los angeles, april 29 : the swine flu has literally inundated the united states of america. the worst part is that flu continues to spread from one state to the other and experts opine that the worst is yet to come. the number of flu cases has swelled, prompting officials to announce a public health emergency. in mexico, from where the flu reportedly spread, more than 1, 600 people are likely to be affected. according to the data compiled by the associated press, the swine flu can be blamed for 152 deaths in mexico alone. the flu has not proved fatal in california as yet although 20 cases have been reported from the state. meanwhile, the flu was detected for the first time in canada on tuesday. rear admiral dr. anne schuchat, interim deputy director for the centers for disease control and prevention ' s science and public health program, said of the escalation in flu cases, “ i do expect more cases and expect more states to be affected. ” he cautioned, “ i think we need to be prepared that even if it starts to look a little better, it may get a little worse. ” the swine flu is caused by any strain of the influenza virus endemic in swine ( pigs ), termed as swine influenza virus ( siv ). siv can mutate into a form that can easily spread from human to human. characteristic symptoms in humans include chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. dr. richard besser, the acting director of the centers for disease control and prevention noted that the current swine flu is in a ‘ pre - pandemic ’ period. he opined that now the aim is to alleviate the harm. he advised the masses to bring into practice the common - sense preventive actions like washing hands, covering coughs with an arm or shoulder and staying at home to keep away from the virus. with the threat of an epidemic looming large, the federal government is leaving no stone unturned to combat the virus. several schools were closed tuesday in new york city, san antonio and suburban sacramento, where a teenager was tested positive for the disease. the custom authorities have stepped up the health screenings vigil at the u. s. - mexico border crossings with an aim to block the spread of swine flu. travelers are being urged to cancel trips.


posted on apr 15, 2010 | comments 0 the school is the best place to learn new things. kids enjoy being in school especially if they get to learn stuffs through fun and wholesome learning experiences. not only do they get to learn about how to read and write but also how to become responsible, industrious, kind, and caring towards other living things like animals. the classroom is the ideal place for learning. aside from books, visual aids, and other instructional materials, teachers should also consider having an aquarium in the classroom. here are the reasons why you should have an aquarium in the classroom : 1. help children learn about different species of aquatic plants and animals having an aquarium can expose kids to all kinds of marine life like fishes and seaweeds. they will be able to observe how they grow and how they interact in their habitat. 2. teach children about responsibility and caring for living things now that you have a class aquarium, children can learn about being responsible and how to take care of marine life by doing their part in feeding the fishes and cleaning the aquarium. 3. encourage children to help one another children will be encouraged to work together and help each other in order for your aquarium to have healthy fishes and plants. aquariums should not only be confined in our homes but also in other places like in the classrooms. they are not only decorations but they serve as avenues for learning. [ aquarium decoration ] posted in : fish aquarium


over 8, 000 websites created by students around the world who have participated in a thinkquest competition. compete | faq | contact us unlike other disabilities / handicaps, learning disabilities are invisible. because of this, they often go undiagnosed. undiagnosed learning disabled kids are erroneously labeled lazy and unmotivated, and they suffer needlessly because they are punished for being off task, and for failing to demonstrate their obvious intelligence in their academic performance. this results in low self - esteem and depression due to their feelings of unworthiness caused by the knowledge that they are disappointing and hurting their parents. they find themselves incapable of doing anything to change that, and often end up believing that they are stupid. feeling different at an age when they just want to fit in, they develop poor peer relations and often become academic or social dropouts. this site was created to avert such a disaster. in this virtual tree house, ld kids can learn more about their disabilities and discover ways in which they can help themselves. this information is available in text form, streaming audio, and via mobile phone through wap technology. kids can also receive immediate answers to their questions by asking " dr. doggy " - a cute and loveable internet artificial intelligence bot, and they can interact with each other and share their feelings via the multilingual message boards and chat room. most importantly, they can meet others like themselves, develop friendships, talk about their hopes, dreams and goals and come to the realisation that they are not alone on their path of life. jasonamerican school of bombay, bombay, india cameliacolegiul national sf sava, bucuresti, romania shireendistance education centre victoria, mumbai, india 19 & under carlos fernandesperceptivei pte. ltd., singapore, singapore varsha jagdalewayne state university, singapore, singapore health & safety > differently - abled social sciences & culture > education english, german, french


akhildelhi public school noida, uttar pradesh, india ashutoshdelhi public school noida, uttar pradesh, india manitdelhi public school noida, uttar pradesh, india 15 & under anila mathurdelhi public school noida, uttar pradesh, india science & technology > life science > endangered & extinct species science & technology teacher resources ( lesson plans, worksheets ) video / sound our team had to tackle several challenges before submitting the site. each member had to be chosen very carefully. some people were very interested but not willing to work. manit, akhil and ashutosh all were very good academically. akhil enhanced the project with beautiful graphics and multimedia while manit continued to work on the website. ashutosh with his superb writing style helped us to capture the epitorial lifestyle of the bears. through a busy and tight schedule somehow the kids came together and compiled the project. addng to the problems were the exams but still they managed to complete the project. the teachers with their help also added to the students ' knowledge. our team does not restrict only to the efforts to its members but it includes the various efforts made by the other people to save the polar bears and life on earth from extinction. a variety sources adds to the work done by the members. for the children of the tropical countries even to consider the effects of global warming taking place in an absolutely different latitude in itself was a great challenge. to handle this chalenge the boys had to contact many people ranging from australia to canada. though the school was same the states were different and so the distance between their houses also became a challenge and hence can ' t be neglected.


native to northern india, the drought - tolerant moringa tree is now grown throughout asia, south america and africa. as a crop, the moringa tree ’ s durability and rapid growth ( up to 10 feet each year! ) make it ideal for low - income, rural communities. often called “ the miracle tree, ” the moringa is more than your average tree. the wood is soft and doesn ’ t make the best building material but its regenerative bark is perfect for wood - burning stoves. moringa oil, in addition to being a substitute for vegetable oil, is used in soaps, lamps and as mechanical lubrication for farm and food production equipment. but the moringa ’ s greatest use is nutritional. according to the food and agriculture organization of the united nations, just 25 grams of moringa leaf powder supplies a person with their entire day ’ s calcium and vitamin a needs, half the day ’ s protein and potassium needs and about three - quarters of the day ’ s iron needs. eaten as a vegetable course during meals, moringa leaves improve childhood nutrition, birth weights and the quality of breast - milk. the hunger project - benin has had success during the past year with a program called moringa + + that promotes the cultivation of moringa trees in epicenter communities as sources of income, environmental sustainability and child nutrition. youth groups at kissamey and dekpo epicenters mobilized to plant thousands of moringa, as well as apple, cashew and oil palm trees, which contribute to the overall food security of each community. additional groups grind and package powdered moringa leaves to be sold and generate income. combined with other epicenter workshops, this sturdy tree and moringa + + are empowering communities to achieve sustainable self - reliance in the areas of health, income, food security and education.


if the current recession is the longest since wwii and continues for another year, one of its most frightening characteristics is that the number of people whose jobless benefits run out is going to be large and will almost certainly grow substantially beginning relatively soon. this means that even though giving financial support to the unemployed may be an unbelievable expense, it may actually cost more to remove their government safety net and in some cases allow them to become indigent. congress agreed to extend unemployment benefits to a 59 - week period last year. according to the new york post, wayne vroman, an economist at the urban institute, estimates that up to 700, 000 people could exhaust their extended benefits by the second half of this year. since net job losses could continue well into 2010, and unemployment is likely to top 10 %, the figures for people receiving no financial support at all could move well above one million before the end of the year and actually increase after that. ( see pictures of the global financial crisis. ) if there is any such thing as a typical recession, it usually runs a one year cycle. by the time most people are about to run out of support from the government, the economy begins to create jobs. it is already clear that is not what will happen this year or next. ( see the 25 people to blame for the financial crisis. ) the u. s. census says that anyone under 65 making below $ 11. 201 is below the poverty line. in 2007, nearly 13 % of the population was considered impoverished over 37 million people. individuals who lose government support this year and next may effectively have no income at all. the estimates of the number of homeless people in america vary widely. that may be because some surveys consider people who have no home for a night to fall into the category, while others only consider those who live in a chronic state of being without their own shelter. the disparities of measurement yield numbers that are as low at 800, 000 and as high as three million. most people who have no income will not live in shelters or on the streets. they will move in with friends or relatives. they will only be homeless to the extent that they no long have a place of their own to live and cannot afford one. it is a form of displacement that has not been seen in america since the depression and one which replaces the government ' s assistance for the individual back with the social network of the community, whether that is the community of the family or some other close knit network. if the economic downturn is as long or


