the nazca lines nazca is a small desert town, named for the nazca civilisation that came after the paracas culture, and it is a major attraction due to the mysterious presence of the lines and diagrams etched into the surrounding desert floor. it also has some interesting museums and archaeological sites, including the chauchilla cemetery, with 12 exposed underground tombs containing skeletons and preserved mummified forms. the main attraction of the town is an aerial flight over the nazca lines that are spread over miles of the vast desert floor. the dimensions of these enormous figures, geometric designs, spirals and perfectly straight lines are so large that the only way to view them is from the air and pilots will point out the outlines of intriguing bird and animal representations such as the hummingbird, monkey, condor, spider, and the unusual cartoon - like character known as the astronaut. these figures were made by removing sun - darkened stones from the desert floor to expose the lighter coloured stones below, and were created over a thousand years ago. theories abound regarding the mysterious desert etchings, and questions as to why they were created, how they were designed and what technology was used, remain unanswered and have puzzled experts for centuries. the nazca lines are among the most unforgettable and strangest sights in the country, an extraordinary legacy left by the ancient people of the nazca culture, and one of the great mysteries of south america. address : nazca is a few miles in from the coast, 280 miles ( 175km ) southeast of lima transport : ormeno and civa are the best bus companies with offices in nazca.


one of the best science encyclopedia and reference book sets for students the student discovery science encyclopedia is designed to meet the science information needs of both young learners and visual learners. this 13 - volume set features easy - to - understand language, fun facts, and thousands of colorful illustrations and diagrams. special features and engaging articles make science for young learners accessible and fun. key features of the set include more than 2, 100 entries, 3, 300 illustrations, and over 60 experiments and activities. the articles provide up - to - date, accurate, and clear information on hundreds of high - interest subjects — from space science and physics to biology and zoology — relevant to science curriculums for young learners. the student discovery science encyclopedia also includes many of the features also found in adult reference products, such as cross - references, guide words, and pronunciation guides. volume 13 also contains a cumulative index. these elements promote familiarity with reference sources and develop research skills. several special features make the student discovery science encyclopedia a standout science resource for young learners. the science guide in volume 13 functions as a guide to the dozens of activities and experiments in the set. it provides information on how to prepare the experiments and activities, as well as tips on how to plan a science fair project. throughout the set, biographies of important scientists from the past and present provide fascinating insight into the people behind the technology, medicine, and scientific discoveries that have built and changed our world. lastly, the stunning cover design draws readers in while thousands of colorful illustrations and diagrams provide both visual interest and scientific information. these features make the student discovery science encyclopedia a perfect addition to home or school libraries. browse through all of world book ' s kids ' science books!


the council has placed much focus on what has come to be known as ‘ international hydro - diplomacy ’. for the past three years, the council has been at the forefront, bringing forward a new water politics and making the voice of water heard on every level of decision making. world water council activity report 2010 - 2012 one of the council ' s major accomplishments is its contribution to increasing awareness of global water issues and to political mobilisation through world water forums. serving as stepping - stones towards global collaboration on water problems, the forum is a unique platform where the water community and policy - and decision - makers from all regions of the world can come together, debate and attempt to find solutions to achieve water security. in the past, the forum has produced the world water vision, a unique prospective exercise on the future state of global water resources whose results were presented at the 2nd forum, as well as the establishment of concrete actions and commitments derived from the 3rd forum. the council has also played a strategic role in promoting and facilitating the establishment of dialogues on cross - cutting issues that were not sufficiently addressed, both at local levels and national levels. key dialogues include those on water for food and environment, and on water and climate. in 2001, the council raised the issue of financing to the top of its priorities by establishing the panel on financing water infrastructure, whose mandate was to look for new sources of funding for water to avoid the 2025 " water scarcity " scenario of the world water vision. with the 4th world water forum, the council established mechanisms for cooperation and coordination to transform global vision into concrete actions while integrating local knowledge. the 5th forum gave voice to the local authorities stakeholders ’ who were encouraged to improve their water situation on a local level by signing the istanbul water consensus, which has reached more than 1, 000 signatories throughout the world. from 2009 to 2012, political involvement though the ministerial, parliamentarian and local authorities processes of the forum has steadily increased and the council ‘ s efforts have greatly contributed in raising water higher on the political agenda. water is finally being acknowledged as a worldwide priority. during the 2012 rio + 20 earth summit, a sustainable development dialogue was dedicated to water. the council ’ s aim is now to keep water on the table of high level discussions in view of the post - 2015 sustainable development goals.


financial survival in uncertain times by deborah pegues financial survival in uncertain times by deborah smith pegues borrowers and bankers gone wild we can lay the blame for the u. s. economic crisis at several doors. the consensus is that subprime lending was the match that lit the fire that threatened to consume the entire world financial system. further, there is still much debate as to who should be blamed for the fallout of these subprime loans. since many people remain confused about the meaning and mechanics of such loans, let me attempt to provide a basic understanding. understanding the subprime debacle subprime lending describes the practice of financial institutions providing credit to borrowers deemed “ subprime ” — that is, those whose credit qualifications are less than ideal or “ prime ” using traditional criteria. these borrowers include those who have a history of a loan delinquency or default, those with a recorded bankruptcy, or those with limited debt experience. further, their fico credit scores ( explained below ) usually fall below a certain level. historically, banks made home loans based upon three primary factors : creditworthiness, cash flow, and collateral. creditworthiness is determined by the borrower having an acceptable credit history as measured by a fico score. fico stands for fair isaac corporation, the entity that came up with the methodology which reduces your credit history to a three - digit number ranging from 350 to 850 with ratings as follows : • excellent : 750 and over • very good : 720 to 750 • acceptable : 660 to 720 • uncertain : 620 to 660 • high risk : less than 620 most lenders, or any entity extending credit, view the fico score as the primary predictor of future credit performance. during the subprime lending craze, loans were extended to borrowers with scores below 660 ( albeit at high rates ), increasing the risk of default. ( i ’ ll explain the nuances of the fico score in chapter 8, “ master your debts. ” ) cash flow is simply a measure of your ability to make the mortgage payment based upon your income and existing expenses. traditionally, lenders used an average qualifying ratio of 28 percent / 36 percent. this meant that your total mortgage payment ( including principal, interest, property taxes, and mortgage insurance if required ) could not exceed 28 percent of your gross income. when added together with all other contractual debt ( auto loans, credit cards ) the total ( including the new mortgage ) was not to exceed 36 percent of the gross income of all


mortgage insurance if required ) could not exceed 28 percent of your gross income. when added together with all other contractual debt ( auto loans, credit cards ) the total ( including the new mortgage ) was not to exceed 36 percent of the gross income of all parties included in the loan application. one of the most irresponsible concessions lenders made was to qualify borrowers based on “ stated income. ” yes, you read right — income as stated by the borrower. the lender made no effort to verify the annual income by reviewing tax returns, 1099s, w - 2 earnings statements, or other means of confirmation. the only documentation was what the borrower “ stated ” his income to be. this was a particular advantage for self - employed people who had usually met strong resistance from lenders in proving their income. some jokingly referred to such loans as “ liar loans. ” subprime lenders also began to offer “ teaser rates ” or special terms that served to lower the payments during the first few years of the loan. for example, assume that larry the laborer obtained a $ 300, 000, 30 - year loan at 4 percent interest - only for the first three years. the loan agreement further states that after three years, he would start to pay principal and 6. 5 percent interest. now, larry and his stay - at - home wife, lucy, are happy. their loan payment ( excluding property taxes and insurance ) is only $ 1, 000 per month for the first three years. larry earns a fairly stable income of $ 48, 000 annually ( $ 4, 000 / month ) at a local construction firm. the terms of his loan allowed him to easily meet the lender ’ s relaxed qualifying ratios, which required total gross income of about three times the monthly payment, or $ 3, 000 per month. to boot, the lender offered even more generous terms. they told larry that his total debt commitments ( including his mortgage ) could go up to 45 percent or more of his gross income ( versus the traditional 36 percent ). this worked out well since larry and lucy both had outstanding auto loans on their two gas - guzzling suvs with combined payments totaling over $ 600 / month. larry obtained the loan in his name only because lucy ’ s credit was at the end of the three years, larry ’ s mortgage loan resets, and he finds himself responsible for principal and 6. 5 percent interest payments on the $ 300, 000 loan for the 27 - year remaining term. his principal


s credit was at the end of the three years, larry ’ s mortgage loan resets, and he finds himself responsible for principal and 6. 5 percent interest payments on the $ 300, 000 loan for the 27 - year remaining term. his principal and interest payment is now a whopping $ 1, 966, almost double the $ 1, 000 he had grown accustomed to paying. his take - home pay is only $ 2, 800 after taxes and various other deductions. he has two years remaining to pay on the suvs. larry is now committed to monthly payments of $ 2, 566 ( $ 1, 966 new mortgage + $ 600 auto loans ). he will have less than $ 250 for all other household expenses. larry now faces a financial crisis. what we saw at the epicenter of the u. s. financial crisis were millions of loans that reached the interest rate reset date only to find that the borrower could not afford the higher payment due to inadequate income, higher food and fuel prices, and a number of other unfavorable economic factors. collateral is the value of property pledged as security for a loan. in the old days, a 10 percent down payment was the norm ( the ideal was 20 percent ), and every would - be homeowner saved toward it. lenders knew that with such a big personal investment on the line, a homeowner was less likely to throw in the towel and walk away from a home when facing a financial crisis. some government - guaranteed programs allowed a 3 percent down payment for those who would have otherwise been denied access to credit and the american dream. however, during the subprime craze, many lenders waived down payment requirements altogether and made loans that even exceeded the market values of the homes. it was not uncommon to see ads touting loans up to 125 percent of the current market value in areas where homes were appreciating at a rate of 15 percent annually. the thinking was that real estate values would continue to increase at that same rate well into the future. the logic that a house in a market appreciating at 15 percent annually would be worth 30 percent more in two years seemed to hold water at the time. so, even if the borrower ran into financial problems, he could simply sell the house at a profit if necessary. when we peek in on larry and lucy, we learn that their house is now worth only $ 225, 000, and larry is facing a layoff due to the downturn in


