the researchers also found continuous, explosive sparks that lasted only a few milliseconds, which appeared at the mouth of the volcano just when it started erupting. this indicated that the eruption itself, not just the ejected ash and rock, had created a large amount of charge. thomas is not sure how the charge is generated, something he hopes the redoubt experiment will reveal. when the chaiten volcano erupted in chile in may 2008, thomas ’ s team also arrived later than was ideal, but this time they were able to get four sensors in place, giving them their first 3 - d maps. preliminary analysis showed horizontal lightning up to 8 kilometers long. at redoubt, which began erupting on 26 march, they had a head start and for the first time recorded data right at the first eruption. thomas ’ s hopes are high : ” we ’ ll get a lot better estimate of what ’ s going on inside the volcanic cloud. ” in the kind of storm clouds that generate conventional lightning, ice particles and soft hail collide, building up positive and negative charges, respectively. they separate into layers, and the charge builds up until the electric field is high enough to trigger lightning. the conventional wisdom has been that in volcanic eruptions, charged ash and rock debris produce lightning by analogous processes. from what thomas and his team have already learned, volcanic lightning might be more complex than that. if they are successful in developing a mapping system, it could provide useful warning that an eruption has actually begun. ” just because a volcano is rumbling and making lots of seismic noise, you can ’ t tell whether it erupted, ” thomas says. tamsin mather, a volcano researcher at the university of oxford, in england, adds that the sensors could be a handy warning system especially for ” remote volcanoes in alaska or kamchatka that don ’ t have people watching them all the time but have plenty of planes that fly in the vicinity. ” airplanes have unknowingly flown into ash, which has sometimes choked their engines. volcanic lightning could also yield clues about earth ’ s geological past, mather says. and it could answer questions about the beginning of life on our planet. scientists suspect that volcanoes on a primeval, sweltering earth could have been the cradle of life. they had the right ingredients : water, hydrogen, ammonia, and methane. lightning would have been the essential spark that converted these molecules into amino acids, the building blocks of protein.


| cookies : by using this website you agree that we can place google analytics cookies on your device for performance monitoring. | optical metamaterials - bending the laws of physics if you have a question about this talk, please contact tim wilkinson. tea is served from 6pm metamaterials are artificial materials with properties that do not exist normally in nature. advances in nanoscale fabrication allow for the realization of optical metamaterials which allow us to manipulate light in ways that were orignially not thought to be possible. these materials are composed of subwavelength electromagnetic structures place very close to one another. due to mutual coupling between the individual structures, they present properties to incident electromagnetic radiation ( such as light ) that are different from those associated with the material from which the structures are comprised of. in this talk we use periodic arrays of multiwalled carbon nanotubes as subwavelength structures to produce optical metamaterials that exhibit artificial dielectric properties and band gaps within the optical regime. this talk is part of the iet cambridge network - lectures series. this talk is included in these lists : note that ex - directory lists are not shown. other listsgraduate seminars religion, conflict and its aftermath talks metabolism other talkspsychometric application of bifactor modelling for multidimensional mental health phenotype : a population based genotype ‐ trait association study serre weights and de rham cohomology of shimura curves annual general meeting an introduction to origins of the afro comb exhibition the immunology of a successful pregnancy under the bonnet of the ferrari of the virus world - norovirus replication and immune evasion


for all practical purposes, the story of american terrier work begins in 1971 with patricia adams lent, who founded the american working terrier association to promote working terriers and dachshunds. the american working terrier association ( awta ) was, and is, a modest organization with fewer than 100 members. it has no headquarters or paid staff, and produces a simple xeroxed newsletter four times a year. its web site ( as of 2005 ) has no information about actual hunting or wildlife, and is focused almost entirely on go - to - ground trials. that said, awta is a very important organization in the history of american working terriers, not only because it was the first " club " devoted to the sport, but also because ms. lent invented go - to - ground trials, and the basic set of rules governing them. since 1971, go - to - ground trials have served as a kind of " on ramp " for actual field work. the basic awta format has been widely copied, first by the jack russell terrier club of america ( 1976 ) and then by the american kennel club ( 1994 ). the origin of the american go - to - ground tunnel can be found in the artificial fox earths first constructed in the uk in the 1920s, but which came into their own in the 1950s and 60s with the collapse of so many ancient rabbit warrens under the onslaught of myxomatosis. artificial earths are generally constructed of two parallel rows of brick stacked three bricks high and topped by overlapping slates, or out of 9 - inch clay or concrete drainage pipe laid end - to - end. the result is a very spacious and dry fox earth. if sited within 200 feet of a water source ( it does not have to be large ), far from residences, and on the edge of fields and small woods, the chance of a fox taking up residence is excellent. the first artificial fox earths were constructed in order to guarantee that a fox could be found on hunt day, and to encourage fox to run along known courses away from roadways. that said, they also found favor because they proved easy locations for a terrier to bolt a fox from. even an overlarge dog could negotiate the straight or gently curving unobstructed nine - inch pipes of an artificial earth. the go - to - ground tunnels devised by patricia adams lent were constructed of wood instead of stone, brick or clay pipe, but were equally commodious, measuring 9 inches on each side with a bare dirt


inch pipes of an artificial earth. the go - to - ground tunnels devised by patricia adams lent were constructed of wood instead of stone, brick or clay pipe, but were equally commodious, measuring 9 inches on each side with a bare dirt floor for drainage and traction. from the beginning awta ' s goal was to be inclusive. scottish terriers with enormous chests were encouraged to join awta, as were owners of west highland whites, cairns, norfolks, border terriers, fox terriers, lakelands, welsh terriers and bedlingtons. all were welcome, with the simple goal of having a little fun with the dogs, and perhaps giving american kennel club terrier owners some small idea of what actual terrier work was about. in awta trials, wooden den " liners " are sunk into a trench in the ground. the tunnels are up to 35 feet long with a series of right - angle turns, false dens and exits. the “ quarry ” at the end of the tunnel is a pair of " feeder " lab rats safely protected behind wooden bars and wire mesh. the rats are not only not harmed, but after 100 years of breeding for docility, some lab rats have been know to go to sleep! without a doubt, go - to - ground trials have been a huge hit with american terrier owners. dimensions of the den liners - - 81 inches square - - means even over - large terriers are able to negotiate them with ease. with nothing but a caged rat to face as " quarry, " the safety of dogs is guaranteed, and since the dogs only have to bay or dig at the quarry for 90 - seconds, most dogs end up qualifying for at least an entry - level certificate or ribbon. though the die - hard hunter may sneer, the increasing popularity of go - to - ground terrier trials is a welcome thing, for it has brought more people a little closer to real terrier work. owners of dogs that do well in go - to - ground trials should take pride in their dog ’ s achievements. like all sports that emulate real work ( lumber jack contests, bird dog trials, and sheep dog trials, to name a few ), a go - to - ground trial is both harder and easier than its real - world cousin. a dog that will exit a 30 - foot tunnel backwards in just 90 seconds and on a single command ( a requirement for earning an akc certificate ) is a dog that has been trained to a fairly high degree of


than its real - world cousin. a dog that will exit a 30 - foot tunnel backwards in just 90 seconds and on a single command ( a requirement for earning an akc certificate ) is a dog that has been trained to a fairly high degree of proficiency. having said that, it should be stressed that a go - to - ground trial has little relationship to true hunting. in the field dogs are not rewarded for speed. in fact, if a hunt terrier were to charge down a real earth like it were a go - to - ground tunnel it would quickly run into quarry capable of inflicting real damage. in addition, in a real hunting situation a dog must do a great deal more than “ work ” the quarry for 90 seconds. a good working dog will stick to the task for as long as it can hear people moving about overhead – whether that is 15 minutes or three hours. the real division street between go - to - ground and earthwork, however, is size. and the real problem with a go - to - ground trial is not that it teaches a dog to go too fast down a tunnel ( dogs understand the difference between fake liners and real earth ), but that it suggests to terrier owners that any dog that can go down a cavernous go - to - ground tunnel is a dog “ suitable for work. ” to its credit, the american working terrier association recognizes the difference between a go - to - ground tunnel and real earth work, and implicitly underscores this difference in its rules for earning a working certificate. awta rules note that a terrier or dachshund can earn a working certificate on woodchuck, fox, raccoon, badger, or an “ aggressive possum ” found in a natural earth, but that “ this does not include work in a drain or otherwise man - made earth. ” in short, a drain is not a close proxy for a natural earth, and terriers that are too large to work a natural earth do not meet the requirements of a working terrier. the american working terrier association issues certificates of gameness to dogs qualifying at their artificial den trials. working certificates are awarded to dogs that work groundhog, fox, raccoon, possum, or badger in a natural den provided that at least one awta member is there as a witness. awta also issues a hunting certificate to a dog that hunts regularly over a period of a year. six years after the american working terrier association was created, mrs.


