lives have changed a lot over time. in some countries, girls used to have few rights and now they have many. in the united states and europe, girls of the past couldn ' t go to college, get many jobs, or vote. in other countries, girls had more rights in past times than they do now, like in some middle eastern countries where girls can ' t go to school and women can ' t work anymore. the situation depends on the girl ' s social class ; princesses usually have more rights than peasants, and wealthy girls are much more likely to get an education. or girls may officially have rights, but still face sexism or death. in china, hundreds of girl babies are still abandoned or killed because their culture prefers males. but there have always been times when an inspiring woman shines, no matter what her culture expects. 2300 bc east sumeria ( now iran ) - enheduanna was the world ' s first known writer. she was the also the first high priestess - the highest religious office of all. some sumerian girls had the prestigious job of helping in the temples, but most learned sewing and weaving cloth. enheduanna and others developed a lunar calendar, which we still use to calculate the dates of easter and passover. 1120 bc israel - deborah, a jewish prophet and judge, led the israelites to victory against the canaanites. most girls, though, were under the strict rule of their fathers until they married and became the property of their husbands. girls learned jewish traditions, but couldn ' t study the torah as boys could. 40 bc vietnam - two sisters, trung trac and trung nhi, masterminded a revolt against the oppressive chinese rule, leading 80, 000 men and women, including 36 women generals, to triumph, after which they ruled as co - queens. females at that time were supposed to obey males, but they did have the chance to become traders, judges, and political 1370 ad denmark - married at age 10, queen margarethe ruled after all her brothers died. she united denmark, sweden, and norway and brought prosperity and peace. royal girls often married early because at birth or in childhood their fathers picked husbands for them who would increase the country ' s wealth and power. the life of a peasant girl was freer. they usually married around 20 and had more choice in picking mates. peasant women could manage land themselves if their husband died. however, wife - beating women was lawful and encouraged. 1680 mexico - at


. the life of a peasant girl was freer. they usually married around 20 and had more choice in picking mates. peasant women could manage land themselves if their husband died. however, wife - beating women was lawful and encouraged. 1680 mexico - at age 3, sor juana could read and learned everything she could. she begged to be sent to school at age 7, but her parents refused. at 18, she joined a convent - the only place where girls could study - and went on to become one of mexico ' s greatest poets, writers, and intellectuals. 1800 france - marie lachapelle became one of the most important medical researchers of the century. she stopped the use of painful tools for births, created important procedures to help with childbirth, and trained midwives. not many girls of the day would become scientists. instead, they worked as dressmakers, laundresses, and shopkeepers or helped with their husbands ' occupations. new zealand - kate sheppard helped get voting rights for women in new zealand - 27 years before women in the u. s. could vote. she was also a pioneer bicyclist. even though girls worked as hard as their brothers on new zealand ' s farms, many people believed that girls and women should avoid riding bikes because it could ruin their " delicate " india - at age 12, indira gandhi began the children ' s monkey brigade, which worked undercover to overthrow british rule. she went on to become india ' s first female prime minister, fighting illiteracy and widespread famine, improving relations with the soviet union, and sending india ' s first satellite into orbit. girls not born into influential families were in arranged marriages by their early teens. the practice of sati, burning a widow along with her deceased husband, still takes place today in some villages. united states - angry about the inequalities that african americans and women faced, shirley chisholm became the first black woman in congress in 1968. when a student asked her why there were only white male presidents, she ran for president in 1972. girls at that time who wanted to be congresswomen had only 16 women role models. today, out of 541 congress members, only 75 are women. nigeria - in a country where less than half the females can read, eka esu - williams found a way to study immune diseases. in 1988, she founded the society for women against aids because 80 % of the world ' s women with aids live in africa. her group also teaches girls not to be submissive.


order - pristiformes family - pristidae genus - pristis species - microdon the freshwater sawfish was first described in 1794 by john latham in his article an essay on the various species of sawfish in the journal transactions of the linnaean society of london. latham described the species based only on a rostrum. unfortunately, the type specimen ( the rostrum ) was later destroyed in a fire at the royal college of surgeon ' s hunterian museum. synonyms for the freshwater sawfish include pristis perotteti muller & henle, 1841 and the misspelling pristis perrotteti. invalid synonyms of the freshwater sawfish include pristis antiquorum latham, 1794 ; pristis canaliculata bloch & schneider, 1801 ; pristiopsis leichhardti whitley, 1945 ; pristis typica poey, 1861 ; pristis zephyreus jordan & starks, 1895 ; and squalus pristis linnaeus, 1758. similarly, the name pristis pristis ( linnaeus, 1758 ) does not appear to be a valid synonym of either pristis microdon or pristis perotteti, pending further taxonomic review. the current valid scientific name for the freshwater sawfish is pristis microdon latham, 1794. pristis microdon and pristis perotteti may be one and the same species, and these names have even been used interchangeably by various authors. taxonomic study is badly needed to shed light on this naming uncertainty. the generic name pristis is greek for " saw. " the specific name microdon is derived from the greek word mikros meaning " small. " the scientific name pristis microdon refers to the shorter rostrum of the freshwater sawfish compared to that of most other sawfishes. common english names for the freshwater sawfish include : common sawfish, greattooth sawfish, largetooth sawfish, leichthardts sawfish, and wide snouted saw fish. other common names for the freshwater sawfish include : araguagua, peixe - serra, & tubarao - serra ( portuguese ), barabad ( kuyunon ), barasan & pakangan ( bikol ), barasan & tag - an ( tagalog ), buntok lagari ( kapampangan ), ca dao ( vietnamese ), caixao ( sena ), catanuda, dienton, pejesierra, pez peine, pez ras


), buntok lagari ( kapampangan ), ca dao ( vietnamese ), caixao ( sena ), catanuda, dienton, pejesierra, pez peine, pez rastrillo, & seirra ( spanish ), chinyabanga & kashua ( zimbabwe - local dialects ), cucut gergaji, cucut pedang, panprang, parampang, pemperang, & prampran ( malay ), cucut krakas, mungsing, panprang, parampang, pemperang, prampang, & prampran ( javanese ), ferskvandssavrokke ( danish ), galwanyi ( bunuba & gooniyandi aboriginals ), groottand - saagvis ( afrikaans ), khandere & shinshi ( marathi ), kleingezahnter sagefisch & leichthardts sagefisch ( german ), krarin ( sranan ), kumben - sorah & makarasravu ( malayalam ), kundah ( oriya ), nga - man - swethi ( burmese ), nokogiriei ( japanese ), palangan ( pangasinan ), papa upanga ( swahili ), pial pial & wirridanyniny ( nyikina aboriginal ), poisson - scie grandent ( french ), serra ( creole dialect of portuguese ), taghan ( visayan ), trey thka & trey thkaw ( khmer ), valameen ( tamil ), wirrdani ( walmajarri aboriginal ), and zoetwaterzaagrog ( dutch ). in africa, the freshwater sawfish occurs along the eastern coastline from at least as far south as port alfred ( south of durban ), commonly ascends the zambezi river, is found off madagascar, occurs at zanzibar and probably ranges north to somalia. the presence of the freshwater sawfish in the red sea and as far north as the mediterranean sea needs confirmation. this species is found off pakistan and india, where it has been recorded far upriver in freshwater. in the eastern indian ocean, the species ranges from the east indies and thailand to indonesia and australia ( from western australia to the northern territory and queensland ). the freshwater sawfish occurs off vietnam in the south china sea, throughout the philippines


