text:
2018 年 126 巻 1 号 p. 29-34
One noteworthy, but unexplained, aspect of the evolution of human speech is the loss of laryngeal air sacs during hominin evolution. Very little is known about the adaptive significance of this curious trait, or the selection pressures that may have driven the evolution of air sacs among primates, and their later loss in Homo. Here, I review the literature on the loss of laryngeal air sacs during the evolution of speech, and argue that sexual selection may have been a key factor. Although air sacs do not fossilize, the presence or absence of air sacs appears to be correlated with the anatomy of the hyoid bone, and fossil hyoid evidence suggests that air sacs were lost in hominins between 3.3 million and 530000 years ago. Air sacs are hypothesized to have an acoustic function, and some authors have argued that hominins may have lost their air sacs because they would make speech less clear. In other primates, such as gorillas and howler monkeys, air sacs appear to play a role in acoustic size exaggeration and may be linked to reproductive competition. I explore the hypothesis that changes in social organization and mating system towards reduced male–male competition may have relaxed the selection pressure maintaining loud, low-frequency calls in hominins, making air sacs obsolete. While much of the above will remain hypothetical until more concrete data are gathered, we can speculate by saying that air sacs may not have been necessary for the type of quiet vocal interaction that typifies human communication. Perhaps more recent Homo species, with lower levels of sexual dimorphism and increased social tolerance and complexity, began to communicate in a more complex way, eventually leading to spoken language.
Speech is one of the most distinguishing characteristics of our species. Yet, our understanding of the evolution of this quintessentially human trait is far from complete. The dominant approach for the last few decades has been the search for fossil evidence. However, most anatomical traits associated with speech are soft tissues, which do not fossilize, making it difficult to establish when speech first appeared in our evolutionary history (Fitch, 2000a, 2010; Nishimura, 2008; Hauser et al., 2014). This line of enquiry has been very limited in success and has diverted attention away from alternative questions that are equally interesting and more accessible empirically. In particular, it is not only important to ask when speech may have evolved, but it is equally important to ask how and why (Fitch, 2000a; Hauser et al., 2002; Nishimura, 2008). Such questions may be addressed by applying the comparative model, which uses data from extant species to shed light on the evolution and adaptive function of traits (Darwin, 1859; Hauser et al., 2002; Fitch, 2010).
One significant change in vocal anatomy during hominin evolution was the loss of laryngeal air sacs (Fitch, 2000a; de Boer, 2007, 2012; Perlman and Salmi, 2017). All of the great apes, and many other non-human primates, have large, inflatable, soft-walled air sacs that connect to the larynx (Starck and Schneider, 1960; Gautier, 1971; Fitch and Hauser, 1995; Hewitt et al., 2002). However, humans lack this feature (with the exception of the occasional pathological appearance, called laryngoceles (Michaels, 1984)). Thus, comparative evidence suggests that air sacs were an ancestral condition, lost during hominin evolution. Several authors have argued that understanding this change in vocal anatomy may provide important clues as to the drivers and timing of the evolution of speech (Fitch and Hauser, 1998; Fitch, 2000a; Hewitt et al., 2002; de Boer, 2007, 2008, 2012; Nishimura et al., 2007; Riede et al., 2008; Perlman and Salmi, 2017).
Here, I review the literature surrounding the loss of laryngeal air sacs, and argue that sexual selection may have been a key factor in their evolution in some primate species, and their loss in humans. Such conclusions have important implications for our understanding of how changes in social organization and mating system during human evolution may relate to the evolution of speech.
Considerable variation exists in the anatomy of air sacs among mammals, as well as in the location at which the air sacs connect to the vocal tract (Negus, 1949; Harrison, 1995; Fitch and Hauser, 1998; Nishimura, 2003; Frey et al., 2007; Fitch, 2010). It is therefore likely that air sacs evolved independently in multiple lineages. Among primates, at least five types of air sacs are known to exist: lateral ventricular, lateral superior, subhyoidal, infraglottal, and dorsal (Starck and Schneider, 1960; Hayama, 1970; Hewitt et al., 2002; Riede et al., 2008). However, ape air sacs are all lateral ventricular (Hayama, 1970; Hewitt et al., 2002), providing support that this was the ancestral condition for hominins.
Although soft tissues do not fossilize, making it impossible to study air sacs in extinct hominins directly, the hyoid bone may provide evidence of the timing of the loss of air sacs in the hominin lineage. The hyoid is the only bone in the vocal tract of humans and non-human primates. In humans, it is a horseshoe-shaped bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck (Standring, 2015), which plays an important role in tongue movement during speech production (Hiiemae et al., 2002; Matsuo and Palmer, 2010). The hyoid is the only bone in the body that does not connect with any other in anthropoids, including humans, and it is rarely discovered during excavations, making it one of the least represented skeletal elements in the fossil record. However, evidence suggests that there was a shift in hyoid morphology during hominin evolution and, particularly, a reduction in the size of the hyoid bulla, the thin-walled cup-shaped shell that forms the anterior part of the hyoid, and into which the air sacs extend (Figure 1). With the exception of orangutans (which seemingly possess a derived hyoid (Brandes, 1932; Brown and Ward, 1988)), great apes all have a bullate hyoid (Fitch, 2009). This appears to be the primitive hominin condition, and its presence in ‘Dikika Girl’ (an Australopithecus afarensis skeleton discovered in Dikika, Ethiopia) confirms that this morphology was present until at least 3.3 million years ago (Alemseged et al., 2006). Hyoid bones are also known from ancestral members of the genus Homo, including Homo neanderthalensis (Arensburg, 1989; Rodriguez et al., 2003), Homo heidelbergensis (Martínez et al., 2008), and Homo erectus (Capasso et al., 2008), all of which indicate that the flat, hyoid morphology found in modern humans (Figure 1) is a derived feature of the Homo lineage. Thus, the shape of the hyoid appears to have changed significantly between 3.3 million (Alemseged et al., 2006) and 530000 (Martínez et al., 2008) years ago, and the loss of the bullate shape, and the transition to a flatter hyoid, is thought to relate to the loss of laryngeal air sacs (Hayama et al., 1982; de Boer, 2012).
Human hyoids (A) lack the large and distinctive bulla of the chimpanzee hyoid (B), into which the air sacs extend. The morphology of the chimpanzee hyoid is typical of that found in great apes. Figure from D’Anastasio et al. (2013), used under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. For a more detailed exploration of the chimpanzee hyoid, see http://eskeletons.org/boneviewer/nid/12539/region/skull/bone/hyoid.
Given that air sacs can become infected (airsacculitis) (Lawson et al., 2006; Kumar et al., 2012), potentially causing disease and reducing fitness, it is argued that air sacs cannot be functionless, and that they would almost certainly be selected against unless they serve a current biological function (de Boer, 2012). Several hypotheses have been proposed regarding the function of laryngeal air sacs, including acting as visual signals, allowing the rebreathing of air to aid respiration, and aiding brachiation by stiffening the thorax (Negus, 1949; Starck and Schneider, 1960; Harrison, 1995). However, these hypotheses have received little support, and many authors now agree that air sacs probably evolved to serve a vocal function (MacLarnon and Hewitt, 1999; Fitch, 2000a, 2009a, 2010; Hewitt et al., 2002; de Boer, 2012). Although it seems clear that air sacs might play an important role in vocal communication, the question remains as to why our ancestors lost their laryngeal air sacs. Was the transition related to positive selection for the loss of air sacs, or was there a relaxation of the selection pressures maintaining them (i.e. did they become obsolete)?
Speech production is based on the source–filter model (Chiba and Kajiyama, 1941; Fant, 1960; Titze, 1994), whereby sound waves are generated by the vocal folds of the larynx (source) and are filtered by the supralaryngeal vocal tract (the filter). The perceptual quality of speech is mainly determined by formant frequencies, which depend on the resonance frequencies of the filter (Chiba and Kajiyama, 1941; Fant, 1960; Titze, 1994; Fitch, 2010; Fitch et al., 2016). Some authors have argued that hominins may have lost their air sacs because they would make speech less clear (de Boer, 2007, 2012; Lieberman, 2011).
Attempts have been made to create synthetic and computer models of the acoustic effects that air sacs would have on humans speech (Riede et al., 2008; de Boer, 2012). These models suggest that air sacs may: (i) increase the amplitude of vocalizations; (ii) induce non-linear source–filter interaction effects; and (iii) change the resonance properties of vocalizations (Riede et al., 2008). Through the use of hearing experiments, de Boer has also shown that air sacs would be likely to affect the perception of speech, by reducing the perceptual effect of vowel-like articulations (de Boer, 2012). If air sacs were lost because they interfered with speech, then the evidence from hyoids would suggest that highly complex vocalizations must have been present by more than 500000 years ago (Martínez et al., 2008). However, as recently noted by Perlman and Salmi (2017), this figure significantly pre-dates some estimates about the timing of the evolution of speech, as some authors have argued the gesture may have been the principal form of linguistic communication up until 150000 (Tomasello, 2008), or even 50000 years ago (Corballis, 2002). It is, of course, possible that laryngeal air sacs were not lost because they interfered with speech, but because they became obsolete and the selection pressure maintaining them was no longer acting. In order to gain further insight into this question, we can analyse the function that air sacs may have in closely related taxa that do not use speech.
Although most authors agree that air sacs are likely to play a role in vocal communication in non-human primates, questions remain over their exact function. Firstly, by increasing the amplitude of vocalizations, air sacs may allow individuals to produce louder calls that can cover greater distances (Riede et al., 2008). Secondly, air sacs may play an important role in increasing call rate and/or duration, by allowing animals to vocalize for longer or more frequently without hyperventilating (Hewitt et al., 2002). Thirdly, through increasing the variability of vocal tract impendence, air sacs might lead to strong non-linear phenomena in vocalizations (Fitch et al., 2002; Riede et al., 2008). Finally, air sacs have been predicted to affect formant frequencies and spacing (Fitch and Hauser, 1995; Fitch, 2000b; Frey et al., 2007; Riede et al., 2008; Dunn et al., 2015), as: (i) air sacs may introduce new resonance frequencies near the resonance frequency of the air sac in isolation, which would be expected to be lower frequency than the resonances of the vocal tract (and would depend on the size and shape of the air sac); and (ii) the original resonances of the vocal tract would be shifted to higher frequencies and closer together (de Boer, 2008, 2009, 2012; Riede et al., 2008; Dunn et al., 2015). As a consequence of these acoustic effects, vocalizations produced with air sacs are likely to be louder, more chaotic (Fitch et al., 2002), contain more resonances and more energy at lower frequencies, and, potentially, be longer and more frequent (de Boer, 2012). All of these traits may serve important adaptive functions. Most obviously, perhaps, in situations of competition over access to resources, including mates (Wich and Nunn, 2002; Dunn et al., 2015; Charlton and Reby, 2016).
However, these insights have been almost exclusively gained from synthetic and computer modelling. Experimental data testing these hypotheses directly on real air sacs are currently lacking. One possible area of research, which is likely to prove fruitful, is ex-vivo investigation of the effects of air sacs on call acoustics in excised larynx experiments (see Titze et al., 2010; Klemuk et al., 2011; Herbst et al., 2012, 2013; Bowling et al., 2017; Garcia et al., 2017). Another exciting area, which would provide data on vocal-fold vibration during natural vocalizations (thus accounting for the ‘source’ of the sound, and allowing for the ‘filter’ to be analysed—Fant, 1960; Chiba and Kajiyama, 1941), is in-vivo electroglottography (Brown and Cannito, 1995; Herbst and Dunn, 2018). Basic knowledge of the anatomy of air sacs, and other components of the vocal production system, is still lacking for many species of non-human primates, making acoustic modelling challenging. Thus, detailed anatomical work, including computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, will provide important insights into the function of air sacs. Finally, high-quality recordings are still lacking for many species. New technology, such as wireless microphones placed on subjects (Ordóñez-Gómez et al., 2015), and improved recording equipment and protocols (Maciej et al., 2011; Fischer et al., 2013), will allow for better acoustic analyses to be carried out, based on anatomical knowledge.
The size exaggeration hypothesis posits that some taxa evolve to produce vocal signals with much lower fundamental frequency (f0) and/or formant frequency spacing (Δf) than expected for their size (Fitch, 2000a; Charlton and Reby, 2016). This is thought to be a way of exaggerating body size relative to other species, as lower-frequency sounds are generally associated with bigger body size across species (Morton, 1975; Hauser, 1993; Fitch and Hauser, 1998; Fitch, 2010; Charlton and Reby, 2016). By lowering formant frequencies, and formant dispersion, air sacs are likely to play a key role in size exaggeration.
Species with greater levels of precopulatory male–male competition and reduced levels of sperm competition have been shown to possess adaptations that enable them to produce exaggerated calls, suggesting that sexual selection plays a critical role in regulating vocal communication (Delgado, 2006; Charlton and Reby, 2016). Given this, air sacs are likely to be more common, and perhaps larger, in species under strong sexual selection. For example, recent evidence suggests that gorillas may use their laryngeal air sacs for whinny-type vocalizations and male display (Perlman and Salmi, 2017). Similarly, reindeer show pronounced sexual dimorphism in the size of the air sac, and males use air sacs when vocalizing during the rutting period (Frey et al., 2007). However, data on the comparative anatomy of air sacs and hyoids across species are currently very limited.
A good model for this kind of approach is the howler monkey (Alouatta spp.), as this primate genus offers the most extreme variation in hyoid and air sac morphology among primates (Schön, 1971; Schön-Ybarra, 1992; Dunn et al., 2015). The members of this genus are also widely distributed, from Mexico to Argentina, and show significant variation in social organization and mating system. Therefore, we would expect the underlying factors related to this variation to be more evident than in other, less widely distributed, taxa. In howler monkeys, the hyoid bulla is greatly enlarged and specialized (Figure 2A), forming a resonating chamber with which they produce some of the loudest vocalizations made by any terrestrial animal. The size of the hyoid bulla, and subhyoidal air sac, varies significantly between sexes and, even more remarkably, vastly among species (Dunn et al., 2015) (Figure 2B). Dunn et al. (2015) found that variation in hyoid volume and testes volume were both predicted by the number of males in the group (i.e. mating system), with more polygynous species being found to have the largest hyoids and smallest testes, and multi-male species being found to have the smallest hyoids and largest testes. Hyoid volume was also found to be negatively correlated with formant dispersion across species (Dunn et al., 2015). This provided the first evidence for evolutionary trade-offs between vocal characteristics related to size exaggeration and sperm production, which were later reported to be relatively common among other mammals (Charlton and Reby, 2016).
Hyoid morphology among howler monkey species. (A) An adult male Guyanan red howler monkey (Alouatta macconnelli) skull, mandible and hyoid, showing the incredible large relative size of the hyoid bone. (B) A phylogeny of the howler monkey (Alouatta) species studied by Dunn et al. (2015), with Ateles fusciceps as an outgroup. Numbers at the nodes indicate the estimated dates for splitting events (Ma), where known (Cortés-Ortiz et al., 2003). 3D models show the variation in size and shape of average hyoids in males (left) and females (right), corresponding to the species in the tree (hyoids were not available for Alouatta pigra females).
Perhaps, then, variation in the size and shape of air sacs can be linked to variation in reproductive competition among species. If a clear transition in the shape of the hyoid is observed between Australopithecus afarensis 3 million years ago and Homo erectus 530000 years ago, what do we know about changes in mating system of hominins during this time?
Although debated owing to the limited availability of data (Larsen, 2003; Reno et al., 2003), the traditional consensus is that there has been a decrease in sexual dimorphism during hominin evolution (McHenry, 1992). Australopithecus males have been reported to have been significantly larger than females (45 kg and 29 kg, respectively in A. afarensis; Plavcan and van Schaik, 1997; McHenry, 1992), while the appearance of Homo has been associated with larger bodies, longer limbs, bigger brains, and lower magnitudes of sexual dimorphism (Garvin et al., 2017).
While much of the above will remain hypothetical until more concrete data are gathered, we can speculate by saying that air sacs are probably not necessary for the type of quiet vocal interaction that typifies human communication. They may have interfered with speech and/or become obsolete with the changing social dynamics of larger, more tolerant social groups. As grunts and growls turned into gossip and gab, perhaps more recent Homo species did not need to compete so directly over resources and began to communicate in a more complex way. Indeed, observations from a wide range of taxa indicate that as social groups grow, and sociality becomes more complex, vocal complexity would also be expected increase (Blumstein and Armitage, 1997; Wilkinson, 2003; McComb and Semple, 2005; Freeberg, 2006). Thus, the loss of human air sacs may reflect changes in sexual selection, with increased social tolerance and social complexity in multi-male, multi-female groups paving the way for more complex communication and, ultimately, speech.


