The power of education

By Dr. Rosa Hilda Lora M. Advisor at AIU | rosa@aiu.edu

We are living in a very special world: a war here, another war there, cultures in total opposition, human beings for whom there are no rights that allow them to live, beings who are richer every day, climatic changes with strong earthquakes, strong floods, artificial intelligence, and little understanding between the beings who are said to possess intelligence. We would also have to add hate speech and disinformation on a large scale. Where is the salvation for this 2024? There is a path that must be salvation; the education. Why do we say education? We are witnesses of the space where all the resources for life come from: our planet Earth and the ability that human beings must convert those resources into goods for our lives. Skills come to us: some we develop over the years of life and others we learn. Those learned are obtained through teaching in schools. The skills learned every day become more necessary because the place where they are applied is to create better ways to develop the products we need. The previous reason is the reason why we must learn every day, or we will be left out of the industry of producing goods and services without work not because they don’t love us because there is not space for people who don’t want to learn. It means that you must study, as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, says, for life. UNESCO has an Institute dedicated to Lifelong Learning. https://www.uil.unesco.org/es Where to study? These skills are achieved by accrediting all levels of Education, starting with basic studies, and ending at universities. It is well known: The Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the United Nations - UN. They include Objective 4, which refers to education. https://www.un.org/ sustainabledevelopment/es/ What happens with education that we have all the problems mentioned that it seems that the purpose of Humanity is to disappear with and the planet Earth? Among the problems that we have as societies is that education hasn’t been what it should be to generate a decent life for every living being and the planet. The UN makes an annual report on The Sustainable Development Goals —SDGs. Let’s see what the Report says for the year that just ended: 2023. “Halfway to the deadline for the 2030 Agenda, the SDG Progress Report, Special Edition, shows that more than half the world is being left behind. Progress on more than 50% of SDG targets is weak and insufficient, and 30% are stagnant or have regressed. These include essential goals on poverty, hunger, and climate. If we do not act now, Agenda 2030 could become an epitaph for the world that could have been.” Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition. For a rescue plan for people and the planet. Foreword. UN- 2023.

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/ The-Sustainable-Development-Goals- Report-2023_Spanish.pdf The UN clearly expresses what we are experiencing at this moment as a society: the events we are experiencing are clear. The question we must ask ourselves is: Why, living what we live, do we not take the right path for our own existence? We reach such levels of misinformation that we do not believe in the science we do, which, through tried and tested methods, has precisely led us to artificial intelligence: now everything is a lie and a lie. We are at incredible levels of misinformation. Getting to where we are and now denying everything is the madness of a civilization. The only objective of the media used to spread lies, the digital platforms, is to obtain money and money. Faced with so much problem generated, developed countries are implementing laws to contain the disaster. On the contrary, less developed countries are seeing the opportunity to create images of politicians to generate populist governments or coups d’état, which flourish like mushrooms.

Therefore, the UN says: “The SDGs are the universally agreed roadmap to overcome economic and geopolitical divisions, restore trust and rebuild solidarity. Lack of progress means inequalities will continue to deepen and the risk of a fragmented two-speed world will increase. “No country can afford the failure of the 2030 Agenda.” Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition. For a rescue plan for people and the planet. Foreword . UN - 2023. https:// unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/ The-Sustainable-Development-Goals- Report-2023_Spanish.pdf The UN making efforts so that this world we live in becomes aware of the path we are taking. “We have entered an era of polycrisis. Conflict, climate change, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global challenges threaten to derail hard-won progress toward meeting the SDGs.” Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition. For a rescue plan for people and the planet. Introduction. UN - 2023. https:// unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/ The-Sustainable-Development-Goals- Report-2023_Spanish.pdf We are experiencing war conflicts that are becoming deeper every day. It seems incredible that understanding is not possible with the power of reason, now the weapons. “The world is falling behind in achieving quality education Completion rate 84 million children and youth will not attend school 300 million students will not achieve basic literacy and numeracy skills only 1 in 6 countries will reach the completion goal of universal secondary education. Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition. For a rescue plan for people and the planet. UN - 2023. p. 81. https:// unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/ The-Sustainable-Development-Goals- Report-2023_Spanish.pdf If this is the future of secondary studies, from there we can infer what will become of studies at the university level; also, what will become of coexistence.

“Make digital transformation respond to everyone’s needs. The digital divides that continue to exist between and within countries prevent widespread progress on the Goals and make it difficult to use new data sources. These gaps should be addressed holistically, taking not just a whole-of-government approach, but a pan-systemic approach focusing on infrastructure, digital skills and inclusive environments, with the support of the global development community”. Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition. For a rescue plan for people and the planet. UN- 2023. p. 51. https://unstats.un.org/ sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable- Development-Goals-Report-2023_ Spanish.pdf We have a very clear analysis of what we are doing as human beings. It seems we are betting on how soon we reach the end of this civilization. An insurance situation became clear: we study, or we study. We take care of life, for everyone: Planet and human beings or we will disappear. You are studying at Atlantic International University: Study, study. Every day you should have more interest because your personal growth depends on it in all aspects. Being happy is being able to decide: what I want, when and how. On you, nothing more than on you, it depends what you want to be.

BIBLIOGRAPHY. UNESCO - Instituto para el aprendizaje a lo largo de Toda la Vida. https://www.uil.unesco.org/es | ONU - Objetivos de Desarrollo sostenible reporte 2023. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The- Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023_Spanish.pdf | ONU - Objetivos de Desarrollo Sustentable. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/ es/ | ONU - The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals- Report-2023.pdf

Aspects of human personality

Simone S. Kelly | Doctorate in Human Resource Management | Part 2/2

4.0 Altruism Altruism is defined as the selfless and disinterest that is displayed relating to the concern and well-being and of others. Altruists assist others in society to cooperate with each other and work towards a common goal. This togetherness benefits others without expecting something in return. (Bhuvana, Pavithra, &Suresha,). This shows that altruism can lead to helpful actions. Altruism plays an essential role in society as it fosters cooperation. Altruism supports cooperation and reduces negligence in society. Altruistic actions, when sustained over time may result in dependence and may inhibit self-improvement. Altruistic feelings are often directed at one’s group. The act of altruism has been positively linked to cooperation in the workplace and has contributed to better economic outcomes. Altruism reduces dependence on a team and fosters collaborative efforts. Altruism is also expressed within the families which are vehicles for social stability. Parents have a responsibility to take care of their children which is expressed in altruism. Children rely on the gift of money and time to gain financial and human capital. Altruism contributes to intergenerational mobility. According to Devereux (2019), the more altruistic parents are, the more they invest in their children’s human capital accumulation. Altruistic acts also benefit the givers. Post (2005) documented that altruistic behaviours and emotions contribute to the positive well-being of individuals and enhance their longevity and health. (Beach, Roter, Korthuis, Epstein, Sharp and Ratanawongsa (2016). Even though there are benefits to altruism there are also some limitations. The altruistic sentiments and acts can generate negative externalities for others and the broader society.

4.2 Prejudice and self-deception Self-deception is lying to oneself even despite the facts presented. Some individuals choose to ignore the facts which may result in unpleasant surprises. Some circumstances are disappointing and maybe shocking and this may result in some individuals being unable to face it. Psychology posits that we are unable to ‘acknowledge things that are too painful and this may lead to denial. The presence of irrational thoughts can occur without being motivated, and humans may try to justify their actions. (Chance, Norton, Gino, and Ariely, 2011). The self-deceiver is cognizant of the evidence that is present but still manages to resist its existence. For example, an insensitive employer may be of the view that he is respected by his employees, a mediocre young artist may be of the view that his work is too understated to be acknowledged and appreciated by the wider art market, an abused wife may believe her husband won’t hurt her again and the first time was not intentional and lastly the mother of a killer or a suspect may think ‘there is a mistake with identity.’ These are all clear examples of self-deception. There are individuals in society who display some level of bias towards others in society and this may be related to their race, gender, or rank in society. In some societies, one race can be beneficial while in others it may present some limitations. Some individuals are ranked in society and this may result in some form of prejudice being established. According to Misra, Goldmann, and Yang (2020) all human beings belong to a single species and that there is no scientific basis for a hierarchical ranking of human races. Many may argue that the characteristics of an individual tell who he or she is. However, Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality, indicates that the three elements of personality known as the id, the ego, and the superego work together to create complex human behaviours. Prejudiced attitudes can have negative health and social consequences. This is because the actions impair social interactions and undermine the positive contributions of groups to societies. Prejudice is associated with stereotypes as well as discrimination. This harms society in general.

