. a lot of people want things all neat and clean, and they reach for the pesticide spray to kill those nasty tent caterpillars. not good. counterproductive. does more harm than good. the caterpillars go through 5 stages called ‘ instars. ’ when they first hatch out they form those lovely tents in the trees. as they go through the stages they wander farther and farther from the tent in search of leaves. eventually they migrate down the trunk of the tree where they were hatched and search for another high place where they will pupate. that will produce a brown moth who will lay eggs which look like a blob of grey styrofoam wrapped around a stem, and the whole process will begin again next year. there are several things which nature does to control the caterpillars without any help from us. the most useful is a virus ( polyhedrosis ). one day the world is crawling with caterpillars. the next day all you see are dead bodies draped all over the trees. and that ’ s the end of the invasion. the other thing you see is bright white spots, usually on the forehead of the caterpillar. this is the egg of a wasp ( kids love this part ). the egg hatches and the larva burrows into the caterpillar where it eats it from the inside out. by the time it is ready to emerge there ’ s just the shell of a caterpillar. when you pick up a tent caterpillar it will whip its head back and forth. this is its way of trying to avoid the wasp laying an egg on its head. in most cases the caterpillars cannot kill your trees so the thing to do is nothing. if you really can ’ t stand them, the best thing to do is to use plain old water. get one of those nozzles that makes your hose act like a fire hose and just hit those tents. the spray should knock them out of the tree. if you feel vindictive, you can then pick up the tents and burn them, but you really don ’ t need to because you ’ ve destroyed the caterpillars ’ home and they don ’ t know what to do next. if you have a particularly vulnerable young tree, you might want to wrap the trunk with cloth on which you then smear sticky stuff ( you can buy this at the garden store ). just remember to remove the cloth after the caterpillars are gone.


have a particularly vulnerable young tree, you might want to wrap the trunk with cloth on which you then smear sticky stuff ( you can buy this at the garden store ). just remember to remove the cloth after the caterpillars are gone. bottom line : the tent caterpillars are working to re - balance our out of balance ecosystem. they don ’ t know when to stop, so just hose them out of your fruit trees. no need for any toxics. i ' ve been enjoying frank jacob ' s borderlines. as someone that pours over maps of all kinds i very much enjoy reading about how various obscure borders. jacobs wrote a recent post on neutral zones http : / / opinionator. blogs. nytimes. com / 2012 / 05 / 01 / put - it - in - neutral / # more - 127593. to a degree, washington state was once part of a hybrid neutral zone. at one point in the early 1800s spain, russia, england and the united states all had claims on the territory of what is now washington, oregon, idaho and british columbia. the spanish and russians gave up their claims as neither established any sort of presence in the area, but both england and the united states continued to claim the oregon county as the pacific northwest was called with england very firmly established via the hudson bay company and america via lewis and clark and some very tenuous american fur trading efforts. with an uncertain and competing claims, a joint occupancy agreement was made between the two countries in 1818 and again in 1827. not a bad alternative after the war of 1812 between the two nations. citizens from both countries lived and worked in the contested territory. for english subjects, governance was carried out by the hudson bay company. in cases of criminal misconduct the accused was taken to the nearest permanent english settlement for trial. but for americans, the oregon country was lawless with law taken into their own hands and essentially no government at all. and never mind that an entire other group of people had already been living in the pacific northwest for thousands of years with their own way of governing and enforcing laws and codes of conduct. the first peoples had their own territorial disputes and fluid borders as well. initially there were very few americans ; it is remarkable that america was able to hold on to the claim of the area at all. but in the late 1830s a trickle of settlers began to arrive and by the early 1840s the willamette valley was becoming american with little regard for the initial inhabitants. in 1846 the question of the


hold on to the claim of the area at all. but in the late 1830s a trickle of settlers began to arrive and by the early 1840s the willamette valley was becoming american with little regard for the initial inhabitants. in 1846 the question of the which nation controlled the oregon territory was settled with the oregon treaty. a very simple solution that continued the border along the 49th parallel with an allowance for the very english presence firmly established on the south end of vancouver island deviating from the 49th parallel. original american oregon territory after the oregon treaty the southern border of the territory followed the former northern spanish claim that had been ceded to the us from mexico following the mexican - american war. the eastern boundary was the crest of the continental divide. while there was significant presence of americans in what is today oregon, there were very few in what is now washington. england pushed for the boundary to be at the columbia river, but the 49th parallel prevailed. for england the area between the 49th and the columbia was not worth going to war over and at the time the territory was not a big money maker. charles wilkes ' report greatly influenced the american view to included the puget sound country. wilkes was to sail up the columbia river, but decided the columbia was a terrible west coast port due to the horrific waves at the river ' s entrance. his report strongly argued for acquisition of the puget sound for shipping purposes. a couple of winters ago i was working out on the olympic peninsula and noted that the wind was from the east, but it was not an arctic outflow event. perfect weather for a trip to the outer coast. i drove out to neah bay and the makah reservation. i noticed that the town of neah bay and the low estuary land that extends between the the town and the open pacific ocean. brian atwater came to neah bay in the 1980s to look for evidence of tectonic coastal subsidence. within this low land area he began to gather evidence of large subduction earthquakes on the outer washington coast as well as tsunami evidence. it crossed my mind that the current makah village was likely located in an area that will be severely damaged during the next big subduction quake. the following winter i took another trip to the outer coast further south. this time i took my inflatable kayak and paddled up a couple of estuaries. at one location i observed sandy tsunami deposits over black organic soil and at one location over what i interpreted to be a fire pit and other indications of past human habitation. the great sub


previously, the whatcom county council voted to move forward with the lake whatcom reconveyance creating a 8, 700 acre county forest preserve park in the lake whatcom watershed. for local whatcomcentric folks reconveyance has become familiar. it is an idea that has been a local policy issue for sometime. what follows is a summary history of the lake whatcom reconveyance and an editorial note at the end. what is reconveyance? reconveyance applies only to forest board lands. forest board lands were created after cut and run logging operations in the early 1900s left hundreds of thousands of acres of cut over land that county governments had foreclosed on due to failure to pay property taxes. this type of forestry had happened in other states as well. in washington state questionable homesteading and corrupt land give - a - ways by local government land offices allowed large swaths of timber land to be available for harvest with little regard for long term management. throw in boom and bust economic cycles and the result was a wasted landscape subject to fire and slow forest recovery. giffird pinchot and theodore roosevelt had predicted this would happen in the west and moved to better manage the western forests by creating national forests. by the 1920s and 1930s large swaths of cut over land in tax foreclosure covered hundreds of thousands of acres. county governments did not have the capacity to deal with these lands so the state stepped in and took over management of these lands. this management added to the already large tracts of state owned state trust lands that were ceded to the state by the federal government at statehood. management was needed to get the land reforested and manged for fire. one county, grays harbor county, was allowed to opt out of the program. grays harbor county manages their own county forest board lands. although lumped together with the state trust lands, the forest board lands are not the same. local counties can have the lands reconveyed back to county management, but only for park purposes. hence, the term reconveyance. the land that is reconveyed goes from state management to county management. early january 1983 is a stand out date for lake whatcom, forest practices in washington state and geology. an intense storm event focused an atmospheric river of water into the northwest cascades. at numerous locations throughout the range but with a particular focus on the steep mountain slopes above lake whatcom, the south fork nooksack river, and samish river old logging roads collapsed, cu


an atmospheric river of water into the northwest cascades. at numerous locations throughout the range but with a particular focus on the steep mountain slopes above lake whatcom, the south fork nooksack river, and samish river old logging roads collapsed, culverts on logging roads plugged and dozens of debris flows descended down the steep drainages. in the lake whatcom watershed smith creek, carpenter creek, olsen creek, blue canyon creek, austins creek as well as several unnamed streams blew out sending debris flows down on to the alluvial fans below and into the lake. county roads were damaged, bridges were destroyed, homes crushed, properties buried in logs and mud. a woman woke up found her house was floating in the lake. after the slides it was clear that the majority of slides were the result of poorly constructed logging roads and poor logging road drainage. public opinion toward forest practices shifted very hard against the industry. legal actions took place, most were settled before trial. forest practice standards were improved. particular attention was directed at logging road construction methods, logging road stream crossings and how roads were maintained and what to do about old abandoned roads. and keep in mind that this was before fisheries impacts needed to be better accounted for. lake whatcom land exchange lake whatcom is the drinking water source for approximately half of the residences of whatcom county. after the slides the whatcom county government expressed an interest in getting the lands under public ownership. this purpose was two - fold : 1 ) it was felt that the state would manage the lands better than private timber companies thus reducing the risk of debris flows and damage to the lake and 2 ) getting the land into public ownership would reduce the risk that lands would be developed. the county entered into an agreement with the state department of natural resources where the county paid the costs associated with the state exchanging forest board lands with private forest holdings in the lake whatcom watershed as well as some other sites within the chuckanut range south of bellingham. the state board of natural resources with encouragement from the department of natural resources approved the exchange. for dnr, it allowed for larger blocks of land to be consolidated for easier management not only in the lake whatcom watershed but also in other areas. part of the agreement between the county and state was that a forest management plan specific to lake whatcom would be developed. this agreement and the exchange took place in the early 1990s. the first forestry plan for lake whatcom while there was an agreement between whatcom county and the department of natural resources to develop a forest management