today i found out the history and symbolism behind the tradition of wearing a wedding ring and why, in most western cultures, it ’ s worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, otherwise known as the ring finger. wedding rings today are a billion dollar sentiment of love, but no one can really say for sure when this age old tradition actually started. some believe that the oldest recorded exchange of wedding rings comes from ancient egypt, about 4800 years ago. sedges, rushes and reeds, growing alongside the well - known papyrus were twisted and braided into rings for fingers an other decorative ornaments worn by the women in those days. the circle was the symbol of eternity, with no beginning or end, not only to the egyptians, but many other ancient cultures. the hole in the center of the ring also had significance. it wasn ’ t just considered a space, but rather a gateway, or door ; leading to things and events both known and unknown. to give a woman a ring signifies never - ending and immortal love. the materials these rings were made of didn ’ t last very long and soon were substituted with rings made of leather, bone or ivory. the more expensive the material, the more love shown to the receiver ; the value of the ring also demonstrated the wealth of the giver. the roman ’ s also eventually adopted this tradition but with their own twist. rather than offering a ring to a woman as a symbol of love, they awarded them as a symbol of ownership. roman men would “ claim ” their woman with the giving of a ring. roman betrothal rings were later made of iron and called “ anulus pronubus. ” they symbolized strength and permanence. it is also said that the romans were the first to engrave their rings. it was not until about 860 that the christians used the ring in marriage ceremonies ; even then, it was not the simple plain band as we know it. it usually was highly decorated with engraved doves, lyres, or two linked hands. the church discouraged such rings as ‘ heathenish ’ and, around the 13th century, wedding and betrothal rings were considerably simplified, and given a more spiritual look which was very aptly expressed by a bishop when he dubbed it a “ symbol of the union of hearts. ” wedding rings through different stages in history have been worn on different fingers, including the thumb, and on both the left and right hands. according to a tradition believed to have been derived from the romans, the wedding ring


of the union of hearts. ” wedding rings through different stages in history have been worn on different fingers, including the thumb, and on both the left and right hands. according to a tradition believed to have been derived from the romans, the wedding ring is worn on the left hand ring finger because there was thought to be a vein in the finger, referred to as the ‘ vena amoris ’ or the ‘ vein of love ’ said to be directly connected to the heart. however, scientists have shown this is actually false. despite this, this myth still remains regarded by many ( hopeless romantics ) as the number one reason rings are worn on the fourth finger. another theory thought to be behind the ring being placed on the left hand by christians seems a little more plausible. early christian marriages had a ritual to wear the wedding ring in the third finger. as the priest recited during the binding, ” in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit ”, he would take the ring and touch the thumb, the index finger, and the middle finger ; then, while uttering “ amen ”, he would place the ring on the ring finger, which sealed the marriage. a more practically based theory is that the soft metal ( traditionally gold for wedding rings ) is less worn or injured on the finger of the left hand, due to most of the world being right handed. further, the fourth finger on the left hand is probably the second to the least used finger on a person ’ s hands outside of pinkies. pinkies being small, making a small ring with little surface area to decorate, perhaps motivated people to then place it on the next least used finger, namely the fourth finger on the left hand, which is roughly the size of the other fingers. - the earliest and smallest engagement ring was given to princess mary, daughter of henry viii. she was two years old at the time. presumably the ring was given to her by pedobear. - seventeen tons of gold are made into wedding rings each year in the united states! - back in the 1300 ’ s, when people were particularly superstitious, it was believed that taking a piece of the bride ’ s clothing would grant the guests good luck. this lead to many guests that would literally tear cloth from the bride ’ s dress ( which made for a very peeved bride! ). so, in an attempt to stave off greedy luck - seekers, many brides began to throw items to guests that could be easily removed from her and that included


the bride ’ s dress ( which made for a very peeved bride! ). so, in an attempt to stave off greedy luck - seekers, many brides began to throw items to guests that could be easily removed from her and that included her garter. eventually, grooms began to remove the garter and tossed it to the men as a means to prevent tipsy male guests from trying to do the deed themselves. in an effort to help the women feel included, it eventually became customary for the bride to throw her bouquet at the female guests. - there are dozens of good - luck, bad - luck traditions followed by different cultures around the world. in greek culture, a sugar cube is tucked into the bride ’ s glove to “ sweeten ” the marriage. for good luck, egyptian women pinch the bride on her wedding day. the english believe a spider found in a wedding dress means good luck. peas are thrown at czech newlyweds instead of rice. ancient greeks and romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. brides have worn veils ever since. the groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below. - the first recorded account of a diamond engagement ring was in 1477 when king maximilian i of germany ( 1459 - 1519 ) proposed to mary of burgundy ( 1457 - 1482 ) and offered her a diamond to seal his vow. ( so, men you now know who to blame! ) - interestingly, in many countries, even today, including norway, russia, greece, ukraine, bulgaria, poland, austria, germany, portugal and spain, the wedding ring in worn on the ring finger of the right hand and not the left. in jewish tradition, the groom places the ring on the bride ’ s index finger, and not the “ ring ” finger at all. expand for references :


general : the house finch was originally an inhabitant to the west coast of the u. s. and mexico but has been introduced to the east coast. according to audubon, in the 1940 ’ s caged house finches were in new york city and long island, new york. since that time, the house finch has established new territory along the atlantic coast. house finches were introduced to oahu from san francisco sometime before 1870. they had become abundant on all the major hawaiian islands by 1901. as with all such events, unintended consequences have occurred. competition for food and habitat resulted in east coast populations of native purple finch and the invasive house sparrow to decline. with its increased territory and adaptability, the total house finch population across north america is estimated between 267 million and 1. 4 billion individuals. house finches nest in many different places from man - made structures to trees to rock ledges. they will use abandoned nests of other birds. overall width of the nest is 3 - 7 inches, with the inside cup 1 - 3 inches across and up to 2 inches deep. female lays 2 to 6 pale blue to white eggs speckled with fine black and pale purple markings. the eggs are about. 6 ” long and ½ ” wide. the chicks hatch in 13 to 14 days and are naked except for sparse white down along feather tracts. they fledge in 12 to 19 days. house finches can have two or more broods per year. in captivity house finches have lived as long as 11 years. finches are about the same size as house sparrows but more slender. they measure 5. 1 ” – 5. 5 ” long and with a wingspan between 7. 9 ” – 9. 8 ”. they weigh ½ oz - 1 oz. adult males are rosy red around the face and upper breast, with streaky brown back, belly and tail. adult females are plain grayish - brown with thick, blurry streaks and an indistinctly marked face. the red of a male house finch comes from pigments contained in its food. because of this, sometimes orange or yellowish male house finches will be observed. habitat : house finches inhabit city parks, backyards, urban centers, farms, and forest edges across the continent. in the western u. s., house finches native habitat is desert, grassland and open woods. they are frequent late fall and winter visitors to my upstate ny backyard birdfeeder. native range was west coast from mexico to canada east to


by fred taylor everyone knows the basic antique furniture styles, right? queen anne with the rounded chair shoulders, vase - shaped splat, and cabriole legs, chippendale with the ball - and - claw foot and the pierced splat, and, of course, william and mary, one of those dark, clunky, old english styles that used to be in castles in the middle ages. it falls in the same category as those other clunky english styles like jacobean, elizabethan, and tudor. on the other hand, that is not the case at all. we owe more to the william and mary style than most people — even knowledgeable collectors — often realize. why? and who were william and mary, that we should be grateful to them? william iii ( 1650 – 1702 ), known as william of orange, was the son of the dutch prince of orange, and his english wife, mary. in 1677, young william iii married another english woman named mary, who was his cousin and was the daughter of the king of england, james ii ( 1633 – 1701 ). it was confusing. james ii was a catholic, and when a son was born from his second marriage to mary modena, the prospect of another catholic king inspired a coup which toppled james from the throne in 1688 and installed his protestant daughter mary on the throne in 1689, along with her dutch husband. when william arrived by invitation in england in 1688, along with his army of 14, 000 dutch troops, he also brought with him many of his dutch craftsmen and their ideas of furniture making. the jacobean style, incidentally named for james ii ’ s father, james i ( 1566 – 1625 ) — jacob is latin for james — had just about run its course in england and the time was ripe for a major change. this timing happily coincided with the influx of the huguenots, driven from france in another religious dispute. since the huguenots were skilled textile workers and wood craftsmen, they provided much of the skilled labor force that was about to be needed in the coming furniture revolution. one of the most important concepts in furniture brought to england by dutch william and his cabinetmakers was one that had not yet occurred to the english — that of comfort. english furniture had heretofore been designed to promote the rank, status, and power of the owner, not to provide comfort. two other concepts were also prominent in the new furniture style — verticality and slenderness. the new pieces of furniture tended to be taller


of the earliest “ use specific ” pieces of furniture. one of the longest lasting of the new elements was the general use of cast brass hardware, replacing wooden handles and pulls. the castings were thin and irregular since each was done individually, and period castings show the imprint of the sand in the mold as well as the marks left by the scrapers and files. the brass surfaces were decorated with chasings ( designs punched or scored on the surface ). originally, pieces of hardware were attached to the wood surface by heavy cotter pins driven through the thickness of the surface and opened from inside. while clever in theory, the impracticality of such a fastener soon showed, and the post - and - bail pull, held in the wood by rough, handmade screws appeared on the scene in the early 18th century. remnants of the original style can be seen in both colonial revival and modern furniture in the form of slender ball - turned legs, serpentine stretchers, butterfly drop - leaf tables, and chairs with upholstered seats and backs. in short, the william and mary period gave us lighter furniture with pleasant lines, attractive cast brass hardware, and above all, comfort — thanks to bill and his bride. send your comments, questions, and pictures to me at p. o. box 215, crystal river, fl 34423 or e - mail them to me at email @ example. com. visit fred ’ s website at www. furnituredetective. com. his book, how to be a furniture detective, is now available for $ 18. 95 plus $ 3 shipping. send check or money order for $ 21. 95 to fred taylor, p. o. box 215, crystal river, fl 34423. fred and gail taylor ’ s dvd, identification of older & antique furniture, ( $ 17 + $ 3 s & h ) and a bound compilation of the first 60 columns of “ common sense antiques by fred taylor ”, ( $ 25 + $ 3 s & h ) are also available at the same address. for more information call 800. 387. 6377 ( 9 a. m. – 4 p. m. eastern, monday – friday only ), fax 352. 563. 2916, or e - mail firstname. lastname @ example. org. all items are also available directly from the website www. furnituredetective. com.


