9 Things You Should Know About Orphans

CURRENT EVENTS

This past weekend was Orphan Sunday, a day many Christians and churches set aside to recognize God's call that we defend the fatherless, care for the child that has no family, and visit orphans in their distress. Here are nine things you should know about orphans in America and around the world.

1. A common assumption is  that an orphan is a child who has two deceased parents. But the more inclusive definitions used by adoption and relief agencies tend to focus on a child who is deprived of parental care. An orphan can be further classified by using definitions such as UNICEF's  “single orphans,” which is a child with only one parent that has died, or “double orphans,” which is a child who has two parents that are deceased. Under U.S. immigration law, an orphan can also be a foreign-born child with a sole or surviving parent who is unable to provide for the child's basic needs, consistent with the local standards of the foreign sending country, and has, in writing, irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption. The majority of the world's orphans have families who are merely unable or unwilling to care for the child.

2. According to UNICEF estimates, there are 17,900,000 orphans who have lost both parents and are living in orphanages or on the streets and lack the care and attention required for healthy development.

3. In the U.S. 400,540 children are living without permanent families in the foster care system. 115,000 of these children are eligible for adoption, but nearly 40% of these children will wait over three years in foster care before being adopted.

4. According to the U.S. State Department, U.S. families adopted 8,668 children from another country in 2012 (compared to 22,991 in 2004). Last year, Americans adopted the highest number of children from China, Ethiopia, Russia, South Korea, and Ukraine.

5. Children raised in orphanages have an IQ 20 points lower than their peers in foster care, according to a meta-analysis of 75 studies (more than 3,800 children in 19 countries).

6. Each year, over 27,000 youth “age out” of foster care without the emotional and financial support necessary to succeed. Nearly 25% of youth aging out did not have a high school diploma or GED, and a mere 6% had finished a two- or four-year degree after aging out of foster care.

7. As of 2011, nearly 60,000 children in foster care in the U.S. are placed in institutions or group homes, not in traditional foster homes.

8. The average length of time a child waits to be adopted in foster care is over 3 years. Roughly 55% of these children have had three or more placements. One study found that 33% of children had changed elementary schools five or more times, losing relationships and falling behind educationally.

9. A study by the Rand Corporation found that as of April 11, 2002, a total of 396,526 embryonic humans have been frozen and placed in storage in the United States. Most of them will live and die in an IVF clinic. That is almost 400,000 orphans whose names we will never know and whose faces we will never see.   

Recent posts in this series: 9 Things You Should Know about Halloween and Reformation Day • 9 Things You Should Know About Down Syndrome • 9 Things You Should Know About World Hunger • 9 Things You Should Know about Casinos and Gambling • 9 Things You Should Know About Prison Rape • 9 Things You Should Know About the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing • 9 Things You Should Know About the 9/11 Attack Aftermath • 9 Things You Should Know About Chemical Weapons

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Asphalt Compaction (ENG. HASSAN M. ELRAMLI)(BENGHAZI - LIBYA)

البرنامج الزمني فيديو

الانفصال الحبيبي في الخلطة الاسفلتية(المهندس/حسن محمد الرملي)

The successful manager

The successful manager

A successful manager is someone who sets plans, monitors work, leaves minutes of steering for others, and puts a man above a man. According to what we know and what we have seen, the manager is the first leader who follows the Board of Directors and in accordance with a general strategy set by this council. However, each manager has a strategy that he must set for his work according to the strategy of the board of directors. He is satisfied with the strategy of the board of directors and the development of his strategy to run the work of the institution, although in modern management the manager is who must be mentally satisfied so that he can take strategic and important decisions and intervention in a timely manner and this mental satisfaction can only come b And to give powers to the managers and officials who come after him in the organizational structure of the company and not to limit his powers and thus creates a kind of central to have many disadvantages, the most important of which are: mental fatigue and focus on small things or even large, which should not be valid and this makes Mentally distracted ... access to this stage of frown and confusion must be out quickly ... Accumulation of the work of the ACCUMULATION OF Work and lack of flow and general discontent among the officials and customers who have business with the institution ... The accumulation of work and lack of flow as well as creating a kind of Monotony Create A Kind O f Monotony with the rest of the institution.

This is what happens in many of our institutions, which is not useful to the existence of the director, no matter how efficient, in addition to the poor results of the concentration of powers of the manager weaken the leadership of the managers and officials of the manager and continue this vulnerability is Leaked With the organizational structure of the company and it creates a weak institution that is able to run its business only with one person if the absence or failure of the institution failed and this is the big difference between the developed world and the other world, especially we have in the Arab countries and this inherited old Wet This is sacrificed on the political side and we are always looking at the so-called Superman at a time when we must look for a good system and appropriate collective management that matches the goals of the institution away from the blind tradition and away from the abhorrent centralization.

