by gary bogue thursday, april 29th, 2010 at 7 : 08 am in wolves. the latest issue of the journal of wildlife management has a very interesting article on “ survival of colonizing wolves in the northern rocky mountains of the united states, 1982 - 2004. ” you care about wolves? check it out. / gary humans — both predators and protectors — will decide survival of gray wolves the journal of wildlife management – survival of the gray wolf in the northern rocky mountains of the united states depends not as much on the wolves as on people. humans are both predators and protectors of this species, which has been reintroduced into parts of wyoming, idaho, and montana. humans were responsible for eradicating gray wolves from this area by the 1930s. annual survival was considered adequate to sustain the present population, but killing, both legal and illegal, continues and should be monitored to ensure their survival. the current issue of the journal of wildlife management reports on mortality rates among these wolves since their reintroduction. the authors stress the role of continued wildlife management to ensure survival of the gray wolf, which was removed from the endangered species list in idaho and montana in 2009. the reestablishment of wolves began in 1979, when wolves began to enter northwest montana from canada ; reproduction was first documented in 1986. in 1995 and 1996, wolves were introduced into central idaho and the greater yellowstone area in wyoming. the wolf recovery goal calls for metapopulations in these three states of at least 30 breeding pairs and 300 wolves. the plan also includes establishing state - managed conservation programs and taking steps to minimize damage to livestock. it is legal for ranchers to shoot wolves that threaten their livestock. the current study sought to assess biological, habitat, and anthropogenic factors contributing to wolf mortality and to indicate whether federal protection could ensure survival. radio collars were placed on 711 wolves from 1982 to 2004. of these wolves, 363 died, most from human causes. montana, where less public land is available for wolf habitat, saw the highest level of mortality. however, the overall annual survival rate was found to be adequate to sustain the wolf population. the authors offer three recommendations for management of the gray wolf population : * * * increase survival of wolves in surrounding areas to increase survival in montana. emigration and retention of wolves in this area could increase with a denser surrounding wolf population. conflict resolution and illegal mortality should also be addressed. * * * continue to monitor survival rates. the study found a higher rate of mortality among wolves that were collared


electronic keyboard instruments and cutting - edge studio mixing and editing, kraftwerk and bands like it built their music around the technology in many ways. in fact, they mentioned as one of their influences the philosophy of the german bauhaus movement, which taught that technology and art should be joined together. even the band ’ s name, which means “ power station ” in german, suggests this devotion to technology and electronic music. the band ’ s best - known album in the early 1970s was autobahn, which featured a 20 - minute long “ drive ” in a car down the freeway, created in the studio with electronic instruments and recording tricks. the group ’ s members were photographed in costumes that made them look like engineers or scientists, or later, robots. many of their album titles featured technological themes, such as 1975 ’ s radio - activity, 1977 ’ s trans - europe express, and 1978 ’ s man - machine. the melding of technology and music was carried forward in the 1981 album computer world, which featured the song “ pocket calculator. ” by the late 1980s, however, many other groups had adopted the use of electronic instruments, and a whole category of music called synth had become popular. kraftwerk faded away, releasing only a few more recordings before the end of the 20th century. today, they are still together but not very active.


click images to enlarge the john muir trail pond california native flowers along the john muir trail conelo - sacred tree of the mapuche people of chile peruvian lily - chile francoa sonchifolia - chile the king protea is native of south africa strawflower - australia mediterranean climate gardens there are five mediterranean climate specific gardens at strybing arboretum & botanical gardens in golden gate park, although plants from the world ' s mediterranean regions are also included in the entry garden, succulent garden, garden of fragrance, and biblical garden. john muir is supposed to have commented to fellow scotsman john mclaren that he didn ' t have much use for manmade parks, preferring to visit natural places like the sierras instead. while john muir ' s efforts helped save yosemite valley and many other natural wilderness areas, john mclaren was able to make nature accessible to millions of people by converting some wind swept sand dunes into golden gate park. the john muir nature trail strybing arboretums second director, percy haddon brydon ( known as jock brydon ) had suggested using the westernmost triangular area of the arboretum as a nature trail for displaying central costal california plant communities. the john muir nature trail, begun in june of 1970, provides an opportunity to learn about california coastal habitats and includes an interpretive deck with several informative plaques as well as a tree shaded wooden bridge over a small pond. redwood nature trail john mclaren loved to grow trees from seeds. strybing arboretum ' s redwood nature trail winds through 100 year old redwoods, providing a cool, quiet and almost magical place to visit on a warm summer day. the redwood trail was completed in 1962. the panorama in the upper left column was taken at my favorite spot in strybing arboretum. the aurthur l. menzies garden of california native plants the california native section of strybing arboretum was expanded and named the aurthur l. menzies garden of california native plants after the arboretums assistant director from 1972 until the time of his death in early 1973. chile and california have many similarities including fertile central valleys with low costal mountain ranges to the west and high snow - covered mountains to the east. both chile and california are on the western edge of continents and although chilean tree species are all different from those of california, other species, such as the beach strawberry are found in both places and one third of chilean shrubs are also found in california. drimys winteri ( canelo ) a sacred tree of the mapuche people (


question & answers government is taking advantage of new developments to enhance our country ' s comprehensive response to hiv and aids. it will, as matter of urgency, start implementing a programme to provide anti - retroviral treatment ( art ) in the public health sector. let us build on the foundations laid in the past three years through implementation of the five - year strategic plan. is government ' s approach to hiv and aids? a comprehensive strategy based on a partnership of all sectors of society, because hiv and aids represent a challenge to all of us. success depends on close collaboration and continuing strengthening of partnership. the partnership was formalised in october 1998 in a national launch by then deputy president thabo mbeki, and is now represented by the south african national aids are the elements of the comprehensive approach? comprehensive programme includes prevention, treatment and care, research and human rights : of hiv infection is the bedrock of government ' s approach to halt the spread of hiv and the impact of aids, since there is no cure for aids. we must ensure as a nation that the 40 million south africans who are not infected stay that way. that those who are currently infected with hiv but have not developed aids progress as slowly as possible to this stage, through enhanced efforts in dealing with opportunistic infections, prophylaxis, improved nutrition and lifestyle management of those hiv - infected individuals, currently estimated at 400, 000 to 500, 000, who have moved on to develop aids, through appropriate treatment of aids - related conditions ( including using antiretroviral therapy in patients presenting with low cd4 counts, and suitable care where treatment has run in supporting these efforts are : programmes that aim to reduce poverty, improve education and bring about moral renewal. - strengthening the immune system, of critical importance for the health of those infected by hiv. a climate of acceptance of all people infected and affected by hiv and aids ; intensifying implementation of a policy and legislative framework and community awareness to promote the rights of all. are the main elements of the treatment plan? treatment plan has two goals - to provide comprehensive care and treatment for people living with hiv and aids, and to help strengthen the country ' s national health system. programme responds to the holistic needs of people at all stages of hiv infection and attempts to slow progression and maintain the person at the highest functional level. voluntary counselling and testing ( vct ) is a crucial entry point. once identified as hiv - positive, patients will be assessed for the stage of their illness and referred into appropriate medical care. the


and maintain the person at the highest functional level. voluntary counselling and testing ( vct ) is a crucial entry point. once identified as hiv - positive, patients will be assessed for the stage of their illness and referred into appropriate medical care. the assessment will involve a cd4 count test and the patient ' s medical history and status. hiv - positive patients will enter into a system of care that monitors progress of infection. care will focus on slowing progression to full - blown aids and maximising health through prompt diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections, periodic medical examinations and cd4 and viral load tests. they will be closely monitored for tb, a common opportunistic infection associated with hiv. what stage, for patients, will art be considered? patients who are symptomatic and / or with a cd4 count less than 200 will be counselled and offered the option of antiretroviral therapy. they will be fully informed about the benefits of restoring immune function and improving the quality of life and about serious side effects that may result from treatment with these drugs. for those choosing antiretroviral therapy, cd4 and viral load tests will be done as treatment begins. patients will be treated at service points that have been accredited to provide antiretroviral treatment and will be treated by health professionals who have been trained and certified. they will receive psychosocial and nutritional support, as needed. community care and support services such as transportation, home - based care, hospice services, etc., often provided by ngos and cbos, will help keep people in care and encourage their adherence to treatment. nutritional support will be provided as part of this comprehensive care and treatment programme. is it to be introduced ; where ; how it will be scaled up? goal of the programme is to establish at least one accredited service point in every health district ( in each district or metropolitan municipality ) by the end of the first year of implementation and within a period of five years to provide all south africans who requires comprehensive care and treatment for hiv and aids equitable access to the programme within their local municipal area. areas will be able to start sooner than others. we should all be aware that this is a complex programme with many elements requiring cooperation of various role - players, inside and outside government - the actual pace of change will depend on how well we all cooperate in implementing the plan. is it being introduced in stages? plan calls for significant additional capacity in the national health system, in particular strengthening human resource capacity and providing incentives to recruit


