Monthly Archives: July 2016

Sealand Wikipdia, a enciclopdia livre

Posted: July 27, 2016 at 11:44 am

Origem: Wikipdia, a enciclopdia livre.

Principado de Sealand uma micronao e entidade no reconhecida pela ONU, localizada no Mar do Norte a 10km da costa de Suffolk, no sudeste da Inglaterra (5153'40"N, 128'57"E).[1][2][3][4][5] O territrio resume-se a uma grande base naval construda pelo Reino Unido durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial. O acesso ilha apenas possvel por helicptero ou barco. Outrora chamada de Rough Towers, a base foi uma defesa martima contra ataques alemes, consistindo em duas grandes torres com capacidade para 200 soldados. Foi desativada assim que a guerra acabou.

Desde 1967, a instalao tem sido ocupada pelo ento Major britnico Paddy Roy Bates; seus colegas e familiares afirmam que ela um Estado soberano independente. Comentadores externos geralmente classificam Sealand como uma micronao ao invs de um estado no reconhecido.[6] Embora tenha sido descrita como menor nao do mundo,[3][7] Sealand atualmente no reconhecida oficialmente como um estado soberano por nenhuma outra nao soberana. Apesar de Roy Bates afirmar que ela reconhecida de facto pela Alemanha, por ter recebido um diplomata alemo na micronao, e pelo Reino Unido, aps uma corte inglesa decidir que no possui jurisdio sobre Sealand,[1] nenhuma das aes constituem de jure o reconhecimento.

Historicamente, a fortificao pertence ao Reino Unido, mas est localizada fora dos seus domnios territoriais. O governo de Londres j tentou expulsar a famlia Bates de Sealand, mas no obteve xito devido a este fator. Tambm, a plataforma est fora dos domnios territoriais da Frana, o que faz de sua localizao uma terra de ningum[8] .

Em 1965, Roy Bates, dono de um pequeno barco frigorfico e tido como uma pessoa excntrica, mudou-se com sua famlia para a base militar Knock John Tower e a usava para transmitir a programao de sua rdio pirata[9] , que chamou de Radio Essex. Ele estava protegido legalmente pelo fato de a construo no estar dentro das guas territoriais britnicas. Mais tarde, o governo estendeu os limites do pas e a base Knock John acabou fazendo parte dos limites do territrio britnico. A famlia Bates recebeu ordem de se retirar, mas pouco tempo depois mudou-se para outra base mais distante da costa, denominada Rough Towers.

Um ano depois, a Marinha de guerra britnica tentou expuls-lo do local, mas sem xito. Um juiz deliberou que Sealand est alm do limite de trs milhas das guas territoriais do Reino Unido, escapando ao controle do governo londrino.

Nove anos mais tarde, Roy, que seria o prncipe de Sealand, introduziu no seu pas uma constituio, criou uma bandeira, um braso de armas e decidiu cunhar dlares de ouro e prata.[10] Por fim, comeou a conceder passaportes queles que demonstraram ter apoiado os interesses de Sealand.

Em 1978, aproveitando a ausncia do chefe de estado Roy Bates, um empresrio alemo autoproclamado primeiro-ministro de Sealand encenou uma invaso ao estado[9] , dominando-a rapidamente e mantendo as pessoas que ali estavam de refns, dentre elas o herdeiro Michael. No entanto, ao saber da situao, Roy conseguiu recuperar a ilha, resgatando os refns e expulsando os invasores. Este foi o acontecimento local mais prximo de uma guerra, sobre o qual no se tem muitas informaes - nem o prprio site governamental muito explcito a respeito. O empresrio alemo era Alexander Achenbach, que comprara de Roy Bates um passaporte de Sealand. A Alemanha enviou um diplomata a Londres, mas a Gr-Bretanha no tinha poder sobre Sealand e este foi enviado a Sealand para negociar a soltura de todos[9] .

Em junho de 2006 houve um terrvel incndio em Sealand. A ilha sofreu um devastador incndio que destruiu muito da administrao do pas, alm do centro de energia. Felizmente, os geradores/sistemas de emergncia existentes permitiram o andamento contnuo das atividades, inclusive o governo promoveu vendas de bons e semelhantes visando a arrecadar fundos para recuperar os estragos, e hoje a plataforma est recuperada.

O Hino Nacional de Sealand, intitulado "E Mare Libertas", foi composto pelo compositor londrino Basil Simonenko e adotado em 2001. uma pea somente instrumental, sem letra. Em 2005 foi gravado pela Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra e includo no volume 7 de sua coleo de CDs de hinos nacionais do mundo.

Em setembro de 2011 Michael Bates esteve presente na Bienal do Mercosul, realizada em Porto Alegre, acompanhado de seu filho James. Convidado pelos curadores para falar sobre Sealand e a "Geopotica", tema da exposio, o Prncipe tambm aproveitou o passeio para vender ttulos da nobreza de sua nao[11] .

No comeo de janeiro de 2007, o prncipe Michael de Sealand decidiu pr a ilha artificial venda. Considerado o menor pas do mundo, Sealand emite os seus prprios passaportes e selos de correio, ttulos de nobreza, tem moeda prpria e, inclusive, uma seleo de futebol, entre outras caractersticas de um Estado independente. Porm os seus habitantes moram em barraces de ao e convivem o tempo todo com o barulho de vrios geradores[3] .

Pela plataforma, qual s possvel chegar de helicptero ou barco, os proprietrios pedem 1 milho de libras (R$ 3,42 milhes) e detalham as qualidades do local: vista infinita do mar, tranquilidade absoluta garantida, nada de impostos.

Atualmente Michael - filho de Roy - que est frente dos destinos desta ilha. Com 54 anos, substituiu o seu pai em 1999 devido a problemas de sade daquele, mas no mostra grande apego ao seu reino e agora tenciona vend-lo. "Temos sido os proprietrios durante 40 anos, e meu pai tem j 85. Faz falta a descoberta de um processo de rejuvenescimento", afirmou o herdeiro Michael a um jornal ingls. Sobre o preo que pede, ele assinalou: "Falou-se em valores astronmicos, porm veremos o que nos oferecem. O cu o limite". O "prncipe", que demonstra desinteresse na ilha, vive a maior parte do tempo em terra firme.