in freshwater. in the eastern indian ocean, the species ranges from the east indies and thailand to indonesia and australia ( from western australia to the northern territory and queensland ). the freshwater sawfish occurs off vietnam in the south china sea, throughout the philippines ( where the local population appears to have greatly declined ), south through borneo and east to papua new guinea. examples of inland water bodies where it has been documented include the zambezi river ( east africa ), 40 miles ( 64. 4 km ) up the mahanudde river ( india ), 38. 5 miles ( 62. 0 km ) up the menam chao phya river ( thailand ), mekong river below khone falls ( thailand and laos ), the fly river and lake murray ( papua new guinea ), and the daly, gilbert, and sepik rivers ( northern australia ). world distribution map for the freshwater sawfish. this species is well known to occur far up river systems, including contiguous lakes and ephemeral ponds ( australia ), where it lives in freshwater conditions. freshwater sawfish in northern australia seem to prefer these freshwater habitats during the wet season ( december - march ). during the dry season ( may - october ), australian freshwater sawfish seem to prefer estuaries and bays, along with coastal marine habitats. the freshwater sawfish shares similar habitat preferences with the bull shark ( carcharhinus leucas ), and these two species can often be found occupying the same water bodies. mature individuals may, at least seasonally, utilize deeper offshore marine habitats. - · distinctive features all sawfishes are highly modified and elongate rays having a shark - like body and a blade - like snout ( termed ' rostrum ' ) that has lateral, tooth - like denticles ( termed ' rostral teeth ' ) set into sockets. the presence of a rostrum having laterally protruding teeth separates sawfishes from all other skates and rays. the freshwater sawfish can be distinguished from sawsharks ( pristiophorus spp. ) by its lack of barbels, dorso - laterally compressed body, ventrally located gills ( not laterally ), large size, preference for shallow water habitats, and its similarly - sized rostral teeth. the rostral teeth of the freshwater sawfish are particularly massive compared to those of other sawfishes, except that of the largetooth sawfish ( pristis perotteti ). the rostral tooth count for freshwater sawfish varies between


the rostral teeth of the freshwater sawfish are particularly massive compared to those of other sawfishes, except that of the largetooth sawfish ( pristis perotteti ). the rostral tooth count for freshwater sawfish varies between 14 and 23 ( typically 18 - 20 ) per side. the rostral teeth may number more on one side of the rostrum than the opposing side in this species, the left side usually having the greater number. in two separate studies, researchers found a significant difference in the numbers of rostral teeth per side in males compared with that of females ( termed ' sexual dimorphism ' ). in both studies, males appeared to have a greater average tooth count per side than did females ( males average 20. 9, females average 18. 9 ), regardless of geographic area. male freshwater sawfish may have slightly longer rostra than do females of the same the freshwater sawfish is distinguished from the knifetooth sawfish ( anoxypristis cuspidata ) by its sharply pointed rostral teeth ( versus blade - like ), the first pair of rostral teeth being located near the rostral base, its tapering and broad rostrum, and a less developed lower caudal fin lobe. the freshwater sawfish is distinguished from the dwarf sawfish ( pristis clavata ) by the more anterior first dorsal fin position, the presence of a lower caudal fin lobe, and the rostral teeth being evenly towards the rostral tip ( versus slightly closer to each other ). in addition, the freshwater sawfish reaches a larger maximum size ( 6. 0 m or larger versus 3. 1 m total length ) than does the dwarf sawfish. the freshwater sawfish is distinguished from the smalltooth sawfish ( pristis pectinata ) by the fewer average number of rostral teeth per side ( 14 - 23, versus 20 - 34 ), the broad and tapered rostrum, the presence of a lower caudal fin lobe, greater width of the pectoral fins, more robust body, and the position of the first dorsal fin origin anterior to the pelvic fins. the freshwater sawfish is distinguished from the largetooth sawfish by its geographic range. the morphology of these two species is indistinguishable. the freshwater sawfish is distinguished from the green sawfish ( pristis zijsron ) by the fewer number of rostral teeth per side ( 14


its geographic range. the morphology of these two species is indistinguishable. the freshwater sawfish is distinguished from the green sawfish ( pristis zijsron ) by the fewer number of rostral teeth per side ( 14 - 23, versus 23 - 37 ), the position of the first dorsal fin origin anterior to that of the pectoral fins, and the presence of a lower caudal fin lobe. the freshwater sawfish also has a broad and tapered rostrum equipped with evenly spaced rostral teeth ( versus an inter - tooth space between the last two teeth greater than two times the inter - tooth space of the first two teeth ). - · coloration the dorsal surface of the freshwater sawfish is uniform yellowish - grey or brown in color, with yellowish - brown outer fin margins. their rostral teeth are typically colored a dirty cream or yellow, contrasting with the darker hue of the dorsal rostral surface. the ventral surface of the body is colored a dirty cream. - · dentition freshwater sawfish have very small oral teeth with rounded cusps that are close - set. all oral teeth are functional at the same time. upper jaw teeth are arranged in 70 to 72 rows consisting of 115 - 127 teeth per row, while tooth rows of the lower jaw number 64 - 68 consisting of 122 - 140 teeth per row. jaw of pristis microdon taken from a large mature individual. photo © mark harris. oral dentition of pristis microdon taken from a large mature individual. photo © mark harris. - · denticles the body of the freshwater sawfish is covered with minute, close - set dermal denticles having leaf - shaped crown ridges and anterior furrows in all developmental stages except in embryos. the crown ridges are less prominent in large specimens. denticles are similar on both the dorsal and ventral sides of the body. denticles do not fully appear along the lateral edges of the rostrum until after the rostral teeth have fully emerged from the sockets in young freshwater sawfish. rostral denticles of this species are similar in shape throughout the length of the rostrum, although the crown ridges change in morphology from the anterior portion to the posterior portion. these ridges flatten out gradually from the tip to the rostral base. - · size, age & growth this species attains a maximum size of at least 6. 0 m ( 19. 7 ft ) total length. larger stated maximum sizes ( up to 7. 0


from the tip to the rostral base. - · size, age & growth this species attains a maximum size of at least 6. 0 m ( 19. 7 ft ) total length. larger stated maximum sizes ( up to 7. 0 m or 23 ft ) need confirmation. three mature males collected off durban, africa measured between 3. 75 and 3. 92 m ( 12. 3 - 12. 9 ft ) and weighed between 180 and 188 kg ( 397 - 415 lb ). recently born freshwater sawfish measure 72 - 93 cm ( 28. 3 - 36. 6 inches ). in a 2004 study of western australian freshwater sawfish, specimens of the first year class measured up to 91. 2 cm ( 35. 9 inches ), a male specimen of 1. 0 m ( 3. 3 ft ) was an estimated two years old, specimens of both sexes measuring 1. 6 m ( 5. 2 ft ) were an estimated three years old, and specimens of both sexes measuring between 2. 1 m ( 6. 9 ft ) and 2. 3 m ( 7. 5 ft ) were an estimated four to five years of age. during the same 2004 study, a female that measured 2. 2 m ( 7. 2 ft ) was tagged in the fitzroy river, and was recaptured approximately five months later having grown 30 mm ( 1. 2 inches ) longer during that time. in a 1991 study, a mature male taken from papua new guinea measuring 3. 6 m ( 11. 8 ft ) had a calculated age of 44 years, while an immature male measuring 2. 5 m ( 8. 1 ft ) was determined to have been 16 years old. these age estimates are markedly greater than any other age and growth study performed on sawfishes to date, leading one to speculate that the researchers may have misinterpreted the annual growth rings ( termed ' annuli ' ) of the vertebral centra. - · food habits despite the freshwater sawfish ' s interesting mode of food gathering, using its rostrum in a side - to - side slashing motion to dislodge invertebrates from substrate and to stun schooling fishes, little is known about the feeding habits of this species. reported food items of the freshwater sawfish include the marine catfish arius graeffei, cherabin ( macrobrachium rosenbergii ), shrimp, and small fishes. additional prey species may include freshwater prawn such as macrobrachium australiense, m.