government - the actual pace of change will depend on how well we all cooperate in implementing the plan. is it being introduced in stages? plan calls for significant additional capacity in the national health system, in particular strengthening human resource capacity and providing incentives to recruit and retain thousands of health professionals in historically under - serviced areas. over the next four and a half years, over r750 million is proposed for upgrading systems in the healthcare infrastructure in areas such as drug distribution, patient information systems and monitoring of reaction to the drugs. ensure the safe and effective use of antiretrovirals and other medicines ; the care we provide must be of the highest quality ; and it must be accessible to all south africans on an equitable need a system for procuring the necessary drugs at the best need to establish facilities - service points - of a standard that can provide the whole range of required interventions : diagnosis, counselling, treatment of opportunistic infections, other preventive and supportive strategies such as nutrition and nutritional supplements and traditional and complementary medicines with immune - boosting properties as well as antiretroviral drugs for the management of aids. a service point will be a group or network of linked health facilities operating through a hospital or clinic in a defined catchment area. there a role for traditional medicine? people including those living with hiv and aids consult traditional health practitioners and use traditional medicine to meet some of their health needs. we will work together with these health practitioners to share experiences in the care of people with aids and they will also serve as a critical resource in providing support and assisting patients to adhere to government is also committed to upscale research into traditional medicines that may in future render further is required for a health facility to be accredited? plan establishes standards for accreditation of service points. this will ensure that comprehensive hiv and aids care and treatment of high quality can be delivered. there will be technical assistance and financial resources to help service points meet the accreditation requirements, with special attention paid to underserved areas of the country to promote criteria defining the conditions at a service point for high quality care and treatment include : - a service point project manager - a trained care team on site including clinicians, nurses, and counsellors, access to trained laboratory, pharmacy and nutritional staff, and links to ngos and other service providers of care according to the national treatment policy guidelines - 24 - hours a day access to care at the service point, or in the vicinity - a staff recruitment, training and skills development plan for health care workers responsible for hiv and aids care and treatment


providers of care according to the national treatment policy guidelines - 24 - hours a day access to care at the service point, or in the vicinity - a staff recruitment, training and skills development plan for health care workers responsible for hiv and aids care and treatment ( including volunteers and lay counsellors ) based on initial needs and projected long - term patient numbers - consultation, treatment and counselling rooms to assure patient - access to appropriate laboratory services, overseen by the national health specimen preparation protocols to drug dispensing standard operating procedures for opportunistic infection prophylaxis and treatment, and arvs - access to patient nutritional status assessment and nutritional support - links with vct centres, antenatal clinics, family planning clinics, tb clinics, sti clinics, tb / hiv demonstration districts, and any other patient referral facilities, to ensure that hiv - positive patients are formally referred to the accredited service point - a pmtct programme for service points providing antenatal care and a referral system for sites without antenatal care facilities with community resources and other support organisations that complete the continuum of medical care and support services, - a system to track patients / treatments - a system to maintain medical records and transmit core data to a central data collection point post - exposure prophylaxis ( pep ) access, according to the latest - links with the provincial hiv and aids unit - participation in information, education and communication will be needed to ensure that all areas are serviced? human resource capacity by recruiting and retaining thousands of additional health professionals ; and implement a training programme for heath professionals, including traditional health practitioners, as part of the accreditation process our drug distribution system including secure facilities and training of personnel who handle and dispense drugs the national health laboratory service, including better coverage and expansion in specific capabilities to perform the cd4 and viral load tests essential for high quality hiv and aids care and treatment patient information systems the system which monitors the efficacy of drugs being used as well as any adverse reaction to the drugs ( pharmacovigilance ) a research programme that will focus on practical questions and help us better understand and improve the provision of comprehensive care and treatment programme will need an integrated national structure to manage and coordinate implementation, incorporated within the existing national health system, and in particular integrated within the prevention and education programmes. long will it take before people can access antiretrovirals? a year there will be at least one service point in every health district and within five years access to all who need it in their own municipal area. areas will


and education programmes. long will it take before people can access antiretrovirals? a year there will be at least one service point in every health district and within five years access to all who need it in their own municipal area. areas will be able to start sooner than others, and each service point per district may begin to operate as soon as it is accredited, and as soon as the drugs are available. government made a u - turn? april 2002 after reviewing its approach to hiv and aids, cabinet reaffirmed its commitment to the strategic plan. noting progress in the implementation of the strategic plan, cabinet decided on a number of measures to strengthen and reinforce these efforts, - intensifying efforts to remove systemic constraints on access to arv drugs such as cost and infrastructure - strengthening partnerships, especially via strengthening of sanac use of nevirapine in preventing mother - to - child transmission, and development of a universal roll - out plan a protocol for a comprehensive package of care for survivors of sexual assault, including post - exposure prophylaxis with that no - one is turned away without appropriate treatment and management of any infection or illness, irrespective of hiv poverty alleviation and nutritional interventions, to encourage investigation into alternative treatments, particularly supplements and medication for boosting the immune system 2002, government established a joint health / treasury task team to investigate issues relating to the financing of an enhanced response to hiv and aids, including anti - retroviral treatment. august 2003 cabinet received the team ' s report, which provided options for introducing antiretroviral therapy. the minister of health was requested to present a detailed operational plan in implementation task team was set up, made up of south african experts and advisors working with the clinton aids foundation. is this step being taken now - in particular why is art being introduced now into the public sector? possibility of considering sustainable and effective antiretroviral therapy in the public sector is a natural progression of the implementation of the comprehensive 5 - year strategic plan. a number of positive developments with regard to the constraints on such treatment made this possible : fall in prices because of new opportunities to manufacture some drugs in south africa ; and successful negotiations with drug international and local experience in combating hiv and aids appreciation of the role of nutrition in enhancing health and improving the efficacy of medical treatment, so that people do not rely only on drugs. building of a critical mass in our country of scientists and health workers with skills and understanding of the fight against hiv and aids, as a result of the implementation of


and improving the efficacy of medical treatment, so that people do not rely only on drugs. building of a critical mass in our country of scientists and health workers with skills and understanding of the fight against hiv and aids, as a result of the implementation of our comprehensive strategy over the past few years ; steps towards strengthening our health system in relevant areas, though much remains to be done in this regard ; resources in the budget to strengthen the national health system and to pay for the drugs and testing needed and to improve training and health infrastructure. - a better appreciation of the social dimensions of the pandemic, which allows policies on health care interventions to be located within a broader social and health context will it cost to implement the plan? is it sustainable? cost of implementing the plan is r296 million for the rest of fiscal year 2003 / 4, growing to nearly r4. 5 billion in 2007 / 8. budget is based on international tendering as the means of programme budget estimate ( millions of rands ) new healthcare staff other health system upgrades programme management ( national & provincial ) includes r20 million advance payment to nhls through march ' 04. enhancement of our response to hiv and aids has been designed to be cost - effective and efficient without compromising quality. to ensure sustainability most of the budget will come from government. this has been made possible by the sound economic policies government has pursued, releasing resources for social spending. but where appropriate, financing of the programme may be supplemented using donor sources. won ' t it take resources from other health care and social decision of cabinet comes with new resources that have been allocated to fund it. it will not detract from other programmes, whether in the fight against hiv an aids or in the reconstruction and development of our society. in fact the strengthening of the health system which is required for sustainable art will bring benefits to health care more than half the proposed total expenditure will go toward : strengthening the national health system ; emphasizing prevention ; and promoting healthy lifestyles. these funds will not only allow for delivery of comprehensive care and treatment for those infected with hiv - they will improve the overall capabilities of the public health system and benefit all. is the price of drugs important? years ago this programme for comprehensive care and treatment would have been impossible, amongst other things due to the cost of the medicines and laboratory tests required. falling prices internationally and new opportunities to manufacture some drugs in south africa ; as well as successful negotiations with drug companies made it feasible to consider such a programme. plan provides for a system of drug procurement that will


cost of the medicines and laboratory tests required. falling prices internationally and new opportunities to manufacture some drugs in south africa ; as well as successful negotiations with drug companies made it feasible to consider such a programme. plan provides for a system of drug procurement that will secure drugs at prices well below today ' s best international prices. in time south africa will have its own production facilities for can art do, and what are its limitations? uncertainties remain and our knowledge of hiv and aids continues to evolve rapidly. but we are better equipped now to ensure that the benefits of art outweigh the risks, for patients already in a desperate state of illness that has progressed beyond what can be managed by other means alone. are important facts we should be aware of : - the new elements of the treatment programme will help extend the lives of those who have reached the stage of aids - but antiretrovirals are not a cure everyone who is infected with hiv needs antiretroviral treatment - the majority with hiv can still live a healthy life, with proper nutrition, treatment of any diseases and a health workers and patients should adhere to the strict guidelines - antiretrovirals can have serious bad side effects and can be dangerous if not properly used, and the treatment involves a life - long daily regimen. patients should be able to make an informed choice. information will be provided to patients, to explain the benefits, limitations and possible negative effects. also brings great responsibility on health practitioners with regard to ethical conduct in line with the requirements of the profession, concerning such matters as the rigour of hiv tests, counselling, management of arv prescriptions and so on. will the art impact on the comprehensive strategy? not relax our prevention efforts, but rather sustain and intensify them so that we reduce the level of new infections. the operational plan emphasises that prevention of hiv infection is the bedrock of government ' s comprehensive approach and makes provision for integrating treatment and care with intensified people infected with hiv have not reached the stage at which they require antiretroviral medicines. but they do need access to treatment for opportunistic infections, so provision for that treatment will be stepped up. no one should be refused treatment simply because of their hiv status. hiv thrives on a weak immune system, and in turn also weakens this defence system of the body, proper nutrition for all south africans and dealing with poverty remain critical in the fight against hiv and aids. these social programmes of government will continue with even greater intensity. continue and intensify support