kangaroo ' s things to do you can use this design to make a model kangaroo that stands up. first, print off this outline of half a kangaroo on to thin paper. i suggest you make the kangaroo out of card that is thin enough for you to fold and cut easily. something like a minilla folder. most kinds of card fold easier in one direction than the other. fold it the easy way, making sure you have enough card for half a kangaroo to fit on each side of the crease. fold over the paper print - out so that the middle of the kangaroo ' s back runs along the crease. put the fold of the cardboard inside the fold of the paper pattern. you are going to use the pattern to guide you as you cut through the two thicknesses of card and the two thicknesses of paper at the same time. you can put paper clips or other kinds of spring clips over the back fold to hold them together while you are cutting. here are five helpful tips for cutting that not many people know. 1. cut very slowly with your scissors, using only the half of the blades nearest the hinge. don ' t snip near the points. 2. keep your sissors hand in the same place most of the time. i rest my arm on the arm of a chair, so my hand is nice and steady. 3. use your other hand to twist and turn the cardboard, or whatever you ' re cutting, and feed it into the blades as they slowly close. 4. the best way to cut out complicated designs is to cut the inside of tight shapes first. 5. where possible, try to cut from large spaces into tiny spaces and pointed places, even if it means making several cuts from different directions. in making the model kangaroo, i ' d first roughly cut away most of the spare paper and cardboard, so the model is easy to handle. next i ' d look for tight spaces - the main one is between its front paw and its ear. i ' d aim my first cut to hit the widest part of its ear, on the outside, and cut into its arm - pit - right to the end of the line. then i ' d start at his finger tips and move the card around until my second cut also ended up beyond the dashes. it doesn ' t matter what order you do the rest of the cuts, but i ' d just make sure to cut inwards to the very base of its tail, past the dashes, and from the tip of


up beyond the dashes. it doesn ' t matter what order you do the rest of the cuts, but i ' d just make sure to cut inwards to the very base of its tail, past the dashes, and from the tip of its ear right to the dashes at the back of its head. cut out the rest of the shape. while the paper pattern is still attached to the cardboard, the folds are made along the dashed lines. i ' ll tell you about the dots on its ears later. lay the kangaroo down on something hard. lay a ruler on each straight dashed line in turn, then lift and bend the cardboard along the edge. you can then lift the kangaroo and bend each fold backwards and forwards a few times and give the creases a hard pinch. you ' re still not ready for its ears! now you can take off the clips and the paper pattern. lay it on its back on something slightly soft. a pad of newspaper perhaps, but i use my mouse - pad by my computer. now for its ears. you have to imagine where those dots on the pattern would be : down the centre of each ear, but on the inside of them now. gently draw a wide knitting needle ( the one i use says gauge 3 ) or something else round and blunt along these centre lines. then, drawing round and round in tiny circles with it, along the ears, you will see them become curved - and look like ears. i ' m sure you can work out how the model stands. you can push out its pouch, and ease its tail upwards, as you fold your kangaroo into shape. the tail will end up ' inside out ', a bit like a hollow boat. give it a little squeeze into shape as you lift it. its head folds forwards ( i ' ll leave you to draw on the eyes ), and its front feet bend down. hopefully the soles of its feet will be nearly flat on the ground ( it could be hopping and just taking off if they ' re not completely flat ). if the kangaroo is falling forwards too much, keep the tail pointing backwards and horizontal, but bring the back feet together. sit the back feet on a ruler and push the tail upwards until its tip is also on the ruler ' s edge. then squeeze the tail fold very hard, or rub it over with the back of a spoon until the crease is in the right place.


webmd medical news laura j. martin, md sept. 7, 2011 - - overweight and obesity in african - american women increases their risk of death, especially from heart disease, according to a new study. " we have now found in african - american women what has been found in other populations - - that the risk of death goes up incrementally with increasing bmi [ body mass index ] over 25, " says researcher julie r. palmer, scd, professor of epidemiology at boston university. bmi is a measure of body fat. a bmi between 18. 5 and 24. 9 is termed healthy. the new finding refutes previous data that suggests that the risk of weight - related death in african - americans is increased only at very high bmi levels, such as 35 and up. a bmi of 30 or higher is obese. palmer ' s study found the risk became significant at 27. 5. for example, that is the bmi of a woman 5 feet 4 inches tall who weighs 160 pounds. a big waist, over 35 inches, also boosts risk, she says. ' ' regardless of bmi, having a large waist size, which is an indicator of carrying around excess abdominal fat, is related to having an increased risk of death. " the study is published in the new england journal of medicine. the results are based on follow - up of women who were part of the ongoing black women ' s health study. the study results, palmer says, suggest that ' ' this is just one more reason to maintain a healthy adult weight. " to have a bmi of 24. 9, a woman who is 5 feet 4 inches tall, for example, would have to weigh 145 pounds. the ongoing black women ' s health study includes 59, 001 african - american women from all parts of the u. s. women enrolled in the study in 1995, when they were age 21 to 69. they answer questionnaires every two years. for this research, palmer and her team focused on 33, 916 women who had never smoked. all were free of cancer and heart disease at the start of the study. they gathered the women ' s height, weight, and waist circumference in inches at the beginning of the study. the information was self - reported. the women also gave information on their exercise habits, education, alcohol intake, and provided other data. the researchers looked at the national death index, trying to find women who had not returned the 2009 question


the study. the information was self - reported. the women also gave information on their exercise habits, education, alcohol intake, and provided other data. the researchers looked at the national death index, trying to find women who had not returned the 2009 questionnaire and were not known to have died. they tracked down the cause of death from the index or death certificates. they grouped causes of death as cardiovascular, cancer, or other. through 2008, the researchers found 1, 773 deaths ; 770 of these were among the 33, 916 nonsmokers they were studying. they took into account such factors as age, physical activity, and alcohol intake. they found that the risk of death from any cause rose as the bmi rose. ' ' the link became significant when it got to 27. 5, " she says. for those with bmis of 27. 5 to under 30, the increased risk was 31 %. the risk was highest for heart disease. women with a bmi of 25 to 29 had a two times higher risk of death from heart disease as normal - weight women. those with a bmi of 30 or higher had three times the risk. no significant link was found between bmi and risk of death from cancer. next, the researchers focused on the non - obese women. they compared those with large waists ( above 35 inches ) and those with smaller waists. " the women in the largest group - - 35 inches or higher - - had a 50 % increased risk of dying compared with those not obese with a waist circumference less than 35 inches, " palmer says. the waist size reflects the amount of abdominal fat. fat inside of the abdomen that surrounds organs is considered more metabolically active. too much of this type of fat is considered hazardous to long - term health. in obese women, she says, they found no effect of waist circumference. she suspects that the amount of fat they have, wherever distributed, is enough to be hazardous. the national medical association, composed of african - american doctors, is aware of the problem. it launched an obesity task force earlier this year, according to cedric m. bright, md, the association ' s president. " african - american women have the highest rates of obesity and this directly correlates to other [ coexisting ] conditions like diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers, heart attacks and strokes, " he says in a statement. " unfortunately, the epidemic of obesity in women is often passed on to their children


a string or rope is cut into two pieces, and then magically restored into one piece! - one piece of heavy string or thin rope. - a piece of writing paper. - a pair of good scissors. the cut - and - restored rope effect is a classic of magic. prefold a piece of paper before the show so it looks like the paper in figure 1. when it ' s time to present the trick, pull out the paper and lay the string in it as shown. fold the top of the paper ( section a ) down, then fold the bottom of the paper ( section c ) up. now for the secret move : when you fold section c up over section a, use your thumb to catch the string as demonstrated in figure 2. when you prefold the paper before the show be certain that section a is not so long that it will cover the string. securely grasp the package as in figure 3, making sure that the view shown in the diagram is seen only by you. cut through the paper, as shown in figure 4. cut completely through the paper, dividing it and, presumably, the rope in half. in reality, only the paper is cut in half, the rope is still intact. crumple up the paper, and pull the rope out slowly. it is restored into one complete piece! the paper may be examined, and it will be seen to have been cleanly cut into two halves! credits : alex jones


