UNIT TITLE: Integrating Website Activities in Math for Elementary Teachers
Unit Goal: To integrate web-based activities with text and hands-on manipulatives in the teaching of mathematics content to pre-service teachers
Unit Summary: The four modules contained in this unit represent templates for the inclusion of content based, interactive websites throughout a semester long mathematics course for pre-service teachers. The modules’ sequence is based on Chapters 2-5 of Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers(Houghton Mifflin, 2nd Ed) by Tom Bassarear. This text is supplemented by the text author’s Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers: Explorations and a Start with Manipulatives Kit from ETA/ Cuisenaire. In each module, students are asked to explore and reflect on a given content based website prior to classroom instruction. (A recommended site is given for each module) Following content instruction (which include additional web-based activities and hands-on manipulatives, investigations and lecture) students are required, in teams, to research other web sites which provide additional opportunities for content enhancement. Their findings are then reported back to the class at the close of the semester.
Grade Level (K-16): 13-15
General Subject Area(s): Math for Elementary School Teachers
Minimum time required for the unit: 1 Semester
Concepts learned across all unit modules:
- Accessing and evaluating interactive web sites
- Communicating student understanding of different pedagogical styles via journal writing
- Demonstrating competencies in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with respect to the given numeration system
- Recognizing patterns and properties of the fundamental operations
- Demonstrating competencies in whole, integer, rational and real number operations
Standards addressed by unit modules:
Mathematics Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Teaching strategies and activities that will aid in the development, delivery, and evaluation of the following:
Conceptual Knowledge and Procedural Knowledge
- Curriculum components – for example, scope and sequence of skills and materials; appropriate materials and technology; learner objectives
- Use of manipulatives and developmentally appropriate materials; variety and reliability
- Pre-number and number concepts – for example, counting objects, comparing objects; classifying objects; exploring sets; ordering sets; number patterns
- Problem solving – for example, investigate and understand content; formulate problems from everyday situations; develop strategies applicable to a wide range of problems; verify and interpret results; build student confidence; identify and solve problems that are developmentally appropriate
- Content specific pedagogy – for example, theories necessary for implementing a sound instructional program such as accessing prior knowledge, constructing knowledge, modeling, informal reasoning, graphic organizers
- Addition and subtraction of whole numbers – for example, computational procedures; relationships between addition and subtraction; relationship between subtraction and division; regrouping; modeling the operations; story problems
- Multiplication and division – for example, modeling the operations, interpretations for the operations; computational procedures; skill development; story problems
- Concepts related to number theory – for example, factors, multiples, primes and composites, remainders, odd and even
- Rational numbers – for example, fraction and decimal equivalence; computation; modeling
Demonstrate number sense and operation sense, that is, an understanding of the foundational ideas of numbers, number properties, and operations defined on numbers.
Formal Mathematical Reasoning
- Order: demonstrate an understanding of order among whole numbers, fractions, and decimals
- Equivalence: demonstrate an understanding that a number can be represented in more than one way
- Numeration and place value: demonstrate an understanding of how numbers are named, place value, and order of magnitude of numbers
- Number properties: demonstrate an understanding of the properties of whole numbers without necessarily knowing the names of the properties
- Computation: perform computations; adjust the result of a computation to fit the context of a problem; identify numbers or information or operations needed to solve a problem
- Equations: solve simple equations and inequalities; predict the outcome of changing some number or condition in a problem
- Estimation: estimate the result of a calculation; determine the reasonableness of an estimate
- Algorithmic thinking: demonstrate an understanding of the algorithmic point of view — that is, follow a given procedure; recognize various ways to solve a problem; identify, complete, or analyze a procedure; discover patterns in a procedure
Demonstrate an ability to use the basics of logic in a quantitative context.
- Logical connectives and quantifiers: interpret statements that use logical connectives (and, or, if – then) as well as quantifiers (some, all, none)
- Validity of arguments: use deductive reasoning to determine whether an argument (a series of statements leading to a conclusion) is valid or invalid
- Generalization: identify an appropriate generalization, an example that disproves an inappropriate generalization, or a hidden assumption
Demonstrate the ability to:
- Use technology tools and information resources to increase productivity, promote creativity, and facilitate academic learning.
- Use content-specific tools (e.g., software, simulation, environmental robes, graphing calculators, exploratory environments, Web tools) to support learning and research.
- Use technology resources to facilitate higher order and complex thinking skills, including problem solving, critical thinking, informed decision making, knowledge construction, and creativity.
- Use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
- Observe and experience the use of technology in their major field of study.
Technology needed in unit modules:
- Computer with internet access
- Computer with Power Point software
- Projection device for computer
Technology-enhanced instructional strategies employed:
- Technology-enriched problem-based learning
- Computer-based simulations/games/role-playing
- Web-based learning
- Electronic portfolio development
- Technology-enhanced demonstrations
Title of Each Module:
#1 – Fundamental Concepts
#2 – Four Fundamental Operations
#3 – Number Theory
#4 – Extending the Number System
Unit Culminating Activity: Student groups (four person) will present their website research results for the four chapters. These presentations will include: demonstrations of the web sites, evaluation of the websites, a comparison of website activity to text’s and hands-on manipulatives’ approaches (as applicable) to the content area, and a written commentary. The commentary is to include: a summary of the individual chapter reflections, a personal reflection of their individual process in the acquisition of their chosen websites, a comparison of website activity to text’s and hands-on manipulatives’ approaches (as applicable) to the content area and a description of the content skill(s) could be enhanced by a student using the web-based activities.
View the Culminating Activity Rubric
Unit Authors: John August


- copy data to or from a kernel image or running system
cc [ flag… ] file… -lkvm [ library…] #include <kvm.h> ssize_t kvm_read(kvm_t *kd, uintptr_t addr, void *buf, size_t nbytes);
ssize_t kvm_write(kvm_t *kd, uintptr_t addr, void *buf, size_t nbytes);
The kvm_read() function transfers data from the kernel image specified by kd (see kvm_open(3KVM)) to the address space of the process. nbytes bytes of data are copied from the kernel virtual address given by addr to the buffer pointed to by buf.
The kvm_write() function is like kvm_read(), except that the direction of data transfer is reversed. To use this function, the kvm_open(3KVM) call that returned kd must have specified write access. If a user virtual address is given, it is resolved in the address space of the process specified in the most recent kvm_getu(3KVM) call.
The kvm_read() and kvm_write() functions are obsolete and might be removed in a future release. The functions described on the kvm_kread(3KVM) manual page should be used instead.
On success, these functions return the number of bytes actually transferred. On failure, they return -1.
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:


