No Good War

Vocabulary increasing Activities

adonn — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:53:33 +0000

Studies show that people learn words best by engaging as many of the five senses as possible. Associating a new word with a smell, touch, taste, or sound helps us recall the word for later use. So in addition to reading on a daily basis and listening to speakers who use a different vocabulary than you do, you can add words to your working vocabulary list by exploring new activities.

The following suggested activities will boost your vocabulary by engaging more of your senses and putting you into word-rich environments.
Learn a new skill. The skill could be knitting or sport fishing, cooking or carpentry, dancing or playing an instrument. Choose something you are interested in and which requires you to use your hands. Each craft or skill will have its own vocabulary. There will be words to describe the equipment, the processes, and the materials. Since you will be doing something with your hands (and maybe more parts of your body as in dancing), you will trigger more activity in your brain than if you just read the words on a page. The increased activity will create more connections in your brain.

The Use of Technology in the Classroom

adonn — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:35:25 +0000

The ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT) is an observation tool developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). The ISTE is a membership association for educators and education leaders. The association’s purpose is to engage in advancing excellence in learning and teaching through technology. The association is also responsible for developing the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students, teachers, and administrators. The classroom observation tool was designed to evaluate the amount of technology being used in the classroom as well as its effective use based on the NETS.
ICOT is a useful tool for administrators to safely document the effective use of technology in the classroom. The tool allows educators to observe technology being used by both students and teachers based on the NETS. The data gathered is aggregated and stored for future reference. This data can be used to track effective practice, track the amount of technology use, and compare the use of technology to national standards. This information can be useful as administrators are competing for grants and other district funding for additional technology. The observation tool itself is user-friendly and is easily accessible by anyone.

Children and Video Games

adonn — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:50:21 +0000

Video games were first introduced in the 1970s. By the end of that decade they had become a preferred childhood leisure activity, and adults responded with concern about the possible ill effects of the games on children. Early research on these effects was inconclusive. However, a resurgence in video game sales that began in the late 1980s after the introduction of the Nintendo system has renewed interest in examining the effects of video games.
Some research suggests that playing video games may affect some children’s physical functioning. Effects range from triggering epileptic seizures to causing heart rate and blood pressure changes. Serious adverse physical effects, however, are transient or limited to a small number of players. Research has also identified benefits associated with creative and pro-social uses of video games, as in physical rehabilitation and oncology (Funk, 1993). Proponents of video games suggest that they may be a friendly way of introducing children to computers, and may increase children’s hand-eye coordination and attention to detail.

Automaticity in Third Grade Math

adonn — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:44:13 +0000

Often times I see children struggle in mathematics simply because they have not learned basic math facts. In my third grade classroom students are required to learn multiplication facts 1-10. This is a standard in many states across the U.S. Students are given approximately six weeks to memorize their multiplication facts. Memorization or automaticity with math facts is critical for success in mathematics. Automaticity is basically the ability to complete a task without needing to think about it. Walking, chewing food, and riding a bicycle are examples of automaticity. We automatically do these things without thinking about it, and students need to complete math facts the same way. Of course, the concepts behind multiplication are always taught first.
Every new skill requires an understanding of prerequisites to do well. However, understanding the skill or concept is sometimes not enough. After the initial six weeks of multiplication, my class moves on to division. As a teacher, you teach the division concepts, but you also rely on the fact students have memorized their multiplication facts. If a student automatically recalls 7 x 6 is 42, then they will be able to quickly complete the division sentence 42 ¸ 6 = 7. Those students that have not memorized their facts need to count on their fingers or draw pictures. While it is great they know the basic way to find an answer, they have to do double the work, and will eventually get left behind. It is such a sad story that I see over and over again: A student does well on the multiplication test only because they count on their fingers. They struggle with division because they get it confused with multiplication. Finally, they fall far behind when the class moves onto algebra. Why? Because they still are counting on their fingers, while other children have an automatic response to ‘What number multiplied 4 times equals 16?” or ____ x 4 = 16.

The Bulusan Volcano

adonn — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:49:14 +0000

Bulusan Volcano is located at the south central part of Sorsogon Province. It covers a surface area roughly 400 sq. km. and towers to about 1559 m. above sea level. The volcano forms part of the Bicol Volcanic Chain which stretches from Camarines Norte in the north to Sorsogon in the south. The chain, sometimes called volcanic belt, is composed of active and geologically young volcanoes most probably related to the Philippine Trench.
Bulusan is classified as a composite volcano and is made up of lava flows and domes. It is flanked by several cones namely: Mt. Homahan, Mt. Binactan, Mt. Batuan, Mt. Juban, Mt. Calaunan, Mt. Tabon-Tabon, Mt. Calungalan and Mt. Jormajan. Beside the active volcano is an old ridge called Sharp Peak which is 1215 m. high and 1.8 km. to the northeast. Between Bulusan and Jormajan is the Natakop lava dome.
The earliest recorded eruption of Bulusan Volcano occurred in 1852. This was followed by periods of eruptive activity in 1886, then 1892, and in 1894. Another 22 years elapsed before Bulusan showed signs of restiveness. On January 16, 1916, the volcano ejected mud and ash for five days, thereby triggering landslides. The volcano’s eruptive activity from Oct. 1918 to March 1919 was characterized by dust emissions and lava outpourings.