Em 2007 os administradores do site The Pirate Bay anunciaram o interesse em comprar Sealand para l hospedar os seus servidores, que formam "o maior tracker de BitTorrents do mundo" (segundo os prprios). Os fundadores do Partido Pirata esto interessados em ter um pouco de paz e sossego e hospedar seus servios longe de aes judiciais, como as tentativas feitas pela RIAA (indstria fonogrfica estadunidense) e outros. Para conseguir o dinheiro necessrio, fizeram campanhas de doaes. [12]

Sem reas cultivveis, indstria florescente ou abundncia de recursos naturais, a nao de ao e cimento tem um produto interno bruto (PIB) avaliado em US$ 600 mil, obtido "em sua maior parte por meio de comrcio na internet", segundo Bates. pelo site do "governo" de Sealand que se vendem camisetas, bandeiras e btons - alm dos ttulos de Lorde e Baro, negociados respectivamente a 29,99 e 44,99 libras esterlinas[13] .

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What is Virtual Reality? – Virtual Reality – vrs.org.uk

Posted: at 11:38 am

The definition of virtual reality comes, naturally, from the definitions for both virtual and reality. The definition of virtual is near and reality is what we experience as human beings. So the term virtual reality basically means near-reality. This could, of course, mean anything but it usually refers to a specific type of reality emulation.

We know the world through our senses and perception systems. In school we all learned that we have five senses: taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing. These are however only our most obvious sense organs. The truth is that humans have many more senses than this, such as a sense of balance for example. These other sensory inputs, plus some special processing of sensory information by our brains ensures that we have a rich flow of information from the environment to our minds.

Everything that we know about our reality comes by way of our senses. In other words, our entire experience of reality is simply a combination of sensory information and our brains sense-making mechanisms for that information. It stands to reason then, that if you can present your senses with made-up information, your perception of reality would also change in response to it. You would be presented with a version of reality that isnt really there, but from your perspective it would be perceived as real. Something we would refer to as a virtual reality.

So, in summary, virtual reality entails presenting our senses with a computer generated virtual environment that we can explore in some fashion.

Answering what is virtual reality in technical terms is straight-forward. Virtual reality is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person. That person becomes part of this virtual world or is immersed within this environment and whilst there, is able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions.

Although we talk about a few historical early forms of virtual reality elsewhere on the site, today virtual reality is usually implemented using computer technology. There are a range of systems that are used for this purpose, such as headsets, omni-directional treadmills and special gloves. These are used to actually stimulate our senses together in order to create the illusion of reality.

This is more difficult than it sounds, since our senses and brains are evolved to provide us with a finely synchronized and mediated experience. If anything is even a little off we can usually tell. This is where youll hear terms such asimmersiveness and realism enter the conversation. These issues that divide convincing or enjoyable virtual reality experiences from jarring or unpleasant ones are partly technical and partly conceptual. Virtual reality technology needs to take our physiology into account. For example, the human visual field does not look like a video frame. We have (more or less) 180 degrees of vision and although you are not always consciously aware of your peripheral vision, if it were gone youd notice. Similarly when what your eyes and the vestibular system in your ears tell you are in conflict it can cause motion sickness. Which is what happens to some people on boats or when they read while in a car.

If an implementation of virtual reality manages to get the combination of hardware, software and sensory synchronicity just right it achieves something known as a sense of presence. Where the subject really feels like they are present in that environment.

This may seems like a lot of effort, and it is! What makes the development of virtual reality worthwhile? The potential entertainment value is clear. Immersive films and video games are good examples. The entertainment industry is after all a multi-billion dollar one and consumers are always keen on novelty. Virtual reality has many other, more serious, applications as well.

There are a wide variety of applications for virtual reality which include:

Virtual reality can lead to new and exciting discoveries in these areas which impact upon our day to day lives.

Wherever it is too dangerous, expensive or impractical to do something in reality, virtual reality is the answer. From trainee fighter pilots to medical applications trainee surgeons, virtual reality allows us to take virtual risks in order to gain real world experience. As the cost of virtual reality goes down and it becomes more mainstream you can expect more serious uses, such as education or productivity applications, to come to the fore. Virtual reality and its cousin augmented reality could substantively change the way we interface with our digital technologies. Continuing the trend of humanising our technology.

There are many different types of virtual reality systems but they all share the same characteristics such as the ability to allow the person to view three-dimensional images. These images appear life-sized to the person.

Plus they change as the person moves around their environment which corresponds with the change in their field of vision. The aim is for a seamless join between the persons head and eye movements and the appropriate response, e.g. change in perception. This ensures that the virtual environment is both realistic and enjoyable.

A virtual environment should provide the appropriate responses in real time- as the person explores their surroundings. The problems arise when there is a delay between the persons actions and system response or latency which then disrupts their experience. The person becomes aware that they are in an artificial environment and adjusts their behaviour accordingly which results in a stilted, mechanical form of interaction.

The aim is for a natural, free-flowing form of interaction which will result in a memorable experience.

Virtual reality is the creation of a virtual environment presented to our senses in such a way that we experience it as if we were really there. It uses a host of technologies to achieve this goal and is a technically complex feat that has to account for our perception and cognition. It has both entertainment and serious uses. The technology is becoming cheaper and more widespread. We can expect to see many more innovative uses for the technology in the future and perhaps a fundamental way in which we communicate and work thanks to the possibilities of virtual reality.

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Contact Us – Progress Energy

Posted: at 11:35 am

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Phone Customer Service 866.582.6345

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Phone Customer Service 866.582.6345

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Report a power outage: 800.419.6356

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Bill Payments Duke Energy Progress P.O. Box 1003 Charlotte, N.C. 28201-1003

Overnight or Express Mail Duke Energy 10101 Claude Freeman Dr. 225N Charlotte, N.C. 28262

General correspondence/corporate Duke Energy Progress P.O. Box 1771 Raleigh, N.C. 27602

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Unauthorized uses and theft of electricity is illegal and extremely dangerous. To confidentially report suspicious activities involving electrical equipment, please call us at 800.452.2777.