natural den provided that at least one awta member is there as a witness. awta also issues a hunting certificate to a dog that hunts regularly over a period of a year. six years after the american working terrier association was created, mrs. alisia crawford, one of the first jack russell terrier breeders in the u. s., founded the jack russell terrier club of america ( jrtca ) ms. crawford and the early founders of the jack russell terrier club put a lot of thought into structuring the jrtca so that work remained front and center. towards that end, the club decided that its highest award - - the " bronze medallion " - - would not go to show dogs, but to working dogs that had demonstrated their ability in the field by working at least three of six types of american quarry - - red fox, gray fox, raccoon, groundhog, possum, and badger - - in front of a jrtca - certified field judge. in the show ring the jrtca decided to ban professional handlers as it was thought this would keep the shows fun and less important than the essential element of work. instead of mandating the kind of narrow conformation ranges demanded by the kennel club for their terrier breeds, the jrtca divided the diverse world of the jack russell terrier into three coat types ( smooth, broken and rough ), and two sizes ( 10 inches tall to 12. 5 inches tall, and 12. 5 inches tall to 15 inches tall ). " different horses for different courses " became a watch word, with overt recognition that the world of working terriers required dogs able to work different quarry in different earths, and in different climates. unlike the kennel club the jrtca also decided to keep their registry an " open " registry so that new blood might be infused at times. at the same time, the club discouraged inbreeding and eventually restricted line breeding to a set percentage. to balance off an open - registry with the desire to keep jack russell - type dogs looking like jack russells, decided not to allow dogs to be registered at birth or to register entire litters. instead, each dog would be photographed from each side and the front, and admitted to the registry on their own merit, and as an adult. in addition, each dog had to be measured for height and chest span. what this meant is that at the time of registration, the height and chest measurement of an adult dog could be recorded.


registry on their own merit, and as an adult. in addition, each dog had to be measured for height and chest span. what this meant is that at the time of registration, the height and chest measurement of an adult dog could be recorded. over time, both height and chest size could be tracked through pedigrees - - an essential element of breeding correctly - sized working terriers. the jrtca was not shy about their rationale for these rules : they openly and emphatically opposed kennel club registration, maintaining that time had show that dogs brought into the kennel club quickly grew too big and often lost other essential working attributes such as nose, voice, and prey drive. today the jack russell terrier club of america is the largest jack russell terrier club and registry in the world, and its annual national trial attracts approximately 1, 200 jack russell terriers from all over the u. s. and canada. the jrtca ' s small professional staff cranks out a solid bi - monthly magazine that is 80 - 100 pages long, holds a regular schedule of dog shows, and sells deben locator collars, fox nets, and a host of other items ranging from hats and jackets to coffee cups. the web site of the jack russell terrier club of america is one of the very best dog sites in the united states, packed with well - presented information, high - quality graphics and a user - friendly layout. perhaps the most important service work of the jrtca are the ads that the club routinely runs in all - breed publications warning people that jack russell terriers are not a dog for everyone, are primarily a hunting dog, and are not like the cute dogs seen on tv. sometime in the last 1990s, following the appearance of jack russell terriers in a host of tv and hollywood productions ranging from " wishbone " and " frasier " to " my dog skip " and " the mask, " the american kennel club decided to add the jack russell terrier to its roles. as they had previously done with the border collie, the akc ignored the strong opposition of the large existing breed club, and quietly assembled a new club of show - ring breeders to serve as their stalking horse. the " jack russell terrier breeders association " ( later called the jack russell terrier association of america, and now called the " parson russell terrier association of america " ) petitioned for the admission of the jack russell terrier into the kennel club and, despite the objections of the


" ( later called the jack russell terrier association of america, and now called the " parson russell terrier association of america " ) petitioned for the admission of the jack russell terrier into the kennel club and, despite the objections of the jrtca, the breed was admitted in january of 2001. the admission of the jack russell terrier into the american kennel club was a contentious affair, with the jrtca standing firm on its long - held rule that no dog could be dual - registered. what this meant is that breeders had to chose whether to remain in the jrtca or to " get in early " with the akc before they closed their registry. some of the breeders that chose the akc did so because they thought they could then sell their puppies for more money, others were eager to be the " big fish in a small pond " at the beginning of a new akc breed registry. still others were anxious to attend more dog shows,. whatever the reason, the kennel club required that the jack russell terrier breed description be narrower than that of the jrtca. the goal of a kennel club breed description is to craft a narrow " standard " - - the wide variance in size, coat and look allowed and encouraged in the world of working terriers would not do. the american kennel club breed standard stipulated that an akc jack russell terrier could not be under 12 inches in height nor over 15 inches in height, and further stipulated that " ideal " dog was 14 inches tall and the ideal bitch was 13 " tall. ironically, this breed description effectively eliminated about 40 % of all the american dogs that had actually worked red fox in the u. s. more importantly, this narrow standard eliminated the small dogs necessary to " size down " a breed - - something absolutely necessary in order to keep working terriers small enough to work. of course the american kennel club has never been interested in working terriers and the breed club they created has shown no interest in work either. under continuing pressure from the working jack russell terrier community in england and the u. s., the british and american kennel clubs decided to jettison the " jack russell terrier " name to more easily identify the non - working show ring dog they favored. now called the " parson russell terrier, " the akc dog is quickly getting too big in the chest to work - - though not many dogs are actually taken out into the field to try. after just three years in the ken


why are there fewer women working in science than men? things have certainly improved, with participation in many branches of science at undergraduate and graduate levels now broadly balanced between the sexes. and yet by mid - career – as people progress into their 30s – a serious gender gap starts to appear. climb the ladder to senior research positions and the disparity deepens. why is this the case? shouldn ’ t we be trying to address this issue? and, if so, how? the conversation spoke with five leading scientists to get their views. cathy foley ( csiro ) : chief of material science and engineering division. why is there a gender gap in science? only about 30 % of people working in science are women and that can go down to 5 % in certain areas – engineering in particular. there ’ s no single reason for this. firstly, there are practical reasons. quite often women have children and leave the workforce for a while. there are currently no programs that allow female scientists to re - enter the workforce where their skills are brought up to speed. science and technology is a field that changes all the time, so if you ’ re out of the workforce it takes quite a bit to catch up. women also often have a different career path to men – until their 30s there ’ s a very similar career path, and then they split. women tend to plateau or go backwards for about 15 years. but i ’ ve noticed that women ’ s careers kick off again in their late 40s and early 50s. so if they can hang in there, women tend to do really, really well. what we ’ ve found is that many women don ’ t realise this, and get frustrated that their career is going backwards. so they leave the workforce or get jobs in other sectors. there ’ s also frustration when women don ’ t feel welcome. science can be a very blokey environment, very competitive. i ’ m generalising here, but women aren ’ t normally as competitive in the workplace as men. all this means women don ’ t get the same kinds of accolades and awards, don ’ t apply for the same jobs, grants, prizes and can ’ t progress in the same way. why is having fewer women than men in science a problem? this is a recipe for disaster. women make up half the population, so we ’ re losing half of the brightest people to solve the world ’ s major problems. we ’ re chopping ourselves off at the knees as a society if we ’ re not embracing our full


for disaster. women make up half the population, so we ’ re losing half of the brightest people to solve the world ’ s major problems. we ’ re chopping ourselves off at the knees as a society if we ’ re not embracing our full human potential. also, the best work is done when teams are diverse. a lot of research coming out now says you ’ ll get better results if you have teams with different genders, different personality types, different racial backgrounds, indigenous, and people with disabilities. they all bring a different perspective and a different way of problem solving – you don ’ t get the “ group think ”. what can be done to redress the gender balance? there ’ s no silver bullet. you need to have people at the highest level, from the prime minister to heads of industries, saying this is important and making a commitment to solving the problem. we ’ ve got to even up the playing field in some way. there are some basic things that can be done. to be successful, researchers need to go to international conferences and be connected to networks. having funding to help with childcare during these times is really important. also a clear path for re - entry into the workforce is crucial. some solutions cost money but many don ’ t. it ’ s about cultural change, and changing cultures is very difficult. suzanne cory ( australian academy of science ) : australian academy of science president why are there fewer women in science? in the life sciences, we train as many women as we do men. at the graduate and doctoral levels, at least half the graduates are women. but then there ’ s a precipitous drop off. it starts when women reach their early 30s, which often coincides with childbearing. that ’ s the major problem – how do you get women through that very difficult period when they are trying to juggle family and career? science demands long hours, great focus, and great competitiveness to be successful. i don ’ t think there are barriers to women to have careers in science – i think it ’ s up to women to take the challenge. the door is open and they need to walk through it. we have made considerable progress over the past decades – we ’ ve got a woman [ dr megan clark ] heading csiro, a woman heading the australian research council, the chancellors of several universities are women. but we are still losing too many women along the way. we need to do even better. what will happen if we don ’ t address this issue


csiro, a woman heading the australian research council, the chancellors of several universities are women. but we are still losing too many women along the way. we need to do even better. what will happen if we don ’ t address this issue? the low participation of women in career - long science is an international problem. if australia is to have a vibrant future, we need be extremely innovative and we need all the best brains we have. when i entered science there were incredibly few women continuing careers in science, and that ’ s definitely improved. we ’ ve done a lot by changing attitudes in schools and that ’ s reflected in the steady increase in the number of women who study science at university. but it hasn ’ t improved nearly as fast as i expected. in fact, i think it has plateaued. what should be done? we need to focus on this “ drop - off ” point. it ’ s quite simple really – women need a lot more support during that period of their lives. the key way to help would be to have more high - quality and affordable childcare. from my own experience, that ’ s critical. secondly, i think we need to increase awareness and capabilities of young men, so that as partners they ’ re more willing and capable of sharing the load during that key point of child bearing. thirdly, funding bodies need to look very carefully at how they assess performance during the period when, inevitably, productivity is lower for women. i don ’ t think it ’ s appropriate to tell female scientists, “ we ’ ll keep you on no matter what ” – that ’ s not realistic. but we do need to help them to be high performers. we also need to encourage our young women to believe in themselves more, and encourage their drive and their willingness to take risks. lastly, and this is not just to help women, we need to continue working at enhancing the image of science. having a world where we ’ re as proud of our scientists as we are our sportspeople will encourage more of our best young people to take up careers in science and technology. mahananda dasgupta ( australian national university ) : professor, department of nuclear physics, research school of physics and engineering why do you think there are fewer women in science than men? i think it ’ s because of time pressures in a fast - moving field. if you drop the ball for a year, it ’ s very hard to catch up and there ’ s a perception that feeds off that, which discourages women further