jimmy carter in the washington post : the u. s. freedom of information act ( foia ) turns 40 tomorrow, the day we celebrate our independence. but this anniversary will not be a day of celebration for the right to information in our country. our government leaders have become increasingly obsessed with secrecy. obstructionist policies and deficient practices have ensured that many important public documents and official actions remain hidden from our view. the events in our nation today — war, civil rights violations, spiraling energy costs, campaign finance and lobbyist scandals — dictate the growing need and citizens ’ desire for access to public documents. a poll conducted last year found that 70 percent of americans are either somewhat or very concerned about government secrecy. this is understandable when the u. s. government uses at least 50 designations to restrict unclassified information and created 81 percent more “ secrets ” in 2005 than in 2000, according to the watchdog coalition openthegovernment. org. moreover, the response to foia requests often does not satisfy the transparency objectives or provisions of the law, which, for example, mandates an answer to information requests within 20 working days. according to the national security archives 2003 report, median response times may be as long as 905 working days at the department of agriculture and 1, 113 working days at the environmental protection agency. the only recourse for unsatisfied requesters is to appeal to the u. s. district court, which is costly, timely and unavailable to most people. policies that favor secrecy, implementation that does not satisfy the law, lack of a mandated oversight body and inaccessible enforcement mechanisms have put the united states behind much of the world in the right to information.


integrated pest management < < back to gwcaes homepage in 1985 under the leadership of research scientists clauzell stevens and victor khan, the station was instrumental in developing research programs that solved pest management problems and improved the health of vegetable crops through programs using low chemical input and biologically - based strategies such as soil solarization and agriplastic application, uv - c technology to control postharvest diseases of fruits and vegetables especially sweetpotato and tomato. plasticulture research activities centered on the transfer of new technologies such as plastic mulch systems, drip irrigation and soil solarization through field demonstrations, workshops and related outreach programs in partnership with the plastic industry and auburn university. plasticulture scientists at tuskegee were the first to use agriplastic mulch systems in alabama to produce early spring watermelons, okra and tomato during the month of june so that alabama farmers could be competitive with florida growers. in recognition of the accomplishments of stevens and khan on a number of agriplastic research studies in plasticulture, the team was invited by the american society of plasticulture to lead a team of plasticulturists to write a chapter entitled : plastic chemistry and technology as related to plasticulture in solar heating of the soil in soil solarization ( 1991 ) edited by j. katan and j. devay for crc press, boca raton, fl. stevens and khan also demonstrated the use of agriplastic systems as a means to elicit induced foliage resistance to alternaria leaf spot in vegetables. in a collaborative effort with scientists from auburn university who pioneered the development of a biological control fungicide foliage spray, they demonstrated that, by integrating plasticulture techniques with the biofungicide foliage spray on tomatoes, there was another way to control early tomato blight with results comparable to a chemical fungicide. scientists at tuskegee were the first investigators in the u. s. and the third group of researchers to report that soil solarization induced resistance of several foliage diseases on crops. furthermore, he and his colleagues used reflective agriplastic mulch to control mosaic viral diseases of squash in alabama. in 1984, dr. stevens and his colleagues were the first to introduce a new postharvest therapy on managing post - harvest diseases by inducing resistance in onions and sweetpotatoes to storage rots by uv - c elicitation. he proposed a hormesis model to explain this induced resistance phenomena. a collaborative link was established with scientists from the usda / ars, which


data reported by the weather station : 552790 latitude : 31. 36 | longitude : 90. 01 | altitude : 4701 | main | | year 1996 climate | | select a month | to calculate annual averages, we analyzed data of 363 days ( 99. 18 % of year ). if in the average or annual total of some data is missing information of 10 or more days, this is not displayed. the total rainfall value 0 ( zero ) may indicate that there has been no such measurement and / or the weather station does not broadcast. | annual average temperature : | | 0. 2°c | | 363 | | annual average maximum temperature : | | 5. 5°c | | 363 | | annual average minimum temperature : | | - 6. 2°c | | 363 | | annual average humidity : | | 45. 3 % | | 358 | | annual total precipitation : | | 360. 46 mm | | 363 | | annual average visibility : | | 29. 5 km | | 363 | | annual average wind speed : | | 14. 7 km / h | | 363 | number of days with extraordinary phenomena. | total days with rain : | | 92 | | total days with snow : | | 53 | | total days with thunderstorm : | | 43 | | total days with fog : | | 7 | | total days with tornado or funnel cloud : | | 0 | | total days with hail : | | 14 | days of extreme historical values in 1996 the highest temperature recorded was 19°c on august 17. the lowest temperature recorded was - 29. 2°c on january 2. the maximum wind speed recorded was 122. 2 km / h on january 29.


about the program phase 1 of the cheyenne river sioux tribe ’ s healthy nations program included one hundred task force and working group meetings, thirty - six community meetings, and data collection from individuals and programs. our data collection continues from youth and other community sources. data indicates the need for constructive, educational, cultural activities to occupy reservation youth during the non - school hours ; afterschool, weekends, and summer. these activities are provided through four major components in the phase 2 healthy nations program. these components are titled : wolakota yukini wicoti ( lakota youth camp ), adopt - a - horse, prevention & aftercare transition, and takoja / keepers of wisdom video productions. two basic principles guide our healthy nations program : access and responsibility. we address access by providing services within each of our identified communities. we address responsibility by offering and promoting activities that teach responsibility, positive peer group influence across the age span, and substance abuse free behaviors. we provide educational and lifestyle activities for youth with an emphasis on belonging, culture, and substance abuse free interaction and behaviors. it is our hope that many of the alternative lifestyles will be presented by our own community members. the wolakota yukini ( to make live again, culture, tradition, and language ) is the theme of this phase of the healthy nations program and is designed to implement the traditional values of the lakota people into the field of the youth service providers. the lack of motivation by the youth population in reference to the basic need to identify positive alternatives to substance abuse has encouraged our traditional elders to take an active role in controlling the destiny of our youth. back to the top the cheyenne river sioux reservation was established by the act of march 2, 1889, which divided the great sioux reservation into five smaller reservations. the cheyenne river reservation boundaries include roughly 2. 8 million acres of rolling prairie lands ( about the size of the state of connecticut ). b. i. a. labor force statistics indicate that there are roughly 12, 000 indians on the reservation. in 1908, the reservation was opened to homesteading, and about half of the reservation land was sold to non - indians. the reservation boundaries were not diminished, however, and as a result, of the 18 reservation communities, the cities of dupree ( population 500 - - 50 % indian ), isabel ( population 350 - - 20 % indian ), and timber lake ( population 700 - - 35 % indian ) claim to be non - indian communities because a majority of residents are non - indian. the city of


- - 50 % indian ), isabel ( population 350 - - 20 % indian ), and timber lake ( population 700 - - 35 % indian ) claim to be non - indian communities because a majority of residents are non - indian. the city of eagle butte is the largest city on the reservation with roughly 2, 500 to 3, 000 residents and is 80 % indian. overall, the population of the cheyenne river sioux tribe accepted the provisions of the indian reorganization act and adopted a tribal constitution and by - laws in accordance therewith. the tribal council, made up of the chairman, secretary, treasurer, and 15 representatives, is the governing body of the tribe and the tribal courts function as an independent judiciary. as described above, the tribal council has established an extensive administrative branch of government. eagle butte is the center of tribal government, and although the tribe provides government services throughout the reservation, many federal and tribal services are available only in eagle butte. the reservation is made up of six representative districts, each has its own community building, and the district councils have an advisory role in tribal government. the indian residents from outlying communities, such as cherry creek, red scaffold, white horse, black foot, and swift bird often travel to eagle butte for federal and tribal services. the reservation encompasses both dewey and ziebach counties in south dakota, and the indian population is very poor. ziebach county was ranked the third poorest county in america in the 1980 census, and the seventh poorest county in the 1990 census. there is 60 to 85 % unemployment, and the economy is largely an agrarian farm / ranch and service based. therefore, welfare is an important source of income for many families of unemployed indians, and the economy is quite active on the first day of the month when checks are issued. later in the month, the economy slows as people struggle to survive on the meager income. although dupree, isabel and timber lake claim to be non - indian, a few economic services are offered in the smaller, remote indian communities, and tribal members from red scaffold, cherry creek, and thunder butte often patronize dupree, while tribal members from white horse patronize timber lake, and tribal members from green grass patronize eagle butte. thus, alcohol sales in those cities have a significant impact on the indian population. the border towns of gettysburg, 10 miles east of the reservation ( population 1, 500 ), and faith, 5 miles west ( population 800 ), have a similar relationship with the reservation ’ s