The ex-gay movement is a controversial movement that consists of people and organizations that seek to encourage people to refrain from entering or pursuing same-sex relationships, to eliminate homosexual desires, to develop heterosexual desires, or to enter into a heterosexual relationship. The "ex-gay" movement relies on the involvement of individuals who formerly identified themselves to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual but no longer do; these individuals may either claim that they have eliminated their attraction to the same sex altogether or simply that they abstain from acting on such attraction. There have been various scandals related to this movement, including some self-claimed ex-gays having been found in same-sex relationships despite having denied this, as well as controversies over gay minors being forced to go to ex-gay camps against their will, and over admissions by organizations related to the movement that conversion therapy does not work.
A large body of research and global scientific consensus indicates that being gay, lesbian, or bisexual is compatible with normal mental health and social adjustment. Because of this, major mental health professional organizations discourage and caution individuals against attempting to change their sexual orientation to heterosexual, and warn that attempting to do so can be harmful.
Definition of change
Various ex-gay organizations have working definitions of change. Exodus International describes change as, "attaining abstinence from homosexual behaviors, lessening of homosexual temptations, strengthening their sense of masculine or feminine identity, correcting distorted styles of relating with members of the same and opposite gender." People Can Change defines change as, "any degree of change toward greater peace, satisfaction and fulfillment, and less shame, depression and darkness", and emphasizes that for most people, heterosexuality is not the ultimate goal.When the term ex-gay was introduced to professional literature in 1980, E. Mansell Pattison defined it as describing a person who had "experienced a basic change in sexual orientation". Some ex-gays advocate entering (or remaining) in a heterosexual marriage as part of the process. Some in mixed-orientation marriages acknowledge that their sexual attractions remain primarily homosexual, but seek to make their marriages work anyway. The president of Exodus International said that he agrees that people cannot necessarily change their sexual orientation, but he said that they can, "live in accord with their beliefs and faith".
Motivation of participants
The American Psychological Association reported that some ex-gay groups may help counteract and buffer minority stress, marginalization, and isolation in ways similar to other support groups, such as offering social support, fellowship, role models, and new ways to view a problem through unique philosophies or ideologies. Additionally, the same researchers also found that people joined ex-gay groups due to: a lack of other sources of social support; a desire for active coping, including both cognitive and emotional coping; and access to methods of sexual orientation identity exploration and reconstruction. The same report found that some have described the ex-gay groups as, "a refuge for those who were excluded both from conservative churches and from their families, because of their same-sex sexual attractions, and from gay organizations and social networks, because of their conservative religious beliefs." According to the APA report, "Ex-gay groups appear to relieve the distress caused by conflicts between religious values and sexual orientation and help participants change their sexual orientation identity, but not their sexual orientation." The APA goes on to report that some believed that by, "taking on 'ex-gay' cultural norms and language and finding a community that enabled and reinforced their primary religious beliefs, values, and concerns", that they could resolve identity conflicts by, "(a) adopting a new discourse or worldview, (b) engaging in a biographical reconstruction, (c) embracing a new explanatory model, and (d) forming strong interpersonal ties." One of the APA's sources for the report found that, "ex-gay groups recast homosexuality as an ordinary sin, and thus salvation was still achievable." Another one of their sources is summarized as having observed that, "such groups built hope, recovery, and relapse into an ex-gay identity, thus expecting same-sex sexual behaviors and conceiving them as opportunities for repentance and forgiveness." The APA report warns however that, "some [ex-gay] groups may reinforce prejudice and stigma by providing inaccurate or stereotyped information about homosexuality."
Ex-gay organizations
The first ex-gay ministry, Love in Action, was formed in 1973. Three years later, with other ex-gay organizations, it formed Exodus International, the largest ex-gay organization and the largest organization under the Exodus Global Alliance. Other ex-gay organizations cater to a specific religious groups, such as Courage International for Catholics, Evergreen International for Mormons (LDS), and JONAH for Jews.
Some groups follow a specific technique, such as Homosexuals Anonymous, modeled after the Alcoholics Anonymous twelve-step program. Other ex-gay organizations include Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays.
People associated with the ex-gay movement
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- Joe Dallas is the program director of Genesis Counseling. He has written six books on human sexuality.
- Donnie McClurkin wrote about his experience with homosexuality in his book, Eternal Victim, Eternal Victor. He describes himself as going through a process by which he became "saved and sanctified." McClurkin has been criticized for stating homosexuality is a curse. He speaks openly about sexual issues since becoming the biological father of a child with a woman to whom he was not married. He uses these experiences in his concerts and speaking engagements. In 2004, he sang at the Republican National Convention. The appearance generated criticism for the event organizers and McClurkin for his statements on homosexuality.
- Jeffrey Satinover is an American psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and physicist. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of NARTH.
- Charles Socarides was an American psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, physician, educator, and author. He helped found NARTH in 1992.
People who no longer support the ex-gay movement
- Günter Baum originally founded an ex-gay ministry in Germany. Later he formed Zwischenraum, which helps gay Christians to accept their sexuality and to reconcile it with their beliefs.
- John Paulk, then leader of Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conference and chairman of the board for Exodus International North America, was spotted visiting a Washington, D.C. gay bar in September 2000. He was photographed outside of the bar from behind by Wayne Besen, and later stepped down from the two organizations. In 2013, he formally apologized for his involvement in promoting the ex-gay concept and for the harm his work had done.
- Anthony Venn-Brown is a former Australian evangelist in the Assemblies of God and an author whose book describes his experience in Australia’s first ex-gay program. Venn-Brown co-founded "Freedom 2 b[e]" which offers support to GLBT people from church backgrounds and who have been displaced from the ex gay movement. In 2007 he co-ordinated the release of a statement from five Australian ex-gay leaders who publicly apologized for their past actions.
- John Smid was the leader of Love In Action in Memphis. He resigned that position in 2008, and in 2010 apologized for any harm that he'd caused, noting that his teen program "further wounded teens that were already in a very delicate place in life." He has announced that he is still homosexual and admitted never seeing a man successfully converting to heterosexuality in his group.
- Warren Throckmorton is a past president of the American Mental Health Counselors Association. He wrote and produced the documentary I Do Exist about ex-gay people, but subsequently came to "believe that categorical change in sexual attractions, especially for men, is rare" and repudiated some of the claims he made in the film.
- Peterson Toscano is an actor who was involved in the ex-gay movement for 17 years. He performs a related one-man satire titled Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House, and with Christine Bakke co-runs Beyond Ex-Gay, a support website for people coming out of ex-gay experiences.
Sexual orientation change efforts
Some ex-gay organizations, such as Exodus International, recommend to their members that they undertake sexual orientation change efforts, such as conversion therapy. Exodus warns against going to counselors that tells the patient that they "can definitely eliminate all attractions to your same gender, or that you can definitely acquire heteroerotic attractions." Evergreen International does not advocate any particular form of therapy, and warns that "therapy will likely not be a cure in the sense of erasing all homosexual feelings."
SOCE are controversial and the American Psychological Association reported that, "the available evidence, from both early and recent studies, suggests that although sexual orientation is unlikely to change, some individuals modified their sexual orientation identity (i.e., individual or group membership and affiliation, self-labeling) and other aspects of sexuality (i.e. values and behavior)." Virtually all major mental health organizations have adopted policy statements cautioning the profession and the public against treatments that purport to change sexual orientation. The National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, an ex-gay organization, argues that mainstream health and mental health organizations have, in many cases, taken public positions on homosexuality and same-sex marriage that are based on their own social and political views rather than the available science.
In 2012, the Pan American Health Organization (the North and South American branch of the World Health Organization) released a statement cautioning against services that purport to "cure" people with non-heterosexual sexual orientations as they lack medical justification and represent a serious threat to the health and well-being of affected people, and noted that the global scientific and professional consensus is that homosexuality is a normal and natural variation of human sexuality and cannot be regarded as a pathological condition. The Pan American Health Organization further called on governments, academic institutions, professional associations and the media to expose these practices and to promote respect for diversity. The World Health Organization affiliate further noted that gay minors have sometimes been forced to attend these "therapies" involuntarily, being deprived of their liberty and sometimes kept in isolation for several months, and that these findings were reported by several United Nations bodies. Additionally, the Pan American Health Organization recommended that such malpractices be denounced and subject to sanctions and penalties under national legislation, as they they constitute a violation of the ethical principles of health care and violate human rights that are protected by international and regional agreements.
Controversy over teenagers
A controversial aspect of the ex-gay movement has been the focus of some ex-gay organizations on gay teenagers, including occasions where teenagers have been forced to attend ex-gay camps against their will by their parents. A 2006 report by the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce outlined evidence that ex-gay and conversion therapy groups were at the time increasingly focusing on children. Several legal researchers have responded to these events by arguing that parents who force their children into aggressive conversion therapy programs are committing child abuse under various state statutes.
One case of emancipation involved Lyn Duff. Duff was admitted to Rivendell Psychiatric Center in West Jordan, Utah on December 19, 1991, at age fifteen, after being involuntarily transported there at her mother’s behest. Duff was subjected to a regimen of conversion therapy, including aversion therapy, hypnosis, psychotropic drugs, solitary confinement, therapeutic messages linking lesbian sex with "the pits of hell", behavior modification techniques, unreasonable forms of punishment for small infractions, and "positive peer pressure" group sessions in which patients demeaned and belittled each other for both real and perceived inadequacies. On May 19, 1992, after 168 days of incarceration, Duff escaped from Rivendell and traveled to San Francisco, where she lived on the streets and in safe houses. In 1992, Duff initiated legal action against the facility and her mother.
The ex-gay organization Love in Action was involved in a controversy surrounding a teenager. In July 2005, The New York Times ran a feature story about 16-year-old Zachary Stark, whose parents forced him to attend an ex-gay camp run by the group. In July 2005, Stark was released from the camp. An investigation of the camp by the Tennessee Department of Children's Services did not uncover signs of child abuse. In September 2005, Tennessee authorities discovered that unlicensed staff had been administering prescription drugs. A settlement was reached shortly thereafer. LIA closed the camp in 2007.
See also
- Environment and sexual orientation
- Mixed-orientation marriage
- American Family Association v. City and County of San Francisco
- "Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation & Youth". American Psychological Association. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
- "Bachmann Silent on Allegations Her Clinic Offers Gay Conversion Therapy". ABC News. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
- "What's your "success rate" in changing gays into straights?". Retrieved 2007-03-27.[dead link]
- What Do We Mean by Change[dead link]
- Throckmorton, Warren; Pattison, M. L. (June 2002). "Initial empirical and clinical findings concerning the change process for ex-gays". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (American Psychological Association) 33 (3): 242–248. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.33.3.242.
- "No easy victory". Christianitytoday.com. March 11, 2002. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- Ex-gay or just exploited?, Orange County Register, June 17, 2007
- APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation. (2009). "Report of the Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation." Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Accessed August 2, 2011
- Levine, M., Perkins, D. D., & Perkins, D. V. (2004). Principles of community psychology: Perspectives and applications (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
- Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. (1980). An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 21, 219–239.
- Ponticelli, C. M. (1999). Crafting stories of sexual identity reconstruction. Social Psychology Quarterly, 62, 157–172.
- Wolkomir, M. (2001). Emotion work, commitment, and the authentication of the self: The case of gay and ex-gay Christian support groups. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 30, 305–334.
- Erzen, T. (2006). Straight to Jesus: Sexual and Christian conversions in the ex-gay movement. Los Angeles:University of California Press.
- History. Retrieved April 14, 2007.
- "Homosexuals Anonymous Fellowship Services – Home". Ha-fs.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- Kwon, Lillian (June 25, 2007). "Exodus Freedom Speaker Warns of 'The Gay Gospel'". Christian Post.
- "Joe Dallas l Genesis Counseling l Sexual Addiction Recovery". Joedallas.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- DL Foster ((ISBN 1-56229-162-9)). "Eternal Victim/Eternal Victor: Making the Case for Victory".
- Richard Leiby (August 29, 2004). "Donnie McClurkin, Ready to Sing Out Against Gay 'Curse'". The Washington Post.
- Lawton, Kim (May 6, 2005). "PROFILE: Donnie McClurkin (Interview)". PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.
- "The Donnie McClurkin Story:From Darkness to Light". Donnie McClurkin. November 23, 2004.
- "News :: GLBT". EDGE Boston. October 24, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- "Dr. Jeffrey Satinover Testifies Before Massachusetts Senate Committee Studying Gay Marriage". April 28, 2003. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- "A Tribute to Charles W. Socarides". Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- Evangelical Press with additional reporting by Jody Veenker (October 1, 2000). "Ex-Gay Leader Disciplined for Gay Bar Visit". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
- Besen, Wayne (2003). Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth. Harrington Park Press. ISBN 1-56023-445-8.
- "Anthony Venn-Brown: Book".
- Freedom 2 b[e]
- "Former "Ex-Gay" Leaders in Australia Apologize, Claim That Ex-Gay Conversion Does More Harm Than Good". Soulforce.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- Branston, John. "Fly on the Wall | The Fly-By". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- Jason says: (March 30, 2010). "Ex-gay leader apologises | Star Online". Starobserver.com.au. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- "Where is the repentance?". Grace Rivers. October 7, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- "I Do Exist FAQs". 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- "A new test of orthodoxy". Wthrockmorton.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- Exodus International Policy Statements, Exodus International. Retrieved July 4, 2007.
- "How to Find the Right Counselor for You – Exodus International". Exodusinternational.org. January 11, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- Evergreen Myths The Bottom Line: Evergreen does not advocate any particular form of therapy."
- "Therapy-Evergreen International-Helping Latter-Day Saints overcome same-sex attraction (homosexuality)". Evergreeninternational.org. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- "Expert affidavit of Gregory M. Herek, PhD" (PDF). Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- Royal College of Psychiatrists: Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Position Statement on Sexual Orientation
- Letter from the Attorney General of the United States to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, RE: DOMA, February 23, 2011,"Second, while sexual orientation carries no visible badge, a growing scientific consensus accepts that sexual orientation is a characteristic that is immutable"
- ""Therapies" to change sexual orientation lack medical justification and threaten health". Pan American Health Organization. Retrieved May 26, 2012. archived here.
- Cianciotto, J.; Cahill, S. (2006). "Youth in the crosshairs: the third wave of ex-gay activism" (PDF). National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
- Hicks, A (1999) Reparative Therapy: Whether Parental Attempts to Change a Child's Sexual Orientation Can Legally Constitute Child Abuse; Retrieved January 29, 2011
- Talbot, T. Reparative therapy for homosexual teens: the choice of the teen should be the only choice discussed, 27 J. Juv. L. 33. 2006.
- Cohan, J. Parental Duties and the Right of Homosexual Minors to Refuse "Reparative" Therapy, 11 Buff. Women's L.J. 67, 2002.
- Mirken, Bruce (June 1994). "Setting Them Straight". San Francisco: 10 Percent. pp. 54–60.
- PRESS CLIPSVillage Voice (New York, NY), October 06, 1998, 1595 words, by Andy Hsiao
- Chris Holmlund & Justin Wyatt (2005) "Contemporary American independent film: from the margins to the mainstream" page 190. Psychology Press. http://books.google.com/books?id=9sYDqH2FAcsC&pg=PA190&dq=%22Lyn+Duff%22&hl=en&ei=dIP5TOu4IdK5hAfMmvSSCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CEkQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=%22Lyn%20Duff%22&f=false
- "Gender identity problems; Gays angered about doctors forcing issue" The Houston Chronicle, August 2, 1995, Wednesday, 2 STAR Edition, HOUSTON; Pg. 3, 1310 words, CAROLE RAFFERTY; Knight-Ridder Tribune News
- Pela, Robert L. (November 11, 1997). "Boys in the dollhouse, girls with toy trucks". The Advocate. pp. 55–59.
- . The Lambda Update. Fall 1993. p. 4. Missing or empty
- David B. Cruz (1999) "Controlling Desires: Sexual Conversion and the Limits of Law" Southern California Law Review 72:1297. http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~usclrev/pdf/072502.pdf
- CHURCHER, Sharon (1998) "GOING STRAIGHT." Sunday Mail (Queensland, Australia), September 6, 1998, Sunday, NEWS; Pg. 40, 1274 words
- Ladie Terry. (1994) 'ORPHANS' SPEAK OUT. San Jose Mercury News (California) Tuesday MORNING FINAL EDITION. December 13, 1994. EDITORIAL; Pg. 7B
- Family Law, Public Policy and New Federalism by Steven K. Wisensale. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
- Williams, Alex (July 17, 2005). "Gay Teenager Stirs a Storm". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
- Palazzolo, Rose (June 28, 2005). "Ex-Gay Camp Investigation Called Off". ABC News. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- Ex-GayTruth.com, presents issues related to the ex-gay movement from a conservative Christian perspective
- Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality and Bisexuality at the Open Directory Project
- Views Opposing Homosexuality and Bisexuality at the Open Directory Project
- Beyond Ex-Gay Support website co-run by Peterson Toscano and Christine Bakke, for people coming out of ex-gay experiences
- Cure for Love, a National Film Board of Canada documentary