in turn also weakens this defence system of the body, proper nutrition for all south africans and dealing with poverty remain critical in the fight against hiv and aids. these social programmes of government will continue with even greater intensity. continue and intensify support to families and individuals affected by hiv and aids. together we must continue to fight discrimination and stigma. the role of partnership change? in the implementation of art, as with every other aspect of our comprehensive strategy will rely on partnership across society. includes communication of objective facts about the new elements of treatment and about the spread of hiv infection and the impact of aids and its management. creating false expectations or an atmosphere in which society lowers its guard on matters of awareness or change in lifestyle, or engaging in mutually debilitating contestation about what can be achieved by when, could undermine not only the treatment programme but set back the hard - won advances made curbing the spread of hiv and reducing the impact of aids. intensify every aspect of our comprehensive national programme. to do so we must strengthen the partnership by joining hands in the war against aids this enhanced care and treatment programme, government is adding to the nation ' s armoury in the fight against aids. cooperative relationship among all sectors, particularly in the implementation of this element of the comprehensive strategy, the spirit of letsema and vuk ' uzenzele, a message of hope and responsibility as well as constructive engagement in the realm of practical work would ensure that south africa advances even more decisively in this endeavour, which is literally a matter of life and death. issued by : government communications ( gcis ) 19 november 2003


konstantin petrovich pobyedonostzev pobyedonostzev, konstantin petrovich ( kənstəntyenˈ petroˈvich pəbyedənosˈtsyif ) [ key ], 1827 – 1907, russian public official and jurist. he was professor of civil law at moscow when he attracted the attention of czar alexander ii and was appointed ( 1865 ) tutor to the future alexander iii. as procurator of the holy synod ( 1880 – 1905 ), he became the champion of autocracy, orthodoxy, and russian nationalism. he had great power and under his influence alexander iii opposed any limitation of autocratic powers, tightened censorship, attempted to suppress opposition opinion, persecuted religious nonconformists, and adopted a policy of russification of all national minorities. pobyedonostzev also supported pan - slavism and in his writings strongly attacked western rationalism and liberalism. he tutored nicholas ii and was one of his most influential advisers until the revolution of 1905. he wrote a three - volume work on russian civil law. see his reflections of a russian statesman ( tr. 1898 ). the columbia electronic encyclopedia, 6th ed. copyright © 2012, columbia university press. all rights reserved. see more encyclopedia articles on : russian, soviet, and cis history : biographies


environmental stresses ( such as those caused by human practices, such as monoculture ) may cause explosions of some ant populations, an effect that is particularly evident within ants ’ native ranges. for example, in its native range in south america, the little fire ant wasmannia auropunctata is a pest in disturbed forests and agricultural areas where it can reach high densities. high densities of w. auropunctata have been linked with sugar cane monocultures and cocoa farms in colombia and brazil, respectively. in colombia, a high abundance of the little fire ant in forest fragments has been linked with low ant diversity. the little fire ant efficiently exploits resources including nectar, refuges within vegetation and honeydew residues ( of homopteran insects ), and it may out - compete and displace native myrmecofauna ( armbrecht and ulloa - chacon 2003 ). improved land management and a reduction of primary production will alleviate the problems associated with invasive ants and the environmental stresses that cause ant population explosions. in agricultural areas, due to the close association of the land and workers, the little fire ant may be a great nuisance to humans. this is because it is more likely to reach high densities and sting people working in the field. the increased numbers of homoptera insects, which sap plant nutrients and make plants susceptible to disease, may cause substantial yield losses. in cameroon, on the other hand, the spread of the little fire ant is encouraged, due to the fact that it preys on, and thereby has a role in the control of, certain herbivorous cocoa pests ( bruneau de mire 1969, in brooks and nickerson 2000 ). w. auropunctata may have negative impacts on invertebrates and vertebrates. they may prey on native insects and cause declines in the numbers of small vertebrates. in human habitations it may sting, and even blind, domestic pets ( cats and dogs ) ( romanski 2001 ). it is believed to have caused a decrease in reptile populations in new caledonia and in the galapagos archipelago, where it eats tortoise hatchlings and attacks the eyes and cloacae of the adult tortoises ( holway et al. 2002 ; j. k. wetterer pers. comm., 2003 ). the little fire ant is probably the most aggressive species that has been introduced into the galapagos archipelago, where a marked reduction of scorpions, spiders


. 2002 ; j. k. wetterer pers. comm., 2003 ). the little fire ant is probably the most aggressive species that has been introduced into the galapagos archipelago, where a marked reduction of scorpions, spiders and native ant species in infested areas has been observed ( lubin 1984, clark et al. 1982, in roque - albelo and causton 1999 ). similarly it has been noted to decrease local arthropod biodiversity in the solomon islands ( romanski 2001 ). w. auropunctata rarely buries myrmecochorous seeds and sometimes ingests elaisomes without dispersing seed. in its native range, the little fire ant decreases herbivorous arthropod biodiversity, increasing the fruit and seed production and growth of the plant and decreasing pathogen attacks. w. auropunctata may also, however, exclude arthropod plant mutualists, such as plant tenders or seed dispersers ( ness and bronstein 2004 ). please read invasive ants impacts for a summary of the general impacts of invasive ants, such as their affect on mutualistic relations, the competitive pressure they impose on native ants and the effect they may have on vulnerable ecosystems. location specific impacts : human nuisance : several residents in the infested area were stung by ants whilst swimming in their swimming pools. dogs and cats have been stung by the ants. people working in their gardens have also been stung by the ants. competition : high populations of w. auropunctata have been related to marked reductions of other ant species in agricultural lands such as cocoa farms in brazil ( delabie 1988, majer et al 1994, in armbrecht and ulloa - chacon 2003 ). cauca river valley ( colombia ) competition : w. auropunctata is widely distributed throughout south america and is able to displace the local myrmecofauna. the positive relation between w. auropunctata abundance and ant - plant associations in understory vegetation reinforces the belief that w. auropunctata is highly able to exploit and monopolise resources such as extrafloral nectar, refuges within vegetation, and honeydew residues from homopteran insects, and prevent other ant species from utilising these resources successfully ( armbrecht and ulloa - chacon 2003 ). economic / livelihoods : colonises disturbed and agricultural areas, sometimes becoming an economic


ants. apart from this predisposing factor, the scientists did not find any other characteristic facilitating this outbreak ( age, sex, viral status regarding feline leukosis ). the study highlights the symptoms of acute attack such as blepharospasm and whimpering ; and the topography of injuries shows that the median area of the eye is the most affected. though the pathopysiologic model is not already understood, the authors of the study, believe as many authors previously cited that the most probable etiologic agent of this pathology is the littel fire ant wasmannia auropunctata ( dr. leonard theron assistant - faculty of veterinary medicine of liege - production animals clinical department pers. comm., september 2009 ). other : " wetterer et al. ( 1999 ) found anecdotal evidence of an impact onvertebrates in gabon. house cats ( felis catus ) at lope often have w. auropunctata in their fur, and several cats developed corneal cloudingand blindness. william karesh, field veterinarian for wildlife conserva - tion society, found the cats ' symptoms consistent with trauma, not communicable disease. more disturbingly, elephants ( loxodonta africana ) with cloudy corneas arecommon in lope and petit loango, as well as wonga wongue reserveon the central coast of gabon ( 100 km south of libreville ). the possibleconnection between w. auropunctata and eye maladies deserves furtherstudy. " reduction in native biodiversity : w. auropunctata has a negative impact on the native ant community in gabon. nine sites in lope national park were surveyed. a highly significant correlation between ant diversity and length of infestation by w. auropunctata was found. many more native ant species were present in areas not infested with w. auropunctata ( 39. 0 ± 4. 6 ) compared with areas infested by w. auropunctata for approximately 5 – 10 yr ( 7. 0 ± 6. 2 and 1. 7 ± 1. 2, respectively ). in infested areas, w. auropunctata made up the bulk of specimens collected in every plot ( walker, 2006 ). new caledonia ( nouvelle caledonie ) human nuisance : causes painful stings. reduction in native biodiversity : w. au


areas, w. auropunctata made up the bulk of specimens collected in every plot ( walker, 2006 ). new caledonia ( nouvelle caledonie ) human nuisance : causes painful stings. reduction in native biodiversity : w. auropunctata have a negative impact on endemic ants, native arachnids, beetles, and reptiles ( wetterer & porter, 2003 and references therein ). wewak ( papua new guinea ) human nuisance : the ants over - run gardens and homes in residents ' houses and sting people, especially children. control of insect pests within houses is expensive and many families may be forced to live with the ant. guadalcanal ( solomon islands ) human nuisance : causes painful stings. other : locals on guadalcanal have reported that their dogs ( canis domesticus ) were all gradually blinded by the ants ' venom andrarely lived more than five years ( wetterer 1997 in wetterer & porter, 2003 ). hawaii ( united states ( usa ) ) economic / livelihoods : many important economic crops in hawaii are harvested by hand. w. auropunctata is small, cryptic, and has a painful sting. in some cases, agricultural workers refuse to harvest from infested trees or orchards, which is a critical issue for farms that rely on hand harvesting. w. auropunctata is also of quarantine concern, because the presence of ants on exported fruits and vegetables from hawaii can cause rejection and return shipment to hawaii ( costa et al., 2005 ; follett & taniguchi 2007 in souza et al., 2006 ) human nuisance : cause painful stings. economic / livelihoods : it deters people from tending their crops, reducing productivity and imposing economic hardship on them. human nuisance : it stings people and animals including chickens and can cause allergic reactions in people vanua lava is. ( vanuatu ) reduction in native biodiversity : a striking lack of butterflies has been noted on the island of vanua lava. this is compared to mota lava, which is free of w. auropunctata and has abundant butterflies ( j. tennant, pers. comm. in wetterer & porter, 2003 ).