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Modern Satanism | Spiral Nature

Posted: at 11:34 am

Modern Satanism is probably the widest-spread of the Satanic denominations, and also the biggest bone of contention amongst the others. Modernists do not worship Satan as a god or deity; theistically, they are atheists. They believe in neither a god nor a devil, nor spirits and supernatural beings. Needless to say, it is usually not the Modernists who appear on Jerry Springer or get featured in the headlines of the local newspapers. The main argument over the Modernists is that, if they are in truth atheistic, why even bother using the name Satan? Why not just call yourself atheists or humanists or secular humanists, et al., instead of dragging in the name of a Christian boogeyman? Obviously I cant answer this for them, but the section Why Satan? on the Foundations page may shed some light on the various reasons which exist.

There are, as I see it, primarily three flavours of Modern Satanism: Naturalist, Psychologic, and Symbolic. They are not necessarily mutually exclusive:

The Naturalists view Satan as the natural force of the universe, the underlying current of nature. The power which makes trees grow, earthquakes shatter, stars form and die.all these, the raw energy of What Is, is Satan. As such it has no good or bad side in and of itself; it is everything. But, it is not intelligent or self-aware. Just like electricity or wind power, it exists without consciousness, but may be tapped by the conscious user (magician). This is the basis of Modern Satanic magick: that by training oneself to tap into this force Satan one may subtly warp reality into a form more advantageous to ones desires. However, it is not an external godhead or force which enables you to accomplish this; it is the force of your own willpower and emotions, exerting a draw on the Satan, attracting it to you so that you can mold it into a more suitable shape.

The Psychologic viewpoint centres around Satan as being the primordial side of the human psyche which the majority of humanity seeks to control and eliminate, instead of accepting and utilizing. The Freudian id, the Jungian shadow, the animal within these are perhaps the best parallels to the Satanic self which the Psychological view of Modern Satanism desires to seek out and liberate.

There is a great tendency by non-Satanists to reflect on this particular viewpoint and come to a conclusion that developing ones Satanic self is tantamount to reverting to childhood akin to an infants gimme gimme gimme mine mine mine outlook on life. While some may think this, it is my personal belief and the belief of most Satanists I have met that truly coming to terms with ones inner self, coming to terms with both the proper civilized part and the unruly animal part, is infinitely harder than shoving a piece of yourself in a closet and pretending that it does not exist.

The Symbolists view Satan as a mental/mythic archetype, as the Adversary or the Light-bringer. As such, the figure of Satan as an anthropomorphic being is completely fictional: he does not exist as such. However, the mental conception of the figure draws us to him. We identify with him, respect him, admire him, even as a fictional character. The archetype or mythic figure embodies a lot of what Symbolists consider important and good qualities. Some of them may include pride, independence, free-will, intelligence, knowledge, truthfulness, and ambition. The exact list will vary on who you ask. The qualities of the archetype may be draw from various sources, such as the Christian Bible, Miltons Paradise Lost, the Apocrypha, The Satanic Bible, and personal experience or thought. For some, the admirable qualities may include destruction, cruelty, hatred it truly depends on what the individual Satanist sees as desirable and undesirable, or as admirable and inadmirable. Again, he Symbolists do not worship Satan-Lucifer, or acknowledge his literal existence, but view him as a mythic figure much like Peter Pan, Uncle Sam, Zeus, or King Midas.

Finally, no discussion of Modern Satanism would be complete without discussing the LaVeyan Satanists (Church of Satan).

LaVeyan Satanism was founded in the 1960s by Anton Szandor LaVey. It is without a doubt the most well-known of the Satanic denominations, and is the only one (as far as I am aware) with federally recognized religious status. Officially, it is known as the Church of Satan, and is head quartered in San Francisco. Anton LaVey passed away in late October of 1997, at which time leadership of the Church passed into the hands of Blanche Barton (a long-time associate of LaVey). Although at one time Karla LaVey (LaVeys daughter) was participating as a co-High-Priestess, she has since split from the Church of Satan over ideological differences. She is now the acting High Priestess of the First Satanic Church (founded Oct 31st, 1999), which claims to be a resurgence of Satanic ideals closer to the spirit of her fathers original teachings.

Although it is true that Satanism existed before him, LaVey can be said to be (with relative authority) the father of Modern Satanism. Before LaVey went public with his new Church, and with his many works on Satanic philosophy (The Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals, The Devils Notebook), Satanism was an underground, disorganized, and chaotic religion. Since the formation of the Church of Satan, information has become much more readily available and people had, for the first time, a sense of Satanic identity and organization.

The core philosophy of the Church of Satan is that of indulgence; of living ones life to the utmost of intellectual and material/carnal fulfilment. This includes fulfilling all of ones desires, so long as it does not involve the unwilling (children and animals are classed as unwilling). If fulfilment of these desires comes from illegal actions, so be it but the Satanist must be prepared to pay for any actions which he or she performs (the doctrine of personal responsibility).

Lastly, we come to the point of semantics. LaVeyan Satanists generally contend that they are the real Satanists, and that without LaVey none of Modern Satanism would be possible, as it was LaVey who opened up the doors to Satanism in the 1960s. Satan-worshippers or Devil-worshippers, they tend to regard as foolish and trapped in Christian behavioural patterns (turning to a god or otherworldly force). Similarly, Traditionalists (those who worship Satan as a spiritual or divine being), tend to call the LaVeyans pseudo-Satanists or pretenders, claiming that they are just atheists who use the name Satanist for shock value and capitalistic gain.

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History of Longevity – Life Expectancy in 1800 to Today

Posted: at 11:30 am

How long did humans live in the past? We often hear statistics about the average lifespan of people living hundreds, even thousands, of years ago. Were our ancestors really dying at the age of 30 or 40 back then?Heres a little primer on longevity throughout history to help you understand how life expectancy and life spans have changed over time.

