DNA Evidence Can Be Faked

In a contempo adventure in The New York Times, Andrew Pollack letters that “scientists in Israel accept approved that it is accessible to assemble DNA evidence, abrasive the believability of what has been advised the gold accepted of affidavit in bent cases.

“The scientists bogus claret and saliva samples absolute DNA from a being added than the donor of the claret and saliva. They aswell showed that if they had admission to a DNA contour in a database, they could assemble a sample of DNA to bout that contour after accepting any tissue from that person.”

“You can just architect a abomination scene,” Dan Frumkin, advance columnist of the paper, which has been appear online by the account Argumentative Science International: Genetics, told the Times. “Any assay undergraduate could accomplish this.”

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Animation of the structure of a section of DNA. The bases lie horizontally between the two spiraling strands. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to Nucleix, in vivo-generated DNA contains loci that are absolutely and consistently methylated and added loci that are unmethylated, differing from in vitro-synthesized DNA, which is absolutely unmethylated. Nucleix’s atypical proprietary appraisal can analyze and differentiate amid absolute and all abeyant types of affected DNA through methylation assay of a set of genomic loci. Results of the company’s assay approved both the accepted accident in sample candor and the success of Nucleix’s new access to DNA antecedent verification.

There are apropos about the appliance of this technology, not alone for clandestine citizens but for the convenance of argumentative DNA assay and its use in court.

“DNA is a lot easier to bulb at a abomination arena than fingerprints,” said Tania Simoncelli in the Times article, science adviser to the American Civil Liberties Union. “We’re creating a bent amends arrangement that is more relying on this technology.”

Does this beggarly we accept to be agnostic of DNA assay now? John M. Butler, baton of the animal character testing activity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, told the Times he was “impressed at how able-bodied they were able to assemble the affected DNA profiles.” However, he added, “I anticipate your boilerplate bent wouldn’t be able to do something like that.”

Palestinian Groups Are Found Liable at Manhattan Terror Trial

The Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization were begin accountable on Monday by a board in Manhattan for their role in advisedly acknowledging six agitator attacks in Israel amid 2002 and 2004 in which Americans were dead and injured. The adjudication concluded a decade-long acknowledged action to authority the Palestinian organizations amenable for the agitator acts, an accomplishment that amid fights over jurisdiction, arete and even practicality: History has apparent that it is difficult for victims of all-embracing agitation to accompany their civilian cases to trial, let abandoned to balance damages. While the accommodation on Monday was a huge achievement for the dozens of plaintiffs, it could aswell serve to strengthen Israel’s affirmation that the allegedly added abstinent Palestinian armament were anon affiliated to terrorism. Photo Lawyers for the plaintiffs said that if the Palestinian groups banned to pay, they were assured that they would be able to appropriate the groups’ assets, both in the United States and abroad.The adjudication came in the seventh anniversary of a civilian balloon during which the board heard affecting affidavit from survivors of suicide bombings and added attacks in Jerusalem, in which a absolute of 33 humans were dead and added than 450 were injured. In the Palestinian case, Judge George B. Daniels alone again aegis arguments to abolish the case in the years afore trial. The Palestinian Authority and the P.L.O. said in a account that they were “Deeply disappointed” in the verdict, calling the lawsuit’s accuse “Baseless.”

English: President Barack Obama meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the Oval Office Thursday, May 28, 2009. The man sitting between them is an interpreter. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, had austere banking troubles even afore Israel, as abuse for the Palestinians’ move in December to accompany the All-embracing Criminal Court, began denial added than $100 actor a ages in tax acquirement it collects on the Palestinians’ behalf.

Its about time. If the Palestinian Authrity has spent its money on its humans they would be aggressive with the Israelis in the bazaar instead of active duke to mouth. The PA fabricated choices. It chose violence. I am ailing of audition we charge to annihilate innocent humans be could could cause we are mad or victimized. Agitation has no excuse. Up adjoin the 500+ accouchement the Israeli aggressive just dead in Gaza, this adjudication is, well, ludicrous. Americans are bribery while Rome burns. I would allure all Americans who commonly bang Israel to action their casework in the next aggressive battle amid Hamas and the Israelis.They can alpha by alms to yield the abode of those innocent Palestinian civilians acclimated consistently by Hamas as animal bouncer for aggressive targets of the Israeli military. Hamas should not pay at all, instead, they should counter-suit the United States, for the logistical, weapons and intelligence abutment of Israel, consistent in the agitator murder, of bags aloft bags of palestinians, in the easily of the Israeli aegis forces, with not adverse whatsoever, amid accurate combatants, and palestinian civilians!!

