazingly showed the concept of telepathy had merit.

Hundreds of ESP Test Subjects

Through tireless effort and over time, Rhine eventually accumulated data from hundreds of test subjects. Under his guidance and with the help of a growing team of graduate students and colleagues, eventually a new pseudo-science called telepathy emerged. Not only that, but government agencies quickly caught on.

Seeing an opportunity of great potential, a hush hush project was set up with the goal of using a form of ESP to *spy on other countries. (See about Project Stargate at the bottom. Not to be confused with the 1994 movie or television series.)

Students practicing esp

Are You Ready to Start Boosting Your Powers of ESP?

The first step towards developing your ESP is a positive attitude about ‘the unknown.’ Having a negative attitude towards psychic phenomena tends to prevent our sensitivities from awakening. It may also have the effect of closing them down. Having an “I can do it!” attitude is the best mindset to have when working on developing any psychic sense.

Ways to Increase Your ESP

Meditation is One of the Ways the sixth senses are Accessed

One way to develop ESP is to be more in touch with your innermost self on a deep level. This can be accomplished through meditation.

Many individuals understand that practicing meditation increases intuitive awareness. Additionally, affirmations are another great way to improve psychic powers. One might think of affirmations as being a re-programming of the mind and energy field.

Also, affirmational statements help us to solidify our desires and can open the doorway for greater opportunities.

Specifically, an example of an affirmation for developing your ESP might be, “I am now increasing my powers of extra-sensory perception, and every day my powers of ESP grow stronger.”

After that, make this statement daily for about 2 minutes over a two week time period. Simultaneously, keep watch on your sensing and feeling. Particularly, notice any increase in picking up unusual insights or pieces of information.

Most importantly, before doing any practice, make sure that you’re thoroughly relaxed, and your surroundings are quiet. (No TV blaring in the other room, or make sure the kids are in bed, etc.).

Getting into a daily routine for doing meditation and using affirmations can really benefit your life. So why don’t you give it a try?

Words of Caution for Novices

To begin, just know that initially getting average to poor results while doing any psychic test or exercise is to be expected. On the other hand, please don’t go in with the attitude you’re going to ‘ace’ tests every time. It’s just not possible.

Additionally, don’t become too quickly discouraged at results. Eventually with practice, your powers of ESP will rocket.

Finally, strengthening and mastering ESP takes time. It’s rare to score a 100% all the time.

Awesome Practice Exercises for Developing Your ESP

Test  #1

You will need a partner for this first test. Choose someone that has the same interest as you in furthering psychic abilities. Importantly, any doubt or sarcasm expressed around you will only cause you to freeze up. Thus you’ll could end up doing miserably. More importantly, a negative atmosphere keeps you from realizing your full potential. Finding a partner that is like-minded will cause you to feel expansive, comfortable, and safe.  Thus, you should do much better in your ESP tests.

Write these steps down if you wish.

  1. Have a regular deck of playing cards.
  2. Ask your partner thoroughly shuffle the deck and then place it in front of them cards face down.
  3. Taking the top card from the deck, your partner will focus on it and then ask you first if the card is a red or black suit. Then they will ask if the card is a numbered card or a royalty card including Aces. The final question might be what is the card they are gazing at? They can give you results after each card or keep track of hits or misses on a pad of paper.

When you’ve done several cards, you might trade off.

Believe it or not, you can also do this test by phone or via Skype. Psychic powers do not exist in space and time. Doing a test like this is almost like doing remote viewing.

Don’t Have a Partner?

If you do NOT have a partner, with paper and pencil handy, do this test for yourself. Shuffle and pick a card, either from the top of the deck or fan them out randomly and choose one but keep them face down.

Next, place your non-dominant hand on the card, focus, and start asking yourself the same questions as above.  rite down your impression. Place the “viewed” card aside but keep them in order.

Test  #2

This will take a little work but is an excellent practice exercise for building on your ESP skills.

Get a set of color felt pens from the dollar store in the kids section. Take some 3 x 5 blank index cards and make a generous scribble of a color on the blank side using the most commonly known colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, deep purple, and brown.

  1. Have a note pad by you and make a column numbering 1 – 7. Each test run through will require a new column of numbers.
  2. Shuffle and place the index cards face down. Start from the top and attempt to tune in with the color marked on that card. I often close my eyes with my mind blank and then notice what color pops in. Or, I might “feel” the color instead. Sometimes your clairsentience will kick in and you will actually feel what the color is. (If you get the same color twice when you know this is impossible, just write down your impression anyway.)
  3. Finally, place that card aside face down keeping the order of the cards without mixing them up with the first try on the bottom. After going through all the cards, flip them over and check your guesses. Importantly, try not to peek at each card as you go through them. This will only contaminate the process and dilute your efforts.

