Born on January 4, 1809, Coupvray, France, Braille was accidentally blinded in one eye at the age of three. Within two years, a disease in his other eye left him completely blind.
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Yellowstone National Park Vacation and Tour, Wyoming | GORP - 0 views
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Ski among Geysers Skinny-skiing Yellowstone is one of the premier winter-wilderness experiences in North America. To glide along the abandoned, snow-covered trails of the Old Faithful area in winter is to enter bottomless silences and watch tendrils of steam writhing in the chill wind. The geysers occasionally roar and billow, and buffalo use their massive heads to clear the frozen grasslands of snow. Accessible only by snow coach in winter, the rebuilt Old Faithful Snow Lodge makes a cozy backcountry base camp. Joining a naturalist-led ski trip offers rare and delightful insight into a world that only seems dormant; some of the best trips are run through the Yellowstone Institute.
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Thompson Gale - Braille - 0 views
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Captain Charles Barbier invented sonography, or nightwriting, a system of embossed symbols used by soldiers to communicate silently at night on the battlefield. Inspired by a lecture Barbier gave at the Institute a few years later, the fifteen-year-old Braille adapted Barbier's system to replace HaĆ¼y's awkward embossed type, which he and his classmates had been obliged to learn.
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In his initial study, Braille had experimented with geometric shapes cut from leather as well as with nails and tacks hammered into boards. He finally settled on a fingertip-sized six-dot code, based on the twenty-five letters of the alphabet, which could be recognized with a single contact of one digit. By varying the number and placement of dots, he coded letters, punctuation, numbers, diphthongs, familiar words, scientific symbols, mathematical and musical notation, and capitalization. With the right hand, the reader touched individual dots and, with the left, moved on toward the next line, comprehending as smoothly and rapidly as sighted readers. Using the Braille system, students were also able to take notes and write themes by punching dots into paper with a pointed stylus which was aligned with a metal guide.
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In his initial study, Braille had experimented with geometric shapes cut from leather as well as with nails and tacks hammered into boards. He finally settled on a fingertip-sized six-dot code, based on the twenty-five letters of the alphabet, which could be recognized with a single contact of one digit.
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History Who Really Invented the Airplane Part 2 - Trivia-Library.com - 0 views
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Ader kept working to perfect his airplane, and finally, with the financial backing of the French Army, he built Avion III, a flying machine similar in design to the Eole but with a longer wingspan and two four-blade propellers. On Oct. 14, 1897, Ader tested his Avion at Satory with a military observer team present. Ader claimed that that day he had again flown, but three witnesses disagreed with each other about whether Ader actually took off and flew the Avion before it crashed.
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This 30-lb. craft with a steam engine flew for 1 min. 20 sec. at an altitude of 70 to 100 ft. for a distance of 3,000 ft.
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It was the first successful flight of an unmanned heavier-than-air flying machine. Langley's Aerodrome Number 6 had mechanical problems that day, but it flew 4,200 ft. in November of 1896.
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In 1898, at President William McKinley's instigation, the U.S. Army awarded Langley $50,000 to develop a plane that would carry a man aloft. In December, 1903, nine days before the Wrights' test at Kitty Hawk, Langley tried out his new gasoline-powered experimental model. A mishap with the catapult caused the airplane to plunge to the bottom of the Potomac, and Langley gave up his experiments after being criticized by the press for the great expense to the taxpayers.
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Behaviorism Tutorial - Part 1 - Section 1 - 0 views
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developed primarily in the United States, although it was certainly influenced by other traditions, such as European forms of empiricism
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not publicly observable, and could not be counted, measured, or recorded, at least not in the same way as the subject matter of chemistry or physics
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tended to pursue their concerns about mental/conscious/subjective experience according to some form of rational inquiry found in philosophy, rather than according to some understanding of the scientific method.