? i think it ’ s because of time pressures in a fast - moving field. if you drop the ball for a year, it ’ s very hard to catch up and there ’ s a perception that feeds off that, which discourages women further. science is also an international playing field and it ’ s very competitive. if you ’ re trying to develop quantum memories for fast and secure information processing, it ’ s not just you – the whole world is trying to develop that in competition. early in your career, you might want to work part - time when you ’ re raising a family but the highly competitive nature of science is not very forgiving of that. why is the relative lack of women in science an important issue? we are now a technologically - driven society and if we are losing roughly half of our trained workforce and not utilising their expertise, then it is a loss to our society and its competitiveness. i understand mining companies are putting a lot of effort into keeping women, in fact anyone they have trained, as it ’ s simply smart business practice. and that ’ s a good point. if we didn ’ t refer to this as something about women, but a workforce issue – that we ’ re losing half of our workforce – it would raise a lot more questions. the case is even stronger now that we are facing skills shortages in australia. how do we retain that female workforce? by strong and meaningful mentoring, which doesn ’ t just mean a quick meeting once a month or web - based mentoring, but real mentors who encourage women or younger people to devise strategies about how best to use their time, and what roles to apply for to advance their career. every person at that early stage needs support. we need to champion women scientifically – not “ she ’ s a good person ”, but “ she ’ s an excellent physicist who ’ s done this great work ”. once younger people get that reassurance that they ’ re good, they ’ re wanted in the field and their expertise is valued internationally, they will stick to it. equally, the employers ' responsibility to provide childcare is very important. if we are expanding and building infrastructure – why are we not building childcare facilities? i was educated in india where, if a student is sharp, they ’ re encouraged to show it through participating in discussions or taking on extra - educational activities. teachers, family and society are proud of the achievements of the individual. this is very good for the development of the individual and society. it does


sharp, they ’ re encouraged to show it through participating in discussions or taking on extra - educational activities. teachers, family and society are proud of the achievements of the individual. this is very good for the development of the individual and society. it does strike me that in australia we give a lot of kudos to those who excel in sports, but if you excel in studies you are a dork, particularly among other students. sometimes, following talks i give in schools, students come to the carpark to ask me science questions, rather than asking them in front of the class. how do we get away from that? i believe that to make real long - term progress we must respect and encourage intellectual achievements. how you make society do that is difficult to know. maybe the media have a role in terms of highlighting intellectual and technical endeavours and achievements. i also hope it might arise naturally with the realisation the regions around us are investing heavily to lift the educational levels of their population. tanya monro ( university of adelaide ) : inaugural chair of photonics why are there fewer women in science? there are so many complex reasons for this disparity, especially in the more senior roles. one is that senior people are looking for those that have taken similar pathways and achieved similar things to them. that ’ s disadvantageous to women who have sometimes taken a different, more circuitous path. sometimes it ’ s not overt barriers but institutional cultures as well. i was really struck by the male culture during my first meeting here at the university with other physics academics. it was really confrontational and that could discourage many women. job security is another big issue in retaining women. there ’ s a profound difference in the way women think about their career prospects at key points. they leave academia because they can ’ t see any certainty. guys generally tend to have a more relaxed attitude, and wait to see what opportunities open up. i think we also have a tall poppy issue in australia and perhaps women are more sensitive to that, as we often don ’ t want to stand out. why should there be more women in science? the heart of this problem is just loss of talent. it ’ s increasingly obvious to me that we ’ re now choosing from a smaller talent pool. women often bring a broader set of skills to science, especially the physical sciences, and to leadership. they are often more team focused – something that ’ s increasingly important. how do we achieve a better balance? recent moves by the australian research council and their laureate fellowship scheme were


set of skills to science, especially the physical sciences, and to leadership. they are often more team focused – something that ’ s increasingly important. how do we achieve a better balance? recent moves by the australian research council and their laureate fellowship scheme were very positive – the rules changed to give a named fellowship with extra resources to the best female scientists. this is better than a quota. i know i ’ d never feel comfortable getting a position just because i was a woman. but giving the best woman an extra opportunity – that ’ s a better way to do it. one vital ingredient in supporting women is high - quality on - site childcare. this is hugely important for mums trying to come back into the workforce, and it should be a minimum requirement. amanda barnard ( csiro ) : theoretical condensed matter physicist, working in theoretical and computational nanotechnology. what ’ s your view on the gender imbalance in science? in physics, the gender disparity is much starker in than the health and life sciences sector. this is well documented, and has been measured statistically many times, but it ’ s all the more real when you attend an international meeting and find yourself the only female in the auditorium. the truth is that men and women do have different skills, and different ways of approaching scientific problems, and this is something to be celebrated, not dismissed or trivialised. why should there be more women in science? without gender balance, we are like a boat with only one oar. no matter how strong the right oar is, unless we have the left oar to complement it, we ’ ll always be paddling in circles. talented female scientists are going to waste, whether they are currently employed in science or not. female scientists that are currently employed are often sidelined, ignored or simply dismissed as irrelevant. more often than not i ’ m assumed to be a graduate student, and one of my male postdocs is assumed to be my boss. what can be done to get more women into science, especially into senior roles? at the undergraduate and graduate levels, participation is already reasonably balanced. it ’ s in mid career that gender gaps appear. we need greater flexibility to maintain both career and family, and an acceptance from employers and colleagues that we can still be productive and successful when our work style is non - traditional or ( dare i say ) off site. in terms of more senior roles, there ’ s the issue of corporate culture, and whether or not leadership positions are considered hospitable environments


size : 8. 5 inches general description : formerly known as a rufous - sided towhee, this common bird can most often be found under the bushes, on the open forest floor, and among the shrubbery near lawns. with its distinctive black head and upper body, red eyes, rusty - orange sides, black tail showing white at the corners in flight, white belly, and white spots and bars on the wings, the male is hardly inconspicuous. the females are similar, but appear more brown than black, and their colors are not as bright, and juvenile birds are heavily streaked and lack the colors of the adults. habitat : towhees prefer brushy clearings with some sunny patches, forested lowlands, shrubby thickets of salal, willow, myrtle, and blackberries, and residential garden edges. behavior : these birds are almost exclusively ground birds, easily located by their loud scratching in the leaves under the bushes. they are rarely seen feeding in trees but they will often show up at the seed and suet feeders in our yards, and can be very aggressive defending their spot on the feeder. they are also quite vocal, and have several calls and sounds ; one is a sort of questioning single note that rises, as though to say, “ ehhhhh? ” the other is more of a rattle, repeated over and over. diet : spotted towhees are seed, insect, and worm eaters ( more correctly called terrestrial invertebrates ), and will also eat acorns and berries. as mentioned earlier, they are also quite fond of suet, especially if its the kind with berries in it. nestlings are fed insects and some fruit. nesting : male spotted towhees display from high perches, singing to defend their territories as early as february, flashing their wings open and shut to display their white spots, but the female picks the nest site. in april, she finds a scrape on the ground or a low fork in the bushes and builds the cup - shaped nest of leaves, grass, bark, twigs, and rootlets, and lines it with fine grass, evergreen needles, and hair. she lays three to five eggs and incubates them for 12 to 14 days. both parents feed the young, which leave the nest in about 10 to 12 days, but they do not fly for another six days. the young stay in the parents territory for another 30 days, and the parents generally have just the one brood each year. migration : western washington birds are year - round


a 104 - page book with glossy soft cover, stories of robin hood told to the children was originally published in 1907. this edition is an unabridged republication of the work, and it includes pictures by a. s. forrest rendered in black and white ( rather than the color illustrations originally published in 1907 ). ideal for children ages eight and up, the book includes " how robin hood came to live in the green wood, " " the meeting of robin hood and little john, " and other stories about robin hood ' s merry men, maid marian, and king richard. the book begins with a one - page explanation by the author that stresses the existence of robin hood as a real person and presents the intention of the book to tell the " how and why " of robin hood. the first chapter contains a bit of background information for the reader. the author offers some explanation as to how robin hood came to live in the green wood. she includes a brief and general history of king richard and his leaving england for the crusades. the chapters are well written and include all of the famous stories often told of robin hood. there is a great story of love and a demanding father requiring his daughter to marry for money rather than love, offering an opportunity to discuss a christian marriage based on love and commitment. the stories include details of those long - ago times. for instance, meat was hauled by horse - back riders in " panniers " rather than by trains ( as there were none, and roads were often too bad for even carts to travel well ). and a glimpse of the class system is shown in robin hood ' s own love story. maid marian and robin hood ' s romantic story demonstrates the desire for funds to keep " a lady " in her accustomed lifestyle. marian ' s love for robin made her willing to live in the woods to be with him. character should be discussed occasionally throughout the reading in order to clarify the behavior of robin hood, who took from the rich to give to the poor. the book consistently stresses that those he took from had taken from others, but clarification is still necessary and must be determined by each family. the very nature of reading aloud provides opportunity for discussion as the story progresses, which is why our family loves reading books together. the stories are easy to read aloud, and the occasional poetry consistently rhymes, making the book even easier to read. the poetry also adds the elements of fantastic use of language and wonderful vocabulary. the book portrays carelessness in an honest way : " robin was so