text:
Finally…A Fast, Clinically Proven Method To Relieve Pain Naturally!
The Amazing "Single Finger" Technique, To Ease Chronic Back-Pain Permanently – you’ll never need to see your doctor or take medication ever again!
What You Must Do At Once When You Feel A Headache Or Migraine Developing – Nip the problem in the bud and get instant relief with this technique used by Dr Oz…
Learn A Secret Body Hack From Ancient China – This is so powerful, it even helped a 68 year old cure his arthritis pain and stay active in competitive tennis!
Hurry, Grab it While It's FREE (Limited Time Offer)
What People Are Saying...
- Betty Q, Portland, OR
- Larry K.
- Norman, St. Paul, MN

domain: medical


Stainless Bolts – What You Required to Know
The stainless nuts as well as screws, also referred to as N-bracket, is the mechanical device which joins or connects 2 or even more assemble using bolts. These bolts are of different sizes as well as can be made from a range of materials. Nuts are additionally called screws or screws. Nails or screws are utilized to affix 2 parts of a structure together. Nails are normally made from hard-wearing metals like steel or light weight aluminum and also can have either flat or pointed ends. Some types of nuts are made to pass through the surface of a wall, while others have a threaded idea at one end. Nuts are not simply utilized in frameworks. Numerous family devices likewise use these bolts. The nut wrench (likewise referred to as a screw) is utilized to link the various components of a mechanism, such as an electric motor or a pump. A nut attaches two pieces of equipment with using a steel shaft, and also the nut’s head has a screw thread and is connected to the shaft. For example, if you utilize a hand saw, you may tighten a nut making use of a screwdriver. It is a needed part of hand tools that require to have tightens as well as loosens when operating. The same is true for any kind of maker that requires a connection in between its various components, including sewing equipments as well as machinery. As pointed out, nuts are generally made from various steels like steel or aluminum. The most typical nuts, which are additionally known as screws, are those made out of steel. They are offered in various sizes, depending on the materials they are constructed of. Bolts additionally are available in several colors and are frequently referred to as chain nuts, chain link, stainless, galvanized, and galvanized screws. In order to mount stainless bolts, it is important to ensure that the appropriate nuts are utilized. Stainless screws are only appropriate for usage with details devices and machinery. Some nuts are available in different sizes. These screws that are larger and more expensive than other nuts, yet they are usually appropriate for usage in big frameworks as well as tools. Nuts are usually measured in Metric or English Tonneau Bolts, relying on the size they are intended to go in. Some nuts, called Thread Nuts, are specially designed for specific applications. There are likewise various kinds of strings for bolts. A variety of screws can be utilized to attach chains to each other, such as a chain web link or chain drive. This kind of screw is used for a large variety of different applications, but the threads are rather small and also may not be able to pass through lots of surfaces. String nuts are typically referred to as flat or round screws, because of their form. Other nuts that can be made use of to connect chains to every various other are hex nuts, which are round, hexagonal, and hexagonal. Nuts are manufactured by utilizing steel, brass, or copper. Stainless bolts are made by using the last product. When the nuts are constructed of a stainless material, they are incredibly sturdy as well as will last for a long period of time.