the emotional lives of animals scientific research shows that many animals are very intelligent and have sensory and motor abilities that dwarf ours. dogs are able to detect diseases such as cancer and diabetes and warn humans of impending heart attacks and strokes. elephants, whales, hippopotamuses, giraffes, and alligators use low - frequency sounds to communicate over long distances, often miles ; and bats, dolphins, whales, frogs, and various rodents use high - frequency sounds to find food, communicate with others, and navigate. many animals also display wide - ranging emotions, including joy, happiness, empathy, compassion, grief, and even resentment and embarrassment. it ’ s not surprising that animals — especially, but not only, mammals — share many emotions with us because we also share brain structures — located in the limbic system — that are the seat of our emotions. in many ways, human emotions are the gifts of our animal ancestors. grief in magpies and red foxes : saying goodbye to a friend many animals display profound grief at the loss or absence of a relative or companion. sea lion mothers wail when watching their babies being eaten by killer whales. people have reported dolphins struggling to save a dead calf by pushing its body to the surface of the water. chimpanzees and elephants grieve the loss of family and friends, and gorillas hold wakes for the dead. donna fernandes, president of the buffalo zoo, witnessed a wake for a female gorilla, babs, who had died of cancer at boston ’ s franklin park zoo. she says the gorilla ’ s longtime mate howled and banged his chest ; picked up a piece of celery, babs ’ favorite food ; put it in her hand ; and tried to get her to wake up. i once happened upon what seemed to be a magpie funeral service. a magpie had been hit by a car. four of his flock mates stood around him silently and pecked gently at his body. one, then another, flew off and brought back pine needles and twigs and laid them by his body. they all stood vigil for a time, nodded their heads, and flew off. i also watched a red fox bury her mate after a cougar had killed him. she gently laid dirt and twigs over his body, stopped, looked to make sure he was all covered, patted down the dirt and twigs with her forepaws, stood silently for a moment, then trotted off, tail down and ears laid back against her head. after publishing my


his body, stopped, looked to make sure he was all covered, patted down the dirt and twigs with her forepaws, stood silently for a moment, then trotted off, tail down and ears laid back against her head. after publishing my stories i got emails from people all over the world who had seen similar behavior in various birds and mammals. empathy among elephants a few years ago while i was watching elephants in the samburu national reserve in northern kenya with elephant researcher iain douglas - hamilton, i noticed a teenaged female, babyl, who walked very slowly and had difficulty taking each step. i learned she ’ d been crippled for years, but the other members of her herd never left her behind. they ’ d walk a while, then stop and look around to see where she was. if babyl lagged, some would wait for her. if she ’ d been left alone, she would have fallen prey to a lion or other predator. sometimes the matriarch would even feed babyl. babyl ’ s friends had nothing to gain by helping her, as she could do nothing for them. nonetheless, they adjusted their behavior to allow babyl to remain with the group. waterfall dances : do animals have spiritual experiences? do animals marvel at their surroundings, have a sense of awe when they see a rainbow, or wonder where lightning comes from? sometimes a chimpanzee, usually an adult male, will dance at a waterfall with total abandon. jane goodall describes a chimpanzee approaching a waterfall with slightly bristled hair, a sign of heightened arousal. “ as he gets closer, and the roar of the falling water gets louder, his pace quickens, his hair becomes fully erect, and upon reaching the stream he may perform a magnificent display close to the foot of the falls. standing upright, he sways rhythmically from foot to foot, stamping in the shallow, rushing water, picking up and hurling great rocks. sometimes he climbs up the slender vines that hang down from the trees high above and swings out into the spray of the falling water. this ‘ waterfall dance ’ may last 10 or 15 minutes. ” after a waterfall display the performer may sit on a rock, his eyes following the falling water. chimpanzees also dance at the onset of heavy rains and during violent gusts of wind. in june 2006, jane and i visited a chimpanzee sanctuary near girona, spain. we were told that marco, one of the rescued chimpanzees,


at the onset of heavy rains and during violent gusts of wind. in june 2006, jane and i visited a chimpanzee sanctuary near girona, spain. we were told that marco, one of the rescued chimpanzees, does a dance during thunderstorms during which he looks like he ’ s in a trance. shirley and jenny : remembering friends elephants have strong feelings. they also have great memory. they live in matriarchal societies in which strong social bonds among individuals endure for decades. shirley and jenny, two female elephants, were reunited after living apart for 22 years. they were brought separately to the elephant sanctuary in hohenwald, tenn., to live out their lives in peace, absent the abuse they had suffered in the entertainment industry. when shirley was introduced to jenny, there was an urgency in jenny ’ s behavior. she wanted to get into the same stall with shirley. they roared at each other, the traditional elephant greeting among friends when they reunite. rather than being cautious and uncertain about one another, they touched through the bars separating them and remained in close contact. their keepers were intrigued by how outgoing the elephants were. a search of records showed that shirley and jenny had lived together in a circus 22 years before, when jenny was a calf and shirley was in her 20s. they still remembered one another when they were inadvertently reunited. a grateful whale in december 2005 a 50 - foot, 50 - ton, female humpback whale got tangled in crab lines and was in danger of drowning. after a team of divers freed her, she nuzzled each of her rescuers in turn and flapped around in what one whale expert said was “ a rare and remarkable encounter. ” james moskito, one of the rescuers, recalled that, “ it felt to me like it was thanking us, knowing it was free and that we had helped it. ” he said the whale “ stopped about a foot away from me, pushed me around a little bit and had some fun. ” mike menigoz, another of the divers, was also deeply touched by the encounter : “ the whale was doing little dives, and the guys were rubbing shoulders with it …. i don ’ t know for sure what it was thinking, but it ’ s something i will always remember. ” that means, we rely on support from our readers. independent. nonprofit. subscriber - supported.


curriculum for excellence discover how youth scotland ' s programmes support you to reach the goals of curriculum for excellence partnerships with colleges, youth work services, the voluntary sector and employers will open up a wide range of motivating choices, based upon the experiences and outcomes, to meet the needs of all young people. building the curriculum 3 as curriculum for excellence ( cfe ) continues to shape the learning experience of young people aged 3 - 18, youth scotland has developed a series of materials and training sessions to help practitioners understand and use the cfe approach in planning, delivering and evaluating their programmes for young people. download curriculum for excellence – a youth scotland quick guide for a basic introduction. what is cfe? curriculum for excellence ( cfe ) is an approach that supports young people as they learn and develop the four capacities : successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. cfe supports the idea that learning and achievement can take place in a variety of formats and settings ; not just schools. the building the curriculum documents ( link here ) make it clear that all agencies that work with young people have a role to play in cfe. there are strong links between the nature and purpose of youth work ( link here ) and curriculum for excellence, particularly with regards to the young person - centred approach and an emphasis on empowerment and health and well - being. it could be said that youth work has always delivered curriculum for excellence.


biodiversity offsets threaten both the survival and the meaning of nature propose a get - out clause and – however many warnings and caveats you wrap round it – before long it will be used. this post is about the dangerous new concept the government has seeded in the minds of developers and planners. the idea is called biodiversity offsetting. it involves trading places : allowing people to destroy wildlife and habitats if, in return, they pay someone to create new habitats elsewhere. in april the uk government launched six pilot projects to test the idea, which would run for two years. four months ago, i wrote this : “ the government warns that these offsets should be used only to compensate for ‘ genuinely unavoidable damage ’ and ‘ must not become a licence to destroy ’ ; but once the principle is established and the market is functioning, for how long do you reckon that line will hold? ” the answer, it seems, is “ not very long ”. a year and a half before the pilot projects have been completed, the new spirit of destruction is roaming the land. a place of outstanding wildlife value is now being considered for demolition, and biodiversity offsetting is being mooted as the means by which it can be justified. it ’ s hard to believe that this scheme would still be receiving serious consideration if the mother of all excuses had not been proposed by the government. lodge hill, close to gillingham in north kent, contains what could be the uk ’ s highest concentration of nightingales. the species has suffered an astonishing decline in this country – over 90 % in just 40 years – partly as a result of the destruction of its habitat. this site – of just 325 hectares – contains roughly 1 % of the remaining population. it is one of the very few places where, on a summer ’ s night, you can still hear the full nightingale orchestra, a sound that would once have been familiar to people across much of the country. medway council has proposed that the land at lodge hill be turned into a development of 5, 000 houses. this, according to a report by the british trust for ornithology, could destroy the area ’ s entire population of nightingales. even if some birds continue to use the adjoining woods, they are extremely vulnerable to cats, as they nest close to the ground. the pets arriving with the new homes are likely to snuff out what john clare called “ the old woodland ’ s legacy of song. ” so how do you justify the unjustifiable? you commission a consultancy ( the environment


the ground. the pets arriving with the new homes are likely to snuff out what john clare called “ the old woodland ’ s legacy of song. ” so how do you justify the unjustifiable? you commission a consultancy ( the environment bank ) to investigate the potential for offsetting : in effect moving the habitat and its nightingales somewhere else. it reported that : “ offsetting could work in principle for nightingales in kent – it is technically feasible but it is neither straightforward nor guaranteed ” if a site of around 500 hectares were found and stocked with suitable habitat, a similar number of nightingales might establish itself there. but no one can be sure it will work. if it doesn ’ t, by the time we find out it will be too late : the new habitat will take at least a decade to establish, while the existing habitat will be destroyed and the houses built in just two or three years. if the experiment fails it cannot be reversed. the report suggests two principal means by which new nightingale habitat could be created in kent. one is to coppice existing woodland : cutting the trees at ground level so that they resprout to create the shrubby growth that nightingales use. the other is to take an area of agricultural land and either plant it with scrub or allow scrub to regenerate naturally. this invites two obvious responses. if woods are chosen, the offsetting process would not be creating wildlife habitat, but merely changing an existing habitat into something different. coppicing favours some species at the expense of others, particularly those which require large trees, dead wood and an undisturbed understorey. what ’ s good for nightingales may be bad for woodpeckers. if 500 hectares of fields – a bigger site than lodge hill – can be taken out of agricultural use to compensate for the destruction of the nightingales ’ homes, why not spare lodge hill and build the houses in the fields? the prospect of offsetting in this case looks to me like the “ licence to destroy ” that the government warned against. rather than compensating for “ genuinely unavoidable damage ” it looks as if it could be used to justify avoidable destruction : trashing a remarkable place for an unremarkable project which could be built elsewhere. this case illustrates the danger inherent in the principle of offsetting. it makes nature as fungible as everything else. no place is valued as a place : it is broken down into a list of habitats and animals and plants, which could, in