the next day we learned that frogs come from eggs. frog eggs look a little different from the eggs of other animals and it took a little convincing to persuade them that they were actually eggs. we talked about the life cycle of frogs. after that we made frogs, complete with long, curly tongues and wrote about them. here is how they turned out... | i just love these little guys! | after frogs & turtles, we talked about snakes! i am not a fan of snakes, but my students always love to learn about them! this year my class is heavy on boys ( 12 out of 17 ) and this unit keeps them so engaged! i love teaching through themes. i know that the theme keeps them so engaged that i can slip in writing, reading & math skills without them even realizing it! : ) i do not have pictures of our snakes because i couldn ' t get them to turn out. we colored 2 sides of a paper plate and then cut them in a swirl so that they looked like curly snakes. then, i hung them from the ceiling. they would twirl when the air kicked in and the kids loved it! all in all, this was a great unit. my kids stayed engaged and excited the entire week. i was able to teach them valuable math, reading, writing, & science skills... what more could i have asked for? : )


a cycle of three years, in the course of which the whole law is read on sabbaths and festivals. this was the practise in palestine, whereas in babylonia the entire pentateuch was read in the synagogue in the course of a single year ( meg. 29b ). the modern practise follows the babylonian ; but as late as 1170 benjamin of tudela mentioned egyptian congregations that took three years to read the torah ( " itinerary, " ed. asher, p. 98 ). the reading of the law in the synagogue can be traced to at least about the second century the masoretic divisions known as " sedarim " and variously indicated in the text, number 154 in the pentateuch, and probably correspond, therefore, to the sabbath lessons of the triennial system, as was first surmised by rapoport ( " halikot kedem, " p. 11 ). the number varies, however, so that menahem me ' iri reckoned 161 divisions, corresponding to the greatest number of sabbaths possible in three years ; the yemen grammars and scrolls of the pentateuch enumerate 167 ( see sidra ) ; and the tractate soferim ( xvi. 10 ) gives the number as 175 ( comp. yer. shab. i. 1 ). it is possible that this last division corresponds to a further development by which the whole of the pentateuch was read twice in seven years, or once in three and a half years. the minimum seder for a sabbath portion when seven persons are called up to the law ( see ' aliyah ) should consist of twenty - one verses, since no one should read less than three verses ( meg. iv. 4 ). some sedarim have less than twenty - one verses, however, as, for example, ex. xxx. 1 - 8. divisions and beginning of the cycle. if the 154 sedarim are divided into three portions corresponding to the three years, the second would commence at ex. xii. and the third at num. vi. 22, a passage treating of the priestly blessing and the gifts of the twelve tribal chiefs after the erection of the tabernacle. tradition assumes that the events described in num. vi. took place on the 1st of nisan, and it would follow that gen. i. and ex. xi. would also be read on the first sabbath of that month, while deut. xxxiv


events described in num. vi. took place on the 1st of nisan, and it would follow that gen. i. and ex. xi. would also be read on the first sabbath of that month, while deut. xxxiv., the last portion of the pentateuch, would be read in adar. accordingly, it is found that the death of moses is traditionally assigned to the 7th of adar, about which date deut. xxxiv. would be read. a. buchler has restored the order of the sedarim on the assumption that the reading of the law was commenced on the 1st of nisan and continued for three years, and he has found that genesis would be begun on the 1st of nisan, deuteronomy on the 1st of elul, leviticus on the 1st of tishri, and exodus and numbers on the 15th of shebat, the four newyears given in the mishnah ( r. h. i. 1 ). nisan has always been regarded as the ecclesiastical newyear. this arrangement would account for many traditions giving definite dates to pentateuchal occurrences, the dates being, strictly speaking, those of the sabbaths on which the lessons recording the occurrences are read. thus, it is declared that the exodus from egypt took place on thursday, the 15th of nisan ( " seder ' olam, " x. ), and the passage relating to the exodus was read on that day. the slaying of the passover lamb is said to have occurred on the 10th of nisan, and is described in ex. xii. 21, the passage read in the triennial cycle on the second sabbath of nisan, which would be the 10th where the 15th fell on thursday. this likewise explains the tradition that the israelites encamped at rameses on a sabbath, the 17th of nisan, on which ex. xii. 37 would be read in the triennial cycle. the tradition that rachel was remembered on new - year ' s day ( r. h. 10b ) is due to the fact that in the first year of the cycle the sidra gen. xxx. 22, beginning, " and god remembered rachel, " would be read on rosh ha - shanah. as the reading of deut. xxxiv. would occur on the 7th of adar, there would be four remaining sabbaths to be filled in before the new triennial cycle, which began with nisan.


the successive sedarim, the three concentric rings showing the three cycles, and the twelve radii separating the months of the jewish year indicated in the inner circle. the triennial cycle of the psalms. in addition to this division of the pentateuch into a triennial reading, e. g. king has proposed an arrangement of the psalms on the same system, thus accounting for their lection in a triennial cycle which varied between 147 and 150 sabbaths ; and he also shows the agreement of the five divisions or books of the psalms, now fixed by the doxologies, with the five divisions of the pentateuch, the first and third books of both the psalter and the pentateuch ending in the month shebat. ps. lxxii. 19 would be read on the same day as ex. xl. 34, the two passages throwing light on each other. the asaph psalms ( lxxiii. - lxxxiii. ) would begin, on this principle, on the feast of " asif " in the seventh month, just when, in the first year of the pentateuchal cycle, gen. xxx. et seq. would be read, dealing with the birth of joseph, whose name is there derived from the root " asaf. " a still more remarkable coincidence is the fact that ps. c. would come just at the time in adar when, according to tradition, the death of moses occurred, and when deut. xxxiii. would be read ; hence, it is suggested, originated the heading of ps. xc., " a prayer of moses, the man of god. " the pilgrim psalms ( cxx. - cxxxiv. ) would be read, in this system, during the fifteen sabbaths from the 1st of elul to hanukkah, the very time when a constant procession of pilgrims was bringing the first - fruits to the temple. many other associations of appropriate psalms with the festivals which they illustrate have been pointed out. besides these examples buchler gives the following sections of the pentateuch read on various sabbaths in the different years of the cycle, basing his identification on certain haggadic associations of the sabbaths with the events to which they refer. in the first year the four sedarim of nisan appear to be gen. i. 1 - ii. 3, ii. 4 - iii. 21, iii. 22 - iv. 26, and v. 1


to which they refer. in the first year the four sedarim of nisan appear to be gen. i. 1 - ii. 3, ii. 4 - iii. 21, iii. 22 - iv. 26, and v. 1 - vi. 8. the second sabbath of iyyar was probably devoted to gen. vi. 9 - vii. 24 ( comp. vii. 1 ). in thesecond year the readings on the sabbaths of nisan deal with ex. xii., xiii., xiv., and xv., ch. xiv. concurring with the passover ; and it is for this reason that the haggadah states that adam taught his sons to bring a passover offering, since the passage gen. iii. was read during the passover week in the cycle of the first year. in iyyar of the second year the readings included ex. xvi. 1, xxviii., xvii. 1, xviii. 1, and xix. 6, there being usually five sabbaths in that month. two of the portions for siwan are also identified as ex. xx. 1, xxii. 4 ; at the end of elul lev. i. was read ; while on the first days of tishri ib. iv. 1, v. 1, and vi. 12 were the readings, and on the 10th ( yom kippur ) ib. viii. 1 and x. 7. in the third cycle, besides the account of the death of moses already referred to as being read on the 7th of adar, or the 7th of shebat, in nisan the four pericopes were num. vi. 22, vi. 48, viii. 1, and ix. 1, while the third sabbath of iyyar was devoted to the reading of num. xv. 1, and the 3d of ab to that of ib. xxxvi. some of these passages were retained for the festival readings, even after the annual cycle had been introduced. haftarot. besides the readings from the law the readings from the prophets were also arranged in a triennial cycle. these appear to have been originally a few selected verses intended to strengthen the passage from the law read previously, and so connect it with the following discourse of the preacher, which took for its text the last verse of the haftarah. thus there is evidence that isa. lii. 3 - 5 was at one time regarded as


law read previously, and so connect it with the following discourse of the preacher, which took for its text the last verse of the haftarah. thus there is evidence that isa. lii. 3 - 5 was at one time regarded as a complete haftarah to gen. xxxix. 1. even one - verse haftarot are known, as ezek. xlv. 17 and isa. lxvi. 23, read on new moons. a list of the earlier haftarot suitable for the festivals is given in meg. 31a. evidence of two haftarot for one festival is shown in the case of passover, for which josh. v. 10 and josh. iii. are mentioned. this can easily be explained by the existence of a triennial cycle, especially as num. ix. 2 - 3 was the reading for the first day of passover, and corresponds exactly to josh. v. 20. in the case of the newyear it has been possible to determine the haftarot for the three cycles : i sam. ii. 21, jer. xxxi. 19, and, for the third year, joel ii. 1, corresponding to the reading deut. v., which formed the pentateuchal lesson. for hanukkah, the torah seder of which treats of lamps ( num. viii. 1 - 2 ), the haftarot zech. iv. 2 and i kings vii. 49 were selected as being suitable passages. a third haftarah is also found ( i kings xviii. 31 ), completing the triennial arrangement. the karaites adopted some of the triennial haftarot in their reading of the law. the haftarot of the first year of the cycle can often be identified by this fact. of the twenty - nine sedarim of the book of exodus eighteen were taken from isaiah, three from jeremiah, four from the minor prophets, three from the historical works, and one from ezekiel, whose words, for some reason, seem on the whole to have been eschewed by those who selected the prophetic readings. a certain confusion seems to have arisen among the haftarot, owing to the fact that among some congregations the reading of the pentateuchal portions was begun on the 1st of elul ( also regarded as a new - year ). in the masoretic text of the prophets occur a number of divisions marked