Welcome to the SARCHI, Costa Rica

adonn — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:43:01 +0000

A short trip northwest of San José is Sarchi, a small artisan’s town filled with the shops of local craftsmen. Sarchi exists solely as a tourist attraction but the wooden furniture here is so well made and so affordable that touristy Sarchi is worth the visit. Prices are often higher for gringos than for Ticos so, if possible, have your guide or hosts do your buying for you. Haggling is discouraged.
It is the capital city of the canton of Valverde Vega also known as Sarchí in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica.
The district of Sarchí covers an area of 15.11 km² (1), including the central area of the city. It has a population of 6,912 (2). The district of Sarchí Sur covers an area of 6.51 km² (1), and has a population of 4,659 (2).
The city lies at an elevation of 1000 meters above sea level (1) on the slopes of the Cordillera Central (Central Mountain Range) at the eastern edge of the Central Valley. It is 27 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital city of Alajuela, and 46 kilometers from the national capital city of San Jose.

Sarchí is Costa Rica’s most famous crafts center. The town offers more than 200 stores and small family-operated woodworking factories producing wooden bowls and other tableware, fold-up rocking chairs of wood and leather, and a wide variety of kitschy items. The most popular items on sale are “carretas”, elaborately painted oxcarts that traditionally carried coffee from the highlands down to the port on the Pacific coast.

Early Exposure To Germs Is Sometimes Good

adonn — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:09:12 +0000

Previous human studies have suggested that early life exposure to microbes (i.e., germs) is an important determinant of adulthood sensitivity to allergic and autoimmune diseases such as hay fever,asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. This concept of exposing people to germs at an early age (i.e., childhood) to build immunity is known as the hygiene hypothesis.

Medical professionals have suggested that the hygiene hypothesis explains the global increase of allergic and autoimmune diseases in urban settings. It has also been suggested that the hypothesis explains the changes that have occurred in society and environmental exposures, such as givingantibiotics early in life. However, neither biologic support nor a mechanistic basis for the hypothesis has been directly demonstrated. Until now.
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have conducted a study that provides evidence supporting the hygiene hypothesis, as well as a potential mechanism by which it might occur.
The study was published online in the journal Science on the Science Express Web site.
The researchers studied the immune system of mice lacking bacteria or any other microbes (“germ-free mice”) and compared them to mice living in a normal environment with microbes.

The First Lenovo PC Store in Pune, India

adonn — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 09:18:55 +0000

Lenovo has introduced its first PC store for SMEs in India. Opened in Pune, the store aims to address the needs of the SME customer by making the Think brand accessible.
Rajiv Rao, Director, SMB, Lenovo India, said, “We are continually evolving our business and innovating products to better meet the needs of the SME community. With this store, Lenovo is making the Think range easily accessible to the retail buyer.”
Lenovo has been aggressively steering into the SME space and the current market share of 6.8 percent (FYQ4 2011) is a testimony to the success of its protect and attack strategy. To penetrate the length and breadth of the country’s diverse SME market, Lenovo has appointed close to 500 retailers, which includes over 300 retailers and close to 200 resellers and VARs.

The store, spread across 450 sq ft, will stock an entire range of SME focused Think products like notebooks, desktops, tablets and all-in-ones.

How to treat hemochromatosis?

adonn — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:11:59 +0000

Treatment is simple, inexpensive, and safe. The first step is to rid the body of excess iron. This process is called phlebotomy, which means removing blood the same way it is drawn from donors at blood banks. Based on the severity of the iron overload, a pint of blood will be taken once or twice a week for several months to a year, and occasionally longer. Blood ferritin levels will be tested periodically to monitor iron levels. The goal is to bring blood ferritin levels to the low end of normal and keep them there. Depending on the lab, that means 25 to 50 micrograms of ferritin per liter of serum.
Once iron levels return to normal, maintenance therapy begins, which involves giving a pint of blood every 2 to 4 months for life. Some people may need phlebotomies more often. An annual blood ferritin test will help determine how often blood should be removed. Regular follow-up with a specialist is also necessary.
If treatment begins before organs are damaged, associated conditions—such as liver disease, heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes—can be prevented. The outlook for people who already have these conditions at diagnosis depends on the degree of organ damage. For example, treating hemochromatosis can stop the progression of liver disease in its early stages, which leads to a normal life expectancy. However, if cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, has developed, the person’s risk of developing liver cancer increases, even if iron stores are reduced to normal levels.
People with complications of hemochromatosis may want to receive treatment from a specialized hemochromatosis center. These centers are located throughout the country.
People with hemochromatosis should not take iron or vitamin C supplements. And those who have liver damage should not consume alcoholic beverages or raw seafood because they may further damage the liver. Treatment cannot cure the conditions associated with established hemochromatosis, but it will help most of them improve. The main exception is arthritis, which does not improve even after excess iron is removed.

The Importance of Hearing Aid

adonn — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:50:32 +0000

Hearing loss affects every aspect of your life, especially your most important personal and professional relationships. Emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually, hearing loss places stress on you that negatively impacts all these areas of your life.
No matter what you do for a living, impaired hearing will affect your job performance. This is the Information Age and one of the primary ways we receive information is through hearing. Whether you’re attending a business meeting or listening to a loved one sharing their thoughts, accurate hearing is vital to your success.
Hearing loss also affects your physical, mental and emotional health by placing tremendous stress on your mind and body. If you’re struggling to understand what others are saying you are under negative stress. It is a well documented medical fact that negative stress is a root cause of many of the health problems we face today. Life is difficult and full of stress. You should do everything possible to minimize stress in your life.