spore study provides new guidelines for tamoxifen use approximately half a million women in the united states alone currently take the drug tamoxifen, either as an adjuvant therapy for preinvasive or invasive breast cancer, or as a chemopreventive agent for those at high risk of the disease. now, a new study led by dr. matthew goetz, an investigator for the breast cancer specialized program of research excellence ( spore ) at the mayo clinic, has shown that up to 10 percent of women taking the drug may not receive the intended benefit due to genetic differences in the way tamoxifen is metabolized. additionally, a larger percentage of women may be at increased risk of treatment failure because of drug interactions. both genetic polymorphisms and many commonly administered drugs - such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - can affect the activity of an enzyme called cytochrome ( cyp ) 2d6. dr. david flockhart ' s group, which is funded by the national institute of general medical science ' s pharmacogenetics research network, has performed extensive basic science work and early clinical studies demonstrating that cyp2d6 activates tamoxifen, producing a molecule called endoxifen, which is thought to be the metabolite primarily responsible for tamoxifen ' s therapeutic effect. " basic science has told us for the past 30 years that this enzyme is genetically polymorphic, and we expected people with the polymorphisms to make about five times less of the active metabolite, " explained dr. flockhart, chief of the division of clinical pharmacology at indiana university and a collaborator on the spore project. the spore data used to test this hypothesis came from a prospective randomized trial conducted by the north central cancer treatment group, in which postmenopausal women were administered 5 years of tamoxifen therapy for estrogen - receptor - positive breast cancer. both cyp2d6 genotype and medications that interfere with cyp2d6 were known for 180 women randomly assigned to the tamoxifen - only control arm of the trial. researchers classified 65 of these women as having decreased metabolism of tamoxifen based on expected genetic or drug - induced inhibition of cyp2d6. the spore investigators then compared time to breast cancer recurrence, disease - free survival, and overall survival between those with decreased cyp2d6 metabolism and the 115 patients expected to metabolize


induced inhibition of cyp2d6. the spore investigators then compared time to breast cancer recurrence, disease - free survival, and overall survival between those with decreased cyp2d6 metabolism and the 115 patients expected to metabolize tamoxifen normally. the clinical benefit of tamoxifen was greatly decreased for women with factors that negatively affected cyp2d6 metabolism. these women had significantly shorter time to disease recurrence and significantly worse disease - free survival compared with women able to metabolize the drug normally. women with the largest decrease in cyp2d6 metabolism ( cyp2d6 poor metabolizers or those taking a potent cyp2d6 inhibitor ) had a threefold higher risk of breast cancer recurrence while taking tamoxifen. the final results from this study, which was also funded by a k - 12 training grant to dr. goetz, were published online november 18 in breast cancer research and treatment. on october 18, a presentation of this study and related historical data by dr. goetz to the food and drug administration led to an advisory committee unanimously recommending a label change for tamoxifen. this change would include information about the increased risk both from genetic factors and drug interactions affecting cyp2d6. the majority of the committee also recommended that the label mention cyp2d6 genotype testing as an option for women before they are prescribed tamoxifen. " the promise of pharmacogenetics is the ability to individualize therapy for our patients, " said dr. goetz. " in the case of tamoxifen, cyp2d6 may be a marker which identifies patients who can be successfully treated with sequential tamoxifen followed by an aromatase inhibitor or who should be treated up front with an aromatase inhibitor. " however, he explained, prospective clinical trials are needed to identify whether selecting breast cancer patients for tamoxifen therapy based on genetic variability in cyp2d6 will lead to superior clinical outcomes. by sharon reynolds


cream of the crop – artisanal cheese artisanal cheese bears a timeless appeal that is a tribute to the communities producing it. the story of the rigotte condrieu and the aoc appellation illustrates the lengths producers and certifiers of artisanal cheese will go to protect their common heritage. on the slopes of the massif du pilat, south - west of the city of lyon, in the rhone - alpes of france, 105 farmers perform a ritual that has been carried out by their forefathers since the 19th century. they collect raw milk from some 10, 000 head of alpine and saanen goats bred within massif central. each one is reared according to the strictest regulations, detailing everything from the composition of their feed and the space of their living quarters to the maximum quantity of milk collected each year. each goat has the luxury of a minimum mulching area of 1. 5 square meters, at least three square meters of outdoor space for exercise, and not more than 180 days out to the pastures to forage for their own food. even when they do forage by themselves, they feed off agricultural land that is fertilized organically. and every year, a maximum of 7, 000 liters per hectare of forage area and grain operations is collected so as to not stress the animals. using only the first two draughts from each collection, the farmers proceed to the filtration process. to remove any impurities present, the milk is sometimes heated macroscopically at temperatures between 18 and 25 °c for rennet — but there will be no other physical or chemical treatment to the milk at this stage. the farmers then mature the raw milk for no more than 24 hours, following which they leave it to ripen for 10 days, letting the rennet, milk enzymes, salt and yeast work the magic, turning raw milk into creamy curd. the curd is molded and cast, ladle by ladle. each scoop is gently executed to preserve the structure of the curd. it takes another day to drain the cheese before it is released from the mould. when the 3 cm high by 6 cm wide block of cheese — just about 30 grams in weight, is removed from the mould — the farmers salt each cake on both sides, just once or twice to dry the cheese further at a mild, agreeable temperature between 15 and 20 °c. it is left to cure and mature at 10 ° c and 16 ° c ( respectively ) at humidity levels above 80 percent


on both sides, just once or twice to dry the cheese further at a mild, agreeable temperature between 15 and 20 °c. it is left to cure and mature at 10 ° c and 16 ° c ( respectively ) at humidity levels above 80 percent for at least another eight days. generally, cheese is sensitive to temperature and humidity during the affinage process. even after the drainage process, the raw material is still relatively wet and thus drying out is called for. additionally, cheese must be allowed to breathe during the process and high humidity is as beneficial as high temperatures are baneful. “ every wheel of traditionally produced cheese holds not merely the blood, sweat and tears of the rarefied cheese makers but also the shepherds and farmers of the region ” however, different cheeses need to mature at different speeds, hence the precise attention to humidity and temperature. as we shall see, what makes this cheese in particular special in this regard is that the farmers only use traditional methods to control these factors. but the work is not done — a period of three weeks is still needed for the cheese to go through the final step of affinage : the aging of the cheese, or the refining process, as the french would say. only then, like a debutant who has completed a rigorous regimen at finishing school, is the cheese ready to let the world bask in its glory. where tradition trumps science while nothing is left to chance, everything is left to nature ; modified atmosphere storage of the fresh cheeses is strictly prohibited. in fact contemporary science is anathema in this decidedly anachronistic curriculum. farmers must rely on accumulated knowledge and traditions from centuries past to determine the precise timing, temperature and humidity levels required at every step of the process to ensure the production of a cheese of certified quality — the rigotte condrieu. on 13 january 2009, this soft goat cheese became the 45th french cheese to be awarded the appellation d ’ origine controlee ( aoc ) classification by the institut national de l ’ origine et de la qualite. the aoc is a term often associated with french wines but the first - ever product to be bestowed the status was, in fact, a cheese. since roquefort was awarded aoc classification in 1925 by the french parliament, only 45 other cheeses have been awarded the same. while the aoc label helps to sell french wines, it does not necessarily have the same effect for french cheeses. to wine connoisseurs and novices alike, the


french parliament, only 45 other cheeses have been awarded the same. while the aoc label helps to sell french wines, it does not necessarily have the same effect for french cheeses. to wine connoisseurs and novices alike, the seal printed on the label is a testament to the wine ’ s heritage and quality. yet with only a small fraction of france ’ s 500 - odd cheeses bearing the seal, the association is clearly not about marketing and sales. for the 105 farmers painstakingly making rigotte condrieu, the classification represents far more than increased profits, as we shall see later. while the classification comes with a long list of guarantees of quality for the consumers, it comes with an even longer list of regulations for the producers : the product will be produced consistently in the traditional manner ; production follows strict regulation by a control commission following aoc - defined standards ; ingredients will be from a designated geographical area ; made and at least partially aged in this area ; and that the characteristics of the product will be consistent and in line with clearly defined standards — and that is only a summary. the decree no. 2009 - 49 of 13 january 2009 concerning the designation of origin “ rigotte condrieu ” is an article almost 7, 000 words long. nevertheless, the community of farmers in pilat mastiff put themselves to the grueling test and submitted themselves to the indignity of certification when they sent in the request for an aoc classification in the summer of 2005. it took them almost four years to obtain the classification but they are far from being alone in going through these motions in recent times. almost a quarter of the new aoc entries for cheeses were added to the list in the past decade, despite it having been a good 75 years since roquefort ’ s ascent to the revered aoc ranks. then again, the passage of time follows different rules for the farmers of pilat mastiff and their peers. pride and pragmatism artisanal cheese defies the vagaries of time and the forces of contemporary efficiency alike. these cheeses are made in limited quantities in farms and barnyards over days, aged for weeks — sometimes months — and produced by people who follow recipes perfected by trial and error. the cheeses are sometimes dressed in wax or soft strips of wood from trees indigenous to the region, or are simply cloaked in a natural rind — you will never find them suffocated in plastic. every wheel of traditionally produced cheese holds not merely the


