The UNIVERSE through a Child’s Eyes

Galaxies are so large that stars can be considered particles next to them
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is something about parenthood that gives us a sense of history and a deeply rooted desire to send on into the next generation the great things we have discovered about life.  And part of that is the desire to instill in our children the love of science, of learning and particularly the love of nature. 

Your fascination with the universe and how to explore it as we so often do in the field of astronomy can be highly academic and dry as maybe it was if you took a course in astronomy.  But when you get out there in the field at night, your equipment is just right and the night sky comes alive with activity, there is no other experience like it for majesty and pure excitement.  And that is the kind of experience we want our children to come to love as much as we do.

It’s actually not a big jump from play to learning for children when it comes to learning about the natural world, science, and astronomy.  Exploration is a natural part of being a child and growing up in a fascinating world and universe.  So if we can find ways to take that natural desire to explore and instill a life long passion for astronomy, we will have given our children a truly great gift.

So with a few simple family activities, we can instill that love of astronomy in our offspring.  Here are some ideas.

* Make star gazing part of family life.  You already love to go outdoors as often as possible to enjoy the stars.  So don’t let that be your private passion.  Get everybody into the act.  The kids will love it and look forward to those nights as much as going to the circus.

* Make each new experience in growing into astronomy a fresh threshold.  So the first experiences might be what you experienced as a kid, just laying on your back out in the country with the panorama of the stars overhead trying to take it all in.  Go ahead and challenge them to count the stars.  It’s a fun exercise and one they will save to use as a joke on their kids when they do this same thing in a few decades.

* Take them along the road of learning, introducing binoculars so they can focus on particular areas of the night sky.

* Now they are hooked and want to know about why some of the stars are brighter than others.  They have no idea they are going to astronomy school and don’t even know it.  You can tell them about the constellations as you point out how to find them by keying off the North Star.  By being able to find things in that mass of stars and knowing there is such a vast amount more they can pick out, they are ripe for learning from star maps and about how the galaxies work.

* Think of their excitement as they notice the changes in the night sky.  The phases of the moon and the effect of the rotation of the earth on the position of the planets.  Help them find their favorite celestial bodies each night.  Before long they will learn to chart the movement of the stars just like the early astronomers did.

* Now you will get caught up in the excitement of finding new things to reveal to your excited crew of fledgling astronomers.  When you reveal that you are going on a safari to see an eclipse, a meteor shower or the once in a lifetime appearance of a comet, that gift will as big as anything you might spring on them for Christmas.

The wonders of the night sky will captivate your children the way it has you for years.  And you will have done them the greatest favor you ever could do by making them lifelong lovers of the universe.

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AMERICA Conquers the Air

The Wright brothers at the International Aviation Tournament
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you ask any student even in elementary school why the town of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina is significant to American history, they will know the answer immediately.  They will know that this was the place that Orville and Wilber Wright made the first working airplane and discovered that man could fly.  

Today, with thousands of airplanes taking to the sky at any given moment and the experience of flying high above the earth as common as riding a bicycle, it seems that a world where men did not fly is as far away as the ancient Romans.  But we have to travel in time back to the days before the Wright brothers made their phenomenal discovery and the invention of the first aircraft when there was a time when it was firmly believed that man would never fly like a bird and indeed, the man was meant to never fly but always be a terrestrial being.  We can be grateful that the Wright brothers did not hold to that belief.

The date of that first successful flight was December 17, 1903.  It was on that fateful day that Orville and Wilber successfully flew the first controlled, powered, heavier than air airplane.  This breakthrough ranks as one of the greatest inventions of American history and in truth, one of the great inventions of all time as the man had been dreaming of being able to fly as far back as we have primitive drawings illustrating that dream.

The Wright brothers were well suited to go through the tedious research to finally create a machine that could accomplish this feat.  We all know that great inventions are often the results of hundreds or thousands of failures and tests by which the inventor refines his ideas and makes new discoveries that take him to step by step toward that final breakthrough.  That was certainly true of the Wright brothers.