5.0 Theory To have a better understanding of one’s personality and what contributes to the function of an individual some specific theories and principles aid in better understanding. Erik Erikson’s developmental theory is instrumental in having a better understanding of self. The theory comprises eight stages of psychosocial development ranging from infancy to adulthood. (Baily and Daley, 2023). During each stage, the person experiences a psychosocial crisis which can have a positive or negative outcome on personality development. The theory posits that when each stage is successfully completed it contribute to the establishment of a healthy personality. When an individual fail to complete a stage it may result in unhealthy personality and it may result in compromise of self. In respect to identity and the formation of one’s personality Erikson’s fifth stage of development which is “Identity vs. Role confusion, will be focused on. This stage focuses on individuals from about twelve to eighteen years. It is during this stage that young teenagers search for a sense of self and personal identity. This can be established through exploration of beliefs, set goals and personal values. During this stage decisions may also be taken on the premises of the view of other peers. For instance, adolescents may choose to engage in unaccepted social behaviour such as smoking as they want to fit in and keep up with their appearance. Baily and Daley, 2023 During this stage, the individual wants to belong to a society and fit in. It is during this stage that adolescence re-examine their identity and try to find out exactly who they are. According to Erickson as individuals’ transition from childhood to adulthood, adolescents ponder the roles they will play in the adult world. This may also contribute to them experimenting with a variety of behaviours and activities (Cherry, 2020). Varied behaviour is displayed by individuals based on the environment with which they are associated. The study of human behaviour produces helpful cultural and societal insights. The situation varies among individuals as there can be various causes of behaviours such as the genetic background of the individual, their personality change, and also the environment with which they are associated. The behaviour that individuals display is a result of their interaction with their environment. Different approaches can be used to understand the behaviour an individual displays based on the characteristics observed. Other theories can be used to explain behaviour. The Theory of Self-efficacy was developed by Bandura and other colleagues and was used to predict and explain individual health behaviour and this catered to better understanding of self and personality. (Williams & Rhodes, 2016). The Freudian approach allows individuals to recognize that behaviour is not always consciously explained. “Unconscious” is the major factor which guides the individual’s behaviour. In this model, the behaviour is dependent on two factors which are the stimulus and response. Other proponents of the theory such as Pavlov and Watson indicate that learning occurs with this kind of model. They also indicated that behaviour can be best understood by stimulus and response.

5. 1 Contribution of paper The concept of self and identity has contributed to an individual knowing about the role that they play in society as well as how their actions and behaviour impacts society. Within society, individuals have to relate to and abide by social norms. The response of an individual promotes connections and allows individuals to have a sense of belonging within groups. Understanding who we are helps to shape our identity and this contributes to one’s functionality in society. The personality that is created can contribute to the outside social and cultural world and how we understand ourselves as a person. In analysing the view of various contributors who focus on the concept of self it is shown that both self and identity relate to the inner phenomenal experience and how one functions in the outer world. This paper also caters to a better understanding of the difference between self and personality. It was understood through the exploration of concepts that personality is a thing while self is a perspective. Personality can be characterized as those internal psychological structures and mechanisms that influence the way in which an individual interacts with the world and also adapts to changes in society. To function in society there is a need to abide by societal rules. Rules are regulations that the people under a government or institution that is stipulated to be followed. Rules are important as families and citizens have to live their lives happily and safely. The review of the paper has highlighted that rules are important because they help with the maintenance of civil behaviour, and contributes to more harmony in society. Agreeably, rules help to organise society even though they varies from one society to another. Additionally, rules may be followed or broken based on the perspective that one has about self and how society should be operating in general. In operating in an insane society where everything fluctuates having an understanding of self is important and this is coined from birth. Various theories have helped individuals and those in the wider society to have an understanding of how they behave and why they behave in a certain way. There are different ways in which self and identity influence how people think, and behave to each other because there can stem some form of prejudice. Hence in functioning in society, it is important to have goals that are perusable and to function in society individuals must be able to learn to cope and adapt to new environments and respond appropriately to new situations.

5.2 Conclusion Through the exploration of this paper, it was found that an individual’s personality is instrumental in helping them to function in society. (Public Policy Research (IPPR), 2020). The perception that an individual has about themselves can act as a driving force and contribute to effective functioning in the home and the wider society. An individual need to develop self-awareness, self-concept, self-esteem and a combination of technical, human, and technical skills to help deal with challenges that may arise. It has been highlighted obedience and conformity help in the identification of who an individual is which is portrayed through their character. An individual’s personality may be stable over some time however, situations and changes in perception can result in changes in response to situations. (Hennecke et al., 2014; Wrzus& Roberts, 2017). Even though individual’s show moderately good selfinsight, motivational factors can limit their self-perceptions and this may affect their functionality in society. The writer has come to acknowledge that emotions provide the fuel for the different personality that is displayed in society. Through the reinforcement of adaptive social behaviours individuals are encouraged to respond to situations in ways that promote their acceptance, conformity and their social status. This indicates that self-conscious emotions do contribute to individuals adapting to change and tackling social challenges Conclusively, the development of identity accounts for an individual’s perceptions of themselves and how they are positioned by others in terms of tradition, culture, race, rituals, family, religion, and education. The perception that an individual has about themselves can also affect their positions in society. Thus, carefully examining one’s identity can help identify and acknowledge the role that the individual plays in society. THE END

REFERENCES. Atherton, O. E., Grijalva, E., Roberts, B. W., & Robins, R. W. (2021). Stability and change in personality traits and major life goals from college to midlife. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 47(5), 841-858. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167220949362 | Adler, J. M., Lodi-Smith, J., Phillippe, F. L., & Houle, I. (2016). The incremental validity of narrative identity in predicting well-being: A review of the field and recommendation for the future. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 20(2), 142-175. https:// doi.org/10.1177/1088868315585068 | Bailey and Daley (2023). Understanding Psychosocial Development. https://www.verywellhealth.com/psychosocial-development-5220563 | Beach M. C., Roter D., Korthuis P. T., Epstein R. M., Sharp V., Ratanawongsa N., Cohn J., Eggly S., Sankar A., Moore R. D., Saha S. 2013. A multicenter study of physician mindfulness and health care quality. The Annals of Family Medicine, 11: 421-428. | Beer, J. S. (2016). Three questions about the neural basis of self. In E. Harmon- Jones & M. Inzlicht (Eds.), Social neuroscience: Biological approaches to social psychology (pp. 77-100). Routledge. | Bhuvana, M. L., Pavithra, M. B., &Suresha, D. S. (2021). Altruism, an attitude of unselfish concern for others - an analytical cross sectional study among the Medical and Engineering students in Bangalore. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 10(2), 706–711. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_834_20 | Chance, Z., Norton, M. I., Gino, F., and Ariely, D. (2011). Temporal view of the costs and benefits of self-deception. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 108, 15655–15659. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1010658108 | Cherry K (2023). The 4 Major Personality Perspectives. https://www.verywellmind.com/personality-perspectives-2795950 | Cherry K (2020). Identity vs. Role Confusion in Psychosocial Development. https://www. verywellmind.com/identity-versus-confusion-2795735 | Cherry K (2019) The Psychology of Personality Development. https://www.verywellmind.com/personality-development-2795425 | Cronin, T. J., Lawrence, K. A., Taylor, K., Norton, P. J., &Kazantzis, N. (2015). Integrating Between session interventions (homework) in therapy: The importance of the therapeutic relationship and cognitive case conceptualization. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 71, 439–450. http://dx.doi.org/10 .1002/jclp.22180 | Deranty, J P. (2016). Social Justice. 10.1002/9781118541555.wbiepc060. | Devereux, P. (2019) Intergenerational return to human capital. IZA World of Labour 2019: 19 doi: 10.15185/izawol.19.v2 | Genschow, O., Klomfar, S., d’Haene, I., & Brass, M. (2018). Mimicking and anticipating others' actions is linked to Social Information Processing. PloS one, 13(3), e0193743. https://doi.org/10.1371/ journal.pone.0193743 | Hennecke, Marie &Bleidorn, Wiebke&Denissen, Jaap. (2017). A three-part Framework for self-regulated personality development across adulthood. European Journal of Personality. European Journal of Personality. 10.1002/per.1945. | Hodgson, Geoffrey M. (2019). Evolutionary Economics: Its Nature and Future. Cambridge University Press. | Hodgson G (2019). Chapter 1: What does socialism mean? https://www.elgaronline. com/view/9781789901610/06_chapter1.xhtml | Misra, S., Le, P.T., Goldmann, E. & Yang, L.H. (2020). Psychological impact of anti-Asian stigma due to COVID-19 pandemic: A call for research, practice, and policy responses. Psychological Trauma: Theory, research, practice, and policy, 12(5), 461-464. doi:10.1037/tra0000821 | Tauber, A (2012). Freud’s social theory. History of the Human Sciences. 25. 43-72.10.1177/0952695112460045. | Williams, D. M., & Rhodes, R. E. (2016). The confounded self-efficacy Construct: conceptual analysis and recommendations for future research. Health psychology review, 10(2), 113–128. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2014.941998

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Education in Vietnam

How good it actually is, for what, and for whom?

