Saturday, February 28, 2015

1848- What are the main differences between Hindu religion with other religions, Islam and Christianity in particular?

Summary :
*Christianity is based on the Gospel as preached by Jesus. The central message from Jesus was of forgiveness and love - love your fellow human beings including your enemies, take care of the poor and unfortunate, if someone strikes you turn the other cheek,forgive those who harm you. This message was indeed truly extraordinary, unique and radical. 'love your enemies' - nobody had ever said that before. The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount are especially wonderful.
*Islam is based on the teachings of the prophet Muhammad as revealed to him by the angel Grabriel. Islam means 'surrender' or 'submission' and the religion asks its followers to surrender everything to Allah, the one and only God and follow strictly His teachings as given in the Koran which was dictated to His last and final Prophet, Muhammad. Islam is said to be the religion of peace and brotherhood - it does not discriminate against any one based on color, race, language or wealth. However, for a religion of peace, Muslims have been responsible for a lot of wars and killings which continue to this day. These killings are not just of infidels, but also of each other - Sunnis kill Shia, Shia kill Sunni and they both kill the Ahmadis and all this killing is apparently sanctioned and approved by the religion. Its strict beliefs and practices give simple people structure and discipline in their lives without complicated theology or philosophy to understand.
*Hinduism is based on the ancient revealed texts called the Vedas and Upanishads, so does not have a single founder or source. The central theme of the religion is the divinity of all beings and that God is present in all things - animate as well as inanimate. This is the belief in panentheism (not to be confused with pantheism) - that God is beyond human comprehension and that He contains everything within Himself as well as stands beyond and apart from it all - that God is both male, female as well as undifferentiated. However, even though basic Hinduism has these lofty concepts, most Hindus do not know this philosophical background. The philosophy is usually lost in rituals or habitual practices or no practices at all. In spite of believing that all life is sacred or that we are all One, Hindu organizations, in general, are not very involved in charity, philanthropy or social work. However, Hinduism is the most ancient religion being practiced on Earth today. Almost all esoteric knowledge about God and the fundamental realities of life are preserved within it (you just need to know where to look and what to ignore). In a very short time, basic Hindu beliefs of reincarnation, karma, the sacredness of all life will be well accepted facts by almost all of the people on Earth. Hinduism, also known as Sanatana Dharma (the Eternal Way) will probably last for ever, but it is still appropriate mainly for people of Indian origin, it is too uniquely Indian to be a universal religion (like either Christianity or Islam).
1)First of all the point of commonality in all the religions, is the concept of 'soul'. Even here, the 'anaatmavaadi' school of Buddhism differs.
2)Most religions cover ethical aspects of life too as important aspect of religions.
3). Hinduism has concept of Guru. Others have concept of "messiah", Jews, still awaiting his arrival and praying once a year at the wailing wall of Jerusalem, for his early arrival; Christians deeming that Jesus is the "Messiah" prophesied; Muslims differing from both, considering Jesus as one of the long lineage of messiahs(prophets/Hazrat/Paigambar) and considering Prophet Mohammad as the last and final one.
4).Concept of Original Sin: Common to all the Semitic religions, (defiance of God's injunction by the original progenitors Adam and Eve) but not in Hinduism .
5). Other religions have concept of sin only and not its opposite and hence no word in lexicon. Hinduism has got concept of Paapam and PuNyam(sin and merit).
6).Concept of Heaven and Hell: Other religions deem these as places of permanace, placements assigned to human souls on the Day of Judgement (Qayaamat), by God. Hinduism considers these as temporary abodes as reward or retribution for PuNyam and Paapam respectively, administered by the judicial authority of Yama, (Dharmaraja), as per the defined set of rules of penology and scheme of rewards. Both PuNyam and Paapam will undergo decrement by enjoyment of heaven and sufferance at hell and the soul shall return to this earth in its rebirth.
7). Day of Judgement: Common to Semitic religions and not relevant at all in Hinduism.
8)God: Anthropomorphic in Judaism and *Christianity, though no iconography has been there. Biblical saying "God created man in His form" and Jesus' ascendency to the Kingdom of Heaven and sitting on the 'right palm of God', are supportive. The Trinity - Three Persons in One God: the Father, the Son (incarnated as Jesus) and
the Holy Spirit (Not actively worshiped)
*Islam differs. Concept of God is formless but repository of all power. Icons are strictly prohibited in Islam, including any visual representation which perpetuates the memory of any humans, including prophets. Allah (pbuh) - One and only God.
*In Hinduism, one supreme Reality (Brahman) manifested in many gods and goddesses. In Hinduism, Bhagavan, Eeshwar, Brahman, Paramaatmaa, are some of the words to denote God. There are broadly two types of worshipping- one worshipping the Formless (NirguNa Brahman) and the other , with form ("SaguNa Brahman"). The former remains conceptually accepted but in practice only the latter remains.
Variety of deities and worship leads to a misconception of polytheism in Hinduism. Though the theological schools differ in details, common point is one Divinity only, but with distinct aspects thereof for different functionalities. Adi Shankaracharya integrated all into one philosophical base and six broad theological schools (Shanmata) .
The "Shan-mata" or the 6 Systems are as follows -
Saiva - System of worship and belief where Lord Shiva is considered the ultimate form of God.
Vaishnava - System of worship and belief where Lord Narayana is considered the ultimate form of God.
Sakteya - System of worship and belief where Shakti is considered the ultimate form of God.
Ganapathya - System of worship and belief where Lord Ganesha is considered the ultimate form of God.
Kaumara or Skanda - System of worship and belief where Lord Subhramanya is considered the ultimate form of God.
Saura - System of worship and belief where Lord Surya is considered the ultimate form of God.
Since then several theology-based schools and cults have evolved into one or the other aspect of Divinity being accorded the primacy of place in worship.
9). Deliverance: This is deemed to tbe the concept of 'salvation' in other religions but as 'liberation' in Hinduism. Salvation is by Judgement of God.
In Hinduism,Liberation by the Jeevaatma (individual self)'s own 'path-finding' with Divine Grace. Humans are in bondage to ignorance and illusion, but are able to escape. Liberation is from the bondage of cycle of births and deaths (loosely called in Hindi as 'chauraasi laakh yoni- the eighty four lakhs of species) or at least a better rebirth.
In path-finding (saadhanaa) a variety of methodology is available, including the difficult 'ashtaanga yoga' to the easy 'surrender to the Lord by bhakti', to the easiest 'prapatti', (the word meaning as synonymous to 'bhakti' by all except the orthodox followers of Srivaishnavaite school, who mean it as surrender of individual to the 'acharya' whose responsibility it is to ensure liberation).
Here too there are two broad schools, as 'markata nyaya' and 'marjaala nyaya' that is : As an offspring of a monkey clings tightly to its mother for safety, the individual self has to cling to the Lord by his persistent efforts / as the mother-cat safely carries its offspring clutching the latter in itsmouth, it is the responsibility of the Lord, to ensure the safety of the individual self.
On liberation, the common words used are "Moksha" and "mukti" and the Upanishads use the esoteric aphorism "na sa punaraavartate" literally meaning ' the jeevaatmaa will never return" meaning there won't be any more birth.
10). Primacy: The Semitic religions accord primacy to human beings in creation. All the animate and inanimate objects in the world are deemed to be for the enjoyment of humans.
In Hinduism Brahman Itself (Him/Herself) constitutes the essential building material of all reality, being the antecedent primeval ontological substance from whence all things proceed. Thus Brahman is, in Aristotelian terms, both the Material Cause as well as the Efficient Cause of creation. Cause is hidden in every effect. Cause is not different from effect. So Brahman is cause of all creation. Hence, all natural objects are considered divine. Therefore, Hinduism deems humans as just one of the several aspects of creation and accords equality to all. There should be no offense against any other object animate or inanimate.
11)The religious texts/ Scriptures: Hindus:Vedas (Sruti - revealed), Upanishads (Sruti - revealed), Mahabharata (Smriti - remembered(not revealed)), Ramayana (Smriti), Bhagavat Gita (Smriti), Puranas (Smriti) Dharmashatras (Smriti) .
Christians :The Holy Bible consisting of the Old Testament (Jewish Scripture)and the New Testament.
Muaslims: The Holy Koran and Hadith
12) Denominations (Main ones):
*Hindus:Shaivites - worshippers of Shiva
Vaishnavites - worshippers of Vishnu
Shaktas - worshippers of Shakti/Goddess
Smarthas - worshippers of PanchDevata (five Main Gods)
Although each sect worships the corresponding deity as their main chosen God, all Hindus celebrate and worship the other Gods on their respective festival days and Ganesh is worshipped by all at the beginning of each puja/ritual.
*Christians:Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, Presbyterianism, Methodists,Baptists,Latter Day Saints, Unitarianism and Universalism
*Muslims: Sunni, Shia, Sufi, Ahmadiyya
13) Date of Origin: *Christianity: 33 AD. *Islam: 622 AD and *Hinduism: 6000 BC if you date by the birth of Rama. Probably older if you date by composition of the Vedas
14) Founder: *Christianity: Jesus, St. Peter/Paul. *Islam: Muhammad
*Hinduism: None
15) Impersonal God: No such concept in Christianity and Islam. Impersonal God in Hinduism is Brahman.
16)Divine Incarnations:*In Christianity, The Only Begotten Son of God: Jesus, the Christ.The Christ will Return at the End of the World.
*In Islam: None - God can never incarnate as human
*In Hinduism: Ten Avatars of Vishnu: Shri Rama, Shri Krishna, Seven previous ones that are not actively worshipped. The next Avatar, Kalki, yet to come.
17) Creation Story: *In Christianity: The Trinity always existed and is eternal. Creation is the common work of the Holy Trinity (all three), but mainly of the Son (the Word) and somewhat of the Holy Spirit (the giver of life). God creates the Universe out of nothing, but he is still immanent in it. Everyone knows the story from Genesis in the Bible - creation in 6 days. Adam and Eve in the garden, eating the apple of knowledge etc etc,
*Islam is also a Abrahamic religion and shares the creation story of the Old Testament.
*In Hinduism: Before Creation only Brahman exists in a state of rest. Then the Trinity appears out of Brahman.The third person of the Trinity (Brahma) creates the Universe and all creatures in it out of the substance of Brahman.The second person of the Trinity (Vishnu) then preserves/ sustains the Universe. One of the way is to incarnate periodically as a mortal being and act as a Savior. At the end, the first person of the Trinity (Shiva) destroys the Universe. (There are many creation/destruction cycles in between). After the final end, the Trinity dissolves back into Brahman.
18) Beliefs
Original Sin: The first man Adam disobeyed God by eating "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" - he preferred himself to God and by that very act scorned him. He chose himself over and against God! This sin of Adam has been passed to all his descendants so that a newly born baby is already implicated in this sin! This sin is removed only by Baptism and redemption through the Christ.
Jesus by dying on the cross redeems humanity and believers from this sin. Through his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross, the Christ atoned for our sins (the Atonement of Jesus). It is only possible for those who have been redeemed through Jesus, to be ultimately saved (sent to heaven) after death.
Immaculate Conception/Virgin Birth - Jesus was born of a virgin and conceived through the Holy Spirit
Resurrection and Ascension - On the third day after crucifixion, Jesus's physical body was resurrected and ascended to heaven physically. The death and resurrection of Jesus makes possible the reconciliation between God and humanity.
Angels - Besides the physical world with all its creatures (including humans), God has created non-corporeal beings known as Angels through and for the Son. "From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Angels are spiritual creatures who glorify God without ceasing and who serve his saving plans for other creatures."
Devil/Satan - the Fallen Angels - Satan was the 'first good Angel' created by God, but he and his friends rejected God and have become evil. He is the one who encouraged Adam to sin and continues to do this to humanity ever since. It seems that Satan's name before his fall from grace was Lucifer.
Allah - There is only One God - no Trinity, no Son, no Goddess, no Other being
Judgment day - The day will come when all people will stand before Allah's judgment. On that day the deeds of each person will be weighed against the bad ones. Those whose good deeds outweigh the bad ones will be sent to paradise, others will be sent to hell.
Angels - Below God there are angels the main one among these is Jabrail. Angels have no free-will and are always good.
Jinns - Below the angels are jinns. Jinns have free-will like men and maybe good, bad or neutral.
Shaytan - The main evil Jinn is Shaytan or Iblis who refused to bow down to Adam. He and his minions constantly whisper evil thoughts to human beings.