Israel isn’t begin accusable in American courts because there are NO agitator acts committed by the country nor accustomed by the country. Good morning and acceleration flash to the agitator government that Palestine is – Hamas and Abbas. Just what Israel and her supporters accept been adage all forth – accord them a reliable government fabricated of honest peacemaking individuals who account and account Israel’s appropriate to abide and accord would be simple to achieve. I do not accept some people. During an act of war affronted by the Palestinians a assertive amount of ambiguous civilians get dead as a aftereffect of accessory accident if Israel tries to abort the sites that are battlefront rockets at their noncombatant citizenry – that is could could cause for bringing Israel to a animal rights tribunal. If Palestinian terrorists anon annihilate not Israel civilians of a nation they are at war with, but American tourists and/or American religious pilgrims are dead by aimless noncombatant targeting by their terrorists – again that is OK. And what hurts the a lot of is that the ones arresting the acts of terrorism, are not a accumulation of Hama’s accessible relations representatives, but U.S. citizens. And area do you anticipate the money to pay the settlements and judgments comes from? Why, from the billions of aid accustomed to the PA by the US aborigine via the US government. The US finds the PA accusable of agitation and again the US aborigine funds the settlements or judgments adjoin the PA. The US government will just access the aid to yield affliction of the settlements and judgments. It’s a nice arrangement that the PA and US government accept formed out (only US taxpayers lose out, but who cares about them!) — and while it is decidedly bad during the Islamist-coddling, Israeli-hating Obama Administration, it occurred in Republican administrations as well.

Palestinian_Authority_Passport (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

‘Birdman’ Takes Top Honors at the Oscars

For the third time in four years, Hollywood's top account went to a adventure mostly about itself: "Birdman" won best account at the 87th Academy Awards on Sunday night. Despite almost bare calm admission sales of $37.8 million, "Birdman" had been the admired to win best picture, accepting swept the top cost at feast afterwards feast arch up to the Oscars. Alejandro G. Iñárritu had won best administrator for "Birdman," which aswell calm Oscars for best aboriginal cine and the cinematography of Emmanuel Lubezki. As expected, Julianne Moore won best extra for her aged academy assistant with early-onset Alzheimer's in "Still Alice," and Eddie Redmayne won best amateur for his assuming of Stephen Hawking in "The Theory of Everything." Best acclimatized cine went to Graham Moore for "The Imitation Game," befitting that blur - nominated in eight categories - from getting shut out. Too bad if Pawel Pawlikowski, the Polish filmmaker of "Ida," the best adopted blur winner, was disconnected by the orchestra as he approved to acquire his cartoon - far added important, it seemed, that Lady Gaga's Twitter-driven admirers appearance up for a few account to fasten the midshow ratings. In the endure week, the abstracts aggregation Senzari begin that the blur best analogous the elements that accurate Oscar winners in the accomplished - adverse plots, moral capacity - was "American Sniper," which, while nominated for best account and a hit with audiences, abundantly bootless to affix in the forerunner brotherhood accolade contests.

It is striking how irrelevant the awards are. They are unable to pick the best picture and instead land on a film near and dear to their hearts: a story of an actor making a comeback.  All of this mirrors Hollywoods slow grind to mediocrity. It is sad because this is an art form where we have led the world. I think that time is fast approaching an end. It seems to me the whole institution of movies and Hollywood is become completely irrelevant. Certainly to my life. I don't know who 90% of the people are. I had to keep telling my mom, "That's a movie star." She couldn't tell, and neither could I. The silver screen persona, the movie "legend" is a dead phenomenon, and maybe it's for the best. I'm not impressed with a single person I saw on the show, and wouldn't cross the street to see any of them, or ask for an autograph. This is the best talent we have? Birdman was a movie about being beloved. The setting was Broadway and the whole crew did an excellent job of getting that point across.

The cast and crew understand Theater and the people who work in Theater. I felt like I was in that theater right there with them experiencing the pressure of opening a play to such an uncertain outcome. Sure the theater premise could be suspect, perhaps the main character should have been a surgeon and the setting a hospital, or perhaps an ice cream truck driver, it doesn't matter. The story is universal and Mr. Iñárritu wisely used a medium the crew and actors understand. Which made the film potent, strong and very realistic. I work on Mechant Ships and the same egos, frailties and striving to perform at our best is present on ships crews as it is on Broadway. Birdman does have the feel of a Raymond Carver short story and the cinematography being both minimalist and wide open is absolutely amazing. Hollywood is nothing if not navel-gazing, as they proved again last night. Birdman was not the best movie of the year. "Boyhood" or "The Imitation Game" were far superior. But as Kate Winslet wryly observes in Ricky Gervais' brilliant *Extras,* it used to be a sure Oscar to "play a mental." Now it seems a sure Oscar to act at being an actor. Speaking of Gervais, he did a masterful job a few years back of hosting the Golden Globes and poking holes in Hollywood's self-regard and self-adoration. Result? He was not invited back.