owing to the fact that among some congregations the reading of the pentateuchal portions was begun on the 1st of elul ( also regarded as a new - year ). in the masoretic text of the prophets occur a number of divisions marked as sedarim which correspond to smaller divisions in the torah. among these may be mentioned : | i kings vi. 11 - 13 | | corresponding | | to | | ex. xxv. | | ezek. xii. 20 | | " | | " | | lev. xxvi. 3 or 4? | | i sam. vi. 14 | | " | | " | | num. iv. 17 | | josh. xvii. 4 | | " | | " | | num. xxvi. 52 | | jer. ix. 22 - 24 | | " | | " | | deut. viii. | | ii kings xiii. 23 | | " | | " | | deut. x. | | judges ii. 7 | | " | | " | | deut. xxxi. 14 | the present arrangement of haftarot seems to have been introduced into babylonia by rab, especially those for the three sabbaths of repentance preceding the ninth of ab, and the three consolatory ones succeeding it. buchler has traced the prophetic portions of these three latter sabbaths for each of the three years of the cycle as follows : - i. isa. xl. 1, li. 12, liv. 11. - ii. isa. xlix. 14, lx. 1, lxi. 10. - iii. isa. liv. 1, zech. ii. 14, ix. 9. he finds traces of the triennial cycle also in the prophetic portions for the four supplementary sabbaths, shekalim, zakor, parah, and hodesh. for shekalim haftarot are found from ( a ) ii kings xii., ( b ) ezek. xlv. onward ( among the karaites ), and ( c ) i kings iv. 20 onward. it is tolerably clear that these were the haftarot of the three different years of the cycle when that particular sabbath came round. it is possible that when the arrangement of the calendar and of the reading of the law was first made these four supplementary sabbaths were intended to fill out the time between the 7th of adar, when the account of the


that particular sabbath came round. it is possible that when the arrangement of the calendar and of the reading of the law was first made these four supplementary sabbaths were intended to fill out the time between the 7th of adar, when the account of the death of moses in deut. xxxiv. was read, and the first sabbath in nisan, when the cycle began. traces of the cycle are also found in the haftarot for the festivals. thus, on the first day of passover, ex. xii. 29 was read, approximately in its due place in the cycle in the second year ; and corresponding to this josh. v. 10 was read in the prophets, whereas there are also traces of num. ix. 22 being read on that day, as would occur in the third year of the cycle, when josh. iii. was read as the haftarah. the passage for the second day of passover, num. ix. 1 et seq., which was introduced by the babylonians, has attached to it ii kings xxiii. 21 as the haftarah, and would correspond to the section in the first year ' s cycle. on pentecost, ex. xix. was read in the second year, while gen. xi. 15 was read for the first year of the cycle. so, too, on new - year, gen. xxx. 22 was read in the first year, lev. iv. in the second, and deut. v. in the third, the corresponding haftarot being jer. xxxi. 19, i sam. ii., and joel ii. for the sukkot of the first year for the sidra of gen. xxxii., the haftarah was zech. xiv. 16 - 19 ; for that of the second year, lev. ix. 10, the haftarah was i kings viii. 8 ; and for that of the third year, deut. viii. 9, the haftarah was isa. iv. 6 ( among the karaites ). in the accompanying diagram the sidrot of the law for the sabbaths of the three years of the cycle are indicated, as well as the haftarot which accompany them. sometimes these have alternatives, and in several cases, as for gen. xl. 23, xliii. 14, ex. i. 1, xxvii. 20, and lev. xix.


the haftarot which accompany them. sometimes these have alternatives, and in several cases, as for gen. xl. 23, xliii. 14, ex. i. 1, xxvii. 20, and lev. xix. 1, three haftarot are given for the sidra, pointing in all probability to the haftarot reading during the triennial cycle. in this enlarged form the connection of the beginning of the reading of the books with the various sacred new - years, those of nisan, of elul ( for tithes ), and of shebat ( for trees ), comes out most clearly and convincingly. the manner in which the present - day reading of the law and the prophets has been derived from the triennial cycle is shown clearly by the diagram. it would appear that at the beginning of the cycle all the sidrot of the month were read together ; but this was soon given up, as obviously it would result in the whole of the law being read in three - quarters of a year or less. there are indications of the application of the triennial cycle to the psalms also. the aggadat bereshit treats twenty - eight sedarim of genesis uniformly in three sections, one devoted to a passage in genesis, the next to a corresponding prophetic passage ( haftarah ), and the third to a passage from the psalms, generally cognate with either the law or the prophets. it may be added that in luke xxiv. 44 a threefold division is made of " the law of moses and the prophets and the psalms. " the transition from the triennial to the annual reading of the law and the transference of the beginning of the cycle to the month of tishri are attributed by buchler to the influence of rab, and may have been due to the smallness of the sedarim under the old system, and to the fact that people were thus reminded of the chief festivals only once in three years. it was then arranged that deut. xxviii. should fall before the new - year, and that the beginning of the cycle should come immediately after the feast of tabernacles. this arrangement has been retained by the karaites and by modern congregations, leaving only slight traces of the triennial cycle in the four special sabbaths and in some of the passages read upon the festivals, which are frequently sections of the triennial cycle, and not of the annual one. it would further be of interest


may 25, 2012 | 3 : 03 pm posted by rabbi ilana grinblat who goes first? this question is central in my household nowadays, as my eight year old son and five year old daughter frequently argue over who gets the first turn at everything. they debate who gets to tell me first at dinnertime how their day was at school. to resolve this issue, i made a chart listing the days of the week with their names alternating as to who gets to recount their day first. then they argue over a flaw in the chart. they noticed that since there are seven days of the week and two children, one child invariably gets the first turn two days in a row. the kids also debate who gets snuggles first at bedtime. this time, thinking i was smarter, i made a chart of two weeks ( since fourteen days is equally divisible by two ), but then they objected that this system too was unfair, because the bedtime chart didn ’ t correspond to the dinner chart. the same child could end up talking first at dinner and receiving the first snuggles in the same day! as a solution, i suggested moving my daughter ’ s bedtime fifteen minutes earlier than my son ’ s so that each of them could have my snuggles “ first ” at their respective times. both agreed to the plan, and familial harmony has been temporarily restored. at bedtime, i tried to explain to my daughter that she doesn ’ t have to compete with her brother because i love both of them the same amount – infinity, which is bigger than any number. “ no, mom, ” she corrected me, “ the biggest number is a hundred finity hundred finity. ” i now appreciate anew god ’ s genius in this week ’ s torah portion. this week ’ s parasha begins the book of bamidbar which recounts the israelite ’ s trek through the wilderness. like children, the israelites were a quarrelsome bunch, and one of the questions which would have arisen was : who goes first to the promised land? but god had a better plan. in this opening portion, god charts how the people should march through the desert. god arranged the people by family and tribe. but rather than any tribe walking in front of the other, god arranged them in a configuration around the ark which was placed in the center. in this way, no tribe was ahead or behind, each was equidistant from the ark and the tabernacle. this plan


front of the other, god arranged them in a configuration around the ark which was placed in the center. in this way, no tribe was ahead or behind, each was equidistant from the ark and the tabernacle. this plan was not merely a wise way to avoid arguments. the arrangement offered an orientation on life. it reminded the people not to measure themselves against one another, relative to their destination. rather, they should see themselves as dots on a circle in which god is the center – all equally essential, connected to each other by sharing the same focal point. how fitting then that this portion called “ in the desert ” is read on the week of the holiday of shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the torah. in the mekhilta ( a third century collection of interpretations on exodus ), the question is asked : why did god give the torah in the desert? one answer is so that there would be no disputes between the tribes, since none of them would be able to say that the torah was received in their territory. “ therefore, the torah was given in the desert, in a public place that belonged to no one. ” the passage further explains that the torah was given in the desert because just as it is free to all who come into the world, so too the words of torah are free to all who come into the world. ” the mekhilta underscores the torah portion ’ s message that god acts with care to make sure all god ’ s children feel treasured. as i try to make my children feel equally cherished, i hope that i can convey to them the wisdom of this week ’ s portion – that god loves all of us equally “ a hundred finity hundred finity. ” 5. 20. 13 at 10 : 22 am | this week ' s column is in honor of this year ' s... 1. 10. 13 at 2 : 26 pm | in this week ' s column, rabbi grinblat talks about... 12. 20. 12 at 5 : 52 pm | in this week ' s column, rabbi grinblat responds to... 11. 26. 12 at 2 : 39 pm | rabbi grinblat discusses how she responds to her... 5. 25. 12 at 3 : 03 pm | in this week ' s column, rabbi grinblat shares a... 5. 13. 12 at 6 : 45 pm | in this week ' s blog, rabbi grinblat offers


jurbarkas ( ger. jurburg ), town in s. w. lithuania ; until the incorporation of lithuania within russia in 1795, the town belonged to the principality of zamut ( zhmud ; samogitia ) ; subsequently, until the 1917 revolution, it was in the province of kovno. jews who visited jurbarkas at the end of the 16th century are mentioned in the responsa of meir b. gedaliah of lublin ( metz, 1769, 4a no. 7 ). within the framework of the lithuanian council ( see * councils of the lands ) the community of jurbarkas belonged to the province ( galil ) of kaidany ( kedainiai ). in 1766, 2, 333 jews were registered with the community. a wooden synagogue built in jurbarkas during the second half of the 17th century was preserved until the holocaust. there were 2, 527 jews registered with the community in 1847. the jews numbered 2, 350 ( 31 % of the total population ) in 1897, and 1, 887 in 1923. in june – september 1941, after the occupation of the town by the germans, some 1, 000 jews were murdered at the cemetery and outside the town. lite ( 1951 ), 1595 – 97, 1849 – 54, index 2 ; m. and k. piechotka, wooden synagogues ( 1959 ), 200 ; yahadut lita, 1 ( 1960 ), index. source : encyclopaedia judaica. © 2008 the gale group. all rights reserved.


