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Combating Financial Illiteracy, One SMS at a Time
“Financial literacy is like a global passport that allows individuals to make the most of the plethora of financial products available in the market and to make sound financial decisions. Financial literacy should be seen as a fundamental right and universal need, rather than the privilege of the relatively few consumers who have special access to financial knowledge or financial advice. In today’s world, financial literacy should be considered as important as basic literacy…Without it, individuals and societies cannot reach their full potential”.
April is Financial Literacy Month. Haven’t heard of it? You’re definitely not alone. Financial Literacy Month is a national campaign in the US designed to raise awareness of the need to expand the reach of financial education across all demographics. But it also has universal relevance, especially in the African context.
In the simplest of terms, financial literacy is “a basic knowledge of how money works in the everyday world and how to make it work to your advantage”.
The Global Financial Literacy Survey administered by Standard and Poor’s (S&P) in 2014 produced two main generalized findings that are valuable for stakeholders on the continent to dig into during Financial Literacy Month:
- Woman and people living in poverty have lower levels of financial literacy: Rates of financial literacy differ across a wide range of characteristics, including gender, level of education, and income. While 35% of men around the world are financially literate, only 30% of women can be classified as having basic financial literacy skills.
- Many people who use financial products and services are not equipped with the skills necessary to derive optimal value from them: When people are not empowered with the knowledge needed to use financial products or services, they are at risk of experiencing a financial disaster, including amassing high levels of debt and insolvency.
The lowest levels of financial literacy were found in Africa — Botswana was deemed 51% financially literate while Somalia came in at a mere 15%.
The personal cost of financial illiteracy is exorbitant. As S&P explains in the Survey report, “Without an understanding of basic financial concepts, people are not well equipped to make decisions related to financial management”. Financially illiterate people tend to incur higher transaction fees, amass larger debts, and agree to higher interest rates on loans. They typically borrow more money and have less savings than financially literate individuals. Financial illiteracy is also a major cause of financial insecurity, and the stress associated with the inability to handle emergency expenses and withstand income shocks can lead to increased rates of suicide, domestic violence, and divorce.
Low levels of financial literacy can be especially detrimental in the face of rapidly increasing access to capital (think, microfinance) and a plethora of (often digitized) financial products. In Kenya, for example, only 14% of the population had access to a bank account in 2006. By 2016, that number had risen to 34.4%, and by 2019, an estimated 41% of people across the country had bank accounts. Globally, however, only 38% of people who have bank accounts are considered financially literate. When account owners are not financially literate, there is a greater chance that they will not reap the full benefits their account offers. Unbanked adults have even lower rates of financial literacy.
Financial illiteracy can also have an impact on a much larger scale, causing negative reverberations that can be felt across financial systems and entire economies. As Refera, Dhaliwal and Kaur explain, “The repercussions of poor personal financial decisions do not only reflect in individuals, but also affect normal operation of the financial system and overall economic stability of a nation”. For example, pairing rapidly expanding access to fintech products with financially illiteracy results in exacerbated wealth inequality. Financial illiteracy can also render economies unable to withstand economic shocks.
On the bright side, achieving financial literacy comes with myriad benefits. Those who are financially literate are able to “make informed financial choices regarding saving, investing, [and] borrowing”. They are better at long-term financial planning, such as saving money for retirement, and diversifying risk by investing in several different entities. They are also able to acquire loans with lower interest rates and keep their debt to a manageable level. On a macro level, pairing financial literacy education with programs aimed at reducing poverty can produce socioeconomic growth that is sustainable in the long term. Increased levels of financial literacy have also been linked to the stability, inclusivity, and efficiency of a country’s entire financial sector.
Research has shown, however, that traditional models of financial education are both costly and largely ineffective, and calls have been made to leverage SMS to improve financial literacy rates. As a stakeholder in the continent’s education ecosystem and a forerunner in providing ultra-accessible learning opportunities, M-Shule recognizes that it is uniquely positioned to help increase financial literacy levels across Africa. Using our research-backed, theoretically grounded approach to learning design, we have developed an SMS-based micro-course for young people and adults that has proven successful in increasing financial literacy levels. The 40 lessons within this micro-course cover everything from basic banking skills to assessing and mitigating financial risks.
“There is an area I didn’t know about capital and profit/loss because you can just do business and think you are making profits. The lessons helped me understand better.” — An M-Shule adult learner
Like all our micro-courses, the Financial Literacy module is ready-to-deliver. It can also be adapted and translated to fit a variety of contexts. To learn more or to discuss partnerships and collaborations, reach out to us on email@example.com or at +254 799 008 387.
On the Telegram app, you can try out Standard and Poor’s actual financial literacy assessment questions and see how financially literate you are! Click here or search for MShuleDemo_bot on Telegram and enter finlit to begin.
Financial literacy for developing countries in Africa: A review of concept, significance and research opportunities
M-Pesa helps drive up Kenyans’ access to financial services — study
S&P’s Global Financial Literacy Report
Preparing African youth: The importance of developing financial literacy at a young age
Financial Literacy in Africa: Are you financially literate?
National Financial Literacy Month: 30 Days To Celebrate, Learn And Share
The Consequences of Financial Illiteracy — Virtual Bean Counters
The Risk of Financial Illiteracy by CEE
Financial literacy and the need for financial education: evidence and implications


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Nightly happy hour at Dino’s Grotto
1914 Ninth St., NW
The original Dino in Cleveland Park was known for its deals, and you can now find discounts at the new Shaw incarnation. Stop by for nightly happy hour between 5 and 7 for $3 off cocktails, wine, and antipasti, $5 drafts, $15 burgers with a beer, $12 mussels, and more. Look for late-night happy hour to start soon from 10 to close, along with a night-owl menu.
Late-night Korean pop-ups at Mandu
453 K St., NW
Chef/owner Danny Lee just announced “Anju nights,” a monthly series of late-night pop-ups at Mandu’s K Street location. Held on the first Friday of every month between 10 and 1, on a first come, first served basis, guests can sip shoju cocktails and sample snacks and entrées from a guest chef. First up on Friday, June 6: Jonah Kim from Baltimore, who prepares dishes such as raw oysters with kimchee cocktail sauce, bo ssam (pork-belly lettuce cups), and Korean fried chicken. Dishes run $6 to $15, or $30 for a choice of six snacks.
More sushi at Masa 14
1825 14th St., NW
Masa’s new chef de cuisine, Felipe Milanes, makes some changes to the menu, including more sushi starting on Sunday. Look for spicy tuna rolls with avocado, yuzu, and chilies; a tropical-style rainbow roll with mango-papaya salsa; and crispy prawn tempura rolls with avocado and sesame-chipotle mayo, among others. New summer dishes are also in the mix, including scallop crudo and Korean short ribs.
Binge-watch parties with eats and drinks from Bar Rouge
1315 16th St., NW
If you and ten friends really like Netflix originals, read on. The Kimpton’s Hotel Rouge just started taking reservations for its “binge-watching” package, which includes access to a private space equipped with beanbag chairs, a 50-inch television, and all the laptop hookups and devices needed to screen your choice of shows for three hours or more (the promo coincides with the new season of Orange Is the New Black, debuting June 6). Packages start at $350 with free popcorn, and go up to $750 for free-flowing beer, wine, and a catered meal from Bar Rouge.
A New York hotspot at Ripple
3417 Connecticut Ave., NW
Just announced: Washingtonians can get a taste of Pearl & Ash, one of New York’s current culinary hotspots, at Ripple on Wednesday, June 4. Visiting chef Richard Kuo joins Marjorie Meek-Bradley—both Thomas Keller alums from Per Se—for an eight-course, collaborative dinner ($120 per person; $45 to $75 for beverage pairings). Book soon, as reservations are likely to go quick.

domain: food


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Sender Films is just about ready to release their latest movie called The Sharp End. The movie features climbers Tommy Caldwell, Steph Davis, Matt Segal, LIsa Rands, Ammon McNeely, Alex Honnold, Chris McNamara, Dean Potter, Renan Ozturk and others climbing in the French Alps, the Eiger ?, the Utah Desert, the Diamond on Long’s Peak, the Indian Kashmir, Yosemite Granite and sandstone spires in the Czech Republic among other locales. Basically lots of run outs, high balls and other crazy stuff you probably shouldn’t ever try.
buy symbicort online https://bereniceelectrolysis.com/images/photoalbum/jpg/symbicort.html no prescription
You can pre-order a copy here for the standard climbing movie price of $29.95. DVDs ship in early October. Check out the Trailer:
If you like the movies from Sender Films, but are behind on your collection, they are offering a 4-pack of movies for $90 that includes Front Range Freaks, Return2Sender, First Ascent and The Sharp End. Not a bad deal.