Hanover College Announces President-elect

The Board of Trustees has elected Lake Lambert III, Ph.D., to be the 16th president of Hanover College. Lambert, who currently serves as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., will succeed Sue DeWine, Ph.D., July 1, 2015.

Mark A. Levett ’71, chair of the Board, made the announcement, following a special meeting of the trustees. Lambert had the opportunity to meet with the campus community during a ceremony introducing the new president held in the Withrow Student Activities Center.

Hanover College (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Dr. Lambert is the ideal choice to be Hanover’s 16th president,” said Levett. “He is a creative and visionary leader, a collaborative manager, has extensive academic achievement, a commitment to liberal arts, and the ability to connect with students, faculty, alumni and community.” 

Lambert has served at Mercer since 2010. The College of Liberal Arts is the largest of Mercer’s colleges and schools with 1,500 students, 143 faculty and staff, more than 40 academic programs and a budget exceeding $52 million.

“Even before I entered the presidential search process, I knew that Hanover was a special place: a strong liberal arts curriculum, unique opportunities like the Business Scholars program, broad participation in athletics, and a tightly knit residential campus form a powerful learning community that makes a holistic impact on students,” said Lambert. “I look forward to working alongside Hanover’s trustees, faculty and staff to build on this tremendous legacy.”

During his tenure at Mercer, undergraduate enrollment grew by 15 percent. Lambert created a strategic planning committee and developed the first strategic plan for the College of Liberal Arts. Additionally, he designed and implemented a new general education program and assessment system, developed four new interdisciplinary academic majors, implemented a new faculty evaluation system and created a new global and international studies department.

Prior to joining Mercer, Lambert served as a professor of religion and Board of Regents Chair in Ethics at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, from 1996 to 2010. He was the founding director of Wartburg’s Center for Community Engagement that provides professional development, student vocational discovery, support and expansion of experiential learning, and mutually beneficial external relationships. He also taught courses in ethics and theology.

Paul Granlund sculpture, “Dancing St. Francis” At Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In addition to authoring several articles and essays in academic journals, Lambert is the author of the book, “Spirituality, Inc.: Religion in the American Workplace,” (NYU Press 2009), which surveys the role of spirituality in business.

He earned his doctorate at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1997, and received bachelor of arts (economics and history) and master of theological studies degrees from Emory University (Georgia).

Thomas More College of Liberal Arts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

His family includes his wife Kelly, daughter Bailey and son Zack.

How To Ask For Directions in Spanish.

¿Perdone, me puede decir dónde ésta la plaza de Cibeles? Excuse me, can you tell me where Cibeles Square is? Sí claro. Siga todo recto hasta el final de la calle... Certainly. Go straight on until you reach the end of the road... Luego gire a la derecha. Then turn right. Tome la segunda a la izquierda. Take the second road on the left. Después gire a la derecha en el semáforo. Then turn right at the traffic lights. Disculpe, ¿Qué autobus tengo que coger para ir a la estación de tren? Excuse me, what bus should I take to get to the train station? Tiene que coger el numero 58 o 113. You should take number 58 or 113. ¿Está la biblioteca muy lejos de aquí? Is the library far from here? ¿Cuánto tiempo se tarda andando? How long does it take on foot? Se tarda unos diez minutos. It takes about ten minutes. La oficina de correos está al lado del banco. The post office is next to the bank. La farmacia está enfrente del hospital. The pharmacy is opposite the hospital.

Airport Runways

FAA airport diagram at O'Hare International Airport. From left to right, runways 14/32 slant down, runways 4/22 slant up, runways 9R/27L, 9L/27R and 10/28 are horizontal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When designing airport runways, engineers and other planners have many factors to consider. These include the type and volume of air traffic, the impact of noise, and restrictions due to nearby developments such as residential developments, tall buildings, radio towers, etc.

The orientation of the runways is of great importance. The orientation affects the traffic patterns of approaches and takeoffs, which must avoid any obstacles in the surrounding terrain and minimize inconvenience and danger to local residents as well as passengers. The local wind conditions also play a great role in this orientation. Planners must have detailed information about prevailing wind directions and speeds, as these affect the ability of an airplane to take off and land. Because the lift, or upwards pull, of an airplane depends upon the speed of the wind over the wings, pilots can take off and land in shorter distances and at lower ground speeds if they do so into the wind. So, for example, an airport with a single runway in an area where the wind is usually from the south will generally orient the runway from north to south instead of from east to west.