First flight of the Wright Flyer I, December 17, 1903, Orville piloting, Wilbur running at wingtip.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Our reference to flight becoming as common as riding a bicycle is well chosen because it was the Wright brother's vocation as mechanics repairing printing presses, motors, and bicycles that gave them the knowledge of the inner workings of such machines that were needed to create a machine that could sustain flight.  Their work to perfect the design of the common bicycle leads them to believe that conquering flight was not a question of providing sufficient power to the aircraft as it was providing mechanisms of control and balance to properly keep the aircraft steady with sufficient consistency that it could take to the air.

Long before that first successful flight, the Wright brothers conducted their research.  Using their bicycle shop as a makeshift laboratory, they first experimented with gliders and unmanned aircraft to refine their theories and their designs.  But finally, on December 17, 1903, they achieved their dream of manned flight, even if only for a short time.  Orville Wright’s account of that first flight is scientific and understated.

"Wilbur started the fourth and last flight at just about 12 o'clock.  The first few hundred feet were up and down, as before, but by the time three hundred feet had been covered, the machine was under much better control.  The course for the next four or five hundred feet had but little undulation.  However, when out about eight hundred feet the machine began pitching again, and, in one of its darts downward, struck the ground.  The distance over the ground was measured to be 852 feet; the time of the flight was 59 seconds.”

Little did the Wright brothers know that entirely new industry would be built around these simple experiments.  Moreover, they had achieved a dream man had dreamed for centuries, to actually be able to fly above the ground and come back safely.  It is truly one of the great accomplishments of American history.

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All You Need To Know About SPIRIT WINES

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Moderate wine consumption produces a better balance of these two. Additionally, wine has an anticoagulation effect which makes the blood less likely to clot. 

The health benefits of drinking alcohol can't be underrated. Mainly because of the evidence that it can greatly prove your health. 

However, not all alcoholic beverages can provide healthful gains. Between wines and spirits, wines provide more healthful benefits compared to spirits. 

Generally, spirits refer to purified or extracted alcohol. The process of distilling alcohol is usually done by heating a “fermented liquid.” The liquid is made to disperse in the air making it change from a liquid state to a gas or vapor and then squeezed back into its liquified form. Learn the art of Wine Tasting. 

Spirits are generally made from any natural material that can be “fermented” to produce alcohol. You could surmise that wine with a little percentage of alcohol can be transformed into spirits by increasing its alcohol content and decreasing its liquid substance. 

Measurements 

Since spirits are distilled forms of any organic substance including wines with the abundance of alcohol content, these particular types of beverages are measured and assessed depending on their alcohol content. Most countries that manufacture spirits use a particular means of measurement. The common way is to use the “Gay-Lussac system” or measuring the spirits according to “alcohol by volume” or ABV. 

For example, a particular spirit that is classified as 60% ABV means that it has 60% alcohol. In the United States, spirits or any alcoholic beverage are classified in accordance with their alcohol content by using “proof of scale.” The “proof” of an alcoholic beverage, particularly spirits, has their ABVs doubled. For instance, if a spirit has a 30% ABV, it is classified as 60% proof. 

Classifications 

Spirits are, basically, classified according to the kind of fermenting material that is used in the process of fermentation and distillation. 

To know more about the classification of spirits, here is a list that can help you out: 

1. Brandy 

This is a type of spirit that is made from a “fermented” grape sap. The alcohol contents of brandy are generated from a meticulous distillation process of grape juices, mostly from wines. 

2. Gin, Vodka, etc. 

These spirits are generated from distilled beers that are naturally made from grains. 

3. “Fortified wines” 

These are special kinds of spirits made from a combination of “fermented wine” and extracted spirits, which are, more often than not brandy. 

These are just a few of the many classifications of spirits. They may differ from the kinds of materials that they have originated from but they are all extracted and distilled to produce alcohol. That is why they are known as spirits. 

Chemical and food experts have known for years that wine contains rich deposits of vitamins, minerals, and natural sugars that are often beneficial to good health. Wine is also rich in potassium and low in sodium. Red wines have more of these elements due to the juices longer contact with the grape skins. Red wines are also rich in Vitamin B which comes from the grape skins as well.

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How Long Should You Rest Between MUSCLE BUILDING Sessions?