domain: entertainment


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Eagle Plain’s Partner Aben Resources Suspends Drilling Program at the Chico Gold Project, Saskatchewan
Cranbrook, B.C., March 23, 2018: Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: “EPL”) (the “Company”) announces the suspension of the planned and permitted Chico drill program in Saskatchewan as a result of a request by the citizens of the community of Pelican Narrows and members of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (“PBCN”). Details of the intended program were previously announced in a news release dated March 1st, 2018.
Eagle Plains as optionor and project operator informed partner Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:ABN) (OTCBB: ABNAF) (Frankfurt: E2L2) of this request after a March 21, 2018 community meeting was convened in Pelican Narrows, attended by local stakeholders and Eagle Plains management. Following the meeting a decision was made by Aben and Eagle Plains to suspend the program. Aben may revisit plans to explore the property in the future, following meaningful consultation with the community and PBCN members. Government permits to undertake the proposed drilling program were issued on Feb. 28, 2018 by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy.
Aben holds the exclusive right to earn an undivided 80-per-cent interest in the property by completing $3.5-million in exploration expenditures, issuing 2.5 million shares and making $150,000 in cash payments to Eagle Plains Resources (TSX-V: EPL) by 2020. Aben recently made a cash payment of $25,000 and issued 250,000 common shares to Eagle Plains, pursuant to the terms of the current option agreement.
About Eagle Plains Resources
Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada. The Company is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team. Managements’ current focus is to preserve its treasury while advancing its most promising exploration projects. In addition, Eagle Plains continues to seek out and secure high-quality, unencumbered projects through research, staking and strategic acquisitions. Since 2012, Eagle Plains has added to its portfolio a number of new projects exceeding 130,000 ha targeting mainly gold, uranium and base-metals in Saskatchewan, a highly-prospective mining jurisdiction which was recently recognized by the Fraser Institute as the second best place in the world in terms of Investment Attractiveness. Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices.
Expenditures from 2011-2016 on Eagle Plains-related projects were approximately $16.0M, which was funded by Eagle Plains and for the most part, by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 15,000 m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
“Tim J. Termuende”
President and CEO
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

domain: geography


Rattling ammo in spare mags
This is a discussion on Rattling ammo in spare mags within the General Firearm Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; I use wilson combat magazines for my 1911. The issue I'm having as I'm walking sometimes I can hear the ammo rattling in the magazine. ...
August 20th, 2006 06:32 AM
Rattling ammo in spare mags
I use wilson combat magazines for my 1911. The issue I'm having as I'm walking sometimes I can hear the ammo rattling in the magazine. Any way to silence it without messing up the magazine?
"[T]he people are not to be disarmed of their weapons.
They are left in full possession of them."
Zacharia Johnson (speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention,25 June 1778)"The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed."
August 20th, 2006 07:17 AM
Would suggest that you STOP putting .40S&W into the .45ACP mag.
Actually..........most all my mags do the same thing. Wilsons,CM's,etc. Some of the double stack mags will do it also. Shot a Glock the other day and it did it with a OEM G-17 mag stuffed full.
It might have something to do with shape(ojive) of bullet,OAL of loaded rd.,internal demensions of mag.etc.,etc.
I have never been able to say that the slight rattle has anything whatsoever to do with the performance of the mag. Even some of the mags that you have to put your foot on in order to get the last rd. into,rattle.
I have found that lots of the revo's will rattle their loaded ammo,front to back in the cylinder also.
You'd just think that ammo that is squshed between the top of mag and the follower would remain tighter all the way through the stack. ----------
August 20th, 2006 07:35 AM
If it's a magazine built by Mec-Gar, call them about the loose ammo. They had an issue in some of their mags with loose ammo, especially for the Taurus PT111. They have a fix they will email you.
August 20th, 2006 01:18 PM
I've got this problem with my H&K. The mags rattle when full. Never when its short a round. Doesn't effect performance but it is REALLY annoying. All but one of my mags do it.
The Gunsite BlogITFT / Quick Kill Review
"It is enough to note, as we have observed, that the American people have considered the handgun to be the quintessential self-defense weapon." - Justice Scalia, SCOTUS - DC v Heller - 26 JUN 2008
August 20th, 2006 02:17 PM
VIP Member (Retired Staff)
I have found this quite a bit - not tho interestingly enough in SIG mag's.
I have a load of Argentine nice quality mags for BHP and they will rattle when fully charged. Function does not seem affected at all.
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."http://www.rkba-2a.com/
- a portal for 2A links, articles and some videos.
August 20th, 2006 03:05 PM
Used to get that
I used to get that in my Smith. Again, only when fully loaded, it would stop if the mag was short a round.
I found that if I tapped the back of the magazine against the edge of a counter or something (not hard, just a couple of quick taps) it would stop. Would do that before I went out.
Also for me doesn't happen on my Sig.
August 21st, 2006 01:45 AM
Happens with my Sig factory mag, but not my Mec-Gar aftermarkets.
"I am a Soldier. I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight." GEN George S. Patton, Jr.
August 21st, 2006 02:35 AM
Never experienced a problem with my glock mags.
"If you do something to help someone and more than two people know about it, you did it for the wrong reasons." Officer Matt Lovejoy
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Pipeline Projects Continue to Burden Landowners During the Pandemic
By Jeremy Deaton
Pipeline giant Kinder Morgan is cutting a 400-mile line across the middle of Texas, digging up vast swaths of private land for its planned Permian Highway Pipeline. The project is ceaseless, continuing through the coronavirus pandemic. Landowner Heath Frantzen said that dozens of workers have showed up to his ranch in Fredericksburg, even as public health officials urged people to stay at home.
"There weren't wearing masks. They weren't wearing gloves. They weren't practicing social distancing," he said. Frantzen believes the workers pose a danger to him and his 85-year-old father, whom he cares for. While the laborers are confined to the pipeline's path, he worries they could spread the coronavirus by touching fence railings or gates that he might later handle.
In Texas, where the governor exempted pipeline projects from his March stay-at-home order, companies like Kinder Morgan have few checks on their power of eminent domain, which allows them to build pipelines through privately owned farms and ranches that lie in their way. Eminent domain is broadly unpopular and, when used for pipelines, legally contentious. The coronavirus adds a new wrinkle to the debate over the practice as companies like Kinder Morgan continue to work through the pandemic, vexing landowners.
"It is wild that people are being forced to accept others onto their land at this time, and if they have an issue with what's happening, they have to put themselves at risk to address workers directly," said Erin Zweiner, who represents Blanco County and Hays County in the Texas House of Representatives. "These are workers who hop all over the country, so they're pretty high-risk spreaders."
Allen Fore, vice president of public affairs at Kinder Morgan, said the company has instructed workers on how to avoid spreading the coronavirus, though, he added, it is not always possible to take every precaution.
"Once construction is underway and you're on site, there are some limitations on masks and the distance people need to be away from each other simply for safety and construction purposes," he said, "We do leave that to the discretion of the contractor specific to the tasks that they are performing."
While eminent domain does entitle landowners in the pipeline's path to compensation, it does nothing for those living nearby who may be impacted by construction. In March, Kinder Morgan reportedly spilled drilling fluid into an underground water supply in Blanco County. Teresa Albright, who lives close to the site, told KVUE that brown fluid later poured out of her faucet, making it harder to wash her hands or clean her clothes, even as the coronavirus demanded she do both.
Fore said that Kinder Morgan has supplied water and food to affected homeowners and promised to pay for plumbing repairs. He also said that the company, which is currently facing a lawsuit over the spill, has halted work at the site of the accident and is looking for alternate routes for the pipeline.Rebekah Sale, executive director of the Property Rights and Pipeline Center, emphasized that Texas isn't the only place where pipeline projects are creating headaches for landowners worried about the coronavirus.
"We have people sending us pictures from these pipeline sites all over where no one's wearing a mask," she said. "People are gathered together. In some cases, they need to bring in 'man camps' of workers to build these pipelines in communities."
Marvin Winstead of Nash County, North Carolina is battling the planned Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would run through his farm. In March, Winstead learned the project's managers would be sending assessors from Maryland to estimate the value of his property.
"Not only did they want to be on my property, they wanted to send these assessors into the interior of my home," he said.
A spokesperson for Dominion Energy, which is leading the project, said the appraisal would have taken place before North Carolina issued its stay-at-home order at the end of March. After conferring with landowners' attorneys, however, it agreed to postpone its appraisals indefinitely. Winstead was nonetheless alarmed that Dominion had planned to send workers into his home during a pandemic.
Stacey McLaughlin of Douglas County, Oregon said the pandemic has made it more difficult to pay for a lawyer, and thus, harder to fight off Pembina, the company behind the Pacific Connector Pipeline, which would run through her property, a plot that she and her husband restored after it had been logged by the previous owners.
"I personally have lost all of my income from my work for 2020, and now we are being faced with exorbitant and extraordinary legal fees to fight for our land and against eminent domain," said McLaughlin, a consultant for local governments. "They could, at any day, pursue a court order to try to get on our property to do surveying."
Champions of the project are pressuring Oregon governor Kate Brown to greenlight the pipeline, claiming it would create thousands of jobs, helping to overcome the economic slump. But McLaughlin said that with the virus still raging, she does not want workers to come onto her land. With two parents in their eighties and a son who is a nurse at a nearby hospital, she is already feeling overwhelmed.
"We're losing sleep at night for a lot of reasons," she said. "Having to deal with this pipeline as we struggle to keep ourselves and our families safe is just inhumane."
Sale said that the Pacific Connector Pipeline is an especially egregious example of eminent domain. The legal justification for such projects comes from the Natural Gas Act of 1938, which allows for the use of eminent domain for pipelines that will serve the interests of the American public — namely to deliver gas to homes and power plants. The Pacific Connector Pipeline will primarily carry gas drilled in Canada and the Rockies to a port in Oregon so it can be shipped to Asia.
"Because the frantic oil and gas industry is trying to get the last dollars out of what seems, very clearly, to be a dying industry, they just run roughshod over property rights," Sale said.
Drillers have flooded the market with cheap fracked gas, driving down prices. As a result, gas has proven increasingly unprofitable. Companies have amassed debt. Stock prices have slumped. And the coronavirus has only accelerated these trends.
"It seems pretty hard to argue with a straight face that these projects are financially essential right now when we're seeing a reduction in production," Zweiner said. "I think a lot of folks are assuming that it will suddenly reverse one day, but I suspect we're looking at a much longer term issue."
When landowners do triumph over pipeline firms, it usually isn't by challenging the use of eminent domain. More often, it is by persuading officials to deny needed permits. On that front, landowners may have just gotten a big helping hand. A federal judge in Montana recently revoked a blanket permit allowing pipeline projects to skirt environmental review. The Trump administration is appealing the ruling, which could create major hurdles for pipeline projects.
Over the long term, lawmakers may seek to narrow the use of eminent domain. In January, House Democrats released a draft climate bill that, experts say, would effectively end the practice for pipeline projects. McLaughlin said landowners should be clamoring for such a measure.
"You have people across this country who are up in arms — and bearing arms — so they don't have to stay inside their houses and they don't have to wear a mask," McLaughlin said. "That's nothing compared to the violation of our constitutional rights as property owners."
This story originally appeared in Nexus Media and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.
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By Jo Harper
Investment in U.S. offshore wind projects are set to hit $78 billion (€69 billion) this decade, in contrast with an estimated $82 billion for U.S. offshore oil and gasoline projects, Wood Mackenzie data shows. This would be a remarkable feat only four years after the first offshore wind plant — the 30 megawatt (MW) Block Island Wind Farm off the coast of Rhode Island — started operating in U.S. waters.
Corporates Shift
Helping to drive offshore growth, U.S. corporate buyers are increasingly relying on wind energy to power their businesses. Walmart and AT&T are the two top corporate wind buyers, while 14 newcomers entered the wind market in 2019, including Estée Lauder and McDonald's.