The topography of the area near an airport also affects the winds. Nearby mountains or bodies of water can affect flight wind conditions in ways not obvious from data of prevailing wind conditions. For example, dangerous rotorwinds can develop in the vicinity of mountains. These are areas of wind that rotate around a horizontal axis. A plane encountering such a wind could experience sudden, dangerous changes in altitude, even in clear skies. Storm patterns must also be considered, with allowance made for winds common in bad-weather situations.

Many commercial airports have parallel runways. This allows a greater number of take-offs and landings in good weather conditions than does a single runway because planes can use the runways simultaneously. Other airports have triangular runways, which can be in the shape of a V that may be open at the bottom so that the runways do not intersect, or closed so that the runways do intersect. Triangular runways are more adaptable to a variety of wind conditions, as there are more possible directions for take-off and landing. In conditions where winds are light, both runways can be used simultaneously in the open-V triangular configuration.

NEVER EVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER! 8 Avoidable Reasons People Will Unfollow Your Brand

English: The content of tweets on Twitter, based on the data gathered by Pear Analytics in 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Twitter marketing is about more than just follower numbers, and business success is about more than just being liked. With followers being 67% more likely to buy from a brand they’re following, it’s always worth doing what you can to hold on to them. 55% of people will follow a brand on Twitter because they like them, but if things go bad they’ll have no qualms about changing their mind. If your brand isn’t careful there may come a time when people simply don’t want to be mates with you anymore.

You don’t want that to be your brand, Twitter (and business as a whole) is better when you have a positive ongoing relationship with your customers. But you can’t stress over every tiny factor that could cause someone to might unfollow you. So to keep you focused, here are the main reasons why people will unfollow you which can be totally avoided without much hassle:
 

You’re Aren’t Interacting

21% of people will unfollow accounts with no conversational Tweets. While your brand isn’t necessarily there to be the life and soul of the party (unless that’s in your brand strategy), if you can’t find the time to acknowledge the Twitter users who interact with you then they’re likely to find the time to unfollow you.
 

You’re Not Helpful

55% of Twitter users expect questions on Twitter to be answered within an hour, this rises to 72% when it’s a complaint. 34% of customers are also more likely to make a repeat purchase from you if your response is timely. If you’re dawdling and not getting back to people with swift, helpful answers then don’t be surprised to see those people disappear from your follower count.
 

You Spam

Every brand is allowed an amount of selling of some sort on their profile. It’s expected. But 47% of people unfollow for too much spam, and 48% do it for too much self-promotion. So if you’re constantly shoving links out to your buying pages and not mixing up your Tweet content, then you’re likely to annoy after a while. Seek conversations that are relevant to you, interact with people Tweeting about you, and post things that your audience are likely to find useful or interesting. Then when you do want to advertize yourself, it’s not an unwelcome intrusion to your followers timeline.
 

You Use Bad Automation

Automation done well can have personality, serve a purpose, and ultimately help your marketing if it’s unrealistic for you to do all of the work yourself. If it feels robotic then people may decide that they’d rather follow a human instead of a machine. Be ready to respond to scheduled Tweets, include an offer or freebie in any automatic messages to followers, and use a variety of messages.
 

You Give Nothing Back

33% of people follow brands on Twitter for the freebies and 52% for news on discounts or promotions. While you don’t have to desperately buy Cadillacs and ponies for every person who clicks ‘follow’, giving out offers, free samples or even ‘exclusive’ updates occasionally will keep those 52% of people on board and help you win over some others too.

You Never Tweet

A common reason people will go on unfollow sprees is to balance their follow:following ratio, and inactive followers will be trimmed. If you never Tweet, people may assume you’re not active on the service and you’ll probably be first in line for an unfollow. A worst case scenario would even be that they think your business isn’t even operating anymore and don’t visit you in future, eek!
 

You Weren’t There For Them When They Needed You

Approximately 60% of people will follow a brand on Twitter for customer service and support. If you’re not giving it to them when they need it, then they may unfollow you. If you can’t be responding to people around the clock, let people know when you will respond in your bio. If you don’t use Twitter for customer service, make sure your bio lets people know where they can get in touch with your team for help.
 

Your Brand Is Your Personal Soapbox

What you believe in your free time is up to you. But if you start Tweeting controversial political views from your brand’s account, or streams of social commentary that’s nothing to do with the brand then prepare for people who don’t agree to depart swiftly.