today, sam duty can eat peanut butter sandwiches and candies easily, but at one time in the 9 - year - old ' s life, ingesting peanuts was dangerous and possibly lethal because he was highly allergic to peanuts. his mother, angela duty, worried about even the smallest interactions with peanuts. " the first small bite of peanut butter — his lips started to swell, " duty said. " it ' s horrible. you know, you want the best for your children, and you ' re fighting something you can ' t see. " nearly half of the 150 deaths attributed to food allergies each year in the united states are caused by peanut allergies, according to duke university. once, sam had to be hospitalized after ingesting peanuts. he was like so many other children, who have life - threatening reactions that can occur from even trace amounts of peanuts. " i ' m the mom that calls ahead of time and asks what they ' re going to eat, where they ' re going to eat, how they ' re going to eat, " duty said. so when sam was asked to be a part of a groundbreaking study that would require him to be given peanuts on purpose, surprisingly his parents jumped at the chance. in the study, duke university medical center and colleagues at arkansas children ' s hospital found a way to desensitize children to peanuts by using the very thing to which the children are allergic — peanuts. " they appear to be no longer allergic to peanuts, " said dr. wesley burks of duke university medical center. " what we ' re doing is trying to help sam ' s immune system change and recognize peanuts differently. " children in the study were given tiny, precise amounts of peanut flour daily and every few weeks the dosage was increased. medical staff was nearby to deal with any minor allergic reactions. even with the precautions, the first time sam ate the powder, his family was terrified. " we ' d told sam not to eat peanuts, or nuts, all of his life. and then all of a sudden, this study wants sam to take peanuts every single day, " duty said. but the true challenge for the dutys came in 2007 — three years after sam joined the study. he was now eating peanuts on a daily basis, but could he handle a whole peanut butter and jelly sandwich? " he had no reaction. so it was a success. all the peanuts that we had fed him delivered no reaction, " duty said. " beginning the study it took literally less than


, but could he handle a whole peanut butter and jelly sandwich? " he had no reaction. so it was a success. all the peanuts that we had fed him delivered no reaction, " duty said. " beginning the study it took literally less than a 10th of peanut for [ sam ] to have allergic symptoms. as we got into the study on the first challenge he tolerated 13 to 15 peanuts without symptoms, " burks said. immune - system tests showed no sign of remaining allergy in five youngsters, and others can withstand amounts that once would have left them wheezing or worse, scientists reported sunday. today sam is on daily maintenance dose of peanut indefinitely in order to keep up his tolerance. and it ' s not your average daily medication. " it ' s not really even medicine, it ' s just reese ' s pieces, " sam said. ironically sam has never learned to love peanuts or peanut butter, but his mother is relieved she is no longer concerned about what sam puts in his mouth. " you don ' t have to worry as much. you can send your kid to school, and not worry about a reaction at school, or a reaction at a friend ' s house. you can go out to eat, " duty said. " it ' s just — it ' s changed our lives. " but doctors have stopped short of calling the study ' s participants cured. they must track them for years longer before making that determination. the associated press contributed to this report.


what is hipp? the help increase the peace ( hip ) program was developed by the american friends service committee staff in syracuse, new york, in 1991 as a youth - oriented program to address the epidemic of violence in schools. hip is based on the conviction that nonviolence and participation in our communities can better each of us and our world. workshops focus on three themes : options to violence ; dealing with racism, prejudices, and our differences ; and the belief that we can each participate in our communities to bring about positive social change. hip training is composed of three levels of workshops, each three days long, with increases in skills. the building blocks of the workshops are affirmation, communication, cooperation, conflict resolution, and prejudice reduction. hip uses cooperative games, discussions, role - playing, and lively group activities to build skills. a number of young people who have gone through hip have become workshop leaders or assistants. hip facilitators are of various ages, races, and genders - - reflecting the different audiences of hip. hip has been effectively applied in middle and high schools where administrators, teachers, and staff members enjoyed and praised the program. it has also been used with adults and mixed ages in community centers, church basements, offices, and on college campuses. hip teaches leadership skills, builds community, and increases participants ' self - esteem. it is, by design, fun, easy to replicate, and can be adapted for different audiences and situations. hip can go anywhere! preliminary overview for people who are interested in starting or hosting a hip program. email or call us for a consultation. introductory workshops ( 1 - 2 hours ) introduces the program and helps people understand and experience the group dynamics. teaches skills for basic and advanced levels. approach adapted for age level of the group. after initial training, hip staff members will help schools and community agencies develop independent, ongoing programs. email or call us for more information. offers workshops to groups working with youth and children, as well as adult community, church, and parent groups.


acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world, but is far from obsolete. as part of traditional chinese medicine, acupuncture aims to restore and maintain health through the stimulation of specific points on the body. more than 3 million american adults and 150, 000 children used acupuncture last year, according to a recent national health interview survey. according to the chinese medicine, energy pathways called meridians correspond to different parts of the body. the bodys energy, or qi, flows through these meridians to operate organs such as the large intestine, kidney and liver. the basic concept of acupuncture is putting in needles to get the qi moving in the right direction or to disperse the energy if theres too much flowing in one direction. restoring this natural flow of energy supposedly brings the body back in balance or harmony. in more conventional terms, acupuncture has been shown to increase activity in the part of the brain that corresponds to the acupuncture point. in conditions that involve trigger points, using certain frequencies can cause better blood flow to a region to nourish the tissues, promoting acupuncture can be used to help with various painful conditions such as arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, trigger points, joint pain, tight muscles, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome and pms. it can also help with multiple sclerosis, and with the fatigue and nausea associated with chemotherapy. the world health organization recognizes these conditions as being helped by acupuncture : digestive, respiratory and neurological disorders, including headaches and sciatica ; muscular disorders, including plantar fasciitis, lower back pain, fibromyalgia, tendonitis and carpal tunnel ; menstrual and urinary disorders, and infertility. acupuncture is not recommended in place of a full medical workup and shouldnt be used as the only treatment in chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes or cancer. expect to take at least four weekly sessions to see if theres a difference in the level of pain. the longer a problem has been there, the longer its going to take to treat it. each session takes between 30 - 60 minutes, depending on your health problem. if you are considering acupuncture, look for a physician trained in acupuncture at the american academy of medical acupuncture or an acupuncturist certified by the national certification commission for acupuncture and


enron bankruptcy - history of business in the u. s. the event : financial failure of enron, one of the world ’ s largest energy distributors, as a result of fraud perpetrated by its managers date : filed for bankruptcy on december 2, 2001 place : new york city significance : the collapse of enron, an energy conglomerate with reported revenues of $ 100 billion, is one of the largest bankruptcy and accounting fraud cases in u. s. history. enron corporation began as a traditional natural gas supplier in 1985 in houston, texas. in less than two decades, it evolved into the seventh largest of the fortune 500 companies in the united states. what had started as a simple natural gas operation grew into a e - commerce superpower, which traded in energy commodities ( such as wind, water, and electricity ) and eventually in internet bandwidth for communication purposes. between 1998 and 2000, the stock price of enron experienced unprecedented increases, making it one of the most profitable corporations on wall street. however, many of the deals enron made were based solely on unrealistic projections regarding future supply and demand. by the beginning of 2001, the federal government began to become suspicious of enron ’ s accounting practices, in large part because of a whistle - blower inside the company, who uncovered suspicious accounting practices. enron ’ s accounting practices were rife with fraud and misrepresentation. many investigators have referred to enron as a massive pump - and - dump scheme : company officials used various misleading accounting practices to drive up ( pump ) stock prices, then insiders would quickly sell ( dump ) their own stocks at the top of the market, leaving many misinformed investors to suffer huge losses when the stock prices began to drop. equally culpable was the prestigious accounting firm of arthur andersen, which was responsible for assisting enron officials with the accounting scheme that netted extensive financial gains for certain company officials and their high - ranking government friends. in the end, millions of american investors, including longtime loyal enron employees, lost billions in savings, investments, and retirement plans. enron filed chapter 11 bankruptcy on december 2, 2001, with $ 6. 8 billion in assets, making it the largest bankruptcy in u. s. history ( this record would later be broken by worldcom in 2002 and lehman brothers in 2008 ). the stock had fallen from almost $ 140 a share to pennies on the dollar. the crimes carried out by top enron executives have been prosecuted in both criminal and civil courts. paul m