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regarded those movements as a subject matter of a different science--physiology, rather than psychology
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scholars in the early 19th century were concerned with the mechanics of the physical movements of the body
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Stanford Dance Division - 0 views
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The Stanford Dance Division offers a range of broadly diverse approaches to dance as a performing art, cultural practice, political act and embodiment of ideology and beliefs. All of the dimensions through which one comes to experience dance, from studying a range of dance techniques, choreographing and performing to viewing and critically and historically assessing dance, are represented in the course offerings of the Dance Division.
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Pets 911 - Pets, Dogs, Cats provide health benefits to humans - 0 views
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# Senior citizens who own pets actually need less medical attention than those that do not. # Pet owners typically have lower blood pressure than non-pet owners, and one study actually proved that with as little as 10 minutes with a pet can lower blood pressure significantly. # Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than non-owners. # Pet owners have overall better physical health due to exercise with their pets. 70 percent of families surveyed reported an increase in family happiness and fun after acquiring a pet. # Children exposed to pets during their first year of life have a lower frequency of some allergies and asthma. # Children who suffer from autism have more pro social behaviors if they own a pet. # Owning a pet - especially a dog - helps children in families better adjust to the serious illness or death of a parent. # Pets decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation in their owners. # Having a pet may decrease heart attack mortality rates by 3 percent, which translates into 30,000 lives saved annually. # Positive self-esteem in children is enhanced if the child owns a pet. # Children owning pets are more likely to be involved in sports, hobbies, clubs or even chores. # Victims of AIDS who own a pet report less depression and reduced stress levels. # Many groups take therapy pets to visit residents of nursing homes, and the experience has shown to be a very positive one for both the pet and the individual. # The reverse is also true - the life of a pet is usually enhanced if its owner cares for it properly.
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Interesting top 10 lists: Top 10 Largest Cities in the World in 2008 - 0 views
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The big city is the place where all industrial, cultural and educational centers are situated. In big cities you can find museums, theaters, clubs, cinemas, big shops and hospitals, comfortable modern
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Shanghai is a fascinating mix of East and West. It has historic shikumen houses that blended the styles of Chinese houses with European design flair, and it has one of the richest collections of art deco
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With temperate weather year-round, and blue skies much of the year, anytime is a good time to visit Los Angeles. There are so many things to see and do in Los Angeles that a single trip just isn't enough.
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Historic, bustling, awe-inspiring, Manila is a blend of cultures and flavors that offers an endless serving of places to see, sights to behold, and experiences to never forget.
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a beehive of activity that offers a jovial nightlife and an intense cultural experience. Sao Paulo is one of the richest cities in the southern hemisphere. A large sprawling city can present numerous challenges to sensibilities.
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New York City is one of the global centers of international finance, politics, communications, film, music, fashion, and culture, and is among the world's most important and influential cities.
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Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views
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Japan is one of the leading nations in the fields of scientific research, particularly technology, machinery and biomedical research
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For instance some of Japan's more prominent technological contributions are found in the fields of electronics, automobiles, machinery, earthquake engineering, industrial robotics, optics, chemicals, semiconductors and metals
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apan is the world's largest producer of automobiles[73] and home to six of the world's fifteen largest automobile manufacturers and seven of the world's twenty largest semiconductor sales leaders as of today.
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It is a participant in the International Space Station and the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo) is slated to be added to the International Space Station during Space Shuttle assembly flights in 2008.
Hidden Child -- A Girlhood in Occupied France -- A Dual Experience - 0 views
Top 10 Dumpling Experiences in China - 0 views
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Off-Season Basketball Coaching, Coach's Clipboard Playbook - 0 views
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As coaches, we expect our players to work in the off-season and make improvements. But what about us as coaches... what are we doing in the off-season to help our team and to improve ourselves as coaches?
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Maintain balance in your personal life. Right after the season is over, step back and forget about it for a couple weeks. Take time for your family and friends, relax, enjoy life and your time away from the gym.
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We already discussed re-evaluating your system, plays, players, etc. Make the necessary adjustments, if any, that you think will help next season. Think about your goals for the upcoming season. Now is the time to create a master practice plan, if you find that helpful.
