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Alireza Haghighi

1 SHORT ANSWERS What are the major teachings of the holy Qur’an? There are six major teachings of the holy Qur’an. These six major teachings are Allah and his laws, the Qur’anic universe, the Muslim community, the final Day of Judgment, the path to paradise, and the previous prophets. The first major teaching of Islam is Allah and his laws. This means that Allah is the central concept of Qur’an. Allah is the ruler of Qur’an. Allah is mentioned in Qur’an more than 2500 times. Thus, the basic theme about Allah is that he is all- mighty, all-powerful, and all-merciful. Allah brought this world into being. All has sent messages to his creatures in the past, through our prophets. Allah has, also, given the Muslim community the laws. These laws are called Shar’iah in Islam. These laws have reached their perfection and completion in Islam. Allah is the one who will bring an end to this world at a time known only to him. So, all living beings, including human beings and Jinns, will be strictly judged on their deeds performed in this world and life on earth. The overall emphasis of Qur’an is that there should not be any association of simple mortal beings alongside Allah. The second major teaching of Islam is the Qur’anic universe. There are three realms of the Qur’anic universe that are heaven, earth, and hell. Human beings and spirits inhabit the world, or earth. In addition, the angels serve as the link between God and human beings. Somewhere in between angels and humans are invisible and intelligent beings called Jinn. Jinn are created of fire, instead of earth of which humans are created from. At the opposite end of the spectrum from Allah is Satan, which is the principle of evil in this universe. Humans share a unique relationship with their God. Allah has created human beings in the “best of molds” to be his representatives of earth. The third major teaching of Islam is the Muslim community knows as Umma. Umma’s mission is to be the servants of Allah, and to spread his rule to both the individual and community obligations. Allah in the Qur’an says that Muslims have constituted a new community of believers. The Qur’an emphasizes the social dimension of service to Allah. The Umma also has a moral mission to create the moral social order. The Qur’an, while recognizing the differences of status, wealth, and tribal origins, teaches Umma the ultimate supra-tribal (transnational) unity and equality before God. The Umma must pursue a path of social justice. Social justice is institutionalized by the Qur’anic decrees. The fourth major teaching of Islam is the final Day of Judgment. This message is a simple one, which is that all living being will die at an appointed time and then at 2 a time known only to Allah, and thus, they will be judged strictly based on their deeds performed in this world. Thus, all human beings are free to fashion their lives the way they want. Allah has the full control of this world, but humanity is responsible for its own actions upon which they will be designated for heaven or hell on the Day of Judgment. The fifth major teaching of Islam is the path to paradise. All humanity must believe in truth and the content of the scripture, which is Qur’an. This means the eternal truth is that there is one God that is Allah; his last prophet is Muhammad; and one must also believe in the final Day of Judgment. The evidence of this is putting the word, or the laws of Allah, to action. The laws of Allah are a gift to humanity. The Qur’an reveals laws as they were revealed to the previous communities. The Qur’an also serves as the correcting function, and says, “humans have misinterpreted and tampered with the earlier revelations, and so infusing the world of God with human perversions. The final major teaching of Islam is the existence of previous prophets. The God mentioned in Qur’an is the same God who communicated with the earlier prophets. There are 28 figures other than prophet Muhammad mentioned in the Qur’an. However, only a limited number of them were given sacred scriptures. Thus, the specific prophets in this regard are Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. First, explain the perpetual state of war in pre-Islamic Arab society. Second, how did the prophet address and solve the issue of violence in his society. Finally, what is the role of violence in Islamic Jihad? In the pre-Islamic Arab society, the war was an activity and a condition. The state of war was one’s tribe against all others. Thus, it drove the Arabs into desperation. The tribal loyalty was based on blood-ties and kinship. However, Prophet Muhammad solved this issue of violence in his society by preaching the messages of the Qur’an. Arabs were hesitant to follow him in the beginning. This was because they feared losing support of their tribes. Prophet asked them to be loyal to Allah. Arabs were asked to show their commitment to Islam by having the willingness to fight to maintain the new religion. Thus, Qur’an in the issue of Jihad does not wage war. Qur’an says that peace, by repelling aggression, rather than converting to Islam is the aim of fighting. Qur’an also says that violence was used to protect Islam and the Muslim community against the aggressors. It was the only way to protect Islam, and so a self-defense for the new religion and the Umma. However, fundamentalists have twisted the message of Qur’an into war against all. Allah in the Qur’an tells the followers to strive against the unbelievers by following Islam, and this called Jihad. Commands of Jihad are to spread the message of Qur’an to others. Also, Allah says to fight only those who fight you, 3 and to kill only those who have gone against Him, and so the disobedient ones. Moreover, there are certain rules and limitations to Jihad. Jihad is not to fight against weak as women, children, elderly, or handicaps. Islam is not a violent religion. Thus, Jihad to maintain Islam first orders to find peaceful ways of solving the problems. In contrast, the extremists like Osama bin Laden, in the name of Allah, misinterpret Quran and “kill Americans and allies, even if it includes killing civilians by the means of military.” Jihad in Qur’an does not justify violent and terrorist acts by all means. Discuss the commonalities and differences between the Sunni and Shi’a; explain how and in what ways Sufism differ from both these branches of Islam. The commonalities and differences between the Sunni and Shi’a can be discussed in five ways that are theology, leadership, imamates, family laws, and their worldview. We will discuss theology first of all. Shi’a have adopted a position very similar to that of mutazilites. Sunni and Shi’a both believe in the unity of Allah and the mission and message of prophet Muhammad. They both believe in the prophetic-revelation event of prophet Muhammad. However, Shi’a and Sunni have different theologies regarding the Shahadah, which is the testimony of Muslim faith. Shi’a have added a phrase to the Shahadah. Sunni believe that Shahadah is “there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.” Shi’a have added the phrase, “and Ali is the friend of Allah.” The second way of discussing Shi’a and Sunni is their leadership. Sunni do not have a centralized authority. They believe that religious authority is rooted in the community Ijma, which is the consensus. Shi’a, on the hand, say that authority resides in prophet, the twelve imams, and the Ulama, who is the Imams’ deputy. This brings us to the discussion of imamates. Sunni and Shi’a both respect the immediate family of Muhammad, PBUH. Sunnis more closely relate to hazrat Fatima, hazrat Ali, and prophet’s two grandsons, Hazrat Hassan and Husain. Shi’a relate to the family including all twelve imams. Shi’a, in contrast to Sunni, believe that the imams were not made of dust like us, and rather they are made of columns of divine light before the creation of this world. They believe that imams, like prophet, have the powers to perform miracles. They also believe that the imams are infallible, which means that Allah protects them against all sins and errors. Shi’a believe that Shirk is when one denies the acceptance of imams. However, Sunni’s believe shirk is when one believes and worships other deities than God, Allah. Next, Sunni and Shi’a differ the most in their family laws. Shi’a believe in the practice of temporary marriages, called Mutah. The children born within the Mutah are legitimate. However, Sunni reject this practice all together. Also, the inheritance rights are different among Sunni and Shi’a. Women in Shi’a enjoy greater advantages than Sunni. Also, the men have less privileges and freedom 4 over divorce to their wives. In addition, the worldview of Sunni and Shi’a is different. Sunni have a dichotomous view, which is that the domain of Islam is opposed to the domain of unbelievers. However, Shi’a believe in three-sided scheme. That three sided scheme is that (a) Shi’a are true believers, (b) Muslims who believe in prophetic-revelation event, but reject the twelve imams, and (c) all other humankind. Sufism is an area of Islam that is different than Shi’a and Sunni. Sufism believes in the spiritual side of Islam, of which not many are aware. Sufism tries to converse with God directly and pursue spirits rather than the letter of law. Sufism puts an emphasis on belief and internal submission to God. Thus, they promote harmony between internal and external aspects of faith. They believe that through their spiritual practices, they will purify their souls. Thus, the path towards God is individual journey to self-purification. Discuss the prophet’s strategy in Medina and explain the constitution of Medina. Make sure that you elaborate on the outcome of the constitution for Muslim community. After the second pledge, prophet Muhammad ordered his followers in Mecca to migrate to Medina, where they would be under the protection of Ansar. However, prophet did not migrate himself yet. He waited in Mecca for Allah’s orders or message to move to Medina. Prophet Muhammad eventually migrated to Medina. Once he was in Medina, he immediately demonstrated his consummate political skills. First of all, he needed a site for his operation of the headquarters. Prophet’s mosque was a place for congregational prayers, courtroom, and military headquarters. Once the site for his operation was established, Prophet Muhammad set out to clear his political position. Subsequently, Ibn Ishaq placed the Constitution of Medina. The Constitution of Medina was a document, which established the political order for Medina. Its features were very simple. They included that all Muslim were to act as single and united community, regardless of any tribes. Also, the constitution included that all Jews who allied with Muslims were to be treated as part of the Umma, the community. Finally, that feature that Muhammad was to be accepted as the arbitrator of all disputes. The consequences of the constitution were unforeseeable for Mecca. Mecca was a place in which to be a Muslim was neither fashionable nor advantageous. However, in Medina, Islam was in vogue and prophet Muhammad was the ascendant. Consequently, the biggest challenge for Muhammad was an entirely new class of troublemakers, the so-called hypocrites, who outwardly adhered to Islam, but were secretly trying to undermine prophet at every opportunity. 