Exposure to radiation short term and infrequently does not do significant harm. Chronic long term exposure to even lower levels can cause significant cellular damage leading to mutations and cancer.
There are certain nutrients which protect the cells from the compounds making up radiation such as: cesium-137 and radioactive iodine. Potassium Iodide (KI) is most well-known to protect the thyroid from radioactive iodine. Given that most Americans are Iodine deficient, supplementing with 200 mcg a day of Potassium Iodide may do the general population some good in general - even without radioactive fallout concerns. Over half of pregnant women in the USA are iodine deficient which sets up the newborn to mental retardation. However, potassium iodide is by far not the only nutrient needed to protect the body from radioactive fallout.
Complete trace minerals are needed. When the body is deficient in minerals, the more apt it is to absorb heavy metals and radiation. Sulfur compounds such as n-acetyl-l-cysteine and MSM are also useful in protecting the liver, lungs and kidneys.
Taking hot Epsom salt baths to help sweat and pull out heavy metals is good. Adding Moor Mud to enhance sweating and detoxification is even better. Make sure to replace electrolytes and additional minerals after profuse sweating.
Probiotics are known to protect the intestines from radiation-induced diarrhea and likey also help prevent absorption of heavy metals found in radioactive fallout. Supplementing with L-Glutamine to prevent damage and/or heal the small intestine may be necessary. Sodium Butyrate or Cal/Mag Butyrate may be needed to help heal the large intestine from radiation-induced intestinal and colon damage.
Greens such as spirulina, wheat grass, chlorella along with Miso, tempeh, kombu and other seaweeds are excellent detoxifiers and supporters of healthy iodine levels.
Questions about Radiation Exposure? Please post at the Radiation Exposure Forum and your questions will be answered.
The Radiation Exposure Forum has some excellent documents available for download to help you prepare further. Do visit this forum and download. Again, questions, do ask.


