April 17, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
Most of us believe that Roman numerals were formulated by the great Romans but the fact is these were first created by Etruscans who first started writing these numerals that too from right to left. But when Romans took over them, they transformed their original style and customized it by reversing the way they used to count. Facts and stats about Etruscans are still mysterious to the world, they were simply known as people of the sea. Although the history of these numerals is still not clear to the writers of old times and the modern times but the only reality that is known by everyone is that Etruscans were the actual creators of this brilliant system.
Facts about Roman Numerals:
If you haven’t noticed till now, all the numbers in this system can be written using various combinations of the seven basic roman numerals – I meaning 1, V meaning 5, X meaning 10, L meaning 50, C meaning 100, D meaning 500 and M meaning 1000. So, if you remember these seven numerals and learn all the rules of the system, you can write any number and master the Roman system. The positioning of the numbers and the alphabets play a very important role in governing the roman number it forms. The Arabic number system was not known to Europeans until the era of 900 AD while the roman system is as old as 1000 years BC.
Traditional and Modern Use of Roman System:
Initially the roman system was used to depict the order of family offspring with the same name. Even in United Kingdom, the kings used this system to name their offspring. Apart from this, Roman numeral system was used to engrave dates on the cornerstones, walls of the buildings, ships, huge statues, and so on.
In the modern world, these numerals are used for pagination purpose in books, e-books, novels and even chapter headings. The first page or appendix of most of the educational books consists of roman numbers only. Sometimes to mention various points in a paragraph, instead of bullets, these are used to mark sub-points. The roman numerals are majorly used in watches and clocks even today. It is also used in Super Bowl, although students do not actually know what those letters mean in Super Bowl.
Have you noticed the numbers that are given to movie sequels? Yes, it is the roman system that is used to give different number to the movie sequels that carry the same name.
The Roman numbering system has brilliantly survived through years and this existence of the systems depicts its importance and necessity in today’s modern world. Another great feature depicted by this system is the existence of numbers and alphabets as a single entity; this idea makes the two inseparable. It shows the actual meaning of Preservation and to quote an example we have “Big Ben” in United Kingdom which uses Roman numbered clock. If you want to learn more about Roman Numerals, try to search for its root in the past
April 17, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
Lip-sync
Can’t sing? Don’t worry, neither can a lot of folks. Put together a lip-sync act, complete with costumes and choreography. The more energetic the song, the better it will be received. If you need inspiration, look to movies and television shows to recreate famous scenes.
Some to try might include:
“Sisters” from “White Christmas” – good for females or males
Anything from “The Sound of Music”
“Singing in the Rain”
“I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of my Hair” or “Nothin’ Like a Dame” from “South Pacific”
Boy or girl bands from any era
Commercial jingles
Create a parody of a famous movie scene
When selecting a movie to parody, try to keep it with a movie that your family loves as well as one that is instantly familiar to the audience. You might select a movie that represents your family in some way. When doing the parody, you might want to do a “_____Movie in Five Minutes” style, where all of the movie catch phrases and famous parts are condensed into a rapid format. The shorter the scene that you select, the easier this will be.
Some ideas may include:
Any of the six “Star Wars” movies
Any of the eleven “Star Trek” movies or five television series
“The Wizard of Oz”
“The Princess Bride”
Reverse ventriloquist act
One of the funniest acts that I have ever seen is a reverse ventriloquist act with a young toddler or baby sitting on their older sibling’s or parent’s lap. The twist is that the young child is the ventriloquist and the older sibling or parent is the dummy. Voices for the “baby’s” part can be provided by another member of the family offstage.
The costuming for the act was simple, tan pants, white button down shirt and matching neckties. The younger the child that is playing the part of the dummy, the better. Having the twist on a reverse ventriloquist act opens up the act for a lot of creativity and fresh material.
Stage a synchronized swimming act
Using a long length of blue tarp and a simple PVC pipe frame at the front of the stage, you can stage “water.” Select some classical music and do your own version of a Busby Berkley or Esther Williams synchronized swimming act. If you have to sell your children on the idea, “The Great Muppet Caper” has a scene with Miss Piggy doing her best Esther Williams.
