” blogged the american enterprise institute ’ s rick hess. mike petrilli elaborated : i would vote for candidates to public office who would provide funding for “ inclusive athletics ” and would be proud if my sons ’ schools offered such programs to their special - needs students. yet boggles my mind that the obama administration, without an ounce of public debate or deliberation, without an iota of congressional authorization or approval, could declare by fiat that public schools nationwide must provide such programs or risk their federal education funding … the right place to hash out these concerns is in school - board meetings, not in washington. and if the federal government insists on creating a ‘ right ’ to these types of programs, the correct place to do that is on the floor of the house and senate — not in the bowels of the u. s. department of education. edweek ‘ s michelle mcneil writes petrilli is likely “ overstating things a bit ” : the guidance certainly doesn ’ t mandate specific sports for specific disabilities. but his point is well taken. the education department document does strongly indicate that students with disabilities have the right to access separate, competitive sports leagues that can accommodate their disability, whether at school or in the community. and the burden is on schools to make that happen. casey followay, a 15 - year - old high school track athlete confined to a wheelchair by a birth defect … has to race on his own under current rules. “ this will help me become a better athlete conditioning - wise, because i have something to push for, ” said followay, who filed a complaint with the u. s. office of civil rights in 2011 asking that he be allowed to run alongside, but not against, the able - bodied.


a beautiful aritaware porcelain plate in the museum ’ s collection, decorated with underglaze blue, dates to the mid - edo period ( 1615 – 1868 ). its exquisite design features a simple yet precisely painted radiating flower, unfolding with weblike precision. our watch has been adapted from this elegant motif. resin case. resin link bracelet. ceramic face, made with swarovski elements. quartz movement. case : 1 3 / 4 ' ' diam. ; inner circumference : 7 1 / 2 ' ' l ( adjustable ). - resin case - made with swarovski® elements - resin link bracelet - ceramic face - quartz movement - case : 1 3 / 4 ' ' diam. ; inner circumference : 7 1 / 2 ' ' l ( adjustable ) art historyduring the edo period ( 1615 – 1868 ), japan was unified under the strict control of the tokugawa shogunate, which controlled access to the outside world. in 1639, less than a century after europeans had first found their way to japan, the shogun instituted a policy of national isolation. dutch merchants, however, were permitted to maintain residences near nagasaki and to continue trade with japan. responding to european demand, the dutch encouraged the japanese porcelain industry to fill the gap left by china, where porcelain production was in decline. that japanese export porcelain is commonly referred to as aritaware.


what is culture shock? culture shock is the name given to a feeling of disorientation or confusion that often occurs when a person leaves a familiar place and moves to an unfamiliar place. the reaction may be both physical and psychological, and some students will probably at some point ask themselves why they chose to leave their familiar surroundings. it is important then to remember that it is a learning process, and that most students will return with greater self - confidence and the ability to manage in an intercultural environment. why you may experience culture shock when you arrive in denmark, you will no doubt encounter a multitude of new things. the food is not the same as it is at home, and familiar greetings such as ' hello ' and ' good day ', ' thanks ' and ' how are you doing ', may suddenly give completely different responses than the ones you are used to. people talk in a strange language and look different. university rules are different, and the way of studying may appear strange and difficult. even though things seem very similar, they may not be, and suddenly everyday routine and simple actions become difficult and frustrating. it is often small differences that are most frustrating, as you think you know how to behave / do things, but you get a strange response. your family and friends are very far away. stages you may go through research has shown that culture shock often develops in different stages : arrival / “ honeymoon ” stage : everything is new and exciting culture shock stage : you start to experience difficulties with everyday things, as they are different from home, such as the language barrier, getting the right food etc. adapting stage : you slowly start to understand the new culture and feel more in balance. you feel an urge to belong re - entry shock stage : this stage takes place when you return to your home country and suddenly find out that you have brought back something with you, namely something that suddenly makes you see your own culture with more critical eyes. this can be difficult to come to terms with. to minimise the effect of culture shock it is important to acknowledge the existence of it, and to know and pay attention to the symptoms, as well as to keep in mind that it is occurring as part of a learning process. some of the typical symptoms of culture shock are : - boredom, loneliness - allergies, pain - obsession with own health - sleeplessness, excessive need of sleep - mood changes, depression, powerlessness - anger, animosity against other people - identification and idealisation of home culture - trying to absorb everything


loneliness - allergies, pain - obsession with own health - sleeplessness, excessive need of sleep - mood changes, depression, powerlessness - anger, animosity against other people - identification and idealisation of home culture - trying to absorb everything within the new culture too fast - not capable of solving even the most simple problems - loss of self confidence and insecurity - development of stereo - types in the new culture - strong longing for family and friends back home - feeling overlooked dealing with culture shock if you experience some of the above symptoms and have a sudden feeling of loneliness or sadness, here are some ideas that may be helpful in dealing with culture shock : - accept that you cannot know everything about the new country and the language, and if it is overwhelming, take a break. keep an open mind – people in denmark may say or do things that people at home would not do or say. but the people in denmark act according to their own set of values, not yours. try to avoid evaluating their behaviour using the standards you would use in your own country. - try to do things that you did at home, listen to your favourite music and / or eat familiar food. - stay in touch with family and friends at home. - talk to a friend about your feelings. - stay active – physical activity often helps! - learn from experience – moving to a new culture can be the most fascinating and educational experience of your life. there is no better way to become aware of your own values and attitudes or to broaden your point of view. where to seek help however, this may not be enough, and you are always welcome to come and talk to the staff at the international office. talking things through with one of the advisors can help in achieving a perspective on culture shock, and the learning possibilities it implies. another possibility is to contact the student counselling, studenterradgivningen. please be aware that the waiting time for a consultation with studenterradgivningen is up to 2 - 3 weeks but you can always get a consultation in a critical situation. you can also contact your personal doctor and set up an appointment. in case you are experiencing a very strong feeling of sadness, and cannot see your way out of it, you should immediately contact lægevagten ( emergency medical service ) to make an appointment. they are open everyday from 16 to 8 the following morning and 24 hours on weekends and holidays. if you live in the municipality of copenhagen, frederiksberg or on amager the telephone number is


mathematics, one of the very oldest human disciplines, is an indispensable tool for analysing and explaining the world around us, providing us with the skills to deal with the most abstract concepts. mathematics and statistics play a fundamental role in the sciences, in commerce and in every other activity where quantitative, analytical or logical understanding is important. ultimately, mathematics is about clarity of thought and precision of understanding. in the mathematics major, you will be immersed in a mixture of different topics ranging from linear algebra to data analysis and hypothesis testing, from the mathematics of counting and logic, to the techniques of calculus. the range of units available has been designed to cater for you - whether you intend to become a professional mathematician or if you main interests lie in other areas. for exceptional students, there is the opportunity to participate in the challenging extension work provided through the science talented student program or the mathematics special studies program. when planning for a mathematics major, you generally need to take at least 12 credit points of junior mathematics units, in order to enrol in intermediate mathematics units for your second year. it is a good idea to plan ahead and have an idea of which senior units you need to complete, so that you can plan your junior and intermediate prerequisite units accordingly. you will take at least 12 credit points of intermediate mathematics units, which are the prerequisites for your third year senior units. to successfully complete your mathematics major, you must take at least 24 credit points of senior units of study from the mathematics subject area. differential equations and biomathematics fluid dynamics ( advanced ) lagrangian and hamiltonian dynamics ( advanced ) linear mathematics and vector calculus number theory and cryptography optimisation and financial mathematics partial differential equations graduates with mathematical skills are in demand in many areas, especially in business associated with financial services and information technology. they are needed in almost all scientific, medical, technological and industrial research. with a major in mathematics, you could be employed in a wide range of organisations to interpret information and make forecasts and decisions. statisticians and mathematicians can be found in major corporations and in the public sector, where their skills are essential for policy planning. secondary school mathematics teaching is also a high demand area for graduates. even in areas where specific mathematical knowledge is not directly relevant, mathematics and statistics graduates are highly valued by many employers for their mental discipline and thoroughness. further study for major many mathematics graduates choose to continue studying at postgraduate level in order to pursue more specialised careers. if you are interested in further study, you


just go outside on a sunny day and start shooting whatever ' s nearby. and aren ' t i glad that this is a camera thread to give context to that sentence... anyway, you want to understand the relationship of three things, represented with different numbers : shutter speed, aperture, and iso. changing either one of them will affect how bright / dark your images are, as well as one other " side effect " unique to each choice. all three affect each other and you will eternally balance with them. - your shutter speed seems intuitively obvious : how long your shutter is open, or rather, how long your sensor is exposed to light. measured in fractions of a second, or whole seconds or even minutes for really long exposures, but for walking around holding the thing in your hands, you ' re going to want numbers like 1 / 50 or 1 / 100, or even 1 / 1000 or 1 / 2000 in broad daylight. side effect : shutter speed is also what you use to freeze motion. something moving very fast will still be blurry even at 1 / 100th of a second. at 1 / 4000th, however, you might be able to freeze the subject. but getting that high of a shutter speed cuts down the amount of light you have, which leads us to... - aperture : how big a " hole " your sensor is being exposed to. think of a water faucet ; on low it takes forever to fill up a cup, but open it up a little and suddenly your cup runneth over in no time. sometimes water pressure can be so strong it ' ll blast in your glass and splash out all over the place. with light, that last effect leads to " overexposure ", when it ' s so bright that all you get is stark glaring whiteness, all detail of your subject gone. so you reduce the size of the hole that light ( water ) is going through, so it doesn ' t overload the sensor ( cup ). they call this " stopping down ". one full " stop " refers to a halving or doubling of light ; the water faucet becomes half or twice as strong, respectively. so the next number you have to worry about is your " f - stop ", the number system that describes how " open " or " closed " your lens is. f / 11 is a very small hole, and you ' ll probably only use this in broad daylight. lots of zooms have a widest f - stop of