Cardio and weight training are two important components of well-balanced fitness plans. Knowing which types of exercises fall into which category can help you construct your workouts more effectively, and can give you more options so you don’t get bored with your workouts. When designing your fitness plan, consider adding some stretching and flexibility training. Simply add a few minutes of stretching at the end of your cardio and weight training workouts.
Cardio, or aerobic, exercises require you to move the large muscle groups in your hips, legs and arms. The movement must be continuous and rhythmic, and you must move for a sustained period. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity cardio exercise each week. Alternately, you can perform an hour and 15 minutes of vigorous cardio exercise. By regularly performing cardio exercise, you can improve your cardiovascular health, manage your weight more easily and enjoy a sense of well-being.
Examples of Cardio Exercises
Examples of cardio exercise include basketball, biking, brisk walking, dancing, jogging, jumping rope, rowing, running, swimming, tennis and water aerobics. Even some household chores -- such as mowing the lawn -- can count as cardio. The intensity with which you perform these activities determines whether they are moderate or vigorous. Moderate-intensity cardio exercises will raise your heart rate and make you breathe faster, while still allowing you to talk. When performing vigorous cardio exercises, you will find it difficult to say more than just a few words before pausing to breathe.
Weight Training Exercises
In weight-training exercises, you generally focus on one muscular group at a time, doing enough repetitions of the exercise to tire the muscles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults do weight-training exercises at least twice a week. Ideally, target all your major muscle groups: chest, shoulders, arms, abdomen, back, hips and legs. By performing weight-training exercises, you can build strength in your muscles, increase the amount of lean muscle in your body, manage your weight more easily and lower your risk of injury.
Examples of Weight-Training Exercises
You can perform weight-training exercises with free weights -- dumbbells and barbells. Examples of these exercises include biceps curls and squats. Weight machines offer other options for weight training. You can perform leg presses, standing calf raises, chest flyes and pull-down exercises on these machines. Other types of weight-training exercises require you to move your own body weight. These include triceps dips, situps and pushups. Although technically not weight-training exercises, resistance band exercises offer more options for strength training. You can perform variations on traditional weight-training exercises -- such as biceps curls, lunges, chest flyes and overhead presses -- with these resistance bands.


"Earth's north magnetic pole is drifting away from North America and toward Siberia at such a clip that Alaska might lose its spectacular Northern Lights in the next 50 years, scientists said Thursday.
Despite accelerated movement over the past century, the possibility that Earth's modestly fading magnetic field will collapse is remote. But the shift could mean Alaska may no longer see the sky lights known as auroras, which might then be more visible in more southerly areas of Siberia and Europe.
The magnetic poles are part of the magnetic field generated by liquid iron in Earth's core and are different from the geographic poles, the surface points marking the axis of the planet's rotation.
Scientists have long known that magnetic poles migrate and in rare cases, swap places. Exactly why this happens is a mystery."


by Oliver LaMère
retold by Richard L. Dieterle
When the villagers found out about this they went hunting for the raccoon. As hard as he tried, Raccoon could not control his laughter, and soon the villagers found him. After they shot him dead, they took his hide and fastened it to a tree trunk.
Commentary. "fell into the lake" — raccoons have the odd habit of taking their prey and "washing" them in water before eating them. (Few scientists actually believe that they are washing their food, but just what they are doing is a subject of speculation.) Thus the raccoon causes many other animals to take an unwilling bath, in a way that looks like a cruel joke.
"Raccoon could not control his laughter" — in contemporary America, raccoons are noted for the mischief they cause in invading trash cans to eat discarded food. They generally come out only in the dark when all humans are blind, but the noise they make in the course of this mischief usually gives them away, making it easy for hunters to dispatch them.
"a tree trunk" — ne other waiką associates tree trunks with raccoons. The association may derive at least partly from raccoons using the water that collects in tree stumps to emerse their food before eating it. However, there is probably much more to it.
Comparative Material: A Lakota story has some interesting similarities to our Hočąk tale. One day as Hare was wandering about, he encountered a solitary lodge that looked very much like an oak tree. There inside he found an old man who had gone completely blind. The grandfather told Hare that the Great Spirit had provided for him by giving him bags of food of the very best kind so that he would not be in want; furthermore, a rope path had been constructed to the lake, and another one out into the woods where firewood could be gathered. Hare thought this an idyllic life, and offered to trade his own eyes for the grandfather's lodge. The grandfather warned him, but Hare would not be dissuaded. So the two of them made the trade. Hare loved the easy and tasty food, but had to go to the lake to fetch some water. Unlike the old grandfather, Hare walked briskly and when he stumbled, he pulled half the rope down. Soon he was navigating without any guide and suddenly fell down a slippery slope into the lake. Later he went out to fetch firewood, but broke that rope too, and could not find his way back. So he called upon his brother, who could always hear him, for aid. His brother brought the grandfather back and the traded back again. The old man liked the bow and arrow, but was too feeble to easily use them and was glad to be back to his lodge in the oak tree.
The Hidatsa story replaces Raccoon with Coyote. One day Coyote was traveling about when he came across a lodge with a string attached to it leading down to the river bank. There he saw an old man fishing. Inside the lodge was another very old man sleeping. He soon discovered that both these men were blind. The man at the river caught a fish, but Coyote quietly scooped it up and brought it back to the lodge. The other man got up and began to prepare a kettle for the fish he found inside. Meanwhile, the other old man noticed his fish was missing. The second man told him that he had a fish, and that they could share it, but Coyote had taken the fish and eaten everything but the bones, which he threw back into the pot. When they took out the fish, they found only bones. Each accused the other of having eaten it. Coyote swatted each with a hot poker, and they were soon fighting one another. Eventually, they realized that they had been hit with a single stick, but by then Coyote had gone back to the village.
Stories: featuring raccoons as characters: The Abduction and Rescue of Trickster, The Were-fish, Lake Wąkšikhomįgra (Mendota): the Origin of Its Name, The Spirit of Maple Bluff, Bladder and His Brothers, The Raccoon Coat, Trickster and the Mothers; mentioning blind people: A Raccoon Tricks Four Blind Men, Hare Visits the Blind Men, The Raccoon Coat, Big Eagle Cave Mystery, The Roaster, Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle, Owl Goes Hunting.
Themes: blindness:The Raccoon Coat, A Raccoon Tricks Four Blind Men, Hare Visits the Blind Men, Big Eagle Cave Mystery, Thunderbird and White Horse; people are led astray by a raccoon: A Raccoon Tricks Four Blind Men, Bladder and His Brothers; people who can't see are misdirected: Trickster Eats the Laxative Bulb; a spirit tricks men into fighting one another: A Raccoon Tricks Four Blind Men, Hare Visits the Blind Men.
 Charles Edward Brown, Moccasin Tales (Madison, Wisc.: State Historical Museum, 1935) 4-5. Informant: Oliver LaMère of the Bear Clan.
 Zitkala-Ṣa, "Mastin, the Rabbit," Old Indian Legends (Lincoln: Univesity of Nebraska Press, 1901) 147-151.
 Mrs. Good Bear, "38. Coyote and Two Blind Men," in Martha Warren Beckwith, Mandan and Hidatsa Tales: Third Series (Poughkeepsie: Vassar College, 1934) 287.


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Decision-making problems in water resources are often associated with multiple objectives and multiple stakeholders. To enable more effective and acceptable decision outcome, it is required that more participation is ensured in the decision making process. This is particularly relevant for flood management problems where the number of stakeholders could be very large. Although application of multi-objective decision-making tools in water resources is very wide, application with the consideration of multiple stakeholders is much more limited. The solution methodologies adapted for multi-objective multi-participant decision problems are generally based on aggregation of decisions obtained for individual decision makers. This approach seems somewhat inadequate when the number of stakeholders is very large, as often is the case in flood management.
The present study has been performed to have an overview of existing solution methodologies for multi-objective decision making approaches in water resources. Decision making by single and multiple stakeholders has been considered under both deterministic and uncertain conditions. It has been found that the use of fuzzy set theory to represent various uncertainties associated with decision making situations under multi-objective multiple-participant environment is very promising. Coupled with multi-objective methods (e. g. compromise programming and goal programming), fuzzy approach has also the ability to support group decisions, to reflect collective opinions and conflicting judgments.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada
Overview, Multiple objectives, Multiple stakeholders, Decision-making, Flood management
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Akter, Taslima and Simonovic, Slobodan P., "A General Overview of Multi-objective Multiple-participant Decision Making for Flood Management" (2002). Water Resources Research Report. Book 4.