plan specific to lake whatcom would be developed. this agreement and the exchange took place in the early 1990s. the first forestry plan for lake whatcom while there was an agreement between whatcom county and the department of natural resources to develop a forest management plan for lake whatcom together, such planning never took place. in my view this was not really the fault of the dnr. the dnr did develop a watershed analysis with specific prescriptions for timber harvests on the state managed lands in the watershed. watershed analysis does have a public component. for whatever reason once the land exchange had taken place the county paid little attention and never participated in the watershed analysis process. nor did the city of bellingham. in 1997 the dnr began conducting timber harvests in the watershed using the adopted watershed analysis. except for a few minor private timber harvests in the watershed, there had been little forestry activity in the watershed since 1983. hence, there was a strong public reaction to the renewal of large scale timber harvests. at that point the dnr attempted to do public out reach to alleviate concerns. i will note that i attended one of those meetings and will say that i felt a bit bad for the dnr. up until actual harvests began, the local residences, county government and city government had paid little attention to the management planning. development of the second lake whatcom forestry plan issues regarding water quality in lake whatcom had evolved significantly since the land exchange had taken place. there was a growing awareness that the lake water quality was in decline. that decline was primarily the result of bellingham allowing nearly complete urbanization of the north end of the lake where the north basin of the lake is shallow and very sensitive to phosphorus loading. the second basin in the lake under county jurisdiction had also had significant residential development and it too was showing declines in water quality. and though most of the damage was at the north end of the lake, the entire lake was becoming impacted. hence, forestry on public lands by the dnr was not well received in the local community. the question of whether additional protections should be applied on the public lands in the watershed was raised. the dnr said no - that watershed analysis was enough. a few community members thought differently. linda marron and jamie berg began an effort to require the dnr to place greater protection within the lake whatcom watershed. this required a change in state law. no small task, but with support from conservation northwest and local state legislators keli linnville and harriot spanel as well


require the dnr to place greater protection within the lake whatcom watershed. this required a change in state law. no small task, but with support from conservation northwest and local state legislators keli linnville and harriot spanel as well as jim buck from the olympic peninsula, the state legislature passed a two bills requiring the dnr to develop a specific lake whatcom landscape plan. in the mean time no timber harvests were allowed with the watershed on public land. a committee was formed to assist the dnr in development of the plan and the plan went through a lengthy environmental impact statement process. the lake whatcom landscape plan did go beyond the typical forest practice rules and built on the previous watershed analysis. the primary differences between the lake whatcom landscape plan and standard forest practices are 1 ) road construction is not allowed across unstable slopes and 2 ) all streams including ephemeral drainages must be buffered from harvest. there are other differences as well, but in the big picture these two were the biggest differences and deviate the most from standard forest practices. the new plan and new concerns the committee and the dnr completed work on the lake whatcom landscape plan in january 2004. the board of natural resources received the plan and were scheduled to vote on the plan in april 2004. the board punted and took no action. the board really did not like the plan. they did not like the fact that the state legislatures had dictated new forest practice rules specific to a single watershed. they did not like the impacts to trust land revenue generation. they did not like the additional management costs. months went by with no action. letters from whatcom county were misinterpreted. state politics and posturing had frozen the adoption of the plan. in october 2004 whatcom county filed a lawsuit in thurston county superior court against the board of natural resources and the department of natural resources. at the next board meeting the board of natural resources passed the lake whatcom landscape plan. the lake wahtcom reconveyance concept adoption of the landscape plan raised some fundamental questions regarding forest management and trust revenue issues for whatcom county, the dnr and the board of natural resources. the final steps for adoption were a bit bruising. the adoption of the landscape plan was not the end of the process. threats to the landscape plan were multiple : 1 ) in adopting the landscape plan, the board added extensive language regarding assessing the plan and reporting on the plan that clearly stated an intent to end the plan. one reason the county filed the


of the process. threats to the landscape plan were multiple : 1 ) in adopting the landscape plan, the board added extensive language regarding assessing the plan and reporting on the plan that clearly stated an intent to end the plan. one reason the county filed the lawsuit was language in a dnr proposed resolution to the board that would establish an end date to the plan. 2 ) the board of natural resources gave clear direction for the dnr to explore options to end following the plan. 3 ) skagit county and the mount baker school district filed a lawsuit in an attempt to have the plan over turned. this lawsuit was supported by timber industry folks as well as other counties. 4 ) briefings filed by the state in defense of the plan were such that it was very unlikely that the state would defend the plan. perhaps most telling - during initial arguments the state attorney sat at the same table as the attorney bringing the lawsuit against the state while intervening attorneys sat at a separate table. 5 ) dnr staff began an active lobby effort to attempt to get the state legislature to pass legislation dismantling the plan 6 ) dnr staff started negotiations with at least on private timber company to exchange forests trust lands out of the watershed. with these various threats against the protections required by landscape plan, whatcom county began considering taking over management of these lands as a large forest reserve park. the county could have simply requested reconveyance at that time, but decided that the best approach would be to do an additional land exchange between the various state trust lands in the watershed and the forest board lands in the watershed with the idea that a blocking up the forest board lands as a coherent block and the state trust lands as a coherent block would make better sense for management of the forest preserve park and state trust lands. steps towards reconveyance the county passed a budget line item to fund the process of an intertrust transfer in late 2006. in late 2007 the dnr and the county reached an agreement to work together on the trust land transfers. a final agreement between the dnr and whatcom county was approved in early 2008. it took until 2010 before a final contract approving the work necessary was approved by the county council. the needed assessments of timber value and surveys were completed in 2011 and the proposed intertrust exchange was presented to the board of natural resources in october 2011. the board.... punted ( washington - state - board - of - natural ). the board wanted to know if whatcom county really still wanted to complete the reconveyance.


to the board of natural resources in october 2011. the board.... punted ( washington - state - board - of - natural ). the board wanted to know if whatcom county really still wanted to complete the reconveyance. yes, whatcom county really wants a park in late may of 2012 the whatcom county council voted 5 - 2 whatcom - county - council - moves - forwardto send a letter to the board of natural resources essentially saying that yes, whatcom county wants to take over management of the county forest board lands in the lake whatcom watershed. one of the potential snags in support for the park involved the mount baker school district. there was an issue of lost revenue to the school district. the loss was frequently was presented as a much larger loss that it really is, but regardless the county council felt a fair bit of sympathy to this rural school district. the problem for the county was there was no means to gift money to the district. whatcom land trust stepped in and arranged an anonymous donation to the district that far exceeds the forest revenue the district would have received and can be utilized in a much more flexible manner. this generous contribution won over the district ' s support for the park. the last steps the issue now will go before the board of natural resources - likely in july. the board has an option to approve or not approve the intertrust transfer between forest board lands and state trust lands. once the exchange is approved the board must approve the reconveyance. i tried to present this history in a fairly neutral manner. but anyone that has followed this would never really believe what i presented as neutral. i first became involved in public lands forestry issues in 1998 when i was asked by linda marron and jamie berg to review a forest road proposal by the dnr. i wrote a report on that proposal and testified at the state legislature hearings on the lake whatcom bills. i also served on the lake whatcom landscape committee. my interpretations of the various threats to the landscape plan presented above led me to believe that the best solution to public forest land management in the lake whatcom watershed was reconveyance. i whole heartily supported the reconveyance and express great appreciation to those that supported this idea and have brought it so far forward with particular mention to : jamie berg and linda marron who would not let an issue go ; conservation northwest that provided technical support throughout with particular efforts by lisa mcshane, mitch friedman and seth cool ; dewey desler, whatcom county


far forward with particular mention to : jamie berg and linda marron who would not let an issue go ; conservation northwest that provided technical support throughout with particular efforts by lisa mcshane, mitch friedman and seth cool ; dewey desler, whatcom county administrator who reacted with great enthusiasm to the idea when it was first suggested ; pete kremen, whatcom county executive and then later county council person steadfastly supported the landscape plan and then put all his political efforts into supporting the park plan ; mike mcfarlane, whatcom county parks director managed the transfer process and park planning to perfection and became the best possible authoritative spokesman for the park ; whatcom land trust and rand jack as well as the anonymous donor, they stepped up and resolved the issue of revenue concerns at the mount bake school district ; laurie caskey - schriber, carl weimer and seth fleetwod, whatcom county council members that supported the park idea from the very beginning in 2006 - the park would never have moved forward without their unhesitating support ; ken mann, whatcom council supported moving forward with the park throughout his tenure on the council and lastly and in a way the most satisfying : sam crawford and kathy kershner, whatcom county council members. both supported moving forward with the contract for the intertrust exchange and in a way kathy kershner said it as well as anyone when she voted for the park “ it ’ s going to be a beautiful place for generations that will come after us to go to and recreate, ” she said, “ and i think that ’ s important that we sometimes do things just because it ’ s a beautiful area and we want to keep it that way. ” dan mcshane is an engineering geologist with stratum group, a geology and environmental consulting company based in bellingham, washington. dan has been reading washington state landscapes since driving across the horse heaven hills with his father and brother in 1970. dan ' s wife has started painting washington landscapes. the intent of this blog is to help all washington travelers better understand the landscapes we see and share field observations.