The term life expectancy means the average lifespan of an entire population, taking into account all mortality figures for that specific group of people.

Lifespan is a measure of the actual length of an individuals life. While both terms seem straightforward, a lack of historical artifacts and records have made it challenging for researchers to determine how lifespans have evolved throughout history.

Until fairly recently, little information existed about how long prehistoric people lived. Too few fossilized human remains made it difficult for historians to estimate the demographics of any population. Anthropology professors Rachel Caspari and Sang-Hee Lee, ofCentral Michigan University and the University of California at Riverside, respectively, chose instead to analyze the relative ages of skeletons found in archeological digs in eastern and southern Africa, Europe and elsewhere.

After comparing the proportion of those who died young with those who died at an older age, the team concluded that longevity only began to significantly increase - that is, past the age of 30 or so - about 30,000 years ago, which is quite late in the span of human evolution.

In an article published in 2011 in Scientific American, Caspari calls the shift the evolution of grandparents," as it marks the first time in human history that three generations might have co-existed.

Life expectancy estimates that describe the population as a whole also suffer from a lack of reliable evidence gathered from these periods.

In a 2010 article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences gerontologist and evolutionary biologist, Caleb Finch describes the average life spans inancient Greek and Roman times as short: approximately of 20 to 35 years, though he laments these numbers are based on notoriously unrepresentative graveyard epitaphs and samples.

Moving forward along the historic timeline, Finch lists the challenges of deducing historic life spans and causes of death in this information vacuum. As a kind of research compromise, he and other evolution experts suggest a reasonable comparison can be made with demographic data that does exist from pre-industrial Sweden (mid-18th century) and certain contemporary, small, hunter-gatherer societies in countries like Venezuela and Brazil.

Finch writes that judging by this data the main causes of death during these early centuries would most certainly have been infections, whether from infectious diseases or infected wounds resulting from accidents or fighting.

Unhygienic living conditions and little access to effective medical care meant life expectancy was likely limited to about 35 years of age.

Thats life expectancy at birth, a figure dramatically influenced by infant mortality-pegged at the time as high as 30 percent. It does not mean that the average person living in 1200 A.D. died at the age of 35. Rather, for every child that died in infancy, another person might have lived to see their 70th birthday. Early years up to the age of about 15 continued to be perilous, thanks to risks posed by disease, injuries, and accidents. People who survived this hazardous period of life could well make it into old age.

Other infectious diseases like cholera, tuberculosis and smallpox would go on to limit longevity, but none on a scale quite as damaging of the bubonic plague in the 14th century. The Black Plague moved through Asia and Europe, and wiped out as much as a third of Europes population, temporarily shifting life expectancy downward.

From the 1500s onward, till around the year 1800, life expectancy throughout Europe hovered between 30 and 40 years of age. Since the early 1800s, Finch writes that life expectancy at birth has doubled in a period of only 10 or so generations. Improved health care, sanitation, immunizations, access to clean, running water and better nutrition are all credited with the massive increase.

Though its hard to imagine, researcher Elaine Larson describes in The American Journal of Public Health that doctors only began regularly washing their hands before surgery in the mid-1800s. A better understanding of hygiene and the transmission of microbes has since contributed substantially to public health. Disease was still common, however, and impacted life expectancy. Parasites, typhoid, and infections like rheumatic feverand scarlet feverwere all common during the 1800s.

Even as recently as 1921, countries like Canada still had an infant mortality rate of about 10 percent, meaning one out of every 10 babies did not survive. According to Statistics Canada, this meant a life expectancyoraverage survival rate in that country that was higher at age one than at birth - a condition that persisted right until the early 1980s.

Today most industrialized countries boast life expectancy figures of more than 75 years, according to comparisons compiled by the Central Intelligence Agency.

Some researchers have predicted that lifestyle factors like obesity will halt or even reverse the rise in life expectancy for the first time in modern history. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2005, epidemiologists warned that in the United States - where two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese - obesity and its complications, like diabetes,could very well reduce life expectancy at all ages in the first half of 21st century.

In the meantime, rising life expectancy in the West brings both good and bad news: its nice to be living longer, but we are now more vulnerable to the types of illnesses that hit as you get older. These age-related diseasesinclude coronary artery disease, certain cancers, diabetes, and dementia.

Still, while they can affect quantity and quality of life, many of these conditions can be prevented or at least delayed through healthy lifestyle choices like following an anti-aging diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularlyand keeping stress hormones like cortisol at bay.

Sources:

Caleb E. Finch. Evolution of the human lifespan and diseases of aging: Roles of infection, inflammation, and nutrition. PNAS, January 26, 2010, vol. 107, Pages 1718-1724. http://evmedreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PNAS-EvMedIssueComplete-pages-1691-1799-2010.pdf

Caspari, R. The Evolution of Grandparents. Scientific American. 2011 vol:305 iss:2 pg:44 -9.

Caspari, R and Lee SH. Is Human Longevity a Consequence of Cultural Change or Modern Biology? Am J Phys Anthropol(2006) 129:512-517 http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~shlee/Publications/06%20OY%20W%20As%20(AJPA).pdf

Country Comparison: Life Expectancy at Birth. US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Public Information Sheet. Accessed September 17, 2012. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html

E Larson. Innovations in health care: antisepsis as a case study. Am J Public Health. 1989 January; 79(1): 9299. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1349481/,/p>

Griffin JP. Changing life expectancy throughout history. Int Pharm J 1995. 9:199202.

Gurven, M. and Kaplan H. Hunter-Gatherer Longevity: A Cross-Cultural Examination. Population and Development Review. 2007. Volume 33, Issue 2, 321-365.

Health at a Glance: Disparities in Life Expectancy at Birth. Statistics Canada Public Information Sheet. Accessed Sept.13, 2012. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-624-x/2011001/article/11427-eng.htm

H. Beltran-Sanchez, E. M. Crimmins and C. E. Finch. Early cohort mortality predicts the rate of aging in the cohort: a historical analysis. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 05/2012, pp. 1 7.