the marine catfish arius graeffei, cherabin ( macrobrachium rosenbergii ), shrimp, and small fishes. additional prey species may include freshwater prawn such as macrobrachium australiense, m. rosenbergi, and m. handschii. - · reproduction freshwater sawfish, like all sharks, skates, and rays, reproduce by means of internal fertilization. this species, like all rays, utilizes a strategy of embryo nourishment called aplacental yolk sac viviparity. with this strategy, the embryos are nourished only by their yolk sac, which provides energy for them to develop into fully functional young sawfish in utero. the embryos are nourished by yolk stored in a yolk sac, connected to the embryo by a yolk stalk and both of these structures are fully absorbed before the young sawfish are born. the minimum age at maturity is not known for the freshwater sawfish, but preliminary evidence suggests that it may take as many as 20 years before an individual can reproduce. size at maturity for female freshwater sawfish is about 3. 0 m ( 10 ft ) in total length. males of this species mature at about 2. 5 m ( 8. 2 ft ) or less. the gestation period of the freshwater sawfish is probably about five months, based on the closely related largetooth sawfish of the western atlantic ocean. freshwater sawfish are capable of giving birth in freshwater conditions far up rivers and in contiguous lakes. parturition is thought to occur late in the wet season ( december - march ) in the gulf of carpentaria ( australia ). a reported litter size of four young has been reported, but litter size may range up to ten or more young. the sex ratio of the young has not been recorded. recently born freshwater sawfish measure 72 - 93 cm ( 28. 3 - 36. 6 inches ), and are probably born tail - first. the saw teeth of young sawfish do not fully erupt, and are also covered in a sheath of tissue, until after birth so as not to injure the mother. young freshwater sawfish rostral teeth reach their full size proportionate to the size of the rostrum soon after birth. the reproductive cycle of the freshwater sawfish is still not documented, but the closely related largetooth sawfish has been reported to produce litters every other year. - · predators although adult freshwater sawfish have little or no natural


sawfishes, freshwater sawfish can be utilized as meat for human consumption, their fins sold into the asian ' shark fin ' market, their livers processed for oil, and their skins can made into leather. in addition, the eggs, liver oil, and bile of sawfishes can be used in chinese traditional medicine. also, like all other sawfishes, their rostra may be used in traditional medicine, as religious offerings, and sold as curios. there is little or no indication of utilization of this species as food anywhere in its range. freshwater sawfish provide an available food source for indigenous peoples of western australia. australian aboriginal art often depicts pristids, and among the species these peoples encounter in their native lands is pristis microdon © matt mcdavitt. this species is occasionally sought after as a game fish using rod and reel, as seen in south africa and in queensland, australia. although large freshwater sawfish are capable of long and stubborn fights even on heavy tackle, this species lacks the aerial acrobatics and swiftness that adds to the appeal of more typical game fish. the international game fish association does not have a record holder for the freshwater sawfish. the rostra of pristis microdon are used as religious symbols in many taiwanese religious temples. photos © rex lee. danger to humans the freshwater sawfish, like all sawfishes, is harmless to humans if left undisturbed. humans are too large to be viewed as potential prey. care must be taken when handling or approaching a sawfish of any size, as they may defend themselves when they feel threatened, using their rostrum to strike from side - to - side with considerable force. the freshwater sawfish attains a large size and is equipped with a very wide rostrum sporting large teeth. for these reasons, extra care should be afforded when encountering this species. the status of the freshwater sawfish populations is currently unknown, and no effective legislation exists to protect this species. however, the world conservation union ( iucn ) red list of threatened species categorizes this species as " critically endangered ". further, freswater sawfish are listed under appendix ii of the convention on the international trade of endangered species ( cites ), permitting only the sale of live freshwater sawfish from australia to aquaria to promote education and conservation efforts. it is thought that the species has experienced significant population declines in many portions of its range. this is due to its extreme vulnerability as bycatch in nearshore and freshwater gill


usda ' s team nutrition is an integrated, behavior based, comprehensive plan for promoting the nutritional health of the nation ' s children. this plan involves schools, parents, and the community in efforts to continuously improve school meals, and to promote the health and education of 50 million school children in more than 96, 000 schools nationwide. team nutrition ' s goal is to improve children ' s lifelong eating and physical activity habits by using the principles of the dietary guidelines for americans and myplate. schools are the key focal point for team nutrition. they are invited to enroll as " team nutrition schools, " affirming their commitment to take the lead in making nutritional changes, conducting nutrition education activities and events, and using innovative materials from the usda food and nutrition service ( fns ). emphasis is placed on working through state agencies to recruit team nutrition schools as well as develop training support systems necessary for local implementation. how does it work? training and technical assistance for healthy school meals the focus of the training and technical assistance is on : - planning and preparing healthy meals that appeal to ethnic and cultural taste preferences in all child nutrition programs ; - linking meals programs to other educational activities, such as learning in the classroom and developmental progress in child care ; - providing nutrition expertise and awareness to the school or child care community ; and - using sound business practices to assure the continued availability of healthy meals and the financial viability and accountability of school meal programs. through fun, interactive nutrition education children are encouraged to : - eat a variety of foods - eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains - eat lower fat foods more often - get your calcium - rich foods - be physically active school and community support school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity focuses on three behavior outcomes for school and community leaders : - adopting and implementing school policies that promote healthy eating and physical activity ; - providing school resources adequate to achieve success ; and - fostering school and community environments that support healthy eating and physical activity. broad support is needed to provide nutritious meals, nutrition education, and healthy school and community environments. adults can provide this support and positive messages in a variety of ways, through their actions and decisions. partners and supporters a network of public and private organizations is used to promote team nutrition, develop and disseminate materials, leverage resources, expand the reach of messages, and build a broad base of support. the network includes private sector companies, as well as nonprofit and advocacy organizations including nutrition, health, education, entertainment, and industry groups.


according to the american hiking society *, which created this holiday, national trail day exists to " bring the next generation outside and into the wonder of the natural world. " it ' s a great day to celebrate your family and the beauty of god ' s creation. hiking with small children, however, can be challenging. many parents find the thought daunting. the key to a successful family nature walk is to make it child - friendly, say mark and amy reif, avid hikers and parents of three young children. they ' ve been taking to the trails across the country since their oldest was still in a backpack. as early as age 2, their children have enjoyed hikes of a mile or more. " we try to make it exciting for them, " the reifs said, " like letting them play in a stream, or climb a tree. sometimes even just looking for the color trail markers keeps the kids going. " frequent breaks are encouraged. " we stay flexible about time, " they add. " our kids are free to stop and touch things. we let them investigate. sometimes we just stand and listen to sounds — or hear the lack of sounds. " combining the reifs ' wisdom with advice from the american hiking society, here are tips on making your family hiking experience a great one : be prepared — take with you plenty of water and snacks for when kids tire. if you ' re hiking while on vacation, look at some books in advance about the area in which you ' ll walk. that will help your children know what to look for. or try bringing along a small field guide on birds or wildflowers. be reasonable — don ' t tackle too much too soon. that doesn ' t necessarily mean flat trails ; a short climb over rocks or a stroll around a pond might be just the right length. be flexible — be off the clock as much as possible. allow for distractions. let your kids control the pace and, at times, the direction. the goal is exploration, not getting there and back in the expected time. be safe — keep your children in sight at all times. trails with beautiful vistas can have dangerous drops. also, a child can get lost very quickly if he wanders off the trail. teach them that if they do get lost, they need to stay put until you come to them. ready to hit the woods? to add a creative edge, turn your time outdoors into a scavenger hike or town treasure hunt. ah, the creamy sweetness of a spoonful


get lost, they need to stay put until you come to them. ready to hit the woods? to add a creative edge, turn your time outdoors into a scavenger hike or town treasure hunt. ah, the creamy sweetness of a spoonful of ice cream. the delicious chill, the smooth glide down the throat — it ' s just the thing for a hot summer night. what would summer be without ice cream? it ' s the perfect match. in fact, the whole of july is set aside as national ice cream month. but we ' ll celebrate it this day, the anniversary of the first commercially made and advertised ice cream in america. in 1786, a mr. hall of chatham street in new york city put an ad in the newspaper to tell customers that he was now in the business of selling ice cream. not that ice cream was a new thing. here are some highlights of ice - cream history : soda jerks created their own language for the orders they ' d call out. see if you can match the food with the wacky name they gave it. which leads to today ' s activity for your family. like many imagination exercises, this starts with a " what if " question. what if mr. hall had not been a new york businessman? what if instead of stopping in the big city, he went out into the wilderness to perfect his recipes? what if his first ad was for mountain man ice cream? think of the strange names he would have for ice cream and toppings! on second thought, let me think of some. use my mountain man ice - cream menu to get your kids to place orders for an ice - cream sundae adventure. they may have no idea what they ' re getting. that ' s the fun of it! here ' s the translation, so you know what they ' re ordering. have a few minutes on a hot summer night? then dish up some family fun!