are sometimes dressed in wax or soft strips of wood from trees indigenous to the region, or are simply cloaked in a natural rind — you will never find them suffocated in plastic. every wheel of traditionally produced cheese holds not merely the blood, sweat and tears of the rarefied cheese makers but also the shepherds and farmers of the region. virtually everyone plays a role in the intensely community oriented process. pride in the product is pride in the community. in his paper activites fromageres dans la france preindustrielle, du xvie siecle au milieu du xixe siecle ( cheese - related activities in pre - industrial france, 16th to 19th centuries ) published in 2006, jean - claude parot dissects the significance of cheese production — with surprising results. he states plainly that there is nothing romantic about the origins of cheese. it was a product of necessity. “ aoc classification probably came about as an effort to protect the region ’ s ownership of the roquefort. it was a copyright stamp on a product made through a unique process that also served as a guarantee ” the raw ingredients for production were readily accessible and it was a practical if ingenious solution to the difficult challenge of preserving excess milk. as a food product, cheese lends flavor to “ the monotonous rations of bread ”, and conveniently helps the consumer overcome deficiencies in calcium and animal protein. it was seen as the poor man ’ s meat in days when one ’ s social status was measured by richness of diet. it was even perceived as the “ cookie of the drunkard, ” because its salt content encouraged the consumption of fluids. as a commodity, cheese was also portable and had a relatively long storage life, making them sales items of considerable longevity. “ even if the surpluses are never very large, the families could easily sell the cheese to supplement the household income ” wrote parot. “ small change perhaps, but still very popular because, for most farmers, such opportunities are rare. ” yet as methods evolved, cheese became a diversified product. everything hinges on the type of milk used ; coagulation process ; conditions of drainage, duration and intensity of the operation ; treatment of curd ; and drying process. in fact even the unique characteristics of each specific area ’ s natural environment impacts upon the end product : creamy, soft - ripened brie de meaux ; roqueforts, marbled with streaks of blue ; solid wheels of washed - rind saint


even the unique characteristics of each specific area ’ s natural environment impacts upon the end product : creamy, soft - ripened brie de meaux ; roqueforts, marbled with streaks of blue ; solid wheels of washed - rind saint nectaire. thus cheeses from different countries, different regions within the same country, and even different families within the same region, came to posses unique characteristics. by the 18th century, cheeses from france were sought after not just by the french but by people of means across europe. the encyclopedia of diderot and d ’ alembert notes : “ several districts of the kingdom provide excellent [ cheese ]. cheese rocquefort is unquestionably the first cheese of europe : that of brie, one of sassenage the marolles, not inferior in any way to the best cheeses from foreign countries ; the mountains of lorraine, franche - comte and neighboring regions, mimics that of gruyere ; auvergne cheese is as good as the best cheese of holland. ” the aoc classification probably came about as an effort to protect the region ’ s ownership of the roquefort. it was, in a way, a copyright stamp on a product made through a unique process that also served as a guarantee to those who lusted after the cheese. helpfully, it was also a vain proclamation of its own virtues ; an advertisement that this was an exquisite food favored by the noble and influential. indeed, roquefort had a fan in charlemagne, as did saint nectaire in napoleon i and brie in talleyrand. at production levels of close to 2, 000 tones a year, france is one of the top - three cheese producers of the world. figures also show that they are in the lead in terms of cheese consumption as a nation. cheese is also a major export for the country. the famous french ardour for cheese comes not for what it has done for the nation economically but culturally. like wine, cheese is an expression of the land and the country ’ s heritage. throughout the ages, the people of france have come to see their finest cheese as a product of cultural pride. more than a business strategy, the aoc classification is france ’ s attempt at preserving a part of its gastronomical heritage. they want people who step into a fromagerie to speak of localities and farms — never mind that of the producer. he is unimportant, for he is simply a vessel delivering what the land


part of its gastronomical heritage. they want people who step into a fromagerie to speak of localities and farms — never mind that of the producer. he is unimportant, for he is simply a vessel delivering what the land meant the people to produce. the institut national de l ’ origine et de la qualite among france ’ s more than 1, 000 cheeses, only 46 have been awarded aoc status by the institut national de l ’ origine et de la qualite. of the 46, 11 were honored with the classification in this decade. - morbier : a mild and aromatic cow ’ s milk cheese from franche - comte - pelardon des cevennes : a fruity, well - balanced goat ’ s cheese from languedoc - roussillon - tome des bauges : delicate and mild cheese made from skimmed cow ’ s milk, in savoie - chevrotin : hard goat ’ s milk cheese that is floral in aroma, also made in savoie - banon : made from unpasteurized whole goat ’ s milk, and matured in brown chestnut ’ s leaves, this is an easily recognizable cheese with a distinct flavor. from provence - alpes - cote d ’ azur - epoisses de bourgogne : subtle cow ’ s milk cheese from bourgogne - maconnais : soft goat ’ s milk cheese from bourgogne - mont d ’ or ( vacherin du haut - doubs ) : runny cow ’ s milk cheese from franche - comte, easily recognized by a belt of pine bark - gruyere : the swiss cheese named after the swiss municipality was awarded the transnational aoc in march of 2007 - rigotte de condrieu : a fi ne textured goat ’ s milk cheese with ivory, white or even blue surface flora 2010 - charolais : a firm and smooth goat ’ s milk cheese of complex flavor profile


providing a benthic habitat classification manual, a benthic habitat map for the nearshore waters of american samoa, guam, and the commonwealth of the northern mariana islands, and supplemental geospatial data. the national oceanic and atmospheric administration ( noaa ) national ocean service ( nos ) initiated a coral reef research program in 1999 to map, assess, inventory, and monitor u. s. coral reef ecosystems ( monaco et al. 2001 ). these activities were implemented in response to requirements outlined in the mapping implementation plan developed by the mapping and information synthesis working group ( miswg ) of the coral reef task force ( crtf ) ( miswg 1999 ). as part of the miswg of the crtf, nos ' biogeography branch has been charged with the development and implementation of a plan to produce comprehensive digital coral - reef ecosystem maps for all u. s. states, territories, and commonwealths within five to seven years. joint activities between federal agencies are particularly important to map, research, monitor, manage, and restore coral reef ecosystems. in response to the executive order 13089 and the coral reef conservation act of 2000, nos is conducting research to digitally map biotic resources and coordinate a long - term monitoring program that can detect and predict change in u. s. coral reefs, and their associated habitats and biological communities. most u. s. coral reef resources have not been digitally mapped at a scale or resolution sufficient for assessment, monitoring, and / or research to support resource management. thus, a large portion of nos ' coral reef research activities has focused on mapping of u. s. coral reef ecosystems. the map products will provide the fundamental spatial organizing framework to implement and integrate research programs and provide the capability to effectively communicate information and results to coral reef ecosystem managers. although the nos coral program is relatively young, it has had tremendous success in advancing towards the goal to protect, conserve, and enhance the health of u. s. coral reef ecosystems. one objective of the program was to create benthic habitat maps to support coral reef research to enable development of products that support management needs and questions. therefore this product was developed in collaboration with many u. s. pacific territory partners. an initial step in producing benthic habitat maps was the development of a habitat classification scheme. the purpose of this document is to outline the benthic habitat classification scheme and protocols used to map american samoa, guam and the commonwealth of the northern mariana islands. thirty - two distinct benthic habitat types ( i. e., four major and 14 detailed geo


of this document is to outline the benthic habitat classification scheme and protocols used to map american samoa, guam and the commonwealth of the northern mariana islands. thirty - two distinct benthic habitat types ( i. e., four major and 14 detailed geomorphological structure classes ; eight major and 18 detailed biological cover types ) within eleven zones were mapped directly into a geographic information system ( gis ) using visual interpretation of orthorectified ikonos satellite imagery. benthic features were mapped that covered an area of 263 km2. in all, 281 km2 of unconsolidated sediment, 122 km2 of submerged vegetation, and 82. 3 km2 of coral reef and colonized hardbottom were mapped. this cd - rom will provide the user a suite of information including access to the primary and derived data sets, detailed information on how the mapping was conducted and data was collected, custom tools used to create the product, and reports summarizing the results : - access to primary data sources ( i. e., ikonos imagery, accuracy assessment field data, ground validation field data, spatial accuracy field data ) - access to derived data sources ( i. e., benthic habitat gis files, final reports, shoreline gis files ) - directions for using the " habitat digitizer " extension in arcview - a description of the specific methods used to create the habitat maps - an assessment of the thematic accuracy of the maps to see or download more information about noaa ' s coral reef mapping program, visit noaa ' s biogeography program citation for this document : noaa national centers for coastal ocean science ( nccos ). 2005. shallow - water benthic habitats of american samoa, guam, and the commonwealth of the northern mariana islands ( cd - rom ). noaa technical memorandum nos nccos 8, biogeography branch. silver spring, md. the primary funding source for the development of this product was the noaa coral reef conservation program.


autism language program two - way observational learning many children with autism have difficulty learning in a general classroom, due to the distractions, face - to - face interactions, and standard pacing. two - way observational learning introduces an innovative way to use video to teach children with autism essential concepts and ideas. observational learning typically involves student with autism viewing a prerecorded video where a model teaches specific behaviors and concepts. in the alp at boston children ' s hospital, we have pioneered the use of a two - way observational environment where there is a " live " connection between the learner, who appears on a tv monitor in one room, and an instructor, who appears on a separate tv monitor in another room. this controlled setting : - focuses a child ' s attention to what is happening on the tv screen - provides the familiar television environment that children with autism enjoy - provides real - time face - to - face interaction through the tv screen - takes advantage of video techniques such as highlighting and zooming - reduces the pressure of face - to - face interactions in the same room - allows familiar people to interact during the two - way experience learners watch the instructor on the monitor while the instructor delivers well - planned instructional activities. the instructor can also monitor the child ' s performance and give real - time guidance, feedback and reinforcement to ensure that the task is learned correctly. it is important to note that this setting requires cameras, appropriate recording equipment and flat screen television panels.