march 30, 2012 cdc releases new report on autism prevalence in u. s. researchers at the johns hopkins bloomberg school of public health contributed to a new centers for disease control and prevention ( cdc ) report that estimates the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders ( asd ) as affecting 1 in 88 u. s. children overall, and 1 in 54 boys. this is the third such report by the cdc ’ s autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network ( addm ), which has used the same surveillance methods for more than a decade. previous addm reports estimated the rate of asds at 1 in 110 children in the 2009 report that looked at data from 2006, and 1 in 150 children in the 2007 report, which covered data from 2002. the current prevalence estimate, which analyzed data from 2008, represents a 78 percent increase since 2002, and a 23 percent increase since 2006. asds include diagnoses of autistic disorder, asperger disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified ( pdd - nos ). asds encompass a wide spectrum of conditions, all of which affect communication, social and behavioral skills. the causes of these developmental disorders are not completely understood, although studies show that both environment and genetics play an important and complex role. there is no known cure for asds, but studies have shown that behavioral interventions, particularly those begun early in a child ’ s life, can greatly improve learning and skills. the latest cdc report, “ prevalence of autism spectrum disorders – autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 14 sites, united states, 2008, ” provides autism prevalence estimates from different areas of the united states, including maryland. the purpose of the report is to provide high - quality data on the extent and distribution of asds in the u. s. population, to promote better planning for health and educational services, and to inform the further development of research on the causes, progression, and treatments. “ we continue observing increases in prevalence since the inception of the project in 2000, ” said li - ching lee, phd, a psychiatric epidemiologist with the bloomberg school " s departments of epidemiology and mental health and the principal investigator for the prevalence project ’ s maryland site. “ in maryland, we found 27 percent of children with asds were never diagnosed by professionals. so, we know there are more children out there and we may see the increase continue in coming years. ” the new report, which focuses on 8 - year - olds because that is an age where most children with asd have been


by professionals. so, we know there are more children out there and we may see the increase continue in coming years. ” the new report, which focuses on 8 - year - olds because that is an age where most children with asd have been identified, shows that the number of those affected varies widely among the 14 participating states, with utah having the the highest overall rate ( 1 in 47 ) and alabama the lowest ( 1 in 210 ). across all sites, nearly five times as many boys as girls are affected. additionally, growing numbers of minority children are being diagnosed, with a 91 percent increase among black non - hispanic children and a 110 percent increase for hispanic children. researchers say better screening and diagnosis may contribute to those increases among minority children. the overall rate in maryland is 1 in 80 children ; 1 in 49 boys and 1 in 256 girls. in maryland, the prevalence has increased 85 percent from 2002 to 2008. the increase was 41 percent between 2004 and 2008, and 35 percent between 2006 and 2008. the data were gathered through collaboration with the maryland state department of education and participating schools in anne arundel, baltimore, carroll, cecil, harford and howard counties, as well as clinical sources such as kennedy krieger institute, mt. washington pediatric hospital, and university of maryland medical system. while the report focuses on the numbers, its authors acknowledge that the reasons for the increase are not completely understood and that more research is needed. they note that the increase is likely due in part to a broadened definition of asds, greater awareness among the public and professionals, and the way children receive services in their local communities. “ it ’ s very difficult, if not impossible, to tease these factors apart to quantify how much each of these factors contributed to the increase, ” dr. lee said. but whatever the cause, “ this report paints a picture of the magnitude of the condition across our country and helps us understand how communities identify children with autism. one thing the data tell us with certainty – there are more children and families that need help, ” said cdc director thomas frieden, md, mph. researchers also identified the median age of asd diagnosis, documented in records. in maryland, that age was 5 years and 6 months, compared with 4 years, 6 months nationally. across all sites, children who have autistic disorder tend to be identified earlier, while those with asperger disorder tend to be diagnosed later. given the importance of early intervention, addm researchers carefully track at what age children receive an as


if the emf of a battery is 23 v and a current of 66 a is measured when the battery is shorted, what is the internal resistance of the battery? answer in units of ω how would you set up the equation to solve? an investor purchases 75 shares at 37. 90 a share, holds the stock for 150 days, and then sells the stock for 41. 20 a share. find the annual interest rate earned. principal under 3000 3000 - 10, 000 over 10, 000 commission 32 + 1. 8 % of principal 56 + 1 % of principal 106 + 0. 5 % of principal george finds a company that charges 59 cnets per day for each 1000 borrowed. if he borrows 3000 for 60 days, what amount will he repay, and what annual interest rate will he pay the company? if you paid $ 120 to a loan company for the use of $ 2000 for 90 days, what annual rate of interest did they charge? a woman 5ft 6in tall stands so that the tip of her shadow coincides with the tip of the shadow of a tall tree. the woman stands 18 ft from the tip of her shadow and 100 ft from the base of the tree. how tall is the tree? what is 0. 0446 rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent how did you get that? factor the polynomials using whatever strategy seems appropriate. 12m ^ 2n ^ 2 - 8mn + 1 help math calc find the future value of $ 700 deposited at 3 % for 9 years if the account pays simple interest and the account pays compounded annually? the future value of an account that pays simple interest is what? find the future value of $ 700 deposited at 3 % for 7 years if the account pays simple interest and the account pays interest compounded annually for further reading


spike in bird flu deaths worries health officials 8 people die in last 2 months in cambodia in the last two months, eight people in cambodia have died from bird flu, a rare but deadly disease causing concern among health authorities. six of the victims have been children. the h5n1 virus, known to be highly contagious to poultry, typically resembles the flu when contracted by humans. but it kills more than half the people it infects, according to centers for disease control and prevention. of the nine confirmed h5n1 cases in cambodia this year, only an 8 - month old infant has survived. the infant had received medical attention early, said dr. ly sovann, the ministry of health ' s deputy director for communicable diseases control in cambodia. the eight bird flu deaths in the last six weeks - - considering that cambodia has had 19 reported deaths from the disease in the last 10 years - - has sparked increased surveillance efforts. health officials are warning people to wash their hands often, to keep children away from poultry and to avoid eating sick poultry. so far, the nine cases are not believed to be related, although most of them came from the southern region. the eight h5n1 deaths in cambodia occurred with a 15 - year - old girl and a 35 - year - old man on january 21, and a 2 - year - old girl and a 9 - year - old girl on january 28. in the next month, a 5 - year - old died on feburary 7, a 3 - year - old girl died on february 13, a 2 - year - old boy died on february 19, followed by a death of a 35 - year - old man on monday. he came from the kampong cham province in central cambodia and died after developing fever, coughing and difficulty breathing earlier this month. the patients experienced symptoms such as coughing, fever, difficulty breathing, sleepiness and vomiting. bird flu does not usually pass from person - to - person, but the disease is closely monitored because of concerns that the h5n1 virus could mutate allowing to spread more easily among people. " we conducted investigations and found that all the cases were transmission from the poultry, " said sovann. " there is no evidence of transmission from human to human at this stage. " all nine patients are believed to have been exposed to sick or dead poultry, according to health authroties. h5n1 typically spreads between birds, but can jump to humans, especially if


transmission from human to human at this stage. " all nine patients are believed to have been exposed to sick or dead poultry, according to health authroties. h5n1 typically spreads between birds, but can jump to humans, especially if they ' re living in close proximity. the greatest risk of exposure to the virus is through the handling and slaughter of infected poultry. " home slaughtering and preparation of sick or dead poultry for food is hazardous : this practice must stop, " said dr. h. e. mam bunheng, the cambodian minister of health, in a statement. " children also seem to be most vulnerable and are at high risk because they like to play where poultry are found. i urge parents and guardians to keep children away from sick or dead poultry and prevent them from playing with chickens and ducks. " health teams are carrying out " enhanced surveillance " in the villages and communities where bird flu cases have been reported, according to the world health organization. officials are also telling people with flu - like symptoms who have difficulty breathing to seek medical attention immediately. the disease is transmitted through the infected bird ' s saliva, nasal secretions or feces. it can spread in markets or places where eggs and birds are sold in crowded conditions. the recent cases prompted china to announce temperature checks on people traveling back from cambodia, according to the country ' s general administration of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine. china had two deaths from bird flu this year. the patients, a 31 - year - old man and 21 - year - old woman died in mid - february in the southwestern area of the country. both had close contact with birds, according to xinhua, the chinese news agency. the only other country with a confirmed h5n1 case this year was egypt, where a 36 - year - old woman died in late january. copyright 2013 by cnn newsource. all rights reserved. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


physical exercise is a great way to tone your body and lose weight. there are two basic types of exercise : aerobic and anaerobic. aerobic exercise promotes cardiovascular fitness by raising your pulse to a targeted level. it ' s recommended that you exercise at your target heart rate for thirty minutes, three times a week. these exercises strengthen your heart, and allow the heart to pump more blood. aerobic exercise improves the capacity of the lungs, helps control weight, and increases muscle and joint flexibility, making you less susceptible to injury. some examples of aerobic exercise are walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, racquetball, and aerobic dance. aerobic exercise also helps to reduce risks associated with developing heart disease. anaerobic exercise focuses on specific muscles, with a goal of increasing their strength, mass, and / or endurance. weight lifting is an example of anaerobic exercise. this form of exercise won ' t provide as many benefits as aerobic exercise, but it ' s a good supplement to your aerobic workout, and can also help increase bone density. remember, there are many advantages to regular exercise. it can help you sleep better, handle stress better, and even improve the way you look and feel. an ideal exercise program will include both aerobic and anaerobic activity. however, the program should be tailored to your individual needs. if you ' re over thirty - five or have had medical problems, talk to a doctor before beginning your exercise routine. for more information on aerobic and anaerobic exercise, speak to a health care specialist.