IF CVNC.org CALENDAR and REVIEWS are important to you:
If you use the CVNC Calendar to find a performance to attend
If you read a review of your favorite artist
If you quote from a CVNC review in a program or grant application or press release
Now is the time to SUPPORT CVNC.org
Conductor Michael Dodds, artist-professor at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, introduced the Wind Ensemble concert to the small audience at Stevens Center stating that the four works on the "hour-long" concert might be likened to "Earth, Water, Fire and Air." The four dozen musicians on stage, all wind, brass and percussion, augmented at times by a pair of double basses, harp, piano and organ, are all highly skilled performance majors, in contrast to most universities, where majors range from musicology to music education, with the performance majors being a decidedly smaller portion of the whole.
This concert assaulted the listener from the very beginning – the BIG BANG that opens Frank Ticheli's "WILD NIGHTS!" stays with us long into the piece, lingering through the ostinato (obstinate) repeated figures, the parallel sixths, and the seemingly perpetual motion of the mallet instruments. The final chord arrived on time, as one might have predicted, but ironically in the "wrong" key! And between the opening and closing chords, boundless energy gave meaning to the title and to the passionate poem evoking the sea by Emily Dickinson which has inspired so many.
Artist faculty member Tadeu Coelho is a virtuoso flutist who has recorded extensively and has appeared in these pages before. Accompanied by a slightly smaller formation, he played the Rhapsody for Flute by Stephen Bulla, who for thirty years was the chief arranger for the US Marine Band. This work was a perfect vehicle to highlight the gorgeous tone and vibrato of Mr. Coelho; the composer used the tuba in a very low register to offset the high sweet sounds of the flute, and later the piccolo. After a cadenza over soft chords, the work ended in a very light-hearted manner.
A premiere is always exciting, and doubly so when the composer is on the faculty! Lawrence Dillon has made his mark recently with three recordings released in 2010, and ten commissioned works in the last two years! "A Shadow On the Sun" derives its title from the interesting paradox that the sun's corona (its quasi-atmosphere, visible during total solar eclipse) is 200 times hotter than the visible surface of the sun. Using this curious fact as inspiration, Dillon has written a modern-sounding work in one movement which is thrilling and engaging. From the opening dark whirring energies of low muted brass percussively punctuated by chords on the harp and piano to the extensive use of percussion, there was a continuous pulsation as levels waxed and ebbed, throbbed and cooled. I was impressed by the extensive use of a battery of drums of various pitches. Closing palely on some open fifths, I wished the work were longer – perhaps the composer could write a sequel – from the cool side of the sun!
This performance was accompanied by projections of solarscapes, coronal loops, worms and filaments which I would have found fascinating on their own, especially if accompanied by explanations. However in this concert setting, I found them distracting and not directly related to the music. (The tight marriage of visual and auditory was the subject of the UNCG New Music Festival last September.)
The final work, and lasting longer than the three other works combined was the Fourth Symphony (in one movement) by David Maslanka who introduced it musing at length about live music, community, and the lessons Abraham Lincoln (whose influence was great on Maslanka during the composition of the work) has for us now in terms of sustainability and survival. Beginning very quietly with a lengthy unaccompanied horn solo (impressively played by Allie Burkhart), this was a very agreeable piece. Warm burnished brass playing was followed by powerful climaxes with the woodwinds scrambling through arpeggios as though climbing frantically through vines. Mr. Maslanka writes tonal music and is a superb orchestrator – he knows what instruments are capable of, eerily bowed crotales, and even somewhat comical, as when the clarinets played their barrels with their fingers, much like a bunch of boys might play with slide whistles. A lush middle section, almost Ravel-ean led to a huge and powerful climax using the Christian Doxology which uses the same tune as the hymn "Old Hundred" which figured prominently in Lincoln's funeral services. I quietly wondered how such a soft-spoken man could write such powerful music! A friend, himself a composer, commented that there were moments recalling Bruckner, and I agreed, especially the evident devoutness both composers exhibit. The closing chord brought down the house and the students were extravagant in their delight and applause.
This was an impressive concert and the mild-mannered Dr. Dobbs deserves much of the credit. His conducting technique is direct, precise and unaffected. He gave the young musicians free rein in climaxes, even breaking his baton and eventually discarding it, yet he controlled textures and pacing carefully.
It was disconcerting to notice that not all musicians took their tuning note from the oboe at the beginning of the concert as is habitual in a professional setting. It would be upsetting to think that personal arrogance is the reason, and downright disturbing if the young musician was incapable of noticing the difference. Intonation, being "in tune," has increasingly become a problem at the UNCSA. Trumpets, especially muted, often have the problem, but not uniquely; piccolo, clarinet and double basses all have their challenges, sometimes due to the very construction of the instruments. And all wind instruments, whenever playing in the extremes of their ranges (very high or very low), have both intonation and blending problems.
The author is reminded of a time over a dozen years ago when regional orchestras, professional as well as student, were all going through intonation distress. The source was finally traced to a piano tuner who had been persuaded to tune an institution's pianos higher than the standard A=440 Hz. After some discussion, it was agreed to return to A=440 and within a few months the intonation problems vanished.
There are orchestras, especially in Europe, which intentionally tune high to add brilliance to the string sound, and sometimes to the point that brass players have to mechanically cut tubing from their instruments to cope. The standardization of A at 440 vibrations per second is relatively recent (1933) with orchestras in the Baroque and classical periods having had wildly divergent tunings.


text:
Wall Gardening With mesh and wiring. Wall gardens are a perfect solution for minimal space like patios and tiny backyards. The living walls offers salad fixings along with a creative, eye-catching conversation piece.
8 vegetales y hierbas que puedes comer y volver a rebrotarlos cada vez que quieras
Urban Gardening, Hydroponic Gardening, Vegetable Gardening, Green Garden, Garden Pots, Herbs Garden, Garden Ideas, House Plants, Growing Plants
DIY HERB GARDEN :: Brilliant little terraced setup. Simple yet visually appealing. She kept the herbs in the original plastic pots, but put them in the galvanized cache pots for the lovely aesthetic. On the left appears to be an olive tree.
DIY Outdoor Vertical Garden DIY Hanging Gutter Garden; i ACTUALLY LIKE THE PATIO COVER ON THIS PROJECT. #verticalfarming
Garlic is arguably one of the world’s most versatile and healthiest foods. While you can use garlic to add some serious flavor to any dish, garlic also has quite the long list of health benefits as well.
Herbs are the keys to flavor. There’s no shame in using dried herbs, but growing fresh herbs yourself is well worth the effort. Many herbs repel insects, pack great health benefits, and are pretty simple to maintain. Luckily, you don’t need a huge backyar

domain: hobby


text:
With a commitment to creating affordable yet stylish brassware, our range of design-led basin mixers, bath fillers and shower kits exude simplicity without compromising on quality and function. From concept through to production, our unwavering dedication to bathroom design results in beautifully manufactured products that stand the test of time.
We understand our customers’ needs and expectations, so have tailored our range to meet these, offering a contemporary solution for every bathroom space, all at accessible prices. Creating simple and uncomplicated design, the Adora brassware collection is perfect for updating bathrooms simply and with maximum effect.
Combining pared-back forms with simple functionality, our range is designed to effortlessly complement any bathroom space.
BROWSE THE ADORA BATHROOM BROCHURES
Please browse & review the “Adora” Brochures which contain the manufacturers’ full “Collection” & “Extensive Range” of Luxury Bathroom Products.
You will find that all products within the Brochures are not presently listed for direct sale on our company E-Commerce Web Site but these products are all available for purchase by contacting our Sales & Technical Team who will provide Product Pricing, Specification, Technical Information, Installation Instructions or Prospective delivery dates.

domain: design


Taking salinity measurements has never been more economical or quick, Eutechs EcoTestr Salt comes complete with rugged stainless steel pin sensors for extra durability against harsh applications and the capability to measure ranges from 0 to 10.00ppt. Accuracy is ensured up to ±2% full scale with the addition of optional manual calibration for better accuracy with near-to-sample calibrations.
Additional handy features which make the EcoTestr Salt efficient are the click-lock battery compartment which requires no tools for battery replacements, hold function which temporarily freezes readings for ease of recording and the sensor protective cap that doubles as a container for samples or calibration solutions.
This product is cased in an IP67 waterproof body plus it floats should the device be dropped in water and is protected by a 1 year meter warranty.
Manufactured by: Eutech Instruments
Model: EcoTestr Salt
Water and wastewater treatment
Aquaculture and aquariums
Pools and spas
Food and beverage manufacturing
Photo-development and more!
|.. to 10.00 ppt|
|Accuracy||±1 % full scale (±2 % above 5 ppt)|
|Calibration points||1 (digital, push-button)|
|TDS Factor||Non-linear compensation|
|Auto-Off||8.5 mins after last key pressed|
3 1/2 digit with annunciator
|Power||4 X 1.5 V ‘A76’ Micro alkaline batteries|
|Ingress Rating||IP67 Waterproof|
Boxed: 24.5 cm x 13.5 cm x 4.5 cm; 137 g


text:
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat overnight in front of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar’s statue on Red Road in the heart of the metropolis, surrounded by a cohort of TMC leaders and workers under television camera arclights, PTI reported.
Banerjee, who is staging a two-day sit-in to protest alleged discrimination by the government of India against the state, had Wednesday in a change of stance urged all political parties in the country to unitedly fight the BJP in next year’s Lok Sabha election.
This is a departure from an earlier decision to remain equidistant from both the Congress and the right-wing party ruling India’s federal polity.
The Trinamool Congress supremo was accompanied by several party leaders, including Firhad Hakim and Aroop Biswas at the protest site.
Banerjee’s 30-hour demonstration is likely to end around 7 pm on Thursday. Security measures in and around the venue were tightened keeping in mind the presence of high-profile leaders, a senior officer of Kolkata Police told PTI.
Banerjee started the sit-in on Wednesday noon, protesting against the GoI’s “stoppage” of funds to the state for MGNREGA and other schemes of the housing and public works departments.
Stating that the 2024 Parliamentary polls will be a fight between the citizens of the country and the BJP, Banerjee had Wednesday asserted that people across religions must unite to defeat the saffron party and save the poor of the country.