Prophets - God sent a prophet to each nation to teach them. There are 124,000 prophets, the main ones are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jonah, John the Baptist, Jesus and the last and final Prophet, Muhammad.
Tat Tvam Asi - translates as 'thou art that'. Hinduism postulates that the Universal Soul (Paramatma) is identical to the individual soul (Atma), meaning that the Self - in its original, pure, primordial state - is wholly or partially identifiable or identical with the Ultimate Reality that is the ground and origin of all phenomena.
Reincarnation - this states that your current life is just one in a series of lives as a human being. After your death you will be reborn as a human being at some point in the future and this cycle will continue until you have achieved enlightenment or moksha (liberation) from the cycle of death and rebirth.
Karma - This law states that each thought, word and action of a human being puts into motion a cause that results in an equivalent effect either in this life or in subsequent lives. So if you hurt somebody, you will be hurt equally sometime in the future. If you perform a good deed for someone, an equal reward will be yours in the future (in this or a subsequent life). Sanchaita, prarabda and agami karmas.
Devas/Danavas/Daityas/Asuras - There are three types of beings in Creation:
Devas - gods with a small 'g' (equivalent to angels),
Danavas/Daityas/Asuras - anti-gods (equivalent to demons)
Manavas (human beings).
Devas live in heaven (Swarga/Svar-loka), humans on Earth (Bhur-loka) and Danavas/Asuras in lower worlds (Atala-loka,Vitala-loka,Sutala-loka,Talatala-loka,Mahatala-loka,Rasatala-loka,Patala-loka). There are many different types of Devas as well as Danavas. Devas can be helpful to humans while Danavas can be dangerous, but usually the three do not interfere with each other as long as humans leave them alone. There is no supreme evil being, like Satan, tempting mankind constantly. Evil on Earth is our own fault.
Many Hindus are vegetarians because all life is considered sacred. They especially do not eat beef because cows are considered specially sacred (for reasons given above).
19) Sacraments:
Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation/Confession, Confirmation', Marriage, Holy Orders (Ordination), Anointing of the Sick
The five pillars of Islam can be considered as sacraments:
Shahadah: Testimony of faith - declaring there is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is God's Messenger
Salat: ritual prayer five times a day
Zakat: giving 2.5% of one's annual savings to the poor and needy
Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime
Namakarana (Naming the child)
Chudakarma (First time cutting of hair)
Karnavedha (Piercing the ears)
Upanayana - Sacred Thread Ceremony (Performed after 7 years, considered Second birth, Beginning of Education)
Samavartana (Completion of Education)
Vivaha Samskara (Marriage ceremony)
Grihasthashrama (Entry into life of a house-holder.)
Vanprasthashrama (Retirement. Renouncing the house-holder's life)
Sanyasashrama. (Renunciation of the world. Leading the life of a monk)
Antyeshti (Funeral: last rites of the dead)
20) Goal of Life and How to Attain It :
Goals: To know, love, and serve God in this life, so as to attain salvation and be happy with Him in heaven
Methods: Obey Jesus's teachings about love and service to mankind. However, today the emphasis is on Old Testament laws and Paul's admonishments
Goals: Total surrender, submission, obedience, worship of Allah by accepting Allah's Will over ones own.
Methods: Following the five pillars of Islam (see above).
Four Goals:
Dharma - Performance of duty and fulfilling obligations per ones station in life
Artha - Persuit of prosperity or worldly success
Kama - Persuit of pleasure or material/sensual desires
Moksha - Persuit of Enlightenment - liberation from rebirth, self-realization, union with God
Four Methods/Paths:
Karma Yoga - the path of action or selfless service
Bhakti Yoga - the path of devotion
Jnana Yoga - the path of knowledge (about the self or God)
Raja Yoga - the path of meditation/contemplation
21) Life After Death
If you have not repented all your mortal sins and sought absolution before death, you will go straight to eternal hell. (So if you get hit by a bus while running away after shop-lifting, you are doomed).
Examples of mortal sins which deserve eternal punishment in hell (other than obvious ones): using contraceptives, masturbation, extra-marital sex, gay sex etc.
Those who have repented their mortal sins go to purgatory for a while to be purified/cleansed
After purgatory, you go to eternal heaven where time does not exist.
At the end of the world, you will be joined by your resurrected 'glorified physical' body!
So Catholic hells are full of unrepentant male masturbators, female contraceptive users, adulterers, divorced people who marry outside the church or those who don't believe in Jesus (unless they have not heard of him). The rest are murderers, thieves etc, but all are there for eternity with no chance of release.
After death, the soul separates from the body (in case of Muslims the soul is taken out with ease and is then taken with respect by the Angels of Mercy, in case of Kafirs with great pain by Angels of Punishment) and then the soul remains in 'Barzakh', a sort of waiting place, till the Day of Judgment. On the day of Judgment, you are sent to heaven or hell according to your deeds. Islam is kinder than Christianity, there are no deeds which automatically send you to hell (although being a Kafir may qualify). However, there is some confusion, maybe the judgment of heaven or hell as destination, happens right after burial and you don't have to wait for the Day of Judgment?
Heaven in Islam is a place of worldly pleasures, such as living in palaces, drinking wine, eating delicious food and having sex, but apparently that is only metaphorical.
After death you may go to hell to pay for your misdeeds on earth for a temporary period (proportional to your deeds)
Then to heaven for a while as a reward for your good deeds
Then you reincarnate again on earth (so there is no eternal hell or eternal heaven).
A person does not remember his previous lives, but the soul remembers and learns/grows from each life
The circumstances of your birth are determined by your karma
This cycle continues until you become enlightened i.e. achieve moksha or liberation.
22) Schools of Philosophy:
*Christianty: Thomism, Calvinism, Molinism, Arminianism - TBD.
*Islam: Islamism, Salafism, Wahhabism
Also known as Darshanas - Points of View
Samkhya, almost atheistic and dualist, divides the existense into two Purusha and Prakriti - consciousness and matter.
Yoga, a school emphasising meditation, contemplation and liberation.
Nyaya or logic, explores sources of knowledge. Nyaya Sutras.
Vaisheshika, an empiricist school of atomism
Mimasa, an anti-ascetic and anti-mysticist school of conduct/right action or dharma
Vedanta, the final section in the Vedas. Considered by many the most important - students of the Upanishads and the Gita.
23) Eschatology:
The Rise of the Anti-Christ and his deception
At the end of the world (which is same as the end of the Universe), Jesus will come again in power and glory--the Parousia.
At this time the bodies of all the dead will be resurrected!
Those still living will be taken up into the air to meet Jesus. General judgment of all people will then be made!
The blessed will possess heaven for all eternity; the damned will suffer hell for all eternity.
Actually Jesus has described the process of Judgement Day quite well in Matthew 25, but many Christian would rather read about it in the Revelations or Daniels nightmares.
* Muslim eschatology is very similar to the Christian one, except that there is also the Return of the Imam Mahdi. Muslims expect (with some variations) the following events to occur:
Return of the Imam Mahdi
The false messiah, Masih ad-Dajjal appears to deceive humanity.
The return of Isa (Jesus) to kill Dajjal and wipe out all falsehood and religions other than Islam.
Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj (Gog/Magog, two tribes of vicious beings will break out, but will be destroyed by the intervention of Isa and Imam Al-Mahdi.
Mecca will be attacked and the Kaaba will be destroyed
The second trumpet blow will be sounded, the dead will be resurrected from their graves and a fire will start that shall gather all to Mahshar Al Qiy'amah - the Day of Judgment and Resurrection - this also the end of the world/universe.
The Universe is continuously going through a process of Creation, Destruction and Rebirth. A specific Universe lasts as long as the Life of its Brahma (equivalent to about 311.04 trillion years). During this period, the Universe goes through multiple deaths and rebirths that correspond to the days in Brahmas life - the dead period being during the night of Brahma's full day(a Brahma day is about 4.32 billion human years). So the universe is not about to end anytime soon - probably has many millions of years to go. However, that does not mean the Earth will last as long - but there is no prediction as to how long.
The earth itself goes through ages that repeat cyclically. There are four yugas or ages:
Satya Yuga - the Age of Truth and perfect morality
Treta Yuga - three fourth perfect
Dwapara Yuga - half perfect
Kali Yuga - our own age of imperfection.
One Mahayuga = 4800*360 Satya yuga, 3600*360 Treta yuga, 2400*360 Dwapara yuga, 1200*360 Kali yuga - 4,320,000 years.
Kali yuga probably started - 3102 BCE. At the end of this current age, the next Avatar Kalki will appear to destroy evil and save the righteous.
24) Egalitarianism, Racism, Casteism, Sexism:
*Christianity as preached by Jesus is a truly egalitarian religion which makes no distinction between human beings on the basis of religion, race, skin color, gender or material wealth - in fact according to Jesus, the poor and wretched are especially blessed.
However, Paul makes it that women are not equal to men and should be submissive, subservient and obedient to their husbands.
The Church, of course, finds it easier to follow Paul rather than Jesus and denies women the same rights as men to become priests and conduct mass etc.
The Church also states that non-Christians are condemned to eternal hell except if they are 'invincibly ignorant' of Jesus and Gospel
Most Christians also still believe that Jews are a 'Chosen' people - clearly a racist dogma
For a religion that believes in equality among men, the Church tolerated slavery for quite a long time before unequivocally rejecting it in the 20th century.
*Islam also claims to be an egalitarian religion - all men are equal. except that Arabs are more equal than all others. According to many hadiths, 'Allah has chosen the Arabs over other nations' - very much like the Jewish claim of being 'chosen'. Even among Arabs, certain tribes are claimed to be superior to others. Many Hadiths speak disparagingly of people of color (mainly blacks).
Women are clearly considered inferior to men in Islam (a position which goes far beyond the patriarchal attitudes of other religions). In my opinion, Muhammad had serious doubts whether women had a soul or not. In laws and rights women are treated as inferior and unequal to men - somewhat like their property. The Koran when it describes life after death in heaven, only mentions the presence of men from earth. The women in heaven are apparently virgins from somewhere else, their main purpose being to serve the men.
However, Islamic treatment of women was far better than what existed at the time of Muhammad who improved their lot considerably.
Just like Christianity, Islam claims that non-Muslims are doomed to eternal hell after death.
Slavery appears to be sanctioned by the religion and is still practiced in certain Muslim countries to this day.
*Hinduism does not claim to be egalitarian at all. It divides society into four levels or castes in the following order:
Kshatriyas - rulers and warriors (these are not foot soldiers, this is the aristocracy)
Brahmins - priests and teachers
Vaishyas - merchants, trades people, artists, craftsmen, doctors, engineers
Shudras - unskilled laborers and field workers
The first three castes were the 'twice-born' whose sons where eligible for the sacred thread and some form of education. The Kshatriyas often claim that they are the highest caste while sometimes Brahmins claim superiority (when they feel it is safe to do so, because Kshtriyas are usually more powerful and richer).
The fifth group are the out castes, the untouchables who are the lowest of all. They do the dirtiest of jobs (like working with leather or corpses or cleaning toilets or sewers).
This division of society appears to be based on profession, and a person's caste is passed from father to son with inter-marriage between unequal castes strictly forbidden.
The caste system has been the cause of much suffering and oppression, with lower caste people, especially the untouchables, subjected to unspeakably horrendous atrocities.
In ancients days the caste system was not hereditary but was based on merit and that it was possible to escape the caste situation you were born into, but in due course of time, this stratification of society became rigid and impossible to change. The caste system is officially banned in India since independence, but it has become so entrenched in the society that even Budddhist and Christians in India maintain their caste from generation to generation.
As in any patriarchal society, in Hinduism, women are often treated as inferior and subservient to their husbands and male relatives. In extreme cases, they were once even expected to throw themselves willingly on a husband's funeral pyre (sati). However, according to Hindu beliefs, a woman may return as a man in the next life (and a man may return as a woman) according to their karma from past lives.
Slavery as an institution was unheard of in India before the invasion of the Muslims, since the concept of ownership of another human being or being able to buy/sell another human was not acceptable. However, indentured servants or bonded-labor have always existed in India and is a wide-spread problem even today with the world's largest population of such indentured workers (including many children).
Hindus do not believe that salvation (or mokhsha) depends on your religion or whom you worship or your specific belief system. Anyone can attain enlightenment or moksha, including non-believers like atheists or communists.