uprooting racism in the food system : communities organize for justice march 11, 2013 a shovel overturned can flip so much more than soil, worms, and weeds. structural racism - the ways in which social systems and institutions promote and perpetuate the oppression of people of color – manifests at all points in the food system. it emerges as barriers to land ownership and credit access for farmers of color, as wage discrimination and poor working conditions for food and farmworkers of color, and as lack of healthy food in neighborhoods of color. it shows up as discrimination in housing, employment, redlining, and other elements which impact food access and food justice. many people involved in creating food - from haitian tomato pickers organizing in florida, to native americans saving seeds in arizona, to black detroit residents growing gardens in fractured neighborhoods – are simultaneously chipping away at structural racism. in the harvesting justice series we touch on many of these issues, starting with a look at african - american farmers and what they doing to win justice in the food system. in 1920, one in every seven farmers in the u. s. was african - american. together, they owned nearly 15 million acres. racism, violence, and massive migration from the rural south to the industrialized north have caused a steady decline in the number of black farmers. so, too, has, institutional racism in the agricultural policies of the usda. by 2007, african - american farmers numbered about one in 70, together owning only 4. 2 million acres. over the years, studies by the u. s. civil rights commission ( crc ), as well as by the usda itself, have shown that the usda actively discriminated against black farmers, earning it the nickname ‘ the last plantation. ’ a 1964 crc study showed that the agency unjustly denied african - american farmers loans, disaster aid, and representation on agricultural committees. but organizations like the national black farmers association, the black farmers and agriculturalists association, the land loss prevention project, and the federation of southern cooperatives have been challenging racism in agricultural policy through legal action. in 1997 - 98, african - american farmers filed class - action lawsuits against the usda for unjustly denying them loans. the lawsuits were consolidated into one case, pigford v. glickman, which was settled in 1999. but due to delays in filing claims, nearly 60, 000 farmers and their heirs were left out of this settlement. in november 2010, the u. s. congress passed the claims settlement act (


. glickman, which was settled in 1999. but due to delays in filing claims, nearly 60, 000 farmers and their heirs were left out of this settlement. in november 2010, the u. s. congress passed the claims settlement act ( known as pigford ii ) to compensate black farmers who were left out of the first settlement. president obama signed the bill a month later, making $ 1. 25 billion available for claimants in the form of cash payments and loan forgiveness, though the black farmers and agriculturalists association has filed an appeal because pigford ii provides smaller payments and places limits on claimants ’ future legal options. bell hooks wrote, “ collective black self - recovery takes place when we begin to renew our relationship to the earth, when we remember the way of our ancestors … living in modern society, without a sense of history, it has been easy for folks to forget that black people were first and foremost a people of the land, farmers. ” some who are still farmers are carrying on the fight for economic and civil rights for land - based african - american people, a fight which dates back to the days of slavery. probably the most impressive contemporary example of such organizing has been the federation of southern cooperatives. an outgrowth of the civil rights movement, it formed in 1967 when 22 cooperatives met at atlanta university. the federation has used collective action ever since to support black and other small farmers and rural communities. today, their members include over 100 coops in 16 states across the south. a fast - growing movement is african - americans reclaiming their connection to their urban land and their food, as part of food justice and food sovereignty movements. people ’ s grocery and mo ’ better food in oakland, growing power, rooted in community, detroit black community food security network, and many others are organizing with farmers and connecting african - american growers and consumers. many of these, such as the detroit black community food security network, are working forcommunities of color to have democratic control over their own food systems. their work includes youth programs and urban gardening in areas where access to healthy, affordable food is limited, as is the case in many low - income and people of color neighborhoods. these groups are also raising awareness of the ways that african - american communities, and communities of color in general, have been sidelined within the food movement itself. inclusion and participation of people of color has come slowly and late. often, african - american neighborhoods are targeted as ‘ intervention ’ areas by outside organizations that - though well -


communities of color in general, have been sidelined within the food movement itself. inclusion and participation of people of color has come slowly and late. often, african - american neighborhoods are targeted as ‘ intervention ’ areas by outside organizations that - though well - meaning - are neither led by nor accountable to the community and its most urgent needs and goals. the prevailing white culture of the food movement as a whole creates barriers : the typical image of farmers presented often reflects a white archetype and the types of food solutions presented are not always culturally relevant or practical. a critical element of many african - american groups ’ work thus involves nation - wide education and organizing on structural racism as it impacts health, farming, food, and land. among other elements, these organizations are committed to knocking down barriers to food production and food access. some have joined the world - wide movement for food sovereignty, in their own communities and through the u. s. food sovereignty alliance, so that citizen control over food and agriculture can exist across global economic systems. ultimately, we all eat, and we are all implicated. achieving racial justice in the food system is not the sole burden of african - americans organizing but will take multiracial alliances of people raising awareness of systemic disparities, and working together to end them. i want to add many latino & low - income communities have started community farms as well. it ’ s a huge step toward autonomy, mutual aid & collectivism in these areas where healthy food isn ’ t readily available or it ’ s very expensive. i recently began working with a women ’ s collective & migrant farm workers to develop a community farm in south el paso near the texas / mexico border. i would really encourage people with the time & resources to start organizing a community farm because food justice is a human right ’ s issue!


tiny wiki : fast loading, text only version of wikipedia. kingdom of sicily the kingdom of sicily ( regno di sicilia, commonly abbreviated regno, regnum siciliae ' ' or ' ' sicilie, reino de sezilia ) was a state that existed in the south of italy from its founding by roger ii in 1130 until 1861. it was a successor state of the county of sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the norman conquest of southern italy. the kingdom covered not only the island of sicily itself, but also the whole mezzogiorno region of southern italy. the island was divided into three regions ; valle di mazzara, valle di demona and valle di noto. it was sometimes called the ' ' regnum apuliae et siciliae ' ' until 1282. in 1282 a revolt against the angevin rule, known as the sicilian vespers threw off charles of anjou ' s rule of the island of sicily. the angevins managed to maintain control in the mainland areas of the kingdom, which eventually became known as the kingdom of naples, after its capital. the island became a separate kingdom, under the rule of an aragonese dynasty. after 1302 the island kingdom was sometimes called the kingdom of trinacria ( the english equivalent word of trinacria is the triangle ). often the kingship was vested in another monarch such as the king of aragon, the king of spain or the holy roman emperor. in 1816 the kingdom of sicily merged with kingdom of naples into the newly created kingdom of the two sicilies. in 1861 its areas were united with the kingdom of italy. the norman kingdom was created in 1130 by roger ii of sicily. roger united the lands he inherited from his father roger i of sicily. these areas included the duchy of apulia and the county of sicily, which belonged to his cousin william ii, duke of apulia, until his death in 1127, and the other norman vassals. roger threw his support behind the antipope anacletus ii, who enthroned him ' ' king of sicily ' ' on christmas day 1130. in 1136, the rival of anacletus, pope innocent ii, convinced lothair iii, holy roman emperor to attack the kingdom of sicily with help from the byzantine emperor john ii comnenus. two main armies, one led by lothair, the other by duke of bavaria henry the proud, invaded sicily. on the river tront


, holy roman emperor to attack the kingdom of sicily with help from the byzantine emperor john ii comnenus. two main armies, one led by lothair, the other by duke of bavaria henry the proud, invaded sicily. on the river tronto, william of loritello surrendered to lothair and opened the gates of termoli to him. this was followed by count hugh ii of molise. the two armies were united at bari, from where in 1137 they continued their campaign. roger offered to give apulia as a fief to the empire, which lothair refused after being pressured by innocent. at the same period the army of lothair revolted. then lothair, who had hoped for the complete conquest of sicily, gave capua and apulia from the kingdom of sicily to roger ' s enemies. innocent protested, claiming that apulia fell under papal claims. lothair turned north, but died while crossing the alps on december 4, 1137. at the second council of the lateran in april 1139, innocent excommunicated roger for maintaining a schismatic attitude. on march 22, 1139, at galluccio, roger ' s son roger iii, duke of apulia ambushed the papal troops with a thousand knights and captured the pope. on march 25, 1139, innocent was forced to acknowledge the kingship and possessions of roger with the treaty of mignano. roger spent most of the decade, beginning with his coronation and ending with the assizes of ariano, enacting a series of laws with which roger intended to centralise the government, fending off multiple invasions and quelling rebellions by his premier vassals : grimoald of bari, robert ii of capua, ranulf of alife, sergius vii of naples and others. it was through his admiral george of antioch that roger then proceeded to conquer the mahdia in africa ( ifriqiya ), taking the unofficial title " king of africa ". at the same time roger ' s fleet attacked the byzantine empire, making sicily the leading maritime power in the mediterranean sea for almost a century. roger ' s son and successor was william i of sicily, known as " william the bad ", though his nickname derived primarily from his lack of popularity with the chroniclers, who supported the baronial revolts which william suppressed. his reign ended in peace ( 1166 ), but his son, william ii, was a minor. until the end of the boy ' s regency in 117