4. 2. 1 genetic defects in lactose metabolism a deficiency of the brush border enzyme lactase gives rise to a condition named lactose intolerance, found frequently in people of east asian descent past their infant age. if lactose is not cleaved, it cannot be absorbed, so it makes its way down the drain from the small into the large intestine. many of the bacteria found there have the capacity to metabolize lactose, which they convert to acids and gas1. this leads to abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. since the environment in the large intestine lacks oxygen, hydrogen ( h2 ) generated in the bacterial fermentation is not oxidized but instead released as such, and in part is exhaled ( figure 4. 2. 1 - 1 ). an increase in exhaled hydrogen upon ingestion of lactose can be used to diagnose the condition. treatment consists in omission of lactose in the diet. milk can be pre - treated with purified bacterial β - galactosidase, rendering it suitable for consumption by lactose - intolerant individuals. fermented milk products such as yoghurt and cheese are depleted of lactose by bacterial fermentation and therefore do not pose a problem for lactose - intolerant individuals. other metabolic defects resemble those occurring in fructose metabolism. two different enzyme defects are known ; somewhat confusingly, they are both referred to as galactosemia, which means ' galactose in the blood '. - a defect of galactokinase. in this case, galactose is simply not metabolized at all ; it builds up in the blood and will mostly be eliminated in the urine. the liver will not be affected ; however, there is a complication elsewhere : cataract ( cloudiness of the lens of the eye ). this is believed to occur by reduction of galactose to galactitol by aldose reductase ( see below ). - a defect of galactose - 1 - phosphate uridyltransferase. in this case, the situation resembles that outlined above for fructose intolerance : atp is depleted in the liver cells, because phosphate is trapped in galactose - 1 - phosphate, and severe liver damage results. 1 : escherichia coli for example performs a ' mixed acid fermentation '. one of the products of this fermentation is formic acid ( hcooh )


a guest post by basil copeland like many of anthony ’ s readers here on wuwt, i ’ ve been riveted by all the revelations and ongoing discussion and analysis of the crutape letters™ ( with appropriate props to wuwt ’ s “ ctm ” ). it might be hard to imagine that anyone could add to what has already been said, but i am going to try. it might also come as a surprise, to those who reckon me for a skeptic, that i do not think that anything was revealed that suggests that the global temperature data set maintained by cru was irreparably damaged by these revelations. we ’ ve known all along that the data may be biased by poor siting issues, handling of station dropout, or inadequate treatment of uhi effects. but nothing was revealed that suggests that the global temperature data sets are completely bogus, or unreliable. i will return to the figure at the top of this post below, but i want to introduce another figure to illustrate the previous assertion : this figure plots smoothed seasonal differences ( year to year differences in monthly anomalies ) for the four major global temperature data sets : hadcrut, giss, uah and rss. with the exception of the starting months of the satellite era ( uah and rss ), and to a lesser degree the starting months of giss, there is remarkable agreement between the four data sets – where they overlap – especially with respect to the cyclical pattern of natural climate variation. this coherence gives me confidence that while there may be problems with the land - sea data sets, they accurately reflect the general course of natural climate variation over the period for which we have instrumental data. while we need to continue to insist upon open access to the data and methods used to chronicle global and regional climate variation, and refine the process to remove the biases which may be present from trying to make the data fit the narrative of co2 induced global warming, it would be wrong to conclude that the “ crutape letters ” prove that global warming does not exist. that has never really been the issue. the issue has been the extent of warming ( have the data been distorted in a way that would overstate the degree of warming? ), the extent to which it is the result of natural climate variation ( as opposed to human influences ), and the extent to which it owes to human influences other than the burning of fossil fuels ( such as land use / land cover changes, urban heat islands, etc.


which it is the result of natural climate variation ( as opposed to human influences ), and the extent to which it owes to human influences other than the burning of fossil fuels ( such as land use / land cover changes, urban heat islands, etc. ). and flowing from this, the issue has been whether we really know enough to justify the kind of massive government programs said to be necessary to forestall climate catastrophe. figure 2 plots the composite smooth against the backdrop of the monthly seasonal differences of the four global temperature data sets : many readers may recognize the familiar episodes of warming and cooling associated with enso and volcanic activity in the preceding figure. with a little more smoothing, we get a pattern like that depicted in figure 3, which other readers may notice looks a lot like the cycles that anthony and i have attributed to lunar and solar influences ( they are the same ) : in either case, the thing to note is that over time climate goes through repetitive episodes of warming and cooling. you have to look closely on figures 2 and 3 – it is much clearer in figure 1 – but episodes of warming exist when the smooth is above zero, and cooling episodes exist when the smooth is below zero. remember, by design, the smooth is not a plot of the temperature itself, but of the trend in the temperature, i. e. the year to year change in monthly temperatures. the intent is to demonstrate and delineate the range of natural climate variation in global temperatures. it shows, in effect, the trend in the trend – up and down over time, with natural regularity, while perhaps also trending generally upward over time. which brings us to figure 1. here we are focusing in on the last 30 years, and a forecast to 2050 derived by a simple linear regression through the ( composite ) smooth of figure 3. ( standard errors have been adjusted for serial correlation. ) there has been an upward trend in the global temperature trend, and when this is projected out to 2050, the average is 0. 114°c per decade ± 0. 440°c per decade. yes, you read that right : ± 0. 440°c per decade. broad enough to include both the worst imaginations of the ipcc and the cru crowd, as well as negative growth rates, i. e. global cooling. because if the truth be told, natural climate variation is so – well, variable – that no one can say with any kind of certainty what the future holds with respect to climate change. be skeptical of any statistical claims


i. e. global cooling. because if the truth be told, natural climate variation is so – well, variable – that no one can say with any kind of certainty what the future holds with respect to climate change. be skeptical of any statistical claims to the contrary. i think we can say, however, with reasonable certainty, that earth ’ s climate will remain variable, and that this will frustrate the effort to blame climate change on co2 induced agw. noted on the image at the top of this post is a quote from kevin trenberth from the crutape letters™ : “ the fact is that we cannot account for the lack of warmth at the moment, and it is a travesty that we can ’ t. ” trenberth betrays a subtle bias here – he cannot acknowledge the recent period of global cooling. it is, rather, “ a lack of warmth. ” but he is right that it is a “ travesty ” that we cannot fully account for the ebb and flow of earth ’ s energy balance, and ultimately, climate change. i think trenberth just sees it as a lack of monitoring methods or devices. but i think there still remains a considerable lack of knowledge, or understanding, about the mechanics of natural climate variation. if you look carefully at figure 1, you will notice that there seem to be upper and lower limits to the range of natural climate variability. on the scale depicted in figure 1 ( the scale is different with other degrees of smoothing ), when warming reaches a limit of approximately 0. 08 - 0. 10°c per year, the warming slows down, and eventually a period of cooling takes place, always with the space of just a few years. homeostasis, anyone? while phenomenon like enso are the effect of this regularity in natural climate variation, they are not the cause of it. in my opinion, what is the real travesty of the global warming ideology is the hijacking of climate science in the service of a research agenda that has prevented science from investigating the full range of natural climate variation, because that would be an inconvenient truth. we see this, quite clearly, in the crutape letters™ where the medieval warm period is just “ putative, ” and a rather inconvenient truth that needs to be suppressed. or the “ 1940 ′ s blip ” that implies that global temperatures increased just as rapidly in the early part of the 20th century, as they did


just “ putative, ” and a rather inconvenient truth that needs to be suppressed. or the “ 1940 ′ s blip ” that implies that global temperatures increased just as rapidly in the early part of the 20th century, as they did at the end of the 20th century, an inconvenient truth at odds with the narrative preferred by the ipcc. it is a truism that “ climate varies on all time scales. ” with respect to the variability demonstrated here, i ’ m convinced that someday it will be acknowledged that variability on this scale is dominated by lunar and solar influences. on longer scales, such as the ebb and flow from the medieval warm period, through the little ice age, and now into the “ modern warm period, ” i do not think climate science yet has any real understanding of the underlying causes of such climate change. if we are, as seems possible, on the verge of a dalton or maunder type minimum in solar activity, we may eventually have an answer to whether solar activity can account for centennial scale changes in earth ’ s climate. and i do think it is reasonable to conclude, at the margin, that human activity has had some influence. it is hard to imagine population growing from one to six billion over the past one and a half centuries without some effect. most likely, the effect is on local and regional scales, but this might add up to a discernible impact on global temperature. but until all of the forces that determine the full range of natural climate variability are understood better than they are now, there is no scientific justification for the massive overhaul of economic and government structures being promoted under the guise of climate change, or global warming.