domain: sociology


This weekly post shines a light on a handful of stories from Heifer.org’s “From the Field” section.
A team from Heifer Philippines visited successful dairy projects to ensure correct development and operation of its first dairy project, which aims to benefit 1,000 families. On their study visits, the group discussed animal stocks, dairy processing and production with farm owners. A participant said the new insights and firsthand experience will help shorten the learning curve and improve the new project’s design.
A batch of Nubian and Saanen dairy goats, which are about to be milked, head toward the milking parlor at the St. Elmo’s Goat and Dairy Farm in the Philippines. Photo by Jun Ayensa, Regional Program Manager, Heifer Southern Philippines
In South Africa, three donors recently had the chance to visit project participants to experience the positive change their generosity has made. Heifer staff took the donors on a two-day journey to four projects in the Limpopo Province. “Hearing and seeing firsthand always makes a difference,” Donor Archie Vermeulen said. “Clearly [Heifer's] positive intervention with the communities has made a huge impact.”
Edvard Hovhannisyan lives in the remote highland community of Harzhis village, Armenia. He has established his livelihood in the productivity of his cows and the Union of Pasture Users of Harzhis Consumers Cooperative, which is associated with the project Community Agricultural Resource Management and Competitiveness(CARMAC). The cooperative’s 84 families share equipment and pasture land in hopes that their joint efforts will increase income and promote community improvement.
Gagik Khachatryan, left, heads the implementation of the project for the Armenian Ministry of Agriculture.
A multi-million dollar project for rural revitalization in Armenia is picking up speed with the distribution of several hay balers to farmers’ cooperatives this month. The balers provided by Heifer International will allow farmers to collect and store hay from their land to keep their livestock better fed.
The CARMAC (Community Agriculture Resource Management and Competitiveness) project was undertaken by the government of Armenia with Heifer and the World Bank. It will help small family farms survive and thrive, and will resverse some longstanding environmental damage in overgrazed areas.
Armenia country director Anahit Ghazanchyan hopes the project will help keep families together. As she explains here with an Armenian official, unemployment in rural areas has driven Armenian men to emigrate. The project could give these men the chance to stay in their homeland.
By the end of the project, about 200 pieces of agricultural equipment are expected to be placed within 55 rural communities in Armenia. The availability of modern equipment, along with more careful use of pastures, will boost overall productivity and efficiency of small livestock farms.
Gagik Khachatryan, who heads the project for the Armenian Ministry of Agriculture, said that without Heifer’s contribution, it would have been impossible to ensure rural community engagement and successfully realize the CARMAC project. Heifer Armenia has worked with more than 8,000 Armenian families in the past 11 years, building up familiy farms with gifts of trees, cattle, chickens, and other resources.


text:
Sarasota is one of the few cities its size that is full of homes that are perfect for celebrity hideaways. Just ask Jerry Springer, Stephen King, Donna Summer, Martina Navratilova, etc, etc. And with the Sarasota Film Festival going on this week, the town is full of stars and producers checking out the local real estate scene. So to make it easier for them, I’ve combed through what’s available and come up with three sensational houses that are definitely movie star-worthy.
3710 Bayou Louise Lane
680 Beach Road
Our next house would be perfect for one of the younger stars, like Woody Harrelson. Woody (here for opening night’s The Messenger) doesn’t want a big pretentious mansion. He wants a cool beach house where he can hang out and relax, have some brews, etc., and 680 Beach Road on Siesta Key couldn’t be more perfect. This is a real old-fashioned beach bungalow, right on the sand, right in the middle of the action – it’s just a short walk to Siesta Village. I imagine this house is being sold for the value of its land – at $3,500,000, it’s rather pricey for a two-bedroom, 2,100 square foot home from 1978. But I wouldn’t tear it down; it’s perfect the way it is. Quintessential Siesta Key, with charm galore, a drop- dead view, and one of the best lots on the key. It’s less private than the other picks, but I imagine Woody will want to hang out on the porch and check out the girls on the beach.
Woody's view from the balcony.
The listing agent is David Drewett and he can be reached at 941-364-4000.
1301 West Way
And finally, the ultimate, the peak of luxury and glamour. It’s got to be Adrienne Vittadini’s home on Westway in Lido Shores. The famed fashion designer built and decorated this home herself and the result is the prettiest house in town, bar none. It oozes low-key European elegance and style. This is not just a great celebrity home – it’s done with such taste and knowledge of design that there’s nothing else quite like it in Sarasota.
At last – a classically inspired mansion that’s not the least bit pretentious
Adrienne's new living room.
And the setting is equally spectacular. It’s gated and private, and faces out to New Pass. You can watch the yachts go by, just past the infinity pool. There’s a dock and staff quarters for your chef and personal assistant. It’s a little over 6,500 square feet, with 5 bedrooms, 5 1/2 baths, and three fireplaces. I particularly like the way the rooms open onto stone terraces over-looking the azure water. And the perfectly proportioned Palladian architecture.

domain: geography


text:
SMITHFIELD, N.C. (WNCN) — A high-speed chase in Johnston County ended just before at a Food Lion in Smithfield, Johnston County 911 officials told CBS 17.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office engaged in the pursuit and officials said the chase came to an end near the Food Lion located in the 900-block of Brightleaf Boulevard.
No further information is available at this time.
CBS 17 has a crew headed to the scene and this story will be updated as it develops.
More headlines from CBS17.com:
- Baby goes home after spending 10 months in the hospital fighting for her life
- Florida man finds human head while out jogging, police say
- Trump defends tweet about NASCAR’s Confederate flag ban, Bubba Wallace
- Dunkin’ Donuts to permanently close 450 convenience store locations
- ‘Masks make a difference’: Dr. Fauci talks safely reopening as COVID-19 cases in south spike
For more stories like this that matter to you, click here to download the CBS 17 News app for free.
Watch live newscasts, get breaking news and sign up for push alerts – download now

domain: news


text:
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
NEW ORLEANS - The Pelicans, locked in a tight race for one of the last Western Conference playoff spots, took the unusual step of sitting out starting point guard Rajon Rondo for rest. That was in part because of the even more unusual schedule this week with the Pelicans playing three games in three nights because of the even rarer circumstance of a rainout.
The Pelicans will play the second half of a back-to-back against Boston on Sunday before playing the Mavericks, Pacers and Lakers Tuesday through Thursday. The Pacers game was rescheduled from Feb. 7 because of leaks in the Smoothie King Center roof during a storm.


text:
Excerpt: Golden Sun Overview Golden Sun, I must agree has been the best game that 'I' have ever played in my life till now. Its just amazing. I loved the whole conept and just loved the story. Its just too good.
Excerpt: Discover the impressionant universe of Golden Sun . You must manage a group 4 characters who must save the world. Line of scenario starting simple, but don't worry, it is not a problem for the play... In any way, the malicious ones are quite present to put sticks in the wheels to you...
Excerpt: Sadly this is not a review of the local takeaway, but it is instead an assessment of an RPG for the Gameboy Advance. So all those expecting a review on Kung Po Chicken and Duck Lap Lap, all look away now.... Still here? Great.
Pros: Great Storyline, Cast and Visuals, Totally Engrossing
Cons: Long conversations and lots of statistics parts may put some gamers off
Summary: The best RPG on the GBA. It goes back to those classic style adventures found on the SNES. The grphics are excellent for the GBA, and the traditional storyline is compelling, although a little short.
Summary: Golden Sun is an example of the powers of the GBA over the GBC. The graphics and the musical score are outstanding.I bought this game after reading areview at gamespot.co.uk and everything they said about it is true: The gameplay is good, the system for raising your charachters (by using djinn and...
Summary: I picked up this game for £10, and as such wasn't expecting a game to shower the earth with greatness etc. But I was wrong, and the game was a bargain! It has fantastic (maybe even ground-breaking!) visuals, a standard but very well executed battle system, and great characters.
Summary: Golden Sun is all that an RPG in a Gameboy Advance is meant to be, but like a lot of games, there are also some minor problems. First, the gameplay is you average overhead view, in which you have to move around the world, until you get into a fight with a monster or two (or six).
Excerpt: GBA games don't come much harder than this, i'll tell you that. Golden Sun is an RPG, where you control Isaac, a young lad about to embark on an adventure(sounds familliar)to save the land(I think I've heard that somewhere).
Excerpt: Alchemy- the power to manipulate the building blocks of reality-Has been sealed away for generations. This ancient science has been hidden deep within Sol Sanctum and protected by the small village of Vale. Which lies at the foot of Mt Aleph, home to Sol Sanctum.
Pros: Addictive, amazing graphics, good storline .
Excerpt: I had never really played an RPG on the GBA before I got Goldensun, and I can honestly say that I think this was a good starting point. The game is very easy to get into with tips throughout the game on how to use certain things, but not on a structured level.
Pros: Hours of Entertainment
Cons: Long passive conversations where you can't save