S. Jay Olshansky, Douglas J. Passaro, Ronald C. Hershow, Jennifer Layden, Bruce A. Carnes, Jacob Brody, Leonard Hayflick, Robert N. Butler, David B. Allison, and David S. Ludwig. A Potential Decline in Life Expectancy in the United States in the 21st Century. N Engl J Med 2005; 352:1138-1145 http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsr043743#t=artic

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Psoriasis Medical Health Quiz on MedicineNet.com

Posted: at 11:30 am

Q:Psoriasis causes the top layer of skin cells to become inflamed and grow too quickly and flake off.

The correct answer is: True

Explanation:

Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition, causes skin cells to grow too quickly. Symptoms include thick white, silvery, or red patches of skin, inflammation, and itchy, flaking skin.

The correct answer is: True

Explanation:

Symptoms of psoriasis come and go, periodically improving and worsening. Sometimes psoriasis may clear for years and stay in remission. Often people have worsening of their symptoms in the colder winter months. Many people report improvement of the skin in warmer months, warmer climates, or with increased sunlight exposure.

The correct answer is: False

Explanation:

Psoriasis is not currently curable. However, it can go into remission and show no signs of disease. Fortunately, when it is active, many treatment options are available to manage psoriasis.

The correct answer is: False

Explanation:

Psoriasis cannot be spread from person to person. You cannot "catch" it from a person affected by it, and you cannot pass it to anyone else by skin-to-skin contact. You can directly touch the skin affected by psoriasis and this will not increase your risk of developing psoriasis.

The correct answer is: True

Explanation:

Psoriasis often runs in families. Because of this, a family history can actually be helpful in making the diagnosis. More than 30% of people with psoriasis report having a relative with the disease.

The correct answer is: CThe immune system

Explanation:

The immune system plays a major role in psoriasis because psoriasis is caused by an overactive immune system. In psoriasis, certain blood cells are put into action by mistake. They become so active that they set off other immune responses. The attack of one's tissues by one's own immune system is characteristic of an autoimmune disorder.

The correct answer is: True

Explanation:

Men and women get psoriasis at about the same rate.

The correct answer is: Gain

Explanation:

A large study has shown that women who gain weight throughout adult life are more likely to develop psoriasis. Other risk factors for psoriasis include cold climates, emotional and physical stress, infection, skin injuries, and smoking.

The correct answer is: True

Explanation:

About 10%-15% of people with psoriasis eventually develop psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis can be mild, yet in severe cases it causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and destruction in and around affected joints. Early treatment may prevent joint damage that occurs as psoriatic arthritis progresses.

The correct answer is: True

Explanation:

For better or worse, pregnancy may change the intensity or severity of psoriasis in women. While some women have reported that psoriasis has become more severe as a result of pregnancy, others have reported alleviated symptoms.

The correct answer is: APlaque

Explanation:

Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis. Approximately, nine out of 10 people with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis. The following are less common types of psoriasis: - Guttate psoriasis: appears as small, salmon-pink (or red) drops on the skin - Pustular psoriasis: appears as raised bumps that are filled with pus - Inverse psoriasis: appears as bright red, smooth patches in skin folds - Erythrodermic psoriasis: bright red, itchy, peeling inflamed rash that covers most of the body

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Reviewed by William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR on May 18, 2011

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6.4 Big Stock Photo

7. iStockphoto

8. iStockphoto

9. iStockphoto

10. iStockphoto

11. iStockphoto

Sources:

WebMD: Psoriasis Health Center <http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/default.htm>

MedicineNet: Psoriasis <http://www.medicinenet.com/psoriasis/article.htm>

National Psoriasis Foundation: About Psoriasis <http://www.psoriasis.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=372>

NIAMS: Psoriasis <http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Psoriasis/psoriasis_ff.asp>

WebMD: Psoriasis What Increases Your Risk <http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/psoriasis-what-increases-your-risk>

National Psoriasis Foundation: About Psoriatic Arthritis <http://www.psoriasis.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=324>

National Psoriasis Foundation: Conception, pregnancy and nursing <http://www.psoriasis.org/netcommunity/sublearn01_pregnancy>

eMedicineHealth: Types of Psoriasis <http://www.emedicinehealth.com/types_of_psoriasis/article_em.htm>

This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information:

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Socio-Economic Collapse in the Congo: Causes and Solutions

Posted: July 25, 2016 at 4:00 pm

by Marie Rose Mukeni Beya

The history of the Congo is long. Some historians think that Early Congo History began with waves of Bantu migrations moving into the Congo River basin from 2000 B.C. to 500 A.D. and then gradually started to expand Southward. The modern history of the Congo may be divided into four periods starting in 1885, after the Conference of Berlin divided Africa into separate states which were then ruled by Europeans imperial powers.

Colonization. King Leopold II of Belgium acquired control over the Congo territory in 1885. He named it the Congo Free State, and ruled it as his private property from 1877-1908. The Belgian parliament took over the colony from the king in 1908. The Belgian Congo achieved independence on June 30, 1960 under new leadership representatives of various political parties. Mr. Joseph Kasavubu of the Alliance des Bakongo (ABAKO) party was elected the President; Patrice-Emery Lumumba, the leader of the National Movement of the Congo or MNC, became prime minister, and Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Mobutu (Mobutu Sese Seko) was appointed as chief-of-staff of the new army, the National Army of the Congo (ANC), and became the also Secretary of State. The new nation was given the name Republic of Congo.

Adjustment and Crisis. The Congo spent the first half of the 1960s adjusting to its independence. In 1961, the Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC] was destabilized by army mutinies, unrests, riots, rebellions and the secession of the countrys richest region, Katanga, soon followed by a similar move in the Southeastern Kasai Province, which declared itself the Independent Mining State of South Kasai. The United Nations played a critical role in managing this crisis, which was further compounded by the trial of strength at the center between President Kasavubu and Prime Minister Lumumba, culminating in Lumumbas assassination at the hands of the Katangan secessionists in January 1961.