resource : case study atwood primary school, a silver award school in croydon, believes food education is integral to the school curriculum, and its links with commonwork at bore place farm help to bring all of the strands together, from growing to cooking and food sourcing. pupils are given “ real life learning opportunities ” and the skills to make informed food choices in the future. commonwork is a group of organisations based at bore place farm, an organic dairy farm and soil association demonstration site 17 miles away from the school. the group has an excellent education programme and provide a variety of curriculum linked school visits throughout the year. visits were initially funded by the food for life partnership but now the school funds the visits itself. what they have achieved atwood decided to send the pupils from their school nutrition action group to bore place to learn more about farming and in particular milk production. the school has visited the farm several times over the last year to see how the farm changes, and has used the visits to reinforce many areas of the curriculum. some examples of the activities the pupils did on the farm are detailed below : dairy unit tour – on their first visit it was important for pupils to see the site and become familiar with it. pupils were able to see where dairy cows live and better understand how milk is produced. pupils were asked to write a report back in school about what they had learnt on their visit, which is great for literacy skills. pupils also fed back to the rest of the school about their visits by creating display boards in school, which is great for art and design. artificial insemination demonstration – this demonstration introduces life cycles to the pupils, the life cycle of a dairy cow, in particular. newborn calves visit – pupils were very lucky to be able to see a calf the day after it was born. this was on their second visit and this really helped reinforce what they had learnt on their first visit about life cycles. it also introduced the topics of animal welfare, which is a great science and citizenship topic. milking viewing – pupils were able to stay on the farm to watch the afternoon milking session, helping to reinforce the idea of food production. this is a great maths topic because pupils can see how many cows there are, how much milk is produce and also how much feed ration the cows get. slurry pool viewing – nutrient recycling is an interesting topic for pupils to think about – being able to see how the waste from the farm is collected and reused is a great practical example. development of new cow sheds – pupils were


the cows get. slurry pool viewing – nutrient recycling is an interesting topic for pupils to think about – being able to see how the waste from the farm is collected and reused is a great practical example. development of new cow sheds – pupils were able to view the construction of the new buildings, which is a brilliant design and technology topic. puils are able to think about materials and their properties and how they can come together to form a building. this is also a good activity for discussing animal welfare because pupils are able to think about what cows ' specific requirements are in terms of housing. farm manager interview – pupils were able to ask the farm manager some questions and get a better understanding of how a farm is organised and run as a business. bread making – pupils learnt all about the cereal crops that make flour and were able to grind their own flour in order to make a bread roll each. this is an excellent exercise for food technology and science – it introduces changing state and forces. waste audit activity – every time the pupils visited the farm they separated their lunch waste into recyclable, compostable waste, etc. to see what waste they had produced, reinforcing the messages of recycling. food miles activity – considering where different food items have come from enables pupils to think about the impact of the food we eat everyday and consider what choices and alternatives they have as food consumers. vegetable plot tour – this was a great way for pupils to see what can be produced in the garden and relate it back to the plants they are growing in their garden at school. a great activity to discuss germination, plant life cycles, seed dispersal and the principles of organic production. battery hens talk – animal welfare is an important and emotive topic, and seeing how battery hens can be rescued and made healthy again helps pupils to understand and again consider food choices. hedgerow survey – the farm was happy to have the pupils help survey what was living in the hedgerows as part of their 10 yearly survey. this activity is a good way to talk about the benefits of organic farming for biodiversity and introduce topics such as natural pest control, food chains and habitats. what they say rob veale, deputy head teacher at atwood primary school, says : " we feel the teaching of ‘ food ’ is extremely important in developing a pupil ’ s education as a whole. it has an impact not only on their immediate lives but also their future lives. pupils have the opportunity to cook a range of recipes, grow a variety of crops each year


food ’ is extremely important in developing a pupil ’ s education as a whole. it has an impact not only on their immediate lives but also their future lives. pupils have the opportunity to cook a range of recipes, grow a variety of crops each year and care for chickens. produce from the gardens and chickens are used in the cooking club, by the school canteen or sold in order to develop some project sustainability. regular visits to the farm are made throughout the year so pupils can relate to the processes of producing food. these are real - life learning opportunities. skills gained from these experiences are used for the rest of a pupil ’ s life. pupils will be able to make informed food choices and evaluate the impact these choices have on the environment. " julia bracewell, education coordinator at commonwork at bore place farm, says : " the aims of these visits to bore place are to help young people and adults to make connections : with the natural environment, with their food at the start of the production process, with each other on a local and global scale, recognising that actions that individuals take in one part of the world can have an impact on others in other countries, and vice versa. and ultimately, through these experiences, we feel it is important that people can make connections with themselves and to recognise and understand their own feelings about issues, as well as their own values and thus to be able to make decisions from an informed basis. but for all this to happen, we feel strongly that the experiences have to be positive and enjoyable, and so we try to ensure that visits are good days out where learning and experiencing happens through fun and enjoyment … despite the often very strong smells on the farm. "


sanitation best practices by michael m. cramer “ since qa is making us clean our tools, they should pay for the chemicals! ” — a plant maintenance employee upon finding out he has to clean and sanitize his tools product safety and quality are highly dependent on sanitation, as improper sanitation will result in reduced shelf life and increased loss due to spoilage. sanitation is a prerequisite to haccp and is intended to reduce the incidence of microbiological, chemical and physical hazards in the food manufacturing environment. the most effective sanitation program can be nullified if employees do not follow good manufacturing practices ( gmps ), thus creating contamination conditions. conversely, strong sanitation programs, incorporating multiple interventions and integrated with other critical food safety systems, will enhance overall product safety. this article will introduce the basic needs for effective sanitation and provide basic operational guidelines pertaining to sanitation practices and sanitation employee expectations for properly cleaning a food plant, its equipment, utensils and structure. * the sanitation department is one of the most important departments in a food manufacturing facility. how can you start your plant on time in the morning unless it is clean? how can you expect to have acceptable product quality and shelf life without a sanitary environment? and how are you going to be certain that your products are safe for consumption without an environment nearly free of pathogens? you cannot do it without the actions of a group of individuals willing to work in the dead of the night, often in wet conditions, their work usually not being noticed unless something goes wrong. the sanitation department depends on structure to be effective. this begins with a strong sanitation supervisor or manager ; someone with good leadership attributes, technical skills and problem - solving ability. it continues with the selection, hiring and training of sanitarians who implement the sanitation process. how can sanitation be made the most important department in the plant? start by hiring a staff that is physically able to do the job, that can work the hours required, and that can handle the conditions ( wet and involving chemicals ). sanitarians must be well trained to do their jobs, including knowing how to perform their tasks safely. appropri - ate personal protective equipment must be provided for and used by associates, such as rain gear, aprons, boots, and gloves and goggles or face shields. inappropriate garments should not be allowed ( i. e., street clothes, garbage bag coverings, or flammable material ), as these can result in poor safety or sanitation conditions. do not just give sanitarians the personal protective gear