5 Explain two approaches to re-reading Islam’s position on women. Bring at least one example of each approach. The first approach to re-reading Islam’s position on women is going back in history and studying the role of women in Islam. It is about Islam’s equality. Women played an active role n society. When Salama asked, “Why there is no women mentioned in Qur’an?” Allah answered that it is because both sexes are equal as believers and members of the Muslim community. Qur’an says that whoever does good deed, whether man or women, and is a believer, will enter paradise. Qur’an also says that it’s a man’s and a woman’s equal responsibility to raise a family and share responsibilities. The two sexes have equal rights, mutual responsibilities, and equitable relations before Allah and the law. Also, Quran does not say that women have to obey their husbands in all aspects. However, women are actually given fewer rights than men in Islam. For example, women could be seen as an object that could be inherited. Therefore, most reforms made were for the benefit of women. For example, most nations today consider polygamy as illegal, and even in Islam monogamy is preferred. The second approach to re-reading Islam’s position on women is ijtehad and re- read the Qur’an and Shar’iah in light of the modern reality of life, which means that men are preferred over women. Quran says that Allah privileges only the most pious above all. However, Men have an advantage over women in divorce laws in Islam. Qur’an says that a man can divorce his wife without assistance or formal process, whereas, women need to consult with authority first to get divorce. Also, men are preferred over women for a greater share of property inheritance. Thus this contradicts equality rights in Qur’an. However, men have the responsibility to pay out wealth to support women. Today, in Islamic nations, a testimony of a man is considered equal to two testimonies of women. However, Qur’an does not specify gender. Thus, women wanted to have a say in going to war and collecting treasure, and also wanted a say in sex acts. According to A. Sachedina in his article “Why democracy and why now?” how can Muslims foster a positive understanding of democratic ideals within an Islamic framework? In “Why Democracy and Why Now,” A. Sachedina argues that Muslims can foster a positive understanding of democratic ideals within an Islamic framework. He argues that Muslims can benefit from living in a civil, democratic society. They can make demands from their political or religious leaders. The preacher may not have people’s interest at heart, but nevertheless, can sound convincing. Sachedina argues that democratic ideas must be thought within the authentic ethical culture of Islam and its teachings about accountability of humans in this world and the next. With democracy, Muslims can eliminate religious and 6 political authoritarianism and build democratic institutions. However, today too many seminaries and Ulama, which are the clergy, have adopted illiberal and anti-democratic attitudes, and they also try to attack the concepts of tolerance and rationality. For example, in Iran and Egypt, people are oppressed and labour in poor conditions. They are desperate for some hope. Sachedina argues that in order to gain culture tolerance and search of hope, we must reach intelligent Muslim audience outside the west. Also, authoritarianism and extremism are not the aims of Islam. Thus, it is a sacred duty of all Muslims to try and solve these issues. What are some important concerns issues about the modern life? What are Islam’s answers to these issues? The major concern about the modern life for Islamic individuals is human rights discourse and the fact that human right is western initiative. Colonialists argue that Islam is incompatible with human rights and that it is intrinsically against the human right. However, reformists argue that Islam and human rights can be reconciled. Also, there is no total rejection of human rights In Islamic countries. To counter argue the colonialists, reformists argue that there is nothing intrinsic against the human rights in Islamic values. Thus, we should address the historical context of human rights in Non-western countries. The human rights discourse entered Islamic countries through colonialist discourse. Human right, however, became consistent with Muslim religious beliefs. Thus, it is traditionalists and functionalists who are strongly opposed to human rights and not the moderate Muslims; there is a gap between the written Shar’iah, it implementation, and its impact on each society. Thus, reformists argue that Quran still seeks clarification and understanding. Another issue about modern life for Islamic individuals is pluralism. Pluralism is nothing new to Muslims. What is new is pluralism’s increasingly dominant theology. The challenge of pluralism poses most urgent set of theological, ethical, and political problem to the contemporary Muslim society. The postmodern challenge of pluralism offers a two way cut. First, Muslims are faced with problem of diversity in their own Muslim community, and how they would approach differences among Muslims and how authority is to be constructed. Second is that contemporary Umma is faced with numerous other faith communities and ideological systems. Another issue about modern life to Islam is the west, and its challenge against Muslims and their beliefs. However, most Islamic societies today are not actually representing the laws of Islam. If they do then Islam is a very peaceful and inspiring religion. Understanding the true meanings and laws of Islam, and the Qur’an would solve all issues. 7 Discuss the reasons why Arabia’s way of life before Islam is called Jahiliyya by explaining a) its main characteristics and b) its significance in Islamic thought. The reasons why Arabia’s ways of life is called Jahiliyya can be explained in terms of political, social, and economic way of life of the pre-Islamic Arabia. First, the political lifestyle of Arabia before Islam was non-governmental. There was no legitimate government. People lived in tribes that were male dominated. The tribes had their leader to decide rules for them. Pre-Islamic Arabia was in a state of war to control various oil resources. The warfare was long established and so had impacted the social life. There was wide femicide, as women were redeemed as assets. However, all this does not mean that the wars were barbaric or lawless because there were rules governing them. Second, the social lifestyle of pre- Islamic Arabia was backward. The people were mainly herders. Their loyalty was determined in their tribes of blood-ties and kinship. They performed femicide because there was great inequality between men and women. There was a lack of tawhid, and so the people were polytheistic. They believed that spirit of gods dwelled in wells, trees, stones, etc. They believed in fatalism, which means that they did not believe in an afterlife or punishments. Thus, there was no sense of cosmic moral responsibility, or individual and communal morality. Due to these reasons, the righteousness depended on a person’s power. The gap between rich and poor was large and still growing. Thus, it was a time of all possible injustices and inequalities. Finally, the economic way of life of Jahiliyya depended largely of herding and agriculture. They traded through sea. They also made idols of gods and sold them for a living, and this was a huge business at the time. Mecca was a business and trading station as it was close to sea, while, Medina was a land of agriculture. The significance of Jahiliyya in Islam is that prophet Muhammad replaced most of these above stated characteristic of Arabia. He put an end to femicide. He brought equality between men and women. He also brought one God, Allah, rejecting the 360 polytheism gods. He introduced tawhid. Thus, group solidarity was replaced with one God. Basically, prophet brought social justice and consciousness of humanity to Arabia with Islam. Discuss the prophet’s life by outlining the three stages of his life: before prophecy, after he became the Prophet (before Hijra) and after Hijra. Make sure to provide examples of the prophet’s life both as the man and as the prophet. Before prophecy, Muhammad (PBUH) was a common man. He was an orphan, who was brought up by his uncle Abu Talib. Muhammad was a very sincere and honest man. He often retired in cave of Hira to meditate. He joined the Mecca trade business, and was known as Al-amin for his honesty. At the age of 25, he married hazrat Khadija, who was 40 at the time. Muhammad was an employee of 8 Khadija. Khadija had an immense influence on Muhammad’s life. She provided Muhammad with moral, financial, and political support throughout her life. She was also the first to convert to Islam after Muhammad. She bore him 4 daughters and two son, but sons died as infants. Muhammad was against the Jahiliyya life style of his society. He was against hypocrisy, fatalism, femicide, and the injustices towards orphans and widows. He knew his society was in a theological crisis, which was polytheism versus Muhammad’s monotheism. He knew his society was in socio-economic crisis, which was social justice versus hierarchy. Finally, he knew that his society was in moral crisis, which was accountability versus fatalism. One day, Muhammad (PBUH) retired to meditate in cave Hira at the age of 40. This is when he received his first prophecy, and angel Gabriel appeared before him. He was asked to recite (iqra) that God created all mankind out of a blood clot and gave mankind all the knowledge it has. Prophet Muhammad was in awe, and eventually, he told of this experience to his wife Khadija. This was when Prophet Muhammad became a prophet. He first lead a quite persuasion, among family and friends. They first people to convert to Islam were hazrat Khadija, Ali ibn Abu Talib, Abu Bakr, and hazrat Zayd. First of all, they followed simple rituals of Islam as prayers, and then progressed to complete Islamic rituals. After 3 years, Prophet Muhammad started an open call to people towards Islam. Many followed, including many elite and even slaves. This grew tension among the elites of Mecca. The first enemy of Prophet Muhammad was his uncle, Abu Lahab, and his wife. He was a tribal leader and also a trustee of Ka’bah. He tried to bribe people. He also carried out persecutions. He then also boycott Muhammad’s tribe of any kind of business, including trade and marriages. Finally, they tried to assassin Muhammad. Consequently, Muhammad realized that in order to survive and for the better future of Islam, he had to flee to Medina. This is called Hijra. However he did not go with his tribe to Medina, as he first waited for a message from God. He eventually also joined his followers in Medina. In Medina all Muslim were under protection of Ansar. In Medina, the Muslim community, the Umma, was formed. This is a very important moment in the history of Islam as it formed the sense of identity of all Muslim. In Medina, Muhammad unified two enemy groups. This was the beginning of Islam’s peaceful approach to the world. Muhammad also acted as the arbitrator of all disputes. Eventually, a constitution of Medina was formed. This constitution unified all Muslims, regardless of tribes, and also included Jews who were not considered a threat to the maintenance of Islam. Shura was also formed, which is the participatory decision making. Thus, Islam is a very peaceful 9 religion. Prophet Muhammad also led the battle of Budr and Uhad. Prophet fought against Mecca to gain sovereignty. However, this eventually resulted in a negotiation, but Muslim gained control over Mecca. Muhammad’s last speech gave rise to the Umma, the Muslim community. Thus, he is considered the last prophet of Allah. Explain the Orientalist view of the Qur’an. Discuss how the major teachings of the Qur’an discredit the Orientalist view. Make sure you cover all the major teachings of the holy book discussed in the lecture and the readings. Orientalist view of the Qur’an criticizes Quran, largely because of Qur’an structure. It claims that Qur’an has no arbitrary structure and organization. It says that Qur’an has no chronological order. It then says that Qur’an has no explicit thematic order. Finally, Orientalist argues that there is frequent repetition of themes in Qur’an. All these features of Qur’an make it seem frustrating to its non-believers. However, Muslims argue that the order of the verses and chapters is itself divinely inspired. The order of Qur’an makes it possible for the believer to start it and recite it from anywhere in the text. The first major teaching of Islam is Allah and his laws. This means that Allah is the central concept of Qur’an. Allah is the ruler of Qur’an. Allah is mentioned in Qur’an more than 2500 times. Thus, the basic theme about Allah is that he is all- mighty, all-powerful, and all-merciful. Allah brought this world into being. All has sent messages to his creatures in the past, through our prophets. Allah has, also, given the Muslim community the laws. These laws are called Shar’riah in Islam. These laws have reached their perfection and completion in Islam. Allah is the one who will bring an end to this world at a time known only to him. So, all living beings, including human beings and Jinns, will be strictly judged on their deeds performed in this world and life on earth. The overall emphasis of Qur’an is that there should not be any association of simple mortal beings alongside Allah. The second major teaching of Islam is the Qur’anic universe. There are three realms of the Qur’anic universe that are heaven, earth, and hell. Human beings and spirits inhabit the world, or earth. In add
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WMP Plugin to control key, equalizer and switch audio track1 and 2. - repost