No matter what you decide, taking part in a family talent show can bring your family closer together, and create memories for years to come. Who knows – you might discover some hidden talents along the way as well!
April 14, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
If you’ve had a child or family member affected with Tay-Sachs disease, or if you and your partner are both known Tay-Sachs carriers, you may have wondered about the options available to help you have children free of this condition. Tay-Sachs disease is a inherited condition with onset in infancy which causes progressive neurological degeneration until death, usually by age three or four. Current, there is no treatment or cure. Tay-Sachs disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. This means that couples in which both members are Tay-Sachs carriers have a 25%, or 1 in 4, chance with each pregnancy to have a child who inherits two copies of the Tay-Sachs gene mutation – one from each parent – and will develop the disease. Tay-Sachs is more common in the Ashkenazi Jewish population with one in every 3600 babies being affected and one in every 30 individuals of this ethnic background being healthy carriers for this condition.
Couples may learn of their risk to have a child with Tay-Sachs because of:
Family History: A previous child or other family member was diagnosed with the disease.
Genetic Carrier Testing: Both members of the couple are found to carry mutations within the gene that causes the disease during routine genetic carrier testing.
When a couple wishing to be parents learns they are at increased risk to have a child with Tay-Sachs disease and they want to reduce the chances of passing this condition onto their children, the following options may be considered:
Natural conception with the 25% chance that the baby will have Tay-Sachs
Natural conception with the option of prenatal diagnosis during pregnancy to determine whether the fetus has the disease
Adoption
Use of a sperm or egg donor who is known to not be a Tay-Sachs carrier to prevent passing on the disorder
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) with in vitro fertilization (IVF) to choose embryos without the disease for transfer to the mother’s uterus
Traditionally, couples at risk to have children with Tay-Sachs disease have either chosen to embark on a natural pregnancy with the 25% chance to have a child with the condition or have decided to adopt. Another option, available since the 1980s, includes undergoing prenatal diagnosis during each pregnancy to confirm that the fetus does not have Tay-Sachs disease. However, if the fetus is found to be affected, nothing can be done to treat the condition and the couple may be faced with difficult decisions during pregnancy. Some couples prefer to explore other family planning options rather than take this chance. For some couples, using either a sperm or egg donor who is confirmed to be a non-carrier is an effective way to have a child without Tay-Sachs disease. For couples searching for other ways to have their own biological children, a testing method called preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) may be a good choice.
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, or PGD and Tay-Sachs
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, or PGD, is a specialized laboratory test used during in vitro fertilization (IVF). PGD allows people who are affected with or who are carriers of a specific inherited disorder the chance of having children free of that particular condition. PGD has been used since the mid-1990s by couples who are at known risk for having children with Tay-Sachs disease.
PGD is always done in conjunction with IVF – a procedure in which the woman’s eggs are stimulated to develop, then removed and fertilized by the man’s sperm outside the body. When the embryos reach a certain size, one or more cells are removed from each embryo and tested in a PGD lab for the mutation(s) present in the family. Once the gene mutation status of each embryo is determined, the parents and their IVF doctor then decide which embryos they wish to transfer to the woman’s uterus.
PGD has been used by couples at risk to pass on specific genetic diseases for almost 20 years. There are a number of PGD laboratories nationwide that currently offer testing for many different single gene disorders, including Tay-Sachs. Most PGD labs can also develop ‘custom’ PGD tests for families with rare genetic conditions or mutations.
Recently, newer PGD methods have allowed testing for chromosome abnormalities – missing or extra chromosomes that would either cause miscarriage or the birth of a baby with a chromosome syndrome such as Down syndrome – at the same time as testing for a single gene disorder such as Tay-Sachs disease. When couples transfer embryos with normal chromosome results on PGD, the implantation rates may be higher and the miscarriage rates may be lower than with traditional PGD methods that test only for the single gene disorder without evaluating the chromosome number at the same time.