cochlear implant program the cochlear implant program at children ’ s national medical center provides expert advice and care for patients and their families throughout the process of cochlear implantation, from initial screening to post - operative support. the cochlear implant program is part of children ’ s division of otolaryngology and works in close collaboration with children ’ s division of hearing and speech. patients who benefit from a cochlear implant a cochlear implant is a surgically implanted device that helps transmit electrical stimulation to the inner ear to aid hearing. a cochlear implant is an alternative for children with bilateral ( in both ears ) severe - to - profound sensorineural hearing loss ( hearing loss caused by damage to the sensory cells and / or nerve fibers of the inner ear ) who do not benefit from conventional hearing aids. our team evaluates patients for a cochlear implant based on several criteria, including audiological, medical, developmental, and psychosocial factors. a thorough evaluation to determine if a child is a candidate for cochlear implantation generally requires multiple visits : we perform between 20 and 25 cochlear implants each year. at any time, the program serves many patients who are at different stages of the cochlear implantation process. - assessment by a pediatric otolaryngologist ( ear, nose, and throat physician ) - follow - up and treatment by an audiologist, including hearing aid trials - assessment by a speech therapist - evaluation by social services of psychological and social support available after the implant of a cochlear device, the program team continues to support a child and family to help the patient progress successfully in hearing and language development. post - operative services include : - auditory habilitation / rehabilitation - language intervention - coordination between parents, schools, and the implant center children ’ s cochlear implant program team members are fluent in spanish and interpreters are available for every session with our specialists. all of the audiologists in the program are skilled in american sign language ( asl ). the program also has speech language pathologists with auditory - verbal training in addition to more traditional therapies. - departments & programs - children ' s national medical center about 1 out of 22 babies are born each year in the united states with a hearing impairment. most often, the parents are the first to detect hearing loss in their children. without screening or testing by a specialist, however, hearing loss may not be noticed


1 out of 22 babies are born each year in the united states with a hearing impairment. most often, the parents are the first to detect hearing loss in their children. without screening or testing by a specialist, however, hearing loss may not be noticed until the baby is more than 1 year old. if hearing loss is not detected until later years, there is no stimulation of the brain ' s hearing centers. this can affect the development of hearing, and can delay speech and language, affect the child ’ s performance in school, social and emotional development. because of these risks, many health organizations including the national institutes of health and the american academy of pediatrics, recommend universal infant hearing screening. this means all newborn babies should be screened for hearing loss. the program specialists recommend that children be screened and if hearing loss is diagnosed, treated according to the following timetable : | by 1 month | | all infants ’ hearing should be screened | by 3 months | | if infant failed the 1 - month hearing test, he or she should have a diagnostic hearing test by 3 months | by 6 months | | if needed, begin treatment of hearing loss. treatment may include : - the fitting of hearing aids - enrollment in early intervention rehabilitation services - a medical work - up | by 12 to 18 months | | cochlear implantation for those children diagnosed with bilateral severe - to - profound sensorineural hearing loss and determined an appropriate candidate for the procedure.


conditions of use module 1 writeup dear mom and dad, in module 1 for math class we learned about probability, experimental and theoretical. we also have been learning about exponents meaning 10 t the 2nd power would be 100. i have learned a lot from miss harte, including a lot of fancy ways to do things. we used the texas instruments calculators and she teaches us easy tricks to figure out problems. we learned a lot about graphing data and putting that information into a frequency table. then from that we made bar and line graphs. we did a really fun project for probability. we picked an object and picked it out of a hat or bag 100 times and then recorded the results. my friend ksky and i did ours on different colored hairbands. it was a lot of fun and i hope we do more projects like that throughout the year. another topic we learned about was exponents. we worked a lot on these and it helps you to find answers on other types of problems. it can be tricky but if you get it it can help a lot, like instead of writing 5x5x5x5x5 1 million times you can just right 5 to the millionth power. see how much time you saved. the last topic i ' m going to talk about is graphing data and making frequency tables. this can help you with probability too. i like making graphs because you can graph just about anything. thanks for letting me teach you about module 1. love, brbr : ) < 3 article posted november 4, 2011 at 01 : 12 pm • comment • reads 118 see all articles latest 10 comments :


expanding the ark - advancing invertebrate conservation 24 may 2004 | news story gland, switzerland, 24 may 2004 ( iucn ) - the world conservation union. ' expanding the ark ' neatly summarises the aims of the invertebrate specialists who gathered at the american museum of natural history in new york for a symposium recently. they plan to raise awareness of invertebrate conservation requirements so that these are included in conservation planning, management and policy decisions. currently, invertebrate species are often overlooked in conservation strategies, despite representing the vast majority of our planet ' s biodiversity : a staggering 95 % of all known animal species. to address this, the global invertebrate conservation community, including ssc, has united under a new initiative : the ' expanding the ark coalition ' ( etac ). this will provide an ideal forum for deciding the best ways to advance invertebrate conservation and help mobilise the necessary resources. considering the sheer number of invertebrates on our planet - 1, 190, 200 species have been described and nearly 10, 000 new ones are discovered each year - it is not surprising to learn that they play an indispensable ecological and economic role. invertebrates occupy key roles in most food chains through nutrient recycling, pollination, pest control and water filtration, as well as performing many other vital functions. conserving invertebrate biodiversity is therefore essential for the maintenance of ecosystem health. from squids to dragonflies, and spiders to termites, invertebrates are also fascinating animals in their own right, many displaying incredible life histories. however, it is the sheer abundance and diversity of invertebrates that makes assessing their conservation status on limited resources one of the biggest challenges to conservationists. recent studies suggest that many invertebrates face imminent extinction, so the importance of this challenge cannot be understated. to date, the threatened status of only 3, 400 invertebrates has been assessed ( 0. 2 % of known species ) and 1, 959 species are included in the iucn red list of threatened species. initial steps were taken by the iucn ' s species survival commission ( ssc ) to improve invertebrate conservation by organising a workshop in november 2001. this brought together representatives of all the ssc invertebrate specialist groups and other experts to develop a plan of action for the commission ' s invertebrate conservation work. as a result, the geographical coverage of invertebrate specialist groups has increased, with the creation of new european and south asian specialist groups and a declining poll


entomology collections search the u. s. national entomological collection is the world ' s largest accessible collection, with over 35 million specimens. the electronic records available here focus on type specimens as well as the general odonata collections. data for several taxonomic groups are indicated, at the end of detailed records, as reveiwed by staff of the smithsonian or affiliates usda systematic entomology laboratory and walter reed biosystematics unit. legacy data for several taxonomic groups are kept available while under review and will be udpdated upon completion. data and images for all specimens should be considered provisional. we will be updating and adding records and images regularly. search the collection keyword searches on summary fields can be run from the keyword search tab above. searches can be run against specific fields from the search by field tab. a custom presentation of entomology illustration archive records is also available. if you do not know what to search for, try one of the three sample searches in the quick browse list below. search results are sorted by taxonomic group and limited to 5000 records. if you need to retrieve a larger record set, please contact the department of entomology. see the help tab to learn more about searching and then exploring your returned results ( sorting, exporting, etc. ). quick browse searches | selected imaged bee type specimens | | 9100322 9100358 9100367 9100370 9100371 9168462 9168746 9169407 9170469 9170730 9171576 9171905 9172004 9172130 9172134 9172229 9172266 9172771 9172798 9172922 9172992 9173924 9174025 9174117 9174177 9174449 9174508 9175324 9175349 9175861 9175862 9175865 9175900 9175906 9176131 9176995 9178114 9178634 9178622 9205142 9208004 9170469 9312640 | | imaged odonata type specimens | | 9198878 9208064 9198879 9100437 9206185 9198864 9198865


9312640 | | imaged odonata type specimens | | 9198878 9208064 9198879 9100437 9206185 9198864 9198865 9198867 9198868 9198869 9198841 9205855 9205856 9205858 9209159 9208434 9205730 9198920 9100308 9205956 9100310 9100311 9205221 9205222 9200146 9198910 9100115 9198911 9198912 9198913 9198914 9198915 9199043 9198916 9198917 9198918 9198919 9205854 9312631 9198886 9198844 9205860 9205861 9198831 9198873 9208063 9208065 9198874 9198871 9198875 9198908 9198909 9100429 9210979 9210980 9198866 9210978 | | selected illustration archive records | | 9312875 9312879 9312904 9313080 9313135 9313347 9313851 9314014 9314128 9314707 9314752 9314801 9314850 9314863 9316136 9315132 9315117 9315111 9313007 9314963 9314928 | enter your keywords separated by spaces and click search. records that match your search terms will be returned. note that searching for common ( vernacular ) names may not yield the expected results. associating common names with specimen records is a work in progress. keyword search example : cicindela ( " new mexico " or chihuahua ) type use the by field search to find specimen data that match values in specific database fields. enter a value or choose one from the dropdown lists. the results of your searches can be displayed in grid ( a sortable, customizable table ) or gallery view ( best for reviewing images ). use the switch button to cycle


fields. enter a value or choose one from the dropdown lists. the results of your searches can be displayed in grid ( a sortable, customizable table ) or gallery view ( best for reviewing images ). use the switch button to cycle between these views. in grid view : in gallery view : see exporting results for information on downloading results to, for example, excel or google earth. open the full collection record by clicking the expansion button ( ) in grid view, or anywhere within the image frame in gallery view. inverse expansion buttons ( ) indicate records with multimedia ( typically, images ). sort results in grid view by clicking the column header ( or by choosing sort from the column ' s dropdown menu ). export all or selected results by clicking the export results as csv button in the bottom toolbar in grid, or gallery view. you can also export all or selected results to a kml file for viewing with google earth or other kml viewers, by clicking the export as kml button. this button is grayed when all or selected results lack latitude / longitude values. to create a link to specific records at nmnh provide the appropriate unit and querystring to : where unit is : and querystring is ( use a plus - sign to separate words ) : there are ways to speed up your queries ( or slow them down! ) and to find specific information. please use the feedback page to report back any problems you find with the data, or with using these search pages.