A recent article in The Economist analyzing Vietnam’s education system has created quite a sensation among Vietnamese readers. While the title “Why are Vietnam’s schools so good?” seems at first a sarcastic joke that many people in Vietnam are no stranger to, the content is anything but. The article insists that Vietnam has “one of the best schooling systems in the world,” as proven by “stellar performance” of its students, high teaching quality by the teachers, and supporting policy from the ruling Communist Party. Thus, “Vietnam’s people can have few complaints” regarding the country’s education. In reality, it is a very different situation. ... A vast majority of graduated students are considered unfit for the market and have to be thoroughly retrained, a fact that has been continuously pointed out since at least 20 years ago. ... The quantity and quality of teachers are other big issues. There have been concerns about both the shortage and low standard of the teaching staff. Not only in the rural and remote areas, even schools in big cities have been struggling to find teachers. ... Fraud is another chronic disease. In a 2012 survey, 84.6% of the students admitted either committing or witnessing cheating in exams. After the 2018 National High School Examination, more than 30 people, including police and senior officers of the Department of Education and Training in three provinces, were prosecuted for taking bribes and manipulating results ... Read full text: Read full text:

France

Birth rates continued to fall in 2023.

Birth rates were down again in France in 2023. This was the main finding from the annual demographic report from the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), presented in January. Despite this fall, the population has grown at a rate of 0.3%, the same as in 2022. The second most populous European country, behind Germany, France had 68.4 million inhabitants on January 1, 2024. ... The drop in the birth rate, recorded since 2011, always raises a sensitive question: Is this the beginning of the end for the French demographic model, envied by our European neighbors for its vitality? Or is the drop in births, 6.6% lower in 2023 than in 2022, merely a cyclical phenomenon? Demographers say it’s hard to answer at this stage. Admittedly, the total fertility rate (TFR), which stood at 1.68 children per woman in 2023, is down again. However, with these latest results, France remains one of the better performers within the European Union, where the average TFR was 1.5 children per woman in 2020, the latest data available, and is set to fall further. Fertility is probably the most closely scrutinized element in this annual review. In a September publication, the INSEE was already predicting “the lowest number of births since the Second World War” in 2022, but 2023 sets a new record. As a result, 678,000 babies were born last year, 6.6% fewer than in 2022, and almost 20% fewer than in 2010, when the last peak in births was recorded. Until now, "the drop in births was very slight ... Read full text:

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Wild 2 comet

New findings unveil its true nature.

Eighteen years following the return of NASA’s Stardust mission to Earth, which brought back the first samples from a known comet, the true nature of that icy object is coming into focus. Stardust collected material from Wild 2, a comet that likely formed beyond Neptune and currently orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Painstaking analyses of the microscopic samples, recently described in the journal Geochemistry, have revealed a surprising truth about the comet’s origins and history, said Ryan Ogliore, an associate professor of physics who has been studying the Stardust samples for several years. When Stardust launched in 1999, many scientists expected the comet’s rocky material would be dominated by the primordial dust that built the solar system. But the actual samples contained a potpourri of dust that formed from different events early in the solar system’s history. ... “Comet Wild 2 contains things we’ve never seen in meteorites, like unusual carbon-iron assemblages, and the precursors to igneous spherules that make up the most common type of meteorite,” said Ogliore, who is a faculty fellow of the McDonell Center for the Space Sciences. “And all of these objects have been exquisitely preserved within Wild 2.
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Time travel

Is it even possible?

Physics offers reasons to think it might be, starting with its status as the fourth dimension. However, it also throws up a lot of obstacles, some of which may yet prove insurmountable. ... We all know what is meant by time travel: going to a point in either the past or the future and (hopefully) returning safely. Even if this is possible in theory, there are some quite major practical problems to consider. To pick just one example: fictional representations of time travel almost always assume the traveler ends up in the same location in space, relative to the Earth, but would this be the case? After all, even if you just traveled back in time by a week, so you could bet on a sporting contest for example, the Earth would have moved millions of kilometers in its orbit around the Sun in that time, and the Sun would, in turn, have migrated a small way around the galaxy. Unless some force maintains the traveler’s position relative to the planet, you’d find yourself floating helplessly in space waiting for the Earth to catch up. Ignoring this problem reflects a view of the Earth as the center of the universe disproven by Copernicus. If you assume time travel involves conservation of momentum, the traveler would likely end up close to their location of origin, but slight changes in direction could still result in relative shifts in location that could prove lethal. Nevertheless, objections like this don’t make time travel impossible, just impractical. ... Read full text

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Re:Suede

The experiment

Sportswear brand Puma has said it is a step closer to launching a truly biodegradable shoe, following a trial in which a specially made version of its Suede sneakers decomposed under strict conditions. In the Re:Suede experiment, 500 shoes were sent out to testers for six months of wear. Of those shoes, 412 were returned to Puma and sent to an industrial composting facility in The Netherlands, where they were mixed with other green waste and left to biodegrade. After around three and a half months, a large proportion of the leather trainer had broken down sufficiently to be sold as Grade A compost —high-quality, typically used on gardens and landscapes. Slowing things down was the sole, which was made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE-E), a type of rubber. It took longer than the other components to break down into small enough pieces to be classified as compost, around six months. ... Read full text:

Karolina Kruszewska

POSE: a sex education set for the blind.

‘Pose’ is an educational sex set for the blind created by Polish designer Karolina Kruszewska in collaboration with sex educator Dr. Dagną Kocur. Developed as part of Kruszewska’s master’s thesis at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, the project offers extensive knowledge about sex positions and identifying anatomical features to help guide the visually impaired in intimate acts. This information is released as 13 audio films on YouTube and 3D-printed figurines depicting the five basic sex positions. “Pose is a project dedicated primarily to individual users, sex educators, and organizations. The main goal of the project was to make knowledge available to the blind, hence the decision to record descriptions that everyone could listen to on YouTube...” writes the designer. The second goal was to describe the appearance of each 3D-printed figure. For this purpose, Kruszewska incorporated Braille reading, a tactile feature considered the closest way for blind people to ‘perceive’ the position depicted by the models. To help users optimize their ‘reading’ of each position, Kruszewska had to magnify/rescale certain anatomical parts. ... Read full text: Read full text

Kim-e

The ‘invisible’ wheelchair

This self-balancing personal mobility robot offers individuals with mobility challenges a way to navigate the world independently and comfortably at eye level. The Kim-e is hands-free and controlled by intuitive upper body movements, leaving the user open to taking on other tasks. With a simple button operation, users can lift themselves to eye level and move around freely. The device features an integrated air shock absorber for a comfortable ride and a folding backrest for easy transfers and transportation. Controlled via a smartphone, the Kim-e is tailored to the user’s body shape, with an ergonomic saddle, backrest, and leg supports. It can reach speeds of up to 12 mph and travel up to 19 miles on a four-hour charge of its lithium battery. ... Visit Read full text

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Restless legs syndrome

Is this the cure for it?