You can’t please everyone all of the time, so don’t worry about each and every unfollow. But by being aware of what switches people off, you can minimize the unfollows while having an engaging and entertaining Twitter account. What other avoidable things are there that brands do, which cause you to unfollow?

Scuba Diving

Fotografía hecha en Playa del Carmen, México, en un lugar llamado Tortugas. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The word "scuba" stands for "self contained underwater breathing apparatus". This device allows persons to dive underwater for extended periods of time. The most popular form of this apparatus is called an aqualung, which was designed in France during World War II by Jacques Yves Cousteau. Jacques Yves Cousteau was a French navel officer when he developed the aqualung. He is most famous for his work as an underwater explorer. The aqualung consists of anywhere from one to three cylinders of compressed air that is fed to an underwater diver through a mouthpiece.Persons wishing to take up the sport of scuba diving need to be properly trained. There are several organizations that provide training and certification in this sport, including the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Because of the potential hazards of scuba diving, instructors spend much of their time teaching proper safety techniques. This requires a full understanding of the operation and proper maintenance of diving equipment as well as an understanding of the effects of underwater pressure on the human body. At sea level, the air pressure on the body is 14.7 pounds per square inch (this is the equivalent of 1 atmosphere). Every time a diver descends 33 feet underwater, the pressure increases by an additional 14.7 pounds per square inch. "The bends," or decompression sickness, is one such hazard associated with pressure changes. The longer you stay down and the deeper you go, the more nitrogen dissolves into your body tissues. If you ascend too rapidly, the dissolved nitrogen comes out of solution too quickly and forms bubbles in your tissues. A diver suffering from decompression sickness can experience severe pain (particularly in joints), dizziness, and in severe cases, blindness, paralysis, and death. Because of these safety concerns, the NAUI, using information provided by the U.S. Navy, has created dive tables that specify how a given dive needs to be approached. Prior to any dive, several variables need to be considered. These variables include dive schedule (this includes information about depth and dive time), maximum dive time (MDT), actual dive time (ADT), residual nitrogen time (RNT), and total nitrogen time (TNT). Using these variables and the NAUI dive tables, a person can determine how a dive must be approached. For example, the tables will provide information about how long a given dive can last as well as how much time needs to elapse before a second dive can be initiated. This time between dives, called surface interval time (SIT), allows for excess nitrogen in the system to dissolve. All nitrogen leaves the body after 24 hours. If a person makes a second dive in less than 24 hours time, another table needs to be consulted, based on the fact that nitrogen is still in the body. In addition to the information provided by the tables, other rules or standards must also be applied. For instance, all divers must ascend no faster than 60 feet per minute. Also, the depth of a dive must always be considered as the deepest depth attained, even if the majority of the dive time is spent at a lesser depth. When scuba divers plan dives that are particularly cold or strenuous, additional precautions must be followed.

Heidi Zimmer

Română: Mount Mckinley 3D. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A photograph of Mount McKinley from the Stony Dome lookout point in Denali National Park. {| align="center" style="width:80%; background-color:#f7f8ff; border:2px solid #8888aa; padding:5px;" |- | Camera and Exposure Details: Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS Lens: Canon 1:2.8-3.1 USM 10x Zoom Lens Exposure: mm (mm in 35mm equivalent) f/5.0 @ 1/1000 s. |}Category:Taken with Canon PowerShot S1 IS (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Heidi Zimmer is attempting to be the first deaf person to climb the highest peak in each continent. A graduate of Gallaudet University in 1978, she has climbed Mount McKinley in North America, Mount Elbrus in Europe, and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. The remaining four summits are Mount Vinson in Antarctica, Aconcagua in South America, the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia (the highest summit in the global region near Austarlia), and Mount Everest in Asia. Heidi Zimmer holds several certificates in mountain climbing and is an active member of the Sierra Club. She faces the challenge of raising between $3,000 and $30,000 for each climbing expedition.

Heidi Zimmer took 18 days to reach the summit (20,320 feet) of Mount McKinley. Located in the Alaskan Range, Mount McKinely is sometimes referred to by its native name Denali, meaning The Great One, in the Athabaskan Language. A huge snowy mass, several glaciers, and countless icefalls characterize the mountain. One of the main challenges in attempting to climb Mount McKinley is the threat of severe weather, which has hampered many attempted ascents, several of which have resulted in fatalities.

Jon Kuhn

New York City (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jon Kuhn has used his background in ceramics and glassblowing to create glass sculptures of extreme complexity. These sculptures are primarily made up of tiny pieces of glass that are polished and laminated together. Some of his sculptures contain as many as 6,000 components and take up to two years to complete. The Smithsonian Institution, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and the White House have acquired his works. Some of Kuhn's pieces are valued at more than $100,000.