the number system that describes how " open " or " closed " your lens is. f / 11 is a very small hole, and you ' ll probably only use this in broad daylight. lots of zooms have a widest f - stop of 3. 5 ; more expensive zooms will go to f / 2. 8 ; some prime lenses ( lenses that don ' t zoom ) go down to very wide f - stops like 1. 8 or 1. 4. very small numbers ( wide apertures ) mean lots of light per unit of time : at 1 / 100th of a second, f / 2. 8 will be " twice as bright " as f / 4. side effect : this is a biggie, and it ' s depth of field. this refers to how wide an area, perpendicular to the front of the lens. narrow depth of field ( dof ) has everything on one narrow plane in focus, while everything behind it or in front of it is blurry ; this is a product of wide apertures ( small f - numbers, like f / 1. 4 or f / 2 or whatever ) in most shooting situations. deep dof, or wide, or thick, or... whatever... has a very large plane of focus, at very narrow apertures ( big f - numbers, like f / 8, 11, 16 ). although i confess, in that last photo i cheated and used a very wide - angle lens ; i ' ll give you a note about focal length below. - iso is just how sensitive your camera is to light. this is a very simple one : noise. low iso ' s mean low noise, and low sensitivity ( you ' ll need wider apertures or longer shutter speeds unless you ' re in broad daylight ). noise is random data of wrongly - colored pixels. when there ' s less light, the camera has to " guess " more, and makes more errors based on random spikes of information in the sensor. the technical details are fascinating, but are also minutiae when discussing shooting. what you really need to understand is that the clearest, sharpest, best colored images will come at the lower isos. higher isos make shooting in very low light possible. the d90, in my opinion, looks very good even at iso 1600 or even, depending on the subject, 3200, but try the different settings and see what you like. you may prefer to keep it under iso 800. i know i try to keep it at iso


opinion, looks very good even at iso 1600 or even, depending on the subject, 3200, but try the different settings and see what you like. you may prefer to keep it under iso 800. i know i try to keep it at iso 200 as much as possible. iso is sort of a buffer that gives you wiggle room between balancing your aperture and shutter speeds. if you really want a deep depth of field, need a high shutter speed, you have no choice but to raise the iso ( or add more light ; open a window, turn on more lights, use a flash or multiple flashes... photography can get expensive really quick ). - focal length : how " zoomed in " or " zoomed out " you are, in simplest terms. small numbers mean a wide angle of view ( how much of what ' s in front of you will you see ) while big numbers mean a narrow angle of view, to frame really tightly on distant objects. roughly " in the middle " ( thematically, not numerically ) is the " normal " range. this corresponding number is commonly viewed to be hovering around 50mm in good ol ' 35 mm film parlance ; for a dx camera like your d90, which has a smaller sensor, " normal " is right around 35mm. numbers smaller than 35 are " wide ", and numbers higher go into " telephoto " range. wider lenses, all else being equal, will also have deeper depth of field. a 15mm focal length at f / 4 will have a greater range of objects in focus than a 100mm focal length at the same aperture. shutter speed doesn ' t affect depth of field, but it will affect how blurry ( or otherwise ) your pictures are. at 1 / 30th of a second, even casual movement will make blur. at 1 / 5th of a second, your hand holding the camera will be so jittery that the entire image will blur, unless you have a very good vibration reduction system in your lens. hmm. i wound up writing way more than i thought i would, and i ' m kinda running outta steam. i know i ' m only beginning to scratch the surface. sorry for the abrupt conclusion ; congratulations on the new toy! play around with it, go take some pictures, and realize that understanding the numbers and the tools are only to facilitate your own vision. composition will ultimately be the most important thing for you to work on, and you ' ll be going nuts with it once you get over


trees are the largest plants in terraria, appearing only at the surface and often in clusters with similar height. trees can be chopped down with an axe or explosives. destroying or chopping a tree will yield many units of wood, an essential crafting material, and give a chance of dropping one or more acorns that can be planted to grow more trees. larger trees will yield more of these two materials when removed. it is possible to cut off parts of the tree, but cutting at the lowermost center tile will destroy the entire tree. if parts of the tree are left, they will not regrow. a faster but more dangerous alternative to cutting down trees is placing a bucket of lava at the very base and picking it back up immediately. another way is placing around some bombs between two or three trees. tiles beneath trees cannot be destroyed while the tree stands. the amount of wood and acorns obtained from a tree depends on its size. one unit of wood will drop for each block of tree ( including branches ). one acorn will drop for each leaf patch, excluding the top patch of leaves. trees as obstacles trees are background objects that do not affect player or monster movement. trees cannot be climbed or scaled with items such as a grappling hook, nor can blocks of dirt or other walk - on surfaces be placed to overlap their limbs or foliage. it can sometimes be necessary to chop down a tree that is next to a cavern entrance or cliff in the early game in order to replace it with a ladder of blocks that will allow scaling of the steep surface ; this becomes unnecessary when the player obtains a grappling hook or other item that allows improved jumping or flying. trees must be removed when building houses that overlap the space they cover or when digging up from underground to exit to the surface. growing conditions planting an acorn in grass will create a sapling that will eventually grow into a tree of a random size and shape. saplings can only grow under the following conditions : - a planted acorn can only be planted on a dirt block covered with grass or hallow grass, or on snow. - the acorn requires two spaces of open ground to either side. a raised tile will block growth, but a lower tile will not, if it is the second tile away. - there must be at least two open tiles between saplings or only one will grow into a tree. - the acorn requires at least 16 tiles of vertical clearance to grow into a tree. - the tree must be at least two


tile away. - there must be at least two open tiles between saplings or only one will grow into a tree. - the acorn requires at least 16 tiles of vertical clearance to grow into a tree. - the tree must be at least two squares away from block walls on either side, to allow room for the branches and tree top to grow. - an acorn will not grow indoors - all background walls or overhanging ledges must be removed, and if you have a ceiling it must be at least 32 feet above the block where the acorn was planted as measured by a depth meter ( e. g, if you are planting an acorn at 321 feet above, there may only be blocks at 353 feet or higher directly above it in order for it to grow into a tree ). - acorns will not grow in the presence of torches, wood platforms or sunflowers within its 2 - block radius. - saplings must be off - screen in order to become trees. they will not grow when currently in view, unlike most other plants which can spawn while you watch. saplings can be destroyed with a pickaxe. corrupt trees corrupt trees are purple trees only found where there is corruption. they behave like normal trees, dropping regular wood but no acorns. normal trees become corrupted if corruption reaches them. it is possible to convert them into normal trees again by using purification powder on them. corrupt trees can ' t be planted, however it is possible to clean a little spot of corruption, plant and grow a normal tree, then let corruption spread again. this should be done with care, since saplings are destroyed if they are reached by corruption. jungle trees jungle trees are darker green, wider trees only found in the jungle. they spawn randomly on jungle grass wide enough for a tree to grow on, and may also spawn under water. jungle trees drop wood like normal trees do, but like corrupt trees will not drop any acorns. jungle trees also grow higher than normal trees : up to 21 blocks. in hardmode, corruption spreads through mud, replacing it with dirt, and jungle trees turn into corrupt trees. sadly, because cleaning corruption will turn a corrupt tree into a normal tree, jungle trees are lost forever when they become corrupt. hallow trees trees found in the hallow have a taller and triangle - shaped foliage, and exist in many different colors : blue, red, light green, cyan, magenta, yellow and purple. normal trees turn into hallow trees when


the halliburton loophole despite the widespread use of the practice, and the risks hydraulic fracturing poses to human health and safe drinking water supplies, the u. s. environmental protection agency ( " epa " ) does not regulate the injection of fracturing fluids under the safe drinking water act. the oil and gas industry is the only industry in america that is allowed by epa to inject known hazardous materials - - unchecked - - directly into or adjacent to underground drinking water supplies. this exemption from the sdwa has become known as the " halliburton loophole " because it is widely perceived to have come about as a result of the efforts of vice president dick cheney ' s energy task force. before taking office, cheney was ceo of halliburton - - which patented hydraulic fracturing in the 1940s, and remains one of the three largest manufacturers of fracturing fluids. halliburton staff were actively involved in review of the 2004 epa report on hydraulic fracturing. several oil and gas producing states have regulations governing some aspects of hydraulic fracturing, but they rarely, if ever, do they require companies to provide detailed information on types and quantities of chemicals being used, and whether the amount injected underground returns to the surface or remains underground. additionally, in most states companies do not have to prove that fractures have stayed within the target formations. nor do companies have to monitor water quality when there are drinking water formations in close proximity to areas where hydraulic fracturing occurs. in 1997, the u. s. court of appeals for the 11th circuit ( atlanta ) ordered the epa to regulate hydraulic fracturing under the safe drinking water act. this decision followed a 1989 cbm fracturing operation in alabama that landowners say contaminated a residential water well. in 2000, in response to the 1997 court decision, the epa initiated a study of the threats to water supplies associated with the fracturing of coal seams for methane production. the primary goal of the study was to assess the potential for fracturing to contaminate underground drinking water supplies. meanwhile, in 2001, a special task force on energy policy convened by vice president dick cheney recommended that congress exempt hydraulic fracturing from the safe drinking water act. the epa completed its study in 2004, finding that fracturing " poses little or no threat " to drinking water. the epa also concluded that no further study of hydraulic fracturing was necessary. the 2004 epa study has been called " scientifically unsound " by epa whistleblower weston wilson. in an october 2004 letter to colorado ' s