Contrary to what you may have heard, acne is not caused by dirty skin. Acne is caused by overactive oil glands in the skin and an accumulation of oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria, which leads to inflammation in pores.
Oil glands become stimulated when hormones become active during puberty, which is why people are likely to get acne in their teens. Because the tendency to develop acne is partly genetic, if other people in your family had (or have) acne, you may be more likely to develop it too.
Although there is no surefire way to prevent acne, try these tips to help reduce the number and severity of your breakouts:
Washing your skin is essential (it helps remove excess surface oils and dead skin cells that can clog your pores), but washing too much can actually cause damage by overdrying your skin or irritating existing acne.
Remember to wash after exercising because sweat can clog your pores and make your acne worse. If you work around greasy food or oil or if you've been sweating from heat or because you've been working hard, wash your face and other acne-prone areas as soon as possible.
If you use skin products, such as lotions or makeup, look for ones that are noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic, which means that they don't clog pores.
If you can't live without your hair spray or styling gel, be sure to keep them away from your face as much as possible. Many hair products contain oils that can make acne worse. Try to use water-based products.
If you get acne on areas such as your chest or back, avoid wearing tight clothes, which can rub and cause irritation.
For some people, over-the-counter (OTC) products work to help clear up acne. It may take some time to find one that works best for you — some may not do the trick and others may cause irritation. OTC acne products come in different strengths. The most popular and effective OTC acne-fighting ingredient is benzoyl peroxide. Another ingredient, salicylic acid, can help to dry up pimples.
If you find OTC products aren't working for you, it's best to seek a doctor's advice. A doctor can prescribe special gels or creams, pills, or a combination of both. It may feel a bit awkward or embarrassing to talk about your acne with someone, but your doctor is trained to help get your skin looking its best.
What about pimples you already have? It's tempting, but popping or squeezing a pimple usually won't get rid of the problem. Squeezing can actually push infected material and pus further into the skin, which can lead to more swelling and redness (not what you want before a big date!), and even scarring, which can be permanent.
If you're taking a prescription acne medication, finish your entire prescription even if your skin clears up, unless your dermatologist says you can stop. If you stop too early, there's a chance your skin could break out all over again.
Eating nutritious foods can help keep you healthy, of course, and your skin will benefit from getting enough vitamins and minerals. But the bottom line is that you don't need to be obsessive about what you eat or how often you wash your face to control acne. If you don't find an OTC product that works for you, talk to your doctor or a dermatologist for some advice on living through the acne years.


"The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (known as the FAFSA) is a form that can be prepared annually by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid (including the Pell Grant, Federal student loans and Federal Work-Study).
Despite its name, the application is not for a single federal program, being rather the gateway of consideration for:
- the nine federal student-aid programs
- the 605 state aid programs
- most of the institutional aid available" (Wikipedia)
A searchable list of the school codes used to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). From the U.S. Department of Education.
"Five federal agencies -- U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs -- have come together to create this single point of access for federal loan information on the Web." Browse or search for loans for farming, businesses, students, disaster relief, and more. Includes a glossary of loan terms and links to additional resources."
This site from the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid (FSA) program describes funding and loan repayment considerations relating to attending schools from elementary through graduate. Also find information about preparing for college, selecting a school, and applying to a program. Provides information for students, parents, and counselors. Available in English and Spanish. Searchable.
Shelf Location: Reference LB 2337.4S3536 2010-2012
Shelf Location: Reference LB 2337.2 M663 2010-2012
Shelf Location: Reference LB 2337.2 M667 2010-2012
Shelf Location: Reference LB 2338 S35 2012
Provides information on financial aid for the student who is completing high school; who is starting or is already enrolled in post-secondary education; who is a graduate student, a post-graduate student, a researcher, or a student of law, medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine.
Shelf Location: General Collection LB 2338 T36 2012
Resource center for re-entry and nontraditional students, with lots of information about everything from choosing a college to using academic reference materials.
"National Security Education Program (NSEP) is a unique scholarship opportunity for U.S. undergraduates to gain knowledge of languages and cultures in areas of the world less frequently studied."
A free website for finding scholarships. This requires an extensive registration.
This scholarship application site is for currently enrolled Truman students to apply for scholarships that will be awarded in subsequent semesters at Truman.
Peterson's Undergraduate Financial Aid Database is a comprehensive source of information about college- administered financial aid sources for undergraduate students. The data elements included describe the kinds of aid these students receive at a given institution, and how much aid of each type—need- based and non-need based (specific characteristics, special talents, or achievements)—is typically awarded, as well as self-help options like work-study jobs and various college-administered loan programs. Also included are data describing aid awarded to the entering freshman class and undergraduate international students. Required financial aid forms and filing deadlines, notification dates, and reply deadlines are also contained in this database.
This site has information for Truman students about automatic scholarships; competitive scholarships and scholarship renewal.
Features information about the programs, scholarships, and member colleges of this "minority higher education assistance organization." Include a timeline of the organization, information about scholarships for students attending historically Black colleges and universities, and profiles of member colleges (browsable by name and discipline).
Tel: (660) 785-7417
= Restricted resource
= Some full text
= OpenURL enabled
= Video files
= Audio files


There's big doings down there in Corvallis, Oregon as Oregon State University begins construction on an ambitious $5 million facility to test a "hot" new nuclear technology. Although a number of new tech designs incorporating small size and passive water-cooled systems - making them meltdown-proof - have been tested (and Corvallis spinoff NuScale has reportedly begun marketing such modular systems), the design this facilty will test is a new "superhot" version, cooled by helium.
Operating temperature is about 2000 degrees; three times hotter than other nuke plants, but the design precludes meltdowns while producing electricity some 50% more efficiently than current alternatives - with half the waste. Moreover, than can also produce hydrogen for fuel cells, and efficiently desalinate water.
And the apocalyptic Greenies will love this part: it produces zero "greenhouse gas" emissions. Better yet, the system's being built in Newberg, Oregon. Sort of like "farm to fork" science. Think of the reduction in "carbon footprint" achieved by buying locally!
There is one teeny problem: the planet's running out of helium, and man-made global warming aside, we're presently too cold to make more of the stuff. If this tech takes off, we may need to send robot ships off-planet to capture and return more.