Hi there

I have a small project that hopefully you can do for me.

It is continuing the past project before.

We need a WMP plugin that will allow us to:

- change audio equalizer (like before).

- change key control (like before)

- choose left or right channel (play left channel for both speakers, or play right channel for both speakers)

- switch between audio track 1 and audio track 2. We will have .AVI, or .MPG which will have two audio tracks, one for music only and one for vocal version.

The programming language that we use is C#2010/2012.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Kemahiran: Pengaturcaraan C#, Destop Windows

Lihat lagi: project wmp, switch c programming, programming language and it, music programming language, music and audio, c sharp programming language, c programming switch, Audio Programming Language, audio for music, key programming, vocal, music equalizer, music audio tracks, equalizer, programming music equalizer, equalizer wmp, switch project, audio plugin programming, plugin control, wmp equalizer, version control, repost programming, switch language, language switch, change control

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( 8 ulasan ) Surabaya, Indonesia

ID Projek: #4073779

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Hack: How to spy on a 3-D printer | Science News for Students

Hack: How to spy on a 3-D printer

Smartphones can figure out what a printer makes by analyzing the noise and energy it emits
Nov 18, 2016 — 7:00 am EST
3-D printer spy

A thief with bad intentions might use a smartphone to spy on a 3-D printer. That phone would listen for the sounds (acoustic waves) and electromagnetic energy emitted by a printer while it’s working.

Wenyao Xu

As 3-D printing becomes more widespread, thieves will find new ways to steal original designs, worries Wenyao Xu. This computer scientist at the State University of New York in Buffalo led the new work. Right now, 3-D printing technology is still in the early stages. But before long, it could be used to print anything from spare parts for appliances to human organs. Large printers already have been used to print an entire house. Manufacturers could use such printers to create parts for airplanes. And it is creations like this where security becomes an issue. A hacker who steals a wing design might be able to change it — and sabotage the plane, for example.

“We need to prevent these attacks,” Xu says.

This kind of printing is also known as additive manufacturing. Its use has been skyrocketing in recent years as costs for the hardware and printing “ink” have dropped.

An ordinary computer printer creates a flat version of a document by putting ink on paper. A 3-D printer works in a similar way. Most 3-D printed objects lay down one thin layer at a time. Its “ink” is what really distinguishes it. The printer’s nozzle deposits a thin layer of liquid plastic or metal, which solidifies or hardens as it cools. By building up layer after layer of the ink, the machine creates a solid, three-dimensional object.

The human ear isn’t sensitive enough to do this. So Xu used a smartphone. Today’s average smartphone contains powerful microphones and other sensors. They can record the sound and changing magnetic fields produced as a 3-D printer works, Xu’s team showed.

The scientists used a two-step process to turn a smartphone into a spying device. First came the training phase. During this step, they used the phone to collect data as a printer printed. At the same time, they noted the up-and-down and side-to-side movements of the nozzle. By comparing the two sets of data, they could match changes in the sound or magnetic fields that reflected the movement of the nozzle. The scientists built these connections into a computer program.

Then came the testing. Using what they'd learned in the first step, the researchers had their computer program analyze data as something different was printed. A smartphone had recorded the sounds and magnetic fields during the process. The “trained” program successfully translated the new data into nozzle movements. And they revealed what had been printed.

Their inspiration

This type of data theft is known as a “side-channel attack.” It steals information by spying on a machine, rather than by swiping an object or hacking the computer program used to make it. Side-channel attacks in the new tests spied on a printer’s sounds and magnetic energy.

3-D printed keys
Scientists used smartphones to eavesdrop on a 3D printer. Based on their spying, they were able to create a copy (lower) of the original printed object (above). In their test, the object was a key.
Wenyao Xu

Xu’s group used data stolen from a working printer by their phone to copy an abstract but complex shape. It looked like a key. And the copy proved nearly identical to the original. Currently, this side-channel data can be used to print an object with 90 percent accuracy, Xu’s team showed.

Xu says this hack was inspired by the sounds he hears around him. People learn a lot by listening. “If we hear someone eating chips, we know they're eating chips,” says Xu. “If someone is drinking water, we know they're drinking.” So it goes with printing. His group suspected they could tell a lot about what a 3-D printer in the lab was printing, simply by listening to it. Then they set about testing that suspicion.

The group presented their results at a scientific conference in Vienna, Austria, on October 26.

Others have been concerned

Xu isn't the first scientist to probe side-channel attacks on 3-D printers. Scientists at the University of California, Irvine, published an April 2016 analysis of acoustic (sound-based) side-channel attacks. Computer scientist Mohammad Al Faruque led those studies. His team has now identified several ways someone could eavesdrop on a 3-D printer, he says. Besides sound and magnetic fields, a spy could use data on heat or vibrations or power. The more sensors a spy uses, the more accurate their stolen data will be — and the more valuable the theft, Al Faruque points out.

Al Faruque says he's glad researchers like Xu are expanding on his original work. “I'm happy that we discovered it and that people have started doing more research,” he says. “It is very important.”

Both Xu and Al Faruque say they're now working on ways to beef up the security for 3-D printers. A printer might be shielded to avoid leakage, for example. Or extra noise might be added to the environment to confuse any listening “ear.” Ultimately, both researchers have the same goal.

“We don't want to steal ideas,” says Xu. “We want to protect them.”

Power Words

(for more about Power Words, click here)

acoustics      The science of sounds and hearing.

abstract     Something that exists as an idea or thought but not concrete or tangible (touchable) in the real world. Beauty, love and memory are abstractions; cars, trees and water are concrete and tangible.

field      (in physics) A region in space where certain physical effects operate, such as magnetism (created by a magnetic field), gravity (by a gravitational field) or mass (by a Higgs field).

hack       (in computing) To get unapproved — often illegal — access to a computer, usually to steal or alter data or files.

manufacturing     The making of things, usually on a large scale.

side channel attack      (in computing) To acquire indirect information (such as heat, sound, radiation) from a system as a form of spying. Later, these data may be analyzed collectively to piece together the function of the system from which they were acquired.

  • MS-ETS1-1
  • HS-ETS1-3

Meeting: W. Yu et al. My smartphone knows what you print: Exploring smartphone-based side-channel attacks against 3D printers. 23rd ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security. October 2016. Vienna, Austria. doi: 10.1145/2976749.2978300.

Meeting: M.A. Al Faruque et al. Acoustic side-channel attacks on additive manufacturing systems. 2016 ACM/IEEE 7th International Conference on Cyber-Physical Systems (ICCPS), April 11-14, 2016. Vienna, Austria. doi: 10.1109/ICCPS.2016.7479068.


Israel has done a lot in 70 years in comparison with the United States at the same age in 1846, said Ken Stein, the president of the Center for Israel Education, but it remains to be seen where the country is headed and how it will fit into the continuum of Jewish history.

Like America at 70, Israel still hasn’t established its final borders or fully resolved how to operate as a democracy. Some ideas have stayed the same, he said, while others have transformed or remain unfinished.

The Emory professor of contemporary Middle Eastern history expanded on various concepts that have influenced Israel’s development, such as the Diaspora, anti-Semitism and Jewish Orthodoxy, while addressing “Israel at 70: Unfinished” on Sunday, March 25, at Congregation Or Hadash.