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state athletic associations have rules as to how much time you can spend with your players in the off-season, so make sure you understand the rules first. The off-season is a good time to try to correct individual shooting technique and other fundamental errors.
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he off-season is a good time to experiment with your players. If you have a few team camps and scrimmages, now is the time to try a player in a new role or a new position... for example, moving a player into the post, or a wing player to the point guard position, etc. The off-season is also a good time to try out a new offense or defense. But I wouldn't show all my favorite plays in scrimmages. Finally... let's go back to our first discussion point. Play a little golf, go fishing, take a family trip, etc. Enjoy the off-season!
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12 Surefire Basketball Tips for the Off Season - What Should Players Do Between Seasons? - 0 views
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The season is winding down. Routines change, friendships have grown, priorities change. As a player, what should you do now? When practice time comes and there is no practice, what do you do? When there are no games to prepare for, what do you do with your time? Here are a just a few thoughts I had as to how to recover and prepare for the next season. 1. Take 3 - 4 weeks to relax. It has been a long, physically and mentally draining season. If you want to improve, you have to give yourself a chance to recover. 2. Catch up and get ahead of your schoolwork. 3. Talk to your coach and evaluate your season. Talk about what you did well and what you did not. Determine the areas you need to improve on. Discuss the things you would like to do and how to accomplish them. 4. After taking a month off, start on your off-season workout program. The program should be about 75% skill work and 25% play. 5. Develop your shooting stroke. If you want to become a GREAT shooter and raise your percentage, it MUST happen during the off season. It's just TOO difficult to develop these skills and improve during the season. It must be done during the off season! 6. Start a strength training program. Your objective should be to gain strength from now until the end of the summer. 7. As you enter the summer, add more play to your workout. You should be at about 50% skill work, 50% play. Don't neglect your weight work. Great strength gains can be made during this period. 8. Go to camp. Learn form other coaches, play against different players. The more diverse your summer experience, the better player you will become. 9. When the summer is over, your routine changes. GET AHEAD in the classroom. Once the season starts, it is easy for your schoolwork to slip. 10. Change your workout routine to 25% skill, 75% play. 11. Switch you strength training routine to an endurance and strength maintenance routine. 12. A week before the season, take some time off. Get ready to go.
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Does Music Affect Your Heartbeat? - 0 views
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There are a lot of different kinds of music. Some of the most popular kinds of music today are rock, techno, hip-hop, and rap. All of those kinds of music affect you in different ways. Other kinds of music are instrumental music, opera, etc. Those kinds of music also affect you. The music that affects you the most is calm music like instrumental or fast music like rock or techno. Rock and techno make you speed up, and instrumental or calm music makes you slow down and feel more calm.
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Music can also slow down and equalize brain waves. A brain has 4 kinds of waves. It has beta waves, alpha waves, theta waves, and delta waves. When we do daily activities and experience emotions thatās when we use beta waves. Calmness is when we use alpha waves ,when your sleeping you use theta waves , and lastly when you are in deep sleep or in meditation that is when delta waves are used. When your brain waves are slow that is when you are very calm. Different types of music cause different waves. If you listen to calm music then the waves will drop to delta and theta. If you listen to fast or loud music your brain waves will most likely be alpha or beta.
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Coral feefs-Sunscreen - 0 views
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n experiments, the cream-based ultra-violet (UV) filters -- used to protect skin from the harmful effects of sun exposure -- caused bleaching of coral reefs even in small quantities, the study found.
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But some 60 percent of these reef systems are threatened by a deadly combination of climate change, industrial pollution and excess UV radiation.
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The new study, published in U.S. journal Environmental Health Perspectives, has now added sun screens to the list of damaging agents, and estimates that up to 10 percent of the world's reefs are at risk of sunscreen-induced coral bleaching.
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Chemical compounds in sunscreen and other personal skin care products have been detected near both sea and freshwater tourist areas. Previous research has shown that these chemicals can accumulate in aquatic animals, and biodegrade into toxic by-products.
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Thought processes - 0 views
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In the absence of counter examples, all that we can do is gather evidence to support our inductive inference
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can lead to unreliability as an action preceding an event can be wrongly attributed as the cause of the event.