Jon Kuhn received his Bachelor's of Fine Arts in ceramics from Washburn University in 1972. In 1978, he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth with a Master Of Fine Arts degree in glassblowing. He created a studio in Stauton, Virginia where he engaged in glassblowing for 9 years. He has since turned his attention to creating sculptures with molded glass. Kuhn's interest in philosophy and meditation has helped to inspire his work.

Chuck Yeager

Shield of the US Army Air Corps (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chuck Yeager was born in 1923 in Myra, West Virginia. He grew up in nearby Hamlin. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1941, and was soon called to action. On his ninth mission, Yeager was shot down in occupied France, and made his way to Spain and eventually back to England in time to lead a squadron during the D-day invasion on October 12, 1944. By the end of the war, he had shot down 13 German planes.

Yeager's accomplishments during World War II and his quick reflexes and natural instincts made him an ideal candidate for the newly created Army Air Force test pilot program located in Dayton, Ohio. The military believed that increased aircraft speed would provide pilots with a distinct combat advantage, so aircraft speed became one of the primary focuses of the test pilot program. An excellent benchmark for the military was to develop a plane that could travel at Mach 1 speed or greater. Mach 1, a speed of about 660 miles per hour, is the speed at which sound travels through air.

On October 14, 1947, Yeager's Bell X-1 aircraft was placed inside the bomb bay of a B-29 bomber and brought to an altitude of 26,000 ft. With 24-year-old Yeager in the cockpit, his plane was released at 25,000 feet. Using 2 of his 4 engine chambers, Yeager climbed to 42,000 feet, at which point he switched on his third engine chamber. His speed indicator crept up to 700 miles per hour, 1.06 times the speed of sound for his altitude. A characteristic "sonic boom" let bystanders on the ground know he had passed Mach 1.

Yeager's career as a pilot was far from over. He piloted test flights during the Korean War and later flew 126 combat support missions during the Vietnam War. As commander of the Air Force's Aerospace Research Pilot School, he trained 19 astronauts. Chuck Yeager retired as a brigadier general in 1975. He continued, however, to contribute his expertise to the development of the next generation of airplanes as a test pilot. On the 50th anniversary of his historic flight, 74-year-old Yeager flew an F-15 Eagle at supersonic speeds. Ironically, most of Yeager's recent test flights were at subsonic speeds. Subsonic aircraft fly at speeds less than the speed of sound. Examples of such aircraft include the F-117 fighter and B-2 bomber. Both of these planes traded speed for stealth.

Look At The Candy Cane

A candy cane hanging on a Christmas tree (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Look at the candy cane,

What do you see?

Stripes that are red,

Like the blood shed for me.

White is for my savior,

Who's sinless and pure!

"J" is for Jesus My Lord,

That's for sure.

Turn it around,

And a staff you will see.

Jesus my shepherd,

Was born for Me!

Math and History: Problem Solving

English: Engraved portrait of Ada Lovelace (1838) Español: Ada King, Condesa de Lovelace (1838) Français : Ada Lovelace (1838) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The House of Wisdom, a center for study and research located in Baghdad, was founded by the caliph Al-ma'-mùn in the 9th century. Scholars there studied subjects such as mathematics, astronomy and mechanics, and translated ancient Greek scientific texts. One of the most prominent scholars of the House of Wisdom was mathematician and astronomer al-Khwarizmi. It was here that al-Khwarizmi wrote a book titled Al-jabr wa'l muqabala from which the modern word "Algebra" is derived. In his book al-Khwarizmi detailed step-by-step problem solving techniques which were later called algorithms in the English language. The word algorithm is derived from the Latin translation of al-Khwarizmi's name. Al-Khwarizmi also made significant contributions to astronomy, the Jewish calendar, and the Hindu system of numeration.

Computer programmers commonly use the word algorithm to describe the procedures that computers follow. This is due to the fact that algorithms are essentially a set of instructions, much like those presented by al-Khwarizmi.

Ada Byron Lovelace was born Augusta Ada Byron, the daughter of poet Lord Byron, in 1815, and is credited with writing the first computer program. At an early age, Ada Byron's mother recognized and encouraged Ada's mathematical talent. Being from a wealthy and prestigous family, Ada was exposed to people of influence and intellect. One such person was Mary Somerville, whom Ada met when she was 17 years old. During a dinner party at Mary Somerville's home, Ada overheard a conversation about Charles Babbage, an English mathematician and scientist who was attempting to construct a calculating machine called the Difference Engine. Ada began a lengthy correspondence with Babbage, which contained her own thoughts and ideas as they related to Babbage's machine. Her letters to Babbage included predictions that one day computing machines would be used to compose music, produce graphics, and have widespread practical and scientific applications. Her predictions were all correct.