Dictatorship. In 1965 Mobutu, by then commander-in-chief of the army, seized control of the Congolese territory and declared himself the countrys president, head of the sole political party. In 1971 he renamed the country the Republic of Zaire. Once prosperous, the country markedly declined. Rampant corruption and abuse of the civilian population ensued. The need for change was widely understood; various political parties were organized, presidential elections were held and social justice programs initiated. The Sovereign National Conference in 1992 brought together more than two thousand representatives from various political parties and NGOs.

The Congo is Rich in Human and Natural Resources. It has the third largest population in Sub-Saharan Africa: 65.8 million. It has the second largest rain forest in the world. Precipitation is ample; it rains six to eight months of the year. Agriculture was profitable before the economy failed. It was 56.3 % of the GDP. Main cash crops include coffee, palm oil, rubber, cotton, sugar, tea and cocoa. But the revenue collected from the agricultural work and farming has greatly diminished in the past decade and is now only 15 % of the GDP. The DRC is rich in a variety of minerals: copper, cobalt, diamond, gold, zinc, oil, uranium, columbite/tantalite (coltan, an essential material for cell phones and other electronics) and other rare metals. Traditionally, one mining company in upper Katanga named Gecamines has dominated mining. Copper and cobalt accounted for 75% of the total export revenues, and about 25 % of the countrys GDP. The DRC was the worlds fourth-largest producer of industrial diamonds during the 1980s. Despite the abundance of resources, the DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world. The countrys official economy has collapsed in the last few decades due to hyperinflation, mismanagement and corruption, war, conflict and general instability, political crisis and economic dislocation. Moreover, the spread of HIV/AIDS has contributed to an overall deterioration. As the DRC is hit by the global economic downturn, exports (lumber, oil, diamonds and other ores in particular) have declined, whereas the high costs for imports of most basic needs remain unchanged. The consequence is an acute deterioration of the balance of trade and the collapse of foreign investments. The DRCs foreign debt stands at over $10 billion. M. R. M. B.

Decade of Conflict. In May 1997, Joseph Kabila, leader of a rebel movement supported by neighboring countries, challenged Mobutu and forced him to leave the country. Kabila seized control, declared himself president and renamed the country the Democratic Republic of Congo. After Kabila was assassinated in January, 2001, power was transferred to his son Joseph Kabila II by appointment. On December 18, 2005, for only the second time in 46 years the Congolese voted in a presidential election. Kabila won the elections against his opponent Bemba. This has sparked off riots and civil war.

Since the beginning of its independence in 1960 to date, instability has prevailed in the DRC. Although significant attempts have been made to stabilize the political and military establishments, the Congolese people still live in an all-pervasive state of insecurity. This has made a shambles of the economy and social conditions for the Congolese people. The poorest, as always, are the most affected.

Since 1998, an estimated 3.3 million people, mostly women, children and elderly have been killed as a result of armed conflicts. Another 2.3 million, according to NGOs reports in 2003, are homeless. The wars caused a drastic increase in the number of orphans, helping to create the gruesome phenomenon known as child soldiers.

The wars also exacerbated ethnic tensions over land and territory in Eastern Congo, posing a long-term challenge for the transition to peace. Because of domestic conflicts in the neighboring countries Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Sudan, Central Africa and Angola many civilian refugees and displaced soldiers fled to and infiltrated the DRC. Some insurgent groups attacking contiguous countries use the DRC as their base. This created regional tensions, and deteriorated the DRCs relationships with neighboring countries. In the Eastern DRC, violence erupted between Congolese and the newcomers. This conflict is exacerbated by ethnic tensions in Eastern Congo. In the Kivu Region, Congolese militia (MaiMai) still fights to protect their land. During the wars, the spread of HIV/AIDS has drastically increased, and this affects all aspects of the social, economic and political life. Many factors have contributed to the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the DRC, including poverty, lack of education, cultural norms, and war. Women and girls are raped and sexually exploited by the military in their own homes. Poverty drives some girls into prostitution, which increases their risk of becoming infected. Although some NGOs are focusing on the situation of women and girls, especially in the post conflict period, little has been done; women and girls remain defenseless. Recently international resources have become available to fight HIV/AIDS, but funds are not being used properly.

It is crucial to establish a new order. This means a new, uncorrupted and disciplined government, capable of improving the living conditions of the average Congolese. As a precondition the DRC must hold fair democratic elections. The future government must focus on education. Child education should become the number one priority. Be educated or perish. It is mandatory to shift the priorities from military security to peoples social welfare and development. Political corruption must be removed, and human rights violations must be dealt with, but everything depends on the eradication of poverty.

Commitment of all parties is needed: The DRC government, leaders of political movements and civil society, administrators, professionals, workers, in brief the Congolese citizenry on all levels. Men and women, adults as well as youth must be involved in the process of change. Local services, churches, NGOs, and international organizations must cooperate in support of political change.

The fight against poverty starts by properly managing available financial resources, and discouraging corruption. The available resources must be used properly. The annual budget must be voted upon, the budget plan respected, and the expenditures must be disciplined and limited. Auditing all economic activity on a regular basis should be mandatory.

Corruption occurs because the individuals cannot satisfy their basic needs (food, health care, clothing, education, employment, wages, etc.). In order to prevent corruption the government should proceed with the following steps:

The private sector and the national organizations must be encouraged to create more jobs.

Workers in both private and public sectors should get paid on a regular basis. The wage rates should be based on the work experience and educational background of the worker. The minimum wage must cover expenditures for basic needs.

Salaries must be readjusted and periodically augmented, regardless of boom-bust cycles.

Taxes must be used to rebuild infrastructures. People need to be educated to pay their taxes, which should be understood as constructive contributions to social welfare.

Taxes should be increased on natural resources and unearned incomes, and decreased on earned incomes from production.

Finally, the government should address the tragic violation of human rights. People must be taught their human rights, and trained apply these rights in the appropriate situations. For example, people need to report human rights violations, discrimination and injustice, and to defend themselves against sexual harassment. A strong, functional judicial system must be established. People must understand and believe that human rights abuses will not be tolerated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Marie Rose Mukeni Beya, Ph.D. is a psychologist specializing in child development. Prior to coming to the US, she was head of the Psychology Dept. at the University of Kinshasa. She currently teaches Georgist economics at the Henry George School in New York. She is fluent in French, English, Swahili, Lingala, and Tshiluba.

