power - supply design trends are clear and dramatic : additional features, improved efficiency, and smaller size for the same power ratings, for both battery - powered portable units as well as larger, line - powered ones. for the ac - dc supplies, these changes are due to multiple factors combining to yield these more - compact designs. some of the factors are obvious, but others are not. start with the most apparent change, which is the use of smaller passive components. vendors are shifting the basic resistor and capacitor footprint from 0805 size ( 2. 0mm by 1. 25mm ) to 0603 ( 1. 5mm by 0. 8mm ), and to an even - smaller 0402 size ( 1. 0mm by 0. 5mm ). diodes, as well, are also available in smaller packages. the use of larger parts was a holdover habit from previous generations of supplies. it made sense for vendors to continue using parts, which were fully known and characterized in their supply chain and inventory, and all of the same size. the pressure to reduce supply size, along with the electronic industry ' s growing use of smaller parts in consumer products, has made them the body size of choice. the result is a significant reduction in required pc board space - - the change from 0805 to 0402 cuts a component ' s immediate footprint to 20 percent of its previous value - - and there are many such devices on a supply ' s pc board. changes in the supply magnetics ( inductors and transformers ) are also helping reduce size. traditionally, these components have been the most complex “ simple ” passive ones in the supply ' s implementation, often custom - designed by the oem to get precisely the desired and often subtle combination of primary - and secondary - tier parameter values ( including inductance, dc resistance, size, form factor, winding type, insulation, orientation, volume, and cost ). in addition, supply designers are making better use of the available inductor volume. for example, they are reorienting the inductor to take advantage of the supply ' s available height - dimension headroom, in return for a smaller footprint. on the active component side, the power semiconductors ’ packaging has shrunk, primarily for the critical mosfets of the output. chip - scale power mosfets such as the directfet from international rectifier ( where the metal enclosure covering the bare die is also the drain terminal ) provide significantly more


the canadian space agency ( csa ), which invented and made the international space station ' s 30 - year robotic canadarm project, is working on lunar and mars robot rovers. it recently unveiled five rover prototypes and put them through their paces on the agency ' s testing terrain, which simulates the surfaces of mars and the moon. the new lineup includes four lunar rovers - - the micro - rover platform with tooling arm, the kapvik micro - rover, the artemis, and the lunar exploration light rover - - and the mars exploration science rover. they are in addition to the juno and rex rovers, which have been operating since 2010. the csa also developed some spinoff technologies resulting from its rover development work. they include the sl - commander automated electric all - terrain vehicle, a fuel cell, and the q6 mini - computer. click on the image below to check them out. the csa ' s rex rover has a robotic arm that simulates collecting martian rock and soil samples. it travels at 4cm / sec ( 1. 57inch / sec ). on its six aluminum or rubber wheels, the rover can navigate over obstacles up to 15cm ( 5. 9 inches ) high and climb slopes of up to 10 degrees. rex weighs 140kg ( 308. 64 pounds ) and measures 152 x 142 x 76cm ( 59. 84 x 55. 9 x 29. 92 inches ). it can carry up to 30kg ( 66. 13 pounds ) of science payloads. in 2010, the csa jointly field tested the rover with nasa at the flagstaff meteor crater in arizona. ( source : canadian space agency ) @ ervin0072002 : i think this is a difference of terminology. when they say " prototype, " think " proof of concept. " actually, even that might be too strong of a term. the csa doesn ' t have the means to put one of these on the moon or mars, even if they wanted to. these are basically just show and tell pieces that will hopefully benefit canadian companies. actually, this is a pretty good idea, mr _ bandit. not sure it would be as cost effective as the current rover. but maybe it would, with smaller rovers, there would be less of a chance of malfunction since it would be spread across multiple units. the problem with the rovers to date is the " all eggs in one basket ". i read about a concept in 1988 where you take a bunch of small " rovers " - think of the rc cars that can bounce


would be spread across multiple units. the problem with the rovers to date is the " all eggs in one basket ". i read about a concept in 1988 where you take a bunch of small " rovers " - think of the rc cars that can bounce all over the terrain or one of the small robots by big dog - and a " mother ship ". assume 100 of the small rovers per mother. assume 10.. 50 mothers. the mother would land with the small rovers, and act as a home base for re - transmitting signals, swarm coordination, and refueling ( electrical power ). the rovers would be redundant - ie 10 would have lasers, 10 with soil analysis, 10 with a mass spec, etc. mission control would give a target, the mother would direct the right mix to the spot. need more laser power? use more laser rovers. the redundancy gives you a much higher success rate - you can easily lose 10 % without degradation of the general mission. so - i respectfully ask - what is the problem with this? why not do it, esp on mars? the bouncy ball rover delivery would work. we have the technology. btw - the " flagstaff meteor crater " is closer to winslow ( 20 miles ) than flagstaff ( 36 miles ). drove past it last week. also stood on a particular corner in winslow, az, such a fine sight to see. i am used to a different environment. my prototypes go through assurance testing and have to perform same as the product that goes into certification. there is a large list of things that can go wrong during lift - off as well as space operation. nadinej, i agree. electronic controls prototypes i ' ve worked on were never designed for production use but for technology proof of concept. the cases were made of sla material and looked like homebrew boxes but the electronics worked quite well under test. these rover designs definitely fit the category of " what if " just by their appearance. ervin0072002, i noticed the holes and cabling as well. maybe the intent behind these prototypes is to demonstrate driveability proof of concept regarding rough terrain. some of the designs look plain but in space functionality is what really matters. by experimenting with the photovoltaic reaction in solar cells, researchers at mit have made a breakthrough in energy efficiency that significantly pushes the boundaries of current commercial cells on the market. we looked at a number of sources to determine this year ' s greenest cars, from kbb to automotive trade magazines


inflammatory bowel diseases affect 200, 000 people in france. despite this high incidence, these conditions still suffer from a low level of public awareness and are sometimes even a taboo subject. worldwide, 2. 5 million people suffer from ibd. in france, 120, 000 people are affected by crohn ' s disease and 80, 000 have haemorrhagic rectocolitis ; each year, 5, 000 to 6, 000 new cases are detected, respectively. the first signs of the disease generally occur between the ages of 20 and 40. these two pathologies are characterized by damage to the digestive tract. although haemorrhagic rectocolitis only features damage to the large intestine, the whole digestive tract ( from the mouth to the anus ) may be affected in crohn ' s disease. these two diseases can also have manifestations outside the digestive system : joint pain, ulcers, skin damage, eye disorders, etc. in view of these symptoms, ibds are poorly accepted and inadequately understood by patients and their family & friends. inflammatory bowel diseases have a very real negative impact on family, social and professional life. currently available treatments can improve quality of life for most patients but do not cure the disease. research into understanding the mechanisms involved in the occurrence of these diseases has generated considerable hope for the development of novel drugs. however, it is far from having provided a full response to patients ' needs.


a brief introduction where did the concept of the trinity come from? the trinity is a central belief of the christian faith. although not explicitly stated, it can be inferred from the bible. for instance, the trinity can be seen right back in the creation stories in genesis 1 : 26 and 3 : 22. for a new testament reference, see matthew 28 : 19. but a full understanding of the implications of the trinity arose primarily out of christian experience. it is a way of explaining god ' s being that fits the evidence. the first christians sought to answer the question, ' who was jesus? ', and the inescapable conclusion they came to was that he was god. the church at the council of nicea in ad325 defined the trinity in the following terms : ' there is only one god. but god consists of three persons : the father, the son and the holy spirit, who are all equally god. ' we are limited. the limitations of language and intellect unfortunately human language is limited. how do you describe the aroma of coffee to someone who has no sense of smell? we also have limited intellectual abilities. sometimes to appreciate a truth it is necessary to grasp an apparent paradox - god is one, yet three. this is not something to be afraid of. if our god is bigger than we are, it is only to be expected. we live within the restrictions of a limited finite world, while god exists beyond our four dimensions of space and time. because of the limitations of language and our own finite human understanding, we should not describe god as being : three separate gods. one person, expressed in three different ways three expressions. one more god among the others. ways of understanding the trinity a good definition is, ' one being, yet three persons '. or to put it another way, ' one god who has three ways of being god '. it is a unity with a threefold nature. an early christian called irenaeus said, ' the son and the spirit are the two hands of god ' - but it should be noted that they are closely clasped hands! often people find that illustrations are useful in helping them to get their heads round the idea of the trinity. try reflecting upon the following : an equilateral triangle. a three - leafed shamrock. h2o existing as ice, water and steam. it is important to remember, however, that such analogies are not personal and are therefore inadequate descriptions of the trinity. father, son and holy spirit working together. we can


leafed shamrock. h2o existing as ice, water and steam. it is important to remember, however, that such analogies are not personal and are therefore inadequate descriptions of the trinity. father, son and holy spirit working together. we can see the three persons of the trinity at work together throughout the bible : in creation - genesis 1 : 1 - 2 ; john 1 : 1 - 3. at jesus ' birth - matthew 1 : 20 - 21. at jesus ' baptism - matthew 3 : 16 - 17. in jesus ' teaching and ministry - john 14 : 23 - 26. in the individual christian ' s new birth - john 3 : 5. is it relevant? the trinity says something very important about the nature of god. god is self - sufficient but lives in relationship. it also reveals the richness of christianity. we can relate to god as father ( creator ), son ( sharing our humanity ) and holy spirit ( giving us power to live ). the different persons of the trinity help us in our worship. through the holy spirit, we are able to come to jesus, who speaks on our behalf to god his father, and takes us into his presence. when we worship, we embrace god as father, son and spirit. at different times, or even during the same prayer, our thoughts and hearts may dwell on them individually, but we are in no doubt that we are worshipping the one god. the doctrine of the trinity meets our deepest needs. we are made in the image of god, and in the life of the trinity we catch a glimpse of who we are meant to be in relationship to god and one another. maintaining the tension of belief in the trinity helps us to avoid over - emphasising one person of the trinity at the expense of any of the others. it is essential that we maintain this biblical balance.