to drinking water. the epa also concluded that no further study of hydraulic fracturing was necessary. the 2004 epa study has been called " scientifically unsound " by epa whistleblower weston wilson. in an october 2004 letter to colorado ' s congressional delegation, wilson recommended that epa continue investigating hydraulic fracturing and form a new peer review panel that would be less heavily weighted with members of the regulated industry. in march of 2005, epa inspector general nikki tinsley found enough evidence of potential mishandling of the epa hydraulic fracturing study to justify a review of wilson ' s complaints. the oil and gas accountability project ( ogap ) has conducted a review of the epa study. as reported in our drinking water at risk, we found that epa removed information from earlier drafts that suggested unregulated fracturing poses a threat to human health, and that the agency did not include information that suggests fracturing fluids may pose a threat to drinking water long after drilling operations are completed. ogap ' s review of relevant data on hydraulic fracturing suggests that there is insufficient information for epa to have concluded that hydraulic fracturing does not pose a threat to drinking water. in 2005, a national energy bill included the exemption of hydraulic fracturing from the safe drinking water act. this bill passed, with the exemption, although it left the door open for the epa to regulate the use of diesel in hydraulic fracturing operations. representatives degette, salazar and hinchey, and senators casey and schumer have introduced legislation to protect drinking water from oil and gas development - - including ending hydraulic fracturing ' s exemption to the safe drinking water act. h. r. 1084 and s. 587, the fracking responsibility and awareness of chemicals act ( frac act ), would close the halliburton loophole and require oil and gas companies to disclose the chemicals they use during the fracking process. local governments have written resolutions and letters supporting ending the hydraulic fracturing exemption to the safe drinking water act and requiring public disclosure of hydraulic fracturing chemicals. for more information : - earthworks : hydraulic fracturing - earthworks : protecting health, ensuring accountability - why we need the frac act. fact sheet. - earthworks ( and others ) : hydraulic fracturing and the frac act - frequently asked questions. fact sheet. - earthworks : the oil & gas industry ' s exclusions and exemptions to major environmental statutes. white paper. ( also available in distilled form as a fact sheet. ) legislation to end the


- frequently asked questions. fact sheet. - earthworks : the oil & gas industry ' s exclusions and exemptions to major environmental statutes. white paper. ( also available in distilled form as a fact sheet. ) legislation to end the halliburton loophole - text of the fracking responsibility and awareness of chemicals act ( frac act ) - earthworks press release - degette ' s press release halliburton loophole fact sheets & etc. - earthjustice, earthworks, nrdc, worc : congress should close the halliburton loophole, may 2009. - earthworks : safe drillers don ' t need the halliburton loophole, june 2009. fact sheet. - earthworks : frack fluids - - injected and left behind, june 2009. fact sheet. - earthworks / environmental working group : safe drinking water act should cover hydraulic fracturing, june 2009. fact sheet. - wiseman, hannah : untested waters : the rise of hydraulic fracturing in oil and gas production and the need to revisit regulation, spring 2009. in fordham environmental law review. ( asterisked resolutions explicitly support ending the halliburton loophole ) - city of durango * - city of glenwood springs * - county of huerfano county * - county of la plata * - county of pitkin * - county of san miguel county * - county of saguache * - county of saguache, baca grande water district * - town of carbondale * epa 2004 halliburton loophole study and earthworks / ogap response - environmental protection agency ' s 2004 study declaring hydraulic fracturing poses " little or no threat " - epa whistleblower weston wilson ' s 2004 letter declaring the epa fracking study " scientifically unsound " - ogap comments on epa draft study evaluation of impacts to underground sources of drinking water by hydraulic fracturing of coalbed methane reservoirs. ( october 2002 ) - report : our drinking water at risk. ogap ' s review of the epa ' s final study on evaluation of impacts to underground sources of drinking water by hydraulic fracturing of coalbed methane reservoirs. ( april, 2005 )


everyone knows that earth day is coming up, but there are also a few other environmentally - related events going on this month. - national environmental education week ( april 13 - 19 ) national environmental education week promotes the understanding and protection of the environment by actively engaging students and teachers in a week of environmental learning and service before earth day. register online to receive lesson plans, activities, and other resources. - national wildlife week ( april 19 - 27 ) get outside and watch for wildlife with national wildlife federation ’ s nature quest wildlife watch! you can participate by simply downloading a “ watch ” list of wildlife for your state, taking a walk around your schoolyard or favorite outdoor spot, and noting how many animals and plants you can find. afterwards, you can report your sightings online. - earth day ( april 22 ) participate in various earth day activities across the country. be sure to sign up as an educator to get access to the lesson plans and ideas! the no child left inside coalition is an organization made up of more than 190 groups from across the united states. the membership includes environmental, educational, business, public health, outdoor recreation and conservation groups. the no child left inside coalition speaks for a large group of americans who believe young people should receive a strong education about their natural world. i am a huge fan of this group. the group has presented the no child left inside act to congress and the latest news is that a subcommittee of the house education and labor committee will have a field hearing on the no child left inside act of 2007 – the first hearing on our legislation to date. the hearing will take place on earth day, from 12 : 30 p. m. to 2 : 30 p. m. at the patuxent wildlife research center in laurel, md. as an educator, i see the effects of nature deficit disorder in my classroom on a daily basis. this is a phenomenal organization and they could use all the support they can get!


news > scientists reconstruct red sea parting researchers at the us national center for atmospheric research ( ncar ) have produced a computer simulation that demonstrates how the parting of the red sea described in the book of exodus could have been caused by strong winds. the study, which is part of a larger project looking into the impact of winds on water depths, was published in the open - access journal plos one. in it, researchers produced a reconstruction of the likely geography of the nile delta during the old testament period, which has changed considerably over the intervening centuries. the researchers have identified a stretch of the nile where a strong east wind could conceivably have pushed the river back at a bend, opening up a walkway across the exposed mud flats and allowing the israelites to flee the approaching egyptians. " the simulations match fairly closely with the account in exodus, " carl drews of the ncar told the bbc. " the parting of the waters can be understood through fluid dynamics. the wind moves the water in a way that ' s in accordance with physical laws, creating a safe passage with water on two sides and then abruptly allowing the water to rush back in. " with the burning bush also potentially linked to freak environmental conditions, it remains to be seen how much else of the bible story can be explained by meteorology.


texas skunks risk life and limb during mating season. by sheryl smith - rodgers alas, pity the poor skunk. like snakes, spiders and vultures, this much - maligned creature receives little positive publicity and has next to no admirers. to top off its dismal — and foul - smelling — reputation, a skunk ’ s love life is rife with risks. come february — the start of breeding season — these shy, cat - sized creatures hit the road. literally. in their after - dark quests to find mates, males often venture onto highways and rarely make it across alive. “ we see more numbers of roadkill skunks in february and march than other times of the year, ” says robert dowler, a biologist with angelo state university. “ preliminary data suggests that roadkill rates of skunks may double in parts of texas during mating season. ” last february, dowler counted more than 50 dead skunks along the road on a 300 - mile trip to oklahoma. “ that ’ s roughly one dead skunk every six miles, ” he estimates. closer to home these days, dowler and a team of graduate students are wrapping up a three - year study on skunks — striped, western spotted and hog - nosed — living in and around san angelo state park. ( the two other north american species — eastern spotted and hooded — also live in texas. ) once completed, the study will reveal more about the secretive lives of skunks : what they eat ( typically grubs, insects and sometimes, mice and eggs ), how they interact, where they den, how far they roam, and what parasites afflict them. in the field, university researchers successfully monitored striped and western spotted skunks using radio collars, remote cameras and analysis of tracks. “ we found spotted skunks in thick brush and mesquite, ” dowler reports. “ striped skunks were there, too, and also in open fields. ” the hog - nosed species, however, stayed clear of traps. “ they ’ re almost impossible to capture, ” dowler says. “ we found them commonly as roadkill, but they wouldn ’ t go in our live traps. we tried for more than two years without success, using baits that included cat food, eggs, fruit and even a lure called liquid grub. nothing worked. ” the males who do successfully cross the road likely mate, then move on to find more available females. litter