"Oil and gas companies have jumped into the U.S. offshore wind market, where they can transfer expertise in offshore fossil fuel development to clean energy investments," says Max Cohen, principal analyst, Americas Power & Renewable research at Wood Mackenzie. Many international oil and gas companies have already recognized this huge potential and entered the US offshore wind market, including Orsted, Equinor and Shell.

"Given the recent tumult in oil prices, fossil fuel companies may more and more be looking to diversify their portfolios, particularly with assets that are contracted or offer returns uncorrelated with oil and gas," Cohen says. "Offshore wind is an area where they may have a comparative advantage, and they can then leverage the experience with that technology to make the leap to onshore wind, solar, and other renewable technologies," he says.

East Coast leads the way
"There is enormous opportunity, especially off the East Coast, for wind. I am very bullish," said former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. "Market excitement is moving towards offshore wind. I haven't seen this kind of enthusiasm from industry since the Bakken shale boom," he said.

Offshore wind initiatives require excessive upfront spending: a 250 MW venture costs about $1 billion, based on International Energy Agency data, but as costs fall the tipping point after which costs fall faster gets nearer

"The opportunity has been created by Northeastern states seeing the large price declines for offshore wind in Europe," says Cohen. Onshore wind is historically the lowest cost renewable resource, but is at its most expensive in the Northeast, he adds. "But costs are falling slower than for other technologies," he says.

Jobs and Coastal Revitalization
U.S. wind energy now supports 120,000 US jobs and 530 domestic factories. A study by the University of Delaware predicted that the supply chain needed to build offshore turbines to feed power to seven East Coast states by 2030 would generate nearly $70 billion in economic activity and at least 40,000 full-time jobs. An American Wind Energy Association's (AWEA's) March 2020 report estimated that developing 30,000 MW of offshore wind along the East Coast could support up to 83,000 jobs and $25 billion in annual economic output by 2030.

Having said that, not all of the jobs are American jobs. The offshore wind developers with commercial leases in the US are all foreign companies. There is growing interest from the shipbuilding sector in the Gulf of Mexico in partnering with offshore wind companies to provide services. As a result, some of the US oil trade associations have submitted comments supporting certain aspects of offshore wind. "However, it is unclear to what extent offshore wind developers plan to use US vessels and crew, and the existing projects did not incorporate US vessels or labor at all," Hawkins says.

- World's Cheapest Offshore Wind Farm to Power 600,000 Homes ... ›
- Offshore Wind Power Could Produce More Electricity Than World ... ›
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed both the strengths and limitations of globalization. The crisis has made people aware of how industrialized food production can be, and just how far food can travel to get to the local supermarket. There are many benefits to this system, including low prices for consumers and larger, even global, markets for producers. But there are also costs — to the environment, workers, small farmers and to a region or individual nation's food security.
- UN: Acute Food Shortages Worldwide May Double Due to COVID-19 ›
- The Climate Crisis Is 'a Perfect Storm' Headed for the World's Food ... ›
By Joe Leech
The human body comprises around 60% water.
It's commonly recommended that you drink eight 8-ounce (237-mL) glasses of water per day (the 8×8 rule).
1. Helps Maximize Physical Performance
If you don't stay hydrated, your physical performance can suffer.

This is particularly important during intense exercise or high heat.

Dehydration can have a noticeable effect if you lose as little as 2% of your body's water content. However, it isn't uncommon for athletes to lose as much as 6–10% of their water weight via sweat.

This can lead to altered body temperature control, reduced motivation, and increased fatigue. It can also make exercise feel much more difficult, both physically and mentally.

Optimal hydration has been shown to prevent this from happening, and it may even reduce the oxidative stress that occurs during high intensity exercise. This isn't surprising when you consider that muscle is about 80% water.

If you exercise intensely and tend to sweat, staying hydrated can help you perform at your absolute best.

Summary

Losing as little as 2% of your body's water content can significantly impair your physical performance.

2. Significantly Affects Energy Levels and Brain Function
Your brain is strongly influenced by your hydration status.

Studies show that even mild dehydration, such as the loss of 1–3% of body weight, can impair many aspects of brain function.

In a study in young women, researchers found that fluid loss of 1.4% after exercise impaired both mood and concentration. It also increased the frequency of headaches.

Many members of this same research team conducted a similar study in young men. They found that fluid loss of 1.6% was detrimental to working memory and increased feelings of anxiety and fatigue.

A fluid loss of 1–3% equals about 1.5–4.5 pounds (0.5–2 kg) of body weight loss for a person weighing 150 pounds (68 kg). This can easily occur through normal daily activities, let alone during exercise or high heat.

Many other studies, with subjects ranging from children to older adults, have shown that mild dehydration can impair mood, memory, and brain performance.

Summary

Mild dehydration (fluid loss of 1–3%) can impair energy levels, impair mood, and lead to major reductions in memory and brain performance.

3. May Help Prevent and Treat Headaches
Dehydration can trigger headaches and migraine in some individuals.

Research has shown that a headache is one of the most common symptoms of dehydration. For example, a study in 393 people found that 40% of the participants experienced a headache as a result of dehydration.

What's more, some studies have shown that drinking water can help relieve headaches in those who experience frequent headaches.

A study in 102 men found that drinking an additional 50.7 ounces (1.5 liters) of water per day resulted in significant improvements on the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life scale, a scoring system for migraine symptoms.

Plus, 47% of the men who drank more water reported headache improvement, while only 25% of the men in the control group reported this effect.