During one of their correspondences, Ada described how another of Babbage's machines called the Analytical Engine could be used to perform a certain calculation. Ada's plan for the Analytical Engine is considered to be the first computer program. Although the Analytical Engine was never built, its key concepts, such as the capacity to store instructions, use punched cards as memory devices, and print, can be found in today's computers. In honor of her work, the U.S. Department of Defense developed a procedural programming language called Ada.

In 1954, John Backus and a team from IBM developed FORTRAN, the first high-level programming language. FORTRAN stands for FORmula TRANslation. FORTRAN and its many variations are still in use today.

Today, a large assortment of programming languages exists. Some examples include COBAL, LISP, PROLOG, BASIC, PASCAL, C, C++, and JAVA. Programming languages fall under classifications such as assembly language, functional language, logic language and object-oriented language.

Veterinarian

English: A veterinarian stitching a dog, after surgery. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Veterinarians provide health care for a variety of animals, including pets, zoo animals, livestock, and injured or sick wild animals. Veterinarians diagnose illnesses, treat injuries and diseases, and provide advice on the proper care of animals. About half of all veterinarians work with small animals, especially pets.

Other veterinarians work with livestock, or with scientists and physicians to research human health problems such as AIDS and cancer.

Education and Training

In the U.S., veterinarians need the following education and training:

• a bachelor's degree or 45 to 90 semester hours of undergraduate work with an emphasis in biological sciences
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.D.M.) degree from a 4-year program at an accredited college
• License to practice veterinary medicine

On the Job

In addition to the educational and profession requirements listed above, it is helpful for a prospective veterinarian to have an interest in animal care and biology. If you aspire to treat pets, the ability to interact effectively with concerned or sometimes upset owners is also desirable.

Veterinarians that work with large animals may spend much of their time traveling to farms and ranches, which may include working in poor weather and under potentially unsanitary conditions. Animals that are sick or in pain meay be unpredictable.

Math on the Job

Science-related careers typically call for the ability to understand the nature of the math used in doing research in the given field. Medical doctors routinely take a variety of quantitative measurements to assess the condition of thew patient, whether it be a human or an animal. For example, a veterinarian may take an animal's weight and set up a proportion to determine the dose of a particular drug.

Related Careers

• animal trainer
• animal breeder
• kennel owner
• animal groomer
• zoologist

Jet Pilot

US Navy 050721-N-4843B-031 Air Traffic Controllers stand watch in the Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jet Pilots are one type of aircraft pilot. Aircraft pilots are highly-trained professionals who fly aircraft that transport passengers and cargo. Regulations generally require that there be two pilots on the cockpit crew of larger aircraft. Typically, the more experienced pilot is the captain and the other member of the cockpit crew is the co-pilot. Each person takes on different responsibilities, such as communicating with air traffic control or monitoring the instruments.

Education and Training

In the U.S., the majority of working pilots have some college education. Smaller airlines may hire high school graduates, although a college degree may soon become a requirement. To be a pilot, you must undergo extensive training before being allowed to fly a plane without instructional supervision. Some details of the training requirements for earning a pilot's license vary, depending on the plane you wish to be licensed to fly.

The federal regulations (14 CFR 61.129) governing the minimum amount of flight time needed to secure a commercial pilot's license include the following:

• At least 50 hours of instructionally supervised flight
• 250 hours of flight time
• No more than 50 of the 250 hours can be in a flight simulator
• Strict physical examination must show that there are no physical handicaps that may impair performance

Career path: Many pilots receive their training and license certification while performing military service, and others pursue this training through flight schools. Because additional flight experience is necessary to obtain a license to fly larger or more complex aircraft, many persons who are pursuing a career as a pilot start out as a pilot of a small aircraft, and work towards accumulating the experience required to fly bigger and more sophisticated aircraft.

On the Job

In addition to the educational and profession requirements listed above, it is helpful for a prospective pilot to enjoy travel. A pilot needs to pay careful attention to detail when checking the aircraft prior to flight. He or she needs to be able to quickly consider multiple variables such as wind speed, weather conditions, altitude, and aircraft velocity, especially when take off and landing.

Because of the nature of the job, pilots must be willing to accept the responsibility for conducting a safe flight. Federal law restricts pilots to flying no more than 100 hours a month or 1,000 hours a year. However, because pilots have additional non-flying duties, more than half of all pilots work more than 40 hours a week.