pest advice - general publications full title : a field key to the most common lygus species found in agronomic crops of the central san joaquin valley of california. correct identification of captured lygus bugs and similar - looking insects is a key to accurate research and pest control. this publication and its companion publication ( key features of common lygus species... ) give point - by - point instructions. apples, broccoli, tomatoes, citrus, and a wide variety of other food crops are susceptible to alternaria diseases. learn how to recognize symptoms and control outbreaks. plant hosts, life cycle, crop damage, and pest management information for this pest of citrus and other closely related plants. barb goatgrass is a winter annual grass native to europe and western asia. it first appeared in california in the early 1900s, but only recently has it begun to spread widely, crowding out native vegetation. learn to identify and manage this hardy weed. information on how to " bee prepared " for the movement of the africanized honey bee into california. includes tips on how to identify africanized honey bees, bee - proofing your home, and what to do if stung. horseweed and hairy fleabane are showing increased resistance to chemical controls, including glyphosate. by learning about their biology and other control alternatives, you can do a better job of keeping on top of this pest problem. citrus canker and huanglongbing ( hlb, or citrus greening ) are two serious diseases that affect crops around the world, but have not yet infected california groves. this publication tells how to help keep the diseases out of california, and how to recognize them if or when they do arrive. citrus leafminer and citrus peelminer are serious pests of california citrus groves. learn how to tell them apart and how to apply appropriate control measures. includes many color photos. how to recognize and control louse and mite parasites on chickens, turkeys, and other poultry. color photographs. damping - off diseases affect vegetable crops worldwide. learn the basic on how these fungal diseases spread and what you can do to stop them. diaprepes root weevil is a serious pest of florida citrus, sweet potatoes, papayas, and ornamental plants, and it threatens to become established in california as well. this publication gives guidelines for pest identification and control. 23 color photos. now, instead of sending samples to a laboratory and waiting for answers, you can use quick and relatively simple, commercially available test kits to identify


to become established in california as well. this publication gives guidelines for pest identification and control. 23 color photos. now, instead of sending samples to a laboratory and waiting for answers, you can use quick and relatively simple, commercially available test kits to identify common plant viruses and root and crown decay fungi. you ’ ll also learn tips for good sampling technique critical to the effective use and interpretation of the tests. full title : establishing integrated pest management policies and programs : a guide for public agencies. adoption of a written ipm plan is an important first step in implementing integrated pest management practices. this publication takes you through the process, step by step. feral poultry - - whether escaped domestic birds or their offspring born in the wild - - cause property damage and other hazards. traps used for live - trapping mammals are ineffective against these birds. learn how to build and use a simple, effective trap. ferrisia gill is a mealybug species in california that affects pistachio plantings in 11 counties. find out how to monitor and control the pest ' s spread using biological and chemical means. flower flies ( also known as syrphids or hoverflies ) are effective predators against aphids in california vegetable fields. learn to recognize these aphid eaters and encourage them to help with your pest management. this publication describes syrphid flies and other natural enemies of aphids. it includes color photographs of the syrphid adults and larvae commonly seen in california vegetable crops. full title : guidelines for controlling listeria monocytogenes in small - to medium - scale packing and fresh - cut operations. new handling and packaging techniques can help keep this disease - causing bacterium out of refrigerated and ready - to - eat foods. a herbicide ceases to be a useful tool for farmers when its target weeds develop resistance to its effects. this publication helps you understand resistance : what causes it, and how you can slow or prevent its development. full title : insecticide and miticide resistance management in san joaquin valley cotton for 2001 it ' s a fine line : pest control chemicals can help cotton growers increase yields and reduce production costs, but poor chemical application techniques can lead to chemical - resistant pests that hurt yields and are much more difficult to manage. this publication tells you how chemical resistance works, and how you can help prevent its development. correct identification of captured lygus bugs and similar - looking insects is a key to accurate research and pest control. this identification key and its companion publication ( a field key to


you how chemical resistance works, and how you can help prevent its development. correct identification of captured lygus bugs and similar - looking insects is a key to accurate research and pest control. this identification key and its companion publication ( a field key to the most common lygus species... ) give point - by - point instructions. full title : managing hull - borne invasive species and coastal water quality for california and baja california boats kept in saltwater. information for boat owners, boat maintenance and repair businesses, port managers, scientists and policy makers. when you retain storm - generated drainwater to remove pollutants before releasing it into natural waterways, you can easily create an ideal mosquito - breeding habitat. this publication tells how to treat drainwater and still prevent mosquito infestations. constructed wetlands can provide many economic and environmental benefits, but due care must be taken to prevent mosquito infestations. mosquitoes can cause a variety of problems on the farm : they carry illness to humans, harm livestock, and reduce you property ' s value. learn the basics of agricultural mosquito control from this publication. full title : nursery guide for diseases caused by phytophthora ramorum on ornamentals : diagnosis and management. phytophthora ramorum has caused widespread mortality in native oaks and tanoaks in coastal areas of central and northern california. on oaks, the disease is commonly called sudden oak death. camellias, rhododendrons, and other popular ornamental plants are susceptible to infection, and the pathogen can be moved long distances through ship ments of infected nursery stock. federal and state quarantines are in effect that require nursery inspections, and if the pathogen is found, affected nursery stock must be destroyed as a means of eradication. leaf curl, also frequently referred to as peach leaf curl, is a disease caused by the fungus taphrina deformans. peach leaf curl affects the blossoms, fruit, leaves, and shoots of peaches, ornamental flowering peaches, and nectarines, and is one of the most common disease problems for backyard gardeners. the distorted, reddened foliage that it causes is easily seen in spring. when severe, the disease can reduce fruit production substantially. peach rust is a problem in every peach - growing area of california, but causes the greatest economic losses in sacramento valley orchards. color photos and descriptions in this publication help you identify this fungal disease and the conditions that encourage its development. insecticides, acaricides, fungicides, and herbicides listed


california, but causes the greatest economic losses in sacramento valley orchards. color photos and descriptions in this publication help you identify this fungal disease and the conditions that encourage its development. insecticides, acaricides, fungicides, and herbicides listed for use on 64 specialty crops or crop groups. pitch canker is a disease of pine trees that is caused by the fungus fusarium circinatum. the fungus causes infections ( lesions ) that can encircle or girdle branches, exposed roots, and the main stems ( trunks ) of pine trees. the tips of girdled branches wilt as a result of obstructed water flow, causing the needles to turn yellow, and then red. the stable fly ( stomoxys calcitrans ) is a serious pest of confined livestock, and is becoming a pest of pastured livestock as well. this publication will help you learn to identify the pest and manage infestations. sudden oak death, caused by phytophthora ramorum infection, has killed over a million oak trees in california. most infected trees do die of the disease, but this publication gives some steps you can take to prevent infection in the first place. sclerotinia diseases cause rotting in a variety of vegetable and floral crops. learn how to recognize and control outbreaks. the first thorough key to the identification of slugs in california. you may think all slugs look alike, but on closer examination you will be surprised at how they differ. color photographs. full title : stages of the cottony cushion scale ( icerya purchasi ) and its natural enemy, the vedalia beetle ( rodolia cardinalis ). color photos of various life stages of cottony cushion scale and a natural enemy used for its biocontrol, the vedalia beetle. cottony cushion scale is a pest of citrus and woody ornamentals. vine mealybug ( vmb ), a vineyard pest throughout the world, damages grape foliage and fruit, rendering the fruit unmarketable. this publication helps you identify and control vmb in california vineyards. organic vegetable production in california series. weed management in organic vegetable production systems must involve the use of many techniques and strategies, all with the goal of achieving economically acceptable weed control and crop yields. california master gardener tip sheet. in winter when many fruit trees go dormant, it ' s a great time to treat them for scale insects, mites, peach twig borer, aphids, leaf curl,


war of colonial aggression from uncyclopedia, the content - free encyclopedia | war of colonial aggression | | colonial insurgents | | british peacekeepers ( " redcoats " ) | | the great traitor, george washington | | general cornwallis | | rich slave - owning aristocrats, ignorant mobs | | truth, justice, and the british way | | " don ' t tread on me! " ( tm ) | the war of colonial aggression ( 1775 – 1783 ) was a cowardly and treacherous act of military disobedience against great britain by its thirteen dastardly colonies in north america, giving rise to a global holocaust on the soil of several european great powers. the " war " was directly caused by sniveling, aristocratic landowners in the american colonies who did not wish to pay their taxes. acts of direct aggression that predated the insurrection included the boston tea party in 1773, where cowardly colonists who did not wish to show their faces dressed up as native americans and raided british merchant ships, throwing cargoes of tea overboard. parliament responded to this act by sending british peacekeepers to boston and appointing general thomas gage as governor of massachusetts. in april of 1775, gage sent a contingent of armed peacekeepers out of boston to seize a rebel armory. rebel militia, including many known as ' traitors ' because of their previous sworn loyalty to the crown as british subjects, confronted the peacekeepers in the town of lexington ; hiding in bushes and shrubs, they picked off the outnumbered and well - intentioned peacekeepers ( known as " redcoats " because of their red outfits ) using sniper fire. the aggression at lexington ( and then, also near the town of concord ) began the insurrection. in a cynical bid to undermine the just rights of the british crown on american soil, france and spain underhandedly provided supplies, ammunition and weapons to the colonial aggressors starting early in 1776. after early british success, the insurrection became a standoff. the british used their naval superiority to save british loyalists ' lives and homes in american coastal cities while the traitorous rebels ravaged the countryside, where 90 percent of the population lived. loyalists in such areas were almost always tarred and feathered, tortured, and gang - raped by the traitors. worse yet, the colonial aggressors ' notorious decimation of an entire detachment of british peacekeepers at the battle of saratoga in 1777 convinced the lily - livered french to openly enter the war in early 1778, unfairly bringing the ag