domain: game


text:
The streets of Rio de Janeiro have long been characterized as exuberant and exotic places for social commerce, political expression, and the production and dissemination of culture. The Street is Ours examines the changing uses and meanings of Rio de Janeiro's streets and argues that the automobile, by literally occupying much of the street's space and by introducing death and injury on a new scale, significantly transformed the public commons. Once viewed as a natural resource and a place of equitable access, deep meaning, and diverse functions, the street has changed into a space of exclusion that prioritizes automotive movement. Taking an environmental approach, Shawn William Miller surveys the costs and failures of this spatial transformation and demonstrates how Rio's citizens have resisted the automobile's intrusions and, in some cases, even reversed the long trend of closing the street against its potential utilities.
The Street Is Ours Community, the Car, and the Nature of Public Space in Rio De Janeiro - Cambridge Latin American Studies
Paperback (19 Dec 2019) | English
Includes delivery to USA
10+ copies available online - Usually despatched within 7 days

domain: library


text:
La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio
Drug Rehab Center in San Antonio, Texas
About This San Antonio, TX Facility
Learn more about La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio from this summarized breakdown.
La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio’s Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center location in San Antonio, TX, offers multiple levels of care, individualized treatment options, and accepts most health insurance.
When it comes to selecting a facility, certifications are important to consider. Other organizations to certify or list this facility: JCAHO.
Treatment here is covered by most insurances, read more payment method details below. Our admissions experts are waiting for your call, they will verify your insurance and help you narrow down the best treatment available. They also offer self-pay.
Conditions and Issues Treated
A detailed list of the primary issues commonly treated.
Getting sober on your own is not only dangerous during the initial detox, it is also more likely to result in a relapse later on. Addiction treatment centers provide a monitored environment where you will get the medical attention you need, as well as the emotional support to overcome drug or alcohol abuse.
Opioid + Opiate Addiction Treatment
Opioid addiction is one of Texas‘s most prominent forms of addiction. Drugs, including heroin, oxycontin, and fentanyl, are the most common. To relieve pain, or ease other ailments, they are professionally prescribed, but they are often abused because they and the feelings they give are addictive.
Addiction is treated by detoxifying the body, so the medications’ chemicals are no longer impacting the individual. La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio offers therapies to correct behavior and target the root of the problem are supplemented during and throughout treatment.
Dual-Diagnosis Treatment in San Antonio, TXA dual-diagnosis describes two medical issues that are happening at the same time. They may or may not be related. Over 50% of people with an addiction in Texas have another mental health condition. Screening for both addiction and any untreated mental health issue is essential, and individually managed by La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio.
Alcohol Abuse, Dual Diagnosis (Co-Occuring Disorders), Opioid Addiction
Levels of Care Offered
La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio offers a variety of treatment.
This center offers a variety of custom treatment tailored to individual recovery. Currently available are Aftercare Support, Drug Rehab, Dual-Diagnosis, Outpatient, with additional therapies available as listed below.
In outpatient programs at La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio, the San Antonio resident can live with their family while continuing with their job or studies. Treatment includes educating the patient on drug abuse, medications, and counseling sessions at the individual or group level.
Aftercare support refers to the follow-up care provided after the initial rehab program. The quality of aftercare support plays an important role in preventing relapses and sustains recovery. Aftercare support at La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio is personalized according to the needs of the patient in Texas.
La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio‘s Therapies & Programs
The methods used to care for each individual.
Individual TherapyAddiction in San Antonio, Texas can occur due to a wide variety of reasons. Understanding your addiction and the best methods for maintaining sobriety involves learning about yourself. La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio treatment programs include individual therapy for the greatest chances of success.
Customized individual therapy is counseling involving you and your counselor at La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio. This builds a personal and trusting relationship so you can truly be yourself and express any emotions as you feel them. Individual therapy leads to greater peace and understanding about your triggers for addiction and coping strategies to prevent relapse.
Family Counseling + TreatmentAddiction is a family disease. Family therapy aims to heal and rebalance unhealthy roles and habits. Healing any family trauma and dysfunctional communications is important, and La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio understands this. Family sessions are meant to bring Texas families closer together and live sober, healthy, lives.
Group Therapy is a type of counseling that occurs between a bunch of strangers. These groups are suitable for patients who are not confined in a treatment facility, but group sessions are also common in inpatient rehab programs. Group therapy is led by a trained individual at La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio in San Antonio, TX and consists of members from different stages of recovery.
The goal of group therapy sessions is to foster hope and a sense of belonging, share information, and learn coping mechanisms. It also helps to have people who can relate to what you’re going through. Good behaviors can also be contagious, and participants can learn from one another.
Aftercare, Drug Rehab, Dual-Diagnosis, Family Therapy, Group Therapy, Individual Therapy, Life Skills, Outpatient Treatment (OP)
Payment Options Accepted
For specific insurance or payment methods please contact us.
Is your insurance accepted?
Ask an expert, call (888) 674-0062
Specifics, location, and helpful extra information.
Read past patient experience, or leave your own experience.
7400 Blanco Rd
San Antonio, Texas 78216
Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Dual Diagnosis, Opioid Addiction
San Antonio, Texas Addiction Information
Texas is one of the primary hubs for drug smuggling into the country. The border between Texas and Mexico is more than 1,000 miles long. More than 10 million residents use alcohol every year and more than 25% of those are minors. Alcohol and drug use has become so common in Texas that almost 15% of all deaths can be attributed to these substances.
The impact of drug addiction and abuse on the community in San Antonio, Texas, is significant. There were over 1,400 drug overdose deaths in San Antonio in 2016. 9,000 admissions to drug and alcohol treatment programs in the San Antonio area in 2017. Some of the most common include inpatient, outpatient, and residential treatment. There are also several detox facilities available in San Antonio.
Centers near La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio
The facility name, logo and brand are the property and registered trademarks of La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio, and are being used for identification and informational purposes only. Use of these names, logos and brands shall not imply endorsement. RehabNow.org is not affiliated with or sponsored by La Hacienda Treatment Center - San Antonio.


text:
By Olubunmi Adeniyi
Lagos. April 23, 2013: Government has not mandated Nigeria’s teeming mobile telephony family to switch from their network providers, the telecoms industry umpire has explained amid yesterday’s launch of Mobile Number Portability in the country.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says that the mandate to activate number porting was issued only to mobile phone companies to widen choice available to phone subscribers.
Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who made the clarification at the formal launch of MNP in Lagos explains that the telecoms regulator implemented the scheme to offer consumer choice to mobile phone subscribers.
While the telecoms regulator has ordered the major mobile phone companies to offer the service on their network, use of the service by phone subscriber is voluntary, the NCC boss says.
With over 114 million active phone lines in Nigeria, mobile phone subscribers on GSM networks now have the freedom to switch from any non-performing operator and still retain their number with the emergence of the number porting regime emerged in the country.
The MNP scheme was flagged-off yesterday at a well-attended event organised by NCC at The Muson Centre, Onikan in Lagos.
The event attracted stakeholders in the telecoms sector, members of the National Assembly, service providers, mobile phone operators, industry associations and phone subscribers.
The ceremony gave indication that it is a new dawn for mobile phone subscribers as they now can change their mobile numbers though porting is restricted to 90 days.
Josephine Amuwa, Chair of the MNP Implementation Committee and Director of Legal and Regulatory Services in NCC told attendees at the event that, “for the mobile telecommunication consumer, the advent of MNP in Nigeria will do away with the phenomenon of lock-in which is a principal obstacle to consumer choice.”
According to her, “MNP gives consumers the choice of switching to service providers with better service.”
Amuwa explains that the Commission in partnership with the mobile operators has been working to ensure that the new regime is seamless, safe, secure and pleasurable to the consumer.
She adds that the consumers need to be aware that MNP service is neither mandatory nor impulsive but must be done on an informed decision.
According to her, experience from other jurisdictions show that MNP advances customer satisfaction and stimulates the drive by operators to improve their services, boosts innovation and widen the distribution of products and services.
On his part, Juwah says the new scheme is in furtherance of the commission’s vision of providing not only access to telecoms services to Nigerians at affordable cost, but also to continue to provide the required stimulus and appropriate environment for the introduction of innovative services that will impact on quality of telecoms service delivery.
Juwah confirms that the porting service would be provided free for mobile phone subscribers through Interconnect Clearinghouse Limited, the national porting clearing house.
Interconnect Clearinghouse has partnered with Telcordia Technologies and Saab Grintek, operator of South Africa’s number porting service, to make sure MNP service successful in the country, he adds.
Juwah says that the industry regulator has been identified MNP as one such services that could further deepen the competition in the telecoms market with the growing reliance and dependence on mobile communications for everyday socio-economic interactions.
“Our mobile subscriber numbers have become our identity and in most cases, we are required to provide our mobile (telephone) numbers while filling out forms in opening bank accounts, making hotel and airline bookings”, he explains.
According to him, with the launch of MNP today, consumers of telecommunications services will no longer need to acquire new numbers in order to move from one network service provider to another. They will simply take their existing numbers along with them to any network of their choice.
“The power and freedom of choice will, henceforth, rest with the consumer. If a consumer is dissatisfied with the quality of services being provided by a service provider, he/she can simply port out of that network to any network of his/her choice without losing his/her subscriber number,” Juwah says.
According to the regulator, with the launch of MNP, there will be no need for customers to engage in the usually painful exercise of trying to commit phone numbers to memory, neither will they need to frequently change complimentary cards, billboards, letterheads and other corporate documents.
He notes that MNP will revolutionise the way calls are being routed since the National Destination Codes (NDC), that is, the network prefix such as 0802, 0803, 0805, 0809 usually identified with operators will no longer play the role of unique identifier.
However, the EVC points out that there are rules governing the process of customers porting from one network to another and regulating the implementation of by network providers.
“These rules are contained in the Mobile Number Portability Business Rules already published and available on the Commission’s website. In addition, the commission has also developed Regulations for Mobile Number Portability. It is anticipated that these documents will provide guidance, promote transparency and healthy competition among service providers,” he said.
In his speech, Alison Madueke, Executive Chairman of Interconnect Clearinghouse discloses that MNP was borne out of the need to enhance service delivery in the telecoms sector.
Madueke says that, “this scheme is a ‘gift of choice’ to the subscriber as it gives them the leeway to move to whatever network operator that works best for them, while retaining their number”
He adds that, “it will also serve as an inducement to the network operators to provide better service to their subscribers. With this new scheme, I see not only an upgraded and more effective telecoms sector but also a satisfied subscriber base.”
Uche Onwudiwe, Chief Operating Officer, Interconnect Clearinghouse, who took the audience through the operational aspect of the scheme, said that to use the porting service, subscribers can freely change their network provider by walking into the office of any operator of their choice.
According to him, “all you need to do is to fill the port request form and send a text message to 3232 to the National Porting Clearinghouse (NPC) which will inform the former network operator of your decision. The recipient network will then give the subscriber a new SIM card and a confirmation text is sent to the subscriber. And your mobile number and biometric data will be moved to the new network within 48 hours.”
Perspective from operators
While speaking at the event, Segun Ogunsanya, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria set the ball rolling by noting that MNP will open a new vista for consumers in the telecoms market.
“I am highly delighted that the day has come. It is a day we’ve waited for. MNP is an opportunity for everybody to move to the best network while retaining their numbers. MNP is a call for service providers to put their house in order”, the Airtel Nigeria CEO said at the event which attracted applause from the audience.
“For the consumer, you are the bigger winner in this project because from today, there is no barrier to any network. If you value quality network, you know where to go to” Ogunsanya says noting that as the telecoms sector begins to witness a significant change, the regulator can now focus more on providing the enabling environment for operators to thrive in the country.
Speaking at the event, Etisalat Nigeria, which was represented at the event by Ndidi Okpaluba, Director, PMO and Operational Strategy at the mobile phone company, says that the service has been much anticipated and, “we are delighted to have it now.”
She recalls that Singapore was the first country to inaugurate MNP in 1997 followed by the UK and the Netherlands in 1999 while Spain, Switzerland and Sweden inaugurated MNP in 2002 and United States in 2003.
“It was a success in these countries. It will be a success in Nigeria. Etisalat Nigeria is committed to making it a model around the world, she adds.
Globacom, which was also represented by Olayinka Olafimihan, Head of Regulatory Affairs in the Second National Operator describes the initiative as a game changer in the telecoms sector.
According to him, “we are going to put everything in place and change our strategy to make MNP work in the country.”
Brett Goschen, CEO of MTN Nigeria says that the launch of MNP in Nigeria is a significant milestone in the evolution of the telecoms sector in the country.
“We are at MTN have experience of implementing MNP in others countries. We are in a position to advise customers that are ready to port. We look forward to this new collaboration and look forward to welcoming new subscribers,” Goshen says.