of popularity with the chroniclers, who supported the baronial revolts which william suppressed. his reign ended in peace ( 1166 ), but his son, william ii, was a minor. until the end of the boy ' s regency in 1172, the kingdom saw turmoil which almost brought the ruling family down. the reign of william ii is remembered as two decades of almost continual peace and prosperity. for this more than anything, he is nicknamed " the good ". he died in 1189 without having heirs, which led the kingdom to decline. tancred of lecce seized the throne but had to contend with the revolt of his distant cousin roger of andria and the invasion of henry vi, holy roman emperor on behalf of his wife, constance, the daughter of roger ii. constance and henry eventually prevailed and the kingdom fell in 1194 to the hohenstaufen dynasty. through constance, the hauteville blood was passed to frederick ii, holy roman emperor. the accession of frederick, a child who would then become also the holy roman emperor frederick ii in 1197, greatly affected the immediate future of sicily. for a land so used to centralised royal authority, the king ' s young age caused a serious power vacuum. his uncle philip of swabia moved to secure frederick ' s inheritance by appointing markward von anweiler, margrave of ancona, regent in 1198. meanwhile, pope innocent iii had reasserted papal authority in sicily, but recognised frederick ' s rights. the pope was to see papal power decrease steadily over the next decade and was unsure about which side to back at many junctures. portrait of conradin, the last heir of the hohenstaufen in the kingdom of sicily. the hohenstaufen ' s grip on power, however, was not secure. walter iii of brienne had married the daughter of tancred of sicily. she was sister and heiress of the deposed king william iii of sicily. in 1201 william decided to claim the kingdom. in 1202, an army led by the chancellor walter of palearia and dipold of vohburg was defeated by walter iii of brienne. markward was killed, and frederick fell under the control of william of capparone, an ally of the pisans. dipold continued the war against walter on the mainland until the claimant ' s death in 1205. dipold finally wrested frederick from capparone in 1206 and gave him over to the guardianship of the chancellor, walter


pisans. dipold continued the war against walter on the mainland until the claimant ' s death in 1205. dipold finally wrested frederick from capparone in 1206 and gave him over to the guardianship of the chancellor, walter of palearia. walter and dipold then had a falling out, and the latter captured the royal palace, where he was besieged and captured by walter in 1207. after a decade, the wars over the regency and the throne itself had ceased. the reform of the laws began with the assizes of ariano in 1140 by roger ii. fredecik continued the reformation with the assizes of capua ( 1220 ) and the promulgation of the constitutions of melfi ( 1231, also known as ' ' liber augustalis ' ' ), a collection of laws for his realm that was remarkable for its time. the constitutions of melfi were created in order to establish a centralized state. for example, citizens were not allowed to carry weapons or wear armour in public unless they were under royal command. as a result, rebellions were reduced. the constitutions made the kingdom of sicily an absolute monarchy, the first centralized state in europe to emerge from feudalism ; it also set a precedent for the primacy of written law. with relatively small modifications, the ' ' liber augustalis ' ' remained the basis of sicilian law until 1819. during this period, he also built the castel del monte, and in 1224, he founded the university of naples, now called universita federico ii. it remained the sole athenaeum of southern italy for centuries. after the death of frederick, the kingdom was ruled by henry vii of germany and conrad iv of germany. the next legitimate heir was conrad ii, who was too young at the period to rule. manfred of sicily, the illegitimate son of frederick, took the power and ruled the kingdom for fifteen years while other hohenstaufen heirs were ruling various areas in germany. after long wars against the papal states, the kingdom managed to defend its possessions, but the papacy declared the kingdom escheated because of disloyalty of the hohenstaufen. under this pretext he came to an agreement with louis ix, king of france. louis ' s brother, charles of anjou, would become king of sicily. in exchange, charles recognized the overlordship of the pope in the kingdom, paid a portion of the papal debt, and agreed to pay annual tribute to the papal


. louis ' s brother, charles of anjou, would become king of sicily. in exchange, charles recognized the overlordship of the pope in the kingdom, paid a portion of the papal debt, and agreed to pay annual tribute to the papal states. [ ] the hohenstaufen rule in sicily ended after the 1266 angevin invasion and the death of conradin, the last male heir of hohenstaufen, in 1268. angevin and aragonese kingdoms in 1266, conflict between the hohenstaufen house and the papacy led to sicily ' s conquest by charles i, duke of anjou. opposition to french officialdom and taxation combined with inciment of rebellion by aragonese and byzantine agents led to the sicilian vespers insurrection and successful invasion by king peter iii of aragon in 1282. the resulting war of the sicilian vespers lasted until the peace of caltabellotta in 1302, dividing the old kingdom of sicily in two. the island of sicily, called the " kingdom of sicily beyond the lighthouse " or the kingdom of trinacria, went to frederick iii, who had been ruling it. the peninsular territories ( the mezzogiorno ), contemporaneously called kingdom of sicily but called kingdom of naples by modern scholarship, went to charles ii, who had likewise been ruling it. thus, the peace was formal recognition of an uneasy ' ' status quo ' '. sicily was ruled as an independent kingdom by relatives of the kings of aragon until 1409 and thence as part of the crown of aragon. the kingdom of naples was ruled by the angevin ruler rena© of anjou until the two thrones were reunited by alfonso v of aragon, after the successful siege of naples and the defeat of rena© in june 6, 1443. [ ] eventually, alfonso of aragon divided the two kingdoms during his rule. he gave the rule of naples to his son ferdinand i of naples, who ruled from 1458 to 1494, and aragon and sicily to alfonso ' s brother john ii of aragon. from 1494 to 1503 successive kings of france charles viii and louis xii, who were heirs of angevins, tried to conquer naples ( see italian wars ) but failed. eventually the kingdom of naples was reunited with the aragonese kingdom. the titles were held by the aragonese kings until 1516, followed by the kings of spain until 1707. from 1713 until 1720 the kingdom of sicily was ruled by the house of


. eventually the kingdom of naples was reunited with the aragonese kingdom. the titles were held by the aragonese kings until 1516, followed by the kings of spain until 1707. from 1713 until 1720 the kingdom of sicily was ruled by the house of savoy, which annexed it under the treaty of utrecht. in 1720 the house of savoy traded sicily for sardinia to the house of habsburg, who already ruled naples. in 1735, naples and sicily were attacked by king philip v of spain, a bourbon, who installed his younger son, duke charles of parma, as king charles vii of naples and sicily. in 1799 napoleon conquered naples, governed by ferdinand iv of naples ( later ferdinand i of the two sicilies ) at the time. it was formed into the parthenopaean republic with french support. under british pressure, especially from lord william bentinck, who was commander of british troops in sicily, naples was then handed back to ferdinand, being forced to create a constitution for the kingdom of sicily. a two - chamber parliament in palermo and in naples was formed. the formation of the parliament brought the end of feudalism in the kingdom. after the defeat of napoleon in 1815 ferdinand repealed all reforms. the people of sicily rebelled but were defeated by spanish and austrian forces. in 1848 another sicilian revolution of independence occurred, which was put down by ferdinand ii of the two sicilies, who was surnamed ' ' re bomba ' ' after his 5 - day bombardment of messina. from 1816 to 1861 the kingdoms were united under the name kingdom of the two sicilies. malta under the knights in 1530, in an effort to protect rome from ottoman invasion from the south, charles v, holy roman emperor, as charles i of spain, gave the islands of malta and gozo to the knights hospitaller in perpetual fiefdom, in exchange for an annual fee of two ( one for the emperor and one for the viceroy of sicily ) maltese falcons, which they were to send on all souls ' day to the viceroy of sicily. the maltese islands had formed part of the duchy, and later the kingdom of sicily, since 1127. the feudal relationship between malta and the kingdom of sicily was continued throughout the rule of the knights, until malta was conquered by napoleon, in 1798. unification with the kingdom of italy on april 4, 1860 a revolt against the bourbon regime broke out. giuseppe garibaldi assisted the revolt with his forces. he arrived at marsala on may 11, 1860 with 1, 000 redshirts. the arrival


with the kingdom of italy on april 4, 1860 a revolt against the bourbon regime broke out. giuseppe garibaldi assisted the revolt with his forces. he arrived at marsala on may 11, 1860 with 1, 000 redshirts. the arrival of the redshirts is known as the expedition of the thousand ( ) on may 15, the italian forces defeated the spanish army, consisting of 15, 000 troops, two weeks later palermo was freed. francis ii of the two sicilies tried to regain control of the kingdom. on june 25, 1860 he restored the constitution of the kingdom, adopted the italian tricolour as the national flag, and promised special institutions for the kingdom. on october 21, 1860 a referendum regarding the unification with italy was conducted. the majority of the kingdom ' s population ( 99 % ) voted for the unification. a small part of sicilians viewed the unification as occupation by the house of savoy, in which belonged victor emmanuel ii, the first king of italy. during the norman kingdom of sicily, the local communities maintained their privileges. the rulers of the hohenstaufen kingdom replaced the local nobility with lords from northern italy, leading to clashes and rebellions against the new nobility in many cities and rural communities. these revolts resulted in the destruction of many agrarian areas and the rise of middle class nationalism, which eventually led to urban dwellers becoming allies of the aragonese. this situation was continued during the short rule of the angevin until their overthrowing during the sicilian vespers. the angevin began feudalising the country, increasing the power of the nobility by granting them jurisdiction over high justice. during the 15th century due to the isolation of the kingdom, the renaissance had no impact on it. in 1513 the spanish inquisition was introduced in sicily, virtually stopping all possible progress. at the same period the feudalisation of the kingdom of sicily was intensified, through the enforcement of feudal bonds and relations among its subjects. in 1669 the eruption of mount etna destroyed catania. in 1693, 5 % of the kingdom ' s population was killed because of earthquakes. in that period there were also plague outbreaks. the 17th and 18th century were an era of decline of the kingdom. corruption was prevalent among the upper and middle classes of the society. widespread corruption and maltreatment of the lower classes by the feudal lords led to the creation of groups of brigands, attacking the nobility and destroying their fiefs. these groups which were self - named " mafia ", were the