yesterday, i wrote about a recent environmental working group study of school cleaners and indoor air pollution that revealed how many toxic pollutants are emitted into classroom air by traditional cleaning supplies. in that same study, we also found that cleaning classrooms with “ certified green ” cleaning products is a simple way to clear the air – for students, teachers and custodians. to be certified, these products must meet strict health and safety standards provided by two independent organizations : green seal and ecologo. act now! here ’ s how. whether you ’ re a concerned parent or work at a school or daycare center, the time to get behind the green choice is now! we know you ’ re busy, so we put together some tools to make it easier to educate and persuade decision makers to choose greener cleaning products. get started by downloading ewg ’ s green cleaning fact sheet, sample parent letter to school staff ( you can edit it ), and a list of steps you can take to encourage your school to start cleaning greener. when talking with school staff, remember these key selling points about green cleaning products : - no asthmagens. certified green cleaning supplies do not contain “ asthmagen ” ingredients – chemicals that cause asthma. asthma is a growing problem for children, teachers, and custodial staff. - no chemicals of concern. certified green cleaning supplies do not contain carcinogens, reproductive toxins, heavy metals, phthalates and lots of other chemicals of concern commonly found as ingredients in conventional cleaning supplies. - safer for workers. certified green cleaning supplies are safer for school staff. for example, green cleaning products do not contain ingredients that are corrosive to the skin or eyes, reducing the chances of on - the - job injury. - effective. certified green cleaning supplies really do clean. to be certified, they must pass industry performance standards. - cost - competitive. certified green cleaning supplies are cost - competitive – and some schools have even saved money making the switch. for example, certified green cleaning supplies come highly concentrated and must be diluted on site, a practice that reduces the environmental impact of packaging and shipping. a single bottle of a certified green product can be more expensive than its non - green competitors, but diluting it properly means that schools get a lot more cleaning out of each bottle – and more bang for the buck. ten states have already passed laws requiring or encouraging the use of green cleaners in schools. in other states, many school districts have acted on their own to adopt green cleaning practices


community effort can decrease teen drinking and smoking, study finds a new study finds a program designed to assist communities in preventing unhealthy behaviors in teens is effective in reducing adolescent smoking and drinking. the study found tenth graders in towns that used the program, called “ communities that care, ” were less likely to try drinking or smoking, compared with teens in communities not using the program. the program was also effective in reducing delinquent behavior including stealing, fights and vandalism, healthday reports. communities participating in the program had 4, 400 fifth graders in seven states complete surveys designed to identify factors that put them at risk for health and behavior problems. a group of community leaders, including parents, teachers and health workers, looked at ways to address the problems. they chose from a list of preventive interventions that have been shown to work, such as tutoring, educational sessions for parents of at - risk kids, and middle - school curricula about substance abuse. the children were followed for five years. the researchers then compared rates of substance abuse and violence in 12 towns where community leaders used communities that care with 12 communities that did not use the program. the researchers found teenagers in towns that participated in the program were half as likely to ever have smoked a cigarette by tenth grade, and 21 percent less likely to be a current smoker, compared with teens in non - participating communities. they were also 38 percent less likely to ever have tried alcohol, and 21 percent less likely to have engaged in delinquent behavior. the study did not find a difference between the two groups in rates of illegal or prescription drug use. “ what ’ s exciting about this paper is that these decreases in alcohol use, smoking and violence were apparent even after outside support for the communities that care system ended. it shows that community coalitions can make a sustained difference in their youngsters ’ health community - wide, ” study author j. david hawkins of the university of washington said in a news release. the findings are published in the archives of pediatrics and adolescent medicine.


how to tackle word problems on the act a word problem ( also called a story problem or a problem in a setting ) gives you information in words rather than in just equations and numbers. to answer an act word problem, you have to translate the provided information into one or more equations and then solve. you can solve some word problems fairly easily. jotting down the numbers in the problem can be useful to help get you focused and moving in the right direction. the following example word problems show you how. seminar x brought in $ 700 in revenue and had 20 participants, each of whom paid the same amount. seminar y brought in $ 750 and had 15 participants, each of whom paid the same amount. how much more did each person pay for seminar y than seminar x? ( e ) the two seminars cost the same amount. if you ’ re not immediately sure how to proceed, jot down the numbers in an orderly fashion : this step only takes a moment and gets your brain moving. when you organize the information in this way, you may see that the next step involves division : now you can easily see that seminar y cost $ 15 more than seminar x, so the correct answer is choice ( c ). jessica is in charge of stocking shelves at a supermarket. today, she has already stocked 8 boxes that each contained 40 cans of soup, 12 boxes that each contained 24 cans of corned beef hash, and 4 boxes that each contained 60 cans of tuna. how many cans has jessica stocked today? record the numbers in this question as follows : now multiply these numbers across ( with or without your calculator, as needed ) to get the number of cans in each set of boxes : finish by adding the results : 320 + 288 + 240 = 848. therefore, the correct answer is choice ( j ). some word problems are much easier to solve when you draw a sketch to organize your thoughts. this technique is especially helpful if you ’ re a visual learner. so if you like to draw, paint, or play video games, lead with your strength and try to find a visual way to express math problems whenever possible. the following example shows how to use a sketch to your advantage. the 12 : 00 p. m. eastbound train left the station at a constant speed of 40 miles per hour. at 12 : 45 p. m., the next eastbound train left the station at a constant speed of 60 miles per hour. assuming neither train stops along the way, how far apart will the two trains be at


lots of top 10 lists were revealed during the last weeks of 2012. san juan basin health concluded its own counting down of top health issues in archuleta and la plata counties. over the last six months, a series of public and internal meetings have been held and an online survey conducted to help prioritize the plethora of legitimate entries. “ we heard voices of over 150 people that are invested and interested in our community ’ s health. eighty - five responded to the online survey, ” said molly gutilla, doctorate public health student intern who coordinated the prioritization process. all public - health agencies in colorado are charged with creating a public health improvement plan in 2013. the completed health assessment and selecting of a top priority ( s ) were the first steps. after obesity, priorities include mental health, substance abuse, clean air and water, and oral health. most people found it incredibly difficult to choose between these. interesting conversations took place among staff and community members about what is most important and immediate concern to the community, what was already being done or on its way, which evidence - based strategies could be implemented and what strengths public health could bring. so, for example, san juan basin health is already implementing an effective public - health strategy to improve oral health through its southwest smile makers program in the schools, and that ’ s a reason why some people ranked it fifth. after combining votes in archuleta and la plata county meetings, obesity ranked as the top health issue. many factors went into people ’ s decisions. one key seemed to be obesity ’ s effect on so many other health issues down the line ; if addressed, it could help reduce associated health risks and decrease need to access care. this is exactly what public health traditionally has done and should be doing. historically, we have responded to health problems by looking upstream at the root causes and worked to address them whether it was advocating for sewage systems or safe drinking water or reducing smoking. our health problems evolve and change over time. while there are plenty of professionals working to help individuals cope with and overcome their health conditions, public health is charged with identifying and addressing the reasons why so many are getting sick or injured to begin with. obesity is a perfect example – public health can play a key role in decreasing its prevalence. while obesity came out on top of public - health issues, access to care was the overwhelming no. 1 need “ screamed ” by people. this multilayered problem needs addressing community - wide, with some actions required on a higher political - economic level. even


| by mike meshek september 24, 1999 the view of antarctica, typically a very cloudy continent, was made clear in 1996 by two new geophysical products : a satellite image map and a three - dimensional digital data set. by combining cloudless satellite imagery with digital elevation data, the new products reveal subtle surface features previously not perceptible and thus offer a wide range of applications, from field work planning and navigation to scientific research and analysis to geologic and glaciological mapping. previously uncharted features of the antarctic plateau are clearly visible on new maps. ( image courtesy of u. s. geological survey, click here for more antarctic imagery from usgs ) for more information, visit the land processes distributed active archive center. ( a new browser window will open. ) " this is the first time that one tool one sensor has been used to look at the entire continent of antarctica, " said jane ferrigno of the u. s. geological survey ' s national center. prior to the advent of the advanced very high resolution radiometer ( avhrr ), no other civilian satellite remote sensing system was able to view the entire south pole area, she said. using cloud - free avhrr imagery, ferrigno and a team of other usgs investigators produced the clearest view of antarctica ever seen. pat chavez and his group at the usgs ' flagstaff field center performed the digital image processing necessary to combine and enhance the map components. working with an existing avhrr imagery mosaic, chavez, ferrigno, and colleagues first selected and compiled cloudless images taken between 1980 and 1994. these were then electronically blended and " colorized " to improve the presentation of surface and structural features. then using the cloud free avhrr image mosaic and a digital elevation model distributed by the land processes daac at the usgs ' earth resources observation systems data center, chavez and his group then introduced topography, the map ' s third dimension. finally, chavez and his team further enhanced the map ' s topographic component by creating stereoperspective views for the digital version. never before seen on maps, faint features of the antarctic plateau ( the massive upland of ice that reaches elevations of 4, 000 meters and constitutes the continent ' s eastern half ) are now clearly visible on both versions of the new map. from a glaciological perspective, significant regional flow features, such as the west antarctic ice streams, are discernible on paper for the first time, said ferrigno. also making their first map appearances are