|Home page Politics|
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said that Israeli weapons played an important role in the Great Patriotic War.
He said that high-tech and accurate Israeli weapons, especially drones, played a major role in Azerbaijan's military victory.
"I am confident that after the war, our bilateral relations will be further strengthened and deepened in various fields," Bayramov said.
2021.04.05 / 13:51


The Geopolitical Implications of Malaysia's Election Earthquake
By Ankit Panda and Prashanth Parameswaran
With Mahathir back, does Malaysia's foreign policy anticipate continuity or change?
Malaysia’s Ruling Parties Hold onto Power – Barely
Malaysia’s ruling party has won the recent election by a narrow margin, amid irregularities at the polls.


text:
To work with this professional, please contact ILS on 01722 742 442.
My experience and interpersonal skills enable me to develop a good rapport with my clients. I am committed to excellence and use my assessment and problem-solving skills to facilitate my clients to achieve their goals.
2015 to Mar 2018 Juliette worked one day per week at a local residential specialist school and college treating and managing a small caseload of clients aged 5-25.
2007 to 2016 Paediatric Physiotherapy Department, Swindon PCT/ Borough Council, worked as lead therapist for a traded service of therapists who are responsible for the therapy and management of pupils aged 2-19 within a special school. Provided professional leadership to the team as well as liaising with the school heads over issues such as therapy requirements and staff training/competencies. Holding a clinical caseload Juliette maintains skills in the treatment and management of children with complex disabilities.
Apr 2002 to Dec 2007 Sure Start Local Programme, Swindon (half time secondment) lead responsibility for implementing and delivering early Physiotherapy intervention to children aged 0-5 with identified or potential physical difficulties. Offering training to the Sure Start team to guarantee the early identification of motor skill delay and ensuring appropriate interventions were put in place. She was responsible for raising awareness and understanding of the impact of disability on early physical development and function within the team.
Nov 1998 to Aug 2003 Paediatric Therapy Department, Victoria Hospital, Swindon, Lead Physiotherapist within the child development assessment team assessing children referred for multi-agency assessment. Treating and managing children identified through the child development assessment or referred directly by GPs and Paediatricians. During this post Juliette spent six months as acting head of Paediatric Therapy, which gave her valuable experience in the operational management of a small team of Paediatric Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.
Jan 1996 to Aug 1998 Stoke Mandeville Hospital Children’s Centre, at the children’s centre Juliette was responsible for the treatment and management of a varied caseload of children aged between 0 and 16 in a variety of community settings.
Juliette is committed to maintaining her skills and abilities and engages readily in varied training supported by Independent Living Solutions Ltd covering the following areas:


text: Multi-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates obtained from 13 hospitalized patients over a six-month period were evaluated. One patient had an isolate susceptible only to imipenem; the next three had isolates susceptible to imipenem and ampicillin/sulbactam; the next six patients had isolates which were susceptible to imipenem, amikacin, and ampicillin/sulbactam; while the final three patients hi-id isolates which were susceptible to imipenem and ampicillin/sulbactam. Ten patients died, five within 10 days of a positive culture. Five of six patients with bacteraemia succumbed to the infection. DNA extracted from all isolates was amplified by polymerase chain reaction using four random primers (RAPD). The resulting band patterns were compared and strains identified. In addition, all isolates were biotyped. RAPD analysis and biotyping showed that there were two distinct strains involved. The first four patients were infected with one strain (genotype 'A', biotype 9), the subsequent nine patients were infected with a second strain (genotype 'B', biotype 1). These results suggested that there was patient-to-patient spread of strains. Institution of, and strict adherence to, isolation procedure and other infection control practices controlled the spread of infection. These data emphasize the need for active surveillance for multidrug-resistant organisms in critically ill patients, and the value of molecular typing of strains in a hospital setting to investigate spread of infection.

domain: biology


text:
Come to this side of the Caribbean and discover a whole new and great family vacation experience in a laid-back resort in the island of St. Maarten.
Best Deal Guaranteed
Book now and pay later
To view your reservation details, modify or cancel your reservation, please select your resort and enter your confirmation number.
Our Best Deal Guarantee Policy assures the lowest online price available, if you found a lower rate elsewhere, send us an email to firstname.lastname@example.org and get rewards!


text:
South County Hospital
100 Kenyon Avenue Wakefield, RI 02879
GET DIRECTIONS >
401.782.8000VISIT THE WEBSITE
An independent, non-profit, acute-care hospital, South County Hospital offers the latest advances in technology and a comprehensive range of medical and surgical services. Services are delivered by expert physicians and highly trained staff. For the comfort and safety of patients and their families, the facilities include all private patient rooms and are furnished to accommodate overnight guests. The South County Hospital Healthcare System is committed to its community and guided by the values of caring, respect, integrity, collaboration and excellence. Services include behavioral health, cancer care (oncology), emergency services, hospice care, orthopedics, and sleep disorders.


text:
The photographs from the pages of National Geographic magazine have been among the world’s most memorable images, revealing some of the most breathtaking scenes and making some of the most enduring impacts. A selection of these extraordinary photos have emerged from the archives to travel the world for all to see in our “50 Greatest” traveling exhibition series. The series includes “50 Greatest Photographs,” “50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs,” and “50 Greatest Landscapes.” These three fascinating exhibitions display a selection of some of the most compelling photographs taken during National Geographic’s 131-year history. Through partnerships with museums, galleries, zoos, and other cultural institutions, we’re able to share these unforgettable photos taken by celebrated National Geographic photographers worldwide.
The “50 Greatest Photographs” traveling exhibition includes unforgettable photos like Steve McCurry’s powerful Afghan girl and Nick Nichols’ image of Jane Goodall sharing an intimate moment with a chimpanzee. Not only can visitors come face-to-face with some of the most iconic photographs from National Geographic magazine, they can also read about the photographers’ experiences from behind the lens to understand the lengths they took to get the perfect shots. These images, which have made a lasting impression on the world, helped put National Geographic on the map as an organization that celebrates photography as a means to educate people around the world and inspire solutions for the greater good.
Additionally, National Geographic is known for championing the art of wildlife photography by capturing extraordinary images of animals in their natural habitats. The most iconic of these photos are featured in the “50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs” traveling exhibition where visitors can marvel at the legacy created by National Geographic photographers starting from the very first image to appear in the magazine—a reindeer, in 1903. These photographers pioneered innovations such as camera traps, remote imaging, and underwater technology, helping to pave the way for future generations of storytellers. After viewing the spectacular photographs taken by the likes of Paul Nicklen, David Doubilet, Steve Winter, and Beverly Joubert, we hope visitors will be compelled to take action to protect these magnificent species.
National Geographic also transports people to the wonders of the world—from underwater edens to the most dominating mountain peaks—in an effort to inspire them to conserve these breathtaking places. The “50 Greatest Landscapes” traveling exhibition includes a collection of remarkable images that illuminate the beauty of our planet throughout its seasons. The images convey the rebirth of spring, the energy of summer, the vibrant colors of fall, and the stillness of winter. This exhibition encourages visitors to explore all the impressive landscapes our planet has to offer and inspires them to protect its last wild places.
Beyond the “50 Greatest” traveling exhibition series, National Geographic offers 14 other photography exhibitions as well as large-scale interactive and immersive exhibitions containing 3D augmented reality elements. Since 2012, the exhibitions have traveled to 40 countries and 100 cities and they’ve been seen by more than 40 million people. Each exhibition emboldens a spirit of exploration in its visitors, who can experience stories of adventure to unseen places, connect with the world’s many cultures, and appreciate the incredible biodiversity that comprises our Earth. By learning about and engaging with the world we can unite toward a common goal of achieving a planet in balance. To learn more about our traveling exhibitions, please visit https://bit.ly/2DAiGB7.