those cities have a significant impact on the indian population. the border towns of gettysburg, 10 miles east of the reservation ( population 1, 500 ), and faith, 5 miles west ( population 800 ), have a similar relationship with the reservation ’ s indian population. back to the top strategy : public awareness campaign a program advisory group was developed to assist the healthy nations program in coordinating the tribe ' s war on alcohol abuse. this was accomplished through monthly meetings and various activities held at the program headquarters in eagle butte, sd. some of the issues addressed through this process included organizational structural discussions and actions, constitution and by - laws. this advisory group helped to plan these activities, which included the youthfest, honoring of youth, stipend for elderly and youth workers, staff evaluations and staff reports, receiving donations, adopt - a - horse, elections, budget revisions, scholarship selections, fundraising efforts and attendance at appropriate youth meetings. the seventh generation youth council, a tribal youth organization, provided resources for a radio show broadcast from the klnd radio station in little eagle, sd, and additional shows were completed through remote broadcasts from eagle butte, sd. the topics discussed on the show included : sobriety issues, peer pressures, domestic violence, gangs, juvenile crime, drug alternatives, inhalant abuse, cultural values, traditional lifestyles, positive role modeling, tribal economics, school news, sports, media clubs, music, broadcast training, and tribal government. the klnd radio station is owned and operated by the standing rock sioux tribe. back to the top strategy 2 : community - wide prevention the healthy nations program worked with various agencies to study existing and needed areas of prevention planning, and to create an inter - agency referral network to provide services to youth residing on the reservation. the primary target being the low - income housing projects, secondary target areas are the other tribal communities. referrals were made to the following agencies : four bands healing center counseling program, juvenile detention center, juvenile courts, juvenile probation office, social services, emergency shelter homes for boys and girls, cheyenne river schools. collaborations were made with the following : cheyenne river housing authority - drug elimination program, sioux ymca, sitanka college, sacred heart center, single mother ' s program, healthy start, and professional consultation services. in an effort to provide substance - free activities for youth, the healthy nations program worked in several outreach areas, including white horse, laplante, timber lake, swiftbird, blackfoot, dupree, isabel, thunder butte


consultation services. in an effort to provide substance - free activities for youth, the healthy nations program worked in several outreach areas, including white horse, laplante, timber lake, swiftbird, blackfoot, dupree, isabel, thunder butte, iron lightning, cherry creek, red scaffold, takini and bridger, eagle butte, green grass, sans arc, bear creek. the activities provided were youth meetings, recreational games, movie nights, rap sessions, lakota storytelling, culture nights, dj dances, home visits, talking circles, volleyball, sweatlodge, nature walks, talent search, table games, art therapy, computer classes, grade incentives, health and wellness fairs, carnivals, pool league, tobacco awareness sessions, pizza parties, open gym, youth lock - ins, sleepovers, ecology sessions, wilderness survival training, weight lifting, music recitals, walking club, horseshoe league, fishing trips, cultural awareness sessions, youth play day, lakota song and dance, white bison spiritual gathering, red road counselor training, and community service projects. the lakota takosa / keepers of wisdom video production program was developed in order to collect and distribute essential materials to prevent the loss of the lakota language and culture. these efforts included a youth camp, video training, creating resource list of tribal elders, storytime, lakota language classes, a christmas dinner, social dance exhibitions, youthfest, elder men ' s meetings, oral history interviews, cultural presentations and monthly sewing lessons in the young mother ' s program. bi - monthly cultural curriculum training to the tiospaye tops tribal school and the tribal headstart program was also developed and provided. additional activities provided in various communities include the lakota language curriculum, elderly dinners, youth play day, summer youth food program, wrap - around training, elder ' s social, adopt - a - grandparent, cooking activities, computer training, golden oldies social, dance regalia, star quilt project, health support groups, and nutritional seminars. these services were mainly provided at the cultural center in eagle butte, sd, tiospaye topa school in laplante, sd, and the crst headstart programs at five different sites on the reservation. the wings camp was held in eagle butte, sd on june 28 - 30, 1999, and included fitness drills, indoor exercises and games, practice race competitions, fun run and community feed. back to the top strategy 3 : early identification, intervention and referral the wolakota yukini wicot


on june 28 - 30, 1999, and included fitness drills, indoor exercises and games, practice race competitions, fun run and community feed. back to the top strategy 3 : early identification, intervention and referral the wolakota yukini wicoti ( to make live again, culture, tradition and language ) camps were developed to incorporate the ways of the lakota culture into a moving camp designed for youth. the initial youth camp was held from june 20, 1996 to september 4, 1996 during which time the youth lived in traditional tipis and traveled on horseback. the second year, the youth resided in similar villages, but were separated by gender and the camps were held at one location for a period of two weeks per session. the third year involved a trail ride around the reservation covering over 350 miles in 14 days. the fourth year camp included 2 one - week sessions and was held in the sacred black hills of the lakota people in western south dakota at bear butte ( mato paha ). the young lakota artist project was created to provide monthly mentorship activities through art and host an art competition for youth. this was implemented by a series of primary art lessons, art classes, and 2 youth art competitions and artist receptions. the classes were presented at the program headquarters in eagle butte, sd. the art exhibit, reception and competition were held at the super 8 conference room, eagle butte, sd. the art mentoring sessions were held at the cultural center in eagle butte ( held in the bear creek community, sd ). the following mediums were represented : pencil drawing, colored pencil drawings, charcoal, chalk pastels, oil pastels, watercolors, acrylic paints, and oil paints. the lakota traditional arts and crafts project was implemented to coordinate the efforts of the 8 outreach communities in designing and completing social dance regalia. these activities were facilitated by the cultural liaison and the elderly liaison in the outreach communities of eagle butte, cherry creek, red scaffold, white horse, dupree and timber lake, and included dance regalia, arts and crafts, leatherwork, beading, quillwork, rawhide art, bone jewelry, drum making, dream catchers and woodcarving. to increase the number of students participating in leadership activities, the healthy nations program helped many youth attend the annual youth 2000 leadership conference, was held on march 28 - 30, 1999 in pierre, sd, and the 8th annual youth leadership conference on august 21 - 24, 2000 in eagle butte, sd. the youth participated


nations program helped many youth attend the annual youth 2000 leadership conference, was held on march 28 - 30, 1999 in pierre, sd, and the 8th annual youth leadership conference on august 21 - 24, 2000 in eagle butte, sd. the youth participated in workshops, demonstrations, general sessions, motivational speakers, recreational events, dj dance, powwow, and information booths. the conference is held every year and hosted by the cheyenne river housing authority ’ s drug elimination program. back to the top strategy 4 : substance abuse treatment and relapse prevention in an effort to implement a horse program to provide basic riding skills and horse care to youth, the adopt - a - horse program was created. the program was also designed to complement the wolakota yukini wicoti project and to adopt 5 horses to youth. the activities completed were roping schools, riding lessons, exceptional education riding program, horse health care and grooming seminars, care and maintenance of riding tack, horse facility management, confirmation classes, adoption policies, horse showmanship classes, livestock judging, rodeo judging, leisure riding, horse training seminars, stable maintenance, trail riding, fencing, and an instructional video on horse trailing. the program also included participation in the headstart parade, viet nam veterans parade, tribal labor day fair parade and play day. an aftercare transition plan was developed and implemented to address the issues of intervention and aftercare. these efforts were implemented through meetings of the inter - agency planning, youth rehabilitation center task force, gona training, red road counselor training, red cross training, aftercare meetings, support group meetings, and home visits. the healthy nations program, in an effort to develop a holistic approach to providing structured recreation and alternative substance - free activities, coordinated many summer activities, to include swimming, basketball, a walking club, health fairs, and a fitness and diabetes prevention camp. back to the top cheyenne river sioux tribe of the cheyenne river reservation healthy nations program back to the top


oriental institute ’ s founding tale full of adventure by william harms photo courtesy of the oriental institute this is a fascinating glimpse of a pivotal moment in history — the birth of the modern middle east as we know it today. ” james henry breasted left chicago in 1919 for a daring journey of adventure and archaeological discovery. he came back with a research agenda that shaped the work of the oriental institute for decades and would forever change how the ancient middle east is studied and understood. his trek through egypt and what are now iraq, syria, lebanon, and israel comes to life in dozens of his letters and 1, 000 of his photographs that are featured in a new exhibition at the oriental institute museum. in “ pioneers to the past : american archaeologists in the middle east, 1919 – 1920, ” the famed archaeologist ’ s own dispatches help recount his exciting, dangerous journey amid the unstable aftermath of world war i. “ this is a fascinating glimpse of a pivotal moment in history — the birth of the modern middle east as we know it today, and at the same time, the genesis of modern archaeological research in the cradle of civilization, ” says gil stein, director of the oriental institute. “ it ’ s one of the best examples i know of the ways that scholarship and politics interconnect in important and unexpected ways. ” the trip included elements of swashbuckling, as when breasted ’ s team was scouting for ruins on horseback and encountered dozens of armed arab soldiers looking to surrender. but much of his adventure was of an intellectual kind. his work supported his thesis that the roots of western civilization lay in the middle east — an idea that ’ s universally accepted today, but stirred controversy in breasted ’ s time. the trip also helped bring breasted ’ s dream to life — a research institute at the university of chicago that remains at the center of study of the archaeology, art, languages, and history of the ancient middle east. ” we live with the heritage of his work — and his vision, fueled by what he saw on his journey in 1919 and 1920, ” says stein. “ on that journey he identified sites to excavate, such as megiddo in what is now israel, and nineveh, in what is now iraq, that were sites of important oriental institute work. that research has helped make us one of the world ’ s leading centers of middle eastern archaeology. ” the middle east has changed greatly since breasted ’ s visit, but his journey reveals some aspects of the region that are familiar to modern


