Sunday, 30 November 2014
Does Oscar The Cat Have A Sixth Sense? One Doctor Certainly Thinks So
WALT: take notes and make notes reading an article
SC:
-use keywords and phrases to take notes
-use symbols and pics to take notes
-turn keywords, phrases, symbols and pics into full sentences.
-visualise
Original Text
When the administrators of the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center inProvidence, Rhode Island, adopted six 'therapy' cats from an animal shelter, they had no idea that among them was one that possessed an uncanny sixth sense to predict theimpending death of terminally ill patients.
Oscar the tabby cat's story begins in 2005, when the newly born kitten was placed on third floor of the nursing center, home to patients that are in the last stages of illnesses like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cancer. The kitten spent the first year lazing around and watching the bustling activity around him. Then, just before his first birthday, Oscar began visiting each of the 41-patients on the floor regularly, just like the doctors and nurses did.
Initially, the hospital staff did not pay much attention to the feline's behavior. However, after some of the people that Oscar was snuggled next to passed away, they began to notice a pattern - the cat only went close to those that were a few hours away from dying. Otherwise, he would curl up on a desk and spend the day sleeping.
To test if it was just a coincidence, the staff tried to place Oscar next to a patient they believed was close to dying. But the paranormal cat refused to stay put and decided to snuggle next to someone else. Turns out he was right because 'his' patient died that same evening, while the one whose death the nurses had thought was imminent, lived on for another two days.
Among the biggest believers in Oscar's paranormal powers is Dr. David Dosa, ageriatrician and Assistant Professor at Brown University. He is so convinced of Oscar's unusual 'gift' that he not only published a paper about him in the New England Journal of Medicine, but also wrote a book. Entitled "Making rounds with Oscar: The extraordinary gift of an ordinary cat’, the 2010 publication outlines the various pieces of evidence he has been able to gather about the cat's predicting powers. Also convinced is the hospital staff who has been using Oscar's foretelling abilities to inform family members so they can bid farewell to their loved ones before it's too late.
Of course, not everyone believes that Oscar has a sixth sense. Some feline experts think that his perfect timing may have to do with a certain smell that the cat has come to associate with death. Others speculate it may have to do with the lack of movement in people that are about to die.
Then there are the skeptics who maintain that Oscar's record is not as perfect as it has been made out to be. They think that the hospital staff and Dr. Dosa have simply 'cherry-picked' the occasions when Oscar has been accurate and ignored the ones when he has not. Fortunately, none of this negative chatter has affected nine-year-old Oscar who continues to provide comfort to sick people in their final hours!
My pic
SC:
-use keywords and phrases to take notes
-use symbols and pics to take notes
-turn keywords, phrases, symbols and pics into full sentences.
-visualise
Original Text
When the administrators of the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center inProvidence, Rhode Island, adopted six 'therapy' cats from an animal shelter, they had no idea that among them was one that possessed an uncanny sixth sense to predict theimpending death of terminally ill patients.
Oscar the tabby cat's story begins in 2005, when the newly born kitten was placed on third floor of the nursing center, home to patients that are in the last stages of illnesses like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cancer. The kitten spent the first year lazing around and watching the bustling activity around him. Then, just before his first birthday, Oscar began visiting each of the 41-patients on the floor regularly, just like the doctors and nurses did.
Initially, the hospital staff did not pay much attention to the feline's behavior. However, after some of the people that Oscar was snuggled next to passed away, they began to notice a pattern - the cat only went close to those that were a few hours away from dying. Otherwise, he would curl up on a desk and spend the day sleeping.
To test if it was just a coincidence, the staff tried to place Oscar next to a patient they believed was close to dying. But the paranormal cat refused to stay put and decided to snuggle next to someone else. Turns out he was right because 'his' patient died that same evening, while the one whose death the nurses had thought was imminent, lived on for another two days.
Among the biggest believers in Oscar's paranormal powers is Dr. David Dosa, ageriatrician and Assistant Professor at Brown University. He is so convinced of Oscar's unusual 'gift' that he not only published a paper about him in the New England Journal of Medicine, but also wrote a book. Entitled "Making rounds with Oscar: The extraordinary gift of an ordinary cat’, the 2010 publication outlines the various pieces of evidence he has been able to gather about the cat's predicting powers. Also convinced is the hospital staff who has been using Oscar's foretelling abilities to inform family members so they can bid farewell to their loved ones before it's too late.
Of course, not everyone believes that Oscar has a sixth sense. Some feline experts think that his perfect timing may have to do with a certain smell that the cat has come to associate with death. Others speculate it may have to do with the lack of movement in people that are about to die.
Then there are the skeptics who maintain that Oscar's record is not as perfect as it has been made out to be. They think that the hospital staff and Dr. Dosa have simply 'cherry-picked' the occasions when Oscar has been accurate and ignored the ones when he has not. Fortunately, none of this negative chatter has affected nine-year-old Oscar who continues to provide comfort to sick people in their final hours!