When I [George Lundberg, MD] first learned of restless legs syndrome (RLS) was many decades ago. ... I read about it and I realized that I may have it, even though many months would pass with no recurrence. ... Between 1% and 15% of Americans are believed to be affected by RLS. The cause is unknown, but it seems to run in families. It may be autosomal dominant, but no causative genes have been confirmed. ... Many pharmacologic and physical treatments have been tried with some success for some patients, but over time, these treatments have mostly failed. ... Could the culprit be sugar? Early in November 2023, I enjoyed a mini Dove bar for dessert. I ate several not long before bedtime. That night I had bad RLS. Plus, I had repetitive leg cramps and that creepy-crawly skin sensation. ... The way to determine whether a drug is causing a reaction, condition, or disease is to apply the challenge-dechallenge- rechallenge testing method. Give the drug, the patient demonstrates the disease finding. Remove the drug, the problem disappears. Repeat three times. ... Siwert de Groot, in the Netherlands, published a very convincing use of this technique in 2023: big-time sugar consumption for a week, then low intake of sugar for the following week, repeated three times on one patient. ... If you are serious about identifying or treating RLS, I suggest that you incorporate the International Restless Legs Study Group Severity Rating Scale into your practice ...

Fruit juice

Drinking it daily may lead to weight gain, particularly in kids.

Fruit juice provides vitamins, minerals and polyphenols in an easily accessible form, and is part of the daily diet of many people, providing one of the recommended five a day (400g) of fruit and vegetables. However, many people are concerned about the sugar content of fruit juice —a 250 ml serving of orange juice contains 22 grams, or 4.5 teaspoons of sugar— but studies suggest that adverse health effects, such as tooth decay and some weight gain, are outweighed by the health benefits. To investigate whether fruit juice causes weight gain, teams from Toronto and Boston reviewed 42 studies into the effect of drinking 100% fruit juice —pure fruit juice with no additives— daily. They found that in children, there is a positive association between daily drinking of fruit juice and weight gain. In adults, no similar association was seen except in studies that were not adjusted for total energy intake. The study is published in JAMA Paediatrics. ... In all the studies analyzed, participants consumed at least one 8oz serving (or equivalent) of 100% juice each day. The studies looked at a range of fruit juices —pomegranate, berries, tart cherry, apple, citrus, or grape juice— and compared them with standard diet alone, water, or diet or low calorie drinks. ... The effects on weight ... were greater in children than in adults. ... Read full text: Read full text:

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Uranium mines

Begin operations near Grand Canyon.

Three uranium mines have gone into production along the Arizona-Utah border, with more on the way elsewhere in the Mountain West, as market conditions for the mineral needed for nuclear energy improve in response to a global push to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels to slow climate change. But the mines, which were the first to begin operations in the US in eight years when they began extracting ore in late December, are drawing fierce criticism from tribes and environmentalists. One of the mines in Arizona is located in a new national monument President Biden designated last year, while the other two are located in Utah’s quarter of the Four Corners region, where the impacts of 20th-century uranium mining persist to this day. ... For years, the permitted uranium mines in Arizona and Utah sat dormant, with the demand and price for uranium too low to justify operating. But times have changed, said Curtis Moore, a spokesperson with Energy Fuels Resources, the company behind the mines, as uranium prices recently reached $90 per pound. The price increased primarily for two reasons. First is the agreement at COP28 of more than 20 nations, including the US, to triple nuclear energy production to help achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions globally by 2050. The second is Russia’s war in Ukraine. ... Experts, however, are skeptical of the role nuclear energy will play in the clean energy transition. ...

Methane

Chemists make device to destroy it.

Dairy barns. Hog farms. Rotting trash. All release methane, an especially powerful planet-warming gas. Now, scientists have found a new method to quash that gas. The approach could slash emissions from places like livestock barns and landfills —and bring the planet one step closer to slowing global warming. ... People have dreamed of pulling methane from the air to use as a resource, says Matt Johnson. He’s a chemist at the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark. But that hasn’t worked, largely due to its diffuse nature. “That’s one of the real problems with methane,” he says. If it’s not concentrated enough to burn, “it’s hard to know how to use it.” Without a way to capture this methane, scientists have turned their attention to destroying it. ... When sunlight hits naturally occurring chlorine (Cl) in the air, it splits the molecule. This creates two atoms, each with an unpaired electron. They are known as chlorine radicals (Cl·). These radicals are very reactive. They even react with stable methane molecules, breaking them down. But since there are relatively few chlorine radicals around, this natural process tends to eliminate only a small portion of the methane in air. Johnson and his team have now designed a device to do the same thing. To speed methane’s removal, they boost the concentration of chlorine. ... In tests, the new device removed 58 percent of the methane from the air. ... Read full text:

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ISDS

How wealthy corporations extract millions from developing countries.

When Rafael Correa entered Ecuador’s presidency in 2007, Ecuador’s economy depended on oil, and global crude prices were near a record high. Much of the oil was extracted by foreign companies, so as prices surged more wealth began flowing overseas. More than a third of Ecuadorians were living in poverty ... Correa increased a recently enacted windfall tax on oil companies. The idea was to use the tax as leverage to extract better terms from the companies, and this fight against foreign firms quickly became a highprofile pillar of Correa’s broader campaign to assert the nation’s sovereignty. The oil companies fought back, however, and they turned to an obscure corner of international law that extended beyond Correa’s reach. Within months, two oil companies working as partners ceased paying the tax and sued the government through a system of international tribunals known as investor state dispute settlements, or ISDS. The system allows foreign investors to sue governments before tribunals outside the jurisdiction of national courts, if they can make a case that their contracts or existing trade or investment treaties have been breached. ... Critics say the ISDS system gives corporations an exclusive, parallel justice system that elevates foreign interests above human rights and environmental concerns. Because the system is shrouded in secrecy, it is impossible to know how many claims have been filed or the total amount awarded by tribunals. ... Read full text:

Children

Over 450,000 institutionalized across Europe and Central Asia.

More than 450,000 children are living in residential care homes across Europe and Central Asia, highlighting that a “painful legacy” of neglect, abuse, exploitation and psychological trauma is far from over, according to a UNICEF report released in January. The UN Children’s Fund’s investigation, Pathways to Better Protection, reveals that children with disabilities account for up to 87 per cent of those in care, where data is available. In addition, the numbers of unaccompanied children seeking asylum in such institutions in western Europe is on the rise. “We have a long way to go before ending Europe and Central Asia’s long and painful legacy of institutionalizing children,” said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF director for the region. Children in institutions often struggle to form positive relationships throughout childhood and adulthood, leaving them feeling isolated and lonely. Moreover, those in residential care, particularly from a young age, may experience cognitive, linguistic and other developmental delays, making them more susceptible to falling foul of the legal system and being institutionalized again. ... To conform with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the UN Guidelines on Alternative Care, UNICEF emphasized the need for the systematic closure of large-scale institutions used to house and educate children. This includes replacing residential facilities for children with disabilities or unaccompanied and separated children with high-quality family and community-based care. ...
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Kākāpō

An endangered national treasure in New Zealand.

Kākāpō used to be widespread on mainland New Zealand but through the introduction of predators, hunting and land clearance, their numbers drastically dropped and the species seemed doomed to extinction. That was until the exhaustive conservation efforts by the Department of Conservation in the 1980s, followed by the formation of the Kākāpō Recovery Programme in 1996. KRP hatched a bold new plan to create predator-free islands, with increased funding, staffing, and an advisory group. Kākāpō currently breed on two main predator-free islands — Whenua Hou (Codfish Island) west of Rakiura (Stewart Island) and Pukenui (Anchor Island) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland. In a conservation milestone, ten kākāpō were released at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in 2023. This also marked a new phase for the programme and is an important step towards the long-term goal of returning kākāpō across Aotearoa. When the Kākāpō Recovery Programme was established, there were only 51 known birds. After bumper breeding seasons in 2019 and 2022, the population reached a high of 252 and as at October 2023, sits at 247. “Kākāpō are treasured by Ngāi Tahu as a taonga species, they are part of our tribal identity and it’s wonderful to see that Meridian values them too,” says Tāne Davis, the Ngāi Tahu appointee to the Kākāpō Recovery Group. ...
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Kangaroo leather

Adidas called on to drop it after Nike and Puma did.