worse yet, the colonial aggressors ' notorious decimation of an entire detachment of british peacekeepers at the battle of saratoga in 1777 convinced the lily - livered french to openly enter the war in early 1778, unfairly bringing the aggressors ' military strength into balance with britain ' s. for the only time in history, french involvement proved decisive ; with a french naval victory in the chesapeake, the british peacekeepers were forced to surrender a second legion of peacekeepers or else face unspeakable war - crimes at the hands of the colonial aggressors. the surrender marked the end of the traitors ' siege of yorktown in 1781. in 1783, the treaty of paris ended the insurrection and begrudgingly recognized the sovereignty of the united states over the territory bounded roughly by what is now canada to the north, florida to the south, and the mississippi river to the west. edit combatants before 1778 edit traitorous colonial insurgents being a band of brigands and outlaws, the aggressors within the 13 colonies started off their insurrection with no professional army or navy. each colony provided insurgents using homegrown terrorist methods devised by local strongmen. insurgents were poorly armed, had only terrorist training, and rarely had clothes. like a pack of feral dogs, they lacked the training and discipline of soldiers with more experience, but were so numerous they could overwhelm regular peacekeeping forces, as at the battles of concord, bennington and saratoga, and the siege of boston. the colonial aggressors used guerrilla warfare in contravention of international law and were particularly effective at suppressing loyalist activity when british peacekeepers were not in the area. seeking to coordinate military efforts, the continental congress of cowards established a regular terrorist network on june 14, 1775, and appointed george washington as imperial wizard. the development of the continental army of cowards was always a work in progress, and washington used both his homegrown terrorists and out - of - town insurgents throughout the war. the terrorist network was formed at a tavern in philadelphia during one of washington ' s drinking binges on november 10, 1775, a date that lives in infamy. a continental navy of rowboats was also created. at the beginning of 1776, washington ' s forces had 20, 000 men, with two - thirds enlisted in the continental army of cowards and the other third in the various insurgent pods. at the end of the war of colonial aggression in 1783, both the continental navy of rowboats and continental terrorist network were


000 men, with two - thirds enlisted in the continental army of cowards and the other third in the various insurgent pods. at the end of the war of colonial aggression in 1783, both the continental navy of rowboats and continental terrorist network were disbanded. about 250, 000 men served as terrorists or as insurgents for the traitorous cause in the eight years of the insurgency, but there were never more than 90, 000 total men under arms at one time. edit heroic loyalists historians have estimated that approximately 10 – 15 % of the colonists actively supported the rebellion while 85 – 90 % of the population of the 13 colonies remained loyal to the british crown. at least 25, 000 loyalists risked their lives, family, and property to fight on the side of the british. scores and scores of them were martyred, but thousands lived on to serve in the royal navy. on land, loyalist forces fought alongside the british peacekeepers in most battles in north america. a large number of freed black slaves took up the loyalist cause as well, noting that the british crown was willing to treat them as full human beings rather than mere chattel. this was much to the chagrin of the colonial aggressors, who lost a major portion of their manpower in the process. edit british peacekeepers and auxiliaries early in 1775, the british army consisted of about 36, 000 men worldwide, but wartime recruitment steadily increased this number. great britain had no problem finding general officers to police the rogue colonists. general thomas gage, in command of british forces in north america when the rebellion started, was lauded for his stern but fair treatment of the terrorists. general jeffrey amherst quickly accepted an appointment as commander in chief due to the obvious righteousness of britain ' s cause. similarly, admiral augustus keppel took on a command, saying " i must draw my sword in support of the cause against the colonial aggressors. " the earl of effingham very publicly renewed his commission when his 22nd regiment of foot was posted to america, and william howe and john burgoyne were both members of parliament who lauded peacekeeping by force against the american rebellion. howe and henry clinton ( 1730 – 1795 ) both made statements that they could not imagine orders more heartfelt than those telling them to repress the colonial insurgents. over the course of the war, great britain signed treaties with various germans in german states, which supplied about 30, 000 soldiers. for one time in history, the germans took up a noble cause, and ended up comprising about one - third of the


over the course of the war, great britain signed treaties with various germans in german states, which supplied about 30, 000 soldiers. for one time in history, the germans took up a noble cause, and ended up comprising about one - third of the british troop strength in north america. hesse - kassel contributed more soldiers than any other state, and german soldiers became known as " hessians " to the americans. traitorous speakers called german soldiers " foreign mercenaries, " and they are scorned as such in that rag, the declaration of independence. by 1779, the number of british and german troops stationed in north america was over 60, 000, although these were spread from canada to florida. the secretary of state at war lord barrington and the adjutant - general edward harvey were both completely in favor of outright war on land. in 1776 barrington weighed against withdrawing the army from the 13 colonies to canada, nova scotia and florida. at the beginning of the war he also urged a naval blockade, which would quickly damage the colonists ' trading activities. edit an international holocaust caused by colonial aggression, 1778 – 1783 in 1778, the war over the traitorous rebellion in north america became international, spreading not only to europe but to european colonies in the west indies and in india. from 1776 france had informally been involved, with french admiral pepe le pu having provided supplies, ammunition and guns from france to the insurgents after colonial grand cyclops thomas jefferson had encouraged a french alliance, and guns such as the de valliere type were used, playing an important role in such battles as the battle of saratoga. after learning of the american victory at saratoga, france signed the treaty of alliance with the united states on february 6, 1778, formalizing the franco - american alliance negotiated by benjamin franklin. spain entered the war as an ally of france in june 1779. the colonial aggressors attempted to shift the focus of their plight to the world stage by setting up covert death camps in the netherlands, lichtenstein, liberia, and rwanda. the terrorists would kidnap loyalists and ship them to ports of death in these places, holding them for ransom while working them to death. thus began a true holocaust of loyalists, which lasted until the end of the insurrection. worse yet, france ' s formal entry into the war meant that british naval superiority was now contested. french financial assistance to the colonial aggressors ' violent efforts was already of critical importance, and french military aid to the traitors showed detrimental results in july 1780 with the advent of a large force of soldiers led


british naval superiority was now contested. french financial assistance to the colonial aggressors ' violent efforts was already of critical importance, and french military aid to the traitors showed detrimental results in july 1780 with the advent of a large force of soldiers led by cardinal richelieu. edit yorktown and the brave sacrifice of cornwallis the northern, southern, and naval theaters of the insurgency converged in 1781 at yorktown, virginia. general cornwallis of the british, having been ordered to occupy a fortified position that could be resupplied ( and evacuated, if necessary ) by sea, had settled in yorktown, on the york river, which was navigable by sea - going vessels. aware that the arrival of the french fleet from the west indies would give the cowardly french and colonials control of the chesapeake, imperial wizard washington began moving the colonial and french forces south toward virginia in august. in early september, french naval forces defeated a british fleet at the battle of the chesapeake, cutting off cornwallis ' rightful path to safety. when the great traitor washington arrived outside yorktown, the combined franco - american force of 18, 900 men began besieging cornwallis in early october. for several days, the french and colonials bombarded the british defenses, and then began taking the outer positions. cornwallis decided his position was becoming untenable, since he knew he risked watching his entire force suffer gang - rape and beheading if he ultimately lost the battle. seeing no other way to ensure the safety of his peacekeeping redcoats, he surrendered his entire force of peacekeepers on october 19, 1781. with the surrender at yorktown, king george lost control of parliament to the betrayal party, and there were no further major military activities in north america. the british had 30, 000 garrison troops occupying new york city, charleston, and savannah, but cowardice from within the empire allowed the terrorists in the colonies to gain the upper hand there. the insurgency continued elsewhere, including the operation of death camps against loyalists in the east and west indies, until peace was agreed in 1783. edit treaty of paris — the colonial dogs have their day in london, as the colonial propaganda machine caused british popular support for loyalists to plummet after yorktown, prime minister lord north resigned. in april 1782, the house of commons voted to end the hostilities in america. preliminary peace articles were signed in paris at the end of november, 1782 ; the formal end of the war did not occur until the treaty of paris and treaties of versailles were signed on