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Police Wage War on Drugs in the Philippines Photos – ABC News

Posted: at 4:00 pm

The President-Elect of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, declared a war on crime and drugs after sweeping an election on May 9, and has been living up to his nickname, "the punisher." Philippine police have been conducting night raids almost on a daily basis and revived a curfew for minors that had not been enforced for years. Based on local reports, there has been at least 59 drug-related deaths since the election and hundreds of drug suspects arrested.

A suspected drug user is handcuffed during a nighttime raid on a drug den, June 16, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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A suspected street robber is arrested by a policeman after a brief chase in the streets, June 20, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Police pass by homeless boys sleeping on the street during a night patrol, June 22, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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A blood-soaked stretcher is seen here after a buy-bust operation which killed three suspected drug dealers, June 25, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Social workers and police round up a minor at night during curfew, June 8, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Social workers and police round up minors at night during curfew, June 8, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Suspected drug users and drug dealers are arrested by police during a nighttime raid on a suspected drug den, June 16, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Crystal meth and various drug paraphernalia are seized by undercover police during a nighttime raid on a suspected drug den, June 16, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Criminals with various offenses and drug gangs sit in an overcrowded jail cell, June 20, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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A group of policemen listen to a briefing prior to a raid on a drug den, June 16, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Police patrol a shanty community at night during curfew, June 8, 2016, in Manila, Philippines. The president-elect of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, declared a war on crime and drugs after sweeping an election on May 9, and has been living up to his nickname, "the punisher."

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Social workers and police round up minors at night during curfew, June 8, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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The following contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.

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A drug suspect is killed in a shootout during a buy-bust operation conducted by police, June 25, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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A gun, bullets, marked money and sachets of crystal meth are laid on a table after a drug raid, June 20, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Drug suspects are led into a crowded jail cell, June 20, 2016, in Manila, Philippines.

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Latinos For Tennessee | Faith, Family, Freedom, and Fiscal …

Posted: at 3:58 pm

Donate Supreme Court Affirms Rule of Law; Separation of Powers in DAPA Ruling

June 23, 2016

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 23, 2016 Supreme Court Affirms Rule of Law; Separation of Powers in DAPA Ruling Nashville, Tennessee The Supreme Court of the United States handed down President Barack Obama a major defeat by deadlocking on the United States v Texas, No. 15-674, a case concerning the legality of an

March 29, 2016

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 29, 2016 Latinos for Tennessee Urges Passage of HB2414 Nashville, Tennessee Today, Raul Lopez, Executive Director for Latinos for Tennessee, a statewide organization dedicated to promoting and defending faith, family, freedom and fiscal responsibility to the Latino community in Tennessee issued a statement concerning Tennessee House Bill 2414,

March 23, 2016

President Barack Obama made history this week by becoming the first sitting United States President in nearly nine decades to visit the communist island of Cuba. As a Cuban that fled to the United States seeking refuge from Communism, it has been tough to watch images of the president shaking hands with Cuban President Raul

March 17, 2016

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 2016 Media contact: Israel Ortega izzy.ortega@gmail.com (202) 345-9130 Latinos for Tennessee Salutes Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey Nashville, Tennessee For over two decades, Tennesseans have been able to rely on Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey as a tireless advocate for freedom, limited government and the free enterprise system. Latinos

February 27, 2016

Even as the number of Latinos in Nashville and elsewhere around the country grows, misinformation abounds about the fastest and youngest growing demographic community. The biggest misconception is that Latinos all speak in one voice. This is patently false and does a great deal of disservice to the millions of individuals who are unique and

February 11, 2016

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 11, 2016 Media contact: Israel Ortega izzy.ortega@gmail.com (202) 345-9130 Tennessee House Honors Tommy Vallejos, Latinos for Tennessee Board Chairman Nashville, Tennessee Today, the Tennessee House honored Clarksville, TN County Commissioner Tommy Vallejos, a gang-member turned U.S. Army Gulf War Veteran and now Pastor, for his contributions to the

October 12, 2015

September 16, 2015

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 16, 2015 Media contact: Israel Ortega iortega@crispcomm.com (202) 345-9130 Latinos for Tennessee Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Makes Appeal to Policymakers for Greater School Choice to Help Close Educational Achievement Gap Nashville, Tennessee Latinos for Tennessee, an organization dedicated to providing the Hispanic community in the state with information

August 24, 2015

When the job numbers came out early this month, they were not pretty especially for the Latino community. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the unemployment rate for the Latino community had risen to 6.8% well above the national average of 5.3%. These numbers suggest that in spite of claims that

July 14, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 14, 2015 Media contact: Israel Ortega iortega@crispcomm.com (202) 345-9130 Latinos for Tennessee Co-Hosts Nashville Mayoral Forum on Tuesday Six candidates for Mayor confirmed to attend; Metro Council Candidates also confirmed Nashville, Tennessee Six of the seven candidates vying to become the next mayor of Nashville are set to appear before

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Principality of Sealand – Uncyclopedia – Wikia

Posted: at 3:58 pm

The Principality of Sealand (not to be confused with SeaWorld, who ignores our annexation requests) is a glorious country off the coast of England that is loved by many, and feared by all; at least it would be if not for the fact that no other nation recognizes its true sovereignty, probably out of envy. This land of hope and glory conveniently occupies the space of an abandoned sea fort, standing above the English Channel, and is ruled by the honorable Bates family. Prince Roy and Prince Regent Michael Bates shield the young nation from dangers foreign and internal alike. Though the Principality of Sealand has experienced innumerable hardships and trials, it has since emerged as a powerful and respected governmental entity, despite what everyone else says. They're just jealous, the overbearing twits.

Not pictured is the massive, sprawling underwater city home to thousands of royal servants and citizens.

