Cosmology

My interest in Cosmology started a few years ago when a entered my sons in the SA Maths Olympiad competition. The University in KwaZulu-Natal held a public lecture on the topic. I needed to kill time so I attended it. All I can say is Wow!

Things exist out there that feels infinite and eternal. See link http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Cosmology.htm to get a better understanding of what I am talking about.

I realize that cosmology is in a continuous state of development, and new ideas can become outdated very quickly. Throughout history most cosmologies suggested that the Universe was finite in size and variety. Even the Big Bang theory at first stated that before the BB there existed nothing.

Today, many qualify those views by claiming that nothing of the Universe existed before the BB, and that time and space within the Universe started with the BB. (While still holding onto the BB theory some cosmologists are claiming that mathematical evidence suggests, beyond science fiction images of the Cosmos).

Website links

http://www.harunyahya.com/create02.php

http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/cosmology/1.html

http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/bigbang.htm

http://superstringtheory.com/cosmo/index.html

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Hyperkinetic Disorder and Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD)

PART ONE

Over the past 20 years I have been involved with Children (as parent & mentor) with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Hyperkinetic Disorder which is generally considered to be a developmental disorder, largely neurological in nature, affecting about 5% of the world's population.

Lets jump straight into the war zone: Reminding your children endlessly about the same things over & over, arguing repeatedly about daily tasks, school saying to you that your child is not working to their potential, forgotten to their lunch, homework, etc.

We as parents sometimes feel that these issues become overwhelming and lets not beat around the bush here, ADD/ADHD children do place stress on family relationships. Note, I am only covering children & not adults for the purposes of this article.

To understand what we mean by ADD/ADHD and how to really understand it, I would like to suggest that you read the following :

Some website links

http://www.chadd.org/default.htm (Highly recommended)

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd/complete-publication.shtml

http://www.add-adhd.org/ritalin_CHADD_A.D.D.html

http://addadhd.suite101.com/blogs.cfm

http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/medical/add.html

http://www.adhasa.co.za/

http://www.addresources.org/

50 Tips on the Classroom Management of Attention Deficit Disorder

50 Tips for Managing Attention Deficit Disorder in the Classroom

Books to read:

Books 1

http://user.cybrzn.com/~kenyonck/add/books/five_best_add_adhd_books.html

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=2-9780684801285-3

I do strongly recommend that you read:

Driven to Distraction, Hallowell & Ratey: Recognizing and Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood

This book has some of the clearest explanations of what it feels like to be ADD. It is well-written by two psychiatrists who are themselves ADD.

Hardcover, 319 pages
Published by Pantheon Books
Publication date: March 1, 1994
ISBN: 0679421777

Reprint Edition
Paperback, 319 pages
Published by Simon & Schuster (Paper)
Publication date: March 1, 1995
ISBN: 0684801280

Book 2
50 Easy Tips for Parents of Kids with ADHD - by DARREN TAGLIARINI
This book is a wonderful straight forward collection of 50 interventions parents and teachers can do for a child with ADD/ADHD.

Book 3
http://www.additudemag.com/RCLP/sub/2728.html

Books 4

Balance Check's Largest List of ADD / ADHD / AD/HD Books A-Z: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(The books on this page are those that show up in searches for ADD / ADHD Books. This list is not a complete listing of all books on ADD / ADHD. Some of the professional-level books are not listed.)

PART TWO

As parents we need to understand that there are comorbid conditions related to attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD). Roughly half of all children with ADHD suffer from conditions like anxiety, depression or OCD. It is very important that you build a good relationship with your Doctor as this will be somewhat of a long term one.

Roughly half of all children with ADHD suffer from a condition like anxiety, depression or Obsessive-compulsive Disorder .

It is at this point where I would like you to read about Anxiety, Depression, Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder and Dyslexia(Bipolar Disorder and the Connection to Dyslexia).

Just a note – It is important to check your child's hearing, eyes, etc. When visiting your Doctor, it is important to take your child's school reports along. A comprehensive history of the child from pregnancy to current will assist your Doctor. Next – gloves off, if you think either you or hubby has had similar experience/challenges as the child has, be brave and discuss this too.

What is a Webcam & How to Choose one

I had a friend whose family is overseas & needed to maintain contact with them. Trouble is they are desperate to maintain eye contact & of course hear them (audio).

As you are aware South Africa does have much to offer in terms of bandwidth internet connections. So getting a webcam and staying in touch with the family (& friends) has never been easier.

What is a Webcam
A webcam is a small video camera that takes still or moving images and sends them to your PC via a USB cable. The quality of "image capture" is determined by the webcam's lens, optical sensor and the frame rate the camera can transmit. You need to be aware of the resolution being at least (640x480) , and the frame rate should be around 30 frames per second. If your looking to take movie clips then you will need a camera with a high resolution and frame rate.

PC specification and your Webcam
Your PC specification required to run the webcam of your choice should meet that specification. The majority of current webcams require at least Windows 98 Second Edition to work properly. Minimum processor requirements from 350MHz to 700MHz. RAM specifications vary from 128MB to 512MB.

General Information
A webcam's manufacturer will specify certain minimum requirements that your PC should meet if it is to work successfully with the device. These generally include the version of Windows on your PC, your processor's speed and the amount of RAM fitted. Some webcams use a USB Hi-Speed connection. Before you buy one of these cams check to see if your PC has USB2.0 ports. Most current webcams come with a built-in microphone, but a few don't. Before you buy, check to see if your webcam has a microphone, if it doesn't you'll have to buy one that plugs into your sound card.