domain: artistic


text:
There’s no issue more divisive among motorcyclists than whether the wearing of a protective helmet when riding should be mandatory by law. Those opposed to helmet laws assert that such statutes infringe on their freedom of choice.
Many of those who don’t have a problem with helmet laws already routinely wear lids whenever they ride and seem to view helmet laws as being analogous to seat belt laws for drivers and passengers in cars, a common sense requirement that lessens the risk of serious injury.
The helmet issue was forced back into the spotlight nationally earlier this month when the National Transportation Safety Board issued a recommendation to all states that compulsory helmet laws for riders and passengers be enacted. Helmets are required by law for individuals under 18 or those who hold an instructional permit.
“The facts are very clear – head injuries are the leading cause of deaths in motorcycle crashes,” said NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker in a statement issued Sept. 11.
The NTSB reported that motorcycle deaths have doubled in the past decade – 2,116 in 1997 to 4,810 in 2006 – which helmet law opponents dismiss as misleading because the number of registered motorcycles has risen dramatically as well during that time frame.
The NTSB noted that wearing a Department of Transportation-compliant helmet reduces the overall risk of dying in a crash by 37 percent and that brain injuries are three times more likely for those not wearing a helmet.
“Universal helmet laws have proven effective in the mitigation of injuries and the prevention of fatalities,” said Rosenker. “I hope that the governors and legislative leaders in the states will act promptly and decisively to implement the universal helmet laws recommended today by the Board.” The Connecticut state legislature last considered a helmet law more than a year ago. Should a bill be introduced again, it would undoubtedly be met with vocal opposition as well as some support.
Mike Keehan, general manager of the Gengras dealership in East Hartford, which sells the Harley-Davidson, BMW, Triumph and Ducati lines, is a helmet advocate and doesn’t accept the “freedom of choice” argument. “I happen to believe safety overrules that. That’s my personal opinion,” he said.
“Harley” Bob LaRoche, owner of Yankee Harley-Davidson in Bristol, has the opposite opinion. “I support an individual’s right to choose whether they want to wear a helmet or not,” said LaRoche, voicing his belief that the NTSB’s conclusions are based on “flawed statistical analysis. I think it’s an attempt to apply a 19th century solution to a 21st century problem.” LaRoche also wonders whether riders who wear helmets and full armored riding apparel might exhibit “a natural human tendency to take a little more risk with their gear on” than riders in T-shirts and bare heads. “I’m torn both ways,” reported Ralph DeLuco, majority owner of Canton Cycles, the Victory-Moto Guzzi-Ural dealer Winsted. “I think you’re a fool if you don’t wear a helmet, but I don’t like to get a ticket if I choose not to wear one. I never used to wear a seat belt but now I always do. You tend to get compliant once it’s mandatory.” While DeLuco said he never rides without a helmet, he added, “The Big Brother mentality scares me.”
Attitudes toward helmets may slowly be changing. Keehan recalled that when he joined the dealership five years ago, “They told me we’re a Harley store and we don’t sell helmets.” Now, he said Gengras sells between 1,200 and 1,400 DOT-approved helmets a year.
DeLuco suggested agreed that if a helmet law ever gets enacted in Connecticut, it will be the dealers that benefit. “It’ll be great for business – for helmet sales,” he said.
Meanwhile, business hasn’t been so hot for many motorcycle dealers in 2007 as concerns about the economy have kept potential new motorcycle buyers clutching their wallets.
Harley-Davidson recently announced that it will temporarily close five plants in Wisconsin, Missouri and Pennsylvania for one week in November, idling about 2,800 workers, because of declining sales. The company now projects it will ship between 86,000 and 88,000 new bikes during the third quarter, down from a projected 91,000 to 95,0000 motorcycles.
LaRoche said there’s no doubt in his mind that economic uncertainty has hurt sales. Said DeLuco, “Harley and Honda were hit hard and they took the market down with them.” Keehan said that he has seen an improvement in the sales of accessories, though. “Our parts sales are up this year. That’s because people are holding on to their bikes longer, adding parts, getting them fixed and holding off on that major purchase.”
The Gaylordsville Volunteer Fire Department will stage its 6th annual Poker Run on Sunday. Registration is from 9 to 11 a.m. at the firehouse on Route 7. The cost is $30 for a rider and $20 for a passenger. All bikes are welcome.
Harwinton-based journalist Bud Wilkinson, who rides a 2003 Harley-Davidson V-Rod, may be reached by e-mail at email@example.com


text:
Co-living spaces in Singapore come with a number of unique advantages and benefits. Prime among them would be the fact that residents form a deep sense of camaraderie among themselves, especially over time.
Although you’re not in your humble abode, it doesn’t mean that you can’t feel at home. From gaining new pals, comfortable bedding to convenient amenities – it’s all about making you feel right where you are. The only difference is – you will be meeting strangers and creating new experiences.
So, how exactly does co-living let you feel at home despite being physically away from your actual home? We’ll show you how.
Fully serviced apartments designed to meet all kinds of needs will pretty much be found anywhere in cohousing.
Whether its spacious study tables and wardrobes or endless entertainment with television – all these are considered to give you a place just like your home.
While the main key is to build a room which reminds you of ‘home’ itself, that’s not it all. Rooms come with modern designs to cater to the current pool of residents, be it working adults or digital nomads in search of a purpose.
Just like how you are always going about shopping malls or cafes to do some shopping or grab a cup of coffee – here is exactly where you can do the same.
Every co-living space usually comes surrounded by a plethora of amenities to meet residents’ needs. Grocery stores, clinics and eateries – you name it and the area has it. Not to mention, schools and universities are often just a stone’s throw away making it even ideal as accommodation for students.
Supporting one another
In your own home, your family members are the ones giving you help and support whenever the need arises. Whether it is physical, mental, financial or emotional support, they will come to your rescue.
The same is the case with residents in co-living communities. After a period of time, residents look out for each other; they care about each other. At these co-living spaces, residents are much more than mere tenants in a building. Rather, things are akin to being one large family where folks look to connect with one another, appreciate each one’s needs and preferences, and strive towards supporting each other to the maximum extent possible.
Building a sense of community
The first thing that pops up in many residents’ minds is probably shared spaces.
Communal kitchens, gymnasiums, reading lounges and shared dining areas are all part of the category. Together, all these give residents a sense of community.
It’s similar to how you would visit the neighbourhood gym or go for a walk in the park and see your fellow neighbours. In co-living spaces, it is ensured that you get the same experience without missing out any bit of it.
Co-living spaces replicate a homely atmosphere to make residents feel comfortable. Unlike renting a space, you don’t really get the chance to communicate with anyone.
But in places like these, things are akin to being one large family where residents look out and care for one another.
It is for this reason that serviced apartments within these spaces have often been tagged as being the perfect getaway which reminds you of home.


text:
Parents often want to help their children enter the property market. Some even consider giving one of their properties to their children. However, doing this has several implications and parents must choose the right strategy for them. Chan & Naylor Tax Accountants in Brisbane talk about it in detail.
Are you aware that even when you just give away your property as a gift, the tax department can still collect its share of taxes? When you pass assets upon death, capital gains tax and stamp duty are free but both are applied pre-death. The market value will be used to calculate the taxes even when you did not earn from it and declare “zero” gains to reduce taxes. Another consideration is that a will can be contested on death so your assets may not end up with the right people.
Here are some practical ways to help your children enter the property market:
First, you can gift funds for a property deposit and cost for adult children. However, they will be responsible for the loan. You also have the option to gift more funds if the bank won’t lend the full amount. This way, the property will be owned by the child, subject to family law court or asset protection disputes. To avoid such issues, you could lend the funds instead of gifting it. In cases of bankruptcy or family issues, you could recoup the loan but the bank will assess the serviceability and may think it’s too risky.
Some parents guarantee a higher loan to avoid passing over any funds but in case of a default, you will be liable for the full amount and lose your security, such as your family home. Limit the guarantee to the minimum amount required and arrange for refinance when property value grows so you can be removed as a guarantor.
You can also buy a property in the name of your minor children with notations on the title. You will be their legal personal representative who will be responsible for managing the property. By the time your child turns 18 years of age, you need to prove the child is still alive so the government will change the title. There will be no CGT or stamp duty when you change the title. However, a minor tax may apply.
For tax deductibility of the interest expense on the debt, the debt must be in the name of the minor child and that the property was used as an investment. Before the child reaches 18, the court would need to approve in case it gets sold and it could not only be costly but difficult as well.
Among these strategies, the best one could be using a trust. You can use a family trust to buy a property and be the trustee of the trust. It could be cash flow positive especially for business owners who can even negatively gear the property in the family trust and get the tax benefit with the right business structure. There will be no CGT or stamp duty when you pass control of the trust to your adult child and you can protect the asset in case of a family dispute or your child wants to go on a spending spree.
The trust may also be handed down from one generation to the next as normal trusts stop after 80 years. You can set up a trust that does not end but make sure it has adequate asset protection safeguards. This way, the child does not own the property in his or her personal name but can control it through the trust.
If you would like to know more about property investment trust, you can click here to know more about Chan & Naylor services. You can leave your details here and Chan & Naylor Tax Accountants Brisbane can schedule you for a free consultation. We’ll contact you to explain more.
Whether you are a beginner, seasoned investor or business owner, our property and business tax accountants can give you guidance to maximise the financial areas of your life. We can also give you an integrated and tailored solution for your superannuation, taxation, property investment, asset protection, estate planning and more.
If you like our post, “The best way to help your child enter the property market”, subscribe to our newsletters now at www.chan-naylor.com.au or follow our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/chanandnaylorbrisbane.
Chan & Naylor Group has national offices in Brisbane and Capalaba in Queensland, Melbourne and Moonee Ponds in Victoria, East Perth in Western Australia, and South West Sydney, Parramatta, Pymble, North Sydney, and Sydney in New South Wales that can help you and your child enter the property market. Contact us today.
To view the original content, click here