Political concepts that define a state, such as taking care of one another and providing services, help explain how Jews have survived in the Diaspora, Stein said. Jews carried those survival skills to Palestine as they began to re-create a Jewish homeland in the early 20th century.

To survive as a minority in the Diaspora, Stein said, Jews constantly compromised on rituals and traditions, determined whom they could trust, and learned how to protect themselves. Those practices have helped Jews endure and Israel survive.

Assimilation, on the other hand, is transforming, Stein said. Israel has hastened the practice because people feel they have more choices and are not forced to retain their identity.

Israel’s effects on American Jewish religiosity can be seen through Jewish day schools, which help sustain traditions and keep Hebrew as a language that lives, Stein said.

Likewise, Israel has shaped American institutions, Stein said. “Our political reality, which means to be left or right but never center, has been taken and put on Israel’s back, for better or for worse.”

Outside influences on Israel’s young history include its relationship with its neighbors, the collapse of Arab states and the rise of Islam as a political platform, Stein said. Since the Cold War, for instance, it has become harder for Israel to identify its allies.

Israel’s neighborhood has changed dramatically over seven decades, leaving Israel unfinished, Stein said. Most notable, he argued, is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which autocratic leadership denies the Palestinian population a say in its future.

Among other issues unresolved for Israel are how to integrate outsiders, how to practice democracy and how to include non-Jews, Stein said.

To summarize everything Israel has accomplished in 70 years would take a long time, but Stein used Rabbi David Hartman’s response to a question about what has enabled Jews to survive for millennia: “It’s simple. Jews have always taken challenges and made them into opportunities, and if we lose that, then we have lost who we are.”


Nice Guidelines Lipids Type 2 Diabetes

Prevention Begins at Home

Further treatments intend to lessen the danger regarding difficulty. A careful diet and exercise will help you manage diabetes successfully. The excessive thirst comes through to much glucose in the particular system as well as the extra function the kidney has to be able to do.

One of which is usually due to nice the demands guidelines of lipids the type particular regimen 2 which diabetes
they would have got to adhere to inside order for them to manage the illness. After all now living together with it, diabetes has become a approach of life for myself. This is called insulin resistance. By learning how to cure diabetes, likewise means you learn the main cause of the diabetes.

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blood glucose is usually present if the patient will be under significant metabolic anxiety, such as that brought on by drugs, severe illness, damage, regaining lost weight, decreased exercise and aging. 2 Regular Need to Urinate. Moreover there are also several ways on how an individual can properly cope with diabetes.

Undoubtedly not their parents! As a matter of fact, these complications are usually the leading cause of death among diabetics the world over. Type two diabetes mellitus features insulin resistance, which is triggered by a reduced insulin secretion. Exercise is usually an effective way not only to be able to reduce weight but to preserve normal blood sugar amounts and improve insulin awareness. When you do not clean your nice teeth or guidelines lipids get type flossing, the 2 residues of diabetes
things you have taken into your mouth stick and acquire on your teeth.

It is true that lots of adults who acquire kind 1 diabetes mellitus are at times misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes due to misconception of the characteristic nature associated with diabetes type i. The work regarding insulin is to open up the receptor for the sugar. There are specific symptoms you will knowledge when your blood sugar level becomes to low such as trembling and your heart rate come to be faster.

This results in the lack or lack of the insulin hormone as well as the result is the same because if no insulin was being produced whatsoever.

For ladies there are additional risks of obtaining type 2.

These alone can make a lot of difference regarding a type 1 diabetic person. Among the nice risks guidelines are severe lipids type hypoglycemia, 2 hyperglycemia, diabetes
diabetic ketoacidosis, dehydration and thrombosis. 3) Prevents DiabetesThose who consume green teas possess a lower risk for developing type 1 diabetes due to green tea’s bility to control blood glucose levels. Typically the most important point to be able to remember this is that your child is what comes first not the child that has diabetes, it will be also important to remember that your child having diabetic is not your mistake or your child’s.

But as I actually said, a narrow window of opportunity.

Your faithful dog companion Charlotte is furthermore vulnerable for this condition. Studies possess also proven that ocean phytoplankton may enhance our own immune system and may lessen the effect regarding the damage the disease may give the patient. Type just one diabetes that goes without treatment is almost always dangerous.

Disseminated Granuloma Annulare are raised oval patches which are either skin colored or red or brown.

This will help speed up your body procedures and permit the insulin body hormone to be produced faster.

Take vitamin supplements and other food supplements so of which you can have sufficient defense against viral infections. In this specific condition, the entire body is not able to produce insulin, that is the hormone responsible with regard to converting sugar, starches, plus other kinds of food into energy. The body should be able to utilize the glucose as it will be the main way to obtain fuel and energy for that body.

If a new hearing loss does develop, the assistive hearing device can help make up for the difficulty you may have with hearing, especially within the presence of background noise.

Typically the WHO estimates that number could double by the year 2030 with most new patients being identified in Africa and Asia.

This particular keystone of diabetes remedy holds true no matter a person is suffering coming from type 1 diabetes or perhaps type 2 .

The particular forecast was done inside the laboratory and has been deemed true.

This specific type of diabetes will be also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes.

The next method is through bolus doses that are heading to be released when you notice increased blood vessels sugar levels.

Hyperglycemia may be caused by extreme reduction in dosages of medicines to prevent hypoglycemia. This particular can be due to several factors like genetic traits and again, obesity.

Exercises additionally helps in reducing body bodyweight and offer higher rewards to improve our wellness. Type 2 diabetes results more from obesity.

Try to ensure that someone else knows any time you are doing these tests and take extra care if you survive alone.

The diet in the patient suffering from kind 1 diabetes will have got more restrictions.

People who suffer from hyperglycemia plus hypoglycemia know that they must test their blood sugars levels several times a time.

IDDM1 is the gene that is believed to be stronger is located about the MHC Class 2 area on chromosome six, at stained area 6p21. These ingredients have come quite a distance since the 1980s.

The real reason for kind 2 diabetes is the deformation of our own cell walls caused by trans excess fat! Type 2 is a result associated with insulin resistance. 1st, there are few signs and symptoms until late in the particular disease, at which period it is usually too late to reverse the harm. It was followed by the rationing of real rechausser during World War a couple of which helped margarine lastly become fully accepted.


This tutorial follows the tutorial about DOE and mesh morphing on the airfoil shape optimization case. Here is a quick reminder of the work done so far: Thanks to a 3-points shape parametrization of the airfoil, we managed to set up a full Design of Experiment leveraging OpenFOAM mesh morphing capabilities. We are starting this tutorial with a set of 9 simulated pressure field.

DOEOFOpenFOAM simulation of pressure field around DOE elements

Based on that DOE, we will generate a surrogate model thanks to the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition Scilab tool. If you want more details about this tool check this tutorial.

POD basis generation

Let’s be honest, the mesh and field data import and post-processing would be by far the hardest tasks of all the process. Mainly because you will need 2D nodes data when the simulations results are cell-centered values all over a 3D mesh. So … good luck with that.

But there is a good point. Thanks to the mesh morphing process, the cells composition remains the same. So you will have 9 different points files (different points coordinates) for only one faces file (each face keeps the same nodes). This is a very important point regarding the POD process. Actually, POD is about computing a correlation matrix, field correlation for each nodes through the snapshots. Your mesh topology has to remain the same, as depicted in the image below.

MeshMotionNew position, same points

Doing so, you can set a classical POD process using only one mesh object. Just make sure that you are using the Euclidean inner product within the POD tool in order to be mesh-independent. Here are the 9 modes for the pressure field you got.

OptimModesPOD modes for pressure field. NACA 0012 airfoil for visualization.

Interpolation methods

This case is really interesting because it makes you really understand what the POD is all about:

  1. Finding coherent structures (modes) that appear when parameters vary (correlation through snapshots). Here we can see that shape bumps are responsible for pressure bubbles (mode 2, 3 and 4).
  2. Combining those structures in order to predict a new system dynamic based on coefficients interpolation. If there wan only one bump near the leading edge, we can easily imagine that the coefficients associated to modes n°2 will be the dominant one, negative though.

The script above allows you to predict your pressure field based on your DOE, your reduced basis, your learning simulations and a given set of design parameters. You can try different interpolation methods within the RBF_interpolation function. As you can see on image below, the classical Gaussian kernel seems to be the most relevant method for pressure field prediction. The error have been computed thanks to the compute_rel_error function.

IntepCompRoot mean square error of pressure field all over the mesh (POD vs OpenFOAM)

Surrogate model limits

The model generated is a good model within the DOE bounds. But, as you can imagine, the system behavior change when the bumps size increases. Take the example of the airfoil defined by the set of parameters : x =  [0.07 0.04 0.05], outside the DOE bounds.

Limites1Simulated velocity field (left) and pressure coefficients: POD vs OpenFOAM

We can see for example that re-attached flow (responsible for a decreasing pressure on the upper side) and recirculation zone (responsible for a non-increasing pressure on the lower side) have not been considered in our surrogate model.

limite2Iso-pressure for POD prediction (left) and OpenFOAM simulation (right)

As we can see there are a few differences in the pressure field between POD prediction and OpenFOAM simulation. If lift prediction remains good, pressure drag prediction becomes too far from reality though. For this study to be relevant we will keep on looking the optimum shape within the DOE bounds. But if you would like to generate a “better” surrogate model, you have to set a smarter Design of Experiment that will consider all the possible non-linear changes in the pressure dynamic around the airfoil.