My pic
Sunday, 23 November 2014
Movie Challenge reflection
Movie Challenge reflection
I think that we worked well together and that we all agreed on the ideas we had. 2. What would YOU do differently next time?
I would be more confident and speck loudly. 3. Based on the criteria, how would you improve your movie if we gave you time.
I think we should have stuck together more like some people were mucking around and while others were doing there work. The quality of the message could of been better or more thorough. I think that did alright with our Camera angles, dramatic intention. The sound quality cloud of been better.
Criteria:
- Teamwork
Able to work collaboratively as a team to produce a movie
- Quality of message -
Life Ed theme. Shows understanding or learning from Life Ed programme
- Able to use film making conventions
Camera angles, dramatic intention
- Sound quality
Ability to ensure all dialogue is heard
Tuesday, 21 October 2014
Life Education - Methamphetamine (P) and the story of William and Coral
Methamphetamine (P) is potentially a very addictive drug. It belongs to a group of drugs known as ‘Stimulants’ and works by releasing high levels of the brain chemical dopamine, stimulating brain cells, enhancing mood and body movement. It is classified as a Class A drug.
The long-term and short-term impact of the individual
When taken, meth and crystal meth create a false sense of well-being and energy, and so a person will tend to push his body faster and further than it is meant to go. Thus, drug users can experience a severe “crash” or physical and mental breakdown after the effects of the drugs wear off.
Continued use of the drug decreases natural feelings of hunger, users can experience extreme weight loss. Negative effects can also include disturbed sleep patterns, hyperactivity, nausea, delusions of power, increased aggressiveness and irritability.
Long-term effects
- Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain, high blood pressure leading to heart attacks, strokes and death
- Liver, kidney and lung damage
- Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed
- Respiratory (breathing) problems if smoked
- Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected
- Malnutrition, weight loss
- Severe tooth decay
- Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion
- Strong psychological dependence
- Psychosis
- Depression
- Damage to the brain similar to Alzheimer’s disease, 3 stroke and epilepsy
Short-term effects
- Loss of appetite
- Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature
- Dilation of pupils
- Disturbed sleep patterns
- Nausea
- Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behavior
- Hallucinations, hyperexcitability, irritability
- Panic and psychosis
- Convulsions, seizures and death from high doses
The story of William who killed his daughter Coral.
They arrived at the South Featherston School about 8.17am. It was pouring with rain. Storm got out and ran inside but Coral refused.
Williams later told police she got cheeky to him and he "lost the plot". The police summary of evidence records that he "flew into a rage such as he had never before experienced".
From the driver's seat he reached into the back, half climbing over the seat to punch Coral repeatedly, holding her with one hand while hitting with the other.
He broke her jaw in two places, just below the right ear and on her chin. Her jawbone was protruding on the left-hand side of her face.
Her blood was everywhere, including all over his hands and her face. The autopsy concluded that the bleeding from her mouth would have been "torrential".
When Williams' rage abated, Coral was collapsed on the car floor unconscious. None of the other parents arriving with their children apparently noticed what had occurred.
In a panic Williams drove off, heading south away from town.
Sunday, 31 August 2014
America's Favorite Giant Panda Celebrates First Birthday
1. Every animal turns one so why was Bao Bao's first birthday so special?
First bithdays are always special, this one was even more so, given that only one other giant panda born at the National Zoo, Bao Bao's brother Tai Shan, has survived to celebrate this all-important milestone. Both, are offspring of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian - giant pandas on loan from China as part of the conservation effort to revive thedwindling population of these beautiful animals. The zoo's first panda couple, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing that were a gift from the government of China, bore five cubs. Unfortunately, all of them perished within a few days.
2. How did the zookeepers celebrate it?
While Bao Bao may still look tiny, the cub who spends her days wrestling with a blue cylinder-shaped buoy filled with sand and sleeping on her favorite hemlock tree, has come a long way from the wriggling pink baby who was the size of a stick of butter, when born. The smart panda who now weighs a healthy 44lbs, has even learnt to respond to her name and stand tall on the scale, during her monthly weigh-ins.
Bao Bao's keepers are now hoping to teach her to present her paw when she needs to get her blood drawn and lie down, during her monthly ultrasound. As the year progresses, she will gradually stop drinking her mother's milk and then just like pandas in the wild, move away from 'home', which in Bao Bao's case means shifting to a separate enclosure. Of course, this will only be a temporary home. That's because at the age of five, Bao Bao will follow her brother's footsteps and head to the special giant panda breeding program at the Wolong Nature Reserve in China's Sichuan Province.
First bithdays are always special, this one was even more so, given that only one other giant panda born at the National Zoo, Bao Bao's brother Tai Shan, has survived to celebrate this all-important milestone. Both, are offspring of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian - giant pandas on loan from China as part of the conservation effort to revive thedwindling population of these beautiful animals. The zoo's first panda couple, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing that were a gift from the government of China, bore five cubs. Unfortunately, all of them perished within a few days.