versions of the new map. from a glaciological perspective, significant regional flow features, such as the west antarctic ice streams, are discernible on paper for the first time, said ferrigno. also making their first map appearances are indications of large - scale subsurface geologic structures formerly hidden under huge, blank white spaces on seemingly flat older maps. the new map may thus answer geologists ' and glaciologists ' questions about the structure and flow of certain features, but also raise new research questions, said ferrigno. as one of the more poorly - mapped regions of the planet, antarctica has historically posed challenges for researchers planning field experiments. although the new map does not provide enough detail to show small features, like crevasses, field scientists will now have an additional resource for planning large regional research projects or continental traverses, according to ferrigno. the usgs map has already been used by non - scientists. the british broadcasting company ( bbc ), for example, has used the map to plan progress reports on antarctica ' s latest summer field season, said chavez. additionally, ferrigno said american students have used the map to help locate themselves in virtual classrooms of the antarctic. previously uncharted features of the antarctica plateau are clearly visible on the new maps. soon after the usgs released the paper map in june 1996, chavez began work on a digital version for the world wide web, the source of the bbc and virtual classrooms ' antarctic work. " the things you see in the web version, like stereoperspectives and color composites, come from the flexibility you have in the digital world, " said chavez. the digital version includes other advantages. during virtual tours of antarctica, nonscientists are able to zoom in on and out of the image. more importantly, researchers can electronically manipulate the data to meet the needs of their particular analyses. " one of the things that some researchers are doing is taking the data produced for this map and adding other data to it, " said ferrigno. " using the map data and other data, including other avhrr scenes, you can get a result which is better than all the individual parts. " ferrigno and her usgs colleagues, for example, are combining the avhrr map data with landsat data in a study of the antarctic coastline. the landsat data, which are finer in resolution but not available over the entire continent, will complement the coarse resolution avhrr data. by combining the two data


tropical fruit information for the enthusiast trees for the enthusiast + + indicates that this is a variety or a species that is found in our arboretum, but not often stocked in our nursery. inquire about availability. if we do not have it in stock, we can put you on our " waitlist " and call you when we have it available. this section includes plants sometimes available and recommended for the enthusiast only. these plants are very difficult to grow in florida mostly due to their lack of cold hardiness and may not be normally propagated or stocked by echo. blighia sapida, syn. cupania sapida see akee fact sheet before eating this fruit due to the extremely poisonous nature of the unripe fruit. akee trees are easy to grow and do well on alkaline soils. the fruit has a leathery pericarp that splits when the fruit is ripe. when ripe, it can be eaten fresh, but it is usually cooked, boiled, or canned. there is a hypoglycine toxin in the unripe fruit that can be lethal. one little section is enough to kill a person if it is eaten before it is ripe. once the fruit starts to break down and get soft and slimy, it may make you sick if you eat it, but that is not due to hypoglycine. akee is the national fruit of jamaica. mature trees can survive short periods of 26º f without much damage, but young trees are more cold sensitive. it may grow to 35 ft. spondias dulcis, syn. s. cytherea the egg - sized fruits are borne in clusters of up to a dozen or more, on large panicles. fruits are thick - skinned, fibrous, and drop from the tree while green. before turning yellow, the flesh is crisp and somewhat acidic. it can be eaten out - of - hand, but is also prepared by stewing fruit with sugar. the dwarf ambarella was collected on a trip to borneo and our original seedling tree has produced several crops in a pot. ambarella is vigorous, but less cold hardy than its relative, the mango. seedling trees produce after 4 years. the plant prefers some shade and shelter from wind. assai, or asai, palm is a beautiful clumping palm from the amazon region in south america. it grows to about 50 ft. and produces fruits that are mashed in warm water to make drinks and ice cream. it is rare


assai, or asai, palm is a beautiful clumping palm from the amazon region in south america. it grows to about 50 ft. and produces fruits that are mashed in warm water to make drinks and ice cream. it is rare outside the amazon and apparently hard to keep alive after planting in the ground in florida. it needs a wet or flooded location or water source. it also is highly sensitive to drought and cold temperatures. cacao produces a large yellow - orange shelled fruit with a small amount of edible sweet pulp. the seeds are the source of cocoa and may be fermented for a few days for best flavor. the skin then easily washes off and the seeds are dried and roasted. in colombia the seeds are ground, mixed with a starchy white corn meal, then cooked and eaten like porridge. fruit production can start when the tree is only about five feet tall or when the trunk is about one or two inches in diameter. they may produce well in a 40 - gallon pot, but are sensitive to root disturbance and over fertilizing. production may be better with two trees. cacao grows well in floodplains in the amazon. freezing may damage or kill the tree. we have six cacao trees growing in the rainforest clearing demonstration area. cashew produces a nut and a fruit. the nut grows to full size first, then the pseudofruit, or swollen stem, develops into the " cashew apple. " the apple has spongy, fibrous, very juicy, astringent, acid to subacid, yellow pulp that is eaten fresh or juiced. the nutshell contains a caustic resin. the nut and apple fall from the tree when they are ripe. the tree is not at all frost tolerant but produces in about two years in the tropics so it might produce in a large pot. performance in southwest florida is unknown. this small, spreading tree grows from 16 to 30 feet in height and is thought to have originated in the highlands of either ecuador, colombia or bolivia. it would be most appropriate for the enthusiast only in southern florida due to the less - than - ideal growing conditions. in addition to not thriving in the humid lowlands, cherimoyas may need to be hand pollinated to ensure good fruit set. it is, however, considered one of the most desirable fruits of the annona genus. the fruit is usually large, either conical or heart - shaped. the flesh is white in color, aromatic, soft but not


a. hypargyraeus, a. hypargyraea fcfs available. kwai muk produces a 1 to 2 in. wide, orange to red fruit that is acid to subacid and excellent flavor. it can be eaten fresh when fully ripe, dried, or preserved. fruit ripens aug. to sept. male and female flowers are produced on the same tree but two may be needed for good fruit production. the tree grows slowly and is erect and good for landscaping. it is similar to mango and jackfruit in cold hardiness. see spanish lime below syzygium malaccense, syns. eugenia malaccensis, jambos malaccensis the malay apple produces a pear - shaped fruit with thin, shiny, pinkish or dark red skin. the flesh is white and can be dry or moist. it has a rose scent and pleasant sweet to acid taste. they can be eaten fresh or cooked like apples. there is usually one large seed in the fruit and some of the fruits are seedless. this attractive tree has dense shiny foliage adorned with intense pink flowers. in the tropics, the malay apple may climb to 60 ft. ; however, trees are extremely cold sensitive and must be kept small in southwest florida. pouteria sapote, syns. p. mammosa, lucuma mammosa, achradelpha mammosa also known simply as " sapote ". because of its cold sensitivity, only the enthusiast should attempt growing mamey in southwestern florida. the time between flower and fruit is about 2 years. the fruit weighs from ½ to 5 lbs., has a rough and leathery skin, pink to deep red, sweet flesh and generally contains 1 - 4 large seeds. the mamey is extremely popular in tropical america and is known as the ‘ apple of cuba. ' it is commonly added to ice creams and other desserts. in a more tropical climate the mamey can reach 60 to 130 feet in height. this is not likely in our area due to frequent frosts and occasional freezes. ‘ pantin ' is the only variety echo carries. it is the same as ‘ key west ' this may have been a staple food for the mayan indians. the seed should be boiled or roasted. this species is recommended for the enthusiast only as it may not be well adapted to southwest florida. see peach palm bactris gasipaes, syn. guilielma gasipaes also called


. the seed should be boiled or roasted. this species is recommended for the enthusiast only as it may not be well adapted to southwest florida. see peach palm bactris gasipaes, syn. guilielma gasipaes also called pejibaye. it is usually a tall, clumping palm with spiny trunks and stems. the fruit is boiled about an hour in salted water. the flesh is yellow or orange, dry, mealy and sometimes has a trace of bitterness. the palm heart is very good raw or cooked. fruit production begins in about 5 years in warm climates. the fruits are 1 to 2 inches wide and hang in clusters of 50 to 100 or more. they turn yellow, orange or red when ripe. it requires a tropical climate. see assai palm rambutan is somewhat similar to lychee, except it is strictly tropical. this is very seldom in stock at echo. we do not carry this unless we receive seeds from an overseas tropical source, since there are no mature trees to our knowledge in florida. the likelihood of a plant surviving to maturity is slim. there have been rumors of warm pockets further south of us where people have grown it successfully. the tree can be male or female. the soil should be well - drained, acidic, and high in organic matter. rambutan is very sensitive to excessive fertilizer application and is very cold sensitive. sandoricum koetjape, syns. s. indicum, s. nervosum, melia koetjape santol is a fast - growing tropical tree reaching 50 - 150 ft. the fruit is yellowish, 1½ to 3 in. wide. it has an inedible rind and inside is white, fibrous sweet to sour pulp and 3 to 5 inedible seeds. the fruit is usually eaten fresh and clings to the seed. they ripen in florida during august and september. the tree is better suited to acid soil, but will also do well on limestone. santols are rare in florida and are freeze sensitive, but they do well in protected areas of south florida. see mamey sapote sometimes the sapodilla is also called " sapote ". melicoccus bijugatu, syn. melicocca bijuga spanish lime produces a fruit similar in appearance to the lychee. it has a green outer shell with one large seed and translucent flesh. the flavor is subacid and refreshingly delicious. male and female