It isn't proven that the Principality of Sealand didn't originate from the very nethers of Venus herself, so we have to presume that this is so. History says that Sealand was originally an old WWII sea fort that was occupied by a less than sane Pirate Radio broadcaster in the late 1960's, but we all know that history is a confusing, unclear subject, and any dissenter could fabricate fallacies to discredit others. It is in fact well known that Sealand was the true homeland of its now prince Paddy Roy Bates [1].

For several years, the nascent nation prospered, bringing in an era of peace and prosperity within all 0.55km2 of its land. Other than a few ramblers foolish enough to trespass its borders to spy under the guise of "fishing" or "buoy repairs", Sealand was peaceful, thanks to the rule of the Bates family, and the hard work of its citizens (all two of them). Sadly, this peace was to be short lived; it was only a matter of time before someone tried to invade the country. While the Bates family was in a diplomatic trip in London, a group of German and Dutch mercenaries, led by the generally unpleasant Alexander Achenbach, self proclaimed Prime Minister of Sealand, temporarily occupied the fort, and took Roy Bates' son Michael hostage[2]. Through what we can only assume as a daring rescue mission involving spectacular heroics, Roy Bates retook his land and saved his son. To this day, the vile invaders still wait patiently for the day when Roy Bates dies, running their government-in-exile in their mother's basement.

After the Achenbach Debacle of '78, Sealand was again at peace. Benefiting from the lack of dirty foreigners poisoning the mother land with their "hopes" and "aspirations for the future", the Principality expanded, eventually reaching the dark underbelly of Cyberspace! HavenCo, which was co-owned by Prince Regent Michael Bates and Ryan Lackey, was a titular haven of unregulated data and other technobabble terms, free from the chains of rules and petty morality. Where the great would not be constrained by the small. And with the sweat of your brow, HavenCo could've became your Data Haven as well if not for its sudden closure in 2008.

A large number of counterfeit Sealand passports were in circulation, used by criminals to aide in their crimes and, worst of all, not serve the motherland. Because of this, the Royal Bates family had to revoke all Sealand passports, including ones officially issued by them over the past twenty two years.

On July of 2006, a fire which was allegedly caused by an electrical failure, almost threatened the existence of the young nation. The situation got so bad that a helicopter was needed to ferry citizens to safety. Luckily, the fire was stopped, and the fort was completely repaired by November of that year. Some fishermen were found within a mile of the fort right before the fire, and were executed following a thorough, one-hour investigation.

Unbeknownst to most, the Magna Carta was actually based on Sealand's constitution, despite the mild time differences.

The Principality of Sealand is ruled by the Royal Bates family under a constitutional monarchy. All of the power is vested on the Royal Family and their associates. Anyone who says otherwise will be thrown off. Though this system of government may be somewhat similar to another certain island nation to the north, Sealand actually invented the concept of monarchy, and anyone using it owes Sealand large amounts of money. Claims that the Principality of Sealand is a fascist state are unsubstantiated and will be met with severe punishment from the police force. Currently, Michael Bates is Prince Regent, the head of state and the de facto ruler of the Principality, although Roy Bates still holds the title of Prince. The fact that Roy Bates would name himself "Prince" instead of "King" shows that he still considers humility a principal virtue, as do all of subjects that bask in his glory.

The Sealand Royal Family is to be addressed with utmost respect, and any signs of disrespect, such as not calling Roy Bates's wife, Princess (she likes that, you know) will be met with deportation via defenestration.

No government has recognized Sealand's state as a country. In fact, they believe that the Principality is merely a micronation run by a deranged pirate broadcaster that managed to evade the law by living in international waters, despite the fact that these claims are extremely silly and not-at-all true.

Since the only thing that Sealand has an abundance of is patriotism and sea watertwo things most people already have too much ofthe Principality of Sealand currently has nothing to export; the only things Sealand imports is porta-potties and food, and both items are only to be used by the royal family (royal servants are fed barnacles and sea water). Despite the setbacks in the economy (or lack thereof), the Principality of Sealand still issues currency for use in buying and selling goods within the country's borders.

To help with the monetary costs of the maintenance needed to support the Principality, Sealand has recently begun selling T-shirts, mugs, pens, and other trinkets to online buyers. While supplies last, see store for details. The country has also started selling the titles of Lord, Lady, Baron, and Baroness to people, to fill the high demand of internet users wanting to be part of royalty. Tourists are occasionally welcomed into the motherland, mostly for sightseeing and good PR. Other times, we allow certain allies into the fort, but due to the Achenbach debacle, Sealand has much more strict immigration laws than other countries. Sealand has been attacked by terrorists before, and if the rest of the world had followed Sealand's example, the Earth would've been completely free of suspicious foreigners.

Sealand has had amicable relations with its allies all around the world: all two of them!

Sealand has had a long and complicated history with the motherland, ranging from mild annoyance to unsympathetic apathy. Like all other nations, it does not recognize Sealand as a true country, but it does make sure not to trifle with Sealand's business: the country lies in international waters, and it is much easier to ignore someone than to be completely hostile with them if they don't directly antagonize you. The Royal Bates family originally hailed from England, and still has citizenship there, but during diplomatic visits to their previous homeland, they don't seem to be treated with the same dignity and respect as other diplomats. Yes, it's true that being a diplomat allows you free food at any restaurant franchise for life, regardless of what the manager says.

Sealand has had a somewhat complicated history with Germany: Alexander Achenbach came from Deutschland, and so did a lot of his cronies. On the other hand, Germany did send a diplomat to Sealand to petition for Achenbachs' release, so according to rules set by Sealand, this was a diplomatic mission, and counts as a recognition of Sealand's nationhood, right?

Russia scares us. No further comments.

The future is one thing that most Sealanders are quite wary of (not Prince Roy though, he can smell time), but uncertainty has never stopped the Principality of Sealand from reaching its lofty goals. Sealand already has a film in the works, and the space program is already burgeoning, despite minor setbacks involving catapult malfunctions. Though some might cower at the face of tomorrow, we spit in tomorrow's face, tell it to cry to its mother while making an effigy of tomorrow, and then lighting it on fire with the decomposing stomach gases of tomorrow's close relatives.

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