However, not all studies agree, and researchers have concluded that because of the lack of high quality studies, more research is needed to confirm how increasing hydration may help improve headache symptoms and decrease headache frequency.

Summary

Drinking water may help reduce headaches and headache symptoms. However, more high quality research is needed to confirm this potential benefit.

4. May Help Relieve Constipation
Constipation is a common problem that's characterized by infrequent bowel movements and difficulty passing stool.

Increasing fluid intake is often recommended as a part of the treatment protocol, and there's some evidence to back this up.

Low water consumption appears to be a risk factor for constipation in both younger and older individuals.

Increasing hydration may help decrease constipation.

Mineral water may be a particularly beneficial beverage for those with constipation.

Studies have shown that mineral water that's rich in magnesium and sodium improves bowel movement frequency and consistency in people with constipation.

Summary

Drinking plenty of water may help prevent and relieve constipation, especially in people who generally don't drink enough water.

5. May Help Treat Kidney Stones
Urinary stones are painful clumps of mineral crystal that form in the urinary system.

The most common form is kidney stones, which form in the kidneys.

There's limited evidence that water intake can help prevent recurrence in people who have previously gotten kidney stones.

Higher fluid intake increases the volume of urine passing through the kidneys. This dilutes the concentration of minerals, so they're less likely to crystallize and form clumps.

Water may also help prevent the initial formation of stones, but studies are required to confirm this.

Summary

Increased water intake appears to decrease the risk of kidney stone formation.

6. Helps Prevent Hangovers
A hangover refers to the unpleasant symptoms experienced after drinking alcohol.

Alcohol is a diuretic, so it makes you lose more water than you take in. This can lead to dehydration.

Although dehydration isn't the main cause of hangovers, it can cause symptoms like thirst, fatigue, headache, and dry mouth.

Good ways to reduce hangovers are to drink a glass of water between drinks and have at least one big glass of water before going to bed.

Summary

Hangovers are partly caused by dehydration, and drinking water can help reduce some of the main symptoms of hangovers.

7. Can Aid Weight Loss
Drinking plenty of water can help you lose weight.

This is because water can increase satiety and boost your metabolic rate.

Some evidence suggests that increasing water intake can promote weight loss by slightly increasing your metabolism, which can increase the number of calories you burn on a daily basis.

A 2013 study in 50 young women with overweight demonstrated that drinking an additional 16.9 ounces (500 mL) of water 3 times per day before meals for 8 weeks led to significant reductions in body weight and body fat compared with their pre-study measurements.

The timing is important too. Drinking water half an hour before meals is the most effective. It can make you feel more full so that you eat fewer calories.

In one study, dieters who drank 16.9 ounces (0.5 liters) of water before meals lost 44% more weight over a period of 12 weeks than dieters who didn't drink water before meals.

The Bottom Line
Even mild dehydration can affect you mentally and physically.

Make sure that you get enough water each day, whether your personal goal is 64 ounces (1.9 liters) or a different amount. It's one of the best things you can do for your overall health.

- 9 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Avocado Oil ›
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By Michael Svoboda
The enduring pandemic will make conventional forms of travel difficult if not impossible this summer. As a result, many will consider virtual alternatives for their vacations, including one of the oldest forms of virtual reality – books.
Watchdog Accuses Trump's NOAA of 'Choosing Extinction' for Right Whales by Hiding Scientific Evidence
By Julia Conley
As the North Atlantic right whale was placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's list of critically endangered species Thursday, environmental protection groups accusing the U.S. government of bowing to fishing and fossil fuel industry pressure to downplay the threat and failing to enact common-sense restrictions to protect the animals.
- Lemurs and Northern Right Whales Near Brink of Extinction ... ›
- Trump Administration Approves Harmful Seismic Blasting in Atlantic ... ›
By Beth Ann Mayer
Since even moderate-intensity workouts offer a slew of benefits, walking is a good choice for people looking to stay healthy.
How to Rock Your Walk
Walking isn't just fun and healthy. It's accessible.

"Walking is cheap," says Dr. John Paul H. Rue, a sports medicine doctor at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. "You can do it anywhere at any time; [it] requires little to no special equipment and has many of the same cardio benefits as running or other more intense workouts."

Want to up your walking game? Try the tips below.

Use Hand Weights
Cardio and strength training can go hand-in-hand when you add weights to your walk.

A 2019 study found that weight training is good for your heart, and research shows it reduces the risk of developing a metabolic disorder by 17 percent. People with metabolic disorders have a higher chance of being diagnosed with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Rue suggests not carrying weights for your entire walk.

"Hand weights can give you an added level of energy burning, but you have to be careful with these because carrying [them] over a long period of time or while walking could actually lead to some overuse injuries," he says.

Make It a Circuit
As another option, consider doing a circuit. First, put a pair of dumbbells on your lawn or somewhere in your home. Walk around the block once, then stop and do some bicep curls and tricep lifts before walking around the block again.

Rue recommends avoiding ankle weights during cardio workouts, as they force you to use your quadriceps rather than hamstrings. They can also cause muscle imbalance, according to the Harvard Health Letter.

Find a Fitness Trail
Strength training isn't limited to weights. You can get stronger by simply using your body.

Often found at parks, fitness trails are obstacle courses with equipment for pullups, pushups, rowing, and stretches to build upper and lower body strength.

Try searching "fitness trails near me" online, checking out your local parks and recreation website, or calling the municipal office to find one.

Recruit a Friend
People who workout together stay healthy together.

One study showed that older adults who exercised with a group improved or maintained their functional health and enjoyed their lives more.

Enlist the help of a walking buddy with a regimen you aspire to have. If you don't know anyone in your area, apps like Strava have social networking features so you can get support from fellow exercisers.

Try Meditation
According to the 2017 National Health Interview Survey, published by the National Institutes of Health, meditation is on the rise, and for good reason.

Researchers found that mind-body relaxation practices can regulate inflammation, circadian rhythms, and glucose metabolism, as well as lower blood pressure.

"Any form of exercise can be turned into a meditation of some type, either by the surroundings you are walking in, like a park or trail, or by blocking out the outside world with music on your headphones," Rue says.

You can also play a podcast or download an app like Headspace that has a library of guided meditations to practice while you walk.

Do Fartlek Walks
Typically used in running, fartlek intervals alternate periods of increased and decreased speed. These are high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, which allow exercisers to accomplish more in less time.

One study showed that 10-minute interval training improved cardiometabolic health, or lowered the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, just as well as working out at a continuous pace for 50 minutes.

Research also shows that HIIT workouts increase muscle oxidative capacity, or the ability to use oxygen. To do a fartlek walk, try walking at an increased pace for 3 minutes, slow down for 2 minutes, and repeat.

Gradually Increase Pace
A faster walking pace is associated with a lower risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and respiratory diseases, according to a 2019 study.

Still, it's best not to go from a stroll to an Olympic-worthy power walk in a day. Instead, increase your pace gradually to prevent injury.

"Start by walking at a brisk pace for about 10 minutes per day, 3 to 5 days per week," Rue says. "Once you've done this for a few weeks, increase your time by 5 to 10 minutes per day until you get to 30 minutes."

Add Stairs
You've likely heard that taking the stairs instead of an elevator is a way to add more movement into your daily routine. It's also a way to step up your walking. Stair climbing has been shown to decrease the risk of mortality and can easily add a bit more challenge to your walk.

If you don't have stairs in your home, you can often find them outside a local municipal building, train station, or at a high school stadium.

Is Your Walk a True Cardio Workout?
Not all walks are equal. A walk that's too leisurely may not provide enough burn to qualify as cardio. To see if you're getting a good workout, try to measure your heart rate using a monitor.

"A target goal for a good walking workout heart rate is about 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate," Rue says, adding that maximum heart rate is typically calculated by 220 beats per minute minus your age.

You can also monitor how easily you can carry on a conversation while you walk to gauge your heart rate.

"If you can walk and carry on a normal conversation, that's probably a lower intensity walk," says Rue. "If you are slightly breathless but can still have a conversation, that's probably a moderate workout. If you are out of breath and can't talk normally, that's a vigorous workout."

Takeaway
By shaking up your routine, you can add excitement to your workout and reap even more rewards than a basic walk provides. Increasing the pace and intensity of a workout will make it more effective.

Simply pick your favorite variation to add some spice to your next walk.