We saw in this tutorial how to create a surrogate model with the POD tool. The last tutorial will be about setting the Genetic Algorithm optimization process by leveraging the surrogate model in order to compute the pressure drag and lift coefficients for each airfoil considered in each optimization cycle.


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A fine-grained, light-colored, acidic volcanic rock. Rhyolite is chemically the equivalent of granite, and is thus composed primarily of quartz and orthoclase feldspar with subordinate amounts of plagioclase feldspar, biotite mica, amphiboles, and pyroxenes.

So the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia informs us.

But it was because of the presence in the area of more valuable substances that the city of Rhyolite was founded at the beginning of the twentieth century!

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RHYOLITE, the town, is located 4 miles west of the town of Beatty, Nevada on State Highway 374. By 1908 it was the third largest city in Nevada when the population approximated to 8,000 souls. It was intended that the city was to last forever. However, this was not to be, and today Rhyolite is just a ghost town.

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Decaying buildings in the once thriving city (above and below)

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The Cook Bank (above and below right) was the largest building in Rhyolite. A magnificent construction with floors made from Italian marble, electric light, telephone, indoor plumbing and expensive mahogany woodwork! aRhyolitebank.jpg - 32289 BytesThe First Rhyolite National Bank eventually took over the Cook Bank and operated on the first floor. The United States Post Office was in the basement and functioned there until 1919. It was the last business to close in Rhyolite.

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Rhyolite is a draw-card for photographers both amateur and professional......

aaRhyolite.jpg - 52672 Bytes where the relics of more prosperous times remain preserved in the dry desert conditions.

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Please click the appropriate button
on the destination bar
at the top of the page.


M. C. Higgins, the Great

M. C. Higgins, the Great (1974) is a realistic novel by Virginia Hamilton that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1975. It also won the National Book Award in category Children's Books[1] and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award; it was the first book to do so, and only one other book has done so since (Holes, by Louis Sachar).

M.C. Higgins is a coming-of-age novel; it covers three eventful days in the life of teenager Mayo Cornelius Higgins. Its setting is in the Appalachian mountains on Sarah's Mountain, a fictional mountain in Kentucky near the Ohio River that is being encroached upon by a mining company. The book highlights the strange, almost surreal customs of the hill people, including their traditions of song and superstition. At its core is the reconciliation M.C. must make between tradition and change.

It has been translated into many languages, including Japanese and German, and was made into a movie in 1987.

  1. ^ "National Book Awards – 1975" Archived 2011-09-09 at the Wayback Machine.. National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
Preceded by The Slave Dancer Newbery Medal recipient 1975 Succeeded by The Grey King


Buddhism and the human chain

The philosopher of Buddhism, Jay Garfield, gave a great interview to The New York Times’ philosophy blog, The Stone.

The quote above is given as one way a Buddhist who does not literally believe in rebirth might interpret it as a metaphor. This could be especially appropriate depending on how you understand the notion of no-self. If we were better able to transcend our egocentric viewpoints, we’d spend more time considering our legacy to future generations. There’d also be the eerie kick of imagining our art and ideas rediscovered when we’re gone – salvaged from the deep forest and seen finally in all their strangeness. Maybe even passed on.


The environmental impact of medtech

The medtech industry strives to work in a sustainable and responsible fashion to produce innovative products while preserving the environment.

Our members are committed to meeting high standards and engaging with regulators to ensure a net benefit for the environment, human health and society based on the principles of science, regulatory certainty and proportionality.The EU has strong environmental regulation. This is reflected not just in environmental law but is evident throughout European legislation. The directives covering medical devices and in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) include stringent rules on manufacturing processes and the quality of products placed on the market.

Environmental legislation (for example, WEEE, RoHS and REACH) places further significant requirements on products across their lifecycle. These include regulating the use of hazardous substances, necessitating detailed environmental reporting and setting targets for the re-use, recovery and recycling of e-waste.

Position paper

Recommendations by an EU-wide cross-industry initiative for better regulation in chemicals management

EDMA and Eucomed are signatories to the Cross Industry Initiative (CII) that developed a concrete set of proposals aimed at achieving better regulation in chemicals management. The streamlined position paper addresses in particular the situation when potential risks of a substance are limited to the workplace and can be more effectively addressed by workplace-specific legislation. The position paper explains how to implement and enforce the most effective risk management options that are tailored to tackle a specific risk.


"We ain’t supposed to never have nothing/We ain’t supposed to never have shit,” Wale raps on his third LP. The MMG rapper speaks about his come up as if he’s still living that experience. You really can’t fault Wale for that. After his Interscope debut Attention Deficit didn’t impact as expected, the DC rapper became determined to be a legitimate rap star. Two years later, his sophomore effort Ambition found him in a new space that switched his whole style up thanks to Rick Ross’ mentorship. As he continued to progress under Maybach Music Group, Wale got noticeably better and grew into a commercial force in hip-hop. On The Gifted, he aims to take another leap in his career with a demonstration of the genre he calls “New Black Soul.”

Throughout the album, Wale embraces live instrumentation by pulling sounds that explore his eclectic tastes.“LoveHate Thing” combines funky guitars and handclaps, indicative of contemplative soul. Elsewhere, he returns to his D.C. roots, where brass horns and chimes are classic Go-Go. Despite the various influences, the musical experience doesn’t sound forced, and there's room for inspirational tunes like “Heaven’s Afternoon” and “88.” The latter is based off Michael Jordan’s illustrious career and sneaker culture. The Gifted also serves as a platform for some of Wale’s most introspective tracks to date. He takes jabs at the media's sensationalism in “Gullible,” and tackles the subject of Jesus pieces in “Golden Salvation.” While hip-hop has extensively touched on the subject, here, he challenges those who materialize the meaning of Jesus through a unique perspective.

The Gifted takes advantage of Wale's rap Rolodex with all-star appearances from Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Cee Lo Green. Jerry Seinfeld, who appears on the outro of “Black Heroes,” teases that The Album Of Nothing is actually happening, which excites fans that grew to love Folarin during his mixtape days. He's cited Seinfeld as an inspiration on numerous occasions, so to see the connection come to fruition feels like a victory lap for Wale, who's always seemed to have a chip on his shoulder. Matching his lyrical abilities with polished production and radio-ready hooks, The Gifted sees Wale inching towards hip-hop's upper echelon, while still exhibiting the hunger of a young MC on the rise. “Born to lose, built to win,” he claims on “Heaven’s Afternoon.” Started from that bottom, but now he’s got it.—Eric Diep (@e_diep)


Beltango Symphonico

Unique concert concept with music from different tango periods, specially arranged for Beltango quinteto and Symphony or Chamber orchestra. In this concert members of Beltango present themselves like instrumentalists, composers, arrangers, but also like singers and dancers.

Guest conductor / Maestro Le Fi Fi (Vietnam)

Beltango Symphonico already produced with great success in collaboration with:

CRR Istanbul Symphony Orchestra / conductor Le Fi Fi
Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra / conductor Daniel Smith
Vietnameese National Symphony Orchestra / conductor Le Fi Fi
AGBU Sofia Chamber Orchestra / conductor Bedros Papazyan

Macedonia Philharmony Orchestra / conductor Aleksandar Nikolovski - Gjumar
Vojvodina Symphonic Orchestra / conductor Berislav Skenderovic
Nis Symphonic Orchestra / conductor Le Fi Fi
Symphony Orchestra of Serbian National Army - Stanislav Binicki / conductor Aleksandar Nikolovski - Gjumar

Orchestral score materials availible for hire


Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

Thanksgiving is here! The time of year where we are supposed to eat as many portions, of as much as we can, of whatever we like, and sit on the couch watching football, with no regret….right? No! Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks. I feel we can all find things to be thankful for whether or not our life is perfect. I am thankful for having a great job and to be surrounded by good people. I am thankful to have; a wonderful family, great friends, been born and raised in a small town with a great deal of community support and to now live in a another great small town with equally great community support.
So, what are you thankful for? My guess is that you found something. However, if I were to bet on what you gave thanks for, I would bet you did not give thanks to your body! I am a personal trainer and in my list above, I forgot to list it. Perhaps you gave thanks for your health and we should. Without our health we cannot exist. None the less, our body deserves a separate thank you since it does so much for us.
Without the body we would simply be a mind and a spirit. Our body allows our mind and spirit to be productive. Our minds could not communicate an idea without our tongue, lips, lungs and vocal chords working in unison to produce sound. That idea could not be constructed without our arm, hands, fingers and opposable thumbs to assemble it. Without our body the constructed idea could not be moved to other people for use. Similarly, our spirit could not help a friend, family member or stranger who is in need without our body. We are unable to show affection to others from our spirit without touch, expressions or body language. It is often thought that the mind and spirit are trapped inside the body, but perhaps the truth is that the body actually allows these two entities to be free.
So how do we give thanks to our bodies? For some people who work physically demanding jobs, or who have malnourished bodies, maybe sitting on the couch watching football and feasting on high calorie foods is a way to thank their bodies. For others, to best give thanks to their body maybe a walk before and after your thanksgiving meal is a good idea. A person struggling to lose weight may give thanks to their body by trying some of everything on the thanksgiving spread, but only eating very small portions of those foods. Perhaps you may need to give thanks to an aching body by taking a yoga class or by getting a massage. There are so many ways to give thanks to your body but the key is to think about what is best for your body and then, thank it!