elijah j. mccoyborn may 2, 1843? at colchester, ontario ; died october 10, 1929 elijah mccoy was born to george mccoy and mildred goins, both runaway slaves from kentucky who came via the underground railway to colchester, ontario. the mccoy family returned to the united states while elijah was very young and settled in ypsilanti, michigan. at age 15 years, elijah was sent to edinburgh, scotland to study mechanical engineering. he returned to the united states after his studies. the only job he could get was as a fire man or coal man on a michigan train line, despite his educational qualifications. during this job, mccoy invented and patented his improvements on lubricators for steam engines in 1872 in the united states. in 1874 improvements on lubricators for steam engines was patented in canada. the expression " the real mccoy, " which refers to an original or real item versus an inferior imitation, supposedly originated with elijah mccoy. ties to canada : elijah ' s father, george mccoy, reputedly returned to canada and enlisted in the militia to put down the red river rebellion of 1870. it is also suggested that george received land in canada for serving in the militia. sample of inventions patented in canada by mccoy | patent number | | filing date | | title | | 3499 | | 1874 | | improvements on lubricators for steam engines | | 14270 | | 1882 | | improvements on lubricators |


| date of discovery | | may 15, 2005 | | name of discoverer | | hubble space telescope pluto companion search team | | name origin | | mythical 9 - headed monster ; second initial of " new horizons " mission | | order from primary | | 3 | | semi - major axis | | 64, 780 km | | sidereal month | | 38. 206 da | | inclination | | 0. 22° to pluto ' s equator | | equatorial radius | | 37 km | | mean temperature | | 44 k | the hubble space telescope pluto companion search team examined pluto and its already - known moon charon using the hubble space telescope ' s advanced camera for surveys. the stated discovery date of may 15, 2005 is the date that the discovery images were taken ; the discovery was announced only after confirmatory comparison with previous images of the plutonian system. in greek mythology, the hydra was a nine - headed monster who was eventually destroyed by hercules. the names given to hydra and the middle moon nix are also the initials of the nasa mission new horizons, launched in 2006. nix and hydra, like charon, revolve around pluto in the direction of pluto ' s own rotation about its axis. hydra ' s orbit is significantly eccentric, and its period is nearly, but not quite, six times that of charon. this last finding has led to speculation that hydra and charon resonate in their orbits. the hubble space telescope ' s instruments have not been able to resolve hydra sufficiently to measure its diameter. the diameter has a calculated range of between 61 km and 167 km, depending on the albedo — and current instruments cannot adequately resolve the albedo, either. nor has any instrument been able to resolve its sidereal day. hydra is somewhat brighter than its companion moon nix, and so might be the larger of the two, but this is not proved. the new horizons space probe, launched in 2006, will visit hydra and its companions in february of 2015. this will represent the earliest opportunity to study hydra in detail. the very existence of such a complex system as the plutonian system is difficult to explain, primarily on account of pluto ' s small size. this has led one member of the discovery team to speculate that a giant impact ( similar to that which most astronomers now favor for the origin of the moon of earth ) on pluto formed charon, and that nix and hydra are two pieces of debris from that same impact. while the lead investigator doubts that nix and hydra are captured objects, pluto


that which most astronomers now favor for the origin of the moon of earth ) on pluto formed charon, and that nix and hydra are two pieces of debris from that same impact. while the lead investigator doubts that nix and hydra are captured objects, pluto is no longer considered a planet precisely on account of its failure to " clear its neighborhood " of other objects. nix and hydra could, therefore, be two of many trans - neptunian objects ( tnos ) that, instead of crashing into pluto, fell into orbit around it as pluto passed. - ↑ " gazetteer of planetary nomenclature : planetary body names and discoverers. " us geological survey, jennifer blue, ed. march 31, 2008. accessed april 17, 2008. - ↑ " pluto : moons : nix. " solar system exploration, nasa, september 15, 2006. accessed april 17, 2008. - ↑ " iau circular no. 8723 : satellites of pluto. " international astronomical union, june 21, 2006. accessed april 17, 2008. - ↑ than, ker. " pluto ' s newest moons named hydra and nix. " space. com, june 21, 2006. accessed april 17, 2008. - ↑ 5. 0 5. 1 5. 2 buie, m. w., grundy, w. m., young, e. f., et al. " orbits and photometry of pluto ' s satellites : charon, s / 2005 p1, and s / 2005 p2. " astronomical journal 132 : 290, submitted december 19, 2005. - ↑ 6. 0 6. 1 6. 2 stern, s. a., mutchler, m. j., weaver, h. a., and steffl, a. j. " the positions, colors, and photometric variability of pluto ' s small satellites from hst observations 2005 - 2006. " astronomical journal, submitted april 29, 2006. accessed april 17, 2008. - ↑ an assumed value - ↑ arnett, bill. " pluto. " < http : / / www. nineplanets. org / > accessed january 22, 2008. - ↑ " iau circular no. 8625. " international astronomical union, october 31, 2005. accessed april 17, 2008. - ↑ 10. 0 10. 1 10. 2 " nasa ' s hubble reveals possible new moons around pluto. " news release stscl - 2005 - 19, hubble site, october 31, 2005. accessed april 17, 2008


november 7, 2011 the non - robotic robot in popular parlance, the term “ robotic ” verges on the insulting. it implies uninspired, unthinking and repetitive. yet at the same time, robots themselves are cool — striding through popular culture in science fiction and reality shows, alongside ( or in place of ) military troops, serving as science ambassadors in classrooms or pluckily plodding though nuclear disasters in japan. at uc santa barbara, the fluidity and diversity of real life inspires the approach to this new - old technology, bridging the divide between “ clone ” and “ cool. ” many robotics projects seem to draw more from the menagerie than the hardware store, with rats and mice, dogs and dragonflies, even maple seeds and bacteria, influencing the design of hardware and software, and how robotics is taught in academia. while specifics vary, robots are generally defined as having some mobility, whether as an arm attached to a post or an unmanned aerial vehicle ( uav ) soaring overhead. they have the ability to make some decisions on their own, even if that only goes as far as how hard to screw in a bolt, and they can do this more or less autonomously. in short, a robot can move, it can think and it can make itself useful. ignoring fiction, explained professor katie byl, the first age of robots dawned in the 1980s when stationary robots doing repetitive tasks with high positional accuracy defined the term ( and conjured the pejorative aspects of “ robotic ” ). “ it ’ s a robot that is designed for something like machining a part where the tool has to be pressed with high force and high accuracy against an end effector — not the kind of dynamics for a robot to interface with your grandmother, ” explained byl, whose working group at ucsb is named the robotics lab. while these industrial robots remain and grow in importance, the state of the art moved toward robots that could move around on their own, initially over artificially smooth terrain and now over increasingly genuine — i. e. uneven and unknown — ground, sea or sky. once they can ramble successfully, they should be able to exploit their environment and work without much — or any — real - time human guidance. the progress ranges from the very theoretical to the very practical. professor joao hespanha, for example, has just demonstrated aerial robots the u. s. army would like to use to track down insurgents firing mortar shells in afghanistan. “ in the


the progress ranges from the very theoretical to the very practical. professor joao hespanha, for example, has just demonstrated aerial robots the u. s. army would like to use to track down insurgents firing mortar shells in afghanistan. “ in the future, ” said professor francesco bullo, whose own work centers on robotic coordination, “ people envision robots everywhere. you can imagine small, almost like ‘ smart dust, ’ agents in a very, very small space that move, sense, transit, maybe perform an action as well. but the reality is that a robot needs a battery. one can imagine everything, but the reality is that we ’ re nowhere near having anything on the microscale, even less at the nanoscale. ” so while the sky is the limit, there are still some very basic hurdles to step over, like bipedal walking. turning to fiction, from the homicidal ns - 5s of the film “ i, robot ” to the droids of “ star wars ” to marvin the paranoid android of “ hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, ” they all shared the ability to walk. having been raised on a diet of hollywood robots that are as agile as ballerinas, “ a lot of my grad students were surprised that that wasn ’ t a solved project yet because everyone saw it in movies, ” byl reflected. “ they make it look like we already have walking robots. ” adding to this perception are the odd japanese humanoid robots that exhibit a large range of life - like motions — albeit “ on the same stage, the same set of stairs, three times a day doing the same choreographed motions, ” as she noted. “ the real challenge is to get a robot to perform as well as my two year old son, pieter, who can kind of crawl up and down stairs with his own technique and can make a stack of blocks 20 - high. those are the kind of problems that are extremely challenging right now, akin to playing grand master chess for a computer, because there ’ s so much uncertainty about what you ’ re going to encounter. ” this challenge, more broadly addressed as locomotion ( and its cousin manipulation ), is an area of special interest for byl. before coming to ucsb last year, byl was at harvard university, where she worked with private industry robot maker boston dynamics on little dog. this four - legged motorized beast ( and its brother big dog ) remains a trend - setting investigator of “ the fundamental relationships among motor learning, dynamic