And the director is not required to be a good speaker, but must be a good intervention Excellent Interfered either in talking or during crises and positions and must be a good listener, especially during meetings with subordinates and not to emerge in the form of a permanent adviser listen to his subordinates accurately and benefit from them through their experience each In his specialization as well as through their livelihood for the daily things that concern the company and he does not control the meeting with a lot of talk and his dominance on the meeting, but on the contrary is the one who needs the information that concerns the company, but he can intervene in a talk in a smart and intelligent and also can issue instructions and He can make them determine how important these instructions are. Through this method, the manager becomes a manager based on a good base of assistants and officials to be able to walk the institution even in his absence, as it may, like other people.

The manager we have by the Libyan expression when people see someone sitting put a man on a man who say about him as a joke that he is a manager, and here if we obeyed him !! The manager must make STRATEGIC PLANS and monitor, not to cram himself into all the daily and daily matters, although there is someone who is more expensive than him, and does not intervene strongly unless he felt that there is a defect in one of his departments. But for a temporary period until things are back to normal. For example, there is a defect in the performance of one of the Director's departments. Here he must intervene and amend things temporarily through his intervention, but this should not last long, but it has to study this imbalance may be in the possibilities available in the management or staff and management staff. Or the director of the administration and after the study, which ends to provide the possibilities or support and development of management staff or even change the director of management and then leave things going to the institution naturally.

If we want to define the tasks of the manager: it is specific and should not be many! So what we need is a manager and a mind-free leader of busy tasks, ready to make a good strategic decision.

Engineer / Hassan Mohammed Al-Ramli

الجاسوسة التي خدعت المسلمين وأحبها الملوك وبكوا عليها عند وفاتها | قناة ...

The worst ways of execution Being Hanged, Drawn and Quartered

The worst ways of execution

Being Hanged, Drawn and Quartered

First recorded in England during the 13th century, this unusually extreme — even for the time — mode of execution was made the statutory punishment for treason in 1351. Though it was intended to be an act of such barbarous severity that no one would ever risk committing a treasonous act, there were nevertheless plenty of recipients over the next 500 years.

The process began with the victim being dragged to the site of execution while strapped to a wooden panel, which was in turn tied to a horse. They would then experience a slow hanging, in which, rather than being dropped to the traditional quick death of a broken neck, they would instead be left to choke horribly as the rope tore up the skin of their throat, their body weight dragging them downwards.

Some had the good fortune to die at this stage, including infamous Gunpowder Plot conspirator Guy Fawkes, who ensured a faster death by leaping from the gallows.

Once half strangled, the drawing would begin. The victim would be strapped down and then slowly disemboweled, their stomachs sliced open and their intestines and other major organs hacked apart and pulled — “drawn” — from the body.

The genitals would often be mutilated and ripped from between their legs. Those unlucky enough to still be alive at this point might witness their organs burned in front of them, before they were finally decapitated.

Once death had finally claimed them, the recipient’s body would be carved into four pieces — or “quartered” — and the parts sent to prominent areas of the country as a warning to others.

The head would often be taken to the infamous Tower of London, where it would be impaled on a spike and placed on the walls, “for the mockery of London.”

The worst ways of execution The Roman Candle

The worst ways of execution

The Roman Candle

Many of the very worst execution methods ever devised involve fire — from burning witches at the stake in medieval Britain to roasting criminals alive in the searing metal insides of the brazen bull in Ancient Greece — but few match the sheer lack of humanity as the Roman Candle.

A rumored favorite of the mad Roman Emperor Nero, this method saw the subject tied to a stake and smeared with flammable pitch (tree or plant resin), then set ablaze, slowly burning to death from the feet up.

What sets this above the many other similar methods is the fact that the victims were sometimes lined up outside to provide the lighting for one of Nero’s evening parties.

Every Day You Play....

Every Day You Play....

Every day you play with the light of the universe.
Subtle visitor, you arrive in the flower and the water,
You are more than this white head that I hold tightly
as a bunch of flowers, every day, between my hands.

You are like nobody since I love you.
Let me spread you out among yellow garlands.
Who writes your name in letters of smoke among the stars of the south?
Oh let me remember you as you were before you existed.

Suddenly the wind howls and bangs at my shut window.
The sky is a net crammed with shadowy fish.
Here all the winds let go sooner or later, all of them.
The rain takes off her clothes.

The birds go by, fleeing.
The wind.  The wind.
I alone can contend against the power of men.
The storm whirls dark leaves
and turns loose all the boats that were moored last night to the sky.