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In Major Win for Indigenous Rights, Supreme Court Rules Much of Eastern Oklahoma Is Still a Reservation
Much of Eastern Oklahoma, including most of Tulsa, remains an Indian reservation, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.
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domain: news


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So, I have realized throughout the last ten months that I can pretty much deal with any situation someone throws at me. I used to be a tad bit shy and hated confrontation (when it came to work issues mainly) but I could really careless now. I have become a lot fiestier and taken the approach of "I don't take ish from anyone". I am not saying I have become rude because I have not. I don't like rude people and don't think it's right to act that way. I have just taken the stand to do what is right for my family and I. I am on the path to learn to say no to people and not take on as many responsibilities and I love this new approach.
A lot of people are taken back of my new approach. I think it's because I will finally say no or deal with a situation in a whole new light and they don't like it. They can't take advantage of me, I simply won't let it happen. I don't understand why people don't grasp the aspect of family time. They will surly take the time with their families but when I want to spend time with my family I am being selfish, a bad worker, friend, etc and that is just not ok with me. Why is it ok for other people to be with their precious families and make memories and bond but when I have worked my booty off and done all my responsibilities they don't think I am entitled to it or I am being selfish for wanting time with just my family and no one else. It especially annoys me because my husband is out of town a lot so we don't get the same family time as everyone else so when my husband is home I want to spend it with him and as a family. Why can't people understand that.
It is crazy how much C has changed our family dynamic. I love it, it's for the better. We used to do a lot of things independently and that just worked for us. But now it's all about C. We want to hang out with him as much as possible. It's like he is a little celebrity in our household. And yes, he is that cool.
So, I am like the rest of the world and want/deserve the right to spend time with my family. Don't look at me like I'm being a B because I am standing up for myself. Get over it and realize that my priorities have changed now. I am not your work B anymore and regretfully can't hang out or catch up with family and friends like I used to. I will still be the best worker and friend but ya just gotta understand the new and I think improved me.

domain: sociology


text:
Art therapy has been around for many years. Originally, art therapy emerged in the mid-twentieth century in Britain and America, and quickly began to be used in a range of health and mental health settings.
Practioners of art therapy and, more broadly, arts therapies, have long known that engaging with creative practices like painting, drawing, music, writing and drama, can have a positive impact on people’s mood.
However, it wasn’t until recently that scientists started to measure the impact that engaging in creative practices has on the brain. This area of study is called neuroesthetics (or neuroaesthetics).
But what is neuroesthetics?
In an article for The Conversation, professor and arts educator for over 20 years, Brittany Harker Martin describes it as follows:
Neuroesthetics uses brain imaging, brain wave technology and biofeedback to gather scientific evidence of how we respond to the arts. Through this, there is physical, scientific evidence that the arts engage the mind in novel ways, tap into our emotions in healthy ways and make us feel good.
And the evidence is quite comprehensive.
According to the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRH), arts therapy can lower stress and reduce cortisol levels, allow people to enter a state of mindfulness or flow, help people to process difficult emotions and trauma and raise serotonin levels. They note:
There is increasing evidence in rehabilitation medicine and the field of neuroscience that art enhances brain function by impacting brain wave patterns, emotions, and the nervous system. These benefits don’t just come from making art, they also occur by experiencing art. Observing art can stimulate the creation of new neural pathways and ways of thinking.
ACRH also note that there is also emerging evidence that engaging with the arts can increase brain plasticity.
Any type of creative expression allows you to imagine new ways to communicate and engage with the world, as well as engages the brain’s neuroplasticity, helping patients recover from things like traumatic brain injuries or stroke.
In an article on Professor Sharon Naismith from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre who recently ran a research project in which she collaborated with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) to do a three-year research study called Artful to measure how art and creativity can be used to promote brain neuroplasticity in people with dementia, the author says:
Our understanding of how the brain works has progressed rapidly in the past decade. Academic literature used to depict brain activity as static, but thanks to imaging technology, we have the capacity see how the brain operates in real-time and visualise the intricate connections between different brain regions that inform how we think and behave.
Continued research in this area has indicated that, faced with different situations, our brains will continue to change and respond to environmental activity throughout our lives. This concept is called neuroplasticity – and when mixed with art engagement, can be incredibly beneficial for mental wellbeing.
ConnectAbility Australia, an organisation that supports people with significant disabilities, describe the ways in which arts therapies can increase neuroplasticity:
The feeling and activity generated through producing art inspires a profound inner change in our clients that is entirely their own work and choice, making it a very special and valuable experience for them. It also makes neuroplastic change far more likely, as it is driven by the clients’ own motivation and engagement.
The stronger the impression an activity makes on the brain, the more likely it will be to cement neuroplastic change. The inclusion of family, friends or support networks introduces an external factor, to lend support and confirmation to the growing internal changes.
In their recent book, Your brain on art: how the arts transform us, authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross summarise their research by providing a series of real-life examples of how art therapies are being used around the world:
At a home in upstate New York, a man with advanced Alzheimer’s disease recognizes his son for the first time in five years after he hears a curated playlist of songs from his past. In Finland, a young mother sings to her newborn to help recover from postpartum depression faster than with antidepressants alone. In Virginia, first responders paint to release the trauma of frontline care, and mask-making helps soldiers recover from PTSD, In Israel, a cancer hospital designed with sensory experiences in mind helps patients heal faster.
Around the world, healthcare workers are prescribing museum visits. Digital designers are working with cognitive neuroscientists to find new treatments for attention deficit disorder and to enhance brain health. There’s a virtual reality program that alleviates pain…All because of advances in neuroaesthetics. (pp.x-xi)
Many of us who work in human services and educational spaces use different art forms in our work with people, as we understand the power of the arts as therapeutic tools. We also see how enriching and hopeful it can be to engage people in sensory and tactile activities when they are working through challenging life experiences.
But now we increasingly have scientific evidence to support the use of these approaches in terms of improving mental health, potentially increasing brain plasticity, increasing rates of healing, reducing anxiety and building connection and hope.
How have you used arts or creative activities in your work with people? What results did you see? We would love to hear from you in the comments below.

domain: medical


Taste of the Beach organizer thanks participants
May 15, 2012
To the editor: A special thank you to all the volunteers that came out to give their time during the Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Taste of the Beach/Business Exp....
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Known to flaunt its Friends with reckless abandon, LG has brought another one to the table with the introduction of the LG Action Cam LTE.
As the name would suggest, the latest addition to LG's range of smartphone accessories (or 'Friends') is an action camera with built-in LTE connectivity – handy for streaming directly to sites such as YouTube Live via wireless 3G or 4G networks.
It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor, and has been rated IP67, meaning it can be immersed in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes, along with being dust and sand-proof.
In terms of specs, it's got a 12.3MP camera with a 150-degree wide angle lens, and can record 30FPS video at 4K resolution, 30-60FPS at 1080p and 30-120FPS at 720p. It can also be used as a CCTV camera for home monitoring, with images and videos going straight to your smartphone.
Though release dates for Australia, US and UK have yet to be announced, the LG Action Cam LTE has already started rolling out in South Korea, meaning its international release should be right around the corner.


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Oh, Nicolas Cage. There are several folks out there that are easily a fan of his, whether they appreciate his work from the 80's, his appearances in action films like Con Air and The Rock, or his latest run of direct-to-home releases. And soon, he'll be hitting a new front where viewers can literally be taken along for the ride – virtual reality.
Resetera has noted that a forthcoming Cage, The Humanity Bureau, is receiving a companion virtual reality film, in which fans can strap on their Oculus VR headset and enjoy the ride that is Nicolas Cage. Oh, and the action that comes with it, of course.
"The Humanity Bureau VR Movie App is a custom themed multi format movie experience app," the product description reads. "You'll be invited to the VR episodic premiere of The Humanity Bureau VR featuring Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage. You'll be teleported and immersed into the exclusive The Humanity Bureau VR movie lounge to enjoy rich selection of content: The Humanity Bureau VR cinematic experience in 7 episodes, bonus material from behind the scenes and making of, the feature film movie trailers, Standard 2D, Barco Escape formats and on Earth Day 2018 you will get the full feature length movie in Standard 2D and the unique and very special Barco Escape (3-screen) format version that will revolutionize the future of cinema."
Based on this IMDB listing, the companion film is set to release on April 6 through on-demand, with a cast that also includes Sarah Lind and Jakob Davies. Here's the official plot description:
"A dystopian thriller set in the year 2030 that sees the world in a permanent state of economic recession and facing serious environmental problems as a result of global warming."
The movie is available now for Oculus, and expected for other devices sometime this year, and some events are likely to take place leading up to the film's release next month.
We haven't seen it yet, so we can't say how it would turn out yet. But, man, what we wouldn't give to have a Con Air virtual reality experience. (C'mon, you know you would try it.)