society. widespread corruption and maltreatment of the lower classes by the feudal lords led to the creation of groups of brigands, attacking the nobility and destroying their fiefs. these groups which were self - named " mafia ", were the foundation of the modern mafia. the escalation of revolts against the monarchy eventually led to the unification with italy. during the reign of frederick ii the kingdom had a population of about 2. 5 million. during the hohenstaufen era, the kingdom had 3 towns with a population of over 20, 000 each. after the loss of the northern provinces in 1282 during the sicilian vespers and several natural disasters like the eruption of mount etna in 1669, the population of the kingdom of sicily was reduced. in 1803 the population of the kingdom was 1, 656, 000. the main cities of the kingdom at that period were palermo, catania, messina, modica, syracuse. the high fertility of the land led the norman kings to bring settlers from neighbouring regions or to resettle farmers to areas where cultivation of land was needed. this led to increase of agrarian production. the main sources of wealth for the kingdom of sicily at that period were its maritime cities, most important of which were naples and amalfi, from which local products were exported. the main export was hard grain, with tther products exported including nuts, timber, oil, bacon, cheese, skins, hides, hemp and cloth. grain and other dry products were measured in salme, which was equivalent to 275. 08 litres in the western part of the kingdom, and 3. 3 litres in the eastern part. the salma was divided in 16 tumoli. one tumolo was equivalent to 17, 193 litres. weight was measured in cantari. one cantaro was equivalent to and was divided in one hundred rottoli. cloth was measured in canne. one canna was 2. 06 meters long. by the end of the 12th century messina had become one of the leading commercial cities of the kingdom. the main trading partners of sicily were genoa, pisa, the byzantine empire, and egypt. various treaties with genoa secured and strengthened the commercial power of sicily. the feudalising of the society during the angevin rule reduced royal wealth and treasury. the dependence of the angevin on north italian commerce and financing by florentine bankers were the main factors which led to the decline of the kingdom ' s economy. the continuation of the economic decline combined with


from adam * to abraham to moses to debbie the first human beings, adam and eve, werenit born. they were the direct " hands - on " creation of god himself, and they knew it. jewish tradition teaches that adam possessed a degree of awareness and understanding that was astounding. commensurate with this depth of understanding of himself, god, and his place in creation, adam had enormous potential. in fact, his combined abilities were so outstanding that when the angels looked at this creation of godis called adam, they all but mistook him for a deity that was godis co - equal. " when adam was created the heavenly angels made a mistake and wanted to describe him with the same word they used to " describe " god - kadosh, holy. " godis history of manis struggle to come to terms with the reality and implications of his createdness began with the story of adam in the garden of eden. ( in truth it began earlier, with creation itself - the setting for manis epic struggle - but we are going to skip a few pages and get right to the first account of manis living within creation. ) hereis the story in a nutshell : " and god took adam and placed him in the garden of eden to work it and to preserve it. and god commanded adam and said, dyou are permitted to eat from all the trees in the garden. however, you are not permitted to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because the day you eat from it you will die. " whether or not you ever read the book or saw the movie, one way or another you know the gist of this story. despite godis prohibition and warning, adam went ahead and ate from the one tree he had been told not to. and the results werenit very pretty. " and god said to adam, dbecause you listened to your wife and went ahead and ate from the tree that i told you not to eat from, the ground will be cursed because of you, and for the rest of your life you will eat of it only through suffering. thorns and thistles are what it will sprout for you and you will eat grasses from the field. only by the sweat of your brow will you eat bread. and this is how it will be until you yourself return to the ground because you were originally made from the ground - you are dust - and to this dust will you return. " as you can see, it wasnit exactly smooth sailing in


bread. and this is how it will be until you yourself return to the ground because you were originally made from the ground - you are dust - and to this dust will you return. " as you can see, it wasnit exactly smooth sailing in the garden of eden. god and adam talk about history beginning on a sour note. all this talk about a relationship between us and god, and right off the bat the situation got rather dysfunctional. what happened? letis think about the dilemma that adam faced. first of all, letis think about adam and his perception of himself and his place in creation. what we are going to assume is that adamis awareness included an awareness of god ( he did speak to adam after all ) and a profound awareness that godis existence was fully complete and independent while adamis own existence was totally dependent and contingent. adam knew that every moment was a new creation, that he had no ability to affect the beginning or end of that creation, and he was therefore acutely aware that his own existence dangled helplessly at the brink of nonexistence. second, adam was aware that creation was for him and that the purpose of his existence was to benefit from the pleasure of a relationship with god. adam knew that the pleasure that was his purpose necessitated, in some way, the attaching of his limited and precarious being to godis ultimate being. finally, adam knew that he had free will. he knew that he had almost limitless potential and that he had been given the independence and freedom to do with that potential whatever he chose. now letis try and picture the situation, to the extent that we can, from adamis perspective. adam thought to himself, i can do and become and create almost anything i want. my abilities and potential are truly vast. at the same time, i am a prisoner. i am constantly dangling on the end of godis string. each and every moment of my existence is a new creation. i feel like i am some kind of a light bulb. god turns me on, then off, then on again, then off again - and it never stops. if this is freedom, why do i feel so helpless? and then adam thought some more and said to himself... come on, adam old boy, you can figure this thing out, why do you think god gave you that head on your shoulders? okay, so god created me in his image and gave me freedom and independence. but why? was this some kind of a cruel joke or


boy, you can figure this thing out, why do you think god gave you that head on your shoulders? okay, so god created me in his image and gave me freedom and independence. but why? was this some kind of a cruel joke or does he actually want me to be free? clearly, he wants me to be free, and whatis more - i am free. so itis only natural that i experience an occasional bout of angst when i think about the lack of freedom i seem to have, despite my freedom. bottom line : i want to be free because god created me to be free. all i want is to be what i am, free... while all of this was going through adamis mind there was a knock on the garden gate. you guessed it, it was none other than the great big absolute creator himself. he had something to discuss with adam. " you know all those wonderful trees i put in your garden? go ahead, enjoy them. thereis just one - itis called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - and that one is off limits. youire not allowed to eat from that one. " and with that, god excused himself. meanwhile, back inside adamis head :... whatis he trying to do to me? here i am, minding my own business, trying to figure out whatis bothering me, and how to fulfill the purpose of my existence - and now this! iim not allowed to eat from that wheat tree over there. ( according to tradition the tree of knowledge was a wheat tree, and what adam ate more resembled a saltine than an apple. ) what in the world is going on...? * in speaking about the first human beings, adam and eve, i will be referring to them collectively as adam, or man. this is not meant to slight eve or any other women who have come since ; itis just a simpler way of doing things. adam, in our context, means the original, prototypical human being. in truth, the nature of the first human beings is a very deep subject that is dealt with at length in the classical texts and is beyond the scope of this book.


southern leopard frog ( rana sphenocephala ) - the southern leopard frog grows to a length of 2 to 3. 5 inches ( about 5 to 9 cm ). its color varies from tan to several shades of brown to green. the dorsum ( back ) is usually covered with irregular dark brown spots between distinct light colored areas. large dark spots on its legs may create the effect of bands. other distinguishing characteristics include a light line along its upper jaw, light spot on its tympanum ( ear ), and long hind legs and toes. it is slender, with a narrow, pointed head. males are smaller than females, but with enlarged forearms and thumbs and paired vocal sacs that look like balloons when inflated. - life history southern leopard frogs are very adaptable and are comfortable in many habitats - they just need cover and moisture. these frogs are great jumpers, traveling high and far in just a few jumps. they consume insects and small invertebrates. predators such as fish, raccoons, skunks and aquatic snakes feed on the leopard frog. it reaches sexual maturity in the first spring after hatching. in texas, breeding takes place year round depending on temperature and moisture. several hundred eggs are laid in a cluster just below the water ' s surface. tadpoles hatch in about seven to ten days. newly hatched tadpoles are only about 20 to 25 mm long. they grow to 65 to 70 mm before metamorphosing into frogs, generally between 60 to 90 days. southern leopard frogs have a lifespan of 3 years. southern leopard frogs elude predators by jumping into nearby water and swimming underwater for some distance, while the predator continues looking near the point of entry into the water. they are primarily nocturnal, hiding during the day in vegetation at the water ' s edge. during wet months, a leopard frog may wander some distance from water, but stays in moist vegetation. they will sometimes wander to colonize. the mating call is a series of abrupt, deep croaks, creating a guttural trill. the trill rate may be as many as 13 per second. males call from shore or while floating in shallow water. a leopard frog ' s mottled coloration helps camouflage it. southern leopard frogs are often used for teaching dissecting in science classes. - shallow freshwater areas are preferred habitat for the southern leopard frog, but they may be seen some distance from water if there is enough vegetation and moisture to provide protection. southern leopard frogs are also able to live in bra