byl was at harvard university, where she worked with private industry robot maker boston dynamics on little dog. this four - legged motorized beast ( and its brother big dog ) remains a trend - setting investigator of “ the fundamental relationships among motor learning, dynamic control, perception of the environment, and rough - terrain locomotion, ” the company explains. “ the real challenge is to get a robot to perform as well as my two year old son, pieter, who can kind of crawl up and down stairs with his own technique and can make a stack of blocks 20 - high. those are the kind of problems that are extremely challenging right now, akin to playing grand master chess for a computer, because there ’ s so much uncertainty about what you ’ re going to encounter. ” katie byl, ucsb at ucsb, byl and her lab have extended that work on traversing so - called rough terrain, on two legs as well as four, and have also creating small, flapping - wing robots that can not only move but can sense terrain and make their own paths. in her office at harold frank hall she demonstrates a variety of small robots, from solar - powered “ micro - aerial vehicles ” to a purely mechanical device that, using passive dynamics, could almost walk downhill forever. these “ fun, dynamic motion problems ” in engineering are often bio - inspired, she continued — drawn from nature without exactly mimicking nature. byl dislikes the term biomimicry, saying it suggests “ taking something that works and trying to reverse engineer what the structure is, as opposed to looking at a particular principle that has been successfully used in nature and trying to boil it down to a small set of principles you can use as building blocks. you can fall into a trap of trying to copy something that works without understanding why it works. ” wright brothers as a pair of engineers who, realizing birds had conquered yaw, pitch and roll, set about figuring out those challenges rather creating a flapping, feathered flying machine ” katie byl, ucsb byl ’ s group is currently working on semi - autonomous control of the littledog robot for rough terrain locomotion. littledog is a small quadruped manufactured by boston dynamics. shown above are doctoral student brian satzinger ( at left ) and katie byl. picking up a miniature fly developed at harvard, she noted that its flapping wings recall those of a real fly, but use a piezo - electric movement rather than trying to replicate the musculature of


at left ) and katie byl. picking up a miniature fly developed at harvard, she noted that its flapping wings recall those of a real fly, but use a piezo - electric movement rather than trying to replicate the musculature of a fly. she points to the wright brothers as a pair of engineers who, realizing birds had conquered yaw, pitch and roll, set about figuring out those challenges rather creating a flapping, feathered flying machine. at a different extreme, she fears the legacy of “ stiff ” industrial robots might lead some to take the long way around a robotics problem, with researchers trying to emulate the tradition of high positional accuracy and aiming to ratchet up the degrees of freedom rather than addressing the “ basic impedance problems ” of locomotion. like many of the researchers studying robotics and its cousins at ucsb, hespanha was drawn here by the strength of the work going on in control engineering. “ controlling systems is so general you find it in many departments — electrical engineering, mechanical, chemical engineering, civil engineering — but in most universities this group is spread across many departments, ” he explained. “ even though ucsb is a small school compared to others, ” he continued, giving some examples of larger midwestern universities, “ at ucsb all these things are working together, so we can offer more courses than many of the big schools. ” the hotbed of this multidisciplinary effort is the center for control, dynamical systems and computation, which professor petar v. kokotovic founded two decades ago ; hespanha is its director, and bullo is the associate director. few schools have a dedicated department of robotics or its brother discipline of mechatronics, and even at the center its eclectic focuses offer only a few “ or pure - play ” robotics options. byl ’ s robotics lab is the rare entity at ucsb where “ robot ” actually appears in the name ; the lab is part of both the center and the department of electrical and computer engineering. the institute for collaborative biotechnologies at ucsb also studies some robotics issues — like hespanha ’ s mortar - seeking drones — that have defense applications, and develops bio - inspired roots. and other departments have their eyes on robotic applications : in computer science, for example, researchers like matt turk and tobias hollerer, who are working on the human and computer interface, see immediate robotic implications. this all suggests the birthing of a robot requires many parents,


eyes on robotic applications : in computer science, for example, researchers like matt turk and tobias hollerer, who are working on the human and computer interface, see immediate robotic implications. this all suggests the birthing of a robot requires many parents, many of whom — such as those working on wireless communications — may not have realized how entrenched they were in the robot family. as bullo explained, a plethora of technological breakthroughs in computers, cameras, gyroscopes, gps, sensors, batteries, and more computing that, combined with substantial theoretical developments, have broken robots out of their structured environments into the workaday world. his own area of expertise lies in crafting models and theories of how robots would perform the useful tasks these breakthroughs allow. “ the applications you ’ re seeing now, ” bullo said, “ are the ones that bring together the best of breed from all of these practical technologies but also theoretical algorithms. “ the robots that i work with are really airplanes, but what makes them robots as opposed to traditional airplanes is they are intelligent systems, they make decisions by themselves. they are fully autonomous and they work together. ” “ the unicorn uav is basically a foam wing powered by an electric motor. it has an onboard auto - pilot fed by a gps unit, three - axis rate gyros and accelerometers, differential and absolute air pressure sensors, and a magnetometer. the autopilot communicates with a ground station through a radio link. we use unicorns to test our cooperative control algorithms at camp roberts, a california national guard facility near paso robles. the toyon research corporation in santa barbara has been a ucsb long - term research partner in this area. ” - joao hespanha, ucsb “ once you have the perception of the environment, you have to ask yourself, ‘ how are my robots going to act among themselves, how are they going to interact with the environment, how are they going to interact with their human operators and with humans moving in the environment? ’ ” his algorithms in the burgeoning field of network science tend to blur neat distinctions between robotics and the natural world, since the underlying principles that might govern a robotic network would might also find a home in activities as far afield as running a power grid or divining the intricacies of human society. ’ the connection becomes more intuitive as bullo points out that “ your brain is composed of a massive network of interacting neurons, ” and that in biology,


afield as running a power grid or divining the intricacies of human society. ’ the connection becomes more intuitive as bullo points out that “ your brain is composed of a massive network of interacting neurons, ” and that in biology, the models, methodology and tools for understanding multi - agent systems are common and broadly applicable. so as robots learn to live in the environment, their masters learn to draw from it. one u. s. army - funded project in which hespanha has been deeply involved is creating uavs that can spot exactly where a small explosion — such as that from a mortar — has taken place. using microphones placed on the ground, these prototypes identify the location of the firing, then vector in a second uav to snap a picture. because in places like afghanistan these very mobile weapons can be fired and moved quickly, often from amid urban areas crowded with innocents, nailing down where these weapons are would be a boon for the military and the civilians. unlike byl ’ s flapping - winged robots, hespanha ’ s drones look like fixed - wing aircraft. “ the robots that i work with are really airplanes, ” he explained, “ but what makes them robots as opposed to traditional airplanes is they are intelligent systems, they make decisions by themselves. they are fully autonomous and they work together. ” in another project, he ’ s working on tiny aircraft shaped like maple - tree seeds, but with antenna and tiny propellers, that a gi can pull from his pocket and throw in the air and that will follow him “ like a dog, ” reporting the soldier ’ s status and action back to headquarters. while these projects have easily understood military applications — as do many of the robot projects, which are often funded by the army or the pentagon ’ s defense advanced research projects agency — they also have considerable potential to be useful in civilian life. “ the robots are collecting information, sharing it and adapting in real time to things that are happening in the real world. ” - francesco bullo, ucsb some of bullo ’ s algorithms are also inspired by nature. the strategy that drives the search algorithm has been inspired by the movements of bacteria. other efforts have been inspired by fish. bullo ’ s work on gossiping robots has been inspired by animal herd communication. rather than sharing choice tidbits about who ’ s oiling who, groups of these gossiping robots communicate small bits of immediately applicable information, doing it with the lowest possible communication requirements to nearby robots, essentially whispering


been inspired by animal herd communication. rather than sharing choice tidbits about who ’ s oiling who, groups of these gossiping robots communicate small bits of immediately applicable information, doing it with the lowest possible communication requirements to nearby robots, essentially whispering in each other ’ s ears. look no further than lions, ant and bird flocks for examples, he added. the robots — or ducks — could be shouting this information, but that effort uses lots more energy and creates interference for others. like those japanese humanoid robots, bullo said, “ it is relatively easy to coordinate groups of robots if every robot knows every bit of useful information. rather it ’ s much more realistic — and much more challenging — if you ’ re not so sure where is a safe place for a robot to travel, where there is an obstacle, where there is a phenomenon of interest to measure, and so forth. basically the robots are collecting information, sharing it and adapting in real time to things that are happening in the real world. ” the multidisciplinary and hands - on nature of robotics make it a hit among students — and a valuable tool for teachers. at ucsb, undergraduate and graduate robotics courses are routinely oversubscribed, and courses taught by brad paden and katie byl must turn away some of the eager. part of the attraction is likely its fun quotient ; legos and microsoft kinect, after all, are legitimate teaching tools. professor brad paden ’ s introductory robotics control class, for example, is described as an “ overview of robot control technology from open - loop manipulators and sensing systems, to single - joint servovalves and servomotors, to integrated adaptive force and position control using feedback form machine vision and touch sensing systems. design emphasis on accurate tracking accomplished with minimal algorithm complexity. ” that boils down to splitting into teams to make “ roborats, ” which compete against each other at the end of the course — vying for the honor of collecting the most “ cheese. ” those aren ’ t the only robotic rodents roaming around campus. the ucsb student branch of the institute of electrical and electronics engineers ( ieee ) recently completed its “ micromouse ” which, in the best traditions of the lab, had to negotiate a maze of which it had no prior knowledge. to address this challenge, the students created three sub - teams to tackle the software, mechanics and electronics of the beast. ( the organization ’ s mouse joined 13 others in a first - ever california