You are here.  Oh, you do not run away.
You will answer me to the last cry.
Curl round me as though you were frightened.
Even so, a strange shadow once ran through your eyes.

Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,
and even your breasts smell of it.
While the sad wind goes slaughtering butterflies
I love you, and my happiness bites the plum of your mouth.

How you must have suffered getting accustomed to me,
my savage, solitary soul, my name that sends them all running.
So many times we have seen the morning star burn, kissing our eyes,
and over our heads the grey light unwinds in turning fans.

My words rained over you, stroking you.
A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body.
Until I even believe that you own the universe.
I will bring you happy flowers from the mountains, bluebells, dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses.
I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.

SEGREGATION3

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Urinary Stones Stones of the urinary tract (kidney, ureters and bladder) are a very common condition affecting up to 12% of the US population. Stones occur in both men and women of all ages; however, they most commonly occur in Caucasian males between 45 and 55 years. Children may also get kidney stones but it is not common. Anatomy The kidneys are a pair of bean shaped reddish-brown organs that lie on either side of the spinal column and just below the diaphragm. They are about 5 inches (12.5 cm.) long and 3 inches (7.5 cm.) wide (Figures 1and 2 ) Urine is produced in the kidneys and travels down through the ureters to enter the bladder On the medial (facing the spine) border the kidney is notched at the hilus, the point where the major artery to the kidney enters and vein leaves The ureter also leaves from the hilus The kidney is made up of over a million renal tubules (nephrons). All the nephrons together form the cortex. The nephrons filter the blood of waste products that pass into the urine The urine passes from the nephrons into collecting tubes called calyxes and then into the renal pelvis (the dilated upper portion of the ureter) and into the ureter, which conducts the urine into the urinary bladder A capsule of thin tissue encloses each kidney The bladder is located in the pelvis. It is held in place by ligaments and can be felt in the lower abdomen when full The urinary bladder is a hollow muscular organ that serves as a reservoir of urine. Normally the bladder can hold 250 - 450 cc (8 - 15 ounces) of urine The urethra is located at the base (lowest part) of the bladder and drains the urine out of the bladder. In women the outlet of the urethra can be seen just in front of the vagina. In men the urethra lies within the penis In males, the bladder has the prostate gland below (through which the urethra passes). In females, the uterus and the vagina lie behind the bladder Figure 1 - Anatomy of the kidney. The upper portion of the kidney is cut away to expose the cortex, calyxes and renal pelvis. The renal artery and ureter enter and the renal vein leaves the kidney at the hilus. The adrenal gland rests on the upper pole of the kidney. © N. Gordon Figure 2 - On the left side are seen the kidney and adrenal glands along with the ureter extending from the kidney to the bladder. On the right side are seen a staghorn stone in the kidney pelvis as well as stones in the ureter, bladder and urethra.© C. McKee Pathology Stone formation in the urinary tract occurs due to the precipitation (particles coming out of a solution) of substances in the urine in the following situations: Increased concentration of the urine due to dehydration may lead to precipitation of stones Alkaline urine predisposes to some stones while an acid urine leads to other types of stones The presence of a foreign body like bacteria, blood or pus in the urine may cause crystallization of minerals around these bodies Abnormal mineral/substance content of the urine - increased excretion of calcium, uric acid, oxalate, etc., can cause these to deposit as stones Conditions that may lead to urinary stone formation include: Increase in calcium. Some of the conditions that increase urine calcium are hormonal abnormalities (hyperparathyroidism, Cushing's disease, hyperthyroidism), Vitamin D toxicity, increased calcium intake, prolonged bed rest (as with paralysis) and tumors such as multiple myeloma and metastatic cancer to bone Increase in oxalate. Some of the conditions that increase urine oxalate are an increase in oxalate intake, short gut syndrome (patients who have had considerable length of their bowel removed for Crohn's disease, morbid obesity or trauma) and excess Vitamin C Increase in uric acid. Some of the conditions that increase urine uric acid are certain tumors like leukemias and lymphomas, side effects of drugs like aspirin and some sulfa drugs and certain metabolic conditions such as gout High cystine levels in the urine are seen in an inherited condition called cystinuria, which causes cystine stone formation. Stones occur more in hot weather as loss of water through sweat concentrates the urine inducing stone formation Composition of urinary stones: Calcium oxalate with or without calcium phosphate - 75% Calcium phosphate only - 7% Magnesium ammonium phosphate - 12% Uric acid - 7% Cystine - 2% The most common locations for deposition of stones are in the areas of narrowing of the urinary tract (Figure 