The formation of counties was one of the first matters attended to by the Lords Proprietors  after they received their charter in 1663 from King Charles II for the vast tract of land in America he called the province of Carolina. In 1664 the Proprietors formed "all that parte of the province which lyeth on the north east side or starboard side entering of the river Chowan now named by us Albemarle River together with the Islands and Isletts within tenn leagues thereof" into a county that they named Albemarle County  for George Monck, the duke of Albemarle, himself one of the Proprietors. This was the site of the first permanent settlement in Carolina. They then divided the new county into four precincts: Currituck , Perquimans , Pasquotank , and Chowan . Albemarle County was subsequently enlarged, and in 1696 the area south of Albemarle Sound was removed from Albemarle and made into a new county, named Bath, which in turn was divided into the precincts of Beaufort , Hyde , Craven  and Carteret .
The primary reason for establishing counties (or precincts) was to provide local seats of government where citizens could record documents, such as deeds or wills, and participate in court proceedings. At the same time, the sheriff was provided with a home base from which to fulfill his basic responsibilities of collecting taxes and maintaining law and order.
By 1738 Albemarle and Bath Counties had been dissolved and the 14 precincts then in existence became counties, a designation that has remained since the seventeenth century. Throughout the remainder of the colonial period, as settlement spread westward and population increased, older counties were divided and new ones formed. With statehood came an even greater rate of growth, and by 1800 the number had risen to 59 counties covering all of the state. In many cases, the dividing of counties caused heated political controversy, as eastern counties were often divided to maintain that region's majority in the state legislature against expanding representation from the piedmont and mountain regions. Shifts in population continued throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century, resulting in even more counties. Larger counties were divided, and those in turn were sometimes divided yet again, until the seemingly magical figure of 100 was reached in 1911. (For a time, the number of counties was actually greater than 100, but some of these were ceded to Tennessee in 1789 and others were absorbed into other counties or never fully developed.) The number remained at 100, although in 1933 the General Assembly authorized the consolidation of existing counties subject to approval of the electorate. This could have resulted for the first time in a decrease from the 100 county figure, but as of the early 2000s there had been no such consolidations.
Initially, county government and judicial matters were in the hands of justices of the peace , who formed a body known as the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions . The justices were appointed by the governor, with strong input from the members of the colonial Assembly from the affected county, leaving the average citizen with no say as to who would run the government of the county in which he lived. At first the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions met wherever it was convenient to assemble a quorum, usually in a private home. A 1722 act of the Assembly instructed the justices to pick a site for a permanent seat of government for each precinct, where they were to buy an acre of land and build a courthouse. Whether in the early precinct days, or after the name of the local government entity was changed from precinct to county, the justices had the support of a sheriff for law enforcement, as well as a clerk of court and a register of deeds. Of the three, both the clerk of court and the register of deeds needed to remain in their offices in the courthouse, which left only the sheriff free to travel about the county. Accordingly, he was also designated tax collector, a position sheriffs continued to hold until the latter part of the twentieth century.
The general system of county government of the early colonial period, with the appointed members of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions running things, was carried over into statehood, and little changed until the adoption of the North Carolina Constitution of 1868 . The system called for by the new constitution, known as the Township and County Commissioner Plan, gave control of county government to five commissioners, to be elected at large by the county's voters. In addition, each county was divided into townships whose residents elected two justices to serve as the township's governing body, as well as a three-member school committee and a constable. The new system significantly reduced the General Assembly's control of county government, since the legislators no longer appointed the justices of the peace who made up the county court.
The Township and County Commissioner Plan, patterned after one previously adopted in Pennsylvania, did not prove universally popular in North Carolina and lasted less than a decade. At a constitutional convention in 1875, the General Assembly was authorized to change the system, and in the session of 1877 townships were reduced to little more than geographic and administrative subdivisions of the counties. This seriously reduced the authority of county commissioners.
The modern system of county government, in which an elected board of commissioners is responsible for managing a county's affairs, including setting the rate and collecting taxes and determining where funds should be expended, dates to the early twentieth century. Periodically after that, the General Assembly  conferred additional authority and responsibility on the county commissioners, until at the end of the century they had been provided with such a wide range of "home-rule" statutes that many counties found it impossible to run their greatly expanded business without professional help. This led to the adoption by many counties of the County Manager Plan. Under this plan, commissioners employ a county manager to serve as a sort of chief executive of the county business-in some instances, the largest business in the county-with the manager having certain independent authority, including that of hiring and firing employees.
As with other matters, the state determines what sources the counties may tap for income. Traditionally, the real estate  tax has been the primary revenue source for North Carolina counties. However, especially in the last half of the twentieth century, counties were able to prevail on the General Assembly to let them collect from a variety of other sources, among those favored being local sales taxes, land transfer taxes, meals taxes, and occupancy taxes.
A. Fleming Bell, ed., County Government in North Carolina (3rd ed., 1989).
David LeRoy Corbitt, The Formation of the North Carolina Counties, 1663-1943 (1969).
1 January 2006 | Stick, David


European Painting before 1900, Johnson Collection
Triptych showing scenes from the Martyrdom of Saint Barbara and scenes from the Life of Christ
Master of the Laufen High Altarpiece, Austrian (active Salzburg), dated work 1467
Oil and gold on panels
EW1993-127-2a--cPurchased with the W. P. Wilstach Fund, the George W. Elkins Fund, and Museum funds, 1993
As described in The Golden Legend, written in about 1267 by Jacopo da Voragine, Saint Barbara converted to Christianity against the wishes of her pagan father. Locked in a tower by him, she ordered workmen to construct a third window inthe building to symbolize the Christian trinity. Enraged, her father turned her over to the Roman authorities for torture, and when her execution was ordered,he himself beheaded her. The left and right panels on the front of this triptychillustrate episodes from Barbara’s gruesome martyrdom.
These graphic depictions are intended to help the viewer equate Barbara’s physical torments with those of Christ, whose crucifixion is depicted in the top center composition. The figures at the top left and right, probably the apostles John and Luke, hold sayings taken from the last words of Christ on the cross, which here apply also to Barbara’s death. The bottom center panel shows Barbara enthroned in heaven, wearing a crown and holding a palm frond as symbols of victory over death. A tower and chalice, her identifying attributes, appear nearby.
Barbara’s martyrdom is paralleled on the reverse by the resurrected Christ standing in the tomb. The left and right panels of the back, which are movable and can be folded shut to appear on the front, show the angel Gabriel announcing the incarnation of Christ to the Virgin Mary.
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* Works in the collection are moved off view for many different reasons. Although gallery locations on the website are updated regularly, there is no guarantee that this object will be on display on the day of your visit.


Phlebotomy training is necessary for those individuals who want to develop specialized skills in order to collect blood from the patient with least amount of pain. Phlebotomy training is relatively new specialized procedure for collecting blood from the veins. The demand for trained phlebotomist grew within last two decades. Phlebotomy classes learning has made the procedure of blood collection a very safe and sterile method. Phlebotomy training is very important for those who are willing to get an extremely good job in a reputed hospital, research laboratories, research institutes, etc. This training involves providing guidance for handling and controlling biohazardous materials such as blood sample, unused sterile needles and used needles. Phlebotomy training is all about collecting, testing and transporting the blood samples with getting them spoiled.
Phlebotomy training classes
In Phlebotomy training, the students learns in detail about the human anatomy, creating patient rapport, needle technique, medical safety and the process of keeping the records. In addition to the theoretical knowledge, the student is also given practical training about handling several medical equipments including container of biohazardous waste containers, biohazardous spill kits, syringes of various sizes, dermal puncture devices, vacuum tubes, blood culture bottles, bandages, tapes, tourniquets, looking arm rest, etc. This kind of training can be done in the same way as other medical training programs. Phlebotomy training can be done as 4 year bachelors degree or a two year associate degree. Some hospitals, community colleges, research institutes also provide vocational programs from Phlebotomy training.
Phlebotomy Training : Work and Salary
After taking Phlebotomy training along with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a person may get $10 per hour and this amount of salary increases with time and experience of the phlebotomist. It can be up to $30 per hour. The salary figure after a Phlebotomy training depends on the kind of job and the place the person is working on.
Details of Phlebotomy training
Phlebotomy training is done in order to become a certified phlebotomist. Phlebotomy certification is the best certification for a person seeking a good career in hospital field in which a person can help reduce the pain of the patient in taking blood out of patient’s body. It is done through venipuncture. Venipuncture is the process of collecting venous blood which is through anti cubital vein of the forearm. Depending on the test, almost five to six millimeters of blood is extracted from the patient. To take this training there are certain requirements which has to be fulfilled by the candidate. The very basic requirement includes high school graduate or GED. But there a certain other requirements which depends on the institution a person is applying for. The time limit for the training varies from state to state but the basic time limit is mainly 2 to 4 months of sincere training. During the Phlebotomy training, the candidate must do at least 100 unassisted blood withdrawals. Along with blood withdrawals, different uses of instruments are also taught. The candidate must take an entrance test after the training so that the candidate can take phlebotomy certification. Phlebotomy training comprises of theoretical as well as clinical interaction.


Women who experienced a short but severe decrease in their food intake during the 1944–1945 Dutch famine have an increased risk of breast cancer compared with women whose caloric intake was not as greatly affected, according to a study in the April 7 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Several animal studies have found that reducing caloric intake by one-third to one-half for the animals' lifetime prevents various types of cancer, but the implications of short-term caloric restriction are largely unknown. However, reproducing these types of studies in humans raises ethical and practical issues.
During World War II, a famine in the western part of The Netherlands resulted from a food embargo imposed by German authorities. Between 1983 and 1986, about 15,000 women participating in a Dutch breast cancer screening program who were between ages 2 and 33 during the 1944–1945 famine responded to a questionnaire about their famine experience. Sjoerd G. Elias, Ph.D., of the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care at the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands, and colleagues used data gathered from these women to study the effects of the famine on subsequent breast cancer risk.
Women were given a famine exposure score--absent, moderate, or severe exposure to famine--based on information about hunger, cold, and weight loss. The risk of breast cancer increased with increasing severity of famine exposure. For example, women who experienced severe exposure to famine had a 48% increased risk of breast cancer compared with women who were not affected by the famine. The association between famine exposure and breast cancer risk was highest among women who were between ages 2 and 9 during the famine compared with women exposed at older ages. The risk was also stronger among women who never gave birth compared with women who had children.
Although a mechanism for the increased breast cancer risk among women exposed to short-term famine is unknown, the authors suggest that several endocrine systems may adapt to the extreme conditions of the famine, particularly while such systems are developing in young children, and are consequently inadequately developed to respond to a much higher caloric intake later on in life.
"Although the 1944–1945 famine is a black page in Dutch history, it provides a unique situation in which to study the long-term consequences of a short but severe famine in humans," the authors write.
Source: Eurekalert & othersLast reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 21 Feb 2009
Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.
It's so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to.
-- Annie Gottlier