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( inner and outer cleanliness)
How to Purify Ourself
Many teachers talk about the importance of purifying ourselves, but how do we do it?
Here are ten ways to purify ourselves based on timeless wisdom...
1. Food gets purified by having positive thoughts while Cooking & Eating
2. Body gets purified by Bathing & Exercising
3. Breath gets purified by Conscious Breathing
4. Intellect gets purified by Contemplating Wisdom Teachings
5. Memory / Perceptions get purified by Reflection and Conscious Thinking
6. Ego gets purified by Joyful Service
7. Emotions / Feelings get purified by Gratitude and Selfless Love
8. Wealth gets purified by Generosity and Giving
9. Mind gets purified by Meditation & Self Inquiry
10. True Nature / Self is realized by Abiding in Silence
Those who steadily and patiently practice in this way, purify themselves in each of these dimensions. They begin to lead more calm, balanced and joyful lives. They keep growing in wisdom and bring peace and harmony to the whole world.
~ Inspired by Gurvinder Singh, Arvind Chaubal & Mukund Apte

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If so, you will enjoy this beautiful story...

The Story of the Coal Basket

Isn't this a wonderful story?

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1842- Bride's wedding speech

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1841- Dr Subramanian Swamy Talks on Islam

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1840- 50 plus...

An 50yr old man asked the trainer in the gym, ' I want to impress that beautiful girl, which machine should I use?'
The trainer replied, ' Outside the gym there is an ATM, use that.'

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1839- LOVE

Ancient Greeks identified four forms of love:
kinship or familiarity (in Greek, storge),
friendship (philia),
sexual and/or romantic desire (eros),
self-emptying or divine love (agape).

Agape: In the New Testament, agapē is charitable, selfless, altruistic, and unconditional. It is parental love, seen as creating goodness in the world; it is the wayGod is seen to love humanity, and it is seen as the kind of love that Christians aspire to have for one another.

In Hinduism:
kāma is pleasurable, sexual love, personified by the god Kamadeva or Manmadha. Kamadeva is often pictured holding a bow of sugar cane and an arrow of flowers; he may ride upon a great parrot. He is usually accompanied by his consort Rati and his companion Vasanta, lord of the spring season.

(For details please visit : )

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 Once upon a time in a kingdom, there lived a king who performed Ashtalakshmi pooja with devotion. Owing to his devotion, the **eight goddesses (Lakshmis) blessed him with their vision whenever the king desired . With their blessings, he ruled the country happily. His kingdom was blessed with all kinds of wealth and hence all the citizens were happy and prosperous.

One day, the **eight Lakshmis appeared in the king's dream and told him,“Oh King! All eight of us should not be staying in one place at the same time. You can choose one among us to stay in your country and let us know your decision.” The next day, the king put forward the question in the Royal Court and asked for their opinion. The Minister said, “We have to retain the goddess of wealth for proper governing of the kingdom.” Next the farmers opined that the goddess of grains (DhAnya Lakshmi) be retained so that there will be not be any food scarcity. People in general said, “We have to retain the goddess of issue (SantAnaLakshmi).”

After hearing everyone’s opinion, the king prayed the goddess of courage (Dhairya Lakshmi) to stay back.

Everybody wanted to know the reason for the king's decision. The king replied, “The man who possesses courage alone can do any job and fulfill his responsibilities. It is indeed vain if one has the blessings of the other Lakshmis except for the goddess of courage."

Hearing this and acknowledging the King’s decision all the eight Lakshmis entered the kingdom!
prayer Shri Ashta Lakshmi Stotram lists the Ashta Lakshmi as follows:

1)Adi Lakshmi (Sanskrit: आदि लक्ष्मी, Ādi Lakṣmī, "Primeval Lakshmi") or Maha Lakshmi (Sanskrit: महा लक्ष्मी, Mahā Lakṣmī, "Great Lakshmi") : an ancient form of Lakshmi and incarnation of Lakshmi as daughter of the sage Bhrigu.
2)Dhana Lakshmi (Sanskrit: धन लक्ष्मी, Dhana Lakṣmī, "Money Lakshmi"): for money and gold
3)Dhanya Lakshmi (Sanskrit: धान्य लक्ष्मी, Dhǎnya Lakṣmī, "Lakshmi as goddess of grain"): Giver of agricultural wealth.
4)Gaja Lakshmi (Sanskrit: गज लक्ष्मी, Gaja Lakṣmī, "Elephant Lakshmi"): Giver of animal wealth, like cattle and elephants.
5)Santana Lakshmi (Sanskrit: सन्तान लक्ष्मी, Santāna Lakṣmī, "Progeny Lakshmi"): Bestower of offspring.
6)Veera Lakshmi (Sanskrit: वीर लक्ष्मी, vīra lakṣmī, "Valourous Lakshmi") or Dhairya Lakshmi (Sanskrit: धैर्य लक्ष्मी, Dhairya Lakṣmī, "Courage Lakshmi"): Bestower of valour in battles and courage and strength for overcoming difficulties in life.
7)Vijaya Lakshmi (Sanskrit: विजय लक्ष्मी, Vijaya Lakṣmī, "Victorious Lakshmi") or Jaya Lakshmi (Sanskrit: जय लक्ष्मी, Jaya Lakṣmī, "Victorious Lakshmi"):Giver of victory, not only in battles but also in conquering hurdles in order to beget success.
8)Vidya Lakshmi (Sanskrit: विद्या लक्ष्मी, Vidyā Lakṣmī, "Knowledge Lakshmi"): the bestower of knowledge of arts and sciences)

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1837- The Wonderful & Generous Husband!