domain: finance


text:
Common steps and sub-activities
Encouraging the subconscious
In the following description Erickson tells the person to use their left hand. This is because he wants the person to activate the right brain – the composer friendly, creative, intuitive part of the brain and the direct route to the composer. You do not make contact with the composer via the left brain or via left brain activity, thus by using your left hand [which is connected to the right brain] you may help to release the right brain. For left handers, you simply continue to use the left hand.
The seminars, workshops and lectures of Milton H Erickson – edited by Ernest Rossi and Margaret O Ryan
A patient comes to you and says, "I do not know what to talk about; my mind is a blank."
And you point to the bookcase across the room and tell him, "Never examine the books. Just go over, reach out with your left hand if you're right-handed, and pick out the first book that your hand happens to touch.
Don't try to read the title, but just pick out the first book that your hand happens to touch.
And what book is selected? One patient "accidentally" picked out a book entitled, The Startle Pattern. What was the purpose of that? The patient had startle reactions and panic reactions - he was forever getting startled.
When did the patient read that title? I really don't know. But the patient was interested in the title consciously and asked, "What does it mean?" But his unconscious knew.
The patient tells you all about his difficulties at work, disclaiming any other problems, when he "accidentally" picks out a book entitled, Social Problems.
Yet the patient tells you, "It's only a work problem - I have no social difficulties."
Innumerable such instances could be cited. You see, the unconscious mind knows a great deal about the problem but has difficulty in getting the conscious mind willing to let it function.
The conscious mind says, "I'm a perfectionist, and I must do it this way," without recognizing that being a perfectionist enables you to do things in a great variety of ways – not just one, selected, conscious way.
For iPad/iPhone users: tap letter twice to get list of items.

domain: psychology


text:
Josh Kriteman thought it was the perfect opportunity.
The 34-year-old consultant saw Rainmaker’s come-on ad in the newspaper, the one promising a 25 percent return on his investment – guaranteed – and decided to cut a check for $110,000.
“My wife and I had made some money on two parcels of real estate and were looking to cut back on the 9-to-5, so this seemed like a good way of doing it,” Kriteman said.
But almost immediately, he began to suspect the worst. “I asked for deeds, for documentation to back up the real estate, and they never produced them,” Kriteman said.
So when he happened to come across Barry Minkow’s name, and learned how Minkow had sussed out $1 billion in frauds, Kriteman decided to give the convicted felon a chance to repeat his magic.
Minkow hired legal, financial and real estate experts to sniff around Rainmaker’s operation.
In a matter of weeks, the experts reported back to Minkow’s Fraud Discovery Institute about Rainmaker’s alleged shortcomings. The felon-turned-fraud buster thought investors weren’t being given all the information an investment of this nature called for.
Kriteman demanded his investment cash back and was elated when the check arrived – and cleared. “Rainmaker was accepting $250,000 investments from senior citizens without having one property up and running,” Minkow said.
Rainmaker has not been charged with any crime.


text:
Comparison of Free Will and Fate in the Greek and Modern Society
A classic theme in almost every ancient play or writing is the conflict between fate and free will. This leads me to question whether our lives are driven by fate or free will… Fate is your destiny, it is the force from the earth/universe that pulls you to where you are meant to be in life. You cannot run from it. No matter how much you try to change your life in order to alter your fate you cannot do it. Free will is on the opposite end of the spectrum where you have the ability to control your own destiny. You are in control of the roads you take and the choices you make, instead of having something controlling you. Free will choices influence the fate of people’s lives in our society.
In Oedipus, the fate of people’s lives were told to them by the Oracle of Delphi. The Oracle told King Laius that his son is destined to kill him and marry his wife Jocaste. After learning this they sent their son, Oedipus, to an island where he was meant to die. Unknowingly to them, he was rescued by a shepherd. After saving him, the shepherd gave Oedipus to the King and Queen of Corinth. Years later, a drunken man made a comment to Oedipus that he was not the real son of King Polybus and Queen Merope. Oedipus visited the Oracle soon after and was told the same story that his real father had heard many years earlier. Again, the story went as he would be the cause of his father’s death and would marry his mother. Once he learns this, he leaves Corinth to avoid the oracle coming true. On the way from Corinth he comes across a man on a highway and is forced to get off the road, and he eventually kills the man, not knowing it was King Laius. Later, Oedipus does indeed wed his mother and has children with her. The story comes to an end when the truth is finally revealed by the one man who had survived Oedipus’ attack on his father. This led to Jocaste’s suicide and the blinding of Oedipus.
As it is evident, fate caught up with Oedipus! Once he realized he had fulfilled his fate he felt so guilty and cursed by his destiny that he chose to blind himself instead of killing himself, because he felt it was a more severe punishment than death. No matter what path he took in life, no matter who he believed his parents were, or what/where he believed he rightfully came from… he ended up in the right village at the right time to kill his father and wed his own biological mother just as the Oracle has said he would. Fate will have its way no matter what lengths you (or other people) go to save you from it, and that is a perfect example of it. The irony of this story was that Oedipus thought he could escape his fate when, in fact, he fulfilled it without even knowing.
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, his character is viewed as being “insane” by the other characters due to the conflict he is having to deal with mentally. He was being viewed as insane because of his choices he made by his free will of thought. Upon returning home to Denmark for his father’s funeral, he finds that his mother, Gertrude, married his uncle after only two months since his father’s death. Hamlet is visited by his dead father’s ghost and told his death was caused by his uncle Claudius. In this moment, he is aware that his father ultimately wants him to kill his uncle, but Hamlet cannot come to that decision unless he has assurance that this very thing is true. He must impose his own free will by deciding what to do to get a certain reaction out of Claudius in order to confirm that the ghost is not lying to him.
Hamlet had become so vengeful, all emotions stemming from his father’s death, that he did not just kill Claudius but also four other men he knew. After doing so, he knew he had just signed his death certificate because of his firm beliefs in his religion. He believed that someone’s fate was not something someone could simply choose. It was something that will merely just happen to someone, and they cannot control or change it. He said, “Nature’s livery, or fortune’s star” (1.4.32) which is another way of saying that someone’s destiny was given to them only by chance.
According to Shakespeare in Hamlet, “There is a divinity that shapes our ends rough hew them how we will,” and, “the readiness is all”. He believes that there is a fate that awaits everyone. We all formulate some version of our own destiny by the end of our lives. Although he does touch the mere possibility that free will also plays a big part in his life, he knows that it will not change his fate. Once Hamlet confirms that his Uncle Claudius did indeed kill his father, he decides he will avenge his father’s death by killing him. When the moment came to kill him, he was kneeled down praying on the floor. In that particular scene Hamlet conjured up the scenario that if he killed him while he was praying, he would be sent to heaven and not purgatory. In that exact moment, he was using his own free will by the choices he made even though he would still eventually come to kill Claudius.
Fate and free will is one of the major themes for both Hamlet and Oedipus. When Oedipus learns of his fate from the Oracle, he imposes his own free will by trying to run from what was predicted to happen. Some of the choices he made were to prevent the prophecy from coming true. For Hamlet, he knew his fate was death because he was going to and wanted to kill his uncle which, in his religious views, would send him to purgatory. The choices Hamlet made on his own ultimately led to many deaths including his own. Both fate and free will controlled the outcomes for each of the character’s lives. Hamlet came face to face with certain experiences due to the choices he made while Oedipus’ experiences were caused by his fate which was predetermined to him by the Gods.
In Hamlet and Oedipus, they were both suffering what they assumed and were told was their fate, and they knew they could not escape it. In the reader’s perspectives, it was more or less, viewed as being free will rather than fate. Every action they took and every choice they made brought them closer and closer to what was already assumed to be their fate. Their fate, unknowingly, controlled every aspect of their lives.
We must ask ourselves if today’s society is driven by fate or free will. According to religion, some people believe they have an ultimate destiny that awaits them at the end of their life. In the religious perspective, God decides the fate of everyone’s lives. What people do not realize is that we continue to express and utilize our free will in our everyday life. We are all in control of our lives whether we believe so or not.
Fate and free will play very different roles in our lives when you compare the modern society we live in today to the ancient Greece society. Fate was a major theme for them, while free will is for us. In our society, we can choose whether or not to partake in a certain religion or what path in life to take. I am in control of my own destiny and the choices I make because I have the free will to choose and make my own decisions to predetermine the path I will take in life. Although fate does play a role in my life as well. Every choice that I make will have an impact on my individual fate or outcome of my life.
Cite this Essay
To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

domain: literature