scientific american published an article summarizing what i ’ ve written about for a couple of years : the ipcc ’ s projections aren ’ t 100 % correct. gasp – the horror! but, contrary to what skeptics think, the direction the ipcc ’ s reports were wrong are opposite of what they claim. the projections time and again underestimated future changes. i think a valid complaint, and one i ’ ve made many times myself, is that the ipcc process is too conservative – it takes too long to get the kind of consensus they ’ re looking for. rapidly changing conditions are not well handled by the ipcc process. when there is conflicting evidence of something, the ipcc has tended to say nothing in an effort not to upset anybody. the good news is there are indications this is changing. the list : this is the biggest one. too many studies focused on moderate emission pathways, when yearly updates showed our actual emissions were on the high range of those considered by the ipcc. i actually posted on this two days ago : co2 emissions continue to track at top of ipcc range. this has implications for every other process that follows. more accurately, energy in the climate system is the variable of interest. it is easy to point out that temperatures since 2000 haven ’ t increased as much as projected. it is also easy to compare observed trends since 1980 and claim ar4 models over - predicted temperature rise. this conflates a couple of issues : the ar4 wasn ’ t used to project since 1980. more importantly, the difference between observed trends since 1980 and projected temperatures from half of the ar4 models was less than 0. 04°c ( 0. 072°f ). that ’ s pretty darned small. with respect to the trend since 2000, the real issue is energy gain. the vast majority of energy has accumulated in the oceans : more specifically, if the heat is transported quickly to the deep ocean ( > 2000ft ), the sea surface temperature doesn ’ t increase rapidly. nor does atmosphere or land temperatures change. this is true at least in the short - term. when the ocean transports this heat from the deep back to the surface, we should be able to more easily measure that heat. put simply, the temporary hiatus of temperature rise is just that : temporary. are we prepared for when that hiatus ends? the relatively small increase in near - surface air and land temperatures is thus explained. the ipcc never claimed the 4. 3° to 11. 5°f temperature


temperature rise is just that : temporary. are we prepared for when that hiatus ends? the relatively small increase in near - surface air and land temperatures is thus explained. the ipcc never claimed the 4. 3° to 11. 5°f temperature rise ( ar4 projection ) would happen by 2020 – it is likely to happen by 2100. expect more synergy between projected temperatures and observed temperatures in the coming years. also remember that climate is made up of long - term weather observations. additionally, aerosols emitted by developing nations have been observed to reflect some of the incoming solar radiation back to space. once these aerosols precipitate out of the atmosphere or are not emitted at some point in the future, the absorption of longwave radiation by the remaining greenhouse gases will be more prominent. the higher the concentration of gases, the more radiation will be absorbed and the faster the future temperature rise is likely to be. these aerosols are thus masking the signal that would otherwise be measured if they weren ’ t present. 3. arctic meltdown this is the big story of 2012. the arctic sea ice melted in summer 2012 to a new record low : an area the size of the united states melted this year! even as late as 2007 ( prior to the previous record - low melt ), the ipcc projected that arctic ice wouldn ’ t decrease much until at least 2050. instead, we ’ re decades ahead of this projection – despite only a relatively small global temperature increase in the past 25 years ( 0. 15°c or so ). what will happen when temperatures increase by multiple degrees centigrade? 4. ice sheets these are the land - based sheets, which are melting up to 100 years faster than the ipcc ’ s first three reports. 2007 ′ s report was the first to identify more rapid ice sheet melt. the problem is complex cryospheric dynamics. understandably, the most remote and inhospitable regions on earth are the least studied. duh. that ’ s changing, with efforts like the fourth international polar year, the results of which are still being studied and published. needless to say, modern instrumentation and larger field campaigns have resulted in advances in polar knowledge. 5. sea level rise it ’ s nice being relevant. i just posted something new on this yesterday : noaa sea - level rise report issued – dec 2012. the 3. 3mm of sea - level rise per year is higher than the 2001 report ’ s projection of 2mm per year. integrated


. i just posted something new on this yesterday : noaa sea - level rise report issued – dec 2012. the 3. 3mm of sea - level rise per year is higher than the 2001 report ’ s projection of 2mm per year. integrated over 100 years, that 1mm difference results in 4 ″ more slr. but again, with emission and energy underestimates, the 3. 3mm rate of slr is expected to increase in future decades, according to the latest research. again, another mm per year results in another 4 ″ 100 years from now. factors affecting slr that the ipcc didn ’ t address in 2007 includes global ocean warming ( warmer water takes up more volume ), faster ice sheet melt, and faster glacial melt. additionally, feedback mechanisms are still poorly understood and therefore not well represented in today ’ s state - of - the - art models. 6. ocean acidification the first 3 ipcc reports didn ’ t even mention this effect. in the past 250 years, ocean acidity has increased by 30 % – not a trivial amount! as the article points out, research on this didn ’ t even start until after 2000. 7. thawing tundra another area that is not well - studied and therefore not well understood. the mechanics and processes need to be observed so they can be modeled more effectively. 1. 5 trillion tons of carbon are locked away in the currently frozen tundra. if these regions thaw, as is likely since the arctic has observed the most warming to date, methane could be released to the atmosphere. since methane acts as a more efficient ghg over short time frames, this could accelerate short - term warming much more quickly than projected ( see temperatures above ). the sciam article points out the ar5, to be released next year, will once again not include projections on this topic. 8. tipping points this is probably the most controversial aspect of this list. put simply, no one knows where potential tipping points exist, if they do at all. the only way we ’ re likely to find out about tipping points is by looking in the past some day in the future. by then, of course, moving back to other side of the tipping point will be all but impossible on any time - frame relevant to people alive then. there are plenty of problems with the unfccc ’ s ipcc process. underestimation of critical variables is but one problem plaguing it. blame it on scientists who, by training, are very conservative in their projections


marc buie of the lowell observatory describes observations of pluto in 1996 and their comparison with the 1994 observations that were reported in a 1996 press release. they showed structure on pluto ' s surface. he has also compiled a list of " good pluto www pages, " assigning grades of a + to c for them. jpl continues to plan a pluto express mission to arrive at pluto approximately ad 2010 to make close - up observations and to measure pluto ' s atmosphere before it freezes out and settles onto the surface. the discovery of over a dozen objects orbiting the sun beyond neptune ' s orbit makes pluto less special. the observational status of pluto is discussed in the text, as well as the question " is pluto a planet? " over a dozen published sources refer to pluto as something less than a planet, but clyde tombaugh is quoted in a summary article in usa today ( march 4, 1996, pp. 1 - 2 ) as saying " pluto is far bigger than any asteroid.... the kids want pluto to be a planet. i get hundreds of letters. [ talk of demoting pluto ] makes them mad. " my own position? i have an interest in history and historical astronomy, and that sways me to the side of still saying that we have nine planets, with pluto as one of them. kaare aksnes, president of the international astronomical union ' s panel on nomenclature, is quoted in the same usa today article as saying, " i ' m pretty sure all the members would be against demoting pluto in this way. " even though the latest data minimize the importance of pluto on a planetary scale, aksnes continues, " we would do pluto and tombaugh an injustice and create confusion if we were to reclassify pluto now. i believe that most people, be they astronomers or not, " would agree. " though the aksnes committee does not actually have authority to decide the issue, it is perhaps the nearest to the topic of iau committees. the hubble space telescope has imaged pluto for the first time at sufficiently high resolution that we can see surface features. the resolution on pluto is about 100 km, so there are two dozen pixels across the image. the two views show opposite hemispheres. we cannot know exactly what the dark and light areas are. they may be basins or impact craters. probably, most of the light regions on the surface are regions of frost. these regions would change with pluto ' s seasons. a movie is also available showing pluto ' s rotation


parents need to know that bully is a no - holds - barred documentary that intimately portrays bullying victims ’ daily lives. while it ’ s often heartbreaking and deals with tough issues like suicide, the movie addresses an incredibly important, timely topic — bullying — in a frank, relatable way that ’ s age appropriate for teens and relevant for middle schoolers if an adult is present to guide discussion. bully ‘ s strong language ( including a brutal, profanity - laden scene in which one boy says to another that he ’ ll “ shove a broomstick up your a – ” and “ cut your face off and s – t ” ) earned it an r rating, but none of the swearing is gratuitous. like it or not, it ’ s a realistic portrayal of what every middle schooler and older hears every day. this gives the film veracity and credibility with kids, and it will justifiably shock parents. conceptually, bully ‘ s most challenging material isn ’ t just the language, but the suicides. seeing grieving parents and friends could potentially be upsetting to teens and preteens, so they should definitely watch with adults. bully also addresses the concepts of cutting, physical abuse, and more, but in a way that presents the consequences as well as the behavior itself. victims ’ parents are generally portrayed as supportive and loving, while school administrators come off in a much less positive light. ultimately, bully encourages kids to stand up to bullies, not stand by, and reinforces the fact that everyone can make a difference when it comes to this essential issue.