Eurogroup for Animals and 6 animal welfare and conservation organisations sent a letter to the CEO of Adidas, asking the company to stop the production of shoes using kangaroo leather. This initiative follows the encouraging announcements by Nike and Puma to end the use of “k-leather” in their lines. In Australia 1.6 million kangaroos are killed each year, raising serious animal welfare concerns. In addition, kangaroo populations are already suffering from the consequences of climate change such as droughts, floods and bushfires while the methods to estimate populations are questionable. Kangaroo derived products, including leather, are exported to various regions including the European Union. The EU represents an important market for athletic shoes, and several brands continue to produce football shoes made of kangaroo leather, also called k-leather. Athletic shoes made from synthetic materials have proven high performance, making the use of kangaroo leather totally dispensable. In March, Puma and Nike announced they will end the production of athletic shoes using kangaroo leather. We welcome this crucial shift for the protection and conservation of this iconic Australian species. However, Adidas continues to produce and sell k-leather shoes, despite the serious concerns raised by animal welfare organisations over cruel methods used to kill kangaroos, and despite EU consumers’ demands for cruelty-free products. ...
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Environmental racism

By Max Wilbert

The term “racism” brings to mind bigots, slurs, and the Ku Klux Klan, or the systematic disenfranchisement of certain communities through discriminatory policies around housing, banking, and policing. When we think of environmental racism we often think of what is happening in Flint, Michigan, where a majority- Black community has faced a toxic water mismanagement crisis leading to lead poisoning. Or, we think of “Cancer Alley,” an 85-mile stretch along the Mississippi River in Louisiana along which, according to the United Nations, an “everwidening corridor of [150] petrochemical plants has not only polluted the surrounding water and air, but also subjected the mostly African American residents in St. James Parish to cancer, respiratory diseases and other health problems.” But today I want to write about a different type of environmental racism; one that is more subtle, and perhaps more far-reaching.

Three years ago today, my good friend Will Falk and I traveled to Thacker Pass, Nevada, and set up camp high on the side of a mountain, on the GPS coordinates of a planned open pit lithium mine. detailing the government’s attempts at consultation with native tribes. One of them is the transcript of a meeting with government officials in nearby Winnemucca attended by Josephine, among other tribal members. “We have blood, a heart, organs, keeping us alive,” Josephine tells the Bureau of Land Management officials. “Mother Earth has water, soils, rocks, keeping her alive. To me, the more Mother Earth is mined, it is slowly killing her, and creating problems in the world. She needs her parts the way we do.” detailing the government’s attempts at consultation with native tribes. One of them is the transcript of a meeting with government officials in nearby Winnemucca attended by Josephine, among other tribal members. “We have blood, a heart, organs, keeping us alive,” Josephine tells the Bureau of Land Management officials. “Mother Earth has water, soils, rocks, keeping her alive. To me, the more Mother Earth is mined, it is slowly killing her, and creating problems in the world. She needs her parts the way we do.”

There are different ways to live in the world. One is Josephine’s way: a way that sees land as sacred, sees animals as relatives who are our elder siblings, and sees water and the basis of all life. This is traditional in Paiute society, and it’s also traditional among my own ancestors, before they assimilated or were conquered by empires. In fact, this worldview is shared amongst almost all tribal and land-based societies around the globe. Nemonte Nenquimo, a Waorani leader from the Ecuadorian Amazon, lives 4,000 miles from Paiute territory, but in her brilliant 2020 essay My Message to the Western World: Your Civilization is Killing Life on Earth, she shares a similar perspective: “This forest has taught us how to walk lightly, and because we have listened, learned and defended her, she has given us everything: water, clean air, nourishment, shelter, medicines, happiness, meaning.” She continues: “You forced your civilization upon us and now look where we are: global pandemic, climate crisis, species extinction and, driving it all, widespread spiritual poverty.”

Ati Quigua, an indigenous leader from Colombia, said it even more clearly: “We are fighting not to have roads or electricity —this vision of self-destruction that’s called development is what we’re trying to avoid.” From a scientific perspective, you could say this worldview is common because sustainability is an adaptive trait, and an “animist” perspective promotes sustainability. Or, you could say that this worldview is a more accurate way of perceiving the world than a purely mechanistic, western perspective. Both of these interpretations are true. My direct experience at Thacker Pass is that the land itself is alive, sentient, with feelings and perceptions far different from our own. But if we listen, the land speaks. Compare the worldview of Josephine and Nemonte Nenquimo to our opponent. Set against us at Thacker Pass is Lithium Americas, a transnational corporation based in Canada and operating through a fully-owned U.S. subsidiary, Lithium Nevada. They are traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange, and have attracted major investors from around the world. The company is worth billions, and is collaborating with General Motors Corporation to develop the Thacker Pass lithium mine. The mine, which is now under construction, will consist of an open pit nearly two miles long and half a mile wide, as deep as the height of a 35-story building, carved into the side of the mountain. New mountains have begun to rise, made up of the toxic acidic byproducts of the mining process. A sulfuric acid plant is under construction, which will use sulfur from the oil industry —possibly the Alberta Tar Sands— to burn lithium from the soil. All this is only possible by first destroying the land with huge bulldozers, blowing up the mountain with explosives, and killing or driving away every single plant and animal. The scale of pollution, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions for a project like this is staggering. Corporate power is a major driver of our environmental crisis. Global warming, species extinction, biodiversity loss, soil erosion, toxic pollution, plastic and chemical contamination, oceanic dead zones, overconsumption, urban sprawl, deforestation, desertification, sea level rise, ocean acidification, aquifer drawdown, overfishing — all of these problems are linked to corporate overreach. They are also all linked to abuse of human rights, declining human health, and threats to the future of our children.

Ethnocentrism refers to evaluating other peoples and cultures according to the standards of one’s own culture. It’s also perfectly descriptive of Lithium Americas: a foreign corporation (foreign to both the Paiute nation and to the United States) imposing its vision of “development” on a population that opposes it, through the use of force. That force is often filtered through intermediaries. For example, in Argentina, indigenous and non-native communities fighting lithium mines face kidnapping, torture, and sexual assault at the hands of Argentine police forces. This includes the lithium extraction project developed by Lithium Argentina (a corporation which was until recently part of Lithium Americas, until they split to allow greater access to government subsidies). Similar violent, repressive techniques are being applied in Nevada, on Paiute-Shoshone land at Thacker Pass. This week, the chairman of the Fort McDermitt Tribe (which took money from the mining company against community wishes) physically attacked and choked a member of his tribe —an 18-year-old boy— who attempted to film his meeting with Lithium Americas employees Tim Crowley (VP of Government and External Affairs) and Maria Anderson (Community Relations Director). I believe this is the second time this Chairman has physically attacked a mine opponent. The other incident was captured by the New York Times (the photo is inaccurately labeled as Tildon Smart).

Mining companies use divide-and-conquer strategies to split communities apart and weaponize them against each other. Another way companies shut down dissenters is lawsuits. Four indigenous activists and three allies (including me) are being sued by Lithium Americas for our work to #ProtectThackerPass, a sacred and biodiverse place now being bulldozed for mining. We face the possibility of massive financial penalties. The ethnocentric racism of Lithium Americas corporation and others like them claims that their vision of economic and technological development is the solution to the world’s problems. These companies believe that wildlife habitat, water, and the sacred places of traditional indigenous communities are less important than profits and the development of electric cars. And their vision of “progress” leads to mad hypocrisies; “Mining is inherently unsustainable,” says Thomas Benson, Vice President of Global Exploration at Lithium Americas —before he goes back to his well-paid job in mining. Ethnocentric racism leads to Lithium Americas stock boosters saying things like this: “No natives equals few water issues. Natives can be a royal pain to deal with. Lithium Americas has had its fair share of native issues for its South American mine (and the same can be said for Thacker Pass in Nevada) but these are to be expected. Still, not having any natives is a welcome bonus.” This is the language of colonization and genocide.

Ethnocentric racism leads Thacker Pass supporters to disparage Native American resistance to the destruction of Peehee Mu’huh, a ceremonial site where Paiute ancestors were massacred, as “horses” in response to a ceremonial prayer horse ride. There is a circular relationship between economics and oppression. In his book Capitalism and Slavery, Trinidadian historian Dr. Eric Williams writes that “Slavery was not born of racism: rather, racism was the consequence of slavery.” Williams argues (as have others) that racism developed as an ideology to justify subjugation that was already in progress for economic reasons. In other words, exploitation for economic growth or power came first, and racism developed later, as a moral system to justify the exploitation. The economic drivers behind Thacker Pass are titanic. According to the International Energy Agency World Energy Outlook report in 2021, “If the world gets on track for net zero emissions by 2050, then the cumulative market opportunity for manufacturers of wind turbines, solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, electrolysers and fuel cells amounts to USD 27 trillion. These five elements alone in 2050 would be larger than today’s oil industry and its associated revenues.” (emphases added).