. inappropriate garments should not be allowed ( i. e., street clothes, garbage bag coverings, or flammable material ), as these can result in poor safety or sanitation conditions. do not just give sanitarians the personal protective gear without telling them why it is necessary for them to wear it ; train them to understand why it is important to wear such gear. in one plant, the writer observed that plant sanitarians wore street clothes, had no gloves or goggles, and used trash bags to fashion covers to keep themselves dry. when asked why they did not have appropriate rain gear, the plant manager explained that it was too expensive. a review of the plant records revealed a high frequency of reportable accidents from chemical burns and irritations among the sanitation staff, resulting in high insurance premium, lost time, and late plant startup. it did not take long to calculate that providing the appropriate gear was less expensive than the dollars spent on insurance and lost productivity. the plant manager relented and bought the equipment, but it was unfortunate that people had to be injured before he took action. considerations for effective cleaning when developing sanitation procedures, as when selecting cleaning compounds, there are several factors that must be considered : first, the type of soil to be cleaned ; second, the function of various chemicals in the cleaning process ; and finally, the condition of the plant water. soils. there are many types of soils that may be encountered in food plants, depending on the types of product being made. each different soil has a different level of solubility. there is no general - purpose cleaner to address all soils ; no “ one size fits all. ” cleaners or detergents are selected specific to the needs. table 1 illustrates the solubility of various soils typically found in food processing plants. chemical functions. another important factor to consider when setting up the sanitation program is the functionality of chemicals ; that is, what they do when used. the following are functions that cleaning chemicals perform when used in a sanitation system : • emulsification : the breaking up of fats and oils to allow them to mix in water. once this is accomplished, they remain suspended in water until rinsed away. • saponification : the process of making fat soluble and easier to remove. alkali cleaners react with animal or plant fat, creating soap that is suspended for rinsing. • sequestering / chelating : the process of removing mineral hardness from water and making it softer for cleaning. polyphosphates are examples


more expensive than softening the water in the plant system. this can be done through the addition of chemicals ( hydrated lime and soda ash ) to precipitate the hardness. this is especially effective for boilers. another means to soften plant water is through ion exchange in which sodium ions are exchanged for calcium and magnesium, making the water more compatible with cleaning solutions. cleaning chemicals. when selecting cleaning chemicals and sanitizers, it is also important to match the type of material used for the processing equipment so that the equipment does not deteriorate. soft metals such as aluminum can pit from harsh chemicals such as acids or unbuffered alkali, and the pitting can become harborage for bacteria, supporting the formation of biofilms. they must be safe for use and easily rinsed from equipment. table 2 lists common cleaners or detergents. the sanitation chemical supplier should be a source of technical assistance in the use and application of cleaning chemicals, not just a chemical salesman. the most effective supplier representatives will conduct a plant survey to determine products, soils, equipment, facility flow, and personnel needs. they will participate in setting up the cleaning procedures but will not set up the procedures themselves. they will provide chemical safety training and training on application and technique, and should have sufficient microbiological knowledge to understand what organisms are of concern, given the products made, and to assist with selection of sanitizers to control these organisms. cleaning systems and equipment central systems provide hot water and chemicals to stations placed around the plant. they can be automatically set to deliver various combinations of water pressure and volume for specific soils. the systems can be set to deliver chemicals directly into the water or be equipped with a mixing valve to add chemical from a central dispenser. the advantage to the mixing valve is that the same hose can be used for prerinse and final rinse of equipment with the valve off to prevent flow of chemical. if this type of system is used, it is important to provide a sufficient number of hoses and hook - up stations for the size of the plant and to have sufficient pump size to deliver the water or chemical needed for the distance and number of units to be run at any time. spray guns for the cleaning system must be of sufficient size to deliver the chemical to the areas being cleaned. if equipped with a nozzle with a 15° spread, this should be sufficient for most applications. nozzles are available to alter the spray pattern for varying cleaning jobs. an alternative to a central system


deliver the chemical to the areas being cleaned. if equipped with a nozzle with a 15° spread, this should be sufficient for most applications. nozzles are available to alter the spray pattern for varying cleaning jobs. an alternative to a central system is individual hose stations. these stations have a supply of hot and cold water or steam injection for creation of hot water. they require a gauge for direct reading of water temperature and will also be provided with individual backflow prevention devices. as they operate with city water pressure, the hoses will have adjustable nozzles for stream flow or mist spray. hoses must be made of material that is able to handle the temperature and pressures for the system, and be lightweight, flexible, and nonporous so that they can be cleaned. portable equipment can be used for wet cleaning of hard - to - reach areas. it may require hot - water feed or have built - in heaters to create hot water. in addition, it can incorporate detergent and create foam. wet / dry vacuums are valuable in any food plant environment on account of their versatility. they can be used for small cleaning jobs and are highly portable. plants may also find value in purchasing floor scrubbers. though they need space to operate, they are good for cleaning warehouse floors and aisles. the cleaning process the frequency with which the plant is cleaned will depend greatly on the operation and the types of soils involved. dry - mix plants are often continuous, with ongoing cleanup or a full cleanup at the end of a week. slaughter and further process plants now have flexibility from fsis to determine what is appropriate provided there is no insanitary condition or no production of adulterated product. a rule of thumb is for plants to clean once within a 24 - hour period and after the following product changeovers : between allergenic ingredients for food safety ; between animal species ( i. e., when changing from chicken to beef to prevent economic adulteration ) ; and between spices for quality reasons ( i. e., from more colorful or flavorful spice blends to less intense blends ). consult with the plant sanitarians and the qa department to determine appropriate cleaning frequency. decisions to clean equipment or rooms less than every 24 hours must be supported by sufficient scientific documentation to prove that this will not result in insanitary conditions and the production of adulterated product. this may come in the form of microbiological testing, scientific literature, or validation by a process authority. environmental cleaning of such areas such as walls,


prove that this will not result in insanitary conditions and the production of adulterated product. this may come in the form of microbiological testing, scientific literature, or validation by a process authority. environmental cleaning of such areas such as walls, floors, ceilings, drains, etc., should be conducted daily or as often as necessary ( i. e., during midshift cleanup, between shifts, etc. ) to prevent product or contact - surface contamination. nonproduction areas should be cleaned as frequently as needed to prevent transfer of insanitary conditions to production areas. the following steps are basic procedures for effective cleaning and sanitizing. each step in the process depends on effective completion of the prior step. the sanitation process starts with a dry pickup of scrap, paper, packaging, and product or ingredient spills. this should be ongoing during the manufacturing shift to prevent excess buildup and prevent insanitary processing conditions. break down equipment into component parts or open equipment panels to clean inside. cover electrical panels or motors with plastic and secure the plastic to prevent forcing water into areas that may result in damage. lock out or tag out moving equipment, such as blenders, to prevent injury ( i. e., equipment someone may have to reach into ). do not place equipment parts on the ground ( floor ) or on stairs or platforms where there is foot traffic, as this may only create more bacterial niches and result in recontamination of clean parts. instead, have racks or clean - out - of - place ( cop ) tanks for these parts. follow dry cleaning with a hot - water rinse to break up fat, remove visible soils, and combine with mechanical action to prepare surfaces for cleaning. water temperature for cleaning is very important, depending on the soils present. generally, the water temperature used is approximately 5°f above the melt point temperature of fat. this means that the recommended temperature will be between 130 to 160°f. as proteins denature and bind to surfaces, making removal more difficult, do not let the water temperature reach 185°f or higher. dry pickup and rinse are very important steps to remove as much soil as possible as most chemical cleaners are not designed to remove excess soils or gross contamination. wash all equipment and environmental surfaces with detergent and hot water. here again, the water temperature is most effective between 130°f and 160°f, depending on the cleaning chemicals used. cleaning may involve several steps and cleaning compounds used may contain several ingredients, depending on the