negotiate a maze of which it had no prior knowledge. to address this challenge, the students created three sub - teams to tackle the software, mechanics and electronics of the beast. ( the organization ’ s mouse joined 13 others in a first - ever california micromouse competition at uc san diego this may. ) in another project, the students created an “ autonomous package delivery robot ” built around an electric wheelchair. the project involved upgrading the chair ’ s electronics, fitting it with the appropriate sensors to help it navigate and writing the software to help it navigate, move and operate on its own. that kind of hands - on learning will be a larger part of the undergraduate curriculum thanks to instructional improvement grants byl and bullo received. the resulting curriculum, bullo said, “ really redesigned the undergraduate course from scratch. ” while robotics is very graphical, he said, the classic texts really focused on factory - floor type robots, which, while valuable, don ’ t reflect future need to understand the kinematics and dynamics of life outside the shop. because robotics draws from so many disciplines, it ’ s an excellent vehicle to teach them. that ’ s what drives amir abo - shaeer, a ucsb mechanical engineering graduate who founded the dos pueblos ( high school ) engineering academy at his goleta alma mater in 2002. his success in engaging students in science, technology, engineering and math garnered abo - shaeer a “ genius grant ” from the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation last year — the first given to a public school teacher. his program is also the focus of a new book — “ the new cool : a visionary teacher, his first robotics team, and the ultimate battle of smarts ” — by best - selling author neil bascomb. the capping event for the dos pueblos academy ’ s seniors, much as it is for the ucsb undergrads and the ieee students, is entering their robots in an international competition. in this case the contest is dean kamen ’ s for inspiration and recognition of science and technology ( first ) robotics competition. the academy has twice taken the best quality award at the championships. “ the thing about robotics that ’ s nice at the high school level is that the stuff the kids have learned in high school is what they actually use to design and build the robot, ” abo - shaeer said. “ there are other things that would be harder to teach from an engineering standpoint — it would be hard to teach chemical engineering in a high school setting, for example


myth : the us was forced to declare war on japan after a totally unexpected japanese attack on the american naval base in hawaii on december 7, 1941. on account of japan ’ s alliance with nazi germany, this aggression automatically brought the us into the war against germany. reality : the roosevelt administration had been eager for some time to wage war against japan and sought to unleash such a war by means of the institution of an oil embargo and other provocations. having deciphered japanese codes, washington knew a japanese fleet was on its way to pearl harbor, but welcomed the attack since a japanese aggression would make it possible to “ sell ” the war to the overwhelmingly anti - war american public. an attack by japan, as opposed to an american attack on japan, was also supposed to avoid a declaration of war by japan ’ s ally, germany, which was treaty - bound to help only if japan was attacked. however, for reasons which have nothing to do with japan or the us but everything with the failure of germany ’ s “ lightning war ” against the soviet union, hitler himself declared war on the us a few days after pearl harbor, on december 11, 1941. fall 1941. the us, then as now, was ruled by a “ power elite ” of industrialists, owners and managers of the country ’ s leading corporations and banks, constituting only a tiny fraction of its population. then as now, these industrialists and financiers – “ corporate america ” – had close connections with the highest ranks of the army, “ the warlords, ” as columbia university sociologist c. wright mills, who coined the term “ power elite, ” has called them, and for whom a few years later a big hq, known as the pentagon, would be erected on the banks of the potomac river. indeed, the “ military - industrial complex ” had already existed for many decades when, at the end of his career as president, and having served it most assiduously, eisenhower gave it that name. talking about presidents : in the 1930s and 1940s, again then as now, the power elite kindly allowed the american people every four years to choose between two of the elite ’ s own members – one labelled “ republican, ” the other “ democrat, ” but few people know the difference – to reside in the white house in order to formulate and administer national and international policies. these policies invariably served – and still serve – the power elite ’ s interests, in other words, they consistently aimed to promote “ business ” –


the difference – to reside in the white house in order to formulate and administer national and international policies. these policies invariably served – and still serve – the power elite ’ s interests, in other words, they consistently aimed to promote “ business ” – a code word for the maximization of profits by the big corporations and banks that are members of the power elite. as president calvin coolidge candidly put it on one occasion during the 1920s, “ the business of america [ meaning of the american government ] is business. ” in 1941, then, the tenant of the white house was a bona fide member of the power elite, a scion of a rich, privileged, and powerful family : franklin d. roosevelt, often referred to as “ fdr ”. ( incidentally, the roosevelt family ’ s wealth had been built at least partly in the opium trade with china ; as balzac once wrote, “ behind every great fortune there lurks a crime. ” ) roosevelt appears to have served the power elite rather well, for he already managed to be nominated ( difficult! ) and elected ( relatively easy! ) in 1932, 1936, and again in 1940. that was a remarkable achievement, since the “ dirty thirties ” were hard times, marked by the “ great depression ” as well as great international tensions, leading to the eruption of war in europe in 1939. roosevelt ’ s job – serving the interests of the power elite – was far from easy, because within the ranks of that elite opinions differed about how corporate interests could best be served by the president. with respect to the economic crisis, some industrialists and bankers were pretty happy with the president ’ s keynesian approach, known as the “ new deal ” and involving much state intervention in the economy, while others were vehemently opposed to it and loudly demanded a return to laissez - faire orthodoxy. the power elite was also divided with respect to the handling of foreign affairs. the owners and top managers of many american corporations – including ford, general motors, ibm, itt, and rockefeller ’ s standard oil of new jersey, now known as exxon – liked hitler a lot ; one of them – william knudsen of general motors – even glorified the german fuhrer as “ the miracle of the 20th century. ” the reason : in preparation for war, the fuhrer had been arming germany to the teeth, and the numerous german branch plants of us corporations had profited handsomely from that country ’ s “ armament boom ” by producing trucks


20th century. ” the reason : in preparation for war, the fuhrer had been arming germany to the teeth, and the numerous german branch plants of us corporations had profited handsomely from that country ’ s “ armament boom ” by producing trucks, tanks and planes in sites such as gm ’ s opel factory in russelsheim and ford ’ s big plant in cologne, the ford - werke ; and the likes of exxon and texaco had been making plenty of money by supplying the fuel hitler ’ s panzers would need to roll all the way to warsaw in 1939, to paris in 1940, and ( almost ) to moscow in 1941. no wonder the managers and owners of these corporations helped to celebrate germany ’ s victories against poland and france at a big party in the waldorf - astoria hotel in new york on june 26, 1940! american “ captains of industry ” like henry ford also liked the way hitler had shut down the german unions, outlawed all labour parties, and thrown the communists and many socialists into concentration camps ; they wished roosevelt would mete out the same kind of treatment to america ’ s own pesky union leaders and “ reds, ” the latter still numerous in the 1930s and early 1940s. the last thing those men wanted, was for roosevelt to involve the us in the war on the side of germany ’ s enemies, they were “ isolationists ” ( or “ non - interventionists ” ) and so, in the summer of 1940, was the majority of the american public : a gallup poll, taken in september 1940, showed that 88 percent of americans wanted to stay out of the war that was raging in europe. not surprisingly, then, there was no sign whatsoever that roosevelt might want to restrict trade with germany, let alone embark on an anti - hitler crusade. in fact, during the presidential election campaign in the fall 1940, he solemnly promised that “ [ our ] boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars. ” that hitler has crushed france and other democratic countries, was of no concern to the us corporate types who did business with hitler, in fact, they felt that europe ’ s future belonged to fascism, especially germany ’ s variety of fascism, nazism, rather than to democracy. ( typically, the chairman of general motors, alfred p. sloan, declared at that time that it was a good thing that in europe the democracies were giving way “ to an alternative [ i. e. fascist ] system with strong, intelligent, and aggressive leaders who made the people work


alfred p. sloan, declared at that time that it was a good thing that in europe the democracies were giving way “ to an alternative [ i. e. fascist ] system with strong, intelligent, and aggressive leaders who made the people work longer and harder and who had the instinct of gangsters – all of them good qualities ”! ) and, since they certainly did not want europe ’ s future to belong to socialism in its evolutionary, let alone revolutionary ( i. e. communist ) variety, the us industrialists would be particularly happy when, about one year later, hitler would finally do what they have long hoped he would do, namely, to attack the soviet union in order to destroy the homeland of communism and source of inspiration and support of “ reds ” all over the world, also in the us. while many big corporations were engaged in profitable business with nazi germany, others now happened to be making plenty of money by doing business with great britain. that country – in addition to canada and other member countries of the british empire, of course – was germany ’ s only remaining enemy from the fall of 1940 until june 1941, when hitler ’ s attack on the soviet union caused britain and the soviet union to become allies. britain was desperately in need of all sorts of equipment to continue its struggle against nazi germany, wanted to purchase much of it in the us, but was unable to make the cash payments required by america ’ s existing “ cash - and - carry ” legislation. however, roosevelt made it possible for us corporations to take advantage of this enormous “ window of opportunity ” when, on march 11, 1941, he introduced his famous lend - lease program, providing britain with virtually unlimited credit to purchase trucks, planes, and other martial hardware in the us. the lend - lease exports to britain were to generate windfall profits, not only on account of the huge volume of business involved but also because these exports featured inflated prices and fraudulent practices such as double billing. a segment of corporate america thus began to sympathize with great britain, a less “ natural ” phenomenon than we would now tend to believe. ( indeed, after american independence the ex - motherland had long remained uncle sam ’ s archenemy ; and as late the 1930s, the us military still had plans for war against britain and an invasion of the canadian dominion, the latter including plans for the bombing of cities and the use of poison gas. ) some mouthpieces of this corporate constituency, though not very many, even started to favour a us entry into


war against britain and an invasion of the canadian dominion, the latter including plans for the bombing of cities and the use of poison gas. ) some mouthpieces of this corporate constituency, though not very many, even started to favour a us entry into the war on the side of the british ; they became known as the “ interventionists. ” of course, many if not most big american corporations made money through business with both nazi germany and britain and, as the roosevelt administration itself was henceforth preparing for possible war, multiplying military expenditures and ordering all sorts of equipment, they also started to make more and more money by supplying america ’ s own armed forces with all sorts of martial material. if there was one thing that all the leaders of corporate america could agree on, regardless of their individual sympathies towards either hitler or churchill, it was this : the war in europe in 1939 was good, even wonderful, for business. they also agreed that the longer this war lasted, the better it would be for all of them. with the exception of the most fervent pro - british interventionists, they further agreed that there was no pressing need for the us to become actively involved in this war, and certainly not to go to war against germany. most advantageous to corporate america was a scenario whereby the war in europe dragged on as long as possible, so that the big corporations could continue to profit from supplying equipment to the germans, the british, to their respective allies, and to america herself. henry ford thus “ expressed the hope that neither the allies nor the axis would win [ the war ], ” and suggested that the united states should supply both sides with “ the tools to keep on fighting until they both collapse. ” ford practised what he preached, and arranged for his factories in the us, in britain, in germany, and in occupied france to crank out equipment for all belligerents. the war may have been hell for most people, but for american “ captains of industry ” such as ford it was heaven. roosevelt himself is generally believed to have been an interventionist, but in congress the isolationists certainly prevailed, and it did not look as if the us would soon, if ever, enter the war. however, on account of lend - lease exports to britain, relations between washington and berlin were definitely deteriorating, and in the fall of 1941 a series of incidents between german submarines and us navy destroyers escorting freighters bound for britain lead to a crisis that has become known as the “ undeclared naval war.