institute work. that research has helped make us one of the world ’ s leading centers of middle eastern archaeology. ” the middle east has changed greatly since breasted ’ s visit, but his journey reveals some aspects of the region that are familiar to modern audiences. “ the story of breasted ’ s adventure is joined by another ‘ voice ’ in the exhibit that comments on the expedition and its aims from a modern perspective, illustrating how much has changed in archaeology and in the middle east since breasted ’ s time, ” says geoff emberling, research associate and chief curator of the oriental institute. one of the goals of breasted ’ s trip was to purchase material for display at the university ’ s museum of the ancient middle east. at the time of his journey, artifacts were sold with few restrictions. john d. rockefeller jr., an admirer of breasted ’ s books, which popularized an understanding of the heritage of the region, gave him an initial gift of $ 50, 000 ( more than $ 500, 000 in today ’ s dollars ), an amount supplemented by the university of chicago, to purchase items. breasted ’ s letters back to chicago spoke of his “ loneliness and almost morbid love of home. ” yet he also was excited to be exploring many historic sites that previously he had only studied in books. he was able to choose material that was not only beautiful, but historically important. among his most prized finds was a book of the dead, commonly put in tombs to describe the afterlife, which rolled out to nearly 35 feet. breasted could barely contain his enthusiasm when he wrote about finding the scroll : “ i could hardly believe my eyes, for i saw something which i have never seen in all my years in egypt — a beautiful roll of papyrus, as fresh and uninjured as if it had been a roll of wall paper just arrived from the shop! ” with its “ wonderfully wrought vignettes, ” it was “ one of the most remarkable examples on display anywhere, ” says emily teeter, coordinator of the breasted exhibition. traveling in an open biplane, breasted was one of the first archaeologists to see the pyramids and the delta of the nile from the air. he purchased more than 700 objects, including a group of limestone serving statues from a tomb that show scenes of daily life in ancient egypt. the mummy meresamun, the subject of a recently completed oriental institute special exhibit, also was acquired on breasted ’ s journey. an important part of breasted ’ s trip took


from a tomb that show scenes of daily life in ancient egypt. the mummy meresamun, the subject of a recently completed oriental institute special exhibit, also was acquired on breasted ’ s journey. an important part of breasted ’ s trip took him through an area of the middle east that was facing an unsettled time after the defeat of the ottoman empire in world war i. the british were seeking dominance in an area that now includes iraq, and breasted took photos of an emerging nation in transition. the british military provided an escort for breasted and his party, who travelled across the region by boat, plane, model t fords, and sometimes horse - drawn wagons. along the way, breasted identified locations for future exploration, including the site of khorsabad in what is now northern iraq, where a team from the oriental institute excavated a winged, human - headed bull that is now one of the museum ’ s most popular sculptures. he also visited leading figures, including king faisal, who ruled in damascus and would eventually become the first king of iraq. despite breasted ’ s connections, the region was not secure enough for him to visit the site of megiddo, though he saw it from afar and took photos. later oriental institute expeditions were able to excavate the site, which is the location of the biblical battle of armageddon. that work is the most important ever done on the site and went back through centuries of occupation. artifacts from that excavation are on display at the museum. despite breasted ’ s reverence for ancient culture, his attitudes toward the modern peoples of the middle east were backward and rooted in the prejudices of his time, emberling says. partly for that reason, he was disconnected from the region ’ s political drama even as he passed through it. “ breasted and his team were fundamentally more interested in the past than in the present reality of the region, ” emberling says. “ there is a very real sense in which their trip was to a past landscape. ”


stand up and speak out 17 october 2007ces informations ne sont pas disponibles en francais. unaids secretariat staff in geneva joined the stand up and speak out events taking place across the globe, calling for leaders to take action against poverty and inequality and to achieve and exceed the millennium development goals. expressing themselves through written messages on a billboard, unaids staff underlined the critical need to scale up the response to aids in the drive to reach the millennium development goals. as part of the messages, unaids executive director, dr peter piot called for everyone to “ act everyday against poverty ” while his deputy, deborah landey urged the world to “ fight aids, end poverty ”. last year, more than 23 million people took part in similar stand up and speak out events and set a new guinness world record. this year, the organizers expect to break this record so the message rings even louder. in 2000, leaders of 189 countries signed up to the millennium development goals, a global plan to halve extreme poverty by 2015. yet, every day, 50, 000 people die as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider. the stand up and speak out initiative aims at making governments honor their commitments on more and better aid, debt cancellation, trade justice, gender equality and public accountability by showing them that more and more people are taking a stand. co - founders of the initiative — the global call to action against poverty and the united nations millennium campaign — are working with a large number of national and local partners from schools and universities to local community groups and women ’ s groups, choirs and sporting clubs to faith groups, trade unions to corporations and many more. entertaining and engaging events are being organized in around the world. view photo gallery of the unaids stand up and speak out event more on stand up, speak out campaign more on the united nations millennium development goals


this one simple ( non - gory ) image will change the way you think about animals who are born to be slaughtered in australia. prepare to have your mind blown. nearly every animal in australia born to be eaten or have their eggs or milk taken, will not live their full natural life. this chart shows to scale how much of their life they experience before they are killed to be eaten, or because they are no longer ' productive ' enough to be kept. to give it some perspective : the average life expectancy for an australian is almost 82 years. if you were a ' dairy cow ', it would mean you shouldn ' t bother planning your 21st b ' day. if you were a veal calf, you wouldn ' t even reach 2 years old. that ' s a really grim way to look at it - but the sad truth is that most animals in australia are killed as babies. you don ' t have to rescue a pig and have her live in your backyard to be a lifesaver for these animals. all you have to do is decide not to eat them. it ' s such a simple change in your life, but it will make the world of difference to animals you no longer eat. take the pledge to be veg, now! whether you can ' t wait to show off your report card, or whether you ' ll be ' filing it ' in the bin before mum and dad see it - find out which animals would be top of the class if they went to your school. 1. japanese macaques. these monkeys would definitely snag the home economics prize, as they are known to wash sweet potatoes in river water before eating them. not only that, they since learned that washing the taters in sea water infused them with a pleasant salty taste. masterchef... or masterchimp? 2. finches. language class would be no problem for finches who " talk " to each other using proper grammar. a field study found that finches ignored remixed versions of their own songs, because the jumbled up versions made no sense to them. this suggests that humans aren ' t the only animals able to order sound logically. tbh, if it ' s super - early in the morning, i can barely order sounds logically myself. so, well done finches! 3. ravens. excellent problem - solvers, they would dominate at school. they have been known to use sticks to get insects out of logs and even drop walnuts in front of cars to crack


day if given freedom from a factory farm. ( note : " rooting " maybe isn ' t what you think it is, so stop being immature. ) while the intense and utter boredom may seem bad enough, it ' s hardly the only abuse pigs are subject to in factory farms. not by a long shot... if you ' ve seen enough and want to see an end to this cruelty, then join with over 60, 000 other australians who have already taken the make it possible pledge. by promising to make kinder choices at meal times you can make factory farms - - and cruelty to pigs! - - a thing of the past. ( and i guess you don ' t need to be a rocket surgeon to know that the kindest choice you can make is to not eat animals at all! ) can i just say straight off the bat, that i am constantly being amazed by pigs? it seems like not a week goes by when i don ' t hear a story of how impressive these little oinkers are. the latest one that had me shaking my head in wonder is the footage that shows a pig saving a goat from drowning! yes - you read that right. watch the drama unfolding in the clip below! ( weird coincidence alert : check out the unleashed sticker to the right which predicted that this would one day happen! whooo, spooky. ) what an amazing story. that pig is a hero in my books. and can i just say - thank goat the pig was there, because the guy filming hardly covered himself in glory. would it have killed him to put the camera down and help out?? but i ' ll move on. so, we can add " heroic " to the list of things we now know about pigs. did you also know that they are playful and will wag their tails like a dog when they ' re happy? and that they ' ve been found to be smarter than dogs, and even as smart as 3 year old children! but did you know that pigs need some rescuing of their own? in factory farms, pregnant mother pigs can legally be confined between bars for four months straight, with no room to even turn around. piglets can have their tails ( and balls! ) cut off with absolutely no pain relief. and the sad fact is, that for most factory farmed pigs in australia, the day they are trucked to their deaths at an abattoir, their last day on earth - is the only day they will ever feel the sun on their back


and the sad fact is, that for most factory farmed pigs in australia, the day they are trucked to their deaths at an abattoir, their last day on earth - is the only day they will ever feel the sun on their back. pigs are amongst the most mistreated animals in the world. their very intelligence and charm only makes the cruel treatment dished out to them in factory farms even worse. you ' re probably thinking that what is legal to do to pigs in the name of profit is pretty shocking. you ' d be right. and when farmers break the rules, it can get even worse. you may remember the shocking conditions at wally ' s piggery in nsw last month, and the horrible deaths pigs faced at a victorian abattoir in december last year. luckily, rescuing them from factory farms couldn ' t be easier - - simply choose not to eat them. take the pledge to go veg, and save almost a hundred animals ( not just pigs ) every single year. with your kind choices at meal time, you can be the lifesaver that these animals so desperately need. sometimes you see or hear about something happening, and it changes your life forever. for many people, it might well be the footage and photos released last week of a piggery near canberra. an investigation by animal liberation act and animal liberation nsw revealed some of the most appalling cruelty and neglect ever filmed on an australian factory farm. you can see footage and photos from the investigation here ( warning : the content of the website is very distressing ). just 20 mins drive from our nation ' s capital, workers were shown kicking piglets across the floor. in a room next to their mothers ( within ear shot ), young pigs screamed as they were beaten over the head with a sledgehammer and then slaughtered without any effective stunning. footage shows some pigs apparently conscious and struggling for minutes after their throats had been cut. buckets were filled with dead piglets, and various types of injuries and infections were left untreated. the footage is like some kind of sick horror movie. amidst the brutality and neglect, the scene i found perhaps most heartbreaking was a mother pig standing in a tiny crate, just being continuously pounded by a flood of water from a burst pipe. that these intelligent and sensitive animals could be treated so horribly is just devastating. even though a lot of what was filmed showed illegal cruelty, the legal practices filmed will also shock you. piglets have their tails and teeth cut off without