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people miss analogous information unless it is semantically close to the problem domain.
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Best Places For Snowboarding in the World - 0 views
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USAThe United States has some of the best snowboarding in the world. With Colorado, Wyoming, California and Utah in the west and Vermont in the east home to great resorts that cater to snowboarders. Resorts famous for their snowboarding include Crested Butte in Colorado, Vail in Colorado and Mammoth Mountain, Squaw Valley and Heavenly Valley in California. California abounds with a vast selection of snowboarding options. Sugar Bowl and Kirkwood are also favorites among California snowboarders.
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CanadaSome of the very best snowboarding in the entire world is in Canada, with a great amount of resorts from the east to the west. Whistler/Blackcomb is the premier destination for snowboarders in Canada, but you can't overlook the smaller resorts including Silver Star, Apex, BigWhite, Whitewater and Sunpeaks. You also can't forget Banff, with some of the most beautiful and majestic scenery anywhere and their resorts like Lake Louise.
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JapanJapan? Great for snowboarding? Yes. As well as skiing. People forget that Japan has many mountains and cold areas since the country is very long and reaches quite far north. In fact, Japan has over 600 ski and snowboarding resorts! A little ways from Tokyo, you'll find some nice resorts, but they tend to be more crowded and expensive due to their popularity with Tokyo residents. To experience Japanese snowboarding at its best, you'll want to travel away from Tokyo. Around Japan's 600+ resorts, you'll find everything from ultra modern and high tech resorts to traditional resorts to small time, family run resorts. You can't forget Nagano, also not too far from Tokyo and home to the 1998 Winter Olympics.
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Green Countries - 0 views
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China in particular has long argued that it is too poor to afford the Western luxury of environmental awareness.
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China ranks last among 15 nations in its income group (the fifth decile), behind Vietnam. If Colombia, the group's leader, can afford environmental concern, why can't China?
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China fares slightly better in protecting its habitat but much worse in measures of industrial ills.
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One conclusion to be drawn from the Yale-Columbia project is the need for better data, which requires funds.
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Experiences like the recent biofuels surge, which is driving up food prices, show how treacherous even well-intentioned decisions about the environment can be when they're uninformed.
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The same holds for consumers, who sometimes think paying somebody to plant a few trees will compensate for flying around the world in airplanes.
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For such decisions, data are essential. If we're going to avoid squandering our natural resources, the quicker we begin to rely more on facts and less on assumptions, the better.
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(While there are good comparative data on ozone, smog also includes nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides and other components that are poorly tracked in most nations.) Among the best industrial countries were Malaysia, the United Kingdom and all of Eastern Europe (a legacy of the Soviet nuclear program).
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Brazil is a vast land blessed with an abundance of water, which yields energy relatively cheaply with no carbon emissions
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By contrast, Belgium and the Netherlands, which share much in terms of population and geography with their neighbors, suffer from neglect of the environmentāparticularly in protecting native habitats.
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History Who Really Invented the Airplane Part 3 - Trivia-Library.com - 0 views
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In 1897 he flew in a balloon for the first time and thereafter became one of the foremost balloonists in France.
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In 1905 he built an airplane consisting of three box kites connected to each other by bamboo poles, powered by a steam engine.
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Orville and Wilbur Wright, the sons of a midwestern minister, displayed a high mechanical aptitude even in their youth. This, coupled with investigative natures, made Orville (1871-1948) and Wilbur (1867-1912) ideal inventors. By their early twenties they had built a printing press and designed a new bicycle, which they also manufactured. They became interested in flight by reading about the glider experiments of German aerialist Otto Lilienthal.
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By December of 1903, the brothers were back at Kitty Hawk with their first powered airplane, a double-winged, box kite-shaped contraption with an undercarriage attached to a stationary monorail track. On Dec. 17 Orville stretched out in the middle of the lower wing and took off on a 12-sec., 120-ft. flight. That same day, Wilbur flew for 59 sec., covering 852 ft.