a new study adds to growing evidence that the complications of diabetes may extend to the brain, causing declines in memory, attention and other cognitive skills. the new research showed that over the course of about a decade, elderly men and women with diabetes — primarily type 2, the form of the disease related to obesity and inactivity — had greater drops in cognitive test scores than other people of a similar age. the more poorly managed their disease, the greater the deterioration in mental function. and the declines were seen not just in those with advanced diabetes. the researchers found that people who did not have diabetes at the start of the study but developed it later on also deteriorated to a greater extent than those without the disease. “ what we ’ ve shown is a clear association with diabetes and cognitive aging in terms of the slope and the rate of decline on these cognitive tests, ” said dr. kristine yaffe, a professor of psychiatry and neurology at the university of california, san francisco. “ that ’ s very powerful. ” while correlation does not equal causation and the relationship between diabetes and brain health needs further study, the findings, if confirmed, could have significant implications for a large segment of the population. nationwide, nearly a third of americans over the age of 65, or roughly 11 million people, have diabetes. by 2034, about 15 million medicare - eligible americans are expected to have the disease. previous studies have shown that type 2 diabetes correlates with a higher risk of alzheimer ’ s disease and dementia later in life. but how one leads to the other has not been well understood. while some scientists speculate that inflammation and vascular damage caused by chronically high blood sugar levels over many years is the culprit, findings from research have been inconsistent. and until now, little was known about the effect, if any, that newly diagnosed diabetes would have on cognitive function. in the new study, published in archives of neurology, dr. yaffe and her colleagues relied on extensive data from the health, aging and body composition project, or health abc, a long - running study of white and black older adults living in pittsburgh and tennessee. the researchers looked at 3, 069 people, many of them in their 70s. when the study began, 23 percent of the subjects had diabetes. and 5 percent were free of diabetes at the outset but went on to develop it later. while the researchers did not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, they said that given the average age of the subjects, about 74,


subjects had diabetes. and 5 percent were free of diabetes at the outset but went on to develop it later. while the researchers did not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, they said that given the average age of the subjects, about 74, most if not all had type 2 diabetes. over the course of the research, the subjects were repeatedly given cognitive tests that looked at things like their memory, their coordination, dexterity and ability to concentrate, as well as their overall mental health. at the start of the study, those who already had diabetes had slightly lower baseline scores than the subjects who did not have the disease. but nine years later, the gap in cognitive test scores had widened significantly between those with and without diabetes. the differences remained even after the researchers adjusted their results for the effects of age, race, sex and education. they also found that the subjects who were free of diabetes at the beginning of the study but developed it later on had scores that fell between those of the other two groups. the researchers then delved further by looking at the effect of poor glucose control. in this case, they took measures of something called glycosylated hemoglobin. unlike traditional blood sugar tests, which provide a momentary snapshot of a person ’ s glucose levels, glycosylated hemoglobin gives doctors a much broader picture, providing an idea of blood sugar management over the course of weeks. it is considered one of the best ways for doctors to assess the progress of diabetes treatment. in the new study, higher measures of the compound, which indicate poorer control of blood glucose levels, were the best predictor of cognitive decline. the findings suggest that more aggressive approaches to managing and especially preventing diabetes in midlife or before may help stave off mental declines in large segments of the population. but dr. yaffe warned that doctors should be cautious about lowering blood sugar levels too far in elderly diabetics, since they are especially vulnerable to the effects of hypoglycemia. “ there ’ s this idea that the better your glucose control, the better off you are in terms of trying to prevent complications of diabetes, ” she said. “ but in older people it ’ s a slippery slope. the elderly are more sensitive to hypoglycemia, they ’ ve got other medications that may interact, and they ’ ve got other conditions. ” “ when you lower their blood sugar levels too aggressively, ” she added, “ you might do more harm than good. ”


being in the fitness field, we hear excuse after excuse as to why people skip exercising. it ’ s not that we aren ’ t interested in your life and stressors, but we do not want you to feel obligated to explain yourself. life happens, as any understanding person should know, and sometimes we just can ’ t do it all. but don ’ t think you ’ re off the hook from exercising. the reasoning behind your skipping out is important. i always tell the apologetic exercisers that it ’ s okay to miss a day, as long as they weren ’ t sitting on the couch eating ice cream right out of the container or sulking in bed. however, if you were doing something along the lines of getting together with friends, cheering on your child at a ball game, volunteering in the community, or organizing and cleaning your home, missing a workout is not the end of the world. there is much more to wellness than exercise and diet, and it is important to keep a balance between all of the components to ensure optimal health. seven defined dimensions of wellness are integrated and work together to help create who we are. if one of them is out of balance, it can infringe on the other dimensions that contribute to creating a “ whole you. ” take some time to analyze the following dimensions in your life : - spiritual : the development of a strong sense of values, ethics, and morals. it is the feeling that there is meaning in life, which may or may not have a religious inference. - intellectual : the ability to effectively learn and use information for development. this dimension increases openness to new ideas and maintains creativity and curiosity. - environmental : the understanding of the impact of your interaction with nature and your personal environment, which will help improve the standard of living in the community. - social : the ability to feel connected and participate in your community and enhance your well - being through relationships with family, friends, and coworkers. - emotional : the ability to control stress and appropriately express yourself, leading to positive self - esteem and meeting life ’ s challenges. - occupational / vocational : the ability to find and create a balance between work and play by matching your values with interests and utilizing talents in your world. - physical : the ability of the body to properly and effectively function by staying active and avoiding harmful habits in order to accept uniqueness and improve health. as long as you are contributing to and feeding these other dimensions equally, there is no need to be overwhelmed with guilt for not hopping on an


to properly and effectively function by staying active and avoiding harmful habits in order to accept uniqueness and improve health. as long as you are contributing to and feeding these other dimensions equally, there is no need to be overwhelmed with guilt for not hopping on an elliptical for 30 minutes. be conscious of your decisions and don ’ t punish yourself for missing a workout, because exercise can quickly become a chore if we shift our mind in that direction. feed your wellness with all dimensions, and if you are falling out of balance in your physical wellness, search for an activity you enjoy. be active, be healthy, be you. what are some challenges in developing group fitness classes for active older adults? one of the hardest things for me is that there is a wide variety in exercise knowledge and ability. for example, you might have someone who has never exercised a day in their life sitting next to someone who has been exercising in a gym for decades. or, you may have someone in their middle 60s next to someone who is 85 with two knee replacements. to overcome these challenges, make sure that you give both a progressive and regressive option for each exercise that you are teaching. allow the individuals to experiment with what works for them. each individual will choose how hard they want to make the exercise, but it is the instructor ’ s responsibility to ensure they are able to complete the exercise in a safe and effective manner for their varying ability levels. encourage the participants to try new exercises, but also let people know that it ’ s okay to progress slowly over several weeks or months. the most important aspect is that they keep moving and have fun while feeling accomplished at an appropriate intensity level for their needs. use visual and verbal cues each individual will learn in his or her own way. make sure that you not only show them a visual demonstration but also use verbal cueing that may help them. at this age, some of your residents may not see well and others may not hear well. pick out key words or moves that may help them remember from one class to the next. explain why they are doing the exercise it is also important to educate senior fitness participants on why they are doing different exercises. describe the reason for the exercise, the muscle group being worked, and how it should feel while performing the exercise. this can help participants become more in tune with their bodies and may help prevent injury if they develop improved body awareness. for example when cueing upright rows, explain to the participants that the exercise can help improve their posture because it engages the muscles of the upper


can help participants become more in tune with their bodies and may help prevent injury if they develop improved body awareness. for example when cueing upright rows, explain to the participants that the exercise can help improve their posture because it engages the muscles of the upper back and backside of their shoulders. as you cue them through the movements, explain how to engage the shoulder blades so they can specifically feel and identify where the muscles should be working if the exercise is being done correctly. for someone who does not have a good visual of the exercise being demonstrated, it may provide reassurance that they are performing the exercise correctly if your verbal cueing is matching up with what they are feeling. the new year often provides the fitness industry with a boom of customers hoping to hold true to their resolutions. many of those resolutions often pertain to unrealistic weight - loss goals. older adults exercise for different reasons while we still see a boost in participation at our retirement community fitness centers in the new year, the resolutions are often for a different reason. many older adults exercise to maintain a healthy weight or to try to lose weight, but they understand the value in physical activity beyond vanity. as a fitness professional, it is refreshing to serve the needs of older adults in retirement communities who understand the value of living a physically active lifestyle for their overall health and well - being. when a physically active lifestyle is adopted for the wrong reasons, it can be more difficult to adhere to for the long term. this is likely why the surge in participation in january often trickles off in mid - february at commercial gyms. however, when older adults adopt a physically active lifestyle, particularly one that has been designed for their individual needs, the benefits of that program help them adhere. selling the benefits of exercise in retirement communities in our retirement community fitness centers, our participation levels gain momentum as the year progresses, and we don ’ t see that drop in participation. this isn ’ t all that surprising. we hear feedback from residents stating they have more energy, less joint pain, improved sleep, an easier time performing adls, and more overall endurance. kick off a motivating incentive program in your retirement community fitness program in the new year to recruit new residents to exercise and inspire existing participants. getting the residents started is half the battle. the benefits of exercise can often sell the adherence component for you! a leader is someone who can guide, direct, or show the way. wouldn ’ t you hope the leaders in your life have had experience or are educated on whatever matter they are pressing?


benefits of exercise can often sell the adherence component for you! a leader is someone who can guide, direct, or show the way. wouldn ’ t you hope the leaders in your life have had experience or are educated on whatever matter they are pressing? take a personal trainer, for instance. you probably want your personal trainer to have a degree in the field of exercise and possibly some certifications to go along with it. and once they have those degrees and certifications, you would hope they practice what they preach and actually exercise on a consistent basis. what about your boss, manager, or supervisor? perhaps they encourage exercise in the workplace to increase productivity and to boost energy around the office. as your supervisor, they are in turn your leader ( at least in the office ). as a leader, you look to them for counsel and guidance. if your supervisor eats fast food for lunch every day and takes numerous smoke breaks, and the only walking he gets is to the vending machine, chances are you ’ re not going to listen to him. the point is that leadership has to start at the top. a leader is put in that position to inspire, to rally, and to command your allegiance. if a person cannot do this, he or she should not be in that position. however ( and there ’ s always a however ), you are also an individual. even if your supervisor works out every day in the corporate fitness center, that will not help you prevent heart disease. it will not help you shed those unwanted pounds. and if your supervisor quits smoking, your lungs will not get stronger. it is up to you to make positive changes in your life. in a sense, we are all leaders. we each have our own path and we each blaze our own trail. it is up to each and every one of us to lead by example. i leave you with a quote from marianne williamson ( from return to love ). i hope it speaks to you and you become the leader you strive to be. " our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. it is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. we ask ourselves, ' who am i to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous? ' actually, who are you not to be? you are a child of god. your playing small does not serve the world. there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won ' t feel insecure around you. we were born to