← Hinduism Test
5 Written Questions
5 Matching Questions
- Rig Veda
- a a collection of over two hundred texts composed of between 900 and 200 BC that provide philosophical commentary to the Vedas
- b pleasure, especially sensual love; one of the four goals of life.
- c a collections of 1, 017 Sanskrit hymns composed about 1500BC earlier; Hinduism's oldest text.
- d the lowest of the four classes of the caste system, traditionally made up of servants and laborers.
- e a wandering ascetic who has advanced to the fourth and highest stage of life.
5 Multiple Choice Questions
- an incarnation, or living embodiment, or a deity, usually Vishnu, who is sent to earth to accomplish a divine purpose; Krishna and Rama are the most popular avatars.
- the third of the four classes of the caste system, traditionally made up of producers, such as farmers, merchants, and artisans.
- the eternal essence of reality and the source of the universe, beyond the reach of human perception and thought.
- traditional division of Hindu society into various categories; there are four main varnas; or classes:Brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, and shudra; each class contains certain subgroups, resulting in more than three thousand categories.
- the moral law of cause and effect of actions; determines the nature of one's reincarnation.
5 True/False Questions
bhakti marga → - the most popular of the three Hindu paths to salvation, emphasizing loving devotion to one's chosen god or goddess.
dharma → the moral law of cause and effect of actions; determines the nature of one's reincarnation.
sati → cosmic illusion brought about by divine creative power.
brahmin → the highest of the four classes of the caste system, traditionally made up of priests.
Atman → pleasure, especially sensual love; one of the four goals of life.


Wisps Before Craters
January 31, 2011
Saturn's ''wispy'' moon Dione lies in front of the cratered surface of the moon Tethys, as seen by the Cassini spacecraft.
Dione is closest to the spacecraft here. At the top of the image, the bright ''wispy'' fractures are visible on Dione (1,123 kilometers, or 698 miles, across). See Dione's Icy Wisps and Highest Resolution View of Dione to learn more. Beyond wispy Dione, the large crater Penelope can be seen near the equator of Tethys (1,062 kilometers, or 660 miles, across). See Penelope Crater for a closer view of Penelope.
Lit terrain seen here is on the trailing hemispheres of the two moons. The image was taken in visible red light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Dec. 6, 2010.
The view was obtained at a distance of approximately 2.1 million kilometers (1.3 million miles) from Dione and at a Sun-Dione-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 75 degrees.
The view was obtained at a distance of approximately 2.2 million kilometers (1.4 million miles) from Tethys and at a Sun-Tethys-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 75 degrees. Scale in the original image was 12 kilometers (7 miles) per pixel on Dione and 13 kilometers (8 miles) per pixel on Tethys. The image was contrast enhanced and magnified by a factor of two to enhance the visibility of surface features.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo.
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute


Opossums are marsupial (carries its young in a pouch). They breed in late January or early February (some will breed again in May). Females have one to two litters per year. The average litter size is seven to eight young. The female gives birth to underdeveloped young approximately 13 days after mating. At this stage, the young are about the size of a bumblebee and they must crawl to their mother's pouch where they continue to develop. Young opossums leave the pouch when they are two to three months old but remain near the female so that they can return to her pouch to nurse. By the time they are three months old, they will be weaned and on their own. The ones you found sound like they are recently weaned and on their own (about 3 months old). Sometimes the young will buddy up together for awhile after the female has weaned them and they are on their own. The female is probably not still in the garage, but you could just use a broom to Gently direct her out the door if she's still there. They hiss and show all of their teeth, but opossums are pretty much all show.


Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Search native plant database:
Marcus, Joseph A.
Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth
Yellow bells, Yellowbells, Esperanza, Yellow trumpetbush, Yellow trumpetflower, Trumpetbush, Trumpetflower, Yellow elder
USDA Symbol: test
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
Esperanza or Yellow bells is an irregularly shaped, deciduous shrub, normally 3-6 ft. tall in the US but more southerly varieties can reach 9 ft. It has several stems and slender, erect branches. Clusters of large, trumpet-shaped, yellow flowers are very showy against the lance-shaped, olive-green leaves. Long, thin pods are conspicuous in autumn. It has an enormous natural range, extending from south Texas west to Arizona and south through Mexico and Central America to South America as far as northern Argentina, as well as in southern Florida south through much of the Caribbean. Plants native to the southwestern US and adjacent Mexico are Tecoma stans var. angustata, which is shorter, more drought-tolerant, and more cold-tolerant than some of the tropical varieties sold in nurseries.
Anyone who has seen this plant in bloom can understand why one of its names is Yellow bells, as it produces great, attention-grabbing, yellow blossoms. In recent years, it has become a popular landscaping plant, valued as much for its drought-tolerance as for its spectacular appearance.
Bloom InformationBloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov
AZ , FL , NM , TX Native Distribution:
South-central Texas west to Arizona, south through Mexico and Central America to South America as far as northern Argentina. Southern Florida south through the Caribbean. Native Habitat:
High elevations, hillsides, slopes, canyons USDA Native Status: L48(N), HI(I), PR(N), VI(N)
Growing ConditionsWater Use:
Low Light Requirement:
Sun , Part Shade Soil Moisture:
Dry CaCO3 Tolerance:
High Drought Tolerance:
High Cold Tolerant:
Well drained, rocky, limestone, sand, and loam soils Conditions Comments:
North American native
varieties of this species can survive winters within their natural range but may die to the ground during especially harsh winters even there. Varieties sold in nurseries may be from tropical stock and not do so well in US cold. Yellow bells is drought tolerant and Southwestern varieties are adapted to monsoon rains with dry spells between. They may flower better if such conditions are emulated in planned landscapes, so allow ground to dry out between waterings. It is tolerant of confinement if containers are at least 12 inches in diameter and thus makes a good potted specimen.
A showy, attractive, long-blooming accent shrub
for rock gardens, perennial
gardens, and other home landscapes within its range Use Wildlife:
Nectar-insects, bees, hummingbirds. Seeds-Small mammals. Leaves-browsed by mammals. Conspicuous Flowers:
Butterflies , Hummingbirds Larval Host:
Dogface butterfly Nectar Source:
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
PropagationPropagation Material: Seeds , Softwood Cuttings
Seed Collection: Collect late summer to fall after pods are no longer green.
Seed Treatment: Air dry at room temperature to store over winter. Sow soon after harvest in loose, moist-but-not-soggy, fine soil for quick germination.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Cut back to the ground if dies back in winter. Prune and pinch spent flowers and pods to encourage blooming and bushiness.
From the National Suppliers Directory
According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:
Hill Country Natives
- Leander, TX
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Austin, TXSibley Nature Center
- Midland, TXNative Plant Society of Texas
- Fredericksburg, TXTexas Parks and Wildlife Department
- Austin, TXNPSOT - Fredericksburg Chapter
- Fredericksburg, TXNPSOT - Austin Chapter
- Austin, TXNational Butterfly Center
- Mission, TXNative Seed Network
- Corvallis, ORNPSOT - Williamson County Chapter
- Georgetown, TX, TX
Herbarium Specimen(s)NPSOT 0684
Collected Nov 22, 1993 in Bexar County by Mike Fox
Recommended Species Lists
Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
View Recommended Species page
Record Modified: 2010-11-08
Research By: LAL, LAS, GDG