forces loyal to libyan leader colonel mu ’ ammar al - gaddafi unlawfully killed and injured several thousand people, including peaceful protesters and bystanders, after anti - government protests broke out in mid - february and then developed into an armed conflict that lasted around eight months. during the conflict, international forces, acting under a un security council mandate to protect civilians, attacked al - gaddafi forces from the air, helping to tip the balance in favour of opposition forces. al - gaddafi forces fired mortars, artillery and rockets into residential areas and used anti - personnel mines, cluster munitions and other inherently indiscriminate weapons ; these indiscriminate attacks caused numerous civilian casualties, particularly in misratah, libya ’ s third largest city. al - gaddafi forces also abducted thousands of individuals and tortured or ill - treated them, and extrajudicially executed captured fighters and other detainees. opposition forces used rockets and other indiscriminate weapons in residential areas. even after the national transitional council ( ntc ) – the loosely structured leadership of the opposition to colonel al - gaddafi established in late february – took control of most of the country in late august, it failed to get a grip on the militias formed during the conflict. war crimes and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed during the conflict by both parties added to the dismal legacy of human rights violations of previous years. the conflict exacerbated pre - existing xenophobia and racial tensions against foreign nationals. opposition militias took captive thousands of suspected al - gaddafi loyalists, soldiers and alleged “ african mercenaries ”, many of whom were beaten and abused in custody and remained held without trial, or any means to challenge the legality of their detention at the end of the year, months after the conflict ended. scores of other suspected al - gaddafi loyalists were killed upon or following capture by opposition fighters ; among the victims were the ousted libyan leader himself and one of his sons. opposition forces also looted and burned homes and carried out revenge attacks and other reprisals against alleged al - gaddafi supporters. the conflict saw hundreds of thousands of people fleeing, resulting in mass displacement inside and outside libya, and prompting major evacuation efforts. impunity for gross human rights violations of the past and ongoing abuses by militias remained entrenched. discrimination against women continued in law and practice. anti - government demonstrations planned for 17 february erupted two days early in benghazi, libya ’ s second largest city, after security forces detained two prominent activists. the authorities quickly released them but the


bystanders. al - gaddafi forces committed serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes, in their efforts to retake cities and towns held by the opposition. they carried out indiscriminate attacks and attacks targeting civilians in areas that included misratah, ajdabiya, al - zawiya and the nafusa mountain area. they fired artillery, mortars and rockets at residential areas. they used inherently indiscriminate weapons such as anti - personnel mines and cluster bombs, including in residential areas. these unlawful attacks killed and injured hundreds of civilians not involved in the fighting. the toll on civilians was particularly heavy in misratah, where residents were trapped from late february onwards as al - gaddafi forces laid siege to the city and fired rockets into the port area – the only entry point for humanitarian aid and the only evacuation point for wounded and sick patients. indiscriminate attacks ceased in may but resumed in mid - june and continued sporadically until early august. according to local medical sources, more than 1, 000 people were killed during the siege of the city. al - gaddafi forces also fired live ammunition and heavy weapons, including tank shells and rocket - propelled grenades, at residents who were fleeing areas of fighting in misratah, ajdabiya, al - zawiya and elsewhere. opposition fighters also launched grad rockets from their front - line positions in eastern libya, misratah and sirte ; it was not known to what extent these caused civilian casualties. colonel al - gaddafi ’ s government accused nato of targeting civilian objects and causing hundreds of civilian casualties but exaggerated and failed to provide clear evidence. however, there were credible reports that some nato strikes killed at least tens of civilians between june and october, including in majer, tripoli, surman and sirte. no impartial and independent inquiries were known to have been conducted by nato to ascertain whether all necessary precautions had been taken to spare civilian objects and minimize civilian casualties, as required by international humanitarian law. al - gaddafi forces detained thousands of people across libya ; some were subjected to enforced disappearance. arrests began before the february protests, then became more numerous and widespread as the conflict developed. those held included real or perceived opposition supporters and fighters and others captured in or near areas of fighting. some were seized in their homes. others were detained on the roads or in public places in areas controlled by the opposition but into which al - gaddafi forces made armed incursions, notably misratah and towns in the na


near areas of fighting. some were seized in their homes. others were detained on the roads or in public places in areas controlled by the opposition but into which al - gaddafi forces made armed incursions, notably misratah and towns in the nafusa mountain area. detainees were mostly denied all contact with the outside world. some were released by al - gaddafi forces but the great majority were freed by opposition fighters after they won control of tripoli in late august. the total number of people who went missing during the conflict remained unclear. scores were killed in custody ( see below ). opposition fighters captured and detained thousands of real or suspected al - gaddafi supporters and soldiers, including suspected foreign mercenaries, during and after the conflict. many were seized by groups of heavily armed men from their homes or detained on the streets or at checkpoints. many were beaten or ill - treated upon capture, and had their homes looted and destroyed. no detainee was granted access to lawyers. under the ntc, neither the ministry of justice and human rights nor the public prosecution had effective control or oversight of most detention facilities. thousands of detainees continued to be held without trial or the opportunity to challenge the legality of their detention at the end of 2011. sub - saharan africans made up a large number of those detained. in the east and in misratah from february onwards, some of them were arrested on suspicion of being mercenaries. others in tripoli and other western cities were detained from august, when these areas first came under opposition control. in eastern libya and misratah, most were released when no evidence of their involvement in fighting was found. hundreds of men from tawargha, an area seen as loyal to colonel al - gaddafi, were hunted down and abducted from homes, makeshift camps and checkpoints, detained and then tortured or ill - treated. top of page individuals arrested and detained by al - gaddafi forces were tortured or ill - treated, particularly upon capture and during initial interrogations. detainees were beaten with belts, whips, metal wires and rubber hoses ; suspended in contorted positions for prolonged periods ; and denied medical treatment, including for injuries sustained as a result of torture or shooting. some were tortured with electric shocks. several were shot after being apprehended and while posing no threat. some were left to suffocate in metal containers. several male detainees were raped by their captors or guards. allegations of rape by al - gaddafi forces were widely reported by ntc supporters, and some women detained by pro - ntc


. some were left to suffocate in metal containers. several male detainees were raped by their captors or guards. allegations of rape by al - gaddafi forces were widely reported by ntc supporters, and some women detained by pro - ntc forces in al - zawiya, tripoli and misratah alleged they had been sexually abused. in areas controlled by the ntc before as well as after august, when tripoli fell to the forces opposing colonel al - gaddafi, militias in control of detention centres tortured or ill - treated detainees with impunity, seemingly to punish them for alleged crimes or to extract “ confessions ”. the most commonly reported methods included beatings all over the body with belts, sticks, rifle butts and rubber hoses ; punching ; kicking ; and death threats. individuals with dark skin, whether libyan or foreign nationals, were especially vulnerable to abuse. several detainees died in the custody of militias in circumstances suggesting that torture contributed to or caused their death. al - gaddafi soldiers killed opposition fighters after capture in eastern libya and misratah. bodies were found with hands tied behind the back and multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body. al - gaddafi forces also extrajudicially executed dozens of detainees in western libya between june and august. most were shot. opposition fighters and supporters deliberately killed suspected al - gaddafi soldiers and loyalists, and alleged “ african mercenaries ”, when towns including al - bayda, benghazi, derna and sirte first came under their control. some victims were beaten to death ; some were hanged ; others were shot dead after they surrendered or were captured. members of colonel al - gaddafi ’ s security apparatus and other suspected loyalists were targeted for revenge attacks. several were found dead after they were seized by heavily armed men ; some of the bodies were found with their hands tied behind their backs. before the conflict, at least 2 million foreign nationals were living in or transiting through libya, many in need of international protection. as the conflict intensified, hundreds of thousands of people, foreign nationals and libyans alike, fled libya, including through organized evacuations. many among those in flight were robbed ; some were arrested and detained for hours or days and beaten before being allowed to proceed. sub - saharan africans were particularly targeted. the vast majority fled to tunisia and egypt ( see egypt and tunisia entries and europe regional overview ). hundreds of thousands of people were involuntarily displaced within libya. with the end of hostilities, some people were able to return to their homes, but residents of areas


tunisia and egypt ( see egypt and tunisia entries and europe regional overview ). hundreds of thousands of people were involuntarily displaced within libya. with the end of hostilities, some people were able to return to their homes, but residents of areas considered supportive of colonel al - gaddafi feared that they would face reprisals and were still internally displaced at the end of 2011. they included some 30, 000 former residents of tawargha, who fled the town as misratah - based opposition fighters approached it in august, and members of the mashashiya tribe in the nafusa mountains. in misratah and other areas, militias prevented some alleged supporters of colonel al - gaddafi from returning to their homes, or looted or destroyed them with impunity. top of page the ntc promised to uphold the right to seek and enjoy asylum, but did not commit to ratifying the un refugee convention and its 1967 protocol. in april, the ntc chairman promised to “ close the borders in front of these africans ”, raising concern that refugees, asylum - seekers and migrants would continue to suffer discrimination and abuse in libya, and be perceived as unwelcome guests. in a further move reminiscent of past abusive practices, including operations conducted at sea to “ push back ” foreign nationals to libya where they faced arrest, torture and detention in appalling conditions, the ntc signed a memorandum of understanding in june with the italian authorities. this committed both parties to joint management of the “ migration phenomenon ” through the implementation of existing co - operation agreements on “ illegal migration ” ( see italy entry ). at the end of the year, hundreds of sub - saharan africans continued to be held in indefinite detention without trial for alleged “ immigration offences ”. top of page the ntc promised to promote women ’ s rights and enshrined the principle of non - discrimination, including on the basis of gender, in its constitutional declaration. however, discrimination against women remained entrenched in law and practice. on 23 october, the ntc chairman promised to amend any legislation contrary to shari ’ a ( islamic law ), referencing libya ’ s marriage laws. law 10 of 1984 on marriage, divorce and their consequences allows polygamy, but stipulates that, before remarrying, a man must seek authorization from a special court to ensure that he is mentally, socially and financially fit. top of page colonel al - gaddafi ’ s government took no steps to investigate past gross human rights violations or bring to justice those responsible