Over the past fifteen years a huge emphasis has been placed on health and fitness. Most of us are very aware that we influence our health through diet and exercise. Usually, health professionals tend to encourage individuals to eat a healthy diet and improve upon fitness components such as cardiovascular health, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, as well as body composition. As a result, most of us who exercise focus on these areas and while they are all important to consider, these components exclude a few pieces to the complete puzzle of health.

Perhaps the piece of the puzzle that ties together all other components of health and fitness is the quality of movement. Some professionals, including myself, would argue that without good movement none of the components above are of much importance. I have observed very few people who move without compensations. Compensations often occur because we spend our day in less than ideal positions such as sitting, driving or using the same motion repetitively in sporting activities. While it is true that in order to be healthy you need to eat the right foods, have a strong heart, have strong capable muscles, and keep your body fat relatively low, if the movement patterns we use on a daily basis are compensatory, long term exercise may be deterred because of pain or a lack of desire to move.

For example, someone with knee pain who needs to improve their cardiovascular fitness may not be able to walk on a treadmill or ride a bike because of discomfort. While this individual’s pain may have come from an acute injury, it is also possible that this person’s knee pain could have been caused by movement compensations throughout their lifetime. None the less, this individual’s knee pain could prevent them from reaching their goals of improving cardiovascular fitness. Perhaps this highlights that our path to moving often should first include moving well.

The first step to moving well is to get out of pain. If you are in pain, you should consult a doctor or a physical therapist. Hopefully, you do not have pain. If you are not in pain, it may be a good idea to get a movement assessment by an individual who understand movement compensations and corrective exercise.

Understanding how people move and how to address movement dysfunction through corrective exercise can enhance an individual’s workout, athletic performance and quality of life. Corrective exercise programs can be designed to supplement an individual’s current workout program whether that person is exercising on their own or with a trainer and can also be designed to bridge the gap between physical activity and a return to every day movement in life and sporting activities.

Lets Stay Cool This August

Posted: August 9, 2014 in Articles, Golf

August has arrived and usually accompanying August is more heat, more humidity and as a result more health related problems associated with the heat. Hopefully, you are reading this because you are active and I also hope you are spending some time outside. I also hope you are taking the necessary precautions to prevent and heed the warning signs of heat stroke and dehydration. Here is some information about these topics.
Dehydration is one factor that can cause a heat stroke and is characterized by extreme thirst, dizziness, loss of elasticity of the skin, and extremely low blood pressure. In addition to dehydration, heavy perspiration, extreme heat, decreased salt intake, and increased physical activity can cause a person to develop heat exhaustion. Symptoms of heat exhaustion, a precursor to heat stroke, include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness and muscle cramps. If these symptoms intensify or the individual stops sweating, has a rapid pulse, difficulty breathing, extreme confusion, hallucination, agitation or disorientation the individual may be experiencing a heat stroke.
Obviously, one of the most important things in preventing dehydration and heat stroke is staying hydrated. Often times we forget to drink fluids because we are not thirsty, we are too caught up in what we are doing, or we are just too busy. However, by the time we feel thirsty it is too late, our body is already parched and we may be putting our bodies at risk of serious health issues. Thus, it is imperative to drink fluids continuously throughout the day, each day. The general recommendation on daily fluid intake is 64 ounces. However, when it is hot outside and you’ve been participating in physical activity or have been drinking alcoholic beverages, more than the average 64 ounces should be consumed.
If you are in a situation where you think someone is suffering from dehydration, heat exhaustion or heat stroke it is important that you have that person stop any physical activity they may be doing. Also, it is important for the individual to drink cool fluids (unless the individual is in shock), find a cool spot to sit or lie down to rest, and apply cold compresses to the forehead, groin and armpits so the body can cool down quickly. If you think an individual is suffering from the symptoms of a heat stroke, emergency services need to be contacted immediately. So whether you’re on the golf course, tennis court, running sprints on the football field or in your yard gardening, please stay hydrated, stay in the shade and stay cool!

Gym Anxiety

Posted: August 9, 2014 in Articles

There are words to describe numerous fears and phobias that an individual may have. Those who have intense fears of spiders are considered to have arachnophobia. Others who have a deep fear of heights call their fear, acrophobia. Believe it or not, there is a scientific fear of the flute called aulophobia. While there is no official nomenclature for the fear of going to the gym, I feel there should be. However, my language skills are not the best so I would not begin to guess what the proper name would be.
The most common terminology used for the fear of going to the gym is gym intimidation or gym anxiety. Those of us who are contemplating beginning a workout routine often have thoughts and anxieties towards exercise and going to a gym. These thoughts can be centered on body image of oneself or intimidation of the body image of those who may be currently workout out at the gym. Another fear people have is that they do not know how to do exercise properly or they do not know how to use the equipment. Some people feel others will judge them because they look unfit or do not know how to exercise properly. Furthermore, people are afraid of getting hurt in the gym.
Many people who exercise often at public gyms may think this anxiety, fear or intimidation is strange. However, it is a real thing. I can remember how nervous, scared and intimidated I was when I first began exercising and trying to lose weight in college. Just walking in the doors of the student recreation center made me feel like everyone in the building was looking at and judging me. I perceived the people exercising judged me as someone who didn’t deserve to use their gym. The reality is that I had the right to be there as much as they did. Also, the vast majority of the people in the gym were not judging me. Over the past 13 years I have spent many hours in the gym exercising and working as a personal trainer and I can tell you, that most of the people I perceived to be staring at me barely noticed me, much less thought negatively of my fitness level or whether I was doing an exercise right or wrong.
None the less, overcoming the fear and discomfort associated with coming into a gym for the first time, or the first time in a long time can be difficult. It’s ok, you have the right to be a little uncomfortable and nervous in a new setting, especially a fitness setting. I can understand that. But, I really hope you don’t let the nervousness keep you away and I think once you come in to workout you will find it is a fun, comfortable friendly place to be. If you have some doubts about how to use equipment, what exercises are appropriate for you, or if you are doing those exercises correctly I am happy to help.

Identifying the Weakest Link

Posted: August 9, 2014 in Articles, Golf

Often times when clients come in for their first personal training session, they have many fitness goals that they want to work on. Usually, I agree with the changes someone may be trying to make, but other times the efforts we spend towards a client’s goal may be better served in other areas. Either way, I am happy to help someone meet whatever fitness goals they may have. After all, it is their body on which we are working and from the client’s perspective progress towards those goals are paramount.
However, a big problem that often times can thwart ones efforts in achieving fitness goals is the presence of too many goals. When someone tries to tackle numerous goals at one time it can be very difficult for the body to make the changes a client wishes to see. Also, there is only so much time in the day and in a session for a client to work on the goals they have set. If someone sets too many goals, it takes more time than it should to meet their goals or even more frequently the goal may not be met. Professional athletes rarely try to work on more than one fitness goal within an offseason and I don’t feel you should either.
Another problem that often foils an individual’s fitness goal is the frequent changing of those goals. In order to accomplish a goal, consistency is the most important factor, regardless of how well planned one’s workout may be. An individual cannot expect to see any progress when they only spend two days per week for a few weeks working on their goal. Improving fitness takes time! More importantly it takes focus.
One of the fastest ways to meet your fitness goals, is to identify the weakest link in one’s body and then to focus your fitness goals on improving that link. The weakest link in the chain is always the one that breaks and a chain is only is strong as its weakest link…These are all cliché sayings we have heard. In regards to fitness, a person’s weak link may include but not be limited to a limitation in mobility, stability, balance, strength, a specific part of the body or diet. Assessing and addressing one’s weakest link can be the difference in walking with or without pain, hitting a shot in the woods or in the fairway, or life and death.
Interestingly, when someone addresses the weakest link it is not uncommon to see other subsequent fitness goals improve. For example, when someone with severe balance issues addresses their issue, not only does their walking improve, but their golf game may improve as well as the strength in their legs. Someone who improves their core stability may not only relieve their back pain, but may also find that their shoulder range of motion improves and their general fatigue levels decrease. However, if an individual cannot focus their goals and identify which goals are best for them, progress towards the goals they set will be slow, if any progress is made at all.

Here is the first article I wrote for the Highlands Newspaper a few years back….I thought I’d share it.