a burst pipe. that these intelligent and sensitive animals could be treated so horribly is just devastating. even though a lot of what was filmed showed illegal cruelty, the legal practices filmed will also shock you. piglets have their tails and teeth cut off without painkillers. pregnant sows are confined to tiny crates where they ' re not given enough room to even turn around. this is legal and standard practice in piggeries across australia. as is the dank and dark conditions evident in the footage. for many factory farmed pigs the first time they will feel the sun on their backs is also their last as they are transported to slaughterhouses to be killed. unfortunately, the abuse at wally ' s piggery isn ' t the first time ( even recently ) that farmed animals in australia have been subject to such mistreatment. earlier this year, a review in nsw found animal welfare breaches at * every * single slaughterhouse in the state. and late last year, an abattoir in victoria was permanently closed because of extreme cruelty. hopefully, anyone involved with wally ' s piggery will face the full force of the law for what they ' ve done. this won ' t help pigs who continue to experience fear, distress and cruelty in australian piggeries which aren ' t breaking any laws, though. if you want to make a real difference to them, then don ' t eat them. by going veg you ' ll single - handedly save 100 animals every year, and you won ' t be contributing to an industry that puts profits before the welfare of animals. if you ' ve already gone veg, what was it that helped make your decision? here ' s another reason why people would rethink their dinner plans : the nsw food authority has just finished a review of all the domestic slaughterhouses in nsw. guess how many of those places needed to be told to clean up their act? a ) none of them b ) some of them c ) most of them d ) all of them! if you guessed " all of them "... you were right! animals were observed being mistreated in every domestic abattoir across the state. the review found that slaughtering staff didn ' t always know what they were doing ( what the...??! ) and that some animals were not being stunned properly before being killed. that means they may have still been conscious when their throats were cut : ( the review started after nightmarish footage was taken at hawkesbury valley meat


..??! ) and that some animals were not being stunned properly before being killed. that means they may have still been conscious when their throats were cut : ( the review started after nightmarish footage was taken at hawkesbury valley meat processors by animals australia member society, animal liberation. but hey, this is hardly the first shocking footage to come out of a slaughterhouse recently... remember the pigs being stabbed in the eyes at a victorian slaughterhouse late last year? if you ' ve already seen it then i ' d say you probably do remember it. the reality is that what goes on in slaughterhouses on a daily basis is ugly - - even when no laws are being broken. and it ' s so well hidden from public eyes that we can never really be sure how an individual animal on the supermarket shelf was treated. the only way to be certain that animals aren ' t suffering for our food is also the simplest way : take meat off the menu. the animals will thank you for it ; ) and if that weren ' t enough reason to jump for joy, there ' s more... the tassie minister for agriculture has also announced that they are going to fast track the phase out of pregnant sow crates. you might remember a couple of years ago they committed to getting rid of these cruel crates by 2017... well now they are promising to have ' em gone for good by the middle of next year! if you ' ve ever written a letter, shared a campaign video or spoken out for battery hens and mother pigs, then give yourself a pat on the back. you ' ve been a part of making history today! that ' s one state down, and just a few more to go ( don ' t worry, the first one ' s always the hardest )... across the rest of australia mother pigs can still be locked in cramped crates, where they can ' t even turn around. and get this : an estimated one in every six battery hens lives in chronic pain with a broken bone. don ' t you think it ' s about time the egg industry voluntarily phased out battery cages?! here ' s the deal.. if you want to help hens and pigs around australia, there are two important emails you can shoot off asap : tell australian egg corporation ltd ( aecl ) that the writing is on the wall! tassie is phasing out battery cages, so it ' s about time they do the right thing and commit to a voluntary phase out


off asap : tell australian egg corporation ltd ( aecl ) that the writing is on the wall! tassie is phasing out battery cages, so it ' s about time they do the right thing and commit to a voluntary phase out of battery cages. email aecl here : firstname. lastname @ example. org tell australia pork ltd ( apl ) to hurry up! if tassie can get rid of pregnant sow crates by next year, why can ' t the rest of australia? email apl here : email @ example. com once you ' ve sent those off it ' s time to celebrate! if you were hosting a party, which of the following things would you probably not organise? a guest list, food, music... or severed pigs heads? it looks like melbourne company neuw jeans decided, " what the heck... let ' s get all of ' em! " if you don ' t believe me then just check out the photos. i pretty much live in my jeans, but these hipsters have kinda put me off denim somewhat. the dead pigs, partygoers stressing out piglets - for once i ' m actually happy i didn ' t get invited to a party. well, the photos pretty much speak for themselves with this one but something just struck me. i wonder if the people at the party had seen the footage of just how terrible things can get at an abattoir. if they had, i doubt they would have been in the mood for much partying. if you want to let neuw jeans know that cruelty is never in fashion - - then leave a comment on their facebook or twitter. * * update * * since posting this blog, it seems that neuw have not only removed disturbing pics of butchered pigs from facebook, they may also have turned off their public comment feed. so, if you ' re having trouble leaving them a message, never fear - - click here. p. s. if you want to see pigs being treated the right way, then you might want to check out the farm sanctuaries at edgar ' s mission and brightside. they ' re the real party animals. har - har - har... i ' m always heartened when i hear other people discussing animal welfare issues in the street or on tv. so i was pretty chuffed to turn on my computer this morning and see that voiceless launched an ad campaign today that will have everyone talking. check this out …


, ' kate ', also described something she couldn ' t capture on video : another pig who escaped and ran into the scalding tank ( a pit of boiling hot water, used to remove hair from the dead pigs ). what a terrible way to go : ( this is just one slaughterhouse - - one that also killed free - range animals and was regularly inspected by authorities. it certainly makes you wonder what might be going on behind closed doors in other slaughterhouses! so what do you think? is paul mccartney right when he says " if slaugtherhouses had glass walls everyone would be vegetarian "? every now and then you see a clip that really makes you stop and think. this is undoubtedly one of them … it ' s not every day that you ' d get such a short vid that manages to get in so many shocking elements in such an effective way. from the bacon slices to the roast chicken, the eggs, the milk and even the mayonnaise, this talented film maker has provided a voice for pigs, broiler chickens, laying hens and dairy cows in just 30 seconds. all the while flickering this important line " you may be blind to this but you ' re the only voice they ' ve got ". and the final sound of an innocent sheep crying really brings home the point that we must use our voices to help end the suffering of these exploited animals. thanks so much to brett ludeman from storybottle for creating such a haunting vid for unleashed, and for showing others the reality of their dinner or their cup of milky coffee. what do you think of this ultra short film? do you know anyone who would be blind to this? you could share the video and help them open up their eyes and their ears and use their voice to help animals. you may not have heard of the artist, miru kim before. even when you look at these photographs of her, you may have a hard time seeing her at first. it ' s almost like an overly artistic " where ' s wally? " and when you finally spot her, it may shock you as to how well she blended in … to a herd of pigs! " pig eyes are remarkable. they see right into the eyes of a human being. when they were looking at me, exposed before them, surrounded by them, i could not read their gazes, but they were somehow shockingly familiar. there was no language to bridge that disparity – the mysterious gap between the gaze of a pig and that of mine.


me, exposed before them, surrounded by them, i could not read their gazes, but they were somehow shockingly familiar. there was no language to bridge that disparity – the mysterious gap between the gaze of a pig and that of mine. but when i mingled with them with my skin, the gap momentarily closed in, as if i had forgotten my own language. my words were lost, and i felt the swinish grunts resonate inside me. " the close up images of the skin on skin are striking, aren ' t they? it ' s difficult to see where miru ends and the mother pig begins. there are so many similarities between us and pigs – and not just in skin. like us they each have unique personalities. pigs are also considered one of the most intelligent animals outside the primate family - as smart as 3 year old children. and like us they can be affectionate and playful. while there may be many similarities between humans and pigs, our lives could not be more different. in a couple of the photos you can see the barren single pens that mother pigs are often locked in during their pregnancy. in australia, these clever pigs can be kept in those cruel sow stalls for as long as 16 weeks - their entire pregnancy! imagine not even being able to turn around for 4 months! even the group pens for younger pigs are a crowded affair. miru can barely fit in there! and those pigs have had to endure much more than just the stress of a crowded pen. at just a few days of age they would have had their teeth cut right back, their tails cut off and the boys may have been castrated - all without pain relief! sadly, unlike miru, who left the farm after finishing her photo shoot, these pigs will only leave their life of confinement on their last day of life - in a cramped truck on the way to the slaughterhouse. thanks for being amazing! i appreciate everything you ' ve ever done for me. but above all else, thank you for showing me what compassion is ; thank you for encouraging me to think for myself ; and thank you for always supporting my decisions. if it weren ' t for these simple gifts that you ' ve given me, i doubt i would be campaigning for animals today. it fills my heart with sorrow to know that unlike you, many mothers won ' t feel loved and cared for this mother ' s day ( or any other day of the year ). for new mother pigs, pinned tightly between metal bars, unable to properly nurture