As Stan Cox has written: Globally, mining and processing of metallic ores has doubled just since 2000 and is responsible for a whopping 10 percent of total world energy consumption. Now, if plans to “electrify everything” are carried out worldwide, the tonnage of metal extracted and processed in the next 15 years alone will exceed the tonnage that humans have produced during the 5,000 years since the start of the Bronze Age. The Washington Post, citing International Energy Agency figures, predicts that by 2040, global demand for metals that go into batteries will balloon 20-fold for nickel and cobalt and 40-fold for lithium; demand for manganese, critical for wind turbines, will increase ninefold in just the next decade. Demand for aluminum, which is already produced in vastly larger quantities than any of those metals, will increase by yet another 40 percent, largely to produce lighter-weight electric cars and support solar arrays. Forbes estimates that almost 400 new mines will be opened worldwide by 2035 just to keep battery factories supplied with cobalt, lithium, and nickel. This will create many more of what have come to be known as “green sacrifice zones”: localities across the world, from Congo to Guinea to China to Bolivia to the Pacific Ocean, that are bearing or will bear the human, environmental, and socioeconomic costs of the transition to non-fossil energy. And the deployment of wind and solar power plants across the world’s windier and sunnier regions will mean converting vast stretches of the Earth’s land surface and even seabeds into industrial energy farms.

Derrick Jensen builds on the insights of Dr. Williams. He writes: “hatred felt long enough and deeply enough no longer feels like hatred. It feels like economics, or religion, or tradition, or simply the way things are.” The hatred required to build 400 new mines and call it “progress” is enormous. The result of this hatred is the profoundly dispassionate, scientific racism that animates corporations like Lithium Americas. It doesn’t look like the racism of the Klu Klux Klan, or the environmental injustice of Flint, Michigan. But it’s far more mainstream; sequential Republican and Democratic administrations have backed Lithium Americas, defending the project in Federal Court against tribes and environmental groups. And they are not only defending a mine; they are defending the process of assimilation. They are defending the conquest of an Earth-centered worldview by a profit-centered one. This is the continuation of an ongoing process. In the spring and summer of 1865, as the Snake War raged throughout Nevada between United States government and the Paiute and Shoshone, the highest military officer in the State wrote that Indians had “prevented the settlers along the Humboldt from putting in their crops, retarded the settlement of the rich agricultural lands of that section, [and] prevented the development of the rich mineral resources of the whole northern portion of our state…” Mining vs. indigenous people and the land has been a recurring theme in Nevada for more than 158 years, from the Snake War to the Dann Sisters and Mount Tenabo to Thacker Pass.

Today, three years after I first set up camp at Thacker Pass, I remember Grandmother Sagebrush, an ancient shrub under whose branches I first dreamed about protecting Thacker Pass from an open pit lithium mine. In my mind, I walk north from the protest camp we established on January 15th, 2021, towards the fenceline where Grandmother Sagebrush grows. The clouds fade from red to orange to purple, then green and a dark blue. Coyotes howl from the far mountain, echoing in the still air. In my mind, I approach Grandmother Sagebrush, and something cracks inside me. I stumble onto my hands and knees and burst into tears. The grief pours out, my blessing to the land. Like many grandmothers, she has power over tears. I do not know if she is alive or dead at this moment. If I visit the land, I can be charged with a felony. I spend my days researching what is being done to the planet —the mining, the fracking, the clearcuts, the species disappearing one after another. A hundred today. A hundred yesterday. A hundred the day before. And, I try to throw myself on the gears of the machine, to slow it down, grind it to a halt, tear it apart. Every day this work tears my soul apart and stitches it back together again. But the alternative is dissociation —a normal state of being inside our dysfunctional culture, and a state which is fundamental to “othering” and committing violence against other people, and against the land.

I recall another walk on the mountainside at Thacker Pass. On that day, I am not alone; a writer joins me. She asks questions, but not the normal ones. She is more interested in me than in lithium. She asks, “Why don’t you give up? Why don’t you go home and sit on your couch and complain, like most people do? Why are you here?” “Because I’m in love,” I told her. “I am in love with the land. And you don’t give up when you’re in love.”

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Kurzweil MPG100.

Combines an elegant mini baby grand piano design with exquisite polished ebony cabinet and a modern leg design. 88-Note, fully-weighted graded-hammer action with a 3-point velocity sensor and adjustable touch sensitive keys. kurzweil.com

The Kawaii gift box.

The cutest gift with the most adorable snacks and specialty items from Japan. Limited Edition. Supports Japanese family businesses. www.bokksu.com

Sixie self watering seed pot.

Water once a week for thriving baby plants. Porous terracotta wicks water from the reservoir to give seedlings perfect moisture. Plants pop out for easy transplant. Reuse your seed pot for a lifetime. ortakitchengarden.com

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This ADA-compliant elevated raised bed has a shallow planting shelf in front to allow room for your wheelchair to roll underneath. Intended for herbs and low-growing greens that will be harvested regularly. www.gardeners.com

Rupi Kaur. (1992- )

“What’s the greatest lesson a woman should learn? That since day one, she’s already had everything she needs within herself. It’s the world that convinced her she did not.”

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Say what?

what? “Trying is the first step toward failure.” —Homer Simpson, The Simpsons

BACHELOR’S DEGREE in Blockchain Technology & Digital Currency

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

The Bachelor in Blockchain Technology and Digital Currency program prepares students to understand cryptocurrencies as well as the benefits of blockchain technology. Students are introduced to blockchain technology and how to apply this concept to other fields like healthcare, contracts, supply chains, voting, telecoms, pharmaceuticals, energy and of course banking and finance. Other concepts related to digital currencies also includes the future of digital currencies as a decentralized currency, international and financial currency markets. This new field is gaining momentum and any business leader or innovator would benefit from understanding these new concepts as they will slowly continue to evolve until they are part of every day society. The Bachelor in Blockchain Technology and Digital Currency at AIU, is a distance learning program that will be tailor-made and designed exclusively for you, by you, and with your counselor. The flexibility to meet your needs is rarely found in any other distance learning program. Our program does not require that each student studies the same subjects and uses the same books and study materials as other students. Instead, our online Associate Programs are designed just for you. They are individually designed to meet your needs and help you achieve your professional and personal goals..

Important:

Below is an example of the topics or areas you may develop and work on during your studies. By no means is it a complete or required list as AIU programs do not follow a standardized curriculum. It is meant solely as a reference point and example. Want to learn more about the curriculum design at AIU? Go ahead and visit our website, especially the Course and Curriculum section:

Orientation Courses:

Communication & Investigation (Comprehensive Resume)
Organization Theory (Portfolio)
Experiential Learning (Autobiography)
Academic Evaluation (Questionnaire)
Fundament of Knowledge (Integration Chart)
Fundamental Principles I (Philosophy of Education)
Professional Evaluation (Self Evaluation Matrix)
Development of Graduate Study (Guarantee of an Academic Degree)

Core Courses and Topics

Developing Blockchain Strategy
Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies
Finance and Blockchain
Digital Currency Programming
International Currency Markets
Data Mining
Global Marketing and Blockchain
Blockchain Ecosystems
Digital Currencies in the Developing World
Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies
Ethics, Risks and Blockchain in Financial Technologies
Cryptocurrencies and Ledgers
Digital Business Strategy and Innovation
Open Financial Systems
Regulation in Digital Currencies
Cryptographic Systems Security

Research Project

Bachelor Thesis Project
MBM300 Thesis Proposal
MBM302 Bachelor Thesis (5,000 words)

Publication

Each graduate is encouraged to publish their research papers either online in the public domain or through professional journals and periodicals worldwide.

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Accreditation

Atlantic International University offers distance learning degree programs for adult learners at bachelors, masters, and doctoral level. With self paced program taken online, AIU lifts the obstacles that keep professional adults from completing their educational goals. Programs are available throughout a wide range of majors and areas of study. All of this with a philosophically holistic approach towards education fitting within the balance of your life and acknowledging the key role each individual can play in their community, country, and the world.

Atlantic International University is accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC). ASIC Accreditation is an internationally renowned quality standard for colleges and universities. Visit ASIC’s Directory of Accredited Colleges and Universities. ASIC is a member of CHEA International Quality Group (CIQG) in the USA, an approved accreditation body by the Ministerial Department of the Home Office in the UK, and is listed in the International Directory of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The University is based in the United States and was established by corporate charter in 1998.