1782, the house of commons voted to end the hostilities in america. preliminary peace articles were signed in paris at the end of november, 1782 ; the formal end of the war did not occur until the treaty of paris and treaties of versailles were signed on september 3, 1783. the last british troops left new york city on november 25, 1783, and the continental congress of cowards ratified the paris treaty on january 14, 1784. edit historical assessment : america done britain wrong edit advantages and disadvantages of the opposing sides the colonial aggressors began the insurgency with a number of advantages compared to the british. due to the fact that they had no national government, no national army or navy, and no financial system, it was impossible for the british to strike effectively at any centralized force within the colonial terrorist network. further, the colonial aggressors had a large, prosperous population that depended not on imports but on local production for food and most supplies. they were on their home ground, had a smoothly functioning, well organized system of local and state governments, newspapers and printers, and internal lines of communications. they also had a long - established system of local terrorist cells. at first glance, it seems britain should have easily been able to dispense with the colonial aggressors. it had a large, efficient, and well - financed government with good credit, as well as the largest and best navy in the world. however, distance was a major problem : british peacekeepers and supplies had to be shipped across the atlantic ocean. the british usually had logistical problems whenever they operated away from port cities. additionally, ocean travel meant that british communications were always about two months out of date : by the time british generals in america received their orders from london, the military situation had usually changed. suppressing the cowardly dog insurgents in america also posed other problems. since the colonies covered a large area and had not been united before the insurgency, there was no central area of strategic importance. in europe, the capture of a capital often meant the end of a war ; in america, when the british saved cities such as new york and philadelphia for the loyalists, the insurgency continued unabated. furthermore, the large size of the colonies meant that the british lacked the manpower to control them by force. once any area had been occupied, peacekeepers had to be kept there or the terrorist dogs would regain control. in addition, despite the professionalism and discipline of the british peacekeepers, unlawful and cowardly guerrilla warfare and skirmishing greatly hindered their


even earlier at the beginning of the nineteenth century, british traders already sensed that their reliance on china as the sole source of tea could not continue indefinitely. china ' s monopoly on commercial tea production was fast becoming unacceptable to england, and the illicit opium trade continually aggravated the chinese government. for decades prior to the outbreak of the opium wars, alternate attempts at tea cultivation in climatically favorable areas controlled by the british empire offered little success. several of these early attempts to bring tea plants to europe also failed, either because the plants perished in transit or because the plants that survived turned out to be varieties other than the tea - producing camellia sinensis. so dismal were european attempts at tea cultivation that by 1763, members of the french academy of sciences pronounced that the tea bush was so unique to china that it could not be grown anywhere else in the world. even while the academy was making its dire declaration, however, swedish and english botanists achieved limited success in the cultivation of camellia sinensis in botanical gardens, but a number of errors would be made before these various attempts in growing tea if europeans knew little about the preparation of tea as a drink, they knew even less about the optimum growing conditions of the tea plant - - such as the fact that certain varieties of camellia sinensis thrive in rather specific climates at certain altitudes. little was also known about the actual processing of the leaves for the final product. understandably, the chinese were quite satisfied with the ignorance of the foreigners, and they showed little interest in sharing their knowledge with anyone who might jeopardize their monopoly. in addition to substituting ordinary camellia plants for exported tea seedlings, the chinese more than likely boiled tea seeds to prevent germination. but why did the europeans need to rely on china for a supply of tea seeds or plants? afterall, scotsman robert bruce had discovered a tea plant ( camellia sinensis assamica ) growing wild in the assam district of india in the 1830s. why not simply cultivate native tea in india rather than the often - sabotaged china variety? conventional wisdom of the time held that only chinese bushes could yield the leaves essential to a quality finished product, so the wild assam bushes were looked upon as inferior. acres of the naturally thriving assam plants were uprooted to make room for the difficult china seedlings. failed attempts at cultivating chinese tea varieties in india were undoubtedly frustrating for all involved, but these efforts surely appeared futile to those who believed that the native assam varieties offered more promise. success with india grown


to make room for the difficult china seedlings. failed attempts at cultivating chinese tea varieties in india were undoubtedly frustrating for all involved, but these efforts surely appeared futile to those who believed that the native assam varieties offered more promise. success with india grown china tea finally came - - although the early yield was less than inspiring in both quantity and quality. weighing approximately 350 pounds, the first commercial batch of indian tea was shipped to london in may 1838 and arrived 6 months later in november. attracting considerable interest from all sectors of the tea trade, this historical tea was classified according to chinese nomenclature as souchong and pekoe and sold for between 16 and 34 shillings per pound. still, england was far from gaining independence from the chinese tea monopoly ; that year alone over 30 million pounds of chinese tea entered the ignorant of the magnitude of the challenge that lay ahead, thousands of london spectators eagerly invested in the fledgling indian tea enterprise with hopes of earning huge profits from the new business. predictably, those expecting to make a quick fortune from their investment were grossly disappointed because the small advances in production could be funded only through enormous increases in expenses. impatient investors sold their shares at a considerable loss, but those who truly believed in the future of the india tea venture - - and stayed the course against all odds - - would ultimately be rewarded. with new emphasis on the high - yielding, indigenous tea plants, the turn - around of fortunes began in 1847, and gradual but significant improvements in production rekindled the waning enthusiasm for the india tea trade. ultimately, india would become the world ' s largest tea producing country. by the early 1900s, production of india tea exceeded 350 million pounds - - over a million times the amount produced in 1838! " upton tea imports was founded in 1989 with the objective of providing the north american tea drinker with the finest teas available. we purchase teas from reputable brokers and estates worldwide, dealing only with sources who are capable of providing top quality teas. we sell directly to the consumer, thus ensuring the freshest product and fairest pricing. "


you are here sete vin - mutrayor garte sa jantur jantu - sambhave in the markandeya purana it is said that in the intestine of the mother the umbilical cord, which is known as apyayani, joins the mother to the abdomen of the child, and through this passage the child within the womb accepts the mother ’ s assimilated foodstuff. in this way the child is fed by the mother ’ s intestine within the womb and grows from day to day. the statement of the markandeya purana about the child ’ s situation within the womb is exactly corroborated by modern medical science, and thus the authority of the puranas cannot be disproved, as is sometimes attempted by the mayavadi philosophers. since the child depends completely on the assimilated foodstuff of the mother, during pregnancy there are restrictions on the food taken by the mother. too much salt, chili, onion and similar food is forbidden for the pregnant mother because the child ’ s body is too delicate and new for him to tolerate such pungent food. restrictions and precautions to be taken by the pregnant mother, as enunciated in the smrti scriptures of vedic literature, are very useful. we can understand from the vedic literature how much care is taken to beget a nice child in society. the garbhadhana ceremony before sexual intercourse was compulsory for persons in the higher grades of society, and it is very scientific. other processes recommended in the vedic literature during pregnancy are also very important. to take care of the child is the primary duty of the parents because if such care is taken, society will be filled with good population to maintain the peace and prosperity of the society, country and human race.


surprise, surprise... junk food is bad for you. back in january, the journal of the american college of cardiology reported that just one high - fat, high - sugar meal can trigger a biochemical cascade, causing inflammation of blood vessels and immediate, detrimental changes to the nervous system. the good news is that just one healthy meal helps return your body to its optimal state. ( source : one meal to good ( or bad ) health ) most people are aware that there are long term implications involved in their dietary choices. what isn ' t generally known is that there are short - term implications to your health as well, which is why you typically feel bad after a junk - food fest. however, if your diet consists of a lot of junk food, you may not experience that ill - feeling. junk food distorts a person ' s hormonal profile, says o ' keefe. studies suggest that fatty, sugary foods promote excretion of the stress hormone cortisol, which seems to further stimulate appetite for calorie - dense foods. and the big post - meal spikes in blood sugar are more likely in people who don ' t exercise or those who carry weight around their abdomen. all of it makes it tough for people to stop eating junk food once they ' re in the habit. " the more you eat it the more you crave it. it becomes a vicious cycle. " " your health and vigor, at a very basic level, are as good as your last meal, " says lead author james o ' keefe, head of preventive cardiology at the mid america heart institute in kansas city, mo. when jane and i first went vegan, we found ourselves in a place where we didn ' t really know what we could eat, so most of our meals were steamed veggies with tofu and a salad ; or lentil soup with a crusty bread and salad... traditional vegan fare. our meals were comprised of things that were closer to whole foods, than processed foods. as we ' ve become more comfortable with what ingredient are permissible, we find our diet has started to include items that might be problematic ( see jane ' s addiction ). and while there ' s room for some junk food in a vegan diet, we find ourselves at the precipice of a slippery slope. jane ' s buying a bag or two of snappea crisps every week, and i ' ve developed an addiction to her brownies. summer is almost


volume and intensity training volume and training intensity have historically been the two main variables in any plan to improve physical fitness. volume refers to how much you train. intensity refers to how hard you train. manipulating these variables has traditionally been the staple of any endurance program. the training season usually starts with high volume and low intensity. as training progresses, the volume decreases and intensity increases ( figure 1. 1 ). what if i told you there is a better way? only half of our training improves in fitness. the problem is to know which half. whether that half is volume or intensity remains to be seen, but there is increasing evidence that intensity is the more important half. if you increased volume and intensity together, you would surely burn out from physical exhaustion. if you increased only volume, you wouldn ’ t see any significant improvement. if you train by manipulating intensity, you will improve. why, then, do we focus so much on volume? tradition. that ’ s the way training has always been done. the great racers used to do it. the great riders now do it. maybe the people who excel in a sport are the people whose bodies adapt well to traditional training. when i first started racing, i had coaches whose traditional plans developed national and olympic champions. we did high intensity on tuesday, wednesday, and thursday and then raced on the weekends. the people who improved with this schedule were the people who recovered well. there were only two days off — nonconsecutive days — per week. intensity and recovery it ’ s time to start thinking of training as manipulations not of volume and intensity but of intensity and recovery. using training principles taken from the exercise - science research, you can maximize your improvements while optimizing your recovery. if traditional training has worked for you, then you already should have achieved great success in cycling. if you feel you could progress further, you should examine your motives for choosing workouts and building a training plan. “ because it works for him ” is an unproductive way to approach a training plan. just because a plan works for the other guy doesn ’ t mean it will work for you. if you want to excel in cycling, you need to adapt the training to your body. i will show you how intensity and recovery can help you reach your goals.