April 11, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
Do you work as a registered nurse? Do you have a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree? Have you thought of taking your career to the next level, one that can and will take you to a higher level of patient care, where you’ll be highly sought after for your expertise and knowledge?
Then consider becoming what is known as a family nurse practitioner (FNP).
You’ll need to pursue a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree, of course. You needn’t worry that you’ll have to give up your career to pursue your FNP masters degree and FNP certification: many nursing programs in colleges and universities around the country now offer programs that are Web-based, allowing you to pursue your studies at times that are convenient to your personal and work schedules.
Graduate from an MSN/Family Nurse Practitioner program and you’ll find yourself providing primary health care to your patients of all ages. You’ll perform minor medical procedures and physical examinations, among other health care skills.
However, what will really make you stand out is the focus of an FNP on wellness promotion and illness prevention. NPs are known for distinguishing themselves from others in the primary care arena for their health promotion/illness prevention from a family, holistic and community perspective.
Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner programs also focus on meeting the health care needs of inner city and rural populations, as well the homeless, schoolchildren and the elderly, an FNP masters degree and FNP certification will allow you to serve populations who desperately need your expertise, your skill and your commitment.
What’s more, advanced practice nurses (nurses such as Family Nurse Practitioners, or other nurses with a minimum of a master of science degree in nursing) could see themselves in real demand, since many FNPs often act as primary-care providers for patients, especially in under-served areas of the country.
Many physicians will retire in the coming years and the health care professions fear a looming physician shortage. Master of science in nursing professionals will be help fill the gaps in physician care.
There’s also a critical need for nurses to become faculty in nursing programs in order to train the many new Registered Nurses that will be needed in America in the coming decades. Nurses with a master of science in nursing, or with a nursing doctorate degree, are much needed today to fulfill the critical need for nursing faculty.
April 7, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
My wife and I have been married for over 3 years. We have one 2 year old precious daughter and we have one more child on the way. I can honestly say that family is the most important thing in life. It is more important than money, than jobs, entertainment, or anything else. It will bring the most fulfillment to your life. Here are the things that I have learned throughout my life to help produce a loving and productive family.
First, make sure that everyone practices love and forgiveness. Life isn’t perfect and neither is marriage and family. There are hard times and people can say some pretty mean things while upset. But what matters is what you do after the hard times have struck. Do you stick it out and work it out? Or whine in pity like a child? You must work through whatever you’re going through and you must practice forgiveness and love amongst your family. This will keep your family together through any hardship.
Next, involve everyone in all that you do. Whether you’re going to a movie, having dinner, going on a trip, or whatever, try to include everyone in the family in the preparation and the implementation of whatever it is you’re doing. Make sure that others feel like they are contributing and they are useful and important.
Another tip is to: DO THINGS! It’s perfectly fine and nice to have family time at home, but occasionally you need to get out of the house. You don’t have to necessarily spend a lot of money either. Sure, you can go on a trip or do one of a thousand things that is expensive. But you can always do things that are cheap or even free! Take a walk around your neighborhood, have a picnic, go walk the mall; the possibilities are practically endless. Families need to spend time together, doing things. This builds strong families. Another thing to do, is the exact opposite of the above. Ensure that your family gets quality individual time. It’s good to be together, in fact it’s great, but it’s also vitally important for people to have their own alone time.
Keep your family healthy by exercising together and by eating healthy foods. Eat plenty of healthy fats, whole grains, and quality protein. Take walks together and spend time out doors. Turn the TV OFF!
READ TO YOUR KIDS!!! Children love reading and you need to spend time reading to them. This will encourage their mental development and make them intelligent individuals. And if you don’t have kids, make sure you and your wife still read as well! Movies and TV are great, but nothing beats sitting back and reading a classic book.
Be spiritual together. Pray together every night and attend church together. Don’t just send your kids to church but take your whole family!
Just make sure you spend time with your family. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how much money you make, or how many movies you watch; what matters in life is how you have affected the ones you love. Spend time with your family. It helps build a peaceful and productive society.