Research shows us that the number one reported reason for physical inactivity among adults is the lack of time to exercise. Most adults are conflicted with working and raising families either in single parent homes or homes which both parents work. Many adults spend their days commuting to work and dragging their children across town to school and extracurricular activities. By the end of the day, most people just do not have time to exercise…Supposedly…
I have two arguments with research regarding this issue and it stems from the fact that the research is based on the individual’s perception of their time. My first argument is that we all only have 24 hours in a day and most people have numerous activities that fill their day. Yet there are plenty of people who get the recommended amount of exercise each week. There are CEO’s of major companies who work long hours, raise families and still manage to squeeze in sufficient amounts of exercise. I see super mom’s and super dad’s all the time who run a small business, work at a school, or work for private companies that find a way to make time for exercise. So, why can’t everyone find time to exercise?
My second argument against adults who claim they don’t have time to exercise is that they still find time to watch television or get on Facebook. I am guilty of this, I spend way too much time watching television and on the computer and I always complain about not having enough time. I would be willing to bet that if people would turn off the TV’s and computers at home and spent that time exercising they would exceed the recommendations for physical activity suggested by health organizations. I feel that it is not that people do not have the time to exercise, but it is more that they choose not to spend their time being physically active.
For those who still feel like they do not have enough time to exercise, here is some good news….It does not take that much time being physically active to gain major health benefits. The CDC suggests 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and two days of total body resistance training each week. That breaks down to 30 minutes a day if your workouts are efficient. If you feel like you do not have 30 minutes a day, workout harder! If you participate in activities that are intense enough to make it difficult to carry on a conversation you can cut the 150 minutes of aerobic activity to 75 minutes, which is only 15 minutes a day. I think we can all find 15 minutes a day to help prevent things like heart disease and cancer so we can stay around a little longer for our friends and family….or is there not enough time in your day?

Labor Day Swim

Posted: October 10, 2013 in Articles, Exercises, Thought of the Day
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On Labor Day, Diana Nyad completed her childhood dream of swimming the more than one hundred mile distance between Cuba and the Florida Keys, becoming the first person to do so without a protective cage. Not only did Nyad have to complete this journey without a protective cage, for her record to be official, she had to swim continuously until the journey was complete. This requirement caused eating and staying hydrated to be a difficult task. Additionally, staying awake for fifty three hours straight was a bit of a challenge as well. Perhaps the most difficult part of Nyad’s swim was the large amount of salt water she ingested with every breath caused by the protective jellyfish mask she wore, which put her in a severely dehydrated state.

To me, act of athleticism did not seem like much fun. Initially, this appeared to be a senseless act to accomplish a personal goal and not to mention, downright crazy. I told one of my clients that if they ever hear about me participating in such a heroic endeavor, to find me and remind me that it is not something I want to do. Conversely, the truth is there is much to learn from Nyad’s swim. The truth is I have nothing but respect for what was accomplished. The efforts put into preparing for the swim and the extreme conditions that were endured are something we all should admire.

However, what I admire most about Nyad’s Labor Day swim is that she completed this swim on her fifth try and at sixty four years of age. Let me be clear, I do not feel sixty four is old. Undoubtedly, Diana Nyad has proven that. But, I don’t think any of us would blame a sixty four year old for giving up on such a physically exhausting goal, especially after failing on four previous attempts over the past thirty five years. But, she didn’t give up. She continued to improve both mentally and physically. Nyad didn’t care that she was sixty four; she simply wanted to get better. She wanted to accomplish a goal, set a record and catch the dream she had been chasing since she was eight!

While Nyad’s swim was a bit crazy, it was not just a senseless act to accomplish a personal goal. Nyad swam to inspire us to not give up and to prove that we are never too old to chase our dreams. Many of us may not be old or ever dream of attempting a physical feat such as previously described. But, I hope we are at least inspired to undertake a new task which may have previously seemed unattainable, continue to work on a previous goal that may have become too challenging and realize that we shouldn’t let trivial difficulties get in the way of things that would be beneficial, fun and enjoyable.

Sitting is the New Smoking

Posted: September 29, 2013 in Articles

The health detriments of smoking tobacco products are numerous, severe and well documented. I am sure, this is not earth shattering news. In fact, we have known about the negative impacts of smoking to the human body for over a half century. Smoking cigarettes used to be a normal part of everyday life for so many people. Smoking was as casual as chewing a piece of gum or having a glass of wine. However, when people started to see the impact smoking was having on their health and the health of others the perception of smoking changed to a more negative view…Again, I am sure you already know this.

However, what you may not know is that the health effects of sitting, or being inactive throughout your day, can be as bad as the health effects of smoking. Smoking is strongly linked to cancer and heart disease, amongst other things. Guess what, so is sitting! Those who accumulate more time sitting as opposed to those who move more often throughout the day suffer from health problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature death. Many of us may get an hour or two of exercise on most days, which I cannot discourage in any way shape or form. However, how do we spend the rest of our day? If we spend a lot of our time sitting (4 hours or more according to research) we are putting ourselves at health risks similar to those of smoking….even if you get to the gym for an hour a day.

I know in previous articles I have discussed staying active throughout your entire day, not just when you go to the gym. I cannot stress this to you enough; sitting is so bad for us. Humans are not designed to be idle, so sitting disrupts our natural processes. Metabolically, we burn about three times more calories (one calorie per minute) standing than we do sitting. By standing, our metabolic machine breaks down fat more efficiently and keeps our blood sugar at a more constant level. From an orthopedic or a biomechanical stand point, sitting absolutely wrecks our bodies. Our hip flexors become short and anterior structures of the body become more dominant. Over time this affects our movement patterns and can prevent us from engaging in physical activities we enjoy either because of muscle tightness, joint pain and joint dysfunction.

Again, this material regarding physical activity may be information you already know and somewhat redundant. It is not my intention to be repetitive. My intention is to change your perception of physical inactivity similar to how many of you have changed your perception of smoking over the past fifty years. Many of you have quit smoking, chosen to sit in non-smoking sections of restaurants or have avoided situations where people are smoking to improve your health while also discouraging others from smoking. The same can be done with sitting. Instead of sitting while you read maybe you can stand and read. Many people now work at mobile desks, which are basically treadmills with a desk attached. Go to the gym and watch your favorite show on the treadmill or do some yoga while you watch golf. Or go for a walk with a friend instead of sitting to chat. I promise the gossip will be just as good!

Non training physical activity…..? Sounds like a contradicting statement doesn’t it? However, many people who workout both regularly and intensely have a hard time meeting their fitness goals because they are not physically active throughout the rest of their day. Sure, getting to the gym for a full body resistance training session, walking a brisk 3 miles at a high incline on the treadmill or sweating profusely on the elliptical for thirty minutes are great activities that you should be doing. But you need to be active the other 14-16 hours you are awake as well.

Many of you work very hard at during your bouts of exercise, unfortunately the amount of calories we think we burn is much higher than what we actually expend during a workout. Often times after finishing a workout I feel like I have burned thousands of calories to discover I have only burned 600. Furthermore, most of us (myself included) eat more calories in a day than we should. So, when we return home from our morning workout and fulfill the rest of our day sitting at our computer, our desk, watching TV or various other sedentary activities, we still end up at a calorie surplus. Also, when we sit for long periods of times throughout the day we totally turn off our muscles in our core and legs negating that tough weight lifting session or abs class.

Our body is not meant to do physical activity for 30 minutes or an hour, four to five days a week. It is meant to do some sort of physical activity for numerous hours just about every day. Sure, we are not designed to be able to lift heavy weights from dawn until dusk, but we are capable of doing 30 minutes of resistance training, taking a mid-day walk and a little afternoon gardening. Your body is also capable of doing some other physical activities in between these events. Granted, we all need a little rest, but we need to move more than we rest. There are numerous things we can do to boost the amount of non-training physical activity throughout the day. Work around the house is a good calorie burner and strength builder. Shopping can help boost your activity if you choose to walk from shop to shop. Golf is always a good physical activity to do throughout your day…..Of course, carrying your bags and not using a cart is a better way to add to that non training physical activity! There are plenty of opportunities to be active throughout the day and if you are really committed to meeting your health and fitness goals, you will find ways to keep moving.

The industry of health, fitness and exercise is a rapidly growing field, both in knowledge and in demand. New equipment, workout schemes, online workouts and video workouts are being produced, refined and used. Group exercise instructors and trainers are needed everywhere from Los Angeles to Highlands. Scientists discover new evidence of the importance of exercise seemingly every day and also find new ways to maximize exercise modalities for various groups of people.

There is a plethora of information available to anyone with access to a computer or a personal trainer regarding this industry. This is a blessing and a curse. The information in regards to fitness and exercise can be misunderstood, misused or inappropriate for some individuals. Or, the information can make positive life changes for individuals. Needless to say, information regarding this industry can be both conflicting and confusing even to a fitness professional such as me. The information regarding exercise, in addition to all of the gadgets and gismos one can buy to use during workouts, can make a person feel unsure how to go about choosing, designing and implementing the best workout for them.

Throughout my first four years here at HCC I have enjoyed answering many questions about fitness, usually which regard some sort of comparison. Questions like, “should I walk or ride the bike?” Or, “is yoga better than Pilates?” Or, “Do I need a trainer, or is it better if I exercise on my own?” All of which are valid questions. In the past (and probably I will continue to in the future) I have given lengthy explanations on the positives and negatives of both things in question. Truth be told, there are not many negatives to most movement forms. However, there may be things that are better for certain individuals, or certain situations, but as long as someone is moving I feel they are doing something right!

Eventually, I reach a point in my explanations where I discuss how one’s effort towards the exercise is of most importance….and it is! This could be physical effort, such as pushing oneself to increase the intensity of an exercise or mental effort like when someone commits to modifying one’s daily schedule to allow for a workout. Over the years I have used a lot of words to try to get the point across that the significance of what you do for exercise is not as important as to how you exercise.