a voyage of discovery new technology can make ships more versatile, more efficient and cleaner, too in the days when norsemen pillaged their way around the monasteries and villages of europe, norwegian shipwrights were at the forefront of naval architecture. they still are. norway is an important centre of marine innovation and several foreign companies have operations there, too. one such is the marine division of rolls - royce, a british firm, which is collaborating with farstad, a shipping company based in alesund, and stx osv, a shipbuilder. the result of their efforts is far solitaire ( pictured above ), the first of a new class of vessels which bristle with novel technology that promises to make shipping safer, cleaner and cheaper. far solitaire has been designed as a platform - supply ship for the north sea ’ s oil and gas industry. this means she is not a large vessel. she is 91 metres long ( one - third of the length of a typical container ship ), has a deadweight of 5, 700 tonnes and cost about $ 70m. but some of the innovations she uses should be applicable to vessels of all sizes. at the moment she is being fitted out by stx osv at its langsten shipyard on tomrefjord. in october she will be delivered to farstad, who will use her to supply rigs in the region ’ s notoriously heavy seas. crucially, she has to be able to hold her position while transferring cargoes that include various noxious materials which are employed in drilling or pumped into wells to improve the process of extraction. these have to be delivered to and removed from the platforms. such transfers are potentially hazardous for the people involved and for the environment. one of far solitaire ’ s most important innovations is her wave - piercing hull. below the waterline her bow has the bulbous drag - reducing nose that has become a familiar feature of modern ships. above it, however, things are all new. where a standard ship ’ s bow would have a flat foredeck, far solitaire ’ s flows up and over the vessel. this means that instead of riding the waves, as most ships do, she can penetrate them. that is a crucial change. when a ship rides the waves her engines slow down and then surge as her hull rises and falls. by piercing the swell, far solitaire will be able to maintain her engines at a constant speed. this will cut fuel consumption, reduce wear and tear, and make life for the crew safer and more


and then surge as her hull rises and falls. by piercing the swell, far solitaire will be able to maintain her engines at a constant speed. this will cut fuel consumption, reduce wear and tear, and make life for the crew safer and more comfortable. far solitaire is powered by a conventional diesel - electric system consisting of three engines connected to generators that run electric motors. the thrusters which those electric motors drive, however, are anything but conventional. the main pair are stern - mounted azipull propellers. these are similar to the azimuth thrusters already used on some vessels : propellers on pods that can be rotated to push the ship in different directions, making a rudder unnecessary. but the rolls - royce azipull has the propeller at the front of the pod rather than the back. that means the propeller operates in a smoother flow of water, which improves efficiency and assists steering. this design has been made possible using computational fluid dynamics to perfect the shapes of the blades and pods. further control is provided by two bow thrusters. these are propellers mounted in transverse tunnels in the hull, to help position the craft and hold her stable while alongside a rig. and there is also an azimuth thruster that can be swung down from the forward part of the hull if an extra push is required. all of these propulsion systems are handled by moving one of the joysticks next to the captain ’ s chair in a bridge with a 360° view that looks more suitable for the starship enterprise than what is, after all, a souped - up freighter. the consequences of moving the joystick can, fortunately, be practised on shore without risk to ship or platform, courtesy of a new 360° bridge simulator in rolls - royce ’ s marine - training centre in alesund. the captain can also call on the assistance of an electronic positioning system that uses a combination of data from satellites, gyrocompasses, and wind and motion sensors to operate the thrusters automatically. solid freight is carried on a deck that has an area of 1, 020 square metres. liquids, meanwhile, are stored below deck in tanks, each of which is fitted with its own pumping system, in order to avoid the risk of mixing substances best kept separate. borge nakken, who is in charge of technology and development at farstad, expects far solitaire to use about 40 % less fuel than a conventional vessel of the same size that is carrying out similar tasks. this is a remarkable saving, and although she is a


the counseling and resource center when someone you know... … has an eating disorder you can also download this brochure for printing. what is an eating disorder? eating disorders are not due to a failure of will or behavior. they are not about dieting or vanity. they are treatable medical illnesses. these psychological disorders affect more than 8 million americans each year. people develop dysfunctional eating patterns in attempts to cope with or control other overwhelming problems in their lives. without treatment, eating disorders can be fatal. signs and symptoms - a distorted image of own body, low self - esteem due to body weight or shape even if in the “ normal ” range. - resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height, refusal to admit seriousness of current low body weight. - intense fear of gaining weight or becoming “ fat ” - recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive amount of food within a short period of time, as well as a lack of control over eating during the episode - recurrent unhealthy behavior in order to prevent weight gain : self - induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications ( called purging ) ; fasting ; or excessive exercise types of eating disorders anorexia nervosa : anorexia nervosa is an extremely dangerous, life - threatening eating disorder. sufferers intentionally deprive themselves of food and can literally starve to death in an attempt to be what they consider " thin. " they can experience extreme weight loss - - at least 15 % below the individual ' s healthy weight - - and refuse to maintain body weight that is even minimally normal for their age and height. even if they become skeleton - like, anorexic people ' s distorted body image convinces them they are " fat. " the self - esteem of individuals with this disorder is directly dependent on their body shape and weight. they view weight loss as an impressive achievement and an indication of extraordinary self - discipline. bulimia nervosa : people who have bulimia nervosa routinely " binge, " eating large amounts of food in a very short period of time, and immediately " purge, " ridding their bodies of the just - eaten food by self - inducing vomiting, taking enemas, using laxatives or other medications. if left untreated, bulimia nervosa can lead to serious and life -


" ridding their bodies of the just - eaten food by self - inducing vomiting, taking enemas, using laxatives or other medications. if left untreated, bulimia nervosa can lead to serious and life - threatening problems, such as depression, anxiety disorders, damage to the heart, kidneys, digestive system, and severe dental damage. those with bulimia nervosa are at risk for dangerous impulsive, self - destructive behaviors, such as sexual promiscuity, kleptomania, self - mutilation, and alcohol and / or drug abuse. compulsive eating disorder : compulsive eaters feel incapable of controlling how much or how often they eat. they may feel unable to stop eating, eat very fast, eat when they ' re not hungry, eat only when they ' re alone, or eat nearly non - stop throughout the day. compulsive eaters often over - indulge in sugary foods and use them in an attempt to " lift " their mood. when they don ' t eat the foods they crave, they often experience severe withdrawal symptoms. binge eating : the essential features of binge - eating disorder are repeated, out - of - control episodes of consuming abnormally large amounts of food. people with this disorder eat whether they are hungry or not and continue eating well after being uncomfortably full. if left untreated, this disorder often leads to obesity, which is responsible for as many as 300, 000 deaths each year, or other serious and often life - threatening eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. those who suffer from binge - eating disorder are also at high risk of substance - related disorders and serious psychiatric conditions, including depression, panic disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. other eating disorder facts - the body chemistry is so affected by starving / bingeing / purging that it can reach a " point of no return ", when death can result from chemical imbalance. - research has shown that men suffering from eating disorders have significantly lower bone density than women suffering from eating disorders. - individuals with eating disorders are at high risk for depression and anxiety disorders. - many individuals with eating disorders also suffer from borderline personality disorder. - americans spend more than $ 40 billion a year on dieting and diet - related products. myths about eating disorders myth : only teenage girls experience eating disorders. fact : although many eating


many individuals with eating disorders also suffer from borderline personality disorder. - americans spend more than $ 40 billion a year on dieting and diet - related products. myths about eating disorders myth : only teenage girls experience eating disorders. fact : although many eating disorders do begin in the teenage years, anyone can suffer from this disorder, including children, men, and older women. myth : an individual is only bulimic if he / she vomits. fact : laxatives, diuretics, exercising, or fasting can also be used to " purge " : rid the body of food. what can help? if you think a friend has an eating disorder, talk with him / her about specific behaviors you ' ve noticed. express your caring, support and concern. don ' t blame or judge. if she denies the problem, tell her that you are worried and need to do something to relieve your worry ( e. g. give her material to read, tell a parent, etc. ). offer to go with her to a doctor or to support group. a physician should be seen to discuss concerns, to immediately treat any physical problems, and to explore treatment plans. your friend can make an appointment in the edmonds cc counseling and resource center with a counselor, who can listen, offer feedback, and refer to treatment resources. eating disorders are complex and often require a comprehensive treatment plan involving medical care and monitoring, psychosocial interventions, nutritional counseling and, when appropriate, medication management. | national eating disorders association 800. 931. 2237 | | www. nationaleatingdisorders. org | | american psychiatric association | | http : / / www. psych. org / public _ info / eatingdisorders52201. cfm | | website on eating disorders | | something fishy website on eating disorders | | http : / / www. sfwed. org | | care crisis line | | snohomish county care crisis line : | | 425 - 258 - help ( 4357 ) or 1 - 800 - 584 - 3578 | | ( 24 - hour telephone crisis counseling ; interpreters available ) | | king county crisis line : | | 206 - 461 - 3222 or 1 - 800 - 244 - 5767 | | edmonds community college upholds all state and federal non - discrimination and equal opportunity laws. |