i hear a lot of misunderstanding regarding citations, so i feel compelled to address the subject with a series of articles. what are the basic principles governing citations? principle # 1 – citations have two purposes we provide citations to our sources for two major reasons, although we generally vocalize just one : 1. to locate our sources there is another very important, yet often overlooked reason for citing sources : 2. to communicate the strength of our sources “ source citations have two purposes, ” says elizabeth shown mills in evidence explained. she writes that a citation should deal with “ [ second reason : ] a source ’ s quality and content, not just [ first reason : ] identity and whereabouts. ” 1 turabian says that citing facts allows readers to “ [ second reason : ] judge their reliability, even [ first reason : ] check them if they wish. ” 2 an article in the florida bar journal states that citation forms provide the minimum amount of information necessary to [ first reason : ] lead the reader to the source and [ second reason : ] to convey other key information concerning the source, including the character and degree of support the authority provides and the nature and date of the authority. 3 in some fields as little as a name and a publication date, the so - called author - date style, can communicate the strength of a source. full citations at the end of an article give the location of the source and a full indication of quality. numbered superscripts are replaced with an inline reference to an author ' s surname and the cited article ' s publication date. for well known experts, this communicates source strength without the interruption of sending readers to the end notes. this style works well when : - research results must be published to be official. - leaders in a field are known by their reputations. - recent sources provide the most up - to - date information. - journals are peer reviewed. in conclusion, a good citation does more than locate the source ; it provides a quick, visual indication of its quality. next time i will talk about what a citation must include to satisfy both purposes for genealogical citations. 1. elizabeth shown mills, evidence explained : citing history sources from artifacts to cyberspace, pdf image ( baltimore, maryland : genealogical publishing company, 2007 ), 43 ; emphases in the original. 2. kate l. turabian, a manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations : chicago style for students and researchers, 7th ed. ( chicago : university of chicago press, 2007 ), 133.


archive : milk product roadmaps as part of our work on sustainable consumption and production ( scp ), we are developing ten product roadmaps to reduce the environmental impacts across the life cycle of a range of priority products. the dairy supply chain forum ' s milk roadmap published may 2008 : the first stage of a comprehensive action plan which will help the dairy sector to address its environmental impacts. the document also aims to take into account the economic and social sustainability of the dairy sector. this is a living document which will be revisited regularly to ensure that the targets and evidence remains relevant. the taskforce are meeting in plenary sessios twice yearly to review progress on the targets. a ‘ one year on ’ report, summarising the achievements so far has been produced by the taskforce and was published in august. the evidence base for the milk roadmap also highlighted areas for potential future research, which will help refine the roadmap when it is revisited in the future. - milk roadmap – one year down the road ( august 2009, pdf 780 kb ) a news release has been published. - milk roadmap 2008 ( may 2008, pdf 400 kb ) - evidence base for the milk roadmap : desktop study by the university of manchester to map the evidence on the sustainability impacts across the milk life cycle and supply chain ( pdf 1. 55 mb ) - dairy supply chain forum evidence showed that milk and meat were high impact product categories, with food and drink consumption and production overall accounting for between 20 - 30 % of all environmental impacts within the eu - 25 ( european commission ( 2006 ) : environmental impact of products ). liquid milk was chosen as a starting point for the roadmap process in this area for a number of reasons, including : - the market for liquid milk tends to be limited to the uk, enabling evidence on milk to be mapped relatively quickly and clearly - mapping sustainability impacts for a base product like liquid milk may also produce useful data for future studies on the sustainability impacts of other products - the willingness of the dairy sector to undertake positive action to map and help to reduce the negative impacts associated with milk production and consumption. defra have been working in partnership with the dairy supply chain forum ' s sustainable consumption and production taskforce to produce the milk roadmap. average liquid milk consumption in the uk is fairly high at around 1. 6 litres per person per week for 2007 ( or just under 3 pints ). overall consumption has decreased on the previous year by 2. 4 percent.


story to find out more. john ewart ( left ), an aquaculture / fisheries specialist ( university of delaware ), and ars microbiologist gary richards examine freshly harvested oysters on board the center for the inland bays ' work boat before transport to the laboratory. click the image for more information about it. research reveals functions of harmful shellfish pathogens by jim core march 4, 2005 providing safer shellfish is the goal of agricultural research service ( ars ) scientists who are studying the means by which pathogenic bacteria enter shellfish. in the united states, two pathogenic bacteria from the genus vibrio are of concern : v. vulnificus and v. parahaemolyticus. these bacteria are naturally found in shellfish and seawater, particularly when water temperatures are warm, and can lead to serious health concerns. ars scientists at the safety of aquaculture products center of excellence in dover, del., are studying these bacteria with the goal of keeping them out of shellfish. richards, a microbiologist and the center ' s lead scientist, wants to identify vibrio enzymes that may help the organism enter shellfish - - and, eventually, a human host. richards, who leads a group of scientists from delaware state university and the national institutes of health, recently discovered in v. vulnificus an enzyme called phosphoglucose isomerase. this enzyme could provide a way for vibrio to spread more easily. he also detected the enzyme in virtually all species of vibrio tested, but not in non - vibrio pathogens. the enzyme is capable of producing what are called vasoactive peptides, which could contribute to rapid spread of v. vulnificus in humans. a study of v. vulnificus in oysters suggests that strains virulent to humans may be more invasive to - - and the dover center, a field location of the ars regional research center in wyndmoor, pa., also studies methods to detect norovirus and the hepatitis a virus in shellfish. it also develops high - pressure processing techniques to inactivate enteric viruses in this research may provide better diagnostic capabilities and treatment strategies to further reduce shellfish - related illnesses. more about this research in the march issue of agricultural research ars is the u. s. department of agriculture ' s chief scientific research agency.


this week ’ s creature feature... susquehanna flats b & b open for businesstesttest housing stock is on the rise for the young fish and crabs who ’ ll be sheltering at the top of the bay come spring. the vast grass - filled susquehanna flats, the circular area where the susquehanna river meets the bay, appeared unexpectedly healthy in aerial survey images made late last year. the valuable bay habitats seem to have survived fall 2011 ’ s deluge of runoff and sediment. that was a welcome surprise. during hurricane irene and tropical storm lee, monitors saw large tangles of all varieties of uprooted grasses floating downstream. remembering the devastation caused by tropical storm agnes almost 40 years ago, scientists feared the worst. “ back on those days of tropical storm lee, looking at the deluge of water over the conowingo dam, i would ’ ve bet that we had lost the flats grasses entirely, ” said rich batiuk of the chesapeake bay program. had that been the case, over - wintering waterfowl would have lost a favorite table. many juvenile bay creatures would have been homeless come spring. the grasses ’ survival is good news not only for the creatures that feed on and live among them, but also for the bay. “ that large, dense beds can survive extreme conditions is another indicator of the bay ’ s resilience, ” batiuk said.


| matthew henry ' s concise commentary | 1 : 12 - 18 solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. he found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. the more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity ; and the sight often vexed his spirit. he could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man ' s wickedness and misery ; so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and mourn. let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this vanity and misery ; to value christ ; to seek rest in the knowledge, love, and service of the saviour. verse 15. - that which is crooked cannot be made straight. this is intended as a confirmation of ver. 14. by the utmost exercise of his powers and faculties man cannot change the course of events ; he is constantly met by anomalies which he can neither explain nor rectify ( comp. ecclesiastes 7 : 13 ). the above is probably a proverbial saying. knobel quotes suidas : χυλον αγκυλον ουδεποτ ορθον. the vulgate takes the whole maxim as applying only to morals : " perverse men are hardly corrected, and the number of tools is infinite. " so too the syriac and targum. the septuagint rightly as the authorized version. the writer is not referring merely to man ' s sins and delinquencies, but to the perplexities in which he finds himself involved, and extrication from which is impracticable. that which is wanting cannot be numbered. the word חסדון, " loss, defect, " is απαξ λεγομενον in the old testament. we cannot reckon where there is nothing to count ; no skill in arithmetic will avail to make up for a substantial deficit. so nothing man can do is able to remedy the anomalies by which he is surrounded, or to supply the defects which are pressed upon his notice. gill ' s exposition of the entire bible that which is crooked cannot be made straight,.... by all the art and cunning, wisdom and knowledge of man, that he can attain unto ; whatever he, in the


pressed upon his notice. gill ' s exposition of the entire bible that which is crooked cannot be made straight,.... by all the art and cunning, wisdom and knowledge of man, that he can attain unto ; whatever he, in the vanity of his mind, may find fault with in the works of god, either of nature of providence, and which he may call crooked, it is not in his power to make them straight, or to mend them ; see ecclesiastes 7 : 13. there is something which, through sin, is crooked, in the hearts, in the nature, in the principles, ways and works, of men ; which can never be made straight, corrected or amended, by all the natural wisdom and knowledge of men, which shows the insufficiency of it : the wisest philosophers among men, with all their parade of wit and learning, could never effect anything of this kind ; this only is done by the spirit and grace of god ; see isaiah 42 : 16 ; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered ; the deficiencies in human science are so many, that they cannot be reckoned up ; and the defects in human nature can never be supplied or made up by natural knowledge and wisdom ; and which are so numerous, as that they cannot be understood and counted. the targum is, " a man whose ways are perverse in this world, and dies in them, and does not return by repentance, he has no power of correcting himself after his death ; and a man that fails from the law and the precepts in his life, after his death hath no power to be numbered with the righteous in paradise : ' ' to the same sense jarchi ' s note and the midrash. jamieson - fausset - brown bible commentary 15. investigation ( ec 1 : 13 ) into human ways is vain labor, for they are hopelessly " crooked " and " cannot be made straight " by it ( ec 7 : 13 ). god, the chief good, alone can do this ( isa 40 : 4 ; 45 : 2 ). numbered — so as to make a complete number ; so equivalent to " supplied " [ maurer ]. or, rather, man ' s state is utterly wanting ; and that which is wholly defective cannot be numbered or calculated. the investigator thinks he can draw up, in accurate numbers, statistics of man ' s wants ; but these, including the defects in the investigator ' s labor, are not partial