2): Junction of the kidney and ureter (the ureteropelvic junction) At mid ureter where it crosses over the iliac bone to enter into the pelvis or where the ureter crosses over the iliac blood vessels Junction of the ureter and bladder In women, where the ureter passes under the uterine artery History and Examination Symptoms of urinary stones may vary according to the location of the stone Renal colic (pain) is the predominant symptom of urinary stone disease. This pain is caused by spasm of the ureter and distension of the ureter and capsule of the kidney above the stone. The pain may start in the flank and radiate down to the bladder and genitalia. The pain is usually intermittent and can be excruciating and associated with nausea and vomiting. These symptoms have to be differentiated from gallbladder disease, appendicitis, pancreatitis and intestinal obstruction Blood in their urine (hematuria). The urine is usually blood tinged, but the bleeding can be significant. Occasionally, no blood may be found in the urine Signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) with urinary urgency, frequency, fever and painful urination (dysuria). Urinary obstruction by stones can predispose to frequent UTIs Long standing stones may cause partial obstruction of the ureters at the ureteropelvic junction and can lead to swelling of the kidneys (hydronephrosis) with a constant dull ache in the flank. Long standing hydronephrosis can lead to kidney failure Diagnostic studies Tests to evaluate for an infection: Blood white cell count (WBC) may be raised Urine analysis may show evidence of blood, pus or stone crystals Urine culture for bacteria Urine for Increased or decreased acid content Determination of blood or urine levels of calcium, proteins, phosphorus, oxalate, uric acid or cystine in cases of patients with known recurrent stones is carried out to identify the possible conditions causing stone formation. In most cases no specific cause is found X-ray of the abdomen may show a stone and its location. About 90% of stones with calcium can be seen on X-ray. Cystine and uric acid stones usually are not seen Intravenous pyelogram (IVP). Contrast (X-ray dye) is injected into a vein and passed into the urine by the kidneys. Serial X-rays of the abdomen are obtained to see the kidney and ureters. Significant findings include delay in seeing the affected kidney (due to possible decreased kidney function), evidence of swelling of the kidney and ureter (hydronephrosis and hydroureter) and location of the stone Ultrasound of the abdomen may be done without contrast and may locate stones Computerized tomography scan (CT scan) may be used to locate and determine the size of a stone (Figure 3) Figure 3 - CT scan of the abdomen showing both kidneys and small calcified stones (arrowheads). Courtesy L. Ashker, DO Acute care About 90% of stones will pass spontaneously. Patients are given increased fluids to flush out the stone and pain medication. Fluid intake is increased to about 3 liters (quarts) per day to maintain a urine output of about 2 liters a day Stones less than 4 mm (1/8 inch) in size almost always pass through. Stones above 6 mm have less than a 10% chanced of passing Patients are advised to strain their urine to watch for passed stones. The stone may take several days before it passes. Stones are usually examined for chemical content Indications for surgery Large stones. In long standing UTI, very large stones that may fill the entire kidney pelvis may develop. These are sometimes known as "staghorn" calculi (stones) Complete obstruction of the urinary system by a stone Demonstrated poor renal function Evidence of serious urinary tract infection such as a kidney abscess Stones in high risk patients (e.g., airplane pilots) or in transplant patients who cannot tolerate infection A stone in a patient with only one kidney Surgical procedures Surgical therapy for urinary stones has seen new advances in the past decade with the introduction of laser and ultrasound Treatment of urinary stones is determined by the size, location, and composition of the stone; anatomy of the urinary system and function of the kidney Small stones (less than 2 cm): Stenting the ureter - Small stones which take longer to pass than expected or are causing symptoms may be managed inserting a long plastic tube into the ureter on the side of the stone. The stent (tube) acts to keep the ureter open and urine flowing, so that there is no loss of renal function or infection. The stent is inserted by first placing a cystoscope into the bladder. The cystoscope is a lighted instrument with a lens system at the end within the bladder and an eyepiece at the other end for viewing. The stent is positioned in the ureter through a separate 'working' channel in the cystoscope and dilates the ureter Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) - This treatment is effective for smaller stones. Shock waves are transmitted through the skin and muscles until they reach the stoned that have a different density. The sound waves then cause fragmentation of the stones. It is noninvasive and has a low risk for complications. The need for anesthesia depends on the intensity of shock waves needed. The shock waves are timed with an EKG to prevent any abnormal heart rhythms. SWL may not be effective in obese patients. Cystine stones are also resistant to SWL therapy. SWL is usually not effective in breaking up of large