( cnn ) - - eva walusimbi knows well how it is to live in darkness. as a community leader in the small town of mityana, central uganda, she ' s been witnessing the health hazards and financial strains that a shortage of electricity can bring to people living in energy poor, rural areas. " just three miles away from here, people in the villages don ' t have electricity - - some of them use candles, some use kerosene lamps, " says walusimbi, who runs schools for orphans and disadvantaged children in uganda. " one morning there was a kid that was picked from school early in the morning because her sibling had died in a fire, " she says. " [ the kid ] had lit a candle in the house and then went outside to do some other chores, so the candle melted away and the house was all on fire. by the time that they came back to see what ' s going on, the whole house was burned down and the kid was burned to ashes. " in uganda, some 90 % of the population lives without access to electricity, according to world bank figures. apart from the health risks, walusimbi, 50, says that lack of electricity is also preventing people from escaping poverty. " people that are living without electricity, their day ends up so quickly - - they can do less work compared to the people with full light, " she says. but for walusimbi, there is light at the end of the tunnel. she has joined solar sister, a group aiming to eradicate energy poverty while creating economic opportunities for women. using an avon - style women ' s distribution system, solar sister trains, recruits and supports female entrepreneurs in east africa to sell affordable solar lighting and other green products such as solar lamps and mobile phone chargers. the women use their community networks of family and neighbors to build their own businesses, earning a commission on each sale. read related : harnessing pedal power to light up africa solar sister founder katherine lucey, a former investment banker with expertise in the energy sector, says this model is creating access to safe, affordable and clean energy while helping women to earn a steady income to support their families. " this gives them a chance to earn money in a way that is a lot more steady - - they have control over it and that money can come into the family, " says lucey, who is based in rhode island, in the united states. " in almost all cases we see them using that to spend on education for their children


- - they have control over it and that money can come into the family, " says lucey, who is based in rhode island, in the united states. " in almost all cases we see them using that to spend on education for their children. " during her 20 - year career as an energy executive, lucey says she ' d seen how access to electricity was fundamental for economic growth. but whilst working on large - scale energy projects in developing countries, she also realized that the pressing needs of many poor individuals were still not being served. after dark, houses not connected to the electricity grid rely mainly on open - flame kerosene lamps for light. such lanterns, however, pose fire hazards, emit toxic fumes and a put a strain on family budgets. " you really can ' t raise up above subsistence living if you don ' t have light, electricity and energy, " says lucey. " and when you do have it, it ' s just tremendous what people are able to accomplish and the impact it has on people ' s lives : children can study more and go to school, women can start businesses and are able to provide for their families. " according to lighting africa, a joint world bank - international finance corporation program developed to increase access to clean sources of energy for lighting, 589 million people in the continent live without access to a public electricity facility. the group says african poor rural households and small businesses pay $ 10 billion per year for lighting purposes, while communities not connected to the grid spend $ 4. 4 billion annually on kerosene. lucey says ending a culture of dependency on aid is crucial to help people escape economic hardship and deal with the issue of energy poverty. she explains : " there ' s not enough philanthropy in the world to solve this problem, " she says. " a third of the world population doesn ' t have access to electricity - - it ' s not going to be solved by philanthropy, it ' s going to be solved by some kind of market mechanism where people have access to this product... and purchase as they need it. " so far, more than 270 entrepreneurs in uganda, rwanda and south sudan have joined solar sister. lucey says the group, which is looking to expand in other counties in the continent, is deliberately working solely with women as they are responsible of managing the energy needs of a household. " women are the ones who walk miles to cut the wood ; women are the ones who go to markets to buy kerosene - - so if we


the recent article titled, “ silicon photonics is hot ” authored by rick merritt and based on an interview with andy bechtolsheim, spurred me to take a deeper look at the technology challenges we ’ re facing with silicon photonics as we scale switching networks from 10g to 100g and eventually one terabits. it ’ s a brave new world when we eliminate the tried and true hand assembly of hundreds of optical piece parts and move to silicon photonics. some optical functions are easy to implement in silicon, while others are more difficult. we cannot, and should not, mix some of the old parts with a silicon chip to create a partial silicon photonics solution. rather, we need the whole optical engine to be integrated onto the silicon platform. the optical engine takes multiple high - speed electrical channels, converts them to optical, combines the channels to send them via a single optical fiber to any distance from as close as the next rack to as far as across the entire data center. at the receive end, the optical engine separates the light stream into separate channels and converts them back to electrical channels. in data centers, optical engines are emerging as the lowest power, smallest technology choice in pluggable transceivers for connecting cluster switches and routers and are used in active optical cables to connect server blades and switches. in addition, optical engines will soon be embedded mid - board to reduce the power and increase the density in board - to - board applications. however, there are many challenges in integrating optical functions on a cmos platform designed primarily for electrical functions. let ’ s have a look at each of the key opto - electrical functions and the challenges of full integration in a cmos platform : lasers : lasers provide the source of light for the optical engine, but some data center lasers are expensive. kotura has developed on - chip functions that use the light from low - cost, low - speed lasers. the laser is the one optical component that is not monolithically integrated, but recent developments in flip - chip bonding of lasers and arrays make this a high - volume, low - cost process. on chip features eliminate the need for any lenses, isolators and beam collimators traditionally used in laser subassembly. kotura ’ s laser design eliminates the need for expensive hermetic packaging. it just takes a few seconds on an automated station to align and bond a laser array to the silicon photonics chip. finally, one of the toughest problems, getting a low - cost light source into the


skip to main content more search options a member of our team will call you back within one business day. a break in the skin is an open door, inviting dirt and germs to enter your body and cause infection. do not squeeze the wound. soak the wound in warm, soapy water to help the injury heal from the inside out. cover the wound with a gauze dressing to absorb any drainage and let air in for faster healing. if an object lodges in the body, apply direct pressure around the wound to control bleeding. ( wear gloves or use other protection as a barrier between you and any blood. ) wrap gauze or cloth around the object to hold it steady. tape the wrapping in place. don ’ t increase the risk of internal bleeding by trying to remove an embedded object. pale or clammy skin. the pulse may be so light or race so fast that you can ’ t count the beats. the victim may be confused or unable to concentrate or may stare blankly. over time, the victim may even become unconscious. a large object, such as a knife, embedded in the body 1. reassure the person. 2. continue to control bleeding with direct pressure. the wound covers a large area or is deep. the ear or eye is punctured. an object such as a nail remains lodged in the body. the injury is on the face or any area where scarring is a concern. the person needs protection against tetanus. this is a disease caused by bacteria that may enter any break in the skin and bring on a life - threatening illness called lockjaw. the body ’ s defenses may need a booster injection if it ’ s been more than five years since the last tetanus vaccination.


head injury, age 4 and older most injuries to the head are minor. bumps, cuts, and scrapes on the head and face usually heal well and can be treated the same as injuries to other parts of the body. minor cuts on the head often bleed heavily because the face and scalp have many blood vessels close to the surface of the skin. often the injury is not severe, and the bleeding will stop with home treatment. for more information, see how to stop bleeding. many head injuries can be prevented. use seat belts and helmets, and make your home safe to prevent falls. common causes of serious head injuries in adults include : head injuries that involve force are more likely to cause a serious injury to the brain. a high - energy injury to the head increases the likelihood of a serious injury even more. be sure to evaluate the person for signs and symptoms of a head injury after a fall or other type of head injury. it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between a mild concussion and a more serious head injury. a person with a concussion may appear dazed, stare blankly, or cry for no apparent reason. nausea, vomiting, headache, or dizziness may be present. a visit to a doctor is needed anytime mild symptoms persist. even if a visit to a doctor is not needed, watch anyone who has had a head injury carefully for at least 24 hours to see whether signs of a serious head injury develop. occasionally, after a head injury you may feel as if you are not functioning as well as you did before the injury ( postconcussive syndrome ). you may have blurred vision, headache, nausea, vomiting, forgetfulness, or trouble concentrating. some people have problems with balance and coordination and personality changes. these changes may be related to stress from the events around the accident that caused the injury or from the injury itself. many people have symptoms for as long as 3 months after a head injury, and some even have problems for as long as a year afterward. when a head injury has occurred, look for other injuries to other parts of the body that also may need attention. trouble breathing, shock, spinal injuries, and severe bleeding are all life - threatening injuries that may occur along with a head injury and require immediate medical attention. injuries to the spine, especially the neck, must be considered when there has been a head injury. check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor. emedicinehealth medical reference from healthwise to learn more visit healthwise. org © 1995 - 2012 healthwise


family : laridae, gulls and terns view all from this family description adult summer has a pale gray back and upper wings with a white trailing edge and pale gray subterminal marks on outer four or five otherwise white primaries. plumage is otherwise white. bill is yellowish green with an orange spot ; pale yellowish to brown eye has a purplish red eyering. adult ssp. glaucoides ( breeds on greenland ) is similar but primaries are pure white. adult winter similar, but has brown streaking on head and neck. juvenile and 1st - winter pale gray - buff with white primaries. bill is dark with hint of pink at base. adult plumage is acquired over next 3 years through successive molts. second - winter bird looks very pale overall, with faint gray - buff marbling ; bill is pale grayish pink with a narrow dark tip or submarginal band. third - winter is similar to winter adult, but with buff feathers on tail and upper wings. dimensions length : 23 " ( 58 cm ) habitat nests on cliffs in canadian high arctic and winters mainly on coasts of northern canadian seaboard ; occasionally pushed further south by harsh weather. observation tips in winter, often associates with other gull species. range eastern canada, new england, florida, mid - atlantic, southeast, alaska, great lakes, western canada, plains voice utters a distinctive kyaoo and anxious ga - ka - ka, similar to herring gull but higher pitched. similar species thayer ' s gull l. thayeri ( l 22 - 24 in ) is western counterpart of iceland ; sometimes turns up on great lakes and atlantic seaboard in winter. adult is similar to adult iceland but has black wingtips with white " windows. " immatures are similar to their iceland counterparts, but darker and browner. discussion attractive, pale gull. recalls glaucous gull in all plumages but note iceland ' s smaller size, less bulky body, and longer - winged appearance. rather rounded head and relatively small bill lend an almost pigeon - like quality to the head. relatively short legs are pink. represented in north america mainly by ssp. kumleini ( known as " kumlein ' s gull " ) and to which main description refers. sexes are similar.