Over this past winter I realized that the best way I could sum up the point I’ve been trying to get across the past few year is to say that exercise doesn’t work unless you do. You can put as much time, money and hope into improving your fitness, but if you are not willing to go outside of your comfort level and work for the changes you wish to see, your improvement will be minimal at best. There are lots of fitness toys and great ideas about exercise available to people, but these things do not exercise the person; the person must exercise the equipment.


Kinangop Wind Park, Central Province, Kenya

Aurecon appointed as owner's engineer

Aurecon was appointed as owner’s engineer by the project company, Kinangop Wind Park Ltd (KWP), for the construction phase of the 60.8 megawatt wind farm in Kenya’s Kinangop region.  This project has African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) as it’s the majority owner. The project has reached Financial Close and commissioning is expected to occur in mid-2015.

The wind farm will be built by Iberdrola Engineering, with General Electric to provide 38 1.6 megawatt wind turbines.

Kinangop is significant as the first major IPP wind farm in Kenya. The wind farm will generate enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent of 150,000 homes in the country.

Kenya is an exciting growth market for renewable energy with an attractive policy framework, which has enabled the progression of a number of wind and geothermal projects.

As owner’s engineer, Aurecon worked closely with the project partners to ensure that the wind farm was delivered on time, within budget and meets the expected level of reliability for long-term operation.

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Leading with courage, ensuring demography is not destiny

A fellow principal once called me “brave” for accepting the call to lead a school in East San Jose, California. Not because of the academic challenges that existed but because, in her words, it was a “scary” place.

This primarily Mexican-American school community was located just two blocks from where I was raised, and where my mother and family continue to live today. On my very first day as a teacher, a colleague who learned I had grown up in the community asked me how many of my siblings or cousins were locked up or drugged out.

Perceptions are powerful. They shape educators’ beliefs about students’ trajectories.

But equally powerful is the educator who understands the urgency around confronting low expectations. The school principal is well positioned to do that work on behalf of students of color living in under-resourced communities. As a former teacher and school principal of color—and now a person who builds the capacity of current and aspiring leaders—I know that this work is difficult but not impossible.

While there are no silver bullets, there are strategies that work well. What follows are three concrete entry points to proactively engage in this work:

Strategy 1: Start With Self: Challenge and Own Mental Models

If you are a principal, it is important to authentically recognize and own your biases and mental models, allowing you to demonstrate what it means to be self-aware beyond hanging a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. poster in your office. Organizational learning expert Peter Senge defines Mental Models as one’s underlying beliefs about the world and how it works, based on past experiences.

Mental models aren’t necessarily bad. They reflect an understanding of the world, as well as life exposure and experiences. But they become blind spots with great consequence for student outcomes and experiences when they undermine the ability to see the world through others’ perspectives and to adjust behaviors and actions that are detrimental to others’ success.

In a school, they can affect how principals engage with families, set achievement goals, monitor progress, select curriculum, and more.

Chris Argyris' ladder of inference describes the mental steps we often take from the moment we hear a comment or observe an action until we draw conclusions. It’s easy to be unaware of our process of day-to-day data selection and its cascading influence on conclusions and practice. This is why it is important to practice inquiry and ask for evidence to create open dialogue: “I heard you say this. What led you to that conclusion? Can you say more?” Practicing inquiry allows you to drill down to data that is specific and descriptive. Do what any good researcher does before drawing conclusions: ensure adequate and quality evidence. Creating a school culture based on inquiry and learning, as opposed to quick conclusions based on perception and prior beliefs, is critical.

And doing this thoughtfully and successfully requires intentional steps towards reflection and self-awareness.

Strategy 2: Choose an Entry Point—Beliefs or Practices?

Challenging beliefs and continuously reflecting on mental models are at the core of breaking the cycle of persistent underperformance in schools. Yet, school principals are under so much pressure that their time is primarily spent, understandably, on instructional techniques and practices. A singular focus on academic achievement misses the opportunity to fully examine what motivates educators and to challenge their thinking about what their students should know and be able to do and what students bring to their own learning.

So which should come first, beliefs or practices? Granted, it is time-consuming to constantly engage in conversations about beliefs without a tangible proof point. So is starting with practices the right entry point? Shifting practices can bring about quick changes, but they might be superficial. Confronting beliefs can sometimes turn people off and create tension, but they are critical to making sustained change.

Whether you start with beliefs or practices, creating a culture of learning for students and adults is key. That means, for one, making the space for teachers to humbly, without fear of judgment, say, “I don’t know how to do that. I need help rethinking my approach. Can you help me?” This is especially important when it comes to addressing negative beliefs about students and challenging adult behaviors.

Strategy 3: When You See Something, Say Something

What principals do and don’t say speaks volumes about their expectations and beliefs about learning. The corrosive power of silence condones practices that not only hurt student learning but perpetuates inequity and bias.

Principals often experience and observe inequities, but how do they address it?  The biggest mistake a principal can make is to see something, then walk away without doing or saying anything. Practices that hurt children need to be directly addressed, all while maintaining relationships, identifying ways to support improvement, and clearly communicating expectations of conduct and treatment of students.

Addressing low expectations does not need to be confrontational. Instead, it should be an open dialogue about the mental models we all have so that all those involved are made aware of how one’s expectations impact practice. One of the best tools a principal has is the practice of clear communication and inquiry. This includes the courage to name the concern, ask questions, reinforce expectations, and offer support: “At our school we strive to (blank) and I need your support ensuring (blank). What can I do to support you to improve (blank)?”

Addressing low expectations is complex and hard. It is about wielding courage effectively to challenge what one of my favorite professors at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Dr. Deborah Jewell-Sherman, boldly names DID: Demography Is not Destiny.

About the Author — Nancy Gutierrez

Dr. Nancy B. Gutierrez is the Chief Strategy Officer at the NYC Leadership Academy. A graduate of Harvard’s Doctor of Education Leadership program, she has spent much of her career as a teacher and principal in her home community of East San Jose, CA, a predominantly Mexican-American community, where she was named California’s ACSA Region 8 Middle School Principal of the Year.

What principals do and don’t say speaks volumes about their expectations and beliefs about learning. The corrosive power of silence condones practices that not only hurt student learning but perpetuate inequity and bias.

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New Year’s Eve Soirée Show #613

Please Note: There are several recipes on this page. Please scroll down to find the recipe you are seeking. Thank you!

Gingered Portobello Steaks

Makes 4 to 6 servings

6 large (or 8 medium) portobello mushrooms, washed and stems removed

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Line a rimmed baking sheet, large enough to accommodate a single layer of the mushrooms, with unbleached parchment paper.

Brush about 1/2 teaspoon olive oil (in a thin layer) on each mushroom cap, then flip the mushrooms over and arrange them gill-side up on the prepared baking sheet.

To make the marinade, put 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and the tamari into a small bowl and briskly whisk to combine. Add the ginger, garlic, maple syrup and cayenne pepper and whisk to combine. Spoon an equal amount (about 2 teaspoons or so) of the marinade evenly over the gills of each mushroom. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, to let the flavors marry.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the mushrooms for 35 to 50 minutes, (see note) or until they are almost soft. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden and becoming caramelized.

Let the mushrooms rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. Transfer each mushroom onto a cutting board and cut into thick slices, on the bias. Serve 1 to 2 mushrooms per person.

Chef’s Note: Baking time will vary depending upon the thickness of your mushrooms.Thinnermushrooms will require a shorter baking time, while thicker mushrooms will need to bake longer.

Pretty Orange Mash-Up

Makes 4 servings

6 large carrots, peeled and chopped

4 yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1⁄4 cup unsweetened nondairy milk, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon vegan margarine, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fit a steamer basket into a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 to 3 inches of cold water, then add the carrots and yams. Cover, bring to a boil and steam for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft but not mushy.

Heat the nondairy milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming hot.

Transfer the carrots and yams to a medium-sized bowl. Add the nondairy milk, margarine and cinnamon. Mash with a potato masher or large fork until smooth and lump-free, adding more nondairy milk or margarine as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Roasted Asparagus

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 large bunches asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed

Several grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Put the asparagus into a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt and pepper. Toss gently until the asparagus is evenly coated.

Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is crisp-tender, but not mushy. Serve hot or warm, or cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours and serve cold.

Crazy Coffee Chocolate Mousse

Makes 8 to 10 servings

1/2 cup nondairy milk

1/4 cup very strong, cold coffee

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 block (14 to 16 ounces) extra-firm regular tofu, drained and broken into chunks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon 70% cacao vegan dark chocolate chips, plus 8 to 10 more for garnish

Put the nondairy milk, coffee and maple syrup into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.

Put the tofu, vanilla and chocolate chips into a blender, in the order listed. Pour the simmering nondairy milk mixture over the tofu and chocolate chips and process for 1 minute, or until very smooth and creamy and no lumps remain. Pour the mixture into 8 to 10 espresso cups or small dessert dishes.

Garnish each with 1 chocolate chip. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving, or until well chilled. Serve cold. Covered and stored in the refrigerator, leftover mousse will keep for about 2 days.