2. How did the zookeepers celebrate it?
The zookeepers made bamboo sticks were not the only treats in store for this cutie-pie whose name means 'precious' or 'treasure'. The zoo's nutrition department had also made adelectable tiered cake that was crafted from frozen diluted apple juice and dyed various shades of pink, with beet juice. Frozen in between, were slices of Bao Bao's favorite fruits - apples and pears. Flower appliques carved from carrots and sweet potatoes adorned the top and a large number '1', carved from frozen apple juice, completed the perfect treat. Like any one-year-old, Bao Bao attacked his birthday cake with a vengeance and kept it in a tight embrace, until it was all gone.
In keeping with ancient Chinese tradition, the party commenced with the young panda being offered a choice of three honey-dipped bamboo shoots. Next to each, was a colorful hand-painted poster labeled 'Long Life,' 'Good Health' and 'Many Cubs'. Given that the panda's first choice is believed to predict its future, it was fortunate that Bao Bao immediately gravitated to the 'Long Life' bamboo.
3. What are some of the things Bao Bao has learnt during his first year? What are some of the things in store for her before she turns two?
In keeping with ancient Chinese tradition, the party commenced with the young panda being offered a choice of three honey-dipped bamboo shoots. Next to each, was a colorful hand-painted poster labeled 'Long Life,' 'Good Health' and 'Many Cubs'. Given that the panda's first choice is believed to predict its future, it was fortunate that Bao Bao immediately gravitated to the 'Long Life' bamboo.
3. What are some of the things Bao Bao has learnt during his first year? What are some of the things in store for her before she turns two?
Bao Bao's keepers are now hoping to teach her to present her paw when she needs to get her blood drawn and lie down, during her monthly ultrasound. As the year progresses, she will gradually stop drinking her mother's milk and then just like pandas in the wild, move away from 'home', which in Bao Bao's case means shifting to a separate enclosure. Of course, this will only be a temporary home. That's because at the age of five, Bao Bao will follow her brother's footsteps and head to the special giant panda breeding program at the Wolong Nature Reserve in China's Sichuan Province.
Word Search
Sunday, 24 August 2014
Dangerous Decibels
Today we had a lesson with a lady call Toni about Dangerous Decibels to tech us about what our limits should be and how to our ears safe. A safe decibel is 85 or lower. 90-120 decibels may result in hearing loss, that is suff like lawn mower and loud rock concert. 125 decibels plus pain can begin. 130 decibels can cause instant hearing loss stuff like firecrackers and heavy metal concerts.
We did a lot of testing with a tuning fork. We had to bang it down on the ground then put close to our ear we heard a ringing noise that was the energy that came from the vibration from when we hit it. We also put it on our hand and it almost felt like it stung our hands. Then we did it with a ping pong ball attached to string. This showed that the more you hit the tuning fork on the ground the more energy and the higher the ping pong ball went.
We also learnt that sticking Q tips in your ear can make your ear drum break. Your ear drum is so delicate its like tissue paper. And ear wax is how our ears naturally cleans our ear canals.
We did a lot of testing with a tuning fork. We had to bang it down on the ground then put close to our ear we heard a ringing noise that was the energy that came from the vibration from when we hit it. We also put it on our hand and it almost felt like it stung our hands. Then we did it with a ping pong ball attached to string. This showed that the more you hit the tuning fork on the ground the more energy and the higher the ping pong ball went.
We also learnt that sticking Q tips in your ear can make your ear drum break. Your ear drum is so delicate its like tissue paper. And ear wax is how our ears naturally cleans our ear canals.
Mining Cavern Transforms Into World's Largest Underground Trampoline Park
1. How is Bounce Below different from other trampoline parks?
Its the world's biggest underground trampoline park that opened in the historic slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales. Nestled in a massive cavern that is located inside a 100ft deep and 60ft wide former slate mine, it provides visitors with a bouncing experience like none other.
2. What are some of the things visitors will experience at Bounce Below?
2. What are some of the things visitors will experience at Bounce Below?
Visitors to Bounce Below begin their journey with a safety briefing, after which they all don overalls and safety helmets and embark on an old mine train for the short ride into the mountain. Upon arrival, the guests encounter a sight that makes even the most seasoned trampoline park visitor, gasp in awe - a series of trampolines spanning a whopping 10,000 square feet, all connected by slides, the biggest of which is a mind-blowing 60-foot plunge, as well as, chutes and ladders. The whole experience is made even more surreal, by the vibrant colours that illuminate the cavern.
3. What are the two zip lines called? What is special about each one?
1.) Zip World. These include traveling deep underground using Britain's steepest cable railway, to check out the old mines and observe quarryman demonstrating slate mining.
2.) There are also above the ground activities, there is the choice of two ziplines - Velocity or Titan that lie within 45 minutes of each other. As you may have guessed, neither is ordinary.
Word Search
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)