response & recovery around the world, recent events involving terrorism and bioterrorism have raised the concern for public health and safety, as well as environmental protection. e & e has responded to over 8, 000 environmental events worldwide including man - made and natural disasters involving floods, earthquakes, chemical and oil spills, hurricanes, outbreaks, and other public health emergencies. e & e maintains and deploys teams trained and equipped with state - of - the - art emergency response technology and equipment. these teams are called upon by government agencies to provide support to local emergency responders facing issues such a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear ( cbrne ) and explosives emergencies with services such as air and water sampling and testing, mobile laboratory deployment, and contaminant plume and air modeling. our emergency response services provide around - the - clock, around - the - world access to proven expertise to address and respond to emergency incidents. - emergency response to hazardous material spills and releases, natural disasters, public health emergencies and events involving terrorism - site safety plan design and compliance oversight - personal protective equipment use and selection - multimedia environmental surveying and sampling - spill containment and incident perimeter establishment and maintenance - decontamination line design and operations oversight - incident logistics and material management programs - hazardous materials removal and remediation design and oversight support - plume modeling and advanced air and groundwater assessment - confined space entry methods and monitoring - natural resource damage assessments - human health and ecological risk assessment - geological studies - response equipment support ( needs analysis ; equipment assessment, procurement ; and coordination of training and equipment management ) e & e provided more than 50 technical personnel to perform sampling for anthrax in more than 25 federal buildings in the nation ’ s capital, including the capitol and supreme court. e & e coordinated emergency response actions in response to severe flooding of several rivers that affected 36 counties, working closely with federal / state agencies, including the federal emergency management agency ( fema ). e & e is working with new york city department of law to apply scientific analysis to claims alleging health injuries, environmental damage, and property damage resulting from the terrorist attacks on the wtc on september 11, 2001. - matthew lieuallen - ( 503 ) 248 - 5600


breakthrough entrepreneurship is about solving problems - - but it ' s only half the battle. if you ' ve brainstormed a business idea and have a sense of the customer pain your product can solve. the next step in your billion - dollar business generating process is to figure out if you can fill that need profitably. to do this, you need to understand the value proposition you ' re creating. estimate the economics as best you can so as to figure out ahead of time if customers will actually agree to purchase your product or service for significantly more than it costs you to produce it. three factors make up your value proposition : production cost : what will it cost you to develop and produce your product or service? customer utility : what dollar amount can you use to represent the degree to which your customer will value the product? price : how much will your customer be willing to pay? < insert ad here > the lower your production costs and the higher the customer utility, the better the value proposition will be. for example, suppose we wanted to calculate a value proposition for a grande soy latte at starbucks. we ' d need to estimate each of the three numbers so that we can plug them into the three parts of the framework. begin with production cost, which is often the number you can estimate with the most precision. if you ' re selling lattes or planning to manufacture electronics, bake cupcakes or develop games that run on social networking websites, hopefully you know enough to come up with an estimate of what it will cost you to produce them. in this case, you ' d probably have direct expenses, such as the cost of beans, soy milk, paper cups and those little corrugated cardboard sleeves so your customers ' hands won ' t burn. you ' d also have indirect costs : the tables and chairs you need to furnish the store and the marketing campaigns. what are the true production costs for a single grande soy latte at starbucks? an educated guess, based on our research and interviews, we ' ll say it probably costs starbucks about $ 1. 75 to produce each latte. that ' s step one. step two is to figure out the customer utility. in other words, what is a single cup actually worth to a customer? the utility to a mildly curious starbucks customer who has never before tried a soy latte isn ' t all that high. the utility to a true caffeine addict is higher. maybe he or she would be willing to spend three times as much as the latte neophyte. to find


has never before tried a soy latte isn ' t all that high. the utility to a true caffeine addict is higher. maybe he or she would be willing to spend three times as much as the latte neophyte. to find out, you could ask potential customers what they think about lattes and other similar drinks. look at what similar drinks sell for elsewhere, do interviews and conduct focus groups or offer pre - sale deals and see what level people bite at. let ' s say the average utility to a starbucks customer would be $ 5, and the estimated $ 1. 75 production cost. those are pretty promising numbers, and can lead us to the last estimate : what is the optimal price? determining how to price products optimally is a never - ending challenge. often you ' ll cycle through several pricing experiments before you figure out what works best. usually, but not always, the higher the price, the lower the demand. the key to keep in mind is that the purchase price you set must be somewhere between what it costs you ( or starbucks ) to produce the latte and the utility to the customer. spelled out like this, the point seems obvious - - and it is. yet, the history of entrepreneurship is filled with stories of founders who never accurately figured out these calculations ahead of time, and whose ventures died as a result. in the case of starbucks, since we can find one on nearly any urban street corner in america, we can see that its current calculation of the optimal price is about $ 3. 85. related : four rules for pricing products two more points to consider : the value created and value captured. if starbucks produces lattes at $ 1. 75 and the average utility to your customers is $ 5, then starbucks has created $ 3. 25 of value. and if they ' re selling lattes at $ 3. 85, then they are capturing $ 2. 10 of value. this example shows a well - balanced value proposition at starbucks, and perhaps helps explain why the company ' s stores remain popular and profitable. at least in this example, based on reasonable assumptions, starbucks creates significant value for the customer, and it also captures a sizeable portion of that value for itself. so why even bother with the exercise of calculating a value proposition? first, the process can help you diagnose quickly whether you ' re on to something promising and potentially profitable. second, it shows where you need to focus your efforts to improve a marginal business idea. it can make it easier to identify where the


the encyclopedia of earth is dedicated to expanding and enhancing opportunities for education on environmental topics. please take a moment to explore the many resources below, and provide feedback on using online resources for education. initiatives of the environmental information coalition - eoe in the classroom see how educators are using the encyclopedia of earth in classrooms for course preparation and teaching. - student science communication project browse articles written by students and published on the encyclopedia of earth with guidance from faculty and the eoe expert community. readers and online courses - ncse - nasa interdisciplinary climate change education the nnicce team is developing a robust curricular package for a general education course on climate change that universities across the country can readily adopt and adapt. - ecology for teachers reader explore a graduate level course reader developed by mark mcginley for an interdisciplinary program to teach high school teachers to teach ecology. - environmental contaminants and toxicology reader delve into a broad introductory reader developed by emily monosson covering contaminants and toxicology. - ap environmental science online course utilize this thorough online course put together by the university of california college prep to prepare students for the college board ’ s advanced placement environmental science test. - camel : climate adaptation and mitigation elearning, an on online learning community - collections of articles and resources around a topic or region - e - books published on the encyclopedia of earth - environmental classics that are often used in environmental science and studies programs


the faroe plateau large marine ecosystem ( lme ) is characterized by its subarctic climate. surrounding the faroe islands in the northeast atlantic ocean, it is a high latitude extreme environment in which temperature, currents, tides and seasonal oscillations affect productivity. the faroe plateau is a very defined and geographically uniform lme. the islands have a relatively broad shelf and are surrounded by a persistent tidal front that separates shelf water from the open ocean. the circulation of water masses is anticyclonic, with a branch of the north atlantic drift current flowing north. climate is the primary force driving the lme, with intensive fishing as the secondary driving force. climate ( e. g. temperature ) is the primary force driving the lme. currents, tides and seasonal oscillations affect productivity. the shallow parts of the shelf are well mixed by extreme tidal currents and no stratification occurs during the summer. the faroe plateau lme is considered a category ii, moderately high productivity ( 150 - 300 gc / m2 - yr ) ecosystem according to seawifs global primary productivity estimates. primary productivity and phytoplankton biomass is very low during the winter, but increases during spring and summer. the shelf has neritic phytoplankton and zooplankton communities, somewhat separated from the offshore areas while receiving variable influence from the offshore environment. the shelf production of plankton is the basis for production in the higher trophic levels in the lme. the ecosystem has many trophic levels. plankton production, fish recruitment, seabird recruitment and growth, and ultimately fish landings, are interannually variable. the lme also serves as an important feeding ground for pilot whales and other marine mammals. monitoring data show simultaneous fluctuations at several trophic levels in the ecosystem. fish and fisheries climatic variability has a major impact on fish landings. commercial stocks in this lme include cod, herring and capelin. the fisheries catch in this lme has a boom and bust profile. the food and agriculture organization ( fao ) 10 - year trend shows 30, 000 tons in 1990, 120, 000 tons in 1992, and 30, 000 tons in 1999. the average catch is 100, 000 tons. the most important species group in terms of shelf catches are pelagic fishes, representing on average 52 % of the total catch, and cods, hakes and haddocks, representing more than 30 % of the catch. there was a peak capelin catch in