MAN: 'Hello'
MAN: 'Yes'
WOMAN: 'I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2015 Models. I saw one I really liked.'
MAN: 'How much?'
WOMAN: '$98,000'
MAN: “You’re worth it. 'Bye!'
The wonderful husband turns and asks: "Anybody knows whose phone this is?"

1836- Vijaykant jokes!

There was a 100 metre race going on...
Referee said '1,2,3 GO!'...
Everybody started running except Vijayakanth.
Referee - y r u not running...?
Vijayakanth - My number is 4...

SBI Bank: Our bank is giving loan without interest....
Vijayakanth: If you don't have interest in giving loan then I don't want it....
Vijayakanth and his brother are walking on a road, and they find a 1000 rupee note lying down.
Vijayakanth - what should we do now?
Vijayakanth brother- we'll take 50:50.
Vijayakanth- what about the remaining 900?
Vijayakanth reading newspaper..
"Indian athlete lost gold medal in long jump"
Vijayakanth comments:
Idiot !! Who told him to wear gold medal while jumping
Vijayakanth went to shop to buy Indian flag for independence day
Vijayakanth told something and the shop keeper fainted...
Guess what did vijayakanth say ?
'Show me some more colors in this'!!!

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1835- Why do we suffer?

While sorting out the old papers, I have come across a manuscript of my younger son, pertaining to 1994 when he was in 7th standard.( Now he is 32). I have found it interesting, so it finds a place here!

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1834- You are my world

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1833- health & food

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1831-Customer care!

A boy called to Airtel customer care...
A girl picked up the phone.

Girl: ..........Welcome to the Airtel Customer care
Boy: Thank you.
Gilr : How may i Help you ??
Boy:: Would you like to marry me ???
Gilr : Sir, you dialed Wrong number:-
Boy: No No, i dialed correct number only, will you marry me ?
Girl : No, i'm not interested in Marriage 😐
Boy :Hello Madam, listen please😈
Girl : not interested
Boy : If you do Love marriage, then i will take to you to LONDON . Or Honkong for arranged marriage.
Girl : Hello, i'm not interested in marrying you. Then why are giving me these offers ??
Boy :Court marriage expense 10,000rs
Normal Marriage expense 2,00,000rs
Girl : Why are you not understanding me, i'm not interested in marrying you..
Boy : So, now you realised our Pain, When we are NOT interested in any plans/offers. why do you keep on calling us.

Friday, February 27, 2015

1830 It is you!

A husband on his death bed to his wife:
"Honey, please be honest with me. I'm not long for this world, and something has really been eating at me for a while. I've always found our 6th son a bit weird...different, if you may. He has a different father from the other ones, hasn't he?"
The wife, in tears and sobbing uncontrollably, asks for forgiveness and buries her face in her hands, while nodding.
The husband, curious: "So, who's the father?" The wife, very sincere, answers "It's you..."

Thursday, February 26, 2015

1829- Mera Joota Hai Japani - Raj Kapoor - Nargis - Shree 420 - Evergreen Boll...

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1828- Criteria for a life partner...& Technical Difference

(1) Male criteria for life partner...
They expect their women to Look like "Miss Universe" and
Work like "appalamma/ muniyamma..."

(2)Females' criteria for life partner....
They expect their man to earn like ...Ambani & behave like Manmohan Singh.

Dedicated to all couples

(B)Technical Difference
What is the difference between welding and wedding ..
In welding there are sparks first and bonding forever,
whereas in wedding there is bonding first and sparks forever ...

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1827- Health and Heal

It is no coincidence that four of the six letters in 'health' are 'heal!

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1826- Feed the good wolf!

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1825- Optimist, Pessimist, Opportunist ...

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1824- YOLO _YODO Philosophy

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1823- Absorption of nutrients and transit time

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1822- Reason to live

When God is your reason to live, you will never have a reason to quit!

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1821- End of innocence

1820- Who is the father? (humour)

A husband on his death bed to his wife:


Arts Mid-Hudson’s gallery invites mid-Hudson artists and curators to share their work.

Arts Mid-Hudson members will be given preference when curating and planning two-month exhibits with a focus on group shows and exhibits that include work of members, grantees, funded organizations, and artists throughout Dutchess, Ulster, and Orange Counties. Artists or curators can also propose shorter times for performances or multi-media installations. The gallery space is 400 sq feet with professional lighting and located in a visible location along Dutchess Turnpike (Rt. 44) in the town of Poughkeepsie, NY.
Not sure if you are a member? Join online at  or call our office 845-454-3222.


STUDIES: Research Shows That Race of the Victim Matters in North Carolina Death Penalty

A recent study in North Carolina found that the odds of a defendant receiving a death sentence were three times higher if the person was convicted of killing a white person than if he had  killed a black person. The study, conducted by Professors Michael Radelet and Glenn Pierce, examined 15,281 homicides in the state between 1980 and 2007, which resulted in 368 death sentences. Even after accounting for additional factors, such as multiple victims or homicides accompanied with a rape, robbery or other felony, researchers found that race was still a significant predictor of who was sentenced to death.  The study will be published in the North Carolina Law Review. It is the first examination of the North Carolina death penalty since the state passed the Racial Justice Act in 2009. The law allows murder suspects and death row inmates to present statistical evidence of racial bias to ensure that the defendant’s or victim’s race does not play a key role in the defendant’s sentence.

Michael Radelet is a sociology professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  Glenn Pierce is a research scientist in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University in Boston.

(M. Burns, "Study: Race plays role in N.C. death penalty,", July 22, 2010).  See Race and Studies.


Saturday Mar 25, 2017
  28/06/2011: Lotito referred to disciplinary committee
email print
Lazio President Claudio Lotito has been referred to the disciplinary committee by the FIGC for his statements against CONI president Gianni Petrucci. Lazio as a club was also held responsible.

The FIGC prosecutor Palacio has considered the statements issued by Lotito to the press with relation to the dispute with CONI concerning the debt owed by Lazio to CONI as offensive and damaging to the reputation and prestige of the institution (CONI).

The statement referred specifically to the speeches of Lotito in which he mentioned that CONI were using extortion to have Lazio pay the outstanding debt of 2 million euros.

(Mahyar Yahfoufi)
Nigel Gan conveys his thoughts in an open letter to Lazio.
Report: Lazio 1-1 Palermo
Preview: Lazio - Palermo
Pioli to be given time until the New Year?
Preview: Roma - Lazio
Preview: Rosenborg - Lazio


When it comes to moving, a little preparation goes a long way. As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, my experience tells me that tons of time and energy can be saved by planning ahead, staying organized and focusing on details.

Here are 10 great, time-saving tips to make moving fast and efficient, courtesy of HGTV’s FrontDoor.com:

3. Pare down your possessions. If an item won’t be used in the new home, don’t waste time packing it. Notorious clutter items—unread books, unfinished projects and half-empty cleaning products—are prime targets to leave behind.

4. Pack like a pro. Come up with a packing system so all boxes end up in the right rooms when they get to the new home. One option is to buy a set of magic markers and create a “color code” system for the movers—red-labeled boxes for the living room, blue for the kitchen, etc. On moving day, draw a floor plan of the new place with each room labeled and give it to the movers.

5. Make the house move-out ready. Most movers won’t disconnect anything that’s hard-wired, so unplug all the appliances and lighting fixtures that go. Make sure all paths are clear from the house to the moving truck. Speed up the process by knowing the ground rules for what movers will and won’t do.

6. Stock up on packing supplies. Don’t run out of packing tape the morning of the move; have plenty of supplies on hand. Early on in the moving process, start gathering boxes, tape, bubble wrap, newsprint, box cutters and markers. Try to save time and the environment by packing with materials you already have. Load up suitcases and plastic containers and use pillows, scarves and towels to “wrap” fragile items.

7. Pack a moving survival kit. Don’t throw everyday essentials like ID and medicine in with other belongings, only to have to dig through boxes later. Instead, pack a “last-to-go” box with all of the necessities—toiletries, snacks, important documents—and keep it with you instead of packing it in moving truck.

8. Spruce up the new home before moving in belongings. It’s easier to clean, paint and make improvements while the new home is still empty. Before hauling in all the furniture and boxes, be sure to vacuum, dust baseboards and wash the kitchen and bathroom floors.

9. Map out the new floor plan. Decide how to arrange the furniture before moving it into the new place. The best way to do this is to make paper cutouts of the furniture. Measure the dimensions of the piece and tape together newspaper pages to match the “footprint” of the furniture. It’s much easier to reshuffle newspaper than all that heavy furniture.


Garudadwajan Garudadwajan - 7 months ago 32
Apache Configuration Question

how to rotate text in HSSFCell in apache POI?

How to rotate text which is there in HSSFCell class of Apache POI API?

Can you please provide some example code for the same?

Use HSSFCellStyle, that class has a method called setRotation(short rotation) which will rotate the text. All you do is apply the cell style to a cell:

HSSFCellStyle myStyle = workbook.createCellStyle();

HSSFCell c = row.createCell(columnNumber);


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99.9% of all species that have ever existed on planet Earth are now extinct.

Which of the following statements BEST explains this fact?