Our founding principles are based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights; per article 26, AIU believes that Higher Education is a Human Right. The University has implemented a paradigm shifting educational model for its academic programs that have allowed it to move closer to this goal through the self-empowerment of its students, decentralization of the learning process, personalized open curriculum design, a sustainable learning model, developing 11 core elements of the Human Condition within MYAIU, and utilizing the quasi-infinite knowledge through the use of information technology combined with our own capacity to find solutions to all types of global issues, dynamic problems, and those of individuals and multidisciplinary teams. Due to these differentiations and the university’s mission, only a reputable accrediting agency with the vision and plasticity to integrate and adapt its processes around AIU’s proven and successful innovative programs could be selected. Unfortunately, the vast majority of accrediting agencies adhere to and follow obsolete processes and requirements that have outlived their usefulness and are in direct conflict with the university’s mission of offering a unique, dynamic, affordable, quality higher education to the nontraditional student (one who must work, study what he really needs for professional advancement, attend family issues, etc.). We believe that adopting outdated requirements and processes would impose increased financial burdens on students while severely limiting their opportunities to earn their degree and advance in all aspects. Thus, in selecting the ASIC as its accrediting agency, AIU ensured that its unique programs would not be transformed into a copy or clone of those offered by the 10,000+ colleges and universities around the world. Since ASIC is an international accrediting agency based outside the United States, we are required by statute HRS446E to place the following disclaimer: ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY IS NOT ACCREDITED BY AN ACCREDITING AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. Note: In the United States and abroad, many licensing authorities require accredited degrees as the basis for eligibility for licensing.

In some cases, accredited colleges may not accept for transfer courses and degrees completed at unaccredited colleges, and some employers may require an accredited degree as a basis for eligibility for employment. Potential students should consider how the above may affect their interests, AIU respects the unique rules and regulations of each country and does not seek to influence the respective authorities. In the event that a prospective student wishes to carry out any government review or process in regards to his university degree, we recommend that the requirements of such are explored in detail with the relevant authorities by the prospective student as the university does not intervene in such processes. AIU students can be found in over 180 countries, they actively participate and volunteer in their communities as part of their academic program and have allocated thousands of service hours to diverse causes and initiatives. AIU programs follow the standards commonly used by colleges and universities in the United States with regards to the following: academic program structure, degree issued, transcript, and other graduation documents. AIU graduation documents can include an apostille and authentication from the US Department of State to facilitate their use internationally.

The AIU Difference

It is acknowledged that the act of learning is endogenous, (from within), rather than exogenous.

This fact is the underlying rationale for “Distance Learning”, in all of the programs offered by AIU. The combination of the underlying principles of student “self instruction”, (with guidance), collaborative development of curriculum unique to each student, and flexibility of time and place of study, provides the ideal learning environment to satisfy individual needs.

AIU is an institution of experiential learning and nontraditional education at a distance. There are no classrooms and attendance is not required.

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MISSION:

To be a higher learning institution concerned about generating cultural development alternatives likely to be sustained in order to lead to a more efficient administration of the world village and its environment; exerting human and community rights through diversity with the ultimate goal of the satisfaction and evolution of the world.

VISION:

The empowerment of the individual towards the convergence of the world through a sustainable educational design based on andragogy and omniology.

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Jhanzaib Awan Senior Programmer	Vanesa D’Angelo Content Writer

Leonardo Salas Human Resource Manager	Jaime Rotlewicz Dean of Admissions

Benjamin Joseph IT and Technology Support	Michael Phillips Registrar’s Office

Rosie Perez Finance Coordinator

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School of Business and Economics

The School of Business and Economics allows aspiring and practicing professionals, managers, and entrepreneurs in the private and public sectors to complete a self paced distance learning degree program of the highest academic standard. The ultimate goal is to empower learners and help them take advantage of the enormous array of resources from the world environment in order to eliminate the current continuum of poverty and limitations. Degree programs are designed for those students whose professional experience has been in business, marketing, administration, economics, finance and management.

Areas of Study:

Accounting, Advertising, Banking, Business Administration, Communications, Ecommerce, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Home Economics, Human Resources, International Business, International Finance, Investing, Globalization, Marketing, Management, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Public Administrations, Sustainable Development, Public Relations, Telecommunications, Tourism, Trade.

School of Social and Human Studies

The School of Social and Human Studies is focused on to the development of studies which instill a core commitment to building a society based on social and economic justice and enhancing opportunities for human well being. The founding principles lie on the basic right of education as outlined in the Declaration of Human Rights. We instill in our students a sense of confidence and self reliance in their ability to access the vast opportunities available through information channels, the world wide web, private, public, nonprofit, and nongovernmental organizations in an ever expanding global community. Degree programs are aimed towards those whose professional life has been related to social and human behavior, with the arts, or with cultural studies.

Areas of Study:

Psychology, International Affairs, Sociology, Political Sciences, Architecture, Legal Studies, Public Administration, Literature and languages, Art History, Ministry, African Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian Studies, European Studies, Islamic Studies, Religious Studies.

School of Science and Engineering

The School of Science and Engineering seeks to provide dynamic, integrated, and challenging degree programs designed for those whose experience is in industrial research, scientific production, engineering and the general sciences. Our system for research and education will keep us apace with the twenty-first century reach scientific advance in an environmentally and ecologically responsible manner to allow for the sustainability of the human population. We will foster among our students a demand for ethical behavior, an appreciation for diversity, an understanding of scientific investigation, knowledge of design innovation, a critical appreciation for the importance of technology and technological change for the advancement of humanity.

Areas of Study:

Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Communications, Petroleum Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, Nutrition Science, Agricultural Science, Computer Science, Sports Science, Renewable Energy, Geology, Urban Planning.

Online Library Resources

With access to a global catalog created and maintained collectively by more than 9,000 participating institutions, AIU students have secured excellent research tools for their study programs.

The AIU online library contains over 2 billion records and over 300 million bibliographic records that are increasing day by day. The sources spanning thousands of years and virtually all forms of human expression. There are files of all kinds, from antique inscribed stones to e-books, form wax engravings to MP3s, DVDs and websites. In addition to the archives, the library AIU Online offers electronic access to more than 149,000 e-books, dozens of databases and more than 13 million full-text articles with pictures included. Being able to access 60 databases and 2393 periodicals with more than 18 million items, guarantees the information required to perform the assigned research project. Users will find that many files are enriched with artistic creations on the covers, indexes, reviews, summaries and other information.

The records usually have information attached from important libraries. The user can quickly assess the relevance of the information and decide if it is the right source.

Education on the 21st century

AIU is striving to regain the significance of the concept of education, which is rooted into the Latin “educare”, meaning “to pull out”, breaking loose from the paradigm of most 21st century universities with their focus on “digging and placing information” into students’ heads rather than teaching them to think. For AIU, the generation of “clones” that some traditional universities are spreading throughout the real world is one of the most salient reasons for today’s ills. In fact, students trained at those educational institutions never feel a desire to “change the world” or the current status quo; instead, they adjust to the environment, believe everything is fine, and are proud of it all.

IN A WORLD where knowledge and mostly information expire just like milk, we must reinvent university as a whole in which each student, as the key player, is UNIQUE within an intertwined environment. This century’s university must generate new knowledge bits although this may entail its separation from both the administrative bureaucracy and the faculty that evolve there as well. AIU thinks that a university should be increasingly integrated into the “real world”, society, the economy, and the holistic human being. As such, it should concentrate on its ultimate goal, which is the student, and get him/her deeply immersed into a daily praxis of paradigm shifts, along with the Internet and research, all these being presently accessible only to a small minority of the world community. AIU students must accomplish their self-learning mission while conceptualizing it as the core of daily life values through the type of experiences that lead to a human being’s progress when information is converted into education. The entire AIU family must think of the university as a setting that values diversity and talent in a way that trains mankind not only for the present but above all for a future that calls everyday for professionals who empower themselves in academic and professional areas highly in demand in our modern society. We shall not forget that, at AIU, students are responsible for discovering their own talents and potential, which they must auto-develop in such a way that the whole finish product opens up as a flower that blossoms every year more openly.