relations between washington and berlin were definitely deteriorating, and in the fall of 1941 a series of incidents between german submarines and us navy destroyers escorting freighters bound for britain lead to a crisis that has become known as the “ undeclared naval war. ” but even that episode did not lead to active american involvement in the war in europe. corporate america was profiting handsomely from the status quo, and was simply not interested in a crusade against nazi germany. conversely, nazi germany was deeply involved in the great project of hitler ’ s life, his mission to destroy the soviet union. in this war, things had not been going according to plan. the blitzkrieg in the east, launched on june 1941, was supposed to have “ crushed the soviet union like an egg ” within 4 to 6 weeks, or so it was believed by the military experts not only in berlin but also in washington. however, in early december hitler was still waiting for the soviets to wave the white flag. to the contrary, on december 5, the red army suddenly launched a counter - offensive in front of moscow, and suddenly the germans found themselves deeply in trouble. the last thing hitler needed at this point was a war against the us. in the 1930s, the us military had no plans, and did not prepare plans, to fight a war against nazi germany. on the other hand, they did have plans war against great britain, canada, mexico – and japan. why against japan? in the 1930s, the us was one of the world ’ s leading industrial powers and, like all industrial powers, was constantly looking out for sources of inexpensive raw materials such as rubber and oil, as well as for markets for its finished products. already at the end of the nineteenth century, america had consistently pursued its interests in this respect by extending its economic and sometimes even direct political influence across oceans and continents. this aggressive, “ imperialist ” policy – pursued ruthlessly by presidents such as theodore roosevelt, a cousin of fdr – had led to american control over former spanish colonies such as puerto rico, cuba, and the philippines, and also over the hitherto independent island nation of hawaii. america had thus also developed into a major power in the pacific ocean and even in the far east. the lands on the far shores of the pacific ocean played an increasingly important role as markets for american export products and as sources of cheap raw materials. but in the depression - ridden 1930s, when the competition for markets and resources was heating up, the us faced the competition there of an aggressive


the pacific ocean played an increasingly important role as markets for american export products and as sources of cheap raw materials. but in the depression - ridden 1930s, when the competition for markets and resources was heating up, the us faced the competition there of an aggressive rival industrial power, one that was even more needy for oil and similar raw materials, and also for markets for its finished products. that competitor was japan, the land of the rising sun. japan sought to realize its own imperialist ambitions in china and in resource - rich southeast asia and, like the us, did not hesitate to use violence in the process, for example waging ruthless war on china and carving a client state out of the northern part of that great but weak country. what bothered the united states was not that the japanese treated their chinese and korean neighbours as untermenschen, but that they turned that part of the world into what they called the greater east asia co - prosperity sphere, i. e., an economic bailiwick of their very own, a “ closed economy ” in with there was no room for the american competition. in doing so, the japanese actually followed the example of the us, which had earlier transformed latin america and much of the caribbean into uncle sam ’ s exclusive economic playground. corporate america was extremely frustrated at being squeezed out of the lucrative far eastern market by the “ japs, ” a “ yellow race ” americans in general had already started to despise during the 19th century. japan was viewed as an arrogant but essentially weak upstart country, that mighty america could easily “ wipe off the map in three months, ” as navy secretary frank knox put it on one occasion. and so it happened that, during the 1930s and early 1940s, the us power elite, while mostly opposed to war against germany, was virtually unanimously in favour of a war against japan – unless, of course, japan was prepared to make major concessions, such as “ sharing ” china with the us. president roosevelt – like woodrow wilson not at all the pacifist he has been made out to be by all too many historians – was keen to provide such a “ splendid little war. ” ( this expression had been coined by us secretary of state john hay in reference to the spanish - american war of 1898 ; it was “ splendid ” in that it allowed the us to pocket the philippines, puerto rico, etc. ) by the summer of 1941, after tokyo had further increased its zone of influence in the far east, e. g. by occupying the rubber - rich


“ splendid ” in that it allowed the us to pocket the philippines, puerto rico, etc. ) by the summer of 1941, after tokyo had further increased its zone of influence in the far east, e. g. by occupying the rubber - rich french colony of indochina and, desperate above all for oil, had obviously started to lust after the oil - rich dutch colony of indonesia, fdr appears to have decided that the time was ripe for war against japan, but he faced two problems. first, public opinion was strongly against american involvement in any foreign war. second, the isolationist majority in congress might not consent to such a war, fearing that it would automatically bring the us into war against germany. roosevelt ’ s solution to this twin problem, according to the author of a detailed and extremely well documented recent study, robert b. stinnett, was to “ provoke japan into an overt act of war against the united states. ” indeed, in case of a japanese attack the american public would have no choice but to rally behind the flag. ( the public had similarly been made to rally behind the stars and stripes before, namely at the start of the spanish - american war, when the visiting us battleship maine had mysteriously sunk in havana harbour, an act that was immediately blamed on the spanish ; after world war ii, americans would again be conditioned to approve of wars, wanted and planned by their government, by means of contrived provocations such as the 1964 gulf of tonkin incident. ) furthermore, under the terms of the tripartite treaty concluded by japan, germany, and italy in berlin on september 27, 1940, the three countries undertook to assist each other when one of the three contracting powers was attacked by another country, but not when one of them attacked another country. consequently, in case of a japanese attack on the us, the isolationists, who were non - interventionists with respect to germany but not with respect to japan, did not have to fear that a conflict with japan would also mean war against germany. and so, president roosevelt, having decided that “ japan must be seen to make the first overt move, ” made “ provoking japan into an overt act of war the principal policy that guided [ his ] actions toward japan throughout 1941, ” as stinnett has written. the stratagems used included the deployment of warships close to, and even into, japanese territorial waters, apparently in the hope of sparking a gulf of tonkin - style incident that could be construed to


as stinnett has written. the stratagems used included the deployment of warships close to, and even into, japanese territorial waters, apparently in the hope of sparking a gulf of tonkin - style incident that could be construed to be a casus belli. more effective, however, was the relentless economic pressure that was brought to bear on japan, a country desperately in need of raw materials such as oil and rubber and therefore likely to consider such methods to be singularly provocative. in the summer of 1941, the roosevelt administration froze all japanese assets in the united states and embarked on a “ strategy for frustrating japanese acquisition of petroleum products. ” in collaboration with the british and the dutch, anti - japanese for reasons of their own, the us imposed severe economic sanctions on japan, including an embargo on vital oil products. the situation deteriorated further in the fall of 1941. on november 7, tokyo, hoping to avoid war with the mighty us, offered to apply in china the principle of non - discriminatory trade relations on the condition that the americans did the same in their own sphere of influence in latin america. however, washington wanted reciprocity only in the sphere of influence of other imperialist powers, and not in its own backyard ; the japanese offer was rejected. the continuing us provocations of japan were intended to cause japan to go to war, and were indeed increasingly likely to do so. “ this continuing putting pins in rattlesnakes, ” fdr was to confide to friends later, “ finally got this country bit. ” on november 26, when washington a demanded japan ’ s withdrawal from china, the “ rattlesnakes ” in tokyo decided they had enough and prepared to “ bite. ” a japanese fleet was ordered to set sail for hawaii in order to attack the us warships that fdr had decided to station there, rather provocatively as well as invitingly as far as the japanese were concerned, in 1940. having deciphered the japanese codes, the american government and top army brass knew exactly what the japanese armada was up to, but did not warn the commanders in hawaii, thus allowing the “ surprise attack ” on pearl harbor to happen on sunday, december 7, 1941. the following day fdr found it easy to convince congress to declare war on japan, and the american people, shocked by a seemingly cowardly attack that they could not know to have been provoked, and expected, by their own government, predictably rallied behind the flag. the us was ready to wage