Climate changes associated with large comet or asteroid impacts occur faster than organisms can change themselves and adapt to the new environmental conditions.

Genetic variations within a population occur through random mutations, and given enough time, the environment will change in such a way that no existing genetic-based phenotypes permit survival.

The accumulation of random mutations in the genome of all organisms eventually leads to frameshift mutations in critical genes and are ultimately lethal.

The rapid increase in global temperatures in the past 100 years, combined with ocean acidification, heavy metal contamination, and ozone depletion caused by human activities have caused 99.9% of all of Earth's species to go extinct.

Select an assignment template


Judaic Studies

The Judaic Studies major—especially as a second major with Economics, Political Science, Literature, English, Philosophy, or History—offers a broad and interdisciplinary liberal arts background combined with an intensive preparation in the historical and religious experience of Jewish culture in its various civilizational contexts, from antiquity to contemporary times. The major epochs of Jewish history are the Persian and Hellenistic period, including biblical, para-biblical, and Hellenistic Jewish writings; the classical period, including the literature, history, and thought of rabbinic Judaism and its antecedents; the medieval period, including Jewish history, literature, and thought in both Christian and Islamic lands; the early modern period, including Jewish history from the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries; and the modern period which includes the history, literature, and thought of Jews and Judaism from the late eighteenth to the twenty-first century with attention to the impact of modernization.

The major includes a set of core requirements and two areas of concentration. Students may count up to three Hebrew language courses toward the completion of the major requirements. Those who choose not to study modern Hebrew must enroll in at least two courses in Hebrew literature in translation.

Students considering the major in Judaic Studies should contact the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) as soon as possible.


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Policy Advocacy

Despite the implementation of the Clean Air Act, we still have air pollution issues. In rural Oregon, the number of sources of particulate emissions, such as wood stoves, mean that areas like Klamath Falls and Lake View are near or above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) (see Clean Air Act Basics), putting Oregonians at higher risk. In urban areas, the density of the variety of sources of air toxics puts Oregonians at higher risk (these areas may also have problems with pollutants like Ozone or Carbon Monoxide). Sometimes the existing regulatory and legal structure are incapable of dealing with these problems.

Neighbors for Clean Air’s goal is to educate everyday citizens and policy makers in Oregon on these situations and suggest possible solutions.

Diesel Particulate Matter

Diesel particulate matter (DPM), sometimes referred to as black carbon, is a major source of risk associated with air toxics in Oregon. DPM is made up of ultra fine particulates less than 2.5 microns in diameter. These particulates are so small they bypass most of the body’s normal defense mechanisms and can become lodged deep in the lungs and even enter the blood stream. DEQ estimates that nearly 500 Oregonians die prematurely every year as a result of DPM pollution. DPM is mainly an issue of older, dirtier diesel engines. Newer diesel engines can reduce DPM emissions by 85 to 98%.

Learn more about DPM and what can be done to reduce it here.

Industrial Sources

Most regulation of so called “point sources” of pollution is aimed at achieving the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). EPA sets and updates the NAAQS to the level of pollution in the ambient air that is safe for public health. Most requirements for industrial sources therefore focus on the six NAAQS: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter.  Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and sulfur dioxide are also regulated as precursor pollutants: VOC and NOx combine to form ground level ozone; NOx and SO2 are leading sources of secondary particulate matter. These pollutants are referred to as “criteria pollutants.” Clean Air Act regulation of point sources, non-point sources, and mobile sources has done an excellent job in many areas of significantly reducing the levels of the criteria pollutants.

However, the Clean Air Act’s requirements for  hazardous air pollutants, those pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other health risks, focuses on technological requirements, not ambient concentrations. Even when focusing on health considerations, the regulations do not do a good enough job of considering the impact of multiple sources of hazardous air pollutants.


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Cypriot Citizenship

Cyprus is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea with a strategic position between Europe, the Middles East and Africa.
Cyprus is the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean and a member state of the European Union since 2004. Cyprus is still a member of the Commonwealth and its legal system is based on English Common Law.
Non-EU investors and their families may gain citizenship in Cyprus through a procedure called Naturalisation by Exception.

What Are The Investment Requirements Of the Cypriot Citizenship Through Naturalisation Investment Program?

You must invest an amount of at least €2 million in shares and/or bonds of the Cyprus State Investment Company and also make a donation of at least €0,5 million as a donation to the Research and Technology Fund.

Alternatively you must have direct investments in Cyprus of at least €5 million.  Direct Investments may involve the following:

Investment in Government bonds to the value of EUR €5 million

Investment of at least EUR €5 million in financial assets of Cypriot companies or Cypriot organizations
Investment of at least EUR €5 million in real estate, land development and infrastructure projects
Investment of at least EUR €5 million in businesses or companies, that are based and operating Cyprus
Personal fixed term deposits of at least EUR €5 million in Cypriot banks or privately owned company, held for at least 3 years.

How long will I need to hold my Investment?

You will need to have concluded the necessary investments during the three years preceding the date of the application and must retain the investment for a period of at least three years since the date of the Naturalisation.

How Long Will The Application Process Take?

The process will generally take four months to complete.

Are there any Residency Requirements?

There is no requirement to physically live in Cyprus.

What are the Benefits of Cypriot Citizenship?

Cypriot Law means that your spouse and dependents are also entitled to receive a passport and there is no requirement to surrender the existing nationality as dual nationalitys allowed.
Holding Cypriot nationality means that you are also a citizen of the EU which opens up access to many business, cultural and educational opportunities, in addition the ability to travel visa free to 140 countries worldwide.


Private Servers private servers ranked by most popular.

The goal of the game is to grow a cell by eating both randomly generated pellets, which slightly increase a cell\'s mass, and smaller cells without being eaten by larger cells. players dies when all of their cells are eaten by another player. Viruses split cells larger than them into many pieces and smaller cells can hide underneath a virus for protection against larger cells. We have exclusives Skins, leveling systems and gamemodes.

Agario Play PVP Server

Agario is one of the most popular games on the internet. It has a huge player base, and most of the players play the game for fun and passing the time.


Can you relocate cats?

Relocating feral or community cats to a new outdoor location can take a long time and is often unsuccessful. Cats tend to be territorial; in familiar territory, they know where to get food, find shelter, and avoid danger. Moving outdoor cats to a new location makes them very uneasy, so they will try to get back to the place they know.

Removing outdoor cats can also create a vacuum effect, as the remaining food and resources attract other cats, and they continue to breed. Implementing Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), on the other hand, prevents other cats from moving in, while decreasing the population and reducing nuisance behaviors.

Relocating a cat or colony should be the last resort, after all other options have been made to keep them in their current outdoor home. HSHV does not offer relocation services.

How do I tell a feral cat from a stray cat?

To determine if a cat is simply a visiting community cat from the neighborhood or a lost or abandoned stray cat, monitor the cat for a few days.

If the cat is clean and healthy, it is likely a community cat just visiting. You may notice that the cat already has an ear tip on its left ear, indicating it has been sterilized through a TNR program. If the cat is friendly, you can place a collar on the cat’s neck with a note asking the owners to notify you if this is their cat. This way, an owned cat does not mistakenly get taken to HSHV.  Community cats often have one or more caretakers feeding and looking out for them, and they may be friendly, unsocial, or feral. Always use caution when approaching any animal. If you notice a community cat in your area with no owner and no ear tip, see our TNR page to learn what you can do.

If, on the other hand, the cat starts to lose weight rapidly or looks increasingly disheveled, it is likely a lost or abandoned pet.  You may choose to bring the cat inside or to HSHV. In either scenario, signs should be posted in the neighborhood regarding a found cat, and a found report made to HSHV.

  Feral Cat   Stray Cat
  Silent except when mating and may hiss   Meows
  Only seen at dawn and dusk to hunt   Seen at all times of the day and night

  Will eat food only after humans have retreated from the
  feeding area

  Will eat near humans
  Can never be touched   May be touched or held at times or may rub against legs

  If cornered, will hiss, spit or fight

  If cornered will try to hide
  May look clean and healthy because they have adapted to  living outside   May look dirty and unkept because they do not live      their entire life outside
  May have an ear tip if they have already been    through the TNR process   They may or may not be fixed
  No collar or microchip   Might have a collar

Please contact our Community Cat Coordinator at (734) 661-3523 or email tnr@hshv.org.

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Unit 3

Change in colonial policy by the British government that helped precipitate the American Revolution involved:
Forcing them to shoulder costs of the empire
When it came to the Revolution, it could be said that colonists were:
Reluctant revolutionaries
The "radical whigs" feared:
The arbitrary power of the monarchy
Under mercantilist doctrine, the American colonies were expected to do all of the following:
Supply Britain with raw materials not available there, Furnish ships, and trade to bolster the strength of the Royal Navy, To provide a market for British manufactured goods, Refrain from exporting woolen cloth
Despite the benefits of the mercantile system, the American colonists disliked it because:
Kept them in perpetual state of economic adolescence
Colonists objected to the Stamp Act because:
Parliament passed it, not them
Actions taken by the colonists that helped them unite include:
The Stamp Act Congress, Nonimportation agreements, Spinning bees, The making and wearing of homemade woolen goods
The First Continental Congress was called in order to:
consider ways of redressing colonial grievances.
As the War for Independence began, Britain had the advantage of:
National wealth and power, soldiers, superior navy.
Perhaps the most important action of the 2nd C.C. was to:
Select GW to head army
One purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to:
Explain to the world their reasons for revolt.
Thomas Paine argued that all government officials:
Should derive their authority from popular consent
Examples of colonial experience with self-governance, which prepared Americans for a republic, included all of the following:
New England town meeting, Committees of correspondence, The relative equality of landowning farmers, The absence of a hereditary aristocracy
The Declaration of Independence did all of the following:
Invoke the natural rights of humankind to justify revolt
Like many revolutions, the American Revolution was a:
minority movement
The militia played a crucial role in all of the following areas:
Taking up the task of "political" education, Convincing people to join the fight against the British, Mercilessly harassing small British detachments, Being effecting agents of Revolutionary ideas
Which of the following fates befell Loyalists after the war?
• Some fled to England
• Some re-established themselves in North America
• Some had their property confiscated
• Some were exiled
When the alliance with France was formed, Americans were able to:
• Gain access to large sums of money
• Double the size of their fighting forces
• Avail themselves of French naval strength
• Gain immense amounts of equipment
Some Indians joined the British during the war because:
They believed a British victory would limit colonial expansion
After the British defeat at the Battle of Yorktown:
The fighting continued for more than a year
Which of these battles proved to be a major turning point of the war?
Who did America send to persuade the French to join their cause?
Ben Franklin
As a result of the Revolution's emphasis on equality, all of the following were achieved:
The reduction of property qualifications for voting by most states, The growth of trade organizations for artisans and laborers, The establishment of the world's first anti-slavery society, Abolishing medieval inheritance laws
The delegate whose contributions to the Convention were so notable that he has been called the "Father of the Constitution" was:
James Madison