In an earlier article, we concluded that muscles must be worked to failure if an adequate hypertrophic response is to occur. Whether this involves one or more sets is irrelevant as in either scenario the muscles must be worked to failure and beyond. This causes significant microscopic damage to the muscle tissues and it is during the period of recovery that protein synthesis undertakes the repair process that results in bigger muscle fibers.

But how long does this process take and when is it safe to expose those same muscles to further intensive exercise? Scientific studies suggest that muscle fiber degradation takes approximately five to seven days to repair and recover. Any further exposure of the affected muscle to the intensive activity will interfere with the recovery process and actually prevent it from achieving maximum growth. However, using the muscle to assist in exercising other body parts or even taking part in the low-intensity aerobic exercise will not prevent recovery.

It follows therefore that each muscle group should be trained intensively only once each week in order to allow full recovery. This can be achieved by incorporating a split training regime that allows you to work out several times each week but still exercise each muscle group intensively only once every seven days.

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Understanding Mexican Laws While Vacationing in MEXICO

Mexico 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Each year, millions of individuals travel to Mexico.  Many travels to Mexico for a vacation or a business trip. Whatever your reason for travelling to Mexico, there are a number of important things that you must consider.  Perhaps, the most important is the laws in Mexico.

Whether you are driving to Mexico or flying there, you will need to have the proper forms of identification.  Picture identification and proof of citizenship will be required.  To prove citizenship, a birth certificate or passport can be used.  Without the appropriate documents, you may be denied entry. 

Before leaving for Mexico, it is advised that you make multiple copies of your identification documents.  You are encouraged to leave a copy at home and carry another copy with you, in addition to the original documents.  If you should have a problem with the Mexican authorities, these documents will come in handy.  

Out of all of the people that to travel to Mexico, most will not encounter a problem with authorities.  To prevent a problem from occurring, you are encouraged to know and understand some of the laws that are currently in place in Mexico.  Knowing and abiding by these laws will not only keep you safe, but it will make your vacation enjoyable.  

As with any country, Mexico has a large number of laws that are currently enforced. While it may be impossible for you to examine each and every one of these laws, you are encouraged to familiarize yourself with the most important ones.  For instance, many individuals believe that checking in at the border is all they have to when they arrive in Mexico.

If you are like most of the other individuals who visit Mexico, you are there on a vacation.  Arriving in Mexico by car is different than arriving there on an aeroplane. If you plan on driving yourself around Mexico, you will need to register your vehicle.  This can be done by obtaining a vehicle import permit.  Car owners that do not have the proper approval can be fined or lose their vehicle.  

If you are travelling to Mexico for a business trip, you will be required to fill out a business form.  In Mexico, you are not allowed to conduct business in the area, without first making your intentions known.  Business travellers are required to fill out the conduct of business form.  If you are self-employed or work for a small company, you will often be responsible for this paperwork.  If you work for a larger, international company, the paperwork may already be taken care of.

Once in Mexico, you are encouraged to use alcohol with caution.  Mexican authorities often arrest individuals that illegal purchase alcohol, cause a public disruption, or drink in areas where alcohol is not permitted.  In the United States, illegal drinking activities are taken seriously, but it is nothing compared to Mexico.  All punishments will vary, but you easily spend a number of months or years in jail.  That is why all tourists are encouraged to use their best judgment when alcohol is involved.

While in Mexico, it is likely that you will take risks. For that is what Mexico is all about. There is a difference between taking risks and breaking the laws. It is always important to keep in mind that the laws in Mexico vary from the laws in the United States and other countries.  In addition the laws, the way they are enforced and the punishment for breaking them vary.  

If you are vacationing in Mexico and you find yourself in a predicament with the Mexican authorities, you are urged to contact your nearest embassy.  If you are from the United States, you will need to be in contact with the United States Embassy. By contacting your nearest embassy office, you can seek assistance on what to do next.  

As previously mentioned, the best way to stay out of trouble in Mexico is not to cause it. When partying or participating in other activities, be sure you know what you are doing. When in doubt, it is best to avoid any activities that may land you jail.  If you are interested in learning more about Mexican laws, you can easily do the research online.

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You Should Make WALKING An Every Day Priority

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

No one needs to be reminded that the fitness craze has arrived in full bloom and hints to us that it's not going away anytime soon.