' actually, who are you not to be? you are a child of god. your playing small does not serve the world. there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won ' t feel insecure around you. we were born to make manifest the glory of god that is within us. it ' s not just in some of us ; it ' s in all of us. and when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ” this blog was written by jenna pearson. meet our blogging fitness specialists at the nifs website. most people would agree that regular exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle, but how much of an impact does physical activity really have on one ’ s health and well - being? the american college of sports medicine ( acsm ) has been advocating exercise as medicine since 2008, and when you look at the statistics, the reasoning behind their now - famous exercise is medicinetm initiative becomes clear. studies have shown that regular exercise does the following : - lowers the risk of stroke by 27 percent. - reduces the risk of developing type - 2 diabetes by 58 percent. - reduces the incidence of high blood pressure by approximately 50 percent. - can reduce mortality and the risk of recurrent breast cancer by approximately 50 percent. - can lower the risk of colon cancer by over 60 percent. - can reduce the risk of developing alzheimer ’ s disease by approximately 40 percent. - can decrease symptoms of depression as effectively as prozac or behavioral therapy. newer research also suggests that certain exercise provides cognitive benefits. specifically, exer - gaming may delay — or even prevent — dementia, and has been shown to improve cognitive function in normal aging. such exer - games include cybercycle by expresso and shadowboxer active. exer - games are also beneficial to physical aspects of health, as they shift one ’ s attention from the sometimes monotonous mindset of exercise to the task at hand, allowing them to put forth greater effort. exer - games may also be more enticing for those who are easily bored by traditional exercise, thus helping them to more easily commit to a regular exercise routine. this blog was written by lori griffin. meet our blogging fitness specialists at the nifs website. “ exercise is boring …, ” “ i don ’ t have the time …, ” or “ i don ’ t know where to start ” are words many have used as


lori griffin. meet our blogging fitness specialists at the nifs website. “ exercise is boring …, ” “ i don ’ t have the time …, ” or “ i don ’ t know where to start ” are words many have used as excuses at some point or another in regard to a fitness routine or lifestyle change. with the emergence of slim it to win it in 2011, nifs sought to squash not one, but all three of those excuses. with the guidance of health and fitness professionals two hours a week, members teamed up to conquer fun, limit - pushing workouts. after experiencing personal successes the first year, members anxiously awaited the return of slim it to win it, and the second run of the program proved to be life - changing once again. slim it is a chance for people to step outside their comfort zones and into a new way of life. with a total weight loss of 635 pounds and 1. 6 percent body fat lost on average, coaches and participants alike celebrated forming new exercise habits and breaking old eating habits. slim it helps participants achieve new fitness levels while the empirical evidence demonstrates the physical success, it is the individual stories that explain the true victories. participants accomplished fitness feats they never thought possible. from kicking their walking pace up to a jog to finally tackling a box jump, participants used the team atmosphere as fuel in their quest to shed some weight. nutrition and healthy eating benefits not only did slim it provide stellar exercise sessions, the program also spurred participants toward healthier eating habits. one participant in particular completely shifted his mindset regarding food. rather than look for convenience at the last minute during lunch breaks, he learned to plan ahead for healthier, more satisfying options. another member lost 26 pounds in the 10 weeks and attests to a true change in her body composition. “ i am wearing jeans i have not worn in months! not only did the numbers on the scale change, but i can really see a difference in myself. ” the fun of working out as a group in addition to encouraging participants to challenge their fitness boundaries and reset their food mentalities, the program also instills a unique camaraderie among team members. members exchanged numbers and worked out together outside of the team time. even as the program ends each year, participants still connect to keep up their fitness. with slim it, people discover the fun in working out as a group. for example, coaches encouraged participants to log into a calorie - tracking website and when teammates noticed it had been awhile since


, participants still connect to keep up their fitness. with slim it, people discover the fun in working out as a group. for example, coaches encouraged participants to log into a calorie - tracking website and when teammates noticed it had been awhile since someone had tracked his or her food intake, teammates made it a point to razz the individual a bit to get back on track. each year with slim it, “ teammates ” quickly turns into strong friendships rooted in a common lifestyle. a lifetime of fitness results at the start of slim it to win it, 155 people began a 10 - week program that took each of them to a new health and fitness level. with the challenging and encouraging group atmosphere, participants conquered their weight - loss goals. coaches worked to instill new habits so that weight - loss goals were not only achieved, but also maintained. one member comments as to why he chose nifs ’ s slim it program two years in a row : “ i ’ ve been able to maintain the weight loss. in the past the weight would reappear. ” combining raw statistics and personal success stories, it is safe to say slim it to win it creates a lifetime of results for nifs members. people always ask me, " what ' s your secret? " and i laugh and tell the it ' s no secret. thanks to a huge lifestyle change and the wonderful support system of work buddies, friends, and the body shop ( worksite fitness center ) and it ' s staff ( nifs ) i have lost almost 100 pounds, maybe more! a couple of years ago, the girls i ate lunch with every day decided to lose weight. i had been down the path before and was not excited. i hadn ' t weighed myself in well over a year and had no intention of starting. because my friends were doing it, and i didn ' t want to eat lunch alone, i gave a half hearted effort. i decided to stop drinking regular soda and participate in whatever physical activity they did. and that is exactly what i did, and miraculously my clothes started getting bigger. we were just walking on the treadmill or outside at our lunch time and giving up soda and i could see results. as the initial loss, whatever it was, had slowed because the changes i made were only mild, and as i saw my friends who were already participating in weight watchers begin to lose more rapidly, i wanted to make bigger changes too. so i had to finally weigh myself. by this time, i had started at a size 24


only mild, and as i saw my friends who were already participating in weight watchers begin to lose more rapidly, i wanted to make bigger changes too. so i had to finally weigh myself. by this time, i had started at a size 24 and was now in a 22, and some 20 ' s, but still hadn ' t stepped on a scale. when i finally did i weighed 238 lbs. i cried the entire day, and thought how did i let myself go this far? and so i began to count calories, and changing everything about my life. eventually through regular physical activity, tracking what i ate and counting calories, i have made huge changes. it ' s still a struggle every single day, but when i fall off the wagon, i started again immediately and you know what, the struggle is worth it. i have zero health issues and i can keep up with my kids. i look like a different person and i feel like a different person, a happier, much healthier person. do you have a support system at work to motivate each other to reach your weight loss and health goals? this blog was written by mechelle meadows. meet our blogging fitness specialists at the nifs website. the fact that exercise is beneficial for your health is common knowledge these days. it would be hard to find someone to say that he or she shouldn ’ t exercise. the problem lies in mustering up the motivation to begin a routine and stick with it week in and week out. this article provides tips for parents on setting healthy examples for children when it comes to exercise. the ideas could be applicable to anyone, though. one of the most important tips it touches on is to stop thinking of exercise as a chore. we all have never - ending to - do lists, parents especially, but exercise can be a stress relief and something you do to better yourself. yes, it should be planned for, but rather than seeing it as the next chore in your list, think of it as a personal time - out. the article offers other valuable lessons, too — planning ahead for your exercise, setting realistic goals, and bouncing back from setbacks. as a corporate fitness professional, the advice that struck me the most was the importance of finding your personal motivation or your reason for exercise. knowing that you should isn ’ t always going to help you get off the couch, and in fact, can lead to feelings of guilt and shame when an exercise program isn ’ t adhered to. material rewards can be


or your reason for exercise. knowing that you should isn ’ t always going to help you get off the couch, and in fact, can lead to feelings of guilt and shame when an exercise program isn ’ t adhered to. material rewards can be nice, for instance treating yourself to a massage or a new pair of jeans, but those prizes can also cease to spur you on day after day. an intrinsic desire to be healthy and a personal drive to stay committed yield the best results. as a visual example of motivation, poll some of your corporate fitness center members and ask them what their reasons for exercise are. post this on a bulletin board along with their pictures for all to see as examples of sticking with it! this blog was written by bethany garrity. meet our blogging fitness specialists at the nifs website. investing time and other resources in an employee wellness program as part of your broader business strategy can certainly lower increasing health care costs. active, healthy employees also have fewer hospital admissions and disability claims. providing employees with a corporate fitness center, group exercise classes as well as health seminars to teach them how to choose better health motivates workers to take advantage of what is available. you may also find that you reap other unintended but positive outcomes like improved employee morale through increased networking opportunities between upper management and employees. while a corporate wellness program is primarily voluntary, many will choose to do so if the cost is low or free and if their upper - level executives are motivating them to do so. and that ’ s the key : upper - level executive support. simply drafting an email about your newly branded, hot - off - the - press wellness program that ’ s designed with the employees in mind is not enough. it ’ s a good start, but that ’ s it ― it ’ s only a starting point. you have to show support with your active participation in the healthy offerings at your organization. you have to actively cheerlead your organization to better health. hire a great team to develop and implement the strategy. but stay tuned in enough to communicate your support in a variety of ways. to help you better visualize the myriad ways you can support organizational well - being, check out our acronym : - s = stop hiding in your corner office ; walk the talk. - u = understand that your employees need to see healthy behavior modeled. - p = put down your smartphone and interact with your employees at a health - related event. - p = pull on the gym shoes and hold a walking meeting. -