Jean-François Gaillard

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A large number of microorganisms are responsible for the oxidation of Mn(2+)((aq)) to insoluble Mn(3+/4+) oxides (MnO(x)()) in natural aquatic systems. This paper reports the structure of the biogenic MnO(x)(), including a quantitative analysis of cation vacancies, formed by the freshwater bacterium Leptothrix discophora SP6 (SP6-MnO(x)()). The structure(More)
The nanotechnology industry is growing rapidly, leading to concerns about the potential ecological consequences of the release of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) to the environment. One challenge of assessing the ecological risks of ENMs is the incredible diversity of ENMs currently available and the rapid pace at which new ENMs are being developed.(More)
Production of titanium-dioxide nanomaterials (nano-TiO2) is increasing, leading to potential risks associated with unintended release of these materials into aquatic ecosystems. We investigated the acute effects of nano-TiO2 on metabolic activity and viability of algae and cyanobacteria using high-throughput screening. The responses of three diatoms(More)
The structure of amorphous In 2–2x Zn x Sn x O 3 (a-ZITO, x = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) was investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the total scattering pair-distribution function (PDF) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), which revealed a well-defined short-range structure that differed from the crystalline bixbyite and corun-dum ZITO(More)
The corundum-type In(2-2x)Zn(x)Sn(x)O(3) solid solution (cor-ZITO, x ≤ 0.7) was synthesized at 1000 °C under a high pressure of 70 kbar. cor-ZITO is a high-pressure polymorph of the transparent conducting oxide bixbyite-In(2-2x)Zn(x)Sn(x)O(3) (x ≤ 0.4). Analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure suggests that significant face-sharing of Zn and(More)
The vibrational spectrum of Mg2.5VMoO8 obtained by quantum mechanical simulation is compared with the experimentally observed Raman spectrum. This simulation suggests that the observed band at 1016 cm(-1) is attributed to the Mo=O-Mg stretching from two-coordinate oxygen atoms that are adjacent to Mg2+ cation vacancies. Extended X-ray absorption fine(More)
Nano-TiO2 is an engineered nanomaterial whose production and use are increasing rapidly. Hence, aquatic habitats are at risk for nano-TiO2 contamination due to potential inputs from urban and suburban runoff and domestic wastewater. Nano-TiO2 has been shown to be toxic to a wide range of aquatic organisms, but little is known about the effects of nano-TiO2(More)
The use of diverse engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) potentially leads to the release of multiple ENMs into the environment. However, previous efforts to understand the behavior and the risks associated with ENMs have focused on only one material at a time. In this study, the chemical interactions between two of the most highly used ENMs, nano-TiO2, and(More)
Introduction The early 21st century is witnessing the transition of nanotechnology from discovery to commercialization. Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are incorporated into numerous commercial products ranging from pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to alternative energy and electronic devices, leading to a global market projected to reach $3 trillion in 2020(More)


For single mom Peta Nixon, under the influence is the only way she can stomach her ex-husband. Since their separation (because of his bed-hopping habits), they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other—that is, until one night, when her drinking ends it all for good.

Everything is more manageable after a few drinks—or so it seems for the ladies in The Cocktail Club. Problems shrink, work is less stressful, and love finally has clarity. But is drinking really the answer or is a dark payback waiting for them at the bottom of each cocktail?


Christin's Words from Sunshine Hill

If it is to be music
you must be present to it, must offer to it
a profound self-remembering.
-from Altar Music

Saturday, July 23, 2016

A Summertime of Politics and Paradox

I woke this morning to sunlight and this glorious natural world of which I am part. From nature all around and within me I can learn. It is summer and the plants and animals are experiencing the paradox of maturitythat withering and death cannot be separated from the still emerging new life. The deer are eating some wildflowers down to their roots.  The oak tree by the deck will not make it into the next season. I ponder how it is essential to hold all of it together in both mind and heart, and this thought immediately spins me a degree further around to the present condition of the human world, the consciousness of which is also caught in paradox.

The world is caught up this summer in the sometimes creative, often insane dialectic of a USA National Election, with its always carnival-like conventions that showcase with thick irony issues of global mass creation or destruction. I’m not a political person, so I can barely suffer these days, and yet I watch them, ponder them, participate in them, because I want to understand as best as is possible for me, what we are in for. I know it is a world event because what we do as a nation affects the entire world. One World is now a fact. Isolation is no longer an option where information travels at the speed of thought.

I’m not a political person, so I’m no expert in political science, nor economic theory, environmental science, civil and legal rights, and the rest. It seems to me that each of us has the opportunity and responsibility to approach our electoral choice from the base of experience, education, and frame of reference we know best. That is our gift to the world. For me that means from the focus of the human soul and mystical spirit. What effect does a candidate’s world view and political platform have on what I know about the human soul, both individually and as a world?

When all of us are combined we should be able to present to the electoral process a wholeness of perspective. If you are a mom, be the nation and world’s mom; if you own a business, vote what’s best for the business of the world; If a farmer, see that the land is cared for so that the peoples might be fed; if a teacher, seek and spread and support the truth; and so forth…you get my meaning.

From my own perspective I would need to choose people and policies that
-Integrate rather that separate, divide, exclude
-See morality as complex rather than simplistic
-Are able to distinguish legality from morality
-Embrace opposites and opposition rather than attempting to eliminate them
-Promote rational thinking and heartfelt compassion rather than fear and rejection at all levels of individual, communal, national and international discourse and interaction
-Honor mistakes as essential to the creative process, and as openings to new ways of thinking.
-Encourage new forms of thought, imagination, and life style
-Revive the arts as essential to human growth and development
-Reflect citizenship not only of the USA, but of the world.


Endangered Archives

EAP872: Bulang manuscripts preservation project

Mr Brian Kirbis, Museum of Anthropology, Yunnan University
2015 award - Pilot project
£3,525 for 3 months

Archival partner: Museum of Anthropology, Yunnan University

Project Overview

This project will digitise handwritten texts used by Bulang ethnicity ritual specialists, focusing on three villages located in Yunnan Province, China – the area of greatest concentration of Bulang people. These manuscripts constitute a highly fragmented tradition for which text hierarchies will be developed. This project will assist in preserving and elaborating Bulang history and cultural identity in a time of rapid modernisation.

The Bulang are a Mon-Khmer language-speaking group distributed throughout the uplands of southwest China, Eastern Burma, and Northern Thailand. Despite being counted among the earliest known occupants of the region and being pivotal in our understanding of regional cultural ecology, there has been surprisingly little research on the Bulang. One key to establishing a cohesive identity across their highly fragmented population is through their text tradition and, in particular, those texts utilised by lay ritual specialists and constituting a syncretic belief system with elements of animism and Theravada Buddhism.

The Bulang are considered the world’s earliest tea cultivators and many villages contain old-growth tea gardens planted nearly a millennium ago by their ancestors. Recent market demand for old-growth tea has led to rapid development, deeply impacting local ecological, socio-cultural, and cosmological landscapes. As a consequence, contemporary Bulang identity has been subject to external market constructs while simultaneously eroding from within. In Burma, where lack of market access has averted such rapid development, preindustrial subsistence livelihoods and social strategies are more intact, though these are threatened by local political instability.

Bulang manuscript culture consists of overlapping monastic and secular works. Monastic texts are primarily Buddhist canonical works while secular texts regulate village ritual life. Hand-copying texts is a form of literary training as well as a form of patronage whereby villagers receive merit and/or protection by commissioning texts to be copied then placed in the monastery. Consequently, there are multiple copies of certain texts located in the monastery. There are far fewer copies of non-canonical manuscripts such as ritual protocols, village histories, or esoteric works such as divination manuals that quite likely derive from pre-Buddhist animistic practices. These are preserved in more specific environments, generally with village ritualists and traditional knowledge brokers.

Secular texts that have become illegible or fallen into disuse are either stored in homes or placed in the monastery. The conditions of their storage demonstrate no observable conservation intent beyond the simple fact that they cannot be discarded. Disorganised stacks of both palm leaf and mulberry paper texts have been observed in local monasteries. There is often uncertainty as to the content of these abandoned volumes or whether there are versions extant and in usage in the community. Unlike Buddhist canonical works, no known text lineages or hierarchies are known to exist for these lay manuscripts.

In the Bulang Mountains of southwest Yunnan, there are over thirty Bulang villages. Significant Bulang populations are also found in Daluo, Bada, Lincang, Shaungjiang, Baoshan and Mojiang. Though ethnically similar, there is a high degree of cultural and linguistic variation based on little understood historical conditions of migration. At times, there are greater language affinities between Bulang and adjacent ethnic Wa – language-cousins to the Bulang – than between distant Bulang, who rely on Dai for a common tongue. There are also instances of ethnic re-identification whereby animistic Wa peoples adopt Buddhism and consequently consider themselves as Bulang, or Bulang take on affectations of and identify as Dai. The key to understanding Bulang identity across such vast complexity is through distilling from their literary tradition those pre-Buddhist elements – including myths, historical narratives and ritual practices – that provide insight into the early development of the Bulang people. To that effect, this pilot project will therefore focus on just such non-canonical texts. It has been observed that, depending on the size and age of each village, there may be anywhere from one dozen to several dozen texts per village available for digitisation.