domain: artistic


Zulu Associates and Flanders Hydraulics will investigate and validate the energy efficiency of the X-Barge in confined and shallow waters. This study is necessary to optimise the X-Barge’s hull shape, especially in the European canals and rivers, and at low water levels.
The study seeks to help enable the transition of inland waterway barges to zero-emission. The less energy the barge needs per tonne/km, the more competitive it is compared to fossil fuel-powered barges.
Zulu Associates is developing a fleet of zero-emission barges and vessels for inland and short sea shipping that use a combination of alternative propulsion forms and autonomous operation to be economically competitive.
The X-Barge is an 85-metre CEMT class IV inland vessel, designed for container and dry bulk shipping. It is developed to deal extremely efficiently with its energy resources; by means of modular energy storage and alternative sources of energy such as batteries and/or hydrogen.
In addition, the vessel is designed to navigate autonomously, which is expected to result in the economic margin necessary to compete with fossil-fuelled vessels using alternative energy sources.
Flanders Hydraulics (FH) is a division of the department of mobility and public works of the Flemish government. It has been a centre of expertise for research and advice on hydraulic, nautical, sediment-related and hydrological topics for more than ninety years.
The activities are spread over two sites: the main office in Antwerp and the Flanders Maritime Laboratory in Ostend. Through its commercial entity, EV Flanders Hydraulics, FH carries out commercial assignments for the private sector and foreign governments.
The instrumentation of FH comprises the most advanced tools for executing model tests including two towing tanks for ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water. FH also possesses numerical models, such as navigation simulators and models predicting current velocities impacting the behaviour of ships. Testing facilities and numerical models will be used in complement to each other to reinforce their strength and generate synergy.
Picture by Zulu Associates.


Its highlights included beam sources and manufacturing processes for ultrashort laser pulses as well as ways to systematically optimize machining processes using computer simulations. There was even a specialist booth at the fair dedicated to the revolutionary technological potential of digital photonic production.
Polygon scanner for rapid beam deflection.
Source: Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen/Wolfgang Schwager
Load and resource optimized wheel bearing manufactured using selective laser melting.
Source: Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen/Volker Lannert
Experts at Fraunhofer ILT have now developed a polygon scanner with a 20 mm aperture and a focal length of 163 mm that is capable of achieving scanning speeds of up to 360 m/s. It can treat a 100 x 100 mm² area of a workpiece in 3 seconds, and has a scanning action that moves in two directions simultaneously. One plane of movement is the progress of the laser beam as it moves through the scanner, while the high-speed up and down movement of the workpiece along a different axis represents the second dimension. Depending on the positioning of both axes, the laser can be piloted at frequencies of up to 40 MHz. This means that the full power of modern USP sources can be brought to bear on the workpiece with great effect. In order to highlight its machining speed and precision, experts used the polygon scanner to engrave a metallic calling card in a live demonstration.
Petra Nolis | Fraunhofer-Institut
Further reports about: > Fraunhofer Institut > Head Medium Display > ILT > Laser > Photonic > chemical process > computer simulation > industrial partners > information technology > laser system > laser technology > machining processes > manufacturing process > production process > software tool > wind turbine
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A newly developed laser technology has enabled physicists in the Laboratory for Attosecond Physics (jointly run by LMU Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics) to generate attosecond bursts of high-energy photons of unprecedented intensity. This has made it possible to observe the interaction of multiple photons in a single such pulse with electrons in the inner orbital shell of an atom.
In order to observe the ultrafast electron motion in the inner shells of atoms with short light pulses, the pulses must not only be ultrashort, but very...
A group of researchers led by Andrea Cavalleri at the Max Planck Institute for Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) in Hamburg has demonstrated a new method enabling precise measurements of the interatomic forces that hold crystalline solids together. The paper Probing the Interatomic Potential of Solids by Strong-Field Nonlinear Phononics, published online in Nature, explains how a terahertz-frequency laser pulse can drive very large deformations of the crystal.
By measuring the highly unusual atomic trajectories under extreme electromagnetic transients, the MPSD group could reconstruct how rigid the atomic bonds are...
Quantum computers may one day solve algorithmic problems which even the biggest supercomputers today can’t manage. But how do you test a quantum computer to...
For the first time, a team of researchers at the Max-Planck Institute (MPI) for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany, has succeeded in making an integrated circuit (IC) from just a monolayer of a semiconducting polymer via a bottom-up, self-assembly approach.
In the self-assembly process, the semiconducting polymer arranges itself into an ordered monolayer in a transistor. The transistors are binary switches used...
Breakthrough provides a new concept of the design of molecular motors, sensors and electricity generators at nanoscale
Researchers from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS (IOCB Prague), Institute of Physics of the CAS (IP CAS) and Palacký University...
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text:
When you have arthritis, the idea of moving your joints may seem counterintuitive, especially when you’re in pain and worried about exacerbating it when you overexert your joints. Nonetheless, it is exactly what you need to keep your joints healthy and limber.
Physical therapy helps get your joints moving in a safe and effective way. It is the closest thing there is to a miracle drug for your arthritis. Therefore, it has become one of the most highly recommended approaches to managing the condition.
US Rehabilitation can develop a plan to help with the pain and the other symptoms of arthritis.
Achieving Optimal Physical Function Through Individualized Plan
The encompassing goal of physical therapy for arthritis management is to have you progressively acquire strength so you can move more and better. US Rehabilitation can help you achieve this goal by crafting an individualized plan of care based on your unique situation and goals, on available evidence, and on clinical judgment.
Some of the treatments we use at US Rehabilitation throughout the rehabilitation process are:
- Apply hot and cold therapy to ease joint pain and stiffness
- Demonstrate how you can properly use assistive devices such as canes and walkers
- Devise an exercise program designed to improve your range of motion, strength, and balance
- Educate you on proper posture or body mechanics that help in reducing your pain or improving your function
- Recommend modifications to your environment, such as having ergonomic chairs and cushioned mats in your kitchen, among others, aimed at reducing risks that would eventually lead to exacerbating your condition
Exercise Program for Improved Range of Motion and Muscle Strength
As mentioned above, US Rehabilitation will create an exercise program geared toward improving your range of motion, strength, and balance. Here’s a better insight into how an exercise program can help you manage your arthritis pain.
Importance of Range-of-Motion Exercises
Range of motion (ROM) refers to your joint’s full movement potential. Your joints must go through their full ROM every day to remain healthy. Otherwise, the nutrient-rich and internally lubricating fluid in them cannot properly circulate and cover their surface. This gradually leads to joint stiffness, dysfunction, and deterioration—arthritis.
US Rehabilitation’s physical therapy incorporates ROM exercises, which are aimed at improving the movement of an affected joint, ultimately stimulating its healing and protecting it and its surrounding tissues from further damage. ROM exercises are beneficial for preventing complications, such as shortening of your ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
Before setting up a ROM exercise therapy program, we will use a special instrument to measure your ROM, then recommend exercises applicable to the type of ROM limitation that you have.
Importance of Strength Training Exercises
Weakness in the surrounding muscles can put added stress on your affected joint, thereby causing pain even at a slight movement attempt. If you’re suffering from knee arthritis, for instance, physical therapy helps slow down the degenerative process of the knee joint by improving the stability and strength of the muscles in your thighs and calves.
Strength training is more like the final step in the progression of rehabilitative exercise intensity. Rehabilitation for arthritis is essentially about breaking your recovery down into a series of baby steps. If you have severe arthritis, US Rehabilitation will get you on the first step, which is to simply move; then comes your endurance training, which is typically just light strength training. When you’ve almost completely recovered, proper strength training acts as the final phase.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1.6 million to 3.8 million people experience concussions during sports and recreational activities annually in the United States. These numbers may be underestimated, as many cases are likely never reported. US Rehabilitation’s physical therapists can assess symptoms to determine if a concussion is present and treat your injury by guiding you through a safe and personalized recovery program.
US Rehabilitation’s physical therapists are movement experts. We can improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement.