congress to declare war on japan, and the american people, shocked by a seemingly cowardly attack that they could not know to have been provoked, and expected, by their own government, predictably rallied behind the flag. the us was ready to wage war against japan, and the prospects for a relatively easy victory were hardly diminished by the losses suffered at pearl harbour which, while ostensibly grievous, were far from catastrophic. the ships that had been sunk were older, “ mostly 27 - year old relics of world war i, ” and far from indispensible for warfare against japan. the modern warships, on the other hand, including the aircraft carriers, whose role in the war would turn out to be crucial, were unscathed, as per chance (? ) they had been sent elsewhere by orders from washington and were safely out at sea during the attack. however, things did not quite work out as expected, because a few days later, on december 11, nazi germany unexpectedly declared war, thus forcing the us to confront two enemies and to fight a much bigger war than expected, a war on two fronts, a world war. in the white house, the news of the japanese attack on pearl harbor had not arrived as a surprise, but the german declaration of war exploded there as a bombshell. germany had nothing to do with the attack in hawaii and had not even been aware of the japanese plans, so fdr did not consider asking congress to declare war on nazi germany at the same time as japan. admittedly, us relations with germany had been deteriorating for some time because of america ’ s active support for great britain, escalating to the undeclared naval war of the fall of 1941. however, as we have already seen, the us power elite did not feel the need to intervene in the war in europe. it was hitler himself who declared war on the united states on december 11, 1941, much to the surprise of roosevelt. why? only a few days earlier, on december 5, 1941, the red army had launched a counteroffensive in front of moscow, and this entailed the failure of the blitzkrieg in the soviet union. on that same day, hitler and his generals realized that they could no longer win the war. but when, only a few days later, the german dictator learned of the japanese attack on pearl harbor, he appears to have speculated that a german declaration of war on the american enemy of his japanese friends, though not required under the terms of the trip


but when, only a few days later, the german dictator learned of the japanese attack on pearl harbor, he appears to have speculated that a german declaration of war on the american enemy of his japanese friends, though not required under the terms of the tripartite treaty, would induce tokyo to reciprocate with a declaration of war on the soviet enemy of germany. with the bulk of the japanese army stationed in northern china and therefore able to immediately attack the soviet union in the vladivostok area, a conflict with japan would have forced the soviets into the extremely perilous predicament of a two - front war, opening up the possibility that germany might yet win its anti - soviet “ crusade. ” hitler, then, believed that he could exorcize the spectre of defeat by summoning a sort of japanese deus ex machina to the soviet union ’ s vulnerable siberian frontier. but japan did not take hitler ’ s bait. tokyo, too, despised the soviet state but, already at war against the us, could not afford the luxury of a two - front war and preferred to put all of its money on a “ southern ” strategy, hoping to win the big prize of resource - rich southeast asia, rather than embark on a venture in the inhospitable reaches of siberia. only at the very end of the war, after the surrender of nazi germany, would it come to hostilities between the soviet union and japan. in any event, because of hitler ’ s needless declaration of war, the united states was henceforth also an active participant in the war in europe, with great britain and the soviet union as allies. in recent years, uncle sam has been going to war rather frequently, but we are invariably asked to believe that this is done for purely humanitarian reasons, i. e. to prevent holocausts, to stop terrorists from committing all sorts of evil, to get rid of nasty dictators, to promote democracy, etc. never, it seems, are economic interests of the us or, more accurately, of america ’ s big corporations, involved. quite often, these wars are compared to america ’ s archetypal “ good war, ” world war ii, in which uncle sam supposedly went to war for no other reason than to defend freedom and democracy and to fight dictatorship and injustice. ( in an attempt to justify his “ war against terrorism, ” for example, and “ sell ” it to the american public, george w. bush was quick to compare the 9 / 11 attacks to pearl harbor


democracy and to fight dictatorship and injustice. ( in an attempt to justify his “ war against terrorism, ” for example, and “ sell ” it to the american public, george w. bush was quick to compare the 9 / 11 attacks to pearl harbor. ) this short examination of the circumstances of the us entry into the war in december 1941, however, reveals a very different picture. the american power elite wanted war against japan, plans for such a war had been ready for some time, and in 1941 roosevelt obligingly arranged for such a war, not because of tokyo ’ s unprovoked aggression and horrible war crimes in china, but because american corporations wanted a share of the luscious big “ pie ” of far eastern resources and markets. on the other hand, because the major us corporations were doing wonderful business in and with nazi germany, profiting handsomely from the war hitler had unleashed and, incidentally, providing him with the equipment and fuel required for his blitzkrieg, war against nazi germany was definitely not wanted by the us power elite, even though there were plenty of compelling humanitarian reasons for crusading against the truly evil “ third reich. ” prior to 1941, no plans for a war against germany had been developed, and in december 1941 the us did not voluntarily go to war against germany, but “ backed into ” that war because of hitler ’ s own fault. humanitarian considerations played no role whatsoever in the calculus that led to america ’ s participation in world war ii, the country ’ s original “ good war. ” and there is no reason to believe that they did so in the calculus that, more recently, led to america ’ s marching off to fight allegedly “ good wars ” in unhappy lands such as iraq, afghanistan, and libya – or will do so in the looming war against iran. a war against iran is very much wanted by corporate america, since it holds the promise of a large market and of plentiful raw materials, especially oil. as in the case of the war against japan, plans for such a war are ready, and the present tenant in the white house seems just as eager as fdr was to make it happen. furthermore, again as in the case of the war against japan, provocations are being orchestrated, this time in the form of sabotage and intrusions by drones, as well as by the old - fashioned deployment of warships just outside iranian territorial waters. washington is again “ putting pins in rattlesnakes, ” apparently hoping that the iranian “ rattlesna


in the form of sabotage and intrusions by drones, as well as by the old - fashioned deployment of warships just outside iranian territorial waters. washington is again “ putting pins in rattlesnakes, ” apparently hoping that the iranian “ rattlesnake ” will bite back, thus justifying a “ splendid little war. ” however, as in the case of pearl harbor, the resulting war may well again turn out to be much bigger, longer, and nastier than expected. jacques r. pauwels is the author of the myth of the good war : america in the second world war, james lorimer, toronto, 2002 c. wright mills, the power elite, new york, 1956. cited in charles higham, trading with the enemy : an expose of the nazi - american money plot 1933 - 1949, new york, 1983, p. 163. robert b. stinnett, day of deceit : the truth about fdr and pearl harbor, new york, 2001, p. 17. cited in sean dennis cashman, america, roosevelt, and world war ii, new york and london, 1989, p. 56 ;. edwin black, nazi nexus : america ’ s corporate connections to hitler ’ s holocaust, washington / dc, 2009, p. 115. floyd rudmin, “ secret war plans and the malady of american militarism, ” counterpunch, 13 : 1, february 17 - 19, 2006. pp. 4 - 6, http : / / www. counterpunch. org / 2006 / 02 / 17 / secret - war - plans - and - the - malady - of - american - militarism jacques r. pauwels, the myth of the good war : america in the second world war, toronto, 2002, pp. 50 - 56. the fraudulent practices of lend - lease are described in kim gold, “ the mother of all frauds : how the united states swindled britain as it faced nazi invasion, ” morning star, april 10, 2003. cited in david lanier lewis, the public image of henry ford : an american folk hero and his company, detroit, 1976, pp. 222, 270. jacques r. pauwels, “ 70 years ago, december 1941 : turning point of world war ii, ” global research, december 6, 2011, http : / / globalresearch. ca / index. php? context = va & aid = 28059. rudmin, op. cit.


: turning point of world war ii, ” global research, december 6, 2011, http : / / globalresearch. ca / index. php? context = va & aid = 28059. rudmin, op. cit. see e. g. howard zinn, a people ’ s history of the united states, s. l., 1980, p. 305 ff. patrick j. hearden, roosevelt confronts hitler : america ’ s entry into world war ii, dekalb / il, 1987, p. 105. “ anti - japanese sentiment, ” http : / / en. wikipedia. org / wiki / anti - japanese _ sentiment patrick j. buchanan, “ did fdr provoke pearl harbor?, ” global research, december 7, 2011, http : / / www. globalresearch. ca / index. php? context = va & aid = 28088. buchanan refers to a new book by george h. nash, freedom betrayed : herbert hoover ’ s secret history of the second world war and its aftermath, stanford / ca, 2011. stinnett, op. cit., p. 6. stinnett, op. cit., pp. 5, 9 - 10, 17 - 19, 39 - 43 ; buchanan, op. cit. ; pauwels, the myth …, pp. 67 - 68. on american intercepts of coded japanese messages, see stinnett, op. cit., pp. 60 - 82. “ rattlesnakes ” - quotation from buchanan, op. cit. stinnett, op. cit., pp. 152 - 154. pauwels, “ 70 years ago … ” see jean bricmont, humanitarian imperialism : using human rights to sell war, new york, 2006.


the creation wiki is now operating on a new and improved server. from creationwiki, the encyclopedia of creation science peleg ( hebrew : פלג, peleg ; greek : φαλεγ, phaleg ; " division " ) ( tammuz 1757 amjuly 2246 bc av 1514 he tammuz 1757 am - tammuz 1996 amjuly 2007 bc av 1753 he tammuz 1996 am ) is the first named son of eber. he had at least one known brother, joktan. when he was 30 years old, he had a son named reu. he lived for another 209 years and had other sons and daughters. his total life span was thus 239 years2, 956. 017 mon 87, 292. 934 da, slightly more than half that of his father and the shortest life span to date in his line. the name peleg means " division, " and genesis 10 : 25 states that " in his time the earth was divided. " georgius syncellus, as quoted by ussher, states that the tower of babel was built and then abandoned when peleg was five years old. some also speculate that in peleg ' s time the earth was mapped, or even that some sort of tectonic activity had occured in that period. peleg ' s descendants lived in paliga, or phaliga, on the euphrates, just about the mouth of the khabur river. he is also known as phalga which was also the name of a city located next to the euphrates. some writers, such as perry edward powell and arthur c. custance associate the pelasgi or pelasgians with peleg ; these were indo - europeans who claimed pelasgus as their first king. greek orthodox tradition also affirms this connection. strabo says in his geography, "... the pelasgi were by the attic people called ' pelargi, ' the compilers add, because they were wanderers and, like birds, resorted to those places wither chance led them. " gamkrelidze and ivanov claim that the pelasgians settled the peloponnesian peninsula " even before the arrival of the greeks [ hellenes ] proper. " elsewhere strabo cites greek writers who claimed that the pelasgians came from thessaly, and there a people whom strabo calls pelagonians are found,