There are various historical circumstances that have complicated any straightforward explication of these manuscripts. Most notable among these is the Chinese Cultural Revolution, during which time many texts were destroyed. There are elders still capable of oral recitations for some of these works due to their having been recited for several decades prior to their destruction. In some instances, texts were hidden or ritual specialists fled across the border. These circumstances have all made for broken and tangled text lineages and their associated ritual complexes.

The project will aim to digitise approximately 72 texts from the pilot villages and establish the framework for a future major research project. Training in field digitisation methods will be provided for Yunnan University’s Museum of Anthropology.

Project Outcome


Safa Mahdi Al Alqgi

“Safa is passionate about the future of his country and determined to be part of the process of bringing about peace and security. For him the rule of law is central to the stabilisation that is needed and he wants to understand more about how it can be effectively mobilised in the cause of peace.” Brian Brivati, Academic Programme Director

Safa Mahdi Ubeid Al Alqgi is the Chief Security Manager at CHF International, a USAID funded international humanitarian relief organisation. Since 2006 he has held various positions within CHF such as Operations Coordinator and Security Director before becoming Chief Security Manager in 2011. Safa is primarily responsible for planning, developing and implementing security plans and programs such as Emergency Response and Crisis Management, Physical Security, Information Protection and Incident Management. His role also includes the coordination of humanitarian aid in post-conflict areas through the implementation of infrastructure projects to help new governments build stability and improve their services, and supporting microfinance programmes as part of a peace-building initiative at local level.

Safa’s action plan is to lead a research project which details the successes of Iraq’s post-conflict rehabilitation process while also identifying the current challenges that face Iraq in terms of building a strong society guided by the rule of law. Safa hopes that this project will ultimately act as a case study for post-conflict rehabilitation across the region.


eISSN: 1643-3750

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Ultrastructure of the placental barrier in samples from pregnancies complicated by fetal hypertrophy: a preliminary report

Adam Ziółkowski, Krystyna Olech, Henryk Grzybek, Andrzej Gabriel, Natalia Matysiak, Krzysztof Jasik, Maria Sozańka, Jan Łaskawiec, Sławomir Pawłowski, Zbigniew Szczurek

Med Sci Monit 1997; 3(2): BR149-153

ID: 500627

The present study includes assessment of morphological and ultrastructural differences in the afterbirth from pregnancies complicated by fetal hypertrophy (9 cases- a study group) as opposed to those from full-term pregnancies (10 cases - a control group). Abnormalities were evaluated macroscopically and on light and transmission electron microscopy. Macroscopic placental examination showed no evidence of focal abnormalities. Light microscopy (histopathological evaluation) of samples from hypotrophic pregnancies showed a decreased intervillous space with a simultaneous increase in the size of the villi, congestion of the villi and intervillous space. Additionally, moderate and severe fibrosis was noted. Transmission electron microscopy of the majority of samples showed oedema of the villous endothelial cells as well as exfoliation of the cells from the basal membrane and filling in of the new space by collagen fibres. Rugosity and thickening of the basal membrane was present. In severe endothelial exfoliation an increased number of lysosomes in the trophoblast cells directed towards the intervillous space. In the group of placentas from full-term pregnancies, moderate oedema was found in the endothelial cells, and in some cases mild trophoblast vacuolisation was also present.

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An investigation into the phone records of Golden Dawn members has revealed information that could lead to charges being brought against at least three of the neofascist party’s MPs, judicial sources revealed on Thursday.

Supreme Court deputy prosecutor Charalambos Vourliotis has been probing the phone records to find evidence that would allow party members and MPs to be tried for being part of a criminal organization, which carries stiff prison sentences. To proceed with such charges, there needs to be evidence that the violent attacks and other criminal behavior, such as extortion and bribery, were carried out according to a fixed pattern.

Wiretaps carried out by the National Intelligence Service (EYP) indicate that at least three Golden Dawn MPs were in direct contact with members allegedly involved in illegal activities, sources said.

Authorities are also considering probing bank accounts as part of their investigation.

The effort to pinpoint and remove any influence that Golden Dawn may have within the police force continued on Thursday with raids by internal affairs officers on precincts in western Attica. The police stations in Peristeri and Aegaleo were searched following complaints that officers there failed to investigate attacks on immigrants.

Internal affairs also searched the headquarters of the police’s anti-terrorist unit (EKAM) but sources said nothing suspicious was found.


Friday, April 15, 2011

Multilateral Organizations Will Move Forward on a Plan to Assist Economic Development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region

AFP: Multilateral Banks Join forces to Aid Arab Nations
FT: EBRD Could Start Lending to Egypt
In January 2011, Tunisia’s population overthrew its decades long leader, Ben Ali, because of frustration over economic disparity and political oppression. As the revolutionary wildfire spread to other parts of the North Africa, including Egypt—where demonstrations toppled leader Hosni Mubarak in February 2011—one thing was clear: demonstrators demanded a chance at economic prosperity.
On April 14th, the United States and France announced that a large group of multilateral organizations have pledged assistance to Middle East and Northern African (MENA) countries, in order to foster inclusive economic growth. Multilateral organizations that have pledged support include the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank. The World Bank has already agreed to provide a $500 million dollar loan to Tunisia to support its budgetary obligations. Furthermore, the Untied States has offered to provide generous replenishment to multilaterals, if the banks call for capital increases to facilitate development efforts.
Noteworthy is the prospect that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide assistance to Egypt, which is a shareholder of the Bank. EBRD was founded 20 years ago to assist Eastern European countries transition from command to market economies and its mandate is limited to those countries. However, with shareholder approval (which is anticipated to go through) EBRD will provide economic assistance to Egypt.
Although the full parameters of the multilateral banks’ assistance package will be announced in May, the plan will likely focus on budgetary assistance to MENA countries and the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises. Commentators warn that economic reforms will be essential in providing stability, as governments will be tempted to “buy peace” by increasing spending for social programs. Some commentators have noted that Washington-based lenders were already working in the region prior to political upheaval this year, and that it will be important to maintain course with respect to reducing those countries’ budgetary deficits, while stimulating the economies. Large budget deficits for countries in the region can create a significant problem by pushing away investors who might fear a government default or devaluation of their investments. Therefore, the multilateral banks’ economic stimulus plan will have to strike the right balance between competing economic and political goals.

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Is shingles contagious? Shingles risk during pregnancy, transmission, and prevention

By: Dr. Victor Marchione | General Health | Tuesday, April 26, 2016 - 12:00 PM

Is shingles contagiousShingles is only contagious to individuals who had not been vaccinated or to people who have never had the chickenpox. At-risk groups that can develop chickenpox as a result of exposure to shingles are infants, young children, and individuals who are not vaccinated. Generally, pregnant women are not at risk to develop shingles, but if they do develop shingles near the end of their pregnancy term, it can pose harm to the fetus.

When is shingles contagious?

After a few days of shingles symptoms, when the patient develops a rash that begins to blister, that is when the virus is being shed and is most contagious. Shingles has two stages: prodormal and active. In the prodormal stagen a patient experiences symptoms of shingles without a rash. The active stage is marked by the presence of the rash.

Shingles risk during pregnancy

Developing shingles during pregnancy is generally harmless and mild, and does not pose a risk to the mother or fetus. A pregnant woman can catch shingles from someone who has it, if she has never had chickenpox or has not been vaccinated.

Symptoms of shingles during pregnancy include burning or shooting pain, as well as tingling or itching typically on one side of the face. Pain can range in severity and may be accompanied by fever, chills, nausea, diarrhea, and difficulty urinating. A rash will eventually develop, with the bumps that begin to fill with fluid, blister, and crust off within a week’s time.

Shingles treatment during pregnancy includes antiviral medications, cold compresses to reduce itching, wearing loose clothing and covering rashes with gauze, antihistamines, and over-the-counter painkillers.

Complications of shingles include damage to the eyes and vision, hearing and balance problems, and even the risk of meningitis or stroke if shingles spreads to the brain.

Overall, the risk of a pregnant woman developing shingles is quite low. If you are concerned about your risk of contracting shingles, speak to your doctor about vaccination options. As long as shingles is caught early on, you can avoid any complications.

How is shingles transmitted?

Shingles is only contagious to individuals who are not vaccinated or who never had the chickenpox, and so they will develop the chickenpox and not shingles. Shingles can be transmitted during the blister phase, and a patient is not infectious prior to the blister phase. Overall, shingles is far less contagious than chickenpox.

If you have shingles, avoiding transmission is as easy as keeping the rash covered, avoiding contact with the rash, washing your hands often, and avoiding contact with pregnant women, babies and children, individuals with a weakened immune system, and the elderly.

Shingles prevention and treatment

The simplest way to prevent shingles is getting the shingles vaccine, which is recommended for individuals 60 and older. Treatment of shingles is best done with antiviral medication, which is most effective for reducing the duration and symptoms of shingles if caught in the early stages of infection.

Speak to your doctor right away if you begin to experience symptoms related to shingles prior to the presence of a rash.