anatomic and physiologic considerations are the basis for proper diagnostic techniques. we will discuss basic diagnostic procedures and relative pharmacological consideration to enhance the ophthalmic examination. normal anatomy and physiology the eye is a sensitive neurological tissue and is considered the anterior extension of the brain. it functions to translate light waves into a nerve impulse, which can then be interpreted by the brain as sight. the eye is extremely delicate and sensitive, and has special anatomic and physiologic adaptations. a basic understanding of ocular anatomy and physiology are necessary to appreciate abnormalities and understand their significance. the eyes and their associated structures are bilateral and symmetrical in most species. eyelids protect, lubricate and meter out excessive light. the shape of the palpebral fissure is species and breed dependent. a wide variation among the breeds results in a particular facial expression. two main sets of muscles control eyelid position. the orbicularis muscles, innervated by the facial nerve, close the eyelid. the levator palpebral muscle innervated by the oculomotor nerve raises the upper eyelid. the margins of the eyelids contain specialized cilia known as eyelashes, and openings to the sebaceous meibomian glands provide oily secretions. the glands of zeis and moll are sebaceous and sweat glands that are associated with the follicles of the eyelash. the conjunctiva is the mucous membrane lining inside of the eyelids ( palpebral conjunctiva ) and is continuous onto the anterior sclera ( bulbar conjunctiva ). the palpebral conjunctiva is thicker and pink - red in color, whereas the bulbar conjunctiva is very thin, colorless and nearly transparent. both contain blood vessels which when irritated will become congested and red. jaundice contrition will give the conjunctiva a yellowish color. anemia will give it a blanched, pale appearance. the third eyelid ( nictitating membrane ) is a specialized conjunctival structure of non - primate animals. it serves to protect the cornea, secrete part of the tear film and fight infection via lymph follicles. this is supported by a t - shaped piece of cartilage and at the base of this cartilage is the gland of the third eyelid, which produces a significant quantity of tears. the excursion of the nicti


what are bitcoins, everybody asks. the usual answer is “ they are a distributed, semi - anonymous, peer to peer, cryptographic digital currency ” or something along those lines, but there is another simpler way to look at bitcoins. bitcoins are a tech stock – tech because they solve a technological problem and have a technological use, and stock because they can be bought and sold on open market. imagine a startup arrived in silicon valley one day and said they were going to create a digital currency which would succeed. a digital currency that overcomes the many limitations and fatal flaws of all its predecessors. i wonder how we could quantify it ’ s value in terms of vc funding, and once it reached a market cap of $ 300 million, its value as an acquisition? let ’ s look at three start ups who received over $ 100million each in vc funding. dropbox has received over $ 250 million in venture capital funding, for a service that essentially stores files. airbnb, a space rental service ( generally for holidays ) has received $ 119 million in funding. homeaway, a vacation property booking services has raised over $ 500 million. and let ’ s look at a few startups that have sold for over $ 1billion. instagram, a simple photo sharing platform, sold to facebook for $ 1billion. youtube, the video sharing site we all know and love, sold to google for $ 1. 6billion and doubleclick for $ 3billion. yahoo bought an internet radio service for $ 5. 7billion, geocities ( now defunct ) for $ 3. 6billion, overture services inc for $ 1. 6 billion and various others. microsoft purchased visio software for $ 1. 3 billion, navision for $ 1. 3 billion, aquantive for $ 6. 3 billion, fast search and transfer for $ 1. 1 billion, skype for $ 8. 5 billion and yammer for $ 1. 2 billion in the above examples i ’ ve listed 12 companies that were sold for a total of $ 36, 200, 000, 000. just 12 companies! and let ’ s not even talk about the tech stocks which have floated on stock exchanges! all of these companies have one thing in common, commerciality. each requires a monetary transaction of some description to have been worth investing in or buying, in the first place. now imagine a technology which facilitates the commerciality of all trade. the current market cap of bitcoins


thing in common, commerciality. each requires a monetary transaction of some description to have been worth investing in or buying, in the first place. now imagine a technology which facilitates the commerciality of all trade. the current market cap of bitcoins is around $ 300 million. if bitcoins are a more commercial, more versatile and more readily traded tech stock ( and they are ), i don ’ t think it ’ s far fetched for bitcoin as a tech stock to be worth more than instagram. in that case their value should increase by 330 %. in fact i don ’ t think its far fetched to suggest bitcoins are a more commercial, readily traded, versatile and also sustainable tech stock than all of the above combined, in which case they are under valued by 11900 %. ie. they should be trading at $ 3284 per bitcoin. in my mind it goes even further. apple is a company that simply sells computers, phones and software, and its value peaked at around $ 650 billion. i think this is a realistic market cap for bitcoins to hit within 10 years, at a value per coin of $ 55, 000 each. imagine again for a second that the general public could have invested and the ground level with each of the above companies, ala kick starter. with bitcoins they can, and what ’ s more, this investment is more secure, more liquid, and more useful than any of the aforementioned investments could ever have been. bitcoins aren ’ t just a digital currency, they are a tech stock


authors : j. marvin herndon ours is a time of unparalleled richness in astronomical observations, but understanding seems to be absent throughout broad areas of astrophysics. among some groups of astrophysicists there appears to be measured degrees of consensus, as indicated by the prevalence of so - called " standard models ", but in science consensus is nonsense ; science is a logical process, not a democratic process, and logical connections in many instances seem to be lacking. so the question astrophysicists should ask is this : " what ' s wrong with astrophysics? " finding out what ' s wrong is not only the necessary precursor to righting what ' s wrong, but will open the way to new advances in astrophysics. toward that end, one may question the basic assumptions upon which astrophysics is founded, as well as question the approaches astrophysicists currently employ. here i describe one methodology and provide specific examples, the details of which are set forth elsewhere [ 1 - 3 ]. in doing so, i place into a logical sequence seemingly unrelated astronomical observations, including certain hubble space telescope images, so that causal relationships become evident and understanding becomes possible ; as a consequence, profound new implications follow, for example bearing on the origin of diverse galactic structures and the origin of the heavy elements. comments : recovered from sciprint. org [ v1 ] 2 apr 2008 unique - ip document downloads : 29 times add your own feedback and questions here :


authored by : sam jarmasz, rachel erickson, and helga jakobson on august 25, 2011 and so, the end of summer has arrived. after six adventurous weeks we find ourselves reminiscing about our many adventures. from day one, we knew that we would have an exciting summer. the energy and enthusiasm that the campers brought with them set the pace for a fun - filled summer! it was wonderful how a trip to the zoo to visit the live animals gave birth to the dynamic “ living sculptures ” that the children created. through various projects during the animaniart camp, the children were able to practice multiple mediums, such as painting, drawing, sculpting, etc., and through trips to the farm, zoo, and horse show, they were able to practice field drawing and collect source materials. our very favourite part was witnessing the excitement that came from the children inventing their own original animals, and allowing them to come to life. throughout the weeks of junior architect camp, we engaged with winnipeg ’ s downtown area, and explored the city with new eyes. the children worked with these new environments in their sketch books to collect ideas and inspiration for the building of their own miniature cities. throughout the week the children got the chance to see what it would be like to be an architect. a process that began with preliminary sketches of floor plans and rough building designs ended with the 3 - d construction of that same building. the children worked together as city planners, deciding where the roads would run through their jigsaw puzzle cities, and adding in green space, bike paths, and even solar panels! during graffiti week we exposed the children to winnipeg ’ s urban culture. a wonderful field trip to the graffiti gallery taught the children how to break dance and work with graffiti lettering on unconventional surfaces. by exploring the west end on a mural tour, the children learned how winnipeggers are working with public art to build community and send positive messages that deter vandalism and defacement. the children worked together to make their own murals, and practiced learning graffiti scripts and techniques throughout the week. it was exciting to watch them focus on the messages that they would like to share with the world and work through creative mediums to get those ideas out there. the wag summer art camps were a huge success, and we are proud to have been a part of it. we hope everyone had a fantastic summer, and we hope to see you all ( and more ) next year! comments are now closed