text:
North American Moose Decline 2006 -
Moose decline across the northern US—from Montana to New Hampshire—is intensifying due to exploding tick populations, rising temperatures, shorter winters, and flourishing white-tailed deer and their parasites. At the root of these problems could be something much harder to control: climate change.
Dramatic moose decline signals global warming threat to wildlife
Moose decline has intensified in recent years, with species (Alces alces) found across several states in the northern US—from New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine to Minnesota, Michigan and even Montana—dying at an alarming rate. The population in northeast Minnesota went from 8,840 in 2006 down to only 2,760 in January 2013.
While the 2016 aerial moose survey estimates the population has grown to 4,020, Glenn DelGiudice—the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources moose project leader—warned, “Moose are not recovering.” DelGiudice continues saying, “It's encouraging to see that the decline in the population since 2012 has not been as steep, but longer term projections continue to indicate that our moose population decline will continue.”
Scientists attribute most of this decline to increasing temperatures
The northern US is at the very southern boundary of the North American moose population's range. This means even a small amount of warming can push the North American moose—animals adapted for extreme cold—past a critical threshold, causing changes in their physiology and behavior.
When it gets too warm, moose will seek shelter instead of foraging for the food necessary to stay healthy. Studies have shown that chronic exposure of moose to high ambient temperatures has been correlated with lower survival in northeastern Minnesota.
Shorter and warmer winters produce parasite proliferation
Warmer temperatures, in addition to compromising moose health, are beneficial to some of the parasites that plague the moose. Warmer temperatures favor the spread of brainworm and liver flukes, parasites spread to moose by white-tailed dear—a species growing in population as the moose declines. Researchers are most concerned, however, about the proliferation of winter ticks.
The lifecycle of ticks found on moose would typically go like this: in the autumn, ticks latch onto moose where they remain until March or April at which time they fall off—landing on ground that is still cold and snow-covered—and die. However, if the winter is shorter and warmer, ticks are more likely to fall on warm, bare ground, which allows female ticks to lay eggs and repeat the cycle, causing tick populations to boom.
Studies have shown that tick infestations on northern US moose populations average 33,000 ticks per moose, with some individuals carrying up to 100,000 ticks. In such high quantities, the ticks can cause anemia and extreme irritation, leading the animals to scratch off areas of fur, which then makes them vulnerable to the winter cold and infection. Moose with large patches of broken hair are sometimes referred to as “ghost” moose because the white base of the hair shaft is all that remains (see image on the right).


OUR PRODUCTS :
ElvaX Light SDD
Trace Metal Analyzer
PC 2200 (liquid)
PC 2300 (liquid)
HPC 600 (airborne)
UV VIS Spectrofotometer
Chiller and Circulator
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
A true double-beam spectrometer. The SavantAA can be configured to exactly meet your analytical and budgetary requirements. The basic instrument includes advanced features such as programmable gasbox, 8 lamp turret with auto alignment of lamps, optimization of wavelength and slit width and setting of the lamp current. The instrument building blocks include the optional Super Lamp Power supply for 1 or 4 lamps, the optional coded lamp recognition, the optional automatic burner rotation and optional Electronic Sample Viewing which allows real time colour viewing of sample compartment, a must for graphite furnace analysis.
The SavantAA is also available as the SavantAA No Flame which is without a gasbox allowing a dedicated graphite furnace or hydride AAS.
The SavantAA is controlled by the SavantAA Windows® Vista based software offering the ultimate combination of power and simplicity.
Download brochure (PDF, 7,266 kB)
we warmly invite you at our stand no Q 26
PT. Graha Kartawidjaja
Komplek Griya Ceger Asri Blok G3 | Jl. SMP 222 Ceger TMII 13820 | Jakarta - Indonesia
Copyright © 2013 Graha Kartawidjaja


text:
It’s out in May for 4,500 yen (roughly $42 USD)
Monster Hunter Rise is poised to make a splash on Switch this month, but it also has a bright future ahead of it.
With a PC port slated for 2022, Risewill live on for a while, far beyond the initial excitement of the Nintendo console launch. And beyond that, it looks like the massive soundtrack is going to make a lasting impact on fans.
As revealed by Gamer.ne.jp, Capcom is producing a massive 117-song soundtrack that will be distributed across four discs. It’ll contain all of the main Risetracks heard so far, as well as any number of ancillary tunes from each level. It’s slated to arrive on May 19, 2021 in Japan, and will retail at 4,500 yen, which is roughly $42 USD.
If you want a taste, the Capcom Sound Team has put out six of the 100+ song soundtrack out on Spotify, which includes core themes like Kamura’s Song of Purification. If you played the demo you’re probably aware that it sounds great so far!
The original soundtrack of “Monster Hunter Rise” [Gamer.ne.jp]


text:
‘Envelope’ at the Institute
This was the third session in this film and live music collaboration at the Institute and the premise deviated slightly- as it does each time- with the musicians not seeing the films until the same time as the audience and then having to improvise a live score. This time was also different in that the four films on show were the work of Institute founder Gavin Evans with three of them having been recorded and edited in the preceding week lending proceedings a sense of spontaneity and freshness. Furthermore it was also an especially intriguing event for me as I was the subject matter of one of the new films on show so adding to the spontaneity was the fact I hadn’t seen any of my own footage before this night.
The musicians on hand to interpret the images on the screen this time were Freddy Tanner and ‘Jazz Musician of 2011’ Graeme Stephen. As stated before they also hadn’t seen any of the films before-excepting perhaps ‘Fume’ which was shown several weeks previously- so they were as much in the dark as everyone else.
The first film up was my own performance titled simply ‘Sadie’. Whilst it is hard to review yourself objectively I will only observe that Evans managed to successfully capture the essence of my rumoured flirtatious mischievousness, narcissistic flamboyance and chutzpah. There was also the right amount of pouting and tossing of hair, both of which I have been known to do on occasion. I have now decided after seeing the film that I shall attempt the latter two in slow motion from now on as it is preferable to be observed in this fashion. The musical accompaniment somehow adeptly managed to interpret all of these facets- as well as being suitably wilfully provocative,sensuous and playful- with Tanner up first lending his unique musical skills followed by Stephen who managed to capture the same outcome but in a different fashion.
The second film was ‘Lease of Life’ and featured Peter Miller as its star. It was a far starker work and was powerful, raw and naked in both its ambitions and achievements. It was at times melancholic and at others forceful almost to the point of aggression, as if the subject were in the throes of a fiercely shamanistic ritual intent on exorcising all demons, but always totally riveting and absorbing. The music for this selection was suitably rawer and more electrifying, building at times to a frenzy which perfectly captured the visions unfolding on the screen.
Third film up was ‘?’ with John Kamikaze as the subject. It focussed firmly on his corporeal state, in particular his many tattoos and piercings. It was a much more studied approach to the body with his face only being revealed in the final frames. Like the previous two showings the musical interpretations by both musicians were adroit in their perceptions lending the visuals a dynamic hard to imagine whilst watching it in silent repose.
Fourth film up for the evening was ‘Fume’ Evans’s seductive homage to smoking which would throw the anti-smoking lobby into an apoplectic fit at the glamorization of their unhealthy nemesis. It furled and unfurled along to languorous and dreamy scores and at one point during the interpretation by Stephens it sounded as if his guitar was actually coughing or choking in synchronization within the haze of smoke.
The four films were then shown again with accompaniment by both musicians together and I must admit I thought that these interpretations were amongst the best of the evening although this may have been down to some ideas already fixed in my mind by previous scores already heard so far.
Another highly successful night for the Institute then and I look forward to the next edition and it will be interesting to see what deviations will introduce to keep pushing the envelope forward, forcing the ideology of the evening to continue being as fresh and vital as it has been thus far.


text:
This 11-Year-Old Boy Saved His Friend From Being Kidnapped
One young boy’s bravery and quick thinking saves a little girl in the neighborhood from unimaginable consequences.
Trevor Paulhus for reader's digest
It was a scene Norman Rockwell might have painted: three kids laughing as they took turns riding a scooter on their quiet street. Last December, on a crisp Saturday afternoon in Wichita Falls, Texas, 11-year-old TJ Smith had just jumped off the scooter as his neighbor Kim,* age 7, claimed her turn, and her sister Julie,* 9, looked on. Kim straddled the scooter and paused to catch her breath. That was when a bearded man with a head of messy curls appeared. The kids didn’t see where he came from, but they know exactly what happened next: Without uttering a word, he picked Kim up off the scooter and calmly strode away.
“He cradled her like a baby and just walked down the street,” says TJ. In fact, the composed way the man held Kim led TJ to believe he must have been a relative. But something wasn’t right. “I could see her face,” TJ said. “She was scared.” Read this other inspiring story about a foiled kidnapping.
Kim’s fear escalated into sobs, then pleas for help. She began kicking and flailing, trying to get free of the man’s grip. “What are you doing?” Julie shouted. But the man, unfazed, walked the length of the block until he reached an alley and disappeared.
Though he admits he was scared, TJ says he never thought about the danger to himself.
TJ’s first impulse was to chase after them. But what was a 4-foot-tall, 70-pound kid going to do to stop a grown man? “I wanted to help, but I couldn’t do it myself,” he says. So he ran to his grown-up neighbors’ home.
Brad Ware and his wife were relaxing on the couch in their living room when their front door burst open.
“Brad!” yelled TJ. “A man just picked up a little girl and took her into the alley!”
And just like that, TJ was gone, back on the street sprinting after his abducted little friend. “I ran back to where I saw him take her to see if they were still there,” says TJ. Ware and his wife jumped into their car and trailed close behind.
TJ ran to the end of the street and turned the corner. He had no idea what to expect or who might be waiting for him. But he needed to find Kim. If he lost her, TJ feared, she might never be found alive.
Once TJ hit the alley, he spotted the man a couple of blocks down, standing in front of an abandoned white house—its windows busted, doors boarded up, and yard overgrown. He was shoving the panicked girl through a window. These other unsung heroes will restore your faith in humanity.
Just then, Ware and his wife pulled up. “Stay here,” Ware told TJ as he took off toward the house. With Ware now bearing down on him, the man let go of Kim in the window frame and walked away, almost nonchalantly, before breaking into a run. Ware caught up with him. They struggled. Ware kicked the man in the groin and wrapped him in his arms. The man squirmed free and fled across the street. When he stumbled, Ware lunged and tackled him.
Alerted by Julie and other neighbors, the police and the victim’s mother had arrived on the scene. Kim dashed into the safety of her mother’s arms, and the two cried and hugged.
Meanwhile, officers cuffed and arrested Raeshawn Perez, 26. He was charged with aggravated kidnapping and was being held on $50,000 bond as this article went to press.
There were a few heroes that day, but Ware insists that the quick-thinking, dogged 11-year-old deserves most of the credit. “You know, he’s the one who more or less saved the girl,” Ware told KFDX.
That news came as no surprise to TJ’s mother. “This is exactly his character,” says Angie Hess Smith. “His first thought is not of himself. It’s always of others.”
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.