local suicide serves as reminder of a deadly danger facing teens why it ' s so important to break the silence of suicide stigma has helped suicide quietly rise to be the third leading cause of death among teens. video by kgun9. comvideo reporter : valerie cavazos tucson ( kgun9 - tv ) - a problem few people ever talk about claims a life in tucson. that problem is teen suicide. today the self - inflicted death of a freshman at palo verde high left family and friends devastated. it happened off campus, but because so many parents and kids contacted 9 on your side asking us to check out rumors that were flying around about the incident... we called school officials. the school assures us this incident was * not * connected with bullying. and we ' re told grief counselors were on hand to help classmates cope. because of privacy concerns you rarely hear about teen suicides. but that silence has helped this problem quietly rise to be the third leading cause of death among teens. it ' s important for you to know - - right off the bat - - there is no one cause to teen suicide. but many of them do have one thing in common : silence. no one wants to talk about the issue, but it ' s critical the silence is broken. search youtube and you ' ll find many stories and psa ' s about suicide and prevention, but getting people to actually talk about it is another matter. mainly because of the stigma associated with suicide. it ' s connection with mental illness is the main hurdle to overcome. studies show over 90 % of people who commit suicide have one or more psychiatric disorders - - ranging from depression to schizophrenia. " there typically is an untreated or undertreated mental health illness. " another factor in silencing discussions about suicide : much of our society believes taking your own life is morally wrong. " that ( christian ) belief has been shared from generation to generation and there are other religions that believe in that also so part of looking at the stigma is associated with that and coupling it with religion, people are less likely to talk about it, " said pate. suicide is also harrowing for family and friends who often carry the burden of guilt. " they don ' t want that stigma associated with them saying why didn ' t you do something about it - how come you didn ' t see it? so people are managing these things frequently alone. " the adage time heals all wounds is not necessarily true for those left behind, who may then take their


didn ' t you do something about it - how come you didn ' t see it? so people are managing these things frequently alone. " the adage time heals all wounds is not necessarily true for those left behind, who may then take their own lives because of the loss. " that ' s a sense of loss - - a sense of grief.. these are things that can cause suicide. " it ' s certainly clear that breaking the silence of suicide is a critical first step. preventing suicide among our youth can start with more conversations about understanding the world around them. experts say the stress and trauma children experience and witness can increase the chances of suicide. those dramatic and tragic events and images from 9 - 11, wars in the middle east, the january 8th shooting and hurricane katrina as well as events happening closer to home - - ranging from divorce to bullying. " these are events that children are taking in and we know that they not necessarily have the mechanism to manage and process all of those things, " said pate. experts say children internalize those images. unlike adults, many children are less likely to talk about what disturbs them. " they are less like to do that or may not have people they feel comfortable going to and talking about how do i manage this and how do i cope with this bad stuff happening in our world, " she said. so helping children cope with the ups and downs of life is critical when trying to stem the rising tide of suicides. " how do we then help our children recognize that this is normal. disappointment is going to happen if you ' re a part of this world - - live and breathing. disappointment is going to happen so how do we manage it - - how do we get over it - - and how do we teach them that this is okay. " these discussons with children often open floodgates in their minds and emotions - - rather than closing them down. experts say parents should keep in mind that they don ' t have to have all the answers - - they just need to know where to go for help when it ' s needed. there are training sessions for families available through the community partnership of southern arizona. another agency to call is the southern arizona mental health corporation.


dyer ' s woad was discovered in 1986 in washington state, growing along railroad tracks in kittitas county. in 1992, dyer ' s woad was eradicated from this site. the site is monitored continually, with no new plants found. removing this plant from the state is a true success story in the fight against invasive species ; this is one of the very few noxious weeds that have been eradicated from the state. dyer ' s woad is native to russia, and was introduced as a crop in 18th - century england for the extraction of a blue dye from its leaves. dyers woad was introduced to utah from ireland in 1910, as a contaminant in alfalfa seed. the state of utah has lost millions of dollars in crop damage and loss of wildlife habitat. tens of thousands of acres in utah, idaho and wyoming are infested with this perennial mustard. legal status in king county, washington dyer ' s woad is listed as a class a noxious weed because of its impacts and widespread distribution in many western states, including utah, idaho, wyoming, montana, california and oregon. it is sometimes found in gardens, and as a class a noxious weed in washington state, eradication is required. dyer ' s woad is on the washington state quarantine list ( 144 kb acrobat file ), and it is illegal to buy, sell, transport or offer this plant for sale in the state. additional information on annual bugloss what to do if you find this plant in king county, washington please notify us if you see dyer ' s woad growing in king county. our program staff can provide the property owner or appropriate public agency with site - specific advice on how best to remove it. we map all known locations of regulated noxious weeds such as dyer ' s woad in order to help us and others locate new infestations in time to control them.


another collaborative effort by the team that created the poet king of tezcoco : a great leader of ancient mexico ( 2007 ) chronicles the life of a controversial figure in pre - colonial mesoamerica. the indigenous woman who would serve as hernan cortes ’ interpreter and companion was born in the early 1500s as malinali and later christened marina. she is now called la malinche. besides serving as translator to the spaniard, she also gave him advice on native customs, religious beliefs and the ways of the aztec. while marina ’ s decision to help the spanish in their often brutal quest for supremacy has led to many negative associations, others see her as the mother of all mexicans, as she and cortes had the first recorded mestizo. although many of the details surrounding the specifics of marina ’ s life were unrecorded, serrano strengthens the narrative with quotations by her contemporaries and provides a balanced look at the life of a complicated, oft - maligned woman. headers provide structure as events sometimes shift from the specific to the very broad, and some important facts are glossed over or relegated to the timeline. reminiscent of pre - colonial documents, the illustrations convey both marina ’ s adulation of cortes and the violence of the spanish conquest, complete with severed limbs, decapitations and more. an inventive introduction to a fascinating historical figure. ( map, chronology, glossary, sources and further reading ) ( nonfiction. 10 - 12 )


disruptive behavior is an ongoing pattern of conduct that bothers and upsets the worker ' s day - to - day interpersonal workplace surroundings. although disruptive behaviors have long been a concern, these behaviors have gone unchecked and sometimes are accepted as part of the workplace environment. disruptive behavior is inappropriate behavior that interferes with the functioning and flow of the workplace. it hinders or prevents employees from carrying out their workplace responsibilities. it is important that managers and front line staff address disruptive behavior promptly. if no one tackles disruptive behavior it typically continues to escalate, resulting in negative consequences for the perpetrator as well as others. individuals who engage in disruptive behavior in a work setting can almost always find ways to justify their bad behavior. although there may be legitimate concerns about questionable workplace tactics and approaches there is a gross logical error rooted in the assumption that angry potentially dangerous and devaluing behavior can positively improve the company or organization ' s objectives. people who display disruptive behavior generally lack the ability to be self - reflective and are often clueless to the way in which their manner impact others. disruptive employees can be understood as having particular shortcomings related to self - regulation. self - regulation includes one ' s capacity to manage and contain anxiety and process emotional states, maintain balance in self - esteem, respect other peoples ' points of view, while remaining engaged in productive goal - oriented work - related efforts with others. examples of disruptive behavior : part of the responsibilities for organizations and companies that want to plainly demonstrate zero tolerance for inappropriate and disruptive behaviors also must provide necessary resources and mechanisms to safe guard against such behaviors. this includes opportunities to improve teamwork, foster a sense of mutual respect, and improve communication. these efforts also enhance the workplace environment reduce the risk for legal action loss of productivity, absenteeism, turnover, low morale, and lack of trust. eliminating the disruptions : - code of conduct - training and education - standards for behavior - procedures for investigation lastly, all of us are responsible and need to be sanctioned to address and understand the necessary changes in the workplace culture in order to eliminate disruptive behavior.


posted : mar 19, 2013 7 : 00 am by by serena gordon tuesday, march 19 ( healthday news ) - - black children are less likely than other children to be given antibiotics and less likely to be given the most powerful antibiotics to treat acute respiratory tract infections, new research suggests. does this represent a previously unrecognized bias against black children? probably not, said the researchers and other experts. instead, it ' s more likely that non - black children are getting more antibiotics than they should be. " we hypothesize that this discrepancy reflects over - prescribing, both for all antibiotics and for the relative proportion of broad - spectrum antibiotics, to non - black patients, rather than under - prescribing to black patients, " wrote the researchers led by dr. jeffrey gerber, of the children ' s hospital of philadelphia, who added that more study of this pattern should be conducted. dr. allison bartlett, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at larabida children ' s hospital in chicago, agreed. " the fact that black kids are given fewer antibiotics and fewer broad - spectrum antibiotics may come across as a bad thing to the casual reader, but perhaps it ' s not an issue of under - treating black kids, but over - treating non - black kids, " she said. another expert who was not involved with the study, dr. roya samuels, a pediatrician at cohen children ' s medical center in new hyde park, n. y., said that, at first glance, " this comes across as quite a controversial topic. but, i don ' t think we ' re dealing with a predilection to not prescribing to black children. rather, there is still non - judicious use of antibiotics in the pediatric population as a whole, and non - judicious use tends to occur more in the non - black population. " results of the current study were released online march 18 and will appear in the april print issue of pediatrics. gerber and colleagues undertook the study because racial disparities have been found in other areas of health care, but the issue hadn ' t been thoroughly studied in a pediatric primary care setting, according to background information in the report. the study included data from 25 primary care pediatric practices in pennsylvania and new jersey. the practices had a total of 222 doctors. from a total of more than 600, 000 office visits, the investigators found that there were more than 100, 000 visits that included a prescription