For the more, shall we say, "leisurely" type of person, this can cause a lot of guilt? "I'm going to start walking -- next week." "How hard can it be to just walk for 30 minutes? I can do that. I just haven't had time." We've all heard (and sometimes used) one of these excuses.

The one reason people don't do what they don't absolutely have to do is simple: They don't want to, and they don't have to. We grow up learning that death and taxes are the only two inevitables. Now they want us to exercise?

Exercise is thought of by many people as a forced kind of event, and walking hovers near the top of the list in the "boring" category. "I don't want to just WALK! What's the point, where's the destination?" we ask.

Well, just like everything else, there are loopholes here aplenty; it's up to the individual to make something so intolerably "boring" pretty interesting. It's also imperative to your health that you rethink that statement and re-prioritize your life.

Just think of it this way: Do you place a high enough priority on yourself and your well-being? It never hurts to remind yourself of the health benefits you'd gain by walking regularly. It's true -- you will not notice these long-term benefits right away, you will notice these things: You'll have more energy. You'll sleep better. You'll be fitter. And you'll be happier.

Still not enough? OK. On those days you really can't seem to set aside a half-hour for a walk, you CAN walk. Find shorter segments of time where walking naturally fits into your schedule. If you're used to driving everywhere, this may take a little rethinking. But consider this: If you have a short errand to do, a meeting to attend, or a child to pick up, walk. If you're headed to see a movie, to worship, to a game, walk. Although it may take a few minutes longer than normal, remind yourself of your efficient use of time: you're actually accomplishing several things at once. (This is a mental trick, but it works.)

Look, if our ancestors survived the Ice Age, it won't kill you to walk in the rain. In our age of climate control and central air, we like our environment to remain comfortable at all times. But, come on, how "boring" is that?

Another trick is to think of walking as a basic human need, like sleep, shelter, and food. Then, after you complete your 30 minutes, reward yourself with any of the other three needs. Walk back home and go in the kitchen.

The key is to never demand too much from yourself. So what if the dishes aren't done? Do them later. You'll live longer and more healthfully if you walk instead of doing the dishes! And doctors don't prescribe doing the laundry a certain amount of times during the week. These are the "blocks" you put in front of yourself that keep you from walking.

It certainly isn't easy to change our priorities in today's hectic world, but it's harder to begin "getting healthy" when it's a little too late -- and the house is spotless.

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HORSES - The Lipizzaners

Lipizzaner stallion in the Slovakian National Stud Topolcianky -  Picture: Wikimedia

Some History of the Lipizzaners 

The aristocratic Lipizzaners are descended from the Iberian Horse, which is the oldest breed in the world.  Iberians were used as war horses from 4000 years before Mohammed when camels were used as mounts in warfare and their Lipizzaner descendants today are trained to perform movements that were originally taught to military mounts so that they were more effective in battle.

The breed was first established in 1590, by the Archduke of Austria, Charles II.  He began the first stud farm in Lipizza, then a part of Italy, and began breeding the Iberian with the native breeds of Italy.  Until well into the late 1700s, these horses were crossbred with the finest of horses from Spain, Italy and Arabia.  They were used, during that time, as family and carriage horses for the Royal Court in Vienna.

In 1735, Charles VI of Austria established the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.  It is the oldest riding school in the world (so named for the Spanish horses who were a large foundation of the breed), and for more than 400 years has trained riders and horses to perform the classical dressage movements which have made the Lipizzaner famous.  When Charles began school, he also began recording the bloodlines of the breed.

Of the nine original studs used to establish the breed, six bloodlines are used solely for breeding at the Spanish Riding School and Lipizzaners of South Africa at Kyalami.  These are the ones that they recognize as the purest of the breed.  Those six stallions were:

- Pluto, born in 1765, grey in color

- Conversano, born in 1767, black in color

- Favory, born in 1779, dun in color

- Neapolitano, born in 1790, bay (brown) in color

- Siglavy, born in 1810, grey in color

- Maestroso II, born in 1819, grey in color

Although the two breeders mentioned here tend to favor the light-grey and white stallions for showing, they consider it bad luck if there is not at least one bay horse in their stables.