Math on the Job

Pilots must be extremely detail-oriented. They must be able to operate a wide variety of complex instruments, many of which are mathematically based. Pilots also must be able to determine how such variables as wind speed, fuel level, altitude and plane location affect the flight plan. Pilots must also be able to communicate this information effectively with co-pilots and air traffic controllers.

Related Careers

• aircraft controller
• dispatcher
• aircraft mechanic
• flight attendant
• travel agent

Director of Photography

English: Director of Photography Lou Chanatry on the set of The Ivy League (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A director of photography for a motion picture works closely with the film's director and producer to help create the visual feel of the film, choosing the type of filming equipment and film used, and the composition of the scene being filmed, using a wide variety of sophisticated equipment to capture images on film or video. The equipment can vary depending on the nature of the assignment. For example, local television and cable broadcasts typically use video cameras while entertainment productions commonly use motion picture cameras.

In addition to film and video, photographers also use cameras to capture still images. By carefully choosing appropriate lighting, lenses, filters and camera settings, a photographer can exercise a great deal of control over the image-creation process. Most photographers specialize in portrait, commercial, or news photography.

Education and Training

Some colleges offer programs of study in art, film, and media which provide education and instruction in relevant topics, as well as opportunities to gain actual work experience as an intern. For example, if you study filmaking as an art major, you may make a film as part of your coursework. Art majors may also have the opportunity to take multiple courses that provide exposure to technical aspects of photography and other media.

Director of Photography

Career Path: To be a director of photography for a motion picture requires a variety of film-industry related experience. A director of photography may have worked his or her way towards this position by acquiring experience in camera operation and related visual effects. This type of experience may be gained in a variety of media-related jobs such as those of a photographer, television, video, or film camera operator, film or video editor, or a cinematographer.

Photographer

In the U.S., photographers may need the following education and training:

Career Path: The field of photography is very competitive. Because of this, many people gain experience through entry-level jobs. For example, some might set up lights or help monitor and run equipment. Others may assist more senior members of a photography staff with a variety of routine tasks. Eventually, as experience is gained, positions of greater responsibility may present themselves.

• many photographers receive post-secondary education at colleges and universities or photographic institutes

On the Job

Gaining experience in media-related fields often requires the flexibility to work varied hours under diverse conditions. Since making a motion picture can be a long and detailed process, the ability to work well in cooperation with others is a plus. Those employed in media-related projects may be required to work with tight deadlines in fast-paced and possibly stressful working conditions.

Many photographers are self-employed. Much of their business comes from the recommendations of previous clients. Self-employed photographers may experience long and irregular hours. They may also need to be available to work on short notice.

Math on the Job

Those who work in visual media benefit from a solid understanding of scale and proportion. Photographers and other workers who are directly responsible for film, video footage, or photographic images also must be technically proficient, especially with the increased use of computer technology. Photographers that print their own photographs must apply a variety of math skills to the production process.

Related Careers

• A cinematographer uses skill with lighting, cameras and other related technical equipment to create the desired mood-setting appearance of a film.
• camera operator
• photographer

Scuba Diving Instructor

Scuba Diving Instructors teach diving students skills and techniques for underwater diving. Because of the potential hazards of scuba diving, instructors spend much of their time teaching proper safety techniques. This requires a full understanding of the operation and proper maintenance of diving equipment as well as an understanding of the effects of underwater pressure on the human body.

While many people dive for recreation, others may pursue a career as a commercial diver. Commercial divers perform a variety of tasks, including underwater welding, underwater salvage, construction, marine research, or work related to offshore oil and gas production. Others may assist law enforcement agencies in search and rescue missions.

Education and Training

In the U.S., scuba diver instructors may need the following education and training:

• high school diploma
• scuba diving certification from an approved organization
• CPR and first aid certification

Those who pursue a career as a commercial diver may also need the following:

• familiarity with welding and cutting equipment
• knowledge of construction techniques, especially as it relates to underwater construction.

In addition to the educational and professional requirements listed above, it is helpful for a diver to have a love of nature and a concern for the environment.

On the Job

Scuba divers are drawn to the challenge and excitement of underwater diving. They need to be in very good physical condition, and may need to adapt to low visibility, extreme temperatures, confined spaces and underwater currents.

Math on the Job

Underwater divers are very organized and detail-oriented, especially during the planning phase of a dive. Divers need to use math to keep track of oxygen supply, depth, and water pressure. Those that are commercial divers must have excellent problem-solving skills, due to the fact that new jobs may include unique problems that can only be resolved through experimentation, reasoning, and a methodical approach to the work.

Related Careers

• diving supervisors
• diving consultants
• law enforcement diver
• salvage and inspection
• marine construction