heart with sorrow to know that unlike you, many mothers won ' t feel loved and cared for this mother ' s day ( or any other day of the year ). for new mother pigs, pinned tightly between metal bars, unable to properly nurture their newborn babies - used as nothing more than milking machines - this mother ' s day will be just like any other day of their lives : miserable. but you ' ve taught me to be an optimist. and one day i hope they will be as happy and free, with their family, as you are. thank you for giving me all the space i need and the voice to speak for them and work towards that hopeful day. i promise to take what you ' ve given me and do all that i can to make this world a better place for everyone. have you ever wondered what your dog or your cat would say if they could talk back to you? i ' m certain my dog, kia would tell me she doesn ' t care if she has her own chair, she ' d rather sit in mine! i also have no doubt that as i type this, she is trying to say " hurry up, let ' s go outside for a tug of war! " and what would animals say to each other? i really hope this video is close to the truth ; ) a biologist from the bahamas might be on her way to discovering what animals really have to say. denise herzing has been working with dolphins for years and has devised an amazing way for humans and dolphins to communicate. using symbols, and a keyboard synthesizer that creates sounds similar to those naturally produced by dolphins, they can actually ask each other for particular objects, like a ball or a scarf. how incredible! and she thinks it ' s only a matter of time before more complex interactions get started. so by now you ' ve probably heard the good news : last week japan called an early end to their whaling season. woot! here ' s hoping this is the end to japan ' s whaling program for good! ( btw you can sign the petition to call for a permanent end to japanese whaling here ) i ' m glad to see aussies so passionate about whales. they ' re amazing animals and harpooning them is just plain awful.. but also, it seems to me that people caring about whales is a sign of hope for other animals. i mean, if people can feel such a strong connection to whales then surely they could feel that same compassion for other animals, right? sure not all animals weigh


it seems to me that people caring about whales is a sign of hope for other animals. i mean, if people can feel such a strong connection to whales then surely they could feel that same compassion for other animals, right? sure not all animals weigh 40 tons, live in the ocean and eat krill, but really they ' re not so different. for example... they say whales are smarter than your average bear ( sorry, for the yogi reference, i couldn ' t help myself )... not unlike pigs, who have proven themselves to be quite the clever creatures. in fact, pigs have even been trained to play computer games! yup... with specially designed joysticks pigs can pick up on how to play intelligence testing games just as quickly as chimpanzees! whales are also well known for their strong bonds between mother and calf. mother and calf... hmm... sounds just like another familiar furry, doesn ' t it? mother cows also form a strong bond with their calf within hours of being born, and this bond only strengthens over time. as for their songs...? scientists suspect that some species of whales sing to their young - something mother pigs are also known for ( not to mention hens clucking to their eggs ). but perhaps even more surprisingly, the author jeffrey masson tells the story of a pig who liked to sing to the full moon. now that ' s something i ' d like to see! but the thing that i think really captures people ' s imaginations with whales is their playfulness - the way they leap out of the water, often for what seems like the sheer joy of it. i ' d like to think that if more people saw footage like this playful kid goat, then the aussie public would be as concerned about the treatment of farm animals as they are about the hunting of whales. wdyt? when it comes to christmas, there ' s a few traditions you just can ' t go without. decorating a tree, pulling bon bons, making the most of the colourful paper hats and lame dad jokes inside said bon bons, wrapping ( and unwrapping ) presents, wrapping your sisters in tinsel, wearing crazy reindeer antlers on your head before putting them on grandpa and taking his photo as he snoozes in his chair, searching out the one cd your parents have that is full of christmas songs to be played over and over again, eating so much great vegan food you


head before putting them on grandpa and taking his photo as he snoozes in his chair, searching out the one cd your parents have that is full of christmas songs to be played over and over again, eating so much great vegan food you have to undo the button on your jeans and have a nap …. i could go on! and i will! because there ' s a new tradition to add to the list, and it ' s going to catch on like wildfire! in the united states, the president pardons a turkey each year at thanks giving ( lucky turkey! too bad it ' s only one! ). here at unleashed we invite every single australian to pardon a pig for christmas and leave them off the chrissy menu! quite frankly, there ' s too many legs of ham sold at christmas time for my liking, let alone for the liking of the millions of pigs who used to walk around on them! the suffering of pigs confined in factory farms is immense. from mother pigs being confined to sow stalls and farrowing crates that severely restrict their movement, to piglets having their tails, teeth and testicles sliced off without pain killers, the festive spirit never quite finds it ' s way to factory farms. so far thousands of aussies and celebs have pardoned a pig, meaning there ' ll be a lot more room at the table for kindness and goodwill this year. ( and here ' s some recipes to help fill that cruelty - free space! ) so join in the new tradition and get everyone you know to take part ( wake grandpa up too to make sure he doesn ' t miss out! ). let ' s help all animals to feel the kindess and giving spirit of the holiday season! oink! ooh sorry, pardon me! ( if i ' ve missed any of the fabulous traditions that make up your christmas day, list them below! ) this hard hitting radio campaign first hit airwaves 2 years ago and stirred up quite a response! now, lucy ' s back and urging shoppers to spread the christmas spirit and help free animals from factory farms. most of us look forward to christmas as a time to see family, give ( and receive! ) presents, and relax. but pigs, chickens and turkeys have little to look forward to at this time of year. the demand for ham, turkey and chicken at christmas - time, makes the holiday season the peak time of year for animal suffering in australia. inside factory farms preparation for christmas has begun, and that


little to look forward to at this time of year. the demand for ham, turkey and chicken at christmas - time, makes the holiday season the peak time of year for animal suffering in australia. inside factory farms preparation for christmas has begun, and that means even more families pulled apart, with piglets taken from their mothers, fattened up and killed ; and even more chickens packed into sheds by the thousands and left to marinate in their own waste for their short and miserable 42 days of life. animals in factory farms don ' t receive even the simplest gift of kindness, and in their unnatural cramped environment will likely never know what it is to relax. but enough with the doom and gloom, ' cause all of that can change. all it takes for christmas to be a peaceful time of year for all is for people to take pigs ( and our feathered friends ) off their plates and celebrate the festive season with a cruelty - free feast instead. and with any luck, many people who hear lucy ' s plea for help will do just that! i know i ’ m not alone when i say that in my swimmers i sometimes feel … well, porky! but i know i ’ ll never look this porky in the ocean! we ’ ve discovered a whole family of pretty porkers on big major spot island who can put all my fears to rest. these cute little pigs have nothing to do all day but sun themselves on the sand and swim in the crystal clear waters of the bahamas. nice work if you can get it! have you ever seen more contented babes in your life? aside from doing wonders for my body image, these piggies lift my spirits because i know that these swimming swines will never have to endure the torture that millions of pigs on the other side of the world have to put up with in factory farms across australia. piglets born in factory farms have their tails cut off through the bone without pain relief. they are then taken away from their mums and fattened up in crowded pens, only to be slaughtered - - but not before being gassed or electrically stunned first. are you stunned yet? i am, because it gets worse. mother pigs can spend their whole pregnancy in tiny metal crates, which are too small for them to even turn around in. did you know that pigs are as smart as a three - year - old child? imagine locking a toddler in a bathtub for 4 months! if only animals were given a choice... it should be plainly obvious to anyone


around in. did you know that pigs are as smart as a three - year - old child? imagine locking a toddler in a bathtub for 4 months! if only animals were given a choice... it should be plainly obvious to anyone lucky enough to swim among these precious pigs in the bahamas that pigs would rather be our friends than food. but you don ' t need to leave town to be an angel to pigs - - you can help make their dream come true by taking the pledge to be veg! ah, i ’ m dreaming of the day people and piggies all over the world can swim happily together... and not look too porky in the process!! now with the weather warming up, don ’ t you feel like taking a dip now? yesterday australian pork limited announced that they were " pursuing a voluntary phase out " of sow stalls by 2017. now we all know that 2017 really isn ' t soon enough - i mean coles has committed to doing the same by 2014 - but this still marks a major victory and means ultimately millions of mother pigs will be spared a miserable life of solitary confinement. but wait, there ' s more! this morning coles added another to their recent streak of animal welfare improvements. they ' ve announced they will be completely ditching their own brand of cage eggs by 2013. i don ' t think i need to tell you that this is good news for those who care about animals and bad news for animal abusers. i ' m gonna say it... this is the beginning of the end for factory farming! supermarkets and industry ( or at least the pig industry ) are seeing the writing on the wall. factory farming ' s days are numbered. really, once the public realises that piglets have their tails cut off without pain relief, or that chickens raised for meat are crammed into sheds by the thousands only to marinate in their own waste for 42 days before slaughter, will they want to support those practices? i think not! at this rate we ' ll be out of a job in no time ( ok maybe that ' s wishful thinking ). but really, if you want to help put us out of a job and give animals the ultimate protection they deserve then the answer ' s simple - don ' t eat ' em. tell me, what factory farming practice would you like to see put into the history books next? this has been an awesome week for animal victories! and what makes these wins that much sweeter is that they wouldn ' t have


t eat ' em. tell me, what factory farming practice would you like to see put into the history books next? this has been an awesome week for animal victories! and what makes these wins that much sweeter is that they wouldn ' t have happened without us! that is unleashed members like you! first we found out that the brutal plan to trap, transport and slaughter tasmanian possums at a notoriously cruel abattoir has been rejected by the federal environment minister. tony burke couldn ' t ignore over 500 emails from us outlining that there would be no way to carry that out humanely. now no possum has to face the shear terror of a slaughterhouse for the export market! next up, coles announced that they will phase out any products from piggeries using sow stalls from their own range of pork, ham and bacon ( side - note - - yuck! ). this means that by 2014, coles won ' t be supporting any pig farmer who, cruelly yet legally, confines mother pigs in cages barely bigger than their bodies while they are pregnant. less pigs trapped in sow stalls means more pigs with space to do simple things like turn around. there ' s still a long way to go before coles can call themselves cruelty - free, but these changes are coming about through pressure from consumers ( and of course from gorgeous lucy pig! ). and finally, last night the ku - ring - gai council voted 7 - 3 to ban cruel exotic animal circuses! this ban was actually already in place until the circus industry applied enough pressure for the council to backflip in august and overturn the ban. this outraged the public, but one thing unleashed members know how to do is make their voices heard. thousands of signatures on the animals australia online petition - - or as i like to call it - - the deafening roar, convinced councillors that lions ( and tigers, and monkeys... ) don ' t belong in the circus! i just have to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the incredible unleashed members that have played a massive part in improving the lives of these beautiful, innocent animals. we are their voice - - this shows how powerful we are when we speak up! it is incredible to think that if i brought a little piglet home and named her ( come on, we ' ve all thought about it! ) she would learn that name in no time and come running every time i called her … ruby! olive! doris! ( i can