surfaces with detergent and hot water. here again, the water temperature is most effective between 130°f and 160°f, depending on the cleaning chemicals used. cleaning may involve several steps and cleaning compounds used may contain several ingredients, depending on the soils to be removed, hardness of water, and prevention of scale formation. the chemicals used will be selected to control soils identified in table 1. chemical mixing, if not done by an automatic dispenser, is very important to cleaning effectiveness and cost control. train sanitors to properly mix chemicals, and if verification of chemical strengths is required, use test strips, titration chemicals, or ph / conductivity probes available with some atp devices. ensure that they understand that excess chemical will not make cleaning easier ; in fact, it may make it more difficult by harming equipment, leaving chemical film, and wasting money. conversely, too little chemical does not save money as it is not going to clean as effectively and will ultimately result in failures such as reduced shelf life and quality, microbiological problems, or regulatory noncompliance reports, or control action. a pumping system with pressurized air is an effective means of applying cleaning compounds with the creation of foam. foaming cleaners are most effective when large areas need to be cleaned, and they should be left on the equipment long enough to break down soils but not long enough to dry, making removal more difficult. once the chemical has been applied to the surface, it will require contact time to penetrate and break up soil, but not so long that it begins to dry. use mechanical action as needed to remove soil and prevent buildup that can contribute to biofilm formation. as a rule, scrub contact surfaces on a daily basis and indirect surfaces such as frames at least once a week. during the process of rinsing and applying cleaning compounds, run conveyors or other equipment at slow speeds to ensure that all surfaces are contacted. the frequency of removal of belts for scrubbing and soaking must be identified by the plant in the master sanitation schedule. cleaning must include the undersides of the belts, and if the conveyor guides have removable uhmw runners, identify the frequency with which they need to be removed for cleaning and soaking. do not allow employees to stand on top of conveyors or product surfaces, as their boots may be a source of contamination that can be ground into equipment. provide them with the appropriate ladders or lifts to reach high spots. once the cleaning process is completed, the rinsing process will


of conveyors or product surfaces, as their boots may be a source of contamination that can be ground into equipment. provide them with the appropriate ladders or lifts to reach high spots. once the cleaning process is completed, the rinsing process will remove soils suspended in detergent. rinse all surfaces with hot ( 130 to 160°f ) water to remove all soap. use care to avoid overspray or water spray into floors and drains that might result in the creation of aerosols. once cleaning is complete and prior to application of sanitizer, it is a good idea to conduct basic monitoring, beginning with organoleptic inspection : • look in, around, and under equipment and structures for indications of soil removal. • does the environment smell clean or are there sour or musty odors? • feel equipment surfaces for grease or grit from incomplete soil removal. provide the proper tools to monitor, including a flashlight ; mirror ( no glass ) for inspecting difficult - to - reach locations ; test strips or kits to monitor cleaning and sanitizing solutions ; thermometer for checking water temperature ; a ladder or lift to inspect high equipment and overhead structures ; and a notepad and pen to record findings. it is very important that sanitarians be trained to conduct inspection of their work, and this inspection should also incorporate the use of atp bioluminescence technology to verify cleaning effectiveness. this technology does not indicate the presence of microorganisms ; rather, it measures the presence of organic material, indicating an environment in which microbes can live and grow. thus, if used in conjunction with visual inspection, it provides sanitarians with immediate feedback on the efficacy of their cleaning efforts. the final step in the process is to apply sanitizer to all cleaned and rinsed surfaces to destroy hidden microorganisms. effective use of sanitizers is integral to controlling microorganisms for the purpose of food safety and product shelf stability. it must be understood that sanitizing does not replace thorough handwashing or equipment and facility cleaning. factors such as organic materials, especially protein, decrease the effectiveness of sanitizers against microorganisms. therefore, plant employees must be trained to properly wash hands and clean equipment / facilities, and to remove all carbohydrate, fat, and protein soil and biofilms prior to sanitizing. the sanitizing step will supplement effective cleaning through the reduction of microorganisms to a level considered safe. the selection of sanitizers will be determined


towels for wiping down equipment surfaces. towels used should be wetted with sanitizer before use to provide an additional microbiological control benefit. trash / inedible bins control : the insides of trash or recycling bins will be kept closed with lids secured or emptied frequently to prevent overflow. inedible carts will be emptied frequently and cleaned no less than daily. no trash or solid waste will be stored within the plant except in covered containers. waste containers at packaging machines may be uncovered during the operation of such equipment. idle equipment control : idle equipment, not currently in use, will be covered to prevent contamination from ongoing operations, maintenance, or sanitation activities. if not covered, equipment will be washed on a daily basis and, in all cases, washed and sanitized prior to use in production. floor mats or foamers : foamers are the preferred means of delivering sanitizer on the floors. they will be maintained to deliver quat at 800 to 1000 ppm and set to create thick foam rather than a liquid pool. if floor mats or baths are used, they must be maintained at optimum sanitizer strength. use 800 to 1000 ppm quat for all floor mats. overhead control : overhead structures ( i. e., pipes, beams, lights, etc. ) are to be clean, free of condensation as well as dust buildup, and rust and flaking materials ( paint, silicone, tape and plastic. ) place overheads on the master sanitation schedule to prevent buildup of soils that can drop onto product surfaces or product. packaging control : direct product - contact packaging ( i. e., film and bags ) will be covered while in storage areas to prevent accidental contamination. packaging materials returned to storage will be dry, clean and sealed. door control : doors ( including silos, compactor areas ) should remain closed during operations unless they have operating air curtains to prevent the entry of pests and outdoor dust or soil. maintenance control : food - contact equipment contaminated by maintenance activity before or during operations should be properly cleaned and sanitized before contact with food product or packaging. an effective sanitation program depends on many factors : sanitarian selection and training ; effective procedures for daily and regularly scheduled cleaning ; selection of the right chemicals for cleaning and sanitizing ; implementation of standard cleaning processes ; and maintenance of operational sanitation conditions. in addition, plants should evaluate inspection reports, microbiological results and, as applicable, nrs to periodically assess sanitation performance. the objective is to drive


cleaning and sanitizing ; implementation of standard cleaning processes ; and maintenance of operational sanitation conditions. in addition, plants should evaluate inspection reports, microbiological results and, as applicable, nrs to periodically assess sanitation performance. the objective is to drive continuous improvement in the sanitation process, whether it be retraining of sanitors, rewriting the sanitation procedures, or redesigning plant equipment for more effective cleaning. if all of these processes are implemented, they will go a long way in ensuring the safety, wholesomeness and quality of the plant ’ s products. michael m. cramer is director, quality assurance with windsor frozen foods co., a family of companies making a range of italian, pan - asian and southwestern style appetizers, entrees, pastas and ready - to - eat items for the foodservice and retail industries. for 10 years, mike served as vice president, food safety & quality assurance with ready - to - eat, multi - ingredient processed foods manufacturer specialty brands, inc., acquired by windsor in 2005. he is a member and former director of the national meat association, a member of the institute of food technologists, and serves on the editorial advisory board of food safety magazine. this article is excerpted from food plant sanitation : design, maintenance and good manufacturing practices ( june 2006 ), chapter 7 : sanitation best practices, by michael m. cramer, with permission from crc press, boca raton, fl ( www. crcpress. com ; 800. 272. 7737 ).