stones. (Figure 4) Figure 4 - Breaking up a kidney stone using Shock Wave Lithotripsy. The stone is centered in the machine following which the stone is broken up with soundwaves. © C. McKee Larger stones (over 2 cm) (Figure 5) Percutaneous NephroLithotomy (PNL) - This procedure is usually done under anesthesia and with X-ray guidance. A tract is made from the skin into the pelvis of the kidney. A balloon catheter about 10 mm in diameter is used to form this tract. Hollow dilators are passed along the tract from skin to kidney. Once the tract is formed, a flexible scope is inserted into the kidney to visualize the stone(s). The stone may be extracted through this tract or may be broken up by ultrasonic lithotripsy (UL), electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL), laser lithotripsy or pneumatic (air) lithotripsy (lithotripsy, breaking up of a stone). The fragmented stones are then removed through the tract. The tract usually closes spontaneously once the dilator is removed with minimal scarring. PNL is successful in 70-100% of cases. Smaller retained fragments in the urinary system may pass spontaneously or may require additional SWL Figure 5a - Urinary stone in a ureter as seen through an ureteroscope. Courtesy D. Harold, MD Figure 5b - Stone is broken up into smaller fragments before removal. Courtesy D. Harold, MD Ureterorenoscopy (ureteroscope)- A delicate fiberoptic scope is inserted through the bladder into the ureter to the kidney. The stone(s) are seen and using ultrasonic, electrohydraulic, laser or pneumatic lithotripsy are broken down. Smaller stones may be pulled out using thin grasping instruments or a fine wire basket. (Figure 6) This procedure is about 90% successful. Once again, smaller retained stones may need an additional SWL Figure 6 - Urinary stones may be removed using a grasping forceps or wire basket, or broken up using the electrohydraulic and laser lithotriptors. © C. McKee Ultrasonic lithotripsy (UL) - Sound waves, vibrating at about 25000 times a second, are passed down a probe to the tip. The tip causes fragmentation of stones upon contact. The probe is passed though the tract from a PNL or ureteroscope (see above) to reach the stone.  Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) - An electrical discharge is passed down an insulated probe to create a spark at its tip. The heat of the spark creates a shock wave, which is transmitted to the stone on contact. About 50-100 sparks are discharged per second. EHL is very effective for hard stones. Laser lithotripsy (LL) - laser is passed down a flexible probe through a PNL tract or ureteroscope to break up the stones Pneumatic lithotripsy (PL) - Compressed air pushes a metal projectile against the head of a probe at a frequency of 15 times a second. This causes fragmentation of the stones on contact with the probe. Staghorn calculi Staghorn calculi are so named because these extremely large stones fill up the entire collecting system of the kidney (pelvis and calyses) with branching resembling the horns of a stag. These stones are almost always caused by infection of the urine SWL or PNL may be used to break up these stones. If there is extreme dilation of the collecting system or multiple branching of the stone, open nephrolithotomy may be necessary Open nephrolithotomy - This procedure is done under general anesthesia. The patient is usually placed on the side opposite the affected kidney. An incision is made on the side at the lower ribs. The muscles of the back are divided to reach the kidney. The pelvis of the kidney is opened, and the stone removed. The pelvis of the kidney is closed as well as the muscles and skin. A drain may be left in place.(Figure 7) Lower tract stones. Stones in the lower ureter, bladder or urethra are usually managed by cystoscopy or ureterorenoscopy with one of the methods mentioned above Figure 7 - Nephrolithotomy with direct surgical removal of a kidney stone. © C. McKee Complications SWL has a very low incidence of complications. Bleeding into or around the kidney, scarring of the kidney or later development of hypertension has been reported Percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PNL) can cause bleeding, infection, urinary leak or damage to abdominal organs, which may require surgery. Retained stones may cause symptoms again. Use of contact lithotripsy (UL, EHL, LL or PL) may be associated with damage to the ureters. Ureteroscopy may cause ureter damage that may require open surgical repair. Open nephrolithotomy may cause respiratory complications such as atelectasis (unexpanded lung near the diaphragm), pneumonia, chronic pain from damage to the ribs and the nerves that run along the ribs, bleeding and infection After care Minimally invasive techniques like SWL, PNL or ureterorenoscopy have minimal recovery times. Patients usually require minimal pain medication and are usually discharged the same day Hematuria (blood in urine) is usually seen after such procedures and usually resolves in a few days Open nephrolithotomy usually requires a few days of admission. Patients will require breathing exercises to prevent respiratory complications. Drains may be removed in a few day If a cause for stone formation is discovered, this should be treated to prevent formation of other stones. Diet modifications, which include avoiding dairy and meat products may reduce calcium levels. Drugs may be prescribed to reduce calcium or uric acid levels