group in terms of shelf catches are pelagic fishes, representing on average 52 % of the total catch, and cods, hakes and haddocks, representing more than 30 % of the catch. there was a peak capelin catch in 1992 - 1993, but this catch decreased subsequently. the long - term average landings of cod fluctuate between 20, 000 and 40, 000 tons. landings of haddock fluctuate between 15, 000 and 25, 000 tons. in the early 1990s, cod and haddock landings reached the lowest values ever recorded. since that dramatic drop, they have increased again. cod and haddock do not always fluctuate simultaneously, due to different reproductive strategies for the two species. other important species are the sand eel and the norway pout. the norway pout is not caught commercially but serves as a food supply for fish, seabirds and gray seals. a marked increase in fishing effort has not resulted in an increase in fish landings. the university of british columbia fisheries center has detailed fish catch statistics for this lme. a graphical representation of the fao data is provided below. pollution and ecosystem health climate is the primary force driving this lme. the lme provides important feeding habitats. fisheries are totally dependent on a sound and healthy marine ecosystem. a systematic monitoring of environmental parameters of the faroe shelf lme was initiated in the early 1990s. in 1998, the faroe islands had an estimated population of 44, 000. the population is almost totally dependent on fisheries and on fish farming, which began in the 1980s. the potential for petroleum production is being explored in areas close to the faroe islands, and between the faroe and shetland islands. the faroe islands are a self - governing overseas administrative division of denmark. denmark is a major fishing nation that is attempting to integrate fisheries and environmental policies. an ecosystem approach was used officially for the first time in 1995 at the international level with the convention on biological diversity. the ospar convention contains a number of supporting legislative and policy instruments regarding the northeast atlantic. denmark participates in ices ( international commission for exploration of the sea ). the area between the faroe islands and the shetland islands in the faroe - shetland channel may be rich in petroleum resources, and is disputed by the united kingdom and denmark. articles and lme volumes - fao, 2003. trends in oceanic captures and clustering of large marine ecosystems — 2 studies based on the fao capture database. fao fisheries technical paper 435. 71 pages. fao fisheries &


and denmark. articles and lme volumes - fao, 2003. trends in oceanic captures and clustering of large marine ecosystems — 2 studies based on the fao capture database. fao fisheries technical paper 435. 71 pages. fao fisheries & aquaculture - large marine ecosystems. - gaard, e., b. hansen, b. olsen and j. reinert, 2002. ecological features and recent trends in the physical environment, plankton, fish stocks, and seabirds in the faroe shelf ecosystem. in k. sherman and h. r. skjoldal, eds. large marine ecosystems of the north atlantic — changing states and sustainability. elseviers. 245 - 265. isbn : 0444510117 - gaard, e., 2000. seasonal abundance and development of calanus finmarchicus in relation to phytoplankton and hydrography on the faroe shelf. ices j. mar. sci., 57 : 1605 - 1618. - hansen, b., 1992. residual and tidal currents on the faroe plateau. ices cm. 1992 / c : 12, 18 p. - hansen, b., a. kristiansen and j. reinert, 1990. cod and haddock in faroese waters and possible climate influences on them. ices c. m. 1990 / g : 33, 23 p. - ices 1999. report of the north - western working group. ices cm 1999 / acfm : 17. 329 p. - jakupsstovu, s. h. and j. reinert, 1994. fluctuations in the faroe plateau stock. in : j. jakobsson, o. s. astthorsson, r. j. h. beverton, b. bjoernsson, n. daan, k. t. frank, j. meincke, b. rothschild, s. sundby, s. tilseth ( eds ). cod and climate change. proceedings of a symposium held in reykjavik, 23 - 27 august, 1993. ices marine science symposia. vol. 198, 194 - 211. - noaa. 1991. report of the ad hoc committee on large marine ecosystems. noaa technical memorandum nmfs - f / nec - 92, 19p. - olsen, b., 1994. faroe islands. p. 18, 100 and 111. in : g. l. hunt ( ed ). report of the study on seabird


attachment behaviors and health as the medical community tries to find ways to help patients become more independent in managing their health issues, researchers have discover how emotional development as children may affect how one copes with adverse events, like illness, as an adult. this article reviews research that investigated the relationship between attachment styles and how this may affect how people react to stressors such as illness or pain. attachment behaviors are developed during infancy, as babies depend on those around them. a child may become very attached or clingy, or distance himself from his caregiver if, for example, his needs aren ' t being met when he is hungry or hurt. the attachment behaviors developed during early childhood generally follow through adulthood. two negative attachment styles are attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. both of these are seen as extremes, with attachment anxiety causing excess worry and dependence on others, and attachment avoidance causing a uneasiness with being close to others or being dependant on others. among the several studies done, some researchers found that subjects who fell in the two negative attachment styles were not as effective in dealing with threats ( ie. pain ) than were those who had more positive attachment styles. the researchers found that those who fell into the attachment anxiety group had a harder time handling threatening issues and showed poorer coping mechanisms. those who fell in the attachment avoidance group also didn ' t cope well, but by avoiding the situation, minimizing the threat, and not seeking help when it would have been appropriate. yet other studies have been done to analyze the relationship between attachment style and chronic pain. not only did the researchers find that the patients had poor coping skills, but there were also higher levels of depression in both the attachment anxiety and the attachment avoidance groups. interestingly, there have been some similar findings among the caregivers of children or spouses who were ill or in pain. the researchers found that caregivers of children who fell into either of the two groups had higher levels of depression as did the children. for spouses, a caregiver who fell into the anxiety group tended to have a lower level of marital quality. the researchers of this review pointed out that there remains a lot to be studied before being able to draw direct connections between attachment styles and coping with illness or pain. however, the preliminary evidence is convincing enough to warrant further studies that examine direct association between attachment and pain intensity, how this affects health care and its cost, and how this all comes together in treatment for the long - term. laura s. porter, md, et al. attachment


smart - 1 diagnoses wrinkles and excess weight on the moon owing to smart - 1 ’ s high resolution and favourable illumination conditions during the satellite ’ s scientific operations, data from europe ’ s lunar orbiter is helping put together a story linking geological and volcanic activity on the moon. the combination of high - resolution data from smart - 1 ’ s amie micro - camera and data from the us clementine mission is helping scientists determine the tectonics of the moon ’ s giant basins and the history of volcanic flooding of mid - sized craters, inside and around the lunar basins. “ thanks to low - elevation solar illumination on these high - resolution images ”, says smart - 1 project scientist bernard foing, “ it is now possible to study fine, small - scale geological features that went undetected earlier. ” the study provides new information on the thermal and tectonic history of the moon and the processes following the formation of the large basins. there are approximately 50 recognizable lunar basins more than 300 km in diameter. they are believed to be created by the impact of asteroids or comets during the lunar late heavy bombardment period, 350 - 750 million years after the formation of the moon. some of these basins ( mostly on the near side ) were then filled in by lava originating from volcanic activity. combining information from smart - 1 and clementine makes it possible to assess the link between fine geological structures, identified for the first time with amie ’ s high resolution, and the chemical composition of the study area. the humorum basin is an ‘ ideal ’, circular, compact and moderately thick basin that was created by a simple impact event, showing a thin crust and mass concentration within a small area ( from clementine topography and gravity data ). the procellarum basin, or oceanus procellarum, is a large, extended, complex basin that is moderately thick and shows no mass concentration. it may have been formed by faulting associated with the formation of the adjacent imbrium crater ( 3. 84 thousand million years ago ), rather than by a ‘ gargantuan ’ impact. the humorum basin shows concentric graben, or elongated, trench - like erosional features around the edge of the basin. these are formed as the crust is deformed due to the presence of a mascon ( mass concentration or ‘ local overweight ’ ). “ lunar crust is like a fragile skin, wrinkled due to local mascons or its thermal history ”, says bernard foing, “ as


west nile virus west nile is a virus transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. mosquitoes transmit the virus after becoming infected by birds carrying the virus. mosquitoes are most active in the victoria area from mid - april until october. although the chances of infection from a mosquito are low, precautions should be taken to avoid infection and to control mosquitoes around your home. west nile virus can cause mild to severe illness. suggestions to protect yourself : - wear socks, shoes and a hat - wear long - sleeved, light coloured shirts and pants - use an insect repellent containing deet when outdoors - avoid spending time outdoors at dawn or dusk when mosquitoes are most active - ensure that door and window screens are in good repair reducing breeding sites around your home : mosquitoes require standing water for the egg, larva and pupa stages of their life cycle. eliminating standing water bodies will help to reduce the areas available for breeding. - drain or discard any tin cans, plastic containers, old flower pots, buckets, garbage cans or any similar item that can hold water - change water in bird baths every 3 to 4 days - drain water that has collected in pool covers or tarps - keep eaves clear of leaves and twigs to prevent water collection - put a mosquito proof screening over rain barrels - fill in any depressions in your lawn or on your property - empty any water that has collected in old tires for more information on the west nile virus, visit the following websites :


negotiating devolution is complicated and has been going on since 2001. at times, it has made sense to make a record of discussions and decisions by entering into written agreements. these agreements are important steps that keep the negotiations moving forward. past agreements of this kind have included the 2001 memorandum of intent and the 2004 devolution framework agreement. these agreements were endorsed by aboriginal governments, the government of canada and the gnwt. in 2007, the gnwt and four regional aboriginal governments - the inuvialuit regional corporation, the gwich ' in tribal council, the sahtu secretariat incorporated and the northwest territory metis nation - also signed an agreement - in - principle on resource revenue sharing, making provisions for the remaining aboriginal governments to sign on when they were ready. like these earlier agreements, the devolution agreement - in - principle ( aip ) is another important step in the process. the aip sets out the subjects that should be included in a final devolution agreement, stating the principles and financial parameters that will guide the negotiation of a final agreement. the aip won ' t be legally binding and will not jeopardize existing or future rights. the aip is simply an agreement to move to the next stage of negotiations. approval of the aip marks the beginning of negotiations leading up to a final devolution agreement. many of the outstanding issues will be addressed as part of final negotiations. signing the devolution aip is a signal to the government of canada that we are ready to invest in advancing towards a final agreement.