tuesday, july 3, 2012 reading list : did muhammad exist? - spencer, robert. did muhammad exist? wilmington, de : isi books, 2012. isbn 978 - 161017 - 061 - 1. - in 1851, ernest renan wrote that islam “ was born in the full light of history … ”. but is this the case? what do we actually know of the origins of islam, the life of its prophet, and the provenance of its holy book? in this thoroughly researched and documented investigation the author argues that the answer to these questions is very little indeed, and that contemporary evidence for the existence of a prophet in arabia who proclaimed a scripture, led the believers into battle and prevailed, unifying the peninsula, and lived the life documented in the muslim tradition is entirely nonexistent during the time of muhammad ' s supposed life, and did not emerge until decades, and in many cases, more than a century later. further, the historical record shows clear signs, acknowledged by contemporary historians, of having been fabricated by rival factions contending for power in the emerging arab empire. what is beyond dispute is that in the century and a quarter between a. d. 622 and 750, arab armies erupted from the arabian peninsula and conquered an empire spanning three continents, propagating a change in culture, governance, and religion which remains in effect in much of that region today. the conventional story is that these warriors were the armies of islam, following their prophet ' s command to spread the word of their god and bearing his holy writ, the qur ' an, before them as they imposed it upon those they subdued by the sword. but what is the evidence for this? when you look for it, it ' s remarkably scanty. as the peoples conquered by the arab armies were, in many cases, literate, they have left records of their defeat. and in every case, they speak of the invaders as “ hagarians ”, “ ishmaelites ”, “ muhajirun ”, or “ saracens ”, and in none of these records is there a mention of an arab prophet, much less one named “ muhammad ”, or of “ islam ”, or of a holy book called the “ qur ' an ”. now, for those who study the historical foundations of christianity or judaism, these results will be familiar — when you trace the origins of a great religious tradition back to its roots, you often discover that they disappear into a fog of legend which believers must ultimately accept on faith since


who study the historical foundations of christianity or judaism, these results will be familiar — when you trace the origins of a great religious tradition back to its roots, you often discover that they disappear into a fog of legend which believers must ultimately accept on faith since historical confirmation, at this remove, is impossible. this has been the implicit assumption of those exploring the historical foundations of the bible for at least two centuries, but it is considered extremely “ edgy ” to pose these questions about islam, even today. this is because when you do, the believers are prone to use edgy weapons to cut your head off. jews and christians have gotten beyond this, and just shake their heads and chuckle. so some say it takes courage to raise these questions about islam. i ' d say “ some ” are the kind of cowards who opposed the translation of the bible into the vernacular, freeing it from the priesthood and placing it in the hands of anybody who could read. and if any throat - slitter should be irritated by these remarks and be inclined to act upon them, be advised that i not only shoot back but, circumstances depending, first. i find the author ' s conclusion very plausible. after the arab conquest, its inheritors found themselves in command of a multicontinental empire encompassing a large number of subject peoples and a multitude of cultures and religious traditions. if you were the ruler of such a newly - cobbled - together empire, wouldn ' t you be motivated, based upon the experience of those you have subdued, to promulgate a state religion, proclaimed in the language of the conquerer, which demanded submission? would you not base that religion upon the revelation of a prophet, speaking to the conquerers in their own language, which came directly from god? it is often observed that islam, unlike the other abrahamic religions, is uniquely both a religious and political system, leading inevitably to theocracy ( which i ' ve always believed misnamed — i ' d have no problem with theocracy : rule by god ; it ' s rule by people claiming to act in his name that always seems to end badly ). but what if islam is so intensely political precisely because it was invented to support a political agenda — that of the arabic empire of the umayyad caliphate? it ' s not that islam is political because its doctrine encompasses politics as well as religion ; it ' s that ' s it ' s political because it was designed that way by the political rulers who directed the compilation of its sacred books, its traditions,


information contained on this page is provided by newsusa, an independent third - party content provider. worldnow and this station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. / society for vascular surgery ) - a refreshing swim can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. these are vascular health bonuses for people who are at risk for stroke, the leading cause of disability and the fourth leading cause of death in the united states. in 2010, 137, 000 americans died of stroke, according to the centers for disease control and prevention ( cdc ). " swimming is a vascular health bonanza, " said david h. stone, md, and a member of the society for vascular surgery. " low - impact swimming provides a total cardiovascular workout. regular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, resulting in less effort and a decrease in blood pressure. " one in every three americans over 20 years old - - 74 million americans - - has high blood pressure according to 2010 statistics from the cdc. one in every six american adults has high cholesterol ( more than 250 mg / d l ). more american women than men have high cholesterol. to reduce high cholesterol levels, exercise and diet are important factors. the american council on exercise suggests that adults burn 2000 calories a week from exercise. the lack of regular physical activity results in 250, 000 deaths annually, according to a 2003 report in the journal circulation. as long as the exercise regimen continues, the health benefits remain. after 12 to 14 weeks of a three - to five - days - a - week exercise regimen of 20 to 60 minutes at an intensity of 60 to 90 percent heart rate, bad ( ldl ) cholesterol can decrease by up to 20 percent according to livestrong. com. another bonus : aerobic exercise can increase good ( hdl ) cholesterol. in a 2010 university of western australia study, 100 women swimmers, ages 50 to 70, lowered their bad cholesterol and lost more inches in the waist and hips than walkers. likewise, swimming is easy on the joints and doesn ' t result in overheating. there are non - invasive screening tests that can detect vascular disease. medication can treat vascular disease. for free print and electronic vascular health information, visit vascularweb. org.


would you like to add or edit content here? here ' s how you can have an account! stalin, mao zedong and pol pot were stalin, mao zedong and pol pot atheists? did their atheism have an impact on their actions and subsequent atrocities? one could make a valid claim that since stalin attended a russian orthodox seminary ( from 1894 to 1899 ) as a teenager in tiflis, the dogmatic black or white outlook of the world influenced his subsequent actions. as the historian alan bullock in his book hitler and stalin : parallel lives ( 1991 ) explained : the fact that it was a church education helped to form the mind of a man who was to become known for his dogmatism and his propensity for seeing issues in absolute terms, in black and white. anyone reading stalin ' s speeches and writings will notice their catechistic structure, the use of question and answer, the reduction of complex questions to a set of simplified formulas, the quoting of text to support his arguments. the same church influence has been noted by biographers in his style of speaking or writing russian : ' declamatory and repetitive, with liturgical overtones. ' however the main influence on all these three men were likely dogmatic marxism - communism. joseph m. bochenski in his essay " a critique of communism " in the book outline of communism clearly showed what the shortcomings of this system are : firstly, communists are prone to oversimplification. complex problems of the real world are explained in simplistic terms. thus the communist eschatology of a classless society leads them to believe that collectivization is the main source of human happiness. never mind the fact that each human beings have different - and opposing - dreams, goals and desires. they also believe that all problems of labor can be resolved by nationalization of all industries and the banning of private ownership. this saps the human spirit of the will to excel. this simplistic outlook spills into their belief about moral issues. since communism is the ultimate good, anyone who is opposed to it must necessarily be evil. like religious fundamentalists, to the communists everything is in black and white. " you are either with us or against us. " secondly, as can be seen above, communism resembles very closely the dogmatic faith of religious fundamentalist. it has, like other fundamentalist religions, a list of sacred writings known as the " communist classics ". infallible authority is ascribed to these writings. it pretends to represent the absolute


very closely the dogmatic faith of religious fundamentalist. it has, like other fundamentalist religions, a list of sacred writings known as the " communist classics ". infallible authority is ascribed to these writings. it pretends to represent the absolute truth by calling itself a " science ". yet it proceeds in the manner of a faith. indeed, einstein even commented on this : - albert einstein, out of my later years : most importantly, in no case is atheism central to the building of these dogmatic positions. atheism embodies no particular ideology, world view or dogma and cannot be justified as any significant factor in the activities of these people. if anything, the lack of belief in a supernatural overlord leaves one to respect the importance of all of mankind peacefully coexisting, because unlike in religious doctrine, the penalties one may face for immoral acts are often levied in the material world, during the life of the perpetrator. indeed to the founder of communist doctrines, karl marx ( 1818 - 1883 ), atheism, was just a stage on the path to communism, and it was ultimately " unreal " and " no longer needed " by socialism and communism. this is what karl marx himself said about atheism : atheism as a denial of this unreality ; has no longer any meaning, for atheism is a denial of god and tries to assert through this negation the existence of man ; but socialism as such no longer needs this mediation... it is important to pause for a moment and consider this statement carefully. if karl marx, the intellectual founder of marxism and communism, repudiated atheism as meaningless and no longer needed, how then could atheism be considered the cause of the atrocities committed under communism? this site costs a lot of money in bandwidth and resources. we are glad to bring it to you free, but would you consider helping support our site by making a donation? any amount would go a long way towards helping us continue to provide this useful service to the community. click on the paypal button below to donate. your support is most appreciated!