talk. - u = understand that your employees need to see healthy behavior modeled. - p = put down your smartphone and interact with your employees at a health - related event. - p = pull on the gym shoes and hold a walking meeting. - o = open up about your results at your company ’ s screening events and then commit to your own plan for improving or maintaining your health. - r = remove barriers for your c - suite leaders by encouraging wellness - focused goals as part of their performance bonuses. - t = tune into what your employees need to be successful and then leverage your creative organizational leaders to create those opportunities through your wellness strategy. this blog was written by sarah harriman. meet our blogging fitness specialists at the nifs website. a quick glance around the fitness center and you ’ ll see dozens of people, each with a different goal drawing them in to exercise. what motivates these people to come in the door and keep them coming back day after day? motivation can be both extrinsic ( “ my wife made me come to the gym ” ) and intrinsic ( “ i want to go to the gym ” ). while both may be effective short term, someone in it for the long haul needs to tap into his or her inner self. if you feel like you ’ re lacking that inner drive, try these ideas : - healthy competition : make bets with friends and family. who can lose the most weight in a month? if you ’ re an athlete, find local events or races. or, make bets with yourself. how many days in a row can you be physically active? - specific goals : not seeing improvement can be a leading contributor to lack of motivation. take a look at your goals and make sure they are specific and measurable. instead of “ i want to lose weight, ” try “ i will lose 10 pounds before december 1. ” or, modify “ i want to be a faster runner ” to “ i will decrease my 5k time by 10 seconds before september 30. ” with clear goals you ’ ll feel like you ’ re making progress and you ’ ll be less likely to be discouraged. - a vision : where do you see yourself as it relates to your goal? keep track of how your actions contribute to that vision. be honest and record your thoughts daily on a notepad or in a journal. - motivation loves company : sharing your goal with a friend can help build your confidence and build on successes. finding a buddy to partake in your goal not only adds a


this blog post is sponsored by adt. as a parent, nothing is more important than keeping your child safe, but this can be a difficult job if you work full time. remember that safety starts at home. so if you have to leave your kids at home unsupervised, it ’ s important to talk to them about how to respond to people at the door or on the phone. instruct them to always keep the doors locked and to never answer the door unless they know the person. you should also make sure that children know that they shouldn ’ t let phone callers know they are by themselves. with regular reports of students being abducted or attacked by bullies or criminals on their way to and from school, it ’ s vital to make sure there is an adult with your child at all times outside the home. having watchful adults along school routes will help keep your child safe. if you have to leave for work before your kids head off to school, ask a trusted neighbor to walk them to and from the bus stop. you can also work with school officials to request that extra police patrols be present in the 30 minutes before and after school, and reach out to local neighborhood watch groups and ask them to provide volunteers to keep an eye on kids as they walk to school each morning and afternoon. if you have decided that your child is old enough to venture into the world without an adult, prepare them by walking through your neighborhood together and pointing out safe areas and potentially dangerous places. show them where to go if they ever need help and tell them to let you know who they are with and how you can reach them at all times. you can help keep your children safe by arming them with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate the world safely on their own.


the 4th world heritage youth forum focusing on the implementation of the world heritage convention was held from 10 to 20 june 2012 in alcala de henares ( madrid ) and mollina, ( malaga ). forty - six young people aged from 12 to 15 years old, with spanish as a common language, attended from colombia, chile, croatia, ecuador, france, germany, honduras, mexico, panama, paraguay, peru, romania, russia, spain and the united states, representing world heritage sites of their countries. the activity was carried out in line with the patrimonio joven program of the spanish ministry of education, culture and sports and under framework of the world heritage education programme. it began in 2009 when spain hosted the 33rd session of the unesco world heritage committee and organized the 1st ibero - american world heritage youth forum. this year, the event was held as part of the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the world heritage convention. the 4th world heritage youth forum benefited from the collaboration between the ministry of education, culture and sport, as organizer of the meeting, la comunidad de madrid, and el instituto de la juventud ( injuve ) of the spanish ministry of health, social services and equality. the 10 - day program included conferences, site visits, round table discussions, debates and participative workshops where participants discovered world heritage sites in spain and developed their own ideas for heritage conservation. in addition, an extensive program of participatory workshops was scheduled in order to encourage participants to discuss heritage so that the working sessions would produce, through a collective construction methodology, high - quality content that could later be used in heritage education materials. - what is heritage workshop where the 46 young participants started with individual reflection and working together to reached a single definition of heritage. - foropedia glossary workshop in which young people worked on their own definitions of the following terms : communication. conservation, community, identity, culture and heritage. - the whys of heritage workshop where participants, confronted with ideas, argue the 5 c ' s ( community, communications, capacities, conservation and credibility ) defined by unesco as strategic guidelines for the effective implementation of the world heritage convention. - actions for heritage communication workshop to define a subject and an action related to local heritage that the participants should carry out on their return to their communities. - during the forum, the participants took turns to give a presentation of the world heritage site in their country, emphasizing their personal relationship with the site and how this is reflected in their family and school.


tutorial : one way anova from howto wiki there are two main modes of datasets in statistics - indexed and raw. when you perform an analysis, you do not need to use the whole dataset, so origin provides several ways to select data. for example, you can use the interactive regional data selector button to graphically select the data or you can use the column browser dialog to make your selection. in this tutorial, you ' ll use the analysis of variance ( anova ) statistical test, to learn how to use these two different modes of data to perform analysis and how to select data by using the column browser dialog. anova is a kind of parametric method for means comparison and is an extension of t - test. when there are more than two groups to be compared, pairwise t - test is not appropriate and anova should be used. anova requires normality and equal variance. otherwise, non - parametric analysis should be used. minimum origin version required : origin 8. 0 sr6 what you will learn this tutorial will show you how to : - use different input data mode on statistical analysis dialog - test normality for special part of dataset - perform one - way anova - select data by column browser origin can calculate anova in indexed as well as raw data mode. for one - way anova, when using indexed mode, data should be organized in two columns : one for factor and the other for data. when using raw data mode, the different levels are in different columns. indexed data mode nitrogen content has been recorded in milligrams for 4 kinds of plant, and we are interested in whether different plants have different nitrogen content. we will perform one - way anova using index data mode for this example. - start with a new workbook and import the file \ samples \ statistics \ nitrogen. txt. make sure you select. txt from the drop - down menu files of type. first, we should perform a normality test on each group of data to determine if they are from a normal distribution. - highlight the first column, right - click and select sort worksheet from the worksheet menu and choose ascending. - highlight the second column from row 1 to row 20 - which belongs to " plant1 " - and open the normality test dialog by choosing the menu item statistics : descriptive statistics : normality test. - use the default setting of the dialog and click ok. from the p - value of result


which belongs to " plant1 " - and open the normality test dialog by choosing the menu item statistics : descriptive statistics : normality test. - use the default setting of the dialog and click ok. from the p - value of result, p - value = 0. 58545, we can see " plant1 " follows a normal distribution. - in a similar way, you can highlight the range of data " plant2 ", " plant3 " and " plant4 " and test for normality. our sample data has normal distribution for all plants. - with our nitrogen data worksheet active, open the anovaoneway dialog by using the menu item statistics : anova : one - way anova. set the input data mode as indexed, assign the " plant " and " nitrogen " column as factor and data respectively using the right - arrow buttons. click the + to expand the means comparison node, set significance level as 0. 05 and check the tukey means comparison method. check levene | | from tests for equal variance branch. click the ok button to perform one - way anova. explaining the result : - from the " homogeneity of variance test " table of one - way anova result, we can see that the four groups have equal variance, since the p - value is bigger than 0. 05. - from the result of overall anova we can conclude that at least two groups of the four have significant different means, since the p - value is smaller than 0. 05. - to research further, we expand the results of " means comparisons ". here we see that plant4 has significantly different means when compared to each of the other three groups. raw data mode - select file : open and choose workbooks from files of type drop - down list, and browse to \ samples \ statistics folder and open the file body. ogw - select menu item statistics : anova : one - way anova to bring up the anovaoneway dialog. choose raw as input data mode. enter the level1 name and level2 name as " male weight " and " female weight " respectively. - now we will use the data browser to select data in the data branch. click the triangle icon beside male weight edit box, in the fly - out menu, select select columns... to open the column browser dialog. in the column browser dialog, you can select in current book from list columns drop - down list to see all available works


longleaf pine built soil the famous plantations of the south were because the longleaf pine built soil. the iconic image from the great plains is the tall prairie grass where bison roamed and indians followed the trail. this same environment was in the southern united states but it looked just a little different. the longleaf forests that dominated the landscape with over 90 million acres had a unique environment that was resistant to fire and was the breeding ground for a diverse plant and animal population. many scientists compared the longleaf forests diversity to the rain forests of south america. the diversity was lost as the longleaf forests were logged until there was virtually nothing left. the longleaf pine was not replanted due to the fast growth rate of species such as loblolly pine. while the loblolly does have a fast growth rate it does not have the same fire resistance and longevity that longleaf does. it is exactly the fire resistance that allows the longleaf pine to thrive and build the prairie grasses necessary to build soil. the wide open spaces traditionally found in longleaf forests and the frequent fires that were present kept hardwoods at bay and allowed for fire resistant shrubs like the wax myrtle. the prairie grasses were allowed to grow in the spaces between the trees and shrubs. all of these things led to the great animal diversity that the south was known for. the destruction of the forests has caused a drop in pheasants and quail in the south. also many of the diverse plants no longer have the environment necessary to grow. the longleaf pine is making a comeback due to it ’ s superior wood and longer pine needles. we can encourage it by planting them in our landscapes and on our farms with the knowledge that it will be the next generation that enjoys the rewards much like hardwoods. the soil building properties that the longleaf forests created can be generated again if we change our philosophies. as i have talked about before joel salatin promotes this type of change. we may never see the south populated with 90 million acres of longleaf pines but i think everyone can find a space for some of these trees. it is a testament to the past and also will provide for the land for the next 500 years. there are not many things that can give you that kind of return and builds such a diverse environment.