if i brought a little piglet home and named her ( come on, we ' ve all thought about it! ) she would learn that name in no time and come running every time i called her … ruby! olive! doris! ( i can ' t choose ). but studies have shown this to be true, meaning a pig could potentially be as wonderful a pet as a pooch! but footage from a recent doco from animal equity in spain proves beyond doubt that we still have a very long way to go in giving all pigs the quality of life we afford our gorgeous companion animals. this rare glimpse into their world is recommended viewing to anyone who still eats pork, bacon, ham, crackling … pigs basically! ( recommended viewing for those that don ' t eat pigs is here ) pretty shocking stuff, right? what ' s more shocking is that this is happening all over the world – australia included. every year, in australian factory farms, over 4 million scared piglets endure painful procedures like having their teeth cut, and tails sliced off - - all without pain relief. those ' farrowing crates ' that can be seen in the vid are used in piggeries across australia too. did you know that pigs wag their tails when they ' re happy, just like dogs? well, scientists believe that pigs are actually smarter than dogs. now can you imagine if someone did these sorts of things to your dog ( or your cat )? you ' d make sure they saw the inside of a prison cell for a mighty long time right? even though these awful practices are still legal in australia, pigs are slowly, but surely gaining a stronger voice as more and more people ( including big players like coles ) are beginning to wake up to the horrors of factory farming. but what can you do to ease their suffering right now? don ' t eat pigs! it really is the easiest and simplest way for every person to help pigs straight away. and if you ' ve already taken piglets off your plate ( i love you, you ' re ace! ), try to speak up and make their voice louder every chance you get! ps click here for further info on the effects of your meat free diet! in ' 98 two piglets in the uk, butch and sundance, did just that. they escaped from the back of a truck, squeezed through a fence, swam across a river and vanished into a nearby garden. the pair were on the run for a week before they were finally caught. by that time their story was on


just that. they escaped from the back of a truck, squeezed through a fence, swam across a river and vanished into a nearby garden. the pair were on the run for a week before they were finally caught. by that time their story was on the international news and the public were so taken by these two escapees that they were rewarded by being given a home in a farm sanctuary. so what goes through the mind of an escaped pig? illustrator extraordinaire, donn pattendon asked this question for his most recent artwork, ' escapee '. if you ' ve taken a stroll through the back catalogue of blogs on unleashed, then you ' ve probably come across some illustrations by donn before. he won the people ' s choice award at last year ' s illustrators australia 9x5 exhibition with a very clever take on battery hens. his entry for this year ' s 9x5 exhibition is another great illustration shining the spotlight on factory farming. and the cherry on top, is that donn has kindly offered to donate 20 % on the sale of this artwork to animals australia! if you live in melbourne and want to check out the exhibition ( and vote for donn ' s piece for this year ' s people ' s choice award ), then below are details. if you don ' t live in melbourne, then you can check out the rest of the exhibition online by clicking here. illustrators australia annual 9x5 exhibition where : space 39, lvl 2, 39 collins st, melbourne opening night : friday 17th sep 6pm, silent auction, drinks nibbles and a chance to purchase original illustration on 9x5 wood, prize giveaways for people ' s choice awards. gallery open for one day only ; saturday 18th sept 10am - 4pm. right, so back to the question... what do you think would go through the mind of an animal escaping from a factory farm? fantastic animals australia and unleashed supporters continually amaze and delight me with the creative ways they speak up for animals. from leafleting and protests to simply talking to their friends about why they should consider animals, i ' m proud to be part of such a wonderful community. and last week was no different. we received an email from supporter, kendra, to let us know that her workplace was now full of people who had recently taken the pro pig pledge after learning about the cruelty of sow stalls. how did they find out? check this out! kendra used her culinary skills to create these eye catching


to let us know that her workplace was now full of people who had recently taken the pro pig pledge after learning about the cruelty of sow stalls. how did they find out? check this out! kendra used her culinary skills to create these eye catching cupcakes highlighting the plight of mother pigs in factory farms across australia. it sounds a bit odd to say that seeing those sow stall cupcakes made my mouth water … i feel a bit better saying that the greener cupcakes look just that bit more appetizing! cupcakes were the order of the day all round kendra ' s office, but none generated more buzz and discussion than her sympathetic sweets! and she no doubt changed a few workmates ' buying habits at the same time. nice one kendra! and thank you from the pigs! has this inspired you? what are you gonna spell out in the icing of your next batch of cupcakes? what is it with people who are obsessed with bacon? i mean, i ' m all for creativity with food... seeing someone make a flute out of a carrot is very cool. but this obsession with putting bacon in everything is just plain disturbing. take for example, bacon ice - cream... ick! sure, i used to like bacon - before i realised the piglet on my plate had his tail cut off ( cutting through bone ), his testicles sliced off, and his teeth snapped down to the marrow ( and nerves ) inside - all without pain relief. it ' s hard to tell yourself " but it tastes good " when you know that blt was an abused animal - especially when you could have a tasty flt ( facon, lettuce and tomato ) without any casualty. now, i can ' t help but feel ill when i see some of the putrid products people produce from pigs. you roam the internet a little and you ' ll notice people have gone batty on bacon. a little while ago, i started a list of things i would never want as a present. well today i want to add to my un - wishlist all those gastly bacon creations, and every bacon flavoured, scented or look - alike product out there. here are just a few of those dreadful ideas : bacon tuxedo : apparently this suit not only looks like bacon, but it has been chemically treated to smell like bacon. so just like real bacon, it probably increases your risk of cancer. bacon mints : if bk flame was the perfect way to


they treat their animals stinks! mother pigs in crates so small they can ' t turn around ; piglets having their tales cut off without pain relief ; hens in cages where they ' ll never be able to even stretch their wings... these are just a few of the things that come to mind when i think of hungry jack ' s and just a few of the things i don ' t want to be thinking about when i ' m freshening up for a date. if you agree that the way hungry jack ' s treats their animals stinks, then sign the petition calling on them to stop caging their animals. you can also print this petition out and get all your mates to sign too. that might sound like a tall order, but every year animals australia finds a new way to spoil your mum, whilst also helping out the thousands of mother animals who are locked up inside factory farms. this year animals australia has hooked up with ' growing gifts ' to create what i think is simply the most awesome mother ' s day gift anyone could buy... a bundle of goodies that includes a real live lemon - scented tea tree! i just wish i was a mum so someone would buy this for me! : - ) looks preeeeetty swish, huh? the real value in this gift however is the bit you don ' t see in the picture. each ' growing gift ' helps to fund important campaigns to end factory farming, like this one, this one and this one. pigs are one of the smartest animals on the planet - - as smart as dogs and 3 year old children! yet in factory farms mother pigs are locked up in tiny crates so small they can ' t even turn around. pretty shocking, right? well someone needs to stand up for these amazing animals. and that someone is us. so if you haven ' t worked out what to give mum for mother ' s day yet, then maybe this is it! you can order the small tree gift for $ 40, but if you don ' t have enough dough saved up for that then here are some other gorgeous gift ideas that aren ' t so expensive, but will also help out the animals : if you don ' t have a credit card, and can ' t borrow one, then don ' t panic - - just call our office pixies on a weekday on ( 03 ) 9329 6333 and they ' ll help you out. and while you ' re planning the perfect day - off for mum, here are a few winning breakfast


t panic - - just call our office pixies on a weekday on ( 03 ) 9329 6333 and they ' ll help you out. and while you ' re planning the perfect day - off for mum, here are a few winning breakfast - in - bed recipes that are sure to get you out of cleaning your room for at least a week : so, you may have seen in the news that australia is lifting its ban on beef imports from mad - cow countries. let me tell you why this makes me mad : mad - cow disease is an illness affecting cattle - caused by feeding cows to cows. nasty stuff! but it gets even nastier! if humans eat this infected meat, it can cause the fatal disease, called variant creutzfeldt jakob disease ( you know with a name that long it ' s gotta be bad! ). sure, these countries claim to have the all clear from mad - cow disease now, but any country that used to feed cows to cows doesn ' t sound like a smart place to import beef from ( not that killing cows sounds like a good idea to begin with ). anyway, while turning cows into cannibals before eating them sounds pretty mad, we ' ve got some home - grown nastiness to worry about - a not - so - little thing called factory farming. packing animals into overcrowded sheds, where they may have to live in their own filth without fresh air, natural light or exercise is bound to make them sick. so animals in factory farms are often fed a diet of antibiotics just to keep them alive long enough to be killed. the problem with this? viruses evolve and antibiotics don ' t. factory farms are the perfect breeding ground for antibiotic - resistant super bugs. that ' s right ; diseases not even modern medicine can cure - * cough * bird flu * cough * swine flu * cough * and while it ' s gross - what goes in must come out. the major problem : the huge amount of waste produced by factory farms is not treated, like human waste is. in the case of pigs, it is channelled into massive, open - air cesspits. these " lagoons " ( as the industry calls them ) can pollute the soil and underground water supplies, and run - off can wreak havock on local waterways - not to mention the health risks to the local community! but, no need to worry! like a wizard, i have the perfect solution for you! and while you ' re at it,