data from 25 primary care pediatric practices in pennsylvania and new jersey. the practices had a total of 222 doctors. from a total of more than 600, 000 office visits, the investigators found that there were more than 100, 000 visits that included a prescription for an antibiotic. to help account for factors that might influence the way a physician chose to treat a particular patient, the researchers excluded visits for people with antibiotic allergies and those who ' d had a recent history of antibiotic use from their data. that left just over 81, 000 visits that ended with an antibiotic prescription. almost 30, 000 of those visits ended with a prescription for a broad - spectrum antibiotic, which means a powerful antibiotic that kills a variety of bacteria. in general, antibiotic use recommendations suggest using the most narrow - spectrum antibiotic possible to help prevent antibiotic resistance. when the researchers broke the data down by race, they found that 29 percent of visits by non - black children ended with an antibiotic prescription compared to 23. 5 percent for black children. when an antibiotic was prescribed, black children were about 12 percent less likely to receive broad - spectrum antibiotics. black children were also less likely to receive a diagnosis that might justify an antibiotic prescription, such as strep throat, a sinus infection or an ear infection. both bartlett and samuels said that they were a bit confused by the strep throat findings, as an objective test is available to diagnose strep. the study authors said they were not aware of any biological reasons that could account for these findings. all of the experts suggested this was an area that needed further research. the authors said that the doctor - patient relationship may play a role in some of these findings. parents of non - black children may state that they expect antibiotics more often, or doctors may expect that these parents will want antibiotics for their child, which may influence their prescribing decisions, they suggested. both samuels and bartlett said that black parents probably don ' t need to be concerned by these findings. but, bartlett added that all parents should " be strong advocates for their children. we ' re very fortunate that we have antibiotics to help when we need them, but there are a lot of times we don ' t need them, and we need to give a child ' s body time to heal on its own. " it ' s ok to ask your child ' s doctor why he or she is prescribing an antibiotic, or why not, according to


when you need a portable, convenient power source, you can rely on batteries. batteries of all shapes and sizes supply power to everyday electronics like toys and power tools, but batteries also work where we don ' t see them too. during a power outage, phone lines still operate because they are equipped with lead - acid batteries. batteries help control power fluctuations, run commuter trains, and provide back - up power for critical needs like hospitals and military operations. the versatility of batteries is reflected in the different sizes and shapes, but all batteries have two common elements that combine to make power : an electrolyte and a heavy metal. just the facts batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel, which can contaminate the environment when batteries are improperly disposed of. when incinerated, certain metals might be released into the air or can concentrate in the ash produced by the combustion process. one way to reduce the number of batteries in the waste stream is to purchase rechargeable batteries. nearly one in five dry - cell batteries purchased in the united states is rechargeable. over its useful life, each rechargeable battery may substitute for hundreds of single - use batteries. lead - acid automobile batteries nearly 90 percent of all lead - acid batteries are recycled. almost any retailer that sells lead - acid batteries collects used batteries for recycling, as required by most state laws. reclaimers crush batteries into nickel - sized pieces and separate the plastic components. they send the plastic to a reprocessor for manufacture into new plastic products and deliver purified lead to battery manufacturers and other industries. a typical lead - acid battery contains 60 to 80 percent recycled lead and plastic. non - automotive lead - based batteries gel cells and sealed lead - acid batteries are commonly used to power industrial equipment, emergency lighting, and alarm systems. the same recycling process applies as with automotive batteries. an automotive store or a local waste agency may accept the batteries for recycling. dry - cell batteries include alkaline and carbon zinc ( 9 - volt, d, c, aa, aaa ), mercuric - oxide ( button, some cylindrical and rectangular ), silver - oxide and zinc - air ( button ), and lithium ( 9 - volt, c, aa, coin, button, rechargeable ). on average, each person in the united states discards eight dry - cell batteries per year. alkaline and zinc - carbon batteries alkaline batteries, the everyday household batteries used in flashlight


exploring nonlinear mechanical behaviour of rocks at lance smarts - spectrometer for materials research at temperature and stress atomic - scale stress - strain information obtained from the neutron rietveld data indicate that the strain experienced by the crystalline quartz is ~ 1 / 5 of the macroscopic strain ( the rest taken up by the grain contacts and bonds in the rock ). no hints of nonlinearity whatsoever are evident in the neutron data. conclusion? the grain bond system ( a small fraction of the total rock ) is responsible for all the peculiar quasi - static nonlinearity we see. beamlines at the lansce ( los alamos neutron science center ) / lujan center - lansce produces intense sources of pulsed protons and spallation neutrons from a tungsten target. proton beam currents during all the experiments varied from 100 to 110 µa. the neutron powder diffractometer has the unique capability of simultaneous high - q rietveld and pair - density function analyses, enabling determination of the average and local structures of complex materials with high accuracy. the questions these experiments are designed to answer are ( 1 ) can neutrons " see " the grain bond system and if so, ( 2 ) can neutrons help to ascertain the role ( s ) of intergranular bonds vs. the bulk crystalline volume in the nonlinear behaviour of rocks? results below show evidence of non - crystalline silica in a pure quartz sandstone. above - rietveld analysis shows an excellent match with crystalline quartz ; there are no other crystal phases in fontainebleau sandstone. above - a revised model adding ~ 7 % amorphous silica to the crystal model makes a greatly improved fit. above - when the pdf data ( red crosses ) is compared to a perfect quartz model, there is a large discrepancy in the nearest neighbor peaks. above - pdf data ( red ) of amorphous silica shows that only the nearest neighbor peaks are sharp and correspond with those of the crystal ( blue ). hippo ' s proximity to the neutron spallation source and its numerous detectors mean it can watch atomic plane structures change in real time. counting for 1 minute or less is sufficient for a rietveld analysis of the scattering data. scattering experiments were performed to observe the crystalline structure of sandstone samples undergoing periodic temperature changes. modulus ( resonance frequency ) and temperature was tracked as a function of time. neutron results - unit cell volume - show none of the peculiar macroscopic nonlinear behavior. history - modulus drop observed after a temperature


| other egyptian gods | anubis, whose hieroglyphic name more closely translates as anpu or inepu, is the ancient egyptian god of death and dying, and sometimes god of the underworld. his mother is hesat or bastet with an unknown father, or nephthys, and his father is variously said to be set, ra or osiris. his daughter is qeb - hwt, also known as kebechet. in later times, anubis was combined with the greek god hermes to form hermanubis. the center of his cult was in cynopolis. he has the head of a jackal or some other kind of dog, and the jackal is his symbol. the jackal imagery is related to anubis ' role among the deities of egypt, as the jackal is a scavenger and is strongly associated with death and dying. he was also know as the guardian of the dead. in art, he is depicted as a man with a canine head and alert ears, often wearing a ribbon and wielding a whip. roles in mythology anubis was originally the lord of the underworld, however following the rise of the cult of osiris he becomes the gatekeeper. in the horus story he stands down his position out of respect for osiris in order to allow him to take over. anubis ' role as gate keeper was primarily that of either holding or watching the scales with which the souls of the dead were weighted against the feather of ma ' at. if the soul was as light as the feather, anubis led the soul to osiris ; otherwise, it was fed to ammit. in this role, he is sometimes identified with a god known as wep - wawet ( " opener of the ways " ). in his embalming role, anubis is referred to by the epithet imy - ut ( " he who is in the place where embalming occurs " ). he guards the physical remains of bodies, as well as the tombs and necropoli. worship of anubis is likely older even than that of osiris. the unas text ( line 70 ) associates him with the eye of horus. in the book of the dead, he embalms the body of osiris, wraps it in linens made by isis and nepthys, and protects the body by laying his bare hands on it. the wife of anubis is the goddess an


wish you could dazzle your colleagues at meetings, wow your friends when telling them about a recent event or captivate a group of energetic children? storytelling maybe the answer! learning to be a good storyteller will equip you with the knowledge, skills and ability to bring a bland chart to life, help your friends feel what you felt during an ordeal, engage children and more. fortunately, i had the opportunity to sit through a fabulous workshop on storytelling facilitated by debra harris - branham and zelda foxall at the 2012 iyouth conference. it was a terrific interactive session on how to be an effective teller of stories. below are insights extracted from the energetic speakers and a handout they distributed. - find a story that you love to tell although you may have a story in mind, finding one is harder than it sounds. if you don ’ t know where to begin, visit your local library and head to the 398 section. there, you will find a wide variety of folktales, fairy tales and fables. can ’ t get to a library? not a problem. check out the sites listed below to help you find, learn and tell stories : - learn it once you have found a story that you really like, read the story a few times. but, don ’ t try to memorize it. instead, make yourself familiar with the sequence ( beginning, middle and end ) of the story. learn it the way that makes the best sense for you. this might mean writing it out, listening to an audio recording or watching the movie version. which ever method you choose it should be fun! - what to memorize as stated above, don ’ t worry about memorizing the whole story. instead, learn the first and last lines of the story, as well as any repetitive phrases or chants. - practice, practice, practice practice telling the story! this is a crucial step. practicing will ensure that you do a fabulous job when you stand before an audience. if you can find an audience to practice in front of great! if you can ’ t no problem. find a wall, mirror, doll, toy, pet or any other object and tell your story! make sure you do it with plenty of enthusiasm and energy. embody your character ( s ). make your movements big and your expressions majestic. it will be these elements that will make your story unforgettable. are you in seattle and want to attend local storytelling events and / or classes? start with the seattle storyteller