Lipizzaners are branded with a special symbol to indicate from which bloodlines they descended.

They bear the symbol of their sire and the symbol of their dam's sire.  This is called the "ancestral brand".   Foals are branded with a number so that one can easily locate them in the foal registry.  In addition to these two brands, each Lipizzaner also carries the "brand of descent" on its left cheek. This is quite often an "L".  

More recently, two other bloodlines have been internationally recognized as purebred.  Those are:

- Tulipan, born in 1850, no color stated

- Incitato, no date of birth or color stated

While not indicated as being recognized by the two aforementioned breeders, these bloodlines are acceptable to many modern-day advocates of the bloodline purity.

In 1920, the decision was made to move the Lipizzaners from Lipizza (now in present-day Slovenia) to Piber, Austria.  During World War 2 the entire inventory of the stock was moved to Holstau to prevent the animals from being seized and used in battle or requisitioned as food supplies by hostile forces.  The line almost became extinct (only 250 horses survived), and would have been wiped out completely without the intervention of General George Patton.  He and his troops rescued the survivors so that they could move on to continue their incredible history.

In 1948, after having fled Europe, Count Elemer Jankovich-Besan moved some of the surviving horses to South Mooi River in South Africa.  He gifted one of the stallions to Major George Iwanowski who, in turn, started the Lipizzaners of South Africa School.  This is one of the two accredited Lipizzaner Centers in the world, the other being the Spanish Riding School.

Description and Conformation of the Lipizzaners 

Foals are usually dark or black-brown when born.  They go through several different color changes before finally achieving their adult color between the ages of four and ten.  Most often, the color is light-gray or white.  However, there are also duns and bays.  They are simply not as common and it is a rarity to have an adult Lipizzaner be totally black-brown or black.

The breed is long-lived and has been recorded to live as long as 34 years.  It is not uncommon for a Lipizzaner to live well into its 20s.  They are very loyal and are well-known for their magnificent stamina, agility, strength, and courage.

For training and showing, only stallions are used.  And the breeders/trainers look for a certain conformation in those horses which are eventually trained for dressage.  These include:

- the stallion should be 15.2 to 16 hands (a hand is four inches or 6 cm) high, that is 155 to 160 cm

- the head is slightly aquiline to gently Roman in shape, and the eyes are a good width apart

- the neck should be crested, but not appear too heavy at the top nor too thick underneath

- the back and the neck should be of equal length

- the chest should be strong and of medium width

- the shoulders should have a good slope

- the legs should appear shorter so that the horse is better conformed to perform the "Airs Above the Ground"

- the musculature should be pronounced, without making the horse appear too heavy - the hindquarters should be well-rounded

- the mane and tail should be thick and full, but fine and soft to the touch.

"Classical Dressage" 

The "Airs Above the Ground", when performed and observed, bring to mind the movements of a ballerina.  In a manner of speaking, the Lipizzaner is the ballerina of the equine world.

The exercises performed by these magnificent creatures include: 

- the levade: a 45-degree position in which the horse is "haunched" over the ground - the courbette: the horse balances on his hind legs before jumping, and keeps his forelegs off the ground and his hind legs together while "hopping"

- the capriole: the stallion leaps into the air, tucks his forelegs under him, and kicks out with his hind legs at the height of elevation

- the piaffe: a cadenced trot which the stallion performs while standing in place

- the croupade: similar to the capriole, but both front and hind legs are tucked under the body at the height of elevation and many more.

It is fascinating to watch these horses in performance, and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience which true horse-lovers should experience.  They are stunning and, at times, awe-inspiring.  They truly are the ballerinas of the equine world, and a marvelous sight to behold!

The Slovenians consider the Lipizzaner to be the first pure-bred ever established in their country.  As such, it will most likely be pictured on their new euro coins.  This horse is highly prized in their country.

The breed is rare today, with only about 3,000 horses registered as purebreds.  But, the numbers are increasing as breeders use the horses more in harness.  Slovenians use the stallions for dressage display and to cross-breed with their own native stock for use in agricultural work.  The Lipizzaner is still the only breed used by the Spanish Riding School in Austria.

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