a people ' s constitutional convention from previously written material that needs repeating - the idea of a people ' s constitutional convention is not new. over the years, many individuals and organizations have advocated such an event for a variety of causes. the original constitutional convention convened on and off in various locations, from may 25th, 1787 to september 17th, 1787 when the constitution was signed and sent to the states for ratification. but regardless of the participation or intention of the fifty - five aristocrats in the formation of that document, the document in question, the american constitution, still belongs to the people. this has forever been written as being fact in our original founding document, that being the declaration of independence. take a moment to re - read the opening of that document at http : / / www. wtpnet. org / documents / decl _ of _ ind _ passed. html regardless of what the courts or congress have said about the rights of the people, or the extent of the people ' s authority over government, this document is clear. it clearly indicates " that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights ; that among these are life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness : that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed ; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, & to institute new government, laying it ' s foundation on such principles, & organizing it ' s powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety & happiness. " and further on it reads " it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government, & to provide new guards for their future security. " not much ambiguity here. now obviously, just telling the government to shape up, of course accomplishes nothing. we can say we have these rights over and over until we are blue in the face, and quite possibly in prison, or dead. but if you have a grass roots movement united on a single front, that front being the people ' s constitutional convention, you might just end up with a majority of the population speaking loudly and clearly enough, that compliance on the part of the government becomes mandatory by default. here ' s how it might work : first thing is to organize at the local level on the idea of a people ' s constitutional convention, with proposed constitutional amendments. once this catches on across the country, then move to the


becomes mandatory by default. here ' s how it might work : first thing is to organize at the local level on the idea of a people ' s constitutional convention, with proposed constitutional amendments. once this catches on across the country, then move to the next step. delegates are elected at the local level to attend regional conventions. these delegates will poll their constituencies to get an accurate report on what the people want strengthened in the constitution and what they want changed about government. this report will be the message of the delegate at the regional convention. the job of the regional convention is to debate and vote, so as to combine all the delegates polls into one coherent amendment package. these delegates then go to the state conventions, repeating the process. the amendment package that has thus been debated and voted upon, then moves on to the national convention. the final amendment package coming out of the national convention is a directive to congress, to the executive, and to the courts. according to the declaration of independence, this people ' s directive will supersede all existing law. all that ' s left after the congress does their job, by implementing the amendment package, is for the states to ratify the amendments. once ratified by the states, the newly amended people ' s constitution becomes the law of the land. now, if we don ' t really have this right, this original authority, then we the people have been lied to. everything taught to us about our country and the founding fathers is a lie. everything taught to our children in schools about our government is a lie. the declaration of independence is just a piece of paper. i don ' t think so. i suspect that the government, given the political choice, would capitulate in favor of the people, rather than risk an all - out revolution. after all, we are talking about america here, aren ' t we? here ' s more on the issue that is excerpted from an article i previously wrote, and that addressed several concerns. all the peace and social justice activists that i have talked to want the same things. they want what most people want, that is, equal rights and justice for all people everywhere, affordable education and health care, opportunity and quality of life, and a clean and healthy planet to live on. regardless of the particular issue, there are common threads interwoven into most, if not all, of the issues. these threads include, but are not limited to, government corruption, excessive corporate power, and an unfair class - driven election process that keeps high level political


issue, there are common threads interwoven into most, if not all, of the issues. these threads include, but are not limited to, government corruption, excessive corporate power, and an unfair class - driven election process that keeps high level political office out of the reach of the average working class individual. there are other fundamental issues as well, but these particular three go a long way toward fostering the crisis that we the people currently face in this country. think about it. nearly every issue that we are fighting in our many different causes can be traced back to a common thread, a fundamental flaw in our society. it seems logical that any long - term solution should address these flaws. otherwise it ' s like trying to get rid of a noxious weed by picking off its leaves. the problem is going to come back. so how do we get at the root? well you start by taking stock in the tools you have available. our most powerful tool that we collectively share is the fact that we the people are popular sovereigns. this is the authority that we the people declared in the declaration of independence. if you can get the majority of people in this country to realize the truth, then you have your sovereignty ' muscle '. then you flex that popular sovereignty muscle by calling a constitutional convention and amending the constitution. most left - leaning progressives tend to shudder whenever you mention the constitution as something that we should all embrace as activists working for change. i ' ve heard it all, from " the constitution is no longer relevant ", and " that authority no longer exists ", and " constitutionalism is the refuge of right wing extremists and gun nuts ", to " the constitution was written by rich white men ". i also get told by some that what i propose is unrealistic, that i should just select a smaller issue, and join the ranks of those " picking away at the problem " ; or that what i propose is dangerous, not only to ourselves, but to the constitution as well. some say it will " put the constitution up for grabs " because the convention delegations would be filled with existing legislators who would dominate the process. i understand what people are saying regarding some of the potential risks, however, i disagree with them on many of the variables. for instance, i believe that in a normal political environment, article v of the constitution does indeed govern the process of conventions. however, in a political environment that has created a legitimate threat to the future integrity of the rule of constitutional law, such


. for instance, i believe that in a normal political environment, article v of the constitution does indeed govern the process of conventions. however, in a political environment that has created a legitimate threat to the future integrity of the rule of constitutional law, such as exists in this country right now, then i believe the provisions in the declaration of independence are quite clear : “ we hold these truths to be self - evident : that all men are created equal ; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights ; that among these are life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness : that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed ; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, & to institute new government, laying it ’ s foundation on such principles, & organizing it ’ s powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety & happiness. ” the people ’ s election of new delegates, not existing legislators, is our right under the authority inferred in the preamble to the declaration of independence, as well as being enumerated in the signing statement by george washington and william jackson that appears just after the signature portion of the constitution. it reads the following : that the preceding constitution be laid before the united states in congress assembled, and that it is the opinion of this convention, that it should afterwards be submitted to a convention of delegates, chosen in each state by the people thereof, under the recommendation of its legislature, for their assent and ratification ; and that each convention assenting to and ratifying the same, should give notice thereof to the united states in congress assembled. ” … be submitted to a convention of delegates, chosen in each state by the people thereof … the requirement of being “ under the recommendation of it ’ s legislature ” goes out the window when you have a legitimate constitutional crisis. the authority that is inherent to the people under the declaration of independence is absolute over the government, when we the people need it to be, in order to preserve and defend the constitution. it is not just my opinion. numerous law professors from such venerable institutions as yale and harvard, as well as past supreme courts, have written in court decisions and opinion papers that our rights are absolute and are not subject to alteration by the government, technically that is. the online library at wtpnet. org has many of these documents available for download. the


past supreme courts, have written in court decisions and opinion papers that our rights are absolute and are not subject to alteration by the government, technically that is. the online library at wtpnet. org has many of these documents available for download. the web address is http : / / www. wtpnet. org / library. html these same documents also assert that we the people are popular sovereigns over our government. we the people have all the rights, the government exists on privilege. the people ’ s rights are inherent and natural rights, and therefore absolute and not subject to alteration. the government is only granted the privilege of acting on our behalf. we the people have only delegated our authority, we have not given it away. the constitution of the state of california, the state in which i reside, backs up this statement from the declaration with it ’ s provision in article ii, section 1 : “ all political power is inherent in the people. government is instituted for their protection, security, and benefit, and they have the right to alter or reform it, when the public good may require. ” one of the biggest misconceptions in our country, is that the constitution is the authority that governs we the people. not true. the constitution is a framework for the operation of government, nothing more. we the people created the constitution in order to keep our newly created government from recreating king george. our authority as popular sovereigns is declared to king george and the rest of the world in the declaration of independence, our true founding document, and that which ultimately governs the actions of we the people. the congress, courts, and political pundits can say all they want about that only being " original authority ", however the mere fact that the declaration of independence sits under glass at the national archives attests to it ’ s venerated place in our national persona. it is this very fact that makes it so that it does not matter who wrote it, or for what reason. i say it again. it doesn ' t matter why it exists. what matters, is that it does exist. all we have to do is have the courage to pick it up. if a united movement of the people in this country framed its campaign as one in which we are defending not just the constitution, but the very essence of what it means to be american, i know it would ignite a firestorm of support. we would be declaring our sovereignty and independence to the new king george. for all intents


we are defending not just the constitution, but the very essence of what it means to be american, i know it would ignite a firestorm of support. we would be declaring our sovereignty and independence to the new king george. for all intents and purposes, george w. bush has already smashed the glass at the national archives and is holding our future in one hand, and a blazing torch in the other. if you read through the full declaration of independence, george w. bush has already mirrored, if not exceeded, the egregious complaints contained therein. do we wait until after he really burns the document in an attempt at rewriting history? do we wait until after he has declared martial law? i think not. as far as the risks involved, try to look at it this way. if we don ’ t act, our government completes the transition to military fascism. very bad. in that case, we have failed our children. even if that does not occur, say the politicians finally pull their head out as well as pulling the troops out, we are still left with a country that is ruled by corporate power, has a government full of corruption, and whose fastest growing industry is the prison system. just a different type of very bad. again i say we will have failed our children because right now we have in this country the one thing that has not been present in the history of struggle in the us. and that is, overwhelming public dissatisfaction with the status quo, coupled with the realization among activists from all walks, that tactics previously successful are no longer so. we the people are on the brink of absolute despotism. the political climate has never been more ripe then it is now, desperately crying for fundamental change in a new direction. a people ' s constitutional convention can bring us that change in a manner that guides revolutionist energy on a positive path. on the issue of risk to the existing document, people are correct. in that case it becomes logical to keep the convention tightly focused on the amendment package, and to actively educate on why the document should remain as intact as possible. but we have to be willing to take risk, including to the constitution, when it comes to the fixing of obvious errors in judgment associated with the original. it ’ s like living in an historical building that has fallen victim to its own structural shortcomings, and not wanting to repair the damage out of concern for having to use modern materials in it ’ s reconstruction. considering our current situation with how much the constitution has already been trash