Take Needed Breaks

Significantly, strengthening your ESP can be tiring, so please don’t overdo it. Make sure you rest in between tests. Additionally,  doing some deep breathing will help clear your mind and relax your body.

Without a doubt, if you perform both of these exercises at least three times a week for about 15 minutes each, I guarantee that your powers of ESP will significantly improve.

Have fun!

*The word “telepathy” was coined by original member of the British Society of Psychical Research, SPR, Frederick Myers in the 1800’s.

Further reading: (Gov. Stargate Project for Remote Viewing)

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by Carol Nicholson, Ph.D., and Certified Psychic-Medium

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Arch manual pages

WCSTOMBS(3) Linux Programmer's Manual WCSTOMBS(3)

wcstombs - convert a wide-character string to a multibyte string

#include <stdlib.h>

If dest is not NULL, the wcstombs() function converts the wide-character string src to a multibyte string starting at dest. At most n bytes are written to dest. The sequence of characters placed in dest begins in the initial shift state. The conversion can stop for three reasons:
A wide character has been encountered that can not be represented as a multibyte sequence (according to the current locale). In this case, (size_t) -1 is returned.
The length limit forces a stop. In this case, the number of bytes written to dest is returned, but the shift state at this point is lost.
The wide-character string has been completely converted, including the terminating null wide character (L'\0'). In this case, the conversion ends in the initial shift state. The number of bytes written to dest, excluding the terminating null byte ('\0'), is returned.

If dest is NULL, n is ignored, and the conversion proceeds as above, except that the converted bytes are not written out to memory, and no length limit exists.

In order to avoid the case 2 above, the programmer should make sure n is greater than or equal to wcstombs(NULL,src,0)+1.

The wcstombs() function returns the number of bytes that make up the converted part of a multibyte sequence, not including the terminating null byte. If a wide character was encountered which could not be converted, (size_t) -1 is returned.

Interface Attribute Value
wcstombs () Thread safety MT-Safe

2019-03-06 GNU


Military technology has played an important role in the fashion industry. The camouflage pattern in clothing was developed to help military personnel be less visible to enemy forces. A trend emerged in the 1960s and camouflage fabric was introduced to street wear. The camouflage fabric trend disappeared and resurfaced several times since then. Camouflage started to appear in high fashion by the 1990s.[39] Designers such as Valentino, Dior and Dolce & Gabbana combined camouflage into their runway and ready-to-wear collections.

Fashion is a popular aesthetic expression in a certain time and context, especially in clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle and body proportions.[1] Whereas, a trend often connotes a very specific aesthetic expression, and often lasting shorter than a season, fashion is a distinctive and industry-supported expression traditionally tied to the fashion season and collections.[2] Style is an expression that lasts over many seasons, and is often connected to cultural movements and social markers, symbols, class and culture (ex. Baroque, Rococo, etc). According to sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, fashion connotes “the latest fashion, the latest difference.”[3]

At the beginning of the 20th century, fashion magazines began to include photographs of various fashion designs and became even more influential than in the past.[50] In cities throughout the world these magazines were greatly sought after and had a profound effect on public taste in clothing. Talented illustrators drew exquisite fashion plates for the publications which covered the most recent developments in fashion and beauty. Perhaps the most famous of these magazines was La Gazette du Bon Ton, which was founded in 1912 by Lucien Vogel and regularly published until 1925 (with the exception of the war years).[51]

Fashion relates to social and cultural context of an environment. According to Matika,[40] "Elements of popular culture become fused when a person's trend is associated with a preference for a genre of music…like music, news or literature, fashion has been fused into everyday lives." Fashion is not only seen as pure aesthetic values; fashion is also a medium for performers to create an overall atmosphere and express their opinions altogether through music video. The latest music video ‘Formation’ by Beyoncé, according to Carlos,[41] "The pop star pays homage to her Creole root.... tracing the roots of the Louisiana cultural nerve center from the post-abolition era to present day, Beyoncé catalogs the evolution of the city's vibrant style and its tumultuous history all at once. Atop a New Orleans police car in a red-and-white Gucci high-collar dress and combat boots, she sits among the ruins of Hurricane Katrina, immediately implanting herself in the biggest national debate on police brutality and race relations in modern day."

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