Related Reading:

Shingles vaccine may remain effective after chemotherapy in the elderly

The shingles vaccine may remain effective after chemotherapy in the elderly. Study author Hung Fu Tseng said, “The zoster vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective in elderly adults with healthy immune systems, but until now, there has been a lack of data on whether the vaccine remains safe and effective for individuals who might have compromised immune systems resulting from treatments like chemotherapy.” Continue reading…

Shingles (herpes zoster) eye infection may cause blurry vision, swollen eyelids

Herpes zoster, which is commonly known as shingles, causes painful blisters near the nerves on one side of your body, but what many people don’t realize is that it can also cause damage to your eyes, including eye infection, blurry vision, and swollen eyelids. Continue reading…

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A new gig at WFPL; conservatives & the CJ

I now have a freelance position as WFPL’s media critic. My first column about the lack of student perspectives in local media coverage has already been posted. Because I submit my writing for the WFPL staff to post instead of posting it myself, the gap between writing and posting is long (several days — an eternity in news time), which means I’m not able to quickly comment on Louisville news media events as they happen. For instance, the resignation of John David Dyche brought up a lot of issues about the definition of censorship, media dominance, and the obligations of local media.

From my perspective, it seems that many (but not all) conservative critics of the Courier-Journal are not upset that the newspaper is biased, but that it has a specifically liberal bias. These particular critics demand that the CJ publish more conservative columnists, even though it already carries George Will, Thomas Sowell, and Cal Thomas. They demand that the CJ stop publishing its own editorial opinions (something every newspaper around the United States does) and start publishing conservative editorial opinions. Nevermind that the CJ’s letters to the editor are routinely conservative; nevermind that the CJ routinely publishes conservative political cartoons. The idea is not just that bias must be eliminated, but that all liberal thought must be eliminated.

Having read Dyche’s rejected column, I’m not sure why the Courier refused to publish it. The public reasons given by Platt seem insufficient and inconsistent. That said, I’m also not sure why Dyche quit. He should have given his column to another local media outlet and then made a public stink about it until the CJ either apologized or severed their relationship. It hurt his case (and his cause) for Dyche to take his ball and go home.

Now imagine the same situation in reverse: suppose Thomas Frank wrote a scathing column critiquing the Wall Street Journal, the WSJ refused to publish it, and Thomas Frank stormed off in a huff. How would the conservative world react? “Too bad,” they would say. “It’s their newspaper and they have a right to control their content. If you don’t like it, start your own newspaper!”

And that’s exactly what I would say to John David Dyche and the conservatives of the Metro Louisville area: start your own newspaper. If you sincerely believe that the Courier-Journal is out of touch and out of tune with the mindset of area residents, then what an incredible opportunity this is for you to start your own print version of Fox News and attract all those angry former CJ subscribers. As Glenn Beck discovered, there’s gold in them thar hills!

A library on my wrist: technology, information, and education

Apparently the relatively affluent middle class in the United States and other industrial nations can look forward to wearable computers in the form of an Apple watch or Google glasses. Presumably these devices will be able to use Wi-Fi and/or cellphone networks to connect to the Internet, which means that it will require even less effort for us to look up any piece of information we want. We won’t even have to stick our hands in our pockets or purses to pull out that cellphone — the information superhighway will be on our wrists or in our eyes all of the time.

For educators, this means rethinking our approach to learning. In the past we insisted that children memorize things, and even now, when we encounter someone who can instantly recall an enormous variety of facts both significant and trivial, we tend to view that person as very smart, even though we’ve known for quite some time that memory is not the same as intelligence. Anyone who watched Rain Man knows the difference.

In an environment where all human knowledge is instantly accessible, what’s the point in forcing students to memorize facts? Wait, I know the answer to this one: so they can regurgitate those facts on easily-scored multiple-choice assessments. But set aside our national obsession with testing for a moment and ask yourself: if the purpose of public education is to prepare students for the future, then why should we bar the tools of the future from our classrooms? Instead of focusing on rote memorization of facts that can be easily looked up within seconds, why not focus on teaching students how to analyze, interpret, and evaluate those facts?

The previous paragraph serves as an example of my point. When writing that last sentence, I couldn’t remember the specific name of the particular classification of learning objectives that prioritized higher-order thinking skills such as analysis and interpretation. I went to Google and typed in “analyze interpret evaluate create remember,” and one of the top five results was an explanation of Bloom’s Taxonomy. This entire post is the result of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation: I read the New York Times story about the Apple watch, which got me thinking about technology and education, which in turn made me rethink educators’ backwards approach to personal technology in the classroom. Of course writing this post would have taken slightly less time if I could have just instantly remembered the name of that taxonomy, but not everybody has that type of (to borrow computer terminology) instantly searchable random access memory.

Pocket computers are already a reality, and yet it seems as if most public schools in the United States ban their usage, if not their possession. This seems exactly the opposite of what we ought to be doing. The common arguments against cellphones in classrooms is that students will use them to cheat, to send each other inappropriate messages, to play games when they should be working. But students can already do all of those things without cellphones. Students cheat, pass notes, and play games with paper and pencil. Why haven’t we banned those? Students read fiction for fun when they should be reading their math textbooks. Why haven’t we banned novels in public schools?

Obviously paper, pencils, and books have a proper educational purpose, and we teachers know that if we catch students using them inappropriately, we can provide proper consequences. We don’t ban those educational tools outright on the very real chance that someone might misuse them. But that is precisely our approach to personal computing technology in the classroom. We could be using SMS tools like PollEverywhere or ClassPager; we could challenge students to read about current events on their phones’ web browsers; we could have students collaborate with Skitch, examine Molecules, or prewrite with Popplet. Instead, we forbid the technology, mainly out of fear and ignorance.

Another potential objection to personal technology is its promotion upon dependence: those things don’t work without batteries, the Internet, and so forth. But that objection is somewhat disingenuous. The vast majority of us don’t teach our children how to preserve meat, trim wicks, or build fires from scratch any more, and no one says “But if the power goes out, what then?” Likewise, it’s no good to respond to the ubiquity of Internet access with “What if the power goes out?” or “What if the Internet is down?” because the Internet will be (or already is!) a commonplace feature of modern life, just like electricity, and outages will be (or currently are) brief and rare.

I look forward to teaching in a classroom where every student has the Internet at their fingertips (not to mention all of their textbooks in digital form) because I would much rather spend my time teaching students at the upper end of Bloom’s taxonomy. Instead of simply memorizing the formula for calculating velocity, the date of Gutenberg’s famous invention, or the correct conjugation of dormir, let’s make sure our students can use this information in meaningful ways that will enhance their daily lives in the future. And part of that daily life will be wearable computers.

Tools for critical consumers of media

I’ve discovered a couple of really useful tools for people who want to become more critical consumers of the news media—people who perhaps feel that they’re not really getting the full story, or that the news media isn’t quite doing the job they’re supposed to do, but aren’t quite sure how to articulate or confirm their suspicions.

The first is the SMELL test developed by John McManus, one of the people who developed the seven yardsticks of GradeTheNews.org. SMELL is an acronym:

S stands for Source. Who is providing the information?
M is for Motivation. Why are they telling me this?
E represents Evidence. What evidence is provided for generalizations?

The SMELL test is a simple, straightforward guide to vetting information of any kind, not just news, but it certainly applies to news reports. Professional journalists could benefit from applying the SMELL test to their own stories, such as the foreign policy reports that are filled to the brim with anonymous official sources making unsupported assertions.

The other tool is a guide published by the Foundation for Critical Thinking called “How to Detect Media Bias & Propaganda.”

mediabias  At 46 pages, this slim handbook is packed with useful information. Sections are devoted to topics like “Myths that obscure the logic of the news media,” “Forms of objectivity,” “Fostering sociocentric thinking,” and “Steps in becoming a critical consumer of the news.” The case studies are mainly from 2000-2004 and involve the runup to the Iraq war and the war itself. I would really like to see a second edition of this handbook devoted to more recent news stories, such as the revelation that the US media was fully aware of the US drone base in Saudi Arabia but chose not to report it — not for fear of revealing critical national security information, but to avoid causing political unrest in Saudi Arabia that might end up interfering with Obama’s foreign policy agenda.

I’ve been purchasing these guides for my Journalism 1 students for the past few years; I think it will go very well with McManus’ SMELL test and the Chomsky-Herman propaganda model (which we already cover in class). Even if my students don’t end up working as journalists, I like to think that they will be more critical consumers of news media and thus better citizens.

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Preparation of the Inventory of Vertebrates

They include the required conservation strategies adapted to the cultural context of the Alhambra.

Other projects

The monumental, historical and artistic importance of the Alhambra is recognized worldwide. However, the monument and its surroundings also have an additional value of enormous interest, of which there is a very limited awareness; we are referring to the great diversity of fauna to be found in the surroundings. Each of the species found in the Alhambra should be considered as an additional element of the natural and cultural heritage, therefore it is worth making a special effort towards its understanding, study, protection and conservation.

The General Plan of the Alhambra is considering the drawing up of a Catalogue of Fauna of Vertebrates of the location and the surroundings as a priority action with the idea of reducing the present lack of knowledge regarding the value of the fauna in the Alhambra and its surroundings. It is important to disseminate this information and its possible impact on the conservation of the Monumental Complex.

The development of activities aimed at the conservation of these values should be a priority for the coming years, with respect to the requirements for management and projects to be developed by the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife.  To set many of these requirements in motion it is essential to have a very detailed and profound knowledge of the species that exist in the premises and its surroundings. Therefore it is very important to carry out an inventory.

The preparation of a catalogue of species means acquiring all the basic information, which will be a reference point in the future to assess the state of the population of fauna in the Alhambra.

The Monumental Complex of the Alhambra y Generalife in collaboration with DEMA (Defense and study of the Environment) is carrying out a serious study to understand the vertebrate communities that exist in the Alhambra and its surroundings. As there are hardly any prior references, the task of elaborating an inventory needs considerable effort, particularly when we are considering all the groups of vertebrates. We are dealing with more than 60 families, taking into account fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

Field work will provide the necessary data for elaborating a report including all the existing species, estimating their numbers, distribution and frequent location in the area of study, phenology, and risks facing them, and other peculiarities regarding their way of life in this particular environment.

The result of this work will be a catalogue of the different groups of vertebrates, together with the preparation of a rough draft of the “Guide to the vertebrates of the Alhambra”.