rule no. 3 : gain weight ( on purpose ) you may be thinking, “ well that ’ ll happen anyway, ” but intentionally putting on 8 – 12 per cent of your body weight can be a huge performance enhancer, says nutrition and performance coach krista austin, ph. d., who has worked with olympic - level athletes such as laura bennett and meb keflezighi. if gaining then losing weight sounds easier said than done, don ’ t worry — using a weighted vest can have the same hypergravity training benefits. “ triathletes like to sit around at a certain weight and body composition all the time, ” austin says. “ but research shows you can in fact put extra weight on and get training adaptations. and you can get that adaptation while not working so hard on your food, which i think psychologically gives people a break. ” say your racing weight is 65kg. during the winter you get up to 70kg. by training at a heavier weight you ’ re teaching your body to recruit more motor neurons and muscle fibres, kind of like recruiting more people to work on the assembly line. when your body gets back to 65, the workers have less work to do, so they last longer before they tire. muscles work the same way. when you lose the 5kg, you don ’ t need as much oxygen and can get more kilogrammes to the gallon. austin uses this hypergravity method for athletes who can ’ t train at altitude, or with 800m runners or sprint triathletes who don ’ t benefit from altitude training but need some form of adaptation. she ’ ll have them add in more calories at a time not normally used for eating, such as an ice cream sundae before bed ( seriously ). they ’ ll sit heavier for a couple of months while training at a lower volume and intensity, then she ’ ll simply have them cut out the excess ice cream when the season rolls around. many of austin ’ s athletes start to feel benefits from carrying around a few extra kilogrammes. some will see higher power outputs or will start sleeping better ( the “ best performance enhancer, ” according to austin ), and ultimately wind up competing at a higher weight.


george orwell coined the useful term “ unperson ” for creatures denied personhood because they don ’ t abide by state doctrine. we may add the term “ unhistory ” to refer to the fate of unpersons, expunged from history on similar grounds. the unhistory of unpersons is illuminated by the fate of anniversaries. important ones are usually commemorated, with due solemnity when appropriate : pearl harbor, for example. some are not, and we can learn a lot about ourselves by extricating them from unhistory. right now we are failing to commemorate an event of great human significance : the 50th anniversary of president kennedy ’ s decision to launch the direct invasion of south vietnam, soon to become the most extreme crime of aggression since world war ii. kennedy ordered the u. s. air force to bomb south vietnam ( by february 1962, hundreds of missions had flown ) ; authorized chemical warfare to destroy food crops so as to starve the rebellious population into submission ; and set in motion the programs that ultimately drove millions of villagers into urban slums and virtual concentration camps, or “ strategic hamlets. ” there the villagers would be “ protected ” from the indigenous guerrillas whom, as the administration knew, they were willingly supporting. official efforts at justifying the attacks were slim, and mostly fantasy. typical was the president ’ s impassioned address to the american newspaper publishers association on april 27, 1961, where he warned that “ we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence. ” at the united nations on sept. 25, 1961, kennedy said that if this conspiracy achieved its ends in laos and vietnam, “ the gates will be opened wide. ” the short - term effects were reported by the highly respected indochina specialist and military historian bernard fall – no dove, but one of those who cared about the people of the tormented countries. in early 1965 he estimated that about 66, 000 south vietnamese had been killed between 1957 and 1961 ; and another 89, 000 between 1961 and april 1965, mostly victims of the u. s. client regime or “ the crushing weight of american armor, napalm, jet bombers and finally vomiting gases. ” the decisions were kept in the shadows, as are the shocking consequences that persist. to mention just one illustration : “ scorched earth, ” by fred wilcox, the first serious study of the horrifying and continuing impact of chemical warfare on the vietnamese, appeared a few months


shadows, as are the shocking consequences that persist. to mention just one illustration : “ scorched earth, ” by fred wilcox, the first serious study of the horrifying and continuing impact of chemical warfare on the vietnamese, appeared a few months ago – and is likely to join other works of unhistory. the core of history is what happened. the core of unhistory is to “ disappear ” what happened. by 1967, opposition to the crimes in south vietnam had reached a substantial scale. hundreds of thousands of u. s. troops were rampaging through south vietnam, and heavily populated areas were subjected to intense bombing. the invasion had spread to the rest of indochina. the consequences had become so horrendous that bernard fall forecast that “ vietnam as a cultural and historic entity... is threatened with extinction... ( as )... the countryside literally dies under the blows of the largest military machine ever unleashed on an area of this size. ” when the war ended eight devastating years later, mainstream opinion was divided between those who called it a “ noble cause ” that could have been won with more dedication ; and at the opposite extreme, the critics, to whom it was “ a mistake ” that proved too costly. still to come was the bombing of the remote peasant society of northern laos, with such magnitude that victims lived in caves for years to try to survive ; and shortly afterward the bombing of rural cambodia, surpassing the level of all allied bombing in the pacific theater during world war ii. in 1970 u. s. national security advisor henry kissinger had ordered “ a massive bombing campaign in cambodia. anything that flies on anything that moves ” – a call for genocide of a kind rarely found in the archival record. laos and cambodia were “ secret wars, ” in that reporting was scanty and the facts are still little - known to the general public or even educated elites, who nonetheless can recite by heart every real or alleged crime of official enemies. another chapter in the overflowing annals of unhistory. in three years we may – or may not – commemorate another event of great contemporary relevance : the 900th anniversary of the magna carta. this document is the foundation for what historian margaret e. mcguiness, referring to the nuremberg trials, hailed as a “ particularly american brand of legalism : punishment only for those who could be proved to be guilty through a fair trial with a panoply of procedural protections. ” the great charter declares that “ no free man ” shall be deprived of


hailed as a “ particularly american brand of legalism : punishment only for those who could be proved to be guilty through a fair trial with a panoply of procedural protections. ” the great charter declares that “ no free man ” shall be deprived of rights “ except by the lawful judgment of his peers and by the law of the land. ” the principles were later broadened to apply to men generally. they crossed the atlantic and entered into the u. s. constitution and bill of rights, which declared that no “ person ” can be deprived of rights without due process and a speedy trial. the founders of course did not intend the term “ person ” to apply to all persons. native americans were not persons. neither were slaves. women were scarcely persons. however, let us keep to the core notion of presumption of innocence, which has been cast into the oblivion of unhistory. a further step in undermining the principles of the magna carta was taken when president obama signed the national defense authorization act, which codifies bush - obama practice of indefinite detention without trial under military custody. such treatment is now mandatory in the case of those accused of aiding enemy forces during the “ war on terror, ” or optional if those accused are american citizens. the scope is illustrated by the first guantanamo case to come to trial under president obama : that of omar khadr, a former child soldier accused of the heinous crime of trying to defend his afghan village when it was attacked by u. s. forces. captured at age 15, khadr was imprisoned for eight years in bagram and guantanamo, then brought to a military court in october 2010, where he was given the choice of pleading not guilty and staying in guantanamo forever, or pleading guilty and serving only 8 more years. khadr chose the latter. many other examples illuminate the concept of “ terrorist. ” one is nelson mandela, only removed from the terrorist list in 2008. another was saddam hussein. in 1982 iraq was removed from the list of terrorist - supporting states so that the reagan administration could provide hussein with aid after he invaded iran. accusation is capricious, without review or recourse, and commonly reflecting policy goals – in mandela ’ s case, to justify president reagan ’ s support for the apartheid state ’ s crimes in defending itself against one of the world ’ s “ more notorious terrorist groups ” : mandela ’ s african national congress. all better consigned to unhistory. © 2011 noam chomsky distributed by the


among the the many hormones that are released in your body, serotonin is responsible for the happy feelings and the state of well - being that you experience. research has revealed that an imbalance in the serotonin levels in the body can make the person unreasonably angry, anxious, scared and even depressed. as a neurotransmitter, serotonin plays an important role in relaying messages from one part of the brain to another, thereby affecting how we feel and act. it is believed that most of our brain cells, including those that are responsible for our moods, sleep, appetite, sexual needs and functions, social behavior, learning and memory, and also temperature regulation are directly or indirectly impacted by this hormone. studies have also revealed that lack of this hormone can result in mood swings that ultimately lead to a state of depression. serotonin deficiency can also effect the functions of the muscles, the endocrine and the cardiovascular systems. listen to a sample and purchase here or read on …. continue reading low levels of antidepressants and other psychoactive drugs in water supplies can trigger the expression of genes associated with autism – in fish at least. the use of antidepressants has increased dramatically over the past 25 years, says michael thomas of idaho state university in pocatello. around 80 per cent of each drug passes straight through the human body without being broken down, and so they are present in waste water. in most communities, water purification systems cannot filter out these pharmaceuticals. “ they just fly right through, ” says thomas, which means they ultimately find their way into the water supply. the concentration of these drugs in drinking water is very low – at most, they are present at levels several orders of magnitude lower than the prescription doses. but since the drugs are specifically designed to act on the nervous system, thomas hypothesised that even a small dose could affect a developing fetus. thomas ’ s group created a cocktail of the anti - epileptic drug carbamazepine and two selective serotonin uptake inhibitor ( ssri ) antidepressants, fluoxetine and venlafaxine, at this low concentration. they exposed fathead minnows ( pimephales promelas ) to the drugs for 18 days, then analysed the genes that were being expressed in the fishes ’ brains. full story here : antidepressants in water trigger autism genes in fish – environment – 06 june 2012 – new scientist.