THE AIU STANCE is against the idea of the campus as a getaway from day-to-day pressure since we believe reality is the best potential-enhancer ever; one truly learns through thinking, brainstorming ideas, which leads to new solutions, and ultimately the rebirth of a human being fully integrated in a sustainable world environment. Self-learning is actualized more from within than a top-down vantage point, that is to say, to influence instead of requesting, ideas more than power. We need to create a society where solidarity, culture, life, not political or economic rationalism and more than techno structures, are prioritized. In short, the characteristics of AIU students and alumni remain independence, creativity, self-confidence, and ability to take risk towards new endeavors. This is about people’s worth based not on what they know but on what they do with what they know.

AIU Service

AIU offers educational opportunities in the USA to adults from around the world so that they can use their own potential to manage their personal, global cultural development. The foundational axis of our philosophy lies upon self-actualized knowledge and information, with no room for obsoleteness, which is embedded into a DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM based on ANDRAGOGY and OMNIOLOGY. The ultimate goal of this paradigm is to empower learners and help them take advantage of the enormous array of resources from the world environment in order to eliminate the current continuum of poverty and limitations.

This will become a crude reality with respect for, and practice of, human and community rights through experiences, investigations, practicum work, and/ or examinations. Everything takes place in a setting that fosters diversity; with advisors and consultants with doctorate degrees and specializations in Human Development monitor learning processes, in addition to a worldwide web of colleagues and associations, so that they can reach the satisfaction and the progress of humanity with peace and harmony.

Contact us to get started

Now, it’s possible to earn your degree in the comfort of your own home. For additional information or to see if you qualify for admissions please contact us.

Pioneer Plaza / 900 Fort Street Mall 410 Honolulu, HI 96813
800-993-0066 (Toll Free in US) info@aiu.edu
808-924-9567 (Internationally) www.aiu.edu

Ivany Neto Carlos Doctor of Business and Economics Accounting Angola	Adriani Annelise Coleman Doctor of Education Artificial Intelligence in Educational Tech. Belize	Rajeev N.W Goonewardene Doctor of Philosop hy Physics Education Bermuda	Christine Muthue Mualuko Master of Science Guidance Counseling Cambo dia	Eyong Sylvester Defang Master of Science Information Systems Cameroo n	Bandora Canisius Master of Business Administration Business Administration Canada

Miguel Angel Mercado Campusano Doctor of Project Management Project Management Chile	Carlos Manuel Carcache Rivas Doctor of Philosop hy Architecture El Salvador	Milagrosa Epam Ona Bachelor of Science Accounting Equatorial Guinea	Jean Stanislas Tolassy Doctor of Counseling Counseling France	Olawole Adeniyi Adetayo Doctor of Philosop hy Information Technology Ghana	Francis K. Adu-Boahen Associate of Business Administration Marketing Ghana

Awini Ali Baba Doctor of Philosop hy Public Health and Epidemiology Ghana	Gabriela Virginia Albizures Yaquian Bachelor of Science Industrial Engineering Guatemala	Ramnaraine Ragoobar Doctor of Philosop hy Educational Leadership Guyana	Edouard Francois Latortue Doctor of Science International Business Haiti	Kesnel Narcisse Bachelor of Science Agriculture Haiti	Reginea Sharlotte Shirley Doctor of Philosop hy Community Development Jamaica

Caroline Makena Riungu Doctor of Philosop hy Social Policy Kenya	Kenneth Kamau Kabage Master of Business Business Management Malawi	Lizet Chemor Sánchez Doctor of Business Administration Business Administration Mexico	Tércio Vasco Masseque Master of Science Safety and Crisis Management Mozambique	Juan José Montoya Pérez Post-Doctor of Finance Finance Nicaragua	Obara Chibueze Ndubuisi Doctor of Philosop hy Human Resources Management Nigeria

Nana M. Kote Master of Science Engineering Systems Nigeria	Yanssy Aymeé Gallardo Castillo Bachelor of International Business International Business Panama	Arianne Mae S. Arevalo Doctor of Science Physical Education Philipp ines	Rose-Marie Bargain Doctor of Philosop hy Blue Economy Seychelles	Alusine Conteh Bachelor of Science Information Technology Sierra Leone	Ringo Star Masakwa Doctor of Philosop hy Strat. Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation South Africa

Elijah Khot Ajok Kuer Bachelor of Science Public Health South Sudan	Musa Alex Yairo Genyi Bachelor of Science Information Technology and Management South Sudan	Anisha Anika Patterson Doctor of Philosop hy Sociology Trinidad and Toba go	Anabel Ventura Lantigua de Campaña Bachelor of Education Education US A	Domingo Antonio Rodríguez Doctor of Education Teaching Philosophy US A	Glenda Reoyo Pazos Doctor of Arts Art and Culture US A

Arturo Fuentes Bachelor of Science Biochemical Engineering US A	Josh McKenna Thomas Doctor of Philosop hy Cloud Computing US A

February 2024 Edition!

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Article published

Quetzal Order granted

15 TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON Sport & Society

Multiple achievements

Graduated with Distinction

21 TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

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The power of education

By Dr. Rosa Hilda Lora M. Advisor at AIU | rosa@aiu.edu

Aspects of human personality

Simone S. Kelly | Doctorate in Human Resource Management | Part 2/2

Learning

Education in Vietnam

How good it actually is, for what, and for whom?

France

Birth rates continued to fall in 2023.

Find Open Courses and a world of learning granted by AIU at courses.aiu.edu Help others study and change their lives. Visit MyAIU Pledge.

Wild 2 comet

New findings unveil its true nature.

Time travel

Is it even possible?

AIU makes a huge contribution to the world by giving new scient ifics the space for original investigations and research. Visit MyAIU Evolution

Re:Suede

The experiment

Karolina Kruszewska

POSE: a sex education set for the blind.

Kim-e

The ‘invisible’ wheelchair

Get a better knowledge about our rights and the way we can use them on a daily basis to prevent any abuse or limitations of them. Visit MyAIU Human Rights.

Restless legs syndrome

Is this the cure for it?

Fruit juice

Drinking it daily may lead to weight gain, particularly in kids.

Find support for your own unique art and design projects, or support other creative projects at MyAIU Research

Uranium mines

Begin operations near Grand Canyon.

Methane

Chemists make device to destroy it.

Live a better life learning how to keep your body, mind and soul balanced. Visit regularly MyAIU Body / MyAIU Mind / MyAIU Spirit and MyAIU Energy.

ISDS

How wealthy corporations extract millions from developing countries.

Children

Over 450,000 institutionalized across Europe and Central Asia.

Live a better life learning how to keep your body, mind and soul balanced. Visit regularly MyAIU Body / MyAIU Mind / MyAIU Spirit and MyAIU Energy.

Kākāpō

An endangered national treasure in New Zealand.

Kangaroo leather

Adidas called on to drop it after Nike and Puma did.

Live a better life learning how to keep your body, mind and soul balanced. Visit regularly MyAIU Body / MyAIU Mind / MyAIU Spirit and MyAIU Energy.

Campus

Environmental racism

By Max Wilbert

Help others study and change their lives. Visit MyAIU Pledge. Learn how to have a better financial control. Visit MyAIU Money.

Kurzweil MPG100.

The Kawaii gift box.

Sixie self watering seed pot.

Water once a week for thriving baby plants. Porous terracotta wicks water from the reservoir to give seedlings perfect moisture. Plants pop out for easy transplant. Reuse your seed pot for a lifetime. ortakitchengarden.com

Elevated cedar garden bed.

This ADA-compliant elevated raised bed has a shallow planting shelf in front to allow room for your wheelchair to roll underneath. Intended for herbs and low-growing greens that will be harvested regularly. www.gardeners.com

Rupi Kaur. (1992- )

“What’s the greatest lesson a woman should learn? That since day one, she’s already had everything she needs within herself. It’s the world that convinced her she did not.” Rupi Kaur. (1992- ) Canadian poet, artist, and performer . Born in Punjab, India

Say what?

what? “Trying is the first step toward failure.” —Homer Simpson, The Simpsons

BACHELOR’S DEGREE in Blockchain Technology & Digital Currency

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Important:

Orientation Courses:

Core Courses and Topics

Research Project

Publication

Contact us to get started

aiu.edu/apply-online.html

About Us

Accreditation

The AIU Difference

Mission & Vision

MISSION:

VISION:

“What’s the greatest lesson a woman should learn? That since day one, she’s already had everything she needs within herself. It’s the world that convinced her she did not.”

Rupi Kaur. (1992- ) Canadian poet, artist, and performer . Born in Punjab, India