sumter placed colonel henry hampton and his south carolina riflemen in the farm outbuildings. some units he stationed behind stout fences and others he screened in the surrounding woods. tarleton came up late in the fall afternoon and chose to make a frontal attack against a numerically superior force, not waiting for his infantry and artillery to catch up. at first he was successful. the patriot militia fired at too great a distance, and before they could reload major john money, commanding the 63d regiment, hit them with the bayonet. nevertheless, in doing so, the 63d advanced too close to the farm buildings and came under fire from hampton ' s men inside, as usual aiming " at the epaulets and stripes. " money and two of his lieutenants were killed, and according to an officer of fraser ' s highlanders, a third of the privates as well. meanwhile, other partisans worked their way around their right flank and attacked tarleton ' s dragoons who were in their saddles but only watching the action. realizing that the battle was going against him, tarleton desperately ordered an uphill cavalry charge against riflemen firing from cover. as lumpkin has written, " caution never was tarleton ' s outstanding virtue. " so many dragoons were knocked from their horses that " the road to the ford was blocked by the bodies of men and fallen chargers, the wounded, still targets, struggling back over their stricken comrades and kicking, screaming horses. " still, the british forces fell back in good order.


this word is delightfully evocative, bringing to mind some languid person lolling on a couch while all around goes to ruin, so accurately evoking its modern idea of somebody who lacks enthusiasm and determination or is carelessly lazy. it owes its origin, strangely enough, to an old saying of regret or dismay, lack - a - day!, a shortened form of alack - a - day!. alack dates back to medieval times, and probably comes from a dialect word lack that is variously interpreted as failure, fault, reproach, disgrace, or shame. so alack - a - day! originally meant “ shame or reproach to the day! ” ( that it should have brought this upon me ). but over time it became weakened until it became no more than a vapid and vacuous cry when some minor matter went awry. at some point in the eighteenth century, the form lackadaisy appeared, with lackadaisical coming along shortly afterwards for somebody who regularly used the cry. at first it meant that the person was feebly sentimental rather than lazy. the first person recorded as using it was laurence sterne, in his sentimental journey of 1768 : i took hold of her fingers in one hand, and applied the two forefingers of my other to the artery. — would to heaven! my dear eugenius, thou hadst passed by, and beheld me sitting in my black coat, and in my lack - a - day - sical manner, counting the throbs of it, one by one, with as much true devotion as if i had been watching the critical ebb or flow of her fever. later it moved towards the idea of somebody who was affectedly languishing, and thence to someone merely lazy.


the quince, or cydonia oblonga, is the sole member of the genus cydonia and native to warm - temperate southwest asia in the caucasus region. it is a small, deciduous tree, growing 5 – 8 m tall and 4 – 6 m wide, related to apples and pears, and like them has a pome fruit, which is bright golden yellow when mature, pear - shaped, 7 – 12 cm long and 6 – 9 cm broad. the immature fruit is green with dense grey - white pubescence, most of which rubs off before maturity in late autumn when the fruit changes colour to yellow with hard, strongly perfumed flesh. the leaves are alternately arranged, simple, 6 – 11 cm long, with an entire margin and densely pubescent with fine white hairs. the flowers, produced in spring after the leaves, are white or pink, 5 cm across, with five petals. four other species previously included in the genus cydonia are now treated in separate genera. these are the chinese quince pseudocydonia sinensis, a native of china, and the three flowering quinces of eastern asia in the genus chaenomeles. another unrelated fruit, the bael, is sometimes called the “ bengal quince ”. the fruit was known to the akkadians, who called it supurgillu ; arabic سفرجل safarjal “ quinces ” ( collective plural ). the modern name originated in the 14th century as a plural of quoyn, via old french cooin from latin cotoneum malum / cydonium malum, ultimately from greek κυδωνιον μηλον, kydonion melon “ kydonian apple ”. the quince tree is native to uzbekistan, tajikistan, iran, armenia, azerbaijan, georgia, pakistan, afghanistan and was introduced to syria, croatia, bosnia, turkey, serbia, republic of macedonia, albania, greece, romania, hungary, ukraine and bulgaria. cultivation of quince may have preceded apple culture, and many references translated to “ apple ”, such as the fruit in song of solomon, may have been a quince. among the ancient greeks, the quince was a ritual offering at weddings, for it had come from the levant with aphrodite and remained sacred to her. plutarch reported that a greek bride would nibble a quince to perfume her kiss before entering the bridal chamber, “ in order that the first greeting may not


had come from the levant with aphrodite and remained sacred to her. plutarch reported that a greek bride would nibble a quince to perfume her kiss before entering the bridal chamber, “ in order that the first greeting may not be disagreeable nor unpleasant ” ( roman questions 3. 65 ). it was a quince that paris awarded aphrodite. it was for a golden quince that atalanta paused in her race. the romans also used quinces ; the roman cookbook of apicius gives recipes for stewing quince with honey, and even combining them, unexpectedly, with leeks. pliny the elder mentioned the one variety, mulvian quince, that could be eaten raw. columella mentioned three, one of which, the “ golden apple ” that may have been the paradisal fruit in the garden of the hesperides, has donated its name in italian to the tomato, pomodoro quince is resistant to frost and requires a cold period below 7 °c to flower properly. the tree is self - fertile ; however, its yield can benefit from cross - fertilization. the fruit can be left on the tree to ripen further, which softens the fruit to the point where it can be eaten raw in warmer climates, but should be picked before the first frosts. in europe, quinces are commonly grown in central and southern areas where the summers are sufficiently hot for the fruit to fully ripen. they are not grown in large amounts ; typically one or two quince trees are grown in a mixed orchard with several apples and other fruit trees : so were they grown in the 18th - century new england colonies, where there was always a quince at the lower corner of the vegetable garden, ann leighton notes in records of portsmouth, new hampshire and newburyport, massachusetts. charlemagne directed that quinces be planted in well - stocked orchards. quinces in england are first recorded in about 1275, when edward i had some planted at the tower of london ; they are still grown successfully as far north as scotland. chaenomeles japonica ( japanese quince ) is sometimes grown as a substitute for quince, though its fruit has an inferior flavour. quince was also introduced to the new world and australia, in temperate states, where in some locations it has grown wild, and new zealand. it has become rare in north america due to its susceptibility to fireblight disease caused by the bacterium erwinia


how do dermatologists diagnose acanthosis nigricans? a dermatologist can diagnose acanthosis nigricans ( an ) by looking at your skin. if your dermatologist diagnoses you with an, you may need a blood test and other medical tests. these tests can help find out if you have another medical condition. an is more common in people who have diabetes. sometimes, an can be a warning sign of pre - diabetes, thyroid disease, and other conditions. how do dermatologists treat acanthosis nigricans? many people see their skin clear when they get treatment for the condition that is causing an. if you have pre - diabetes, getting that under control often helps to fade the dark patches on your skin. if testing finds a problem with your thyroid or adrenal glands, treating that condition can clear your skin. sometimes, a person develops an but does not have a related medical condition. sometimes treating the related disease does not completely clear the skin. it is not necessary to treat an. if a patient wants clearer skin, a dermatologist can treat the skin. treatment for an includes the following : none of these treatments is specifically designed to treat an. dermatologists have found, however, that these can help. sometimes, an is difficult to treat. - lighten skin color : prescription creams, ointments, and gels. - reduce skin thickness : laser treatments. - decrease odor and discomfort : antibiotics you apply to the skin and antibacterial soaps. - help clear the skin : retinoids ( in pill form ). if you have an, it is essential to find out whether another disease is causing it. finding and treating an undiagnosed disease may clear ( or partially clear ) your skin. if a disease is not causing your an or you do not see the results you want from treating a related disease, a dermatologist can treat your skin. learn more about acanthosis nigricans habif tr, campbell jl, chapman ms, et al. “ acanthosis nigricans. ” dermatology ddxdeck. mosby. 2006. hermanns - le t, scheen a, pierard ge. “ acanthosis nigricans associated with insulin resistance. ” am j clin derm. 2004 ; 5 ( 3 ) : 199 - 203. kapoor s. “ diagnosis and treatment of acanthosis nigricans.