write the word “ trust ” on the board. ask your students to take a minute and reflect on what trust means to them, where it ’ s important, and if it ’ s important in the classroom. you can have them write down some ideas on paper if you wish. tell them to share their ideas with a partner. now ask the class if they trust you. hopefully, they say yes. tell them that you trust all of them and that you are going to prove it to them. ask them to volunteer a couple ways in which you might do this. ask a volunteer to come to the front. tell them that you are going to fall and that they have to catch you. do a practice run so they get a feel for your weight and so they can get the positioning down right. the volunteer should place their hands firmly on your shoulder blades with the fingertips points up ( this is very important because the wrists are weak and if they do it the opposite way they could drop you ), bend their knees in a tripod fashion, and get themselves squarely under you. see the above picture ( although this example has two people supporting which is a good idea for heavier individuals ). lean backward into them and have them take you farther and farther down each time. now tell them you will do it for real. you need to keep your eyes closed, your legs straight, and cross your arms in front of you like the guy in the picture. then just tip backwards. it ’ s a bit scary, but the volunteer will catch you. now switch positions and do the same with them. each student now grabs a partner and they start of with some practice runs and then do the real thing. warning : make sure partners are of about equal weight. if there is a really big person in the class, you can do it with two people supporting, one at each shoulder blade. have them change partners a few times. you can now do a reflective writing or a round table discussion on how they felt during the exercise. what did they learn about themselves and each other? is it easy to trust others? why or why not? in what ways do we need to trust each other in the classroom? this activity is great for building up relationships in the class and fostering trust. i highly recommend it for any class. building relationships 1 : tank game building relationships 2 : human knot building relationships 4 : circle of trust


a fictional ( ized ) series of events that have some connection. the quality of a plot is often judged by how convincing that connection is established along the criteria of - cause and effect ( physics ), - emotional motivation ( psychology ) and - reason ( logic and ethics ). failure to meet those criteria results in a plot hole. if the first criterion is repeatedly violated, we have a random events plot, the second criterion is not met if someone acts out of character, and a consistent failure to meet the third is called an idiot plot. deus ex machina is a desperate plot - advancing technique that does not quite link events in a story in a convincing manner but at least keeps it going. are usually driven by conflict, which has a strong tendency to make stuff happen. according to aristotle, together with character, is one of the six items present in any story. a plot point is an important event or state of affairs that the viewer or reader is required to be aware of in order to follow the plot. an object or character whose only purpose is to drive the plot ( i. e. provide the connecting element between events ) is called a plot device. similarly, a plot coupon is an object that acts as a key to advance or resolve a plot. in contrast to the plot device, it is actively and purposefully used ( and often also sought out in the first place ) by the characters to reach a goal, while a plot device doesn ' t necessarily require a character ' s volition to advance the plot. see also macguffin and magnetic plot device a popular definition of how a plot as a whole should progress within the " running time " of a work is the succession of five acts, rising action, falling action. however, a work of fiction can contain more than one plot. this is called subplots or plot threads in some formats, the plot can take a back seat to other aspects that are deemed more important. for these cases see no plot? no problem! and excuse plot. also bear in mind the sliding scale of plot versus characters, for when character development overtakes the overall plot. for a list of prefabricated plots, see plots. for basic, archetypal plots, see the seven basic plots, ten movie plots and master plots. has nothing to do with pony backsides please note : as one of the major super tropes, the concept of plot is omnipresent. there ' s no need to list plot as a trope on any work '


- author : janet byron managing crop residues to essentially make them disappear has been the norm in california agriculture. but a growing body of research, and experience with conservation tillage on thousands of acres of central valley farmland, is showing that reducing tillage and leaving crop residues on the soil surface can improve water use efficiency. “ crop residues are an inevitable feature of agriculture, ” jeffrey mitchell, cropping systems specialist in the department of plant sciences, uc davis, wrote in the april - june 2012 issue of california agriculture journal. “ because no harvest removes all material from the field, the remaining plant matter accumulates and is typically returned to the soil through a series of mixing and incorporating operations involving considerable tractor horsepower, an array of tillage implements and cost. ” conservation tillage is a suite of low - impact cultivation practices that includes leaving crop residues on the soil surface and planting new crops on top, significantly decreasing the number of tractor passes needed to prepare fields for planting. in turn, growers reduce their fuel, labor and maintenance costs, and less dust and pollution gets into the air. in two field studies conducted at the uc west side research and extension center in five points, no - tillage and standard tillage operations were compared in a corn / wheat rotation. mitchell and colleagues found that 0. 89 and 0. 97 inches more water was retained in the no - tillage soil than in the tilled soil. and in three field studies on crop residue coverage, about 0. 56, 0. 58 and 0. 42 inches more water was retained in residue - covered soil than in bare soil following 6 to 7 days of overhead sprinkler irrigation. the full study results are published in the april - june 2012 california agriculture journal. the authors estimated that coupling no - tillage with practices that preserve high residues on the soil surface can reduce evaporative losses during the summer by about 4 inches ( 13 percent ), assuming a seasonal evapotranspiration demand of 30 inches. in widespread use in other regions of the country, conservation tillage practices appear to be catching on in california. in surveys conducted by sustainable conservation and the uc conservation agriculture systems initiative, the amount of farmland under conservation tillage statewide grew by nearly 20 percent between 2008 and 2010, to about 1 million acres. mitchell and colleagues warn that a number of practical factors must be addressed before a wholesale transformation to no - tillage, residue - preserving production can be envisioned in california : “ these include the relative ease with which a farm ' s existing cropping mix might be


california agriculture, january 1953 volume 7, number 1 berry size of seedless grapes affected by sprays fryer grading : system of uniform usda standards tested in 10s angeles retail markets by kenneth d. naden, george a. jackson this research work was conducted in co - operation with the bureau of agricultural economics and the production and marketing administration, united states department of agriculture, as part of western regional marketing project wm - 7. it was financed partly by funds appropriated under the research and marketing act of 1946. insect damage to apricots : ddd as petal fall spray and parathion as properly timed may spray control fruit - feeding insects by harold f. madsen, arthur d. borden not available – first paragraph follows : a yearly spray program is a necessity if the average apricot grower is to produce clean fruit — especially in the santa clara valley where the codling moth and orange tortrix have become of primary importance. early sprays for brown mites : new miticides tested for effectiveness when included in usual near - bloom sprays on almonds and peaches by f. m. summers, d. m. holmberg not available – first paragraph follows : recent investigations tested the possibility of incorporating various new miticides for the control of the brown mite — bryobia praetiosa k. — in the usual sprays applied to almonds and peaches in the pink - bud period. berry size of seedless grapes : growth regulator alone or in combination with girdling increases berry size of seedless varieties by robert j. weaver not available – first paragraph follows : berry size of thompson seedless and other seedless grape varieties was increased by spray application of a growth regulator. nuclear lines of citrus : tree size, yield, and fruit characters of old and young lines of ten citrus varieties compared by james w. cameron, robert k. soost not available – first paragraph follows : nucellar - seedling lines of citrus showed substantially greater tree size and yields in nearly every case, when compared with old - line trees in a study at riverside. stem pitting on citrus trees : disorder resulting from quick decline observed in california citrus orchards for the first time in 1952 by w. p. bitters not available – first paragraph follows : stem pitting — a symptom of quick decline — was first observed in california citrus orchards in 1952. efficiency in fruit marketing : costs of ridding packed fruit boxes influenced by type of equipment, size of plant, length of season by b. c


from uncyclopedia, the content - free encyclopedia “ ahhh, work : the curse of the drinking classes. ” much of the field of economics is devoted to analyzing the phenomenon called work. essentially, there are things you want done, and it is human nature to want other people to do them so you don ' t have to do them yourself. when there is a body of work you want done, and a body of bodies you can get to do the work for you, then it ' s customary to divide the work into the amount that you want each body to do for you. consequently, each one has a job. a person thus gainfully employed is known by the yiddish term, schlep. when there is no other way to induce or trick the schlep to do the work, it ' s customary to give him something of value. this is called the pay for the work. but there ' s always another way. two of the most commonly used are : - the schlep gets told that the business survives on informality, and being a stickler on trivial points such as bounced paychecks is a sign of bad teamwork. ( although things got very formal when you arrived ten minutes late last tuesday. ) - the vice president in his silk business suit appears in the workplace and declares that this insistence on timely payment disappoints me. history of work the first people who seemingly had to work for a living were the egyptians. the pharaoh was so fed up seeing people lying around that he ordered the building of the pyramids. this was the planet ' s first stimulus program, as the huge mounds of stone served no purpose but to house the pharaoh when he clocked out of this world and into the next one. the economy turned really bad a few years later and the pharaoh ordered one pyramid disassembled and moved five yards to the north as a more intensive stimulus program. in those days, no one asked, " what is this all for? " as such questions tended to be answered with death. the need to work was quickly learned, compared to the present, when it remains unlearned after four years of college. - work under the jews the concept of work as a moral duty had to wait for judaism, but even they believed that debts could be written off after a while. however, they had no concept of original sin, and no box of afterlife tortures to frighten those who didn ' t punch in on sunday. it is because work was formalized