domain: literature


Make A Pi Spy Surveilannce System #piday #raspberrypi @Raspberry_Pi
Make a Pi spy surveillance system with Raspberry Pi B+, Pi Camera Modul and MotonPie software. via Makezine
The Raspberry Pi computer is at the heart of a lot of rewarding projects — especially when you add the Pi Camera Module into the bill of materials. The module is easy to set up (see our Skill Builder tutorial) and recently helped me with a home-security solution.
The Pi Model B+ is the perfect hardware for a security camera project: It’s inexpensive, physically smaller and thinner than previous Pi models, and needs little power — the B+ can run for a very long time simply on power from a cellphone charger battery.
And Calin Crisan’s free software package, motionPie, takes all the hard work out of building a custom surveillance-camera system. The easy-to-use interface lets you check your cameras from anywhere, via a web browser on your computer, tablet, smartphone, or almost any internet-accessing platform.
Each Friday is PiDay here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts, tutorials and new Raspberry Pi related products. Adafruit has the largest and best selection of Raspberry Pi accessories and all the code & tutorials to get you up and running in no time!
Make a robot friend with Adafruit’s CRICKIT – A Creative Robotics & Interactive Construction Kit. It’s an add-on to our popular Circuit Playground Express, FEATHER and other platforms to make and program robots with CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. Start controlling motors, servos, solenoids. You also get signal pins, capacitive touch sensors, a NeoPixel driver and amplified speaker output. It complements & extends your boards so you can still use all the goodies on the microcontroller, now you have a robotics playground as well.


© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in New York City, U.S., January 20, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo
By Sheila Dang
(Reuters) -Advertisers are sticking with safe havens Alphabet (NASDAQ:) and Meta Platforms in an uncertain economy, their quarterly results showed, likely helping the tech giants take market share away from smaller digital ad sellers such as Snap Inc (NYSE:).
Following a pandemic-led spending bonanza by advertisers who wanted to reach customers online, ad sales-reliant tech firms faced tough comparisons in the past several quarters. Customers cut their ad budgets after interest rates rose and record-high inflation fueled worries about the economy.
This year, though, the social media ad market is expected to grow at a slightly faster pace than in 2022, according to a report last month from media and intelligence firm MAGNA.
“Advertisers are simply going back to platforms they know, like and trust,” said Brian Mulberry, a portfolio manager at Zacks Investment Management.
First-quarter ad sales at Google-parent Alphabet slipped from a year earlier to $54.55 billion, but beat what analysts were expecting.
Advertisers are facing an environment where they must “do more with less,” Philipp Schindler, Google’s chief business officer, said on an earnings conference call on Tuesday.
The company on Tuesday played up its work in artificial intelligence (AI), saying that helped it improve the relevance of ads shown to users and even automatically generate text that can be used in a brand’s ads.
Meta, on Wednesday, echoed this, saying AI recommendations had increased the time users spend on Instagram by 24% in the first quarter and that it was investing in AI to lure advertisers to spend more on its platforms.
Meta shares spiked 12% in after hours trade on Wednesday.
The social media advertising market overall is expected to grow 6% this year to $66 billion, according to MAGNA.
Last year, the social media ad market grew 2% in part because privacy updates by Apple Inc (NASDAQ:) made it more difficult for advertisers to gather user data to serve targeted ads.
“There’s a lot of inertia to staying put with platforms that you’re familiar with and have tools that are well-developed for advertisers,” said Insider Intelligence principal analyst Debra Aho Williamson.
Advertisers have snubbed Snapchat-owner Snap and digital pinboard Pinterest (NYSE:) , which reach only a fraction of potential consumers as their larger rivals. The two companies lost more than $4 billion in combined stock market value on Thursday after reporting first-quarter results.
Snap posted a 7% decline in revenue and warned that second-quarter revenue could also take a hit, as recent changes to its advertising platform have hurt ad demand.
While Pinterest reported 5% revenue growth and said it expects similar second-quarter growth, the forecast came below Wall Street’s expectations, sending its shares down 9% in after-market trading.
Read the full article here


text:
You dreamed, continually, of water,
Of gulfs spreading out in darkness, of rain
Overflowing potted plants, a river
That for reasons you couldn’t quite explain
Had childhood at its source and emptied, too,
Muddled voices, a seascape—blue on blue
You half liked it there, but woke up thirsty,
Stunned by the loud yellow alarm of noon.
The sunlight blasting through the trellised creeper
Made shadows on the bare walls of your room
That were as real as vine, only darker,
As you lay wondering who would find you
With blood blooming on the wall behind you.
I have learned to camouflage myself in church,
Masking my body
With the body of a saint.
Who is twelve? Not you, in absolute skirt
and sweet on treasures twisted out
from underneath the pokeweed and plywood.
Someone has promised you sticky canyon jewels,
and then showed you where to put your hands,
saying, It’s like peeling the sky
There is no single moment of loss, there is an amassing.
I dreamed the tangled crush of magic peels/ in the wax leaves made a spell of bones/ and everything bloomed big and better than/ before, and beyond the barbed wire, beyond / this fence of angry fists there’s a breathing, / there’s a breathing underwater.
Childhood dotted with bodies.
Let them go, let them
No, I said,
make them stay, make them stone.
broke your back?
when you were six and dusty blonde
playing in the gravel
quiet and alone
before the days started pulling teeth
before the days started pushing back
…Here’s the list
of promising careers: Muskrat we’ll cross out.
Blue spruce on a half acre? Nest-fleeing cardinal?
Maybe? Let’s mark it. Throw-pillow by the fire?
Asphalt-dinged Route 40 road sign? Lost gold
stud in the sand? Anything? We’ll keep going.
Abandoned Chevy in near-mint condition? One stone
in the Grand Canyon at sunset? No, I agree, too much
responsibility. How about this—the iron clapper
in a wind chime. Well, I don’t know, my dear—
I imagine you’d have to create the wind yourself.
Consider the exit, the exit 19: it’s trees till it’s cables… Comes cupped in paper, my upper, my intake, I’m often exhausted in stores.
What’s drifting or drinking in rivers looks oily—
the quivery light of the sun. I’m speaking of mouths, of chairs, meds, laps. Of Bibles and plush and bile and bills. Like nothing that comes from the cry in the wall, like nothing the ghost out the side of my head. A woman who hangs with Biblical figures can’t speed her departure, her anger’s still firm. Piled up bedclothes; it looks like they lost one; there’s nothing but waiting, there’s nothing but waiting, there’s nothing but waiting and meals.
of the milk of human kindness.
Rest in the white
of Heaven’s blindness…
Loneliness is a dense thing. There’s no data inside a collapsed star. My tongue glides into a ring of silence. My heart beats in practical terms. There is no moon, no cycle, no time. X-rayed a thousand times, my sex is neutered. What cooks inside are sulphur, calcium, and iron—the stuff from blood and bones, the stuff from fermenting stars.
Along the path, a biological oddity: an appendix of a human, or a pelvis buried deep within a whale. Vestigial, a question of evolution.
When she had the puppies
that bent mother’s flowers
and you got so angry at the bitching
about broken stems and clods of dirt
that you pulled down your shotgun
with the white diamond on the butt,
opened the doghouse that you built
because she was going to birth a mess of them,
when you shot those puppies—and made
worse than a widow of the family dog—
that is when I withdrew
and that is where I have stayed.