It's been said often enough that Hindus celebrate everything. So they do. The birth of gods, death of asuras, victory of the gods, marriage of the gods, the new year, new months, full moons, new moons, harvests, birthdays, initiations, marriages, deaths, anniversaries - you name the event, and it is reason for music, dance, processions, and what have you.
And there is the religious bit lurking behind it all. The reasons for this lie deep, in the origin of Hinduism as an organic religion. Its followers have over time considered anything, animate or inanimate, to be sacred and aspects of divinity.
That is also why even secular events like harvests take on religious overtones, with the patron deity presiding over the festivities. As soon as something happens, there is a kind of thanksgiving to the divine that follows it.
Apart from the universally celebrated festivals like Dussehra, Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi, there are others that are observed in specific communities or geographical areas. Hindu holidays are also confined to particular regions by the importance a certain god enjoys.
Worship of Kartikeya (as during the festival of Skanda Shashti) is predominant in Tamil Nadu, where the god is considered a patron of the region. Onam is a good example of a festival that is celebrated solely by Keralites. Another interesting aspect of Onam is that it is perhaps the only major Hindu festival that celebrates the reign of an asura king, although a benevolent one.
The profusion of legends and the contradictions inherent in them is reflected in festivals too. Travel around the country, and you will hear people tell you a variety of legends involving different gods behind a single festival. Besides, you will also find versions of the same festival being celebrated under different names in different regions.
All this adds that facet of unending novelty and constant change to the strikingly colorful kaleidoscope that is India. You might end up thinking the thought: "The more things change, the more they remain the same", which is something often said about India and its magical agelessness.
With so many holy days and more than 20 major Hindu festivals, the calendar should be liberally sprinkled with them. But it isn't so. There is a distinct festival season, which runs from late August through December. This is when there is a fever of celebrations, with a string of important festivals following one another in a rush.
But the major festivals are not the only ones that the people celebrate. Browse through the Hindu almanac, and you will find a mention of holiness or sacredness against almost every day of the year. Most of the lesser festivals are lesser because they have a private rather than public face. There are rituals for phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, days of the week, a person's auspicious star or zodiac sign.
|11||Thursday||Bikrami Samvat (Hindu New Year)|
|13||Monday||Akshaya Tritiya/ Akha Teej|
|21||Wednesday||Rakhi / Raksha Bandhan|
|28||Wednesday||Sri Krishna Janmashtami|
|11||Friday||Durga Puja Begins|
|06||Wednesday||Chhath Puja Begins (Nahai Khai)|
|08||Friday||Chhath Puja Ends (Suryodaya Argh)|


|Plot Summary of Little Women |
|"Little Women is the story of four young girls Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy who grow into being young women during the civil war. The girls are especially self sufficent for the times on their own with their mother. The novel focuses on their growing up and the loss of innocence at the death of Beth. Jo rejects the next door neighbor as a husband and he becomes Amy's husband. "
Daniela Lo Presti, Resident Scholar
|"The four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, struggle against poverty with their Marmee while their father is away serving as a doctor during the Civil War.
The story charts the childhood games, whims, and lessons of four young girls becoming young women. Jo faces many obstacles familiar to all of us--saying goodbye to her sister Meg when she gets married, saying goodbye to her sister Beth, who dies young, and striving to become something great in the world--a famous writer."
Megan E. Davis, Resident Scholar
|"Little Men is the follow-up to Louisa May Alcott's book, Little Women. At the end of Little Women, Jo March inherits her Aunt March's estate, Plumfield. With the help her husband, a German professor, she turns the building into a school. The school has both rich pupils whose parents pay tuition, and pupils taken in a charity cases. Of course, all are treated with the same respect.
Some of the main characters include the sensitive Nat, tough Dan, saintly Daisy, wise Demi, and beautiful Bess. Fans of Little Women will enjoy learning about the children of some that books characters: Daisy and Demi are Meg's children, and Bess is Amy and Laurie's daughter. There is no overriding conflict besides trying to keep the boys in some kind of order and to educate them.
Katy Pape, Resident Scholar
|"Little Women is the story of four march sisters, Jo, Beth, Meg and Amy who struggle against poverty with their Marmee and grow into reponsible young women, while their father is away working as a doctor during the civil war.
The girls show their self sufficience during this period with their mother. This story charts the childhood games, whims and lessons of the four young girls into becoming young women.
Jo faces many challenges from bidding her sister Meg bye when she gets married, saying a painfull bye to her sister Beth who dies young and striving to become someone great who is a famous writer."
TEDDY MOGAKA, Resident Scholar
|" Four sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy - grow up living in poverty, but their family is far more tightly knit and loving than most. The book explores the sisters' relationship with their mother (Marmee), their home-from-the-war father, each other, and friends and acquaintances who are much wealthier than they. Alcott explores the chasm between rich and poor of the era through the friendship of the Alcott's next-door neighbor, Laurie, a boy about Jo's age who becomes her best friend and the means through which two of her sisters find love. "
Cindy Dashnaw, Resident Scholar
|Review Analysis of Little Women |
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Tone of book?
- very sensitive (sigh)
Time/era of story
- 19th century
Family, loving relations
Special relationship with
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
GROUP of women story?
- a teen
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
- Average intelligence
- average physique
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 4 ()
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- No single main character?
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog


Vocalisation has been recognised as one of the important modes of animal communication. In one anabantoid fish, the croaking gourami Trichopsis vittata, both sexes produce loud, croaking sounds during agonistic encounters and courtship. It is known that sound emission of this fish is mostly involved with the ritualised portion of the contest, which is likely to convey information between the opponents about their respective strength and status. The sound is produced by a complex mechanism that involves two modified tendons, located behind each pectoral fin. Due to the external position of these soft structures, parasites, sickness, or injury from fights can easily damage the tendons, leading to muteness. Reduction or even loss of the croaking ability may result in a substantial decreasing of the overall fitness. Experiments were designed to test whether or not croaking gouramis can repair damaged tendons and regain fully functional sound producing organs, as well as to evaluate the effect of muting and recovery on the outcomes of agonistic interactions. Fishes were muted by surgically cutting one or both the tendons that connect the "sonic'' muscle with the fin rays. The occurrence and timing of recovery was evaluated for 30 specimens of T. vittata after surgical muting. Croaking sounds produced by the fish were recorded during staged contests after recovery. Sound from each specimen was previously recorded before and after muting as well, for comparison. The elapsed time of reconnection of each tendon to the relative fin ray was also recorded. Some fishes were found to recover completely within less than 30 days, while others needed up to three months. However, evidence for the beginning of the recovery process was noticed as early as 4 days after operation. Behavioural performance after recovery was normal. Details of sounds produced and changes of behavioural repertoires are discussed (supported by National Organization for Hearing Research, NIMH-58198, Institute of Museum and Library Service-LL90187).
Nicola Novarini, Tomonari Akamatsu & Hong Y. Yan (2002). Effects of muting and recovery on sound production in the croaking gourami Trichopsis vittata (Pisces: Anabantoidei) [abstract]. Bioacoustics 13(2): 202-203


Yet the experience of that year was not lost. It was the first instance of a company of settlers in that northern climate passing the winter without illness, discord or trouble with the Indians. Later, in the little new settlements of Quebec and Montreal, some of the colonists met again under the wise and kindly rule of Champlain. Little Helene lived to bring her own roses to a garden in New France, and teach Indian girls the secrets which old Jacqueline taught her. And it is recorded in the history of the voyageurs, priests and adventurers of France in the New World that wherever they went they were apt to take with them seeds and plants of wholesome garden produce, which they planted along their route in the hope that they might thus be of service to those who came after them.
Amsterdam’s the cradle
where the race was rocked—
All the ships of all the world to her harbor flocked.
Rosy with the sea-wind, solid, stubborn, sweet,
Played the children by canals, up and down the street.
Neltje, Piet and Hendrik, Dirck and Myntje too,—
Little Nick of Leyden sailed his wooden shoe.
“Quarter-deck and cabin—rig
Thus he murmured wisely as he launched his craft.
“Cutlass, pike and musquetoun, howitzer and shot—
But our knives and mirrors and beads are worth the lot.”
Room enough for cargo to last a year or two,
In the round amidships of a wooden shoe!
Bobbing on the waters of the
See the bantam galleot, short and broad and high.
Laden for the Indies, trading all the way,
Frank and shrewd and cautious, fiery in a fray,—
Sagamore and mandarin are all the same to you,
Little Nick of Leyden with your wooden shoe!
THE FIRES THAT TALKED
All along the coast of Britain, from John o’ Groat’s to Beachey Head, from Saint Michael’s Mount to Cape Wrath, twinkled the bonfires on the headlands. Henry Hudson, returning from a voyage among icebergs, guessed at once what this chain of lights meant. The son of Mary Queen of Scots had been crowned in London.
Hudson’s keen eyes were unusually grave and thoughtful as the Muscovy Duck sailed up to London Pool on the incoming tide. The sailors looked even more sober, for most of them were English Protestants, with a few Flemings, and John Williams the pilot was an Anabaptist. It was he who asked the question of which all were thinking.