range maps should be used with the understanding that they provide only a general indication of typical distributions. ranges are highly variable for many species and are very dynamic. range maps are static and usually several years behind the birds. these are some of the complications that present themselves when developing range maps. summer or winter range information may hide migration pathways. ranges of some species can vary from year to year. warmer winters are changing historical ranges. as an example, the white - winged dove, common in south texas but once very rare in north texas, is now common at many feeders on a year - round basis in north texas. red - bellied woodpeckers are spending their winters much further north than in the past. populations of some species can be high in a specific area one year and totally absent the next ( irruptive behavior ). ranges of some species are expanding very rapidly. the eurasian collared - dove is an introduced species that has quickly moved from its initial introduction in florida to much of the united states. its range is expanding faster than updated range maps are being produced. other species expand their ranges after nesting. a great example is the cattle egret. its winter range is mexico, southern texas and along the coast to southern florida. its nesting range includes most of texas, east to south carolina. after nesting, cattle egrets will disperse to large parts of the united states and even into southern canada. the range of cattle egrets after this post - nuptial wandering is widespread and very irregular. at the end of the summer the egrets will then migrate from their widespread late summer and fall homes to their winter locations. report your sightings help develop accurate distributional information by reporting your sighting of the american goldfinch to ebird. in the field range maps in field guides vary as much as actual bird distribution. take two different field guides, select 20 images at random, and compare the range maps. you might be surprised by the differences in the ranges shown. the professor ' s favorite field guide for range maps is the kenn kaufman guide to birds of north america. here are the professor ' s picks for the best field guides. best range maps kenn kaufman ' s guide to birds of north america click here to order. $ 18. 95 special offer : $ 17. 50 best for birders in the field national geographic field guide to the birds of north america click here to order. $ 23. 95 special offer : $ 21. 95 best overall resource the sibley guide to birds click


reduced visibility can play a key role in traffic accidents. lowered visibility can occur because of darkness or weather conditions such as snow or rain. no matter the cause, motorists often aren ’ t as careful as they should be. the bottom line : driving in poor weather adds to the risk factor, boosting the possibility of skidding off the road, being involved in a crash and other similar events. however, there are things you can do to reduce the possibility of an accident. twenty - five percent of the average person ’ s driving is night driving, which is a more challenging time to travel. according to pennstate environmental health and safety : • car crash fatalities happen three times more often at night • more than half ( 55 % ) of fatal accidents happen at night • pedestrian fatalities happen much more often after dark ( 62 % ) some useful safe driving tips in times of reduced visibility, such as night driving, include : • slowing down • staying alert • using headlights • putting a safe distance between your car and the vehicle ahead of you ; this is especially important when it ’ s a large truck, as their spray can cause additional problems with visibility • choosing the middle lane during wet driving conditions • taking advantage of tracks in the snow made by other vehicles and driving in those tracks • avoiding puddles what should you do now? • set up a regular schedule to check your windshield wipers. new wipers are available at advance auto parts. get free installation with purchase. * • always keep a supply of extra windshield washer fluid. • check your car lights periodically. • if your headlights are foggy or dim, purchase a headlight restoration kit. • use rain - x on your windshield. rain - x acts as a repellant on your windshield for rain, sleet or snow. • always carry an emergency car kit. editor ’ s note : wow, that ’ s a lot to think about. make it easy on yourself by heading to your local advance auto parts store for safe driving tips and answers on how to keep your vision in check this winter. * most vehicles, most store locations.


for the first time, scientists have caught a glimpse of the breeding behaviour of the rare giant armadillo in the wild. found throughout the amazon rainforest and brazil ’ s pantanal region, the giant armadillo is the largest species of armadillo in the world. classified as vulnerable on the iucn red list, this species ’ nocturnal and burrowing habits make it particularly hard to study and, so far, relatively little is known about its breeding behaviour. however, a new study, led by scientists in brazil, has used modern technology to help answer questions regarding the poorly known mating behaviour of the giant armadillo. camera traps are a particularly effective non - intrusive method of gaining insight into the lives of shy, lesser - known mammal species, and their use in this study has been highly valuable. scientists from the pantanal giant armadillo project have monitored a female giant armadillo since november 2011 using the remote camera traps and, in january 2012, the presence of a male giant armadillo around the female ’ s burrows raised hopes that a romance might blossom. while aware of the possibility of wishful thinking, the scientists were optimistic, particularly when, after six months, the two armadillos shared a burrow for several days, after which the male disappeared. five months afterwards, suspicions were raised when the female began to use only one burrow, an unusual behaviour for this species which frequently moves between burrows. three weeks later, the nose of a newborn giant armadillo was finally caught on camera, confirming what the scientists had hoped to find. further photographs of the infant were captured as it emerged from the burrow, its age estimated to be around four weeks old. arnaud desbiez, project coordinator says, “ documenting the birth of a giant armadillo is an exciting step forward to helping us better understand the biology and reproduction of this cryptic species and ultimately help us conserve it. ” although there are many questions still to be answered, the scientists have found evidence that suggests giant armadillos only have one offspring at a time. conserving rare species this long - term study of a giant armadillo has provided essential information on its behaviour that can be used to help conserve this rare species, which has never bred in captivity. the information will help provide an understanding of the species ’ population dynamics, which can be used to influence future conservation plans. the secretive nature and rarity of the giant armadillo means that its local extinction can easily go unnoticed, and to lose such


there is no ignoring it : today is valentine ’ s day. there is also no ignoring the fact that love and lust have inspired terrific artwork. perhaps the best artwork, if you are a romantic like me. i ’ m obviously not the first in the blogosphere to notice this – last week a sweet “ 10 best art kisses of all time ” article made the email / facebook / blog rounds. and, raise your hand if you ever had gustav klimt ’ s 1907 the kiss on a poster? me too. in the museum ’ s collection, a classic work to single out that focuses on art and love is the plaster cast of auguste rodin ’ s the kiss ( paolo and francesca ). when i revisited the kiss, my first question was : who are paolo and francesca? i learned that francesca was a 13th - century woman of noble birth. her father was guido de polenta, the noble of ravenna, italy. francesca was a contemporary of dante ( the poet of the italian middle ages ), and her love story was immortalized in his epic poem divine comedy ( 1308 - 21 ). francesca ’ s father, guido de polenta, had been at war with the rival malatesta family. when they finally brokered a peace deal, guido proposed the solidifying marriage of his daughter to the eldest son of malatesta da verucchio. francesca was engaged to giovanni, a brave and capable man who was, unfortunately, physically deformed. afraid that francesca would refuse the marriage when she saw him, the fathers hatched a plan to instead marry the beautiful francesca by proxy to giovanni ’ s foxy brother paolo without her knowledge. of course, paolo and francesca fell in love before she discovered the deception. as for their immediate connection, as dante imagined it : “ when we had read how the desired smile, was kissed by one who was so true a lover, this one, who never shall be parted from me. ” – inferno v, lines 133 - 135 ( translated by allen mandelbaum ) the legal groom giovanni was not pleased with all this true love and kissing nonsense between his married brother and his intended bride francesca. the lovers were murdered by the hand of the slighted giovanni. plays, artworks, and operas have been inspired by francesca and paolo ’ s love story. in some of the art, including rodin ’ s the kiss, the lovers ’ lips remain parted, symbolizing their unrealized love. when rodin sculpted the kiss in 1886, it was intended ( along


and paolo ’ s love story. in some of the art, including rodin ’ s the kiss, the lovers ’ lips remain parted, symbolizing their unrealized love. when rodin sculpted the kiss in 1886, it was intended ( along with his famous the thinker ) to be part of a bronze portal called the gates of hell, depicting scenes from dante ’ s inferno, the first book of the divine comedy. the portal was intended for a never - built decorative arts museum in paris ; though never realized as a whole, the doorway and its individual parts have become celebrated sculptures in their own right. i ’ ve found it interesting how controversial this sculpture was in the late 19th century. it caused a stir not because of the nude figures or the illicit love affair, but because of its overt female eroticism. here, we see francesca as a willing and lustful participant in the ardor, not simply a passive object of paolo ’ s desire. her arm pulls paolo ’ s head toward her face. when the kiss came to chicago for the 1893 world ’ s columbian exposition, the committee in charge of french art decided it was too risque and put it in a special room requiring special permission to enter. but no special permission required here at the milwaukee art museum. you can see the sculpture in gallery 11, with work of impressionism and the barbizon school.