return to the mammalia index weasel ( short tailed ) or ( ermine ) the short - tailed weasel, also called an ermine or stoat, is found all over canada, the northern united states, europe, and asia. they live in similar habitats to the long - tailed weasel including the taigas and tundra of siberia. they are very similar in all ways to the long - tailed weasel, with one distinct difference. they have a much shorter tail, just half their body length and with a black tip. they always turn white in winter ( they only range in places that have snow in winter ). they are active and alert, good swimmers and climbers. they are territorial and will attack trespassers and are though they are active mostly at night ( nocturnal ) they can be out at any time during the day. they are fierce hunters feeding mostly on small rodents but also taking rabbits, birds, reptiles and even fruit in summer. they kill their prey by biting down hard on the base of the skull. predators include foxes, coyotes, badgers, falcons and hawks. short - tailed weasels live alone except to mate. though it can be more than 9 months between the time they mate and the female has her 6 young, weasels are not truly pregnant until march and they have the young about 6 weeks later. this is called delayed implantation and many wild mammals have this same adaptation. it allows the animals to mate in the fall when they are more active, than try to find each other in late winter. the young are born in late april to early may. within 2 months they can kill their own prey. lifespan and / or conservation status if a short - tailed weasel survives to become an adult they may live for several years. they are listed as lower risk - least concern. species : mustela erminea citing this reference citing research references when you research information you must cite the reference. citing for websites is different from citing from books, magazines and periodicals. the style of citing shown here is from the mla style citations ( modern language association ). when citing a website the general format is as follows. author last name, first name ( s ). " title : subtitle of part of web page, if appropriate. " title : subtitle : section of page if appropriate. sponsoring / publishing agency, if given. additional significant descriptive information. date of electronic publication or other date, such as last updated. day month year of access < url >. all text on exploring nature was written by


vol. 8, no. 9 this issue in pdf - format ) in this issue : prevention and control of west nile virus infection in equine and other livestock or poultry usda animal and plant health inspection service ( aphis ) west nile virus ( wnv ) is a vector - borne virus that was recognized in the western hemisphere for the first time in 1999. invertebrate vectors, such as mosquitoes, circulate the virus among wild birds. occasionally the virus is introduced into other vertebrate populations, such as humans or horses, that serve as incidental hosts. incidental hosts are infected animals that do not pass the virus on to vectors or other animals. the only vectors found to be associated with outbreaks of wnv in the united states since 1999 are mosquitoes. at least 30 species of mosquitoes have been found positive for wnv, although several of those species are likely not involved in active transmission of the virus from bird - to - bird or from bird - to - mammal. horses are affected by wnv much more often than any other domestic animals. many horses infected with wnv do not develop any illness, but of horses that become ill about one - third ( 33 percent ) die or need to be euthanatized. other livestock and poultry do not commonly show any illness if infected with wnv. given that mosquitoes are associated with wnv transmission, one key to preventing or controlling future outbreaks of wnv among horses is to control mosquito populations and to prevent horses from being exposed to any adult mosquitoes that may be present. similar recommendations would apply for other livestock or poultry should illness due to wnv in those types of animals ever come to be recognized. in addition to the mosquito - related prevention measures discussed below, there is now an additional action that can be taken to help prevent illness in horses caused by wnv infection : vaccination. on august 1, 2001, a conditional license was issued by the usda - aphis ’ center for veterinary biologics for an equine wnv vaccine. the vaccine is a killed virus product. conditional licensing means the product has been shown to be safe, pure, and have a reasonable expectation of efficacy in preventing illness caused by wnv. each state veterinary authority must also approve the use of the product in their state. because use of this vaccine is restricted to veterinarians, you need to contact your veterinarian to find out more about its use in your area


wnv. each state veterinary authority must also approve the use of the product in their state. because use of this vaccine is restricted to veterinarians, you need to contact your veterinarian to find out more about its use in your area. the manufacturer of the vaccine recommends giving two intramuscular doses of one milliliter each, three to six weeks apart, followed by an annual booster. the booster should be given just prior to the start of the mosquito season in your area. reduction of mosquito breeding sites reducing the population of mosquitoes, especially species apparently involved with bird - to - bird transmission of wnv, such as some culex species, can help reduce or eliminate the presence of virus in a given geographical area. the most important step any property owner can take to control such mosquito populations is to remove all man - made potential sources of stagnant water in which mosquitoes might breed. dispose of any water - holding containers, including discarded tires. drill holes in the bottom of containers that are left outdoors. clean clogged roof gutters annually. turn over plastic wading pools or wheelbarrows when not in use and do not allow water to stagnate in bird baths. clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not in use and be aware that mosquitoes can breed in the water that collects on swimming pool covers. aerate ornamental pools and use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property ; mosquitoes can potentially breed in any stagnant puddle that lasts more than four days. thoroughly clean livestock watering troughs monthly. local mosquito control authorities may be able to help in assessing the mosquito breeding risks associated with a specific property. decreasing exposure to adult mosquitoes it is also important to prevent horses from being exposed to adult mosquitoes. several actions may help in that effort. housing animals in structures with well - maintained insect screening can be useful to reduce exposure to adult mosquitoes. use of such mosquito - resistant structures may actually lead to mosquito exposure unless precautions are first taken to eliminate mosquitoes from inside the structure. this may be accomplished through a number of means including the use of mosquito adulticides. in addition, use of fans may reduce the potential ability of mosquitoes to feed on horses. use of insect repellents may be of some value in decreasing exposure of horses to adult mosquitoes. due to practical limitations in the coverage area that may be achieved on any given horse with a particular product formulation, and due to limited duration of effectiveness of some formulations under certain conditions (


of some value in decreasing exposure of horses to adult mosquitoes. due to practical limitations in the coverage area that may be achieved on any given horse with a particular product formulation, and due to limited duration of effectiveness of some formulations under certain conditions ( e. g., perspiration ), repellents should not be solely relied upon to prevent mosquito exposure. repellents should be used according to their label instructions regarding appropriate species, method of application, and other precautions. topical application of a product containing a synthetic pyrethroid compound ( e. g., permethrin ) as the active ingredient may offer the best combination of safety and efficacy. although some species of mosquitoes feed at dusk or dawn, others are daytime feeders or feed at any time of the day or night. as it is not yet clear which mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of wnv to horses and other mammalian species, making recommendations as to when certain animals should avoid outdoor exposure may not be particularly useful at this time. however, a recently completed epidemiologic study of wnv suggests that keeping horses in stalls at night may be helpful in reducing their risk of infection. | west nile virus fact sheet | iowa department of public health what is west nile virus? west nile virus is an arbovirus ( a virus carried by mosquitoes ). the virus was first identified in uganda, africa in 1937, and was recently identified in new york in 1999, when at least 62 cases and 7 deaths from west nile virus infection were reported in the new york city area. the virus mainly infects mosquitoes and birds. mosquitoes in turn can spread the infection to people and other animals. how is west nile virus spread? mosquitoes can get the west nile virus when feeding on infected birds. the mosquitoes in turn can spread the virus to people through a bite. west nile virus cannot be spread from person to person. west nile virus cannot be spread by coming in contact with birds, although barrier precautions ( gloves ) should be used when handling dead birds. should the west nile virus be a concern for people in iowa? yes. since 1999, when the virus was only identified in new york, west nile virus has been identified in several states east of the mississippi. in addition, the virus was identified in iowa for the first time in september 2001, isolated from a dead crow found in the eastern part of the state. most experts believe the virus will continue to spread west. in addition, experts believe more birds and


in addition, the virus was identified in iowa for the first time in september 2001, isolated from a dead crow found in the eastern part of the state. most experts believe the virus will continue to spread west. in addition, experts believe more birds and mosquitoes will be identified with west nile virus in iowa. this increases the chance that people can become infected. is a person bitten by a mosquito in an area known to have west nile virus likely to get infected? no. the chance of getting infected with the virus is low. what are the symptoms of west nile virus? most people who get bit by an infected mosquito never develop any symptoms. for those that do have symptoms, these are usually mild, and may include fever, headache, and body aches ; occasionally a skin rash and swollen lymph glands may occur. headache, high fever, neck stiffness, a decreased level of consciousness, confusion, tremors, muscle weakness, and paralysis may indicate a more severe infection. in rare cases, an infection can be fatal. severe infections and death are more likely to occur in the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. how is an infection with west nile virus diagnosed and treated? a physician can diagnose west nile virus through special tests. there is no specific treatment, though a physician may prescribe medications to reduce symptoms. in severe cases, hospitalization may be required. how can an infection with west nile virus be prevented? mosquito control is the most critical step. mosquitoes breed in standing water. cleaning rain gutters, emptying unused buckets, covering stored tires, and weekly cleaning of bird feeders are all effective ways to reduce mosquito breeding grounds. mosquito bites can be avoided by wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants and applying an insect repellent containing permethrin or 35 % deet to clothing. | one last shot at the thistles | by clarke mcgrath, isu extension field specialist / crops phone : 712 - 769 - 2600 - e - mail : firstname. lastname @ example. org there is still time to control musk thistles in grass pastures. musk thistles are relatively cold tolerant and continue to actively grow into november. studies done by iowa state university in the fall of 1992 and 1993 showed that 2, 3 - d applied after several nights of below 32f degree temperatures still gave good control of musk thistles. the trend - line for this two - year test indicated musk thistle control began to decline rapidly in november after more than 11 days of