the emergence of low cost computers in the uk market in the early 1980s kick started many a career in it. the early market was not dominated by one type of machine but rather one full of choices from a myriad of companies. school playgrounds across the country soon became split between two camps, you either loved the spectrum or the bbc micro ( which quickly became known as the beeb ). there were friends with other computers ( vic 20, dragon, commodore 64 to name a few ) but these people were in the minority and viewed as weird. today marks the day the bbc micro was first launched on the market. at the time it was expensive compared to the other machines on the market but it was supported by the bbc in the form of a tv series about computers and their uses. at the time the bbc micro was launched i had already been programming for several years but it is this machine which i remember with fondness. i had a great time learning how this machine worked and even purchased the advanced bbc micro handbook. it was this handbook which allowed me to get closer to the hardware. i even wrote my own disc operating system. this also taught me a very valuable lesson, always backup your work – i accidently tested the format command on the disc containing the only copy of the source code. to my dismay it was one of those occassions where i had manged to write 200 lines of assembler which worked perfectly first time. the early industry meant that schools had to quickly put together a programme of lessons which taught pupils about the new machines and how to use them. the lack of software such as spreadsheets, presentation software etc. meant that children were taught about the machines and how they worked. something which is lacking today. this lack of understanding about how computers actually work is slowly being recognised here in the uk and it appears that the government is starting to recognise that something needs to be done. one group of people who remember those early days are already working on a small computer for the education market. check out the raspberry pi for more information on the project. you can read more about the bbc micro in this article on the bbcs news web site. happy birthday bbc micro


the manmade changes pushing the planet toward a critical transition nature changes gradually — until it doesn ’ t. as the changes in an ecosystem pile up, they can push the system past a “ critical threshold, ” and then the change can become extremely fast ( in relation to geological timescales ) and unstoppable. and in a review in the journal nature, researchers suggest that the same thing is happening to the whole world : humans could be driving earth ’ s biosphere towards a tipping point beyond which the planet ’ s ecosystems will collapse abruptly and irreversibly. this global ecosystem collapse has occurred before, most recently about 12, 000 years ago with the last transition from a glacial period to the current interglacial ( i. e., warm ) period, say the review authors. over the relatively short period of 1, 000 years, fluctuations in the earth ’ s climate largely killed off about half the large mammal species, along with birds, reptiles, and a few smaller mammal species. the millennium - long shift was triggered by rapid global warming, and once this warming pushed the planet past its tipping point, the end of the 100, 000 - year - old ice age became inevitable, giving way to the current 11, 000 - year - old interglacial era.


energy efficiency means doing the same job with less energy. potential savings from energy efficiency number in the trillions of dollars, and would cut air pollution by 1. 1 gigatons by 2020, the same amount produced annually by the entire us fleet of passenger vehicles and light trucks. the idea of a smart grid promises to take energy efficiency to another level. by computer, an entire household would be in communication with all power sources. solar panels on your roof would plan power use for the dishwasher, while your house tells the electricity grid how much heat and light it will need in the next six hours. battery - powered vehicles and plug - in hybrids are gaining popularity because of their efficiency and their improved carbon emissions compared to gasoline and diesel. there are also vehicles powered by algae, liquefied natural gas, hydrogen, compressed air, and ethanol. 3 things you can do to support clean energy industry : 1. patronize clean energy businesses. 2. support clean energy projects in your community or region. 3. understand the true cost of fossil fuels. other great ways you can make a difference. links & videos sizing the clean economy report – brookings institution clean energy trends – green biz 2010 wind technologies report – us department of energy unlocking energy efficiency in the us economy – mckinsey & company the long - term energy efficiency potential – american council for an energy efficient economy feed - in tariffs – faq for state utility commissions uk feed - in tariffs enjoys early success renewable energy in china – world watch institute smart grid revolution – environmental defense fund germany to make history with alternative energy, the big picture rt controlling gas prices and creating jobs, white house president obama talks about how encouraging and developing new energy technologies can help control gas prices and create new american jobs. jonathon porritt, founder director of forum for the future, explains how and why scientific consensus was reached on the issue of climate change. filmed at the times cheltenham science festival.


painful ear infections are a rite of passage for children – by the age of five, nearly every child has experienced at least one episode. most ear infections either resolve on their own or are effectively treated with antibiotics. but sometimes, ear infections and / or fluid in the middle ear may become a chronic problem leading to other issues such as hearing loss, behavior, and speech problems. in these cases, insertion of an ear tube by an ear, nose, and throat physician may be considered. what are ear tubes? ear tubes are tiny cylinders placed through the ear drum ( tympanic membrane ) to allow air into the middle ear. they also may be called tympanostomy tubes, myringotomy tubes, ventilation tubes, or pe ( pressure equalization ) tubes. who needs ear tubes? ear tubes are often recommended when a person experiences repeated middle ear infection ( acute otitis media ) or has hearing loss caused by the persistent presence of middle ear fluid ( otitis media with effusion ). these conditions most commonly occur in children, but can also be present in teens and adults and can lead to speech and balance problems, hearing loss, or changes in the structure of the ear drum. other less common conditions that may warrant the placement of ear tubes are malformation of the ear drum or eustachian tube, down syndrome, cleft palate, and barotrauma ( injury to the middle ear caused by a reduction of air pressure ), usually seen with altitude changes such as flying and scuba diving. each year, more than half a million ear tube surgeries are performed on children, making it the most common childhood surgery performed with anesthesia. the average age of ear tube insertion is one to three years old. inserting ear tubes may : • reduce the risk of future ear infection, • restore hearing loss caused by middle ear fluid, • improve speech problems and balance problems, and • improve behavior and sleep problems caused by chronic ear infections. how are ear tubes inserted? ear tubes are inserted through an outpatient surgical procedure called a myringotomy. a myringotomy refers to an incision ( a hole ) in the ear drum or tympanic membrane. this is most often done under a surgical microscope with a small scalpel ( tiny knife ), but it can also be accomplished with a laser. if an ear tube is not inserted, the hole would heal and close within a few days. to prevent this, an ear tube is placed in the hole to keep it open and


tiny knife ), but it can also be accomplished with a laser. if an ear tube is not inserted, the hole would heal and close within a few days. to prevent this, an ear tube is placed in the hole to keep it open and allow air to reach the middle ear space ( for ventilation ). ear tube surgery a light general anesthetic is administered for young children. some older children and adults may be able to tolerate the procedure without anesthetic. a myringotomy is performed and the fluid behind the ear drum ( in the middle ear space ) is suctioned out. the ear tube is then placed in the hole. ear drops may be administered after the ear tube is placed and may be necessary for a few days. the procedure usually lasts less than 15 minutes and patients awaken quickly. myringotomy with insertion of ear tubes is an extremely common and safe procedure with minimal complications. when complications do occur, they may include : • perforation – this can happen when a tube comes out or a long - term tube is removed and the hole in the tympanic membrane ( ear drum ) does not close. the hole can be patched through a minor surgical procedure called a tympanoplasty or myringoplasty. • scarring – any irritation of the ear drum, including repeated insertion of ear tubes, can cause scarring. in most cases, this causes no problems with hearing. • infection – ear infections can still occur in the middle ear or around the ear tube. however, these infections are usually less frequent, result in less hearing loss, and are easier to treat – often only with ear drops. sometimes an oral antibiotic is still needed. • ear tubes come out too early or stay in too long – if an ear tube expels from the ear drum too soon ( which is unpredictable ), fluid may return and repeat surgery may be needed. ear tubes that remain too long may result in perforation or may require removal by the otolaryngologist. one of the key components in a physician ’ s decision to place ear tubes is the presence and degree of hearing loss. hearing loss can be detected accurately in young children by a pediatric audiologist. dr. shirley pollak has been serving the brooklyn community in clinical practice for 18 years and leads a team of highly competent and professional audiologists providing quality care and service and the highest level of hearing instrument technology. their knowledge and expertise combined with the latest hearing health care breakthroughs, computerization,


brooklyn community in clinical practice for 18 years and leads a team of highly competent and professional audiologists providing quality care and service and the highest level of hearing instrument technology. their knowledge and expertise combined with the latest hearing health care breakthroughs, computerization, ultramodern techniques, and state - of - the - art systems – allows them to offer accurate and successful hearing technology fittings exactly tailored to the individual needs of each patient. she also does newborn hearing screening and can be reached at : pollak audiological 718 - 474 - 4744 and rockaway audiology and hearing aid center : 718 - 421 - 2782. tags : acute otitis media, antibiotics, au. d., audiologist, audiology, balance problems, barotrauma, behavior problems, brooklyn, brooklyn letters, cleft palate, common childhood surgeries, down syndrome, dr. shirley pollak, ear drum changes, ear infections, ear infections in childrean, ear tube surgeries, ear tubes, fluid buildup in ears, fluid in the middle ear, general anesthetic, hearing loss, infection, inserting ear tubes, middle ear infections, minimal complications, myringotomy tubes, myringtomy, otitis media with effusion, outpatient surgical procedure, pe ( pressure equalization ) tubes., perforation, restore hearing loss, scarring, sleep problems, speech problems, treating ear infections, tympanic membrane, tympanostomy tubes, ventilation tubes, what are ear tubes hearing challenges present themselves in different ways, especially with regards to children and adults. c ’ mon, we all remember the frustration we felt when asked to repeat ourselves to our grandparent or neighbor once again ( for the fourth time!!! ) … but what about that baby who is seemingly so content and happy but also quiet because he misses half of what is being said around him …. or what about the child who does not laugh at his friend ’ s joke because although he heard what was said, he did not hear the subtle cues in the spoken phrase. how about the child who has difficulty picking up a second language or who has to work extra hard in school to follow directions in his first language? did you stop to think it may be resulting from a hearing loss? did it ever occur to you that he may be hearing at different levels every day or week because of a fluctuating hearing loss due to fluid buildup in his ears? parents do not run to specialists for a