wastewater plant history the city of fresno initiated its first sewer system in 1891 with the construction of a 24 - inch outfall sewer to a 40 - acre ‘ sewer farm ’ located southwest of fresno, east of the existing treatment facility. the acreage proved to be inadequate for the town and an additional 40 acres was purchased to increase capacity. the sewage was used for irrigating alfalfa crops. eight septic tanks were constructed in 1907 to provide partial treatment of the sewage prior to land spreading and irrigation. by 1910 fresno ’ s estimated population was 25, 000, necessitating an expansion of the ‘ sewer farm ’ to meet the treatment needs of this burgeoning society. a major expansion began in 1909 with the purchase of an additional 812 acres and the construction of another 24 - inch outfall sewer running parallel to the original outfall. this expansion is the current site of the regional wastewater reclamation facilities. expansion of the sewer treatment plant kept pace with the demands of the city. in 1917 a 60 - inch outfall sewer and eight additional septic tanks were constructed. an additional 500 acres of adjacent land, made available by dairies forced to vacate by the state health department due to sewage overflow onto their properties, were rented. this system proved inadequate resulting in an odor and fly nuisance. in 1922, the city council recognized the dire situation and commissioned a study, to recommend a solution to the sewage crisis. the study recommended lowering the groundwater elevation to increase percolation capacity. this would allow water to be extracted and used on local water irrigation systems. construction began on nine extraction wells in 1924. the project was successful and temporarily solved the sewage crisis. sewer farm management began a new enterprise in 1933 to raise cattle feed ( mostly alfalfa ) irrigated by treated sewage. this operation ended in 1960 due to cost constraints. a major new treatment plant, plant 1, was constructed in 1947 to provide primary treatment to sewage prior to continued land disposal and local irrigation. this plant consisted of a headworks, primary clarifiers, anaerobic digester, and sludge drying beds. the city ’ s increasing population required the construction of a second plant, plant 2, in 1958. in 1966, the city of fresno was designated as the sewering agency for the local metropolitan area and assumed the role of developing a long - range, area - wide wastewater treatment and disposal plan. an engineering report recommended a five - stage program to meet long - range metropolitan needs. in 1970 construction began on the first stage of


the local metropolitan area and assumed the role of developing a long - range, area - wide wastewater treatment and disposal plan. an engineering report recommended a five - stage program to meet long - range metropolitan needs. in 1970 construction began on the first stage of the wastewater treatment facility improvements. due to odor problems from excessive winery wastes, the city set limits on winery waste discharge until a separate system was developed. in 1972 the regional water quality control board ( rwqcb ) imposed sanctions on the treatment plant because of past odor problems. new waste discharge limits were issued which required a higher level of treatment. as a result, the treatment plant underwent major construction to meet rwqcb requirements. in 1975 a biological secondary wastewater treatment process was added to plant 1. additional anaerobic digesters and sludge drying beds were constructed which increased the treatment and disposal capacity to 46 mgd on 2, 000 acres. a separate winery waste collection, transport, and disposal facility was also constucted to help the treatment facility meet rwqcb requirements. 1976 saw the addition of a flotation clarifier and trickling filter to plant 2. in an effort to reuse the raw material coming into and created by the facilty, a cogeneration facility was built to use the methane gas produced by the anaerobic digesters to partially meet the plant ’ s energy requirements. in february of 1996, the rwqcb adopted a cease and desist order requiring the facility to increase capacity to meet demands. a major project that included the rehabilitation of the existing facilities, a new headworks, biosolids dewatering equipment, and additional process units to increase capacity were already under construction. the new facilities came online in the fall of 1996 with an increase in capacity to 68 mgd. by the time the 68 mgd project was started up, the flow to the plant was already in excess of 70 mgd. another phase of expansion to increase capacity to 80 mgd began immediately after the 68mgd project was started up. the 80 mgd expansion was completed in february of 1998.


integrated education according to alice school two weekends of intensive study for a basic theory - practice training, led by luigina de biasi, founder of the alice school. the alice school aims to create experiences and searches for an “ integrated education ”. initiated in italy in public schools during about ten years, the project was then implemented in india, first at sarnath - varanasi then at barbatta - bodhgaya and recently in the state of arunachan pradesh. the schools are attended by about 1000 students from kindergarten to university. the basic concept of the project concerns the ' unit ' beyond the divisions created by nationality, traditions, religions for a pluralistic and multicultural society. beyond a social aspect, its goal is to involve each person in the relationship with oneself. in fact the search of a “ psychological unity ”, beyond the divisions created by possible conflicts in the mind that prevents the realization of an harmonious personality. this type of education ( scientific and psychological knowledge ) helps to develop an integrated personality. this means helping children and adults to know their internal and external reality, without discrimination and to develop some quality of mind ( memory, concentration, visualization ) that many adults have lost due to lack of exercise in their childhood. alice school proposes a didactic - educational self - knowledge through the development of awareness, defined as the ability to be " present " and to live the " here - now, " noting the mental path in order to enhance a process of distancing between the “ ego ” and its functions ( thoughts, memories, images, emotions ). alice school can be implemented in any cultural, religious and economic context. training course 2011 : january 29 - 30 and february 12 - 13 for more information :


the critical core manufacturing skills training modules give your employees the tools they need to meet the changing demands of today ' s workplace and deliver consistently high the critical core manufacturing skills combine powerful new training content with real - world application. each training module focuses on a specific skill in one of four key areas — productivity, problem solving, teamwork, and adaptability. modules can be offered as single sessions or grouped into a customized training package geared to your business objectives, timeline, and budget. - core productivity skills : modules are designed to give your business a competitive edge by optimizing individual performance. - module 1 : work productively - module 2 : follow directions - module 3 : maintain a safe work environment - core problem solving skills : modules provide both a framework and process for dealing effectively with tough choices and situations. - module 4 : think critically - module 5 : apply problem solving strategies - module 6 : apply mathematical reasoning - core team skills : modules will help employees get information to the right people at the right time, bring problems to the forefront, and build strong working - module 7 : work cooperatively in teams - module 8 : communicate clearly - module 9 : listen effectively - core adaptability skills : modules will help workers respond quickly to unexpected events, contribute to innovative solutions, and think creatively. - module 10 : demonstrate integrity - module 11 : demonstrate a positive attitude - module 12 : adapt to change resources are available to supplement instructor - led training, seminars and assessment to assure sustainability of the concepts. critical core manufacturing skills training resources to arrange on - site or critical core manufacturing skills training, contact : fox valley technical college - business & industry services p : ( 888 ) 458 - 0449 | p : ( 920 ) 735 - 2525 | f : ( 920 ) 735 - 4771


men have higher body temperatures than women. if your heating goes out in winter, i recommend sleeping next to a man. men are like portable heaters that snore. a lady on the airplane strikes up a conversation with the fellow sitting in the next seat, ".. and where are you going? " " i ' m going to san francisco to a unix convention, " he replies. " eunuchs convention? " she questions. " i didn ' t know there were that many of you. " a language instructor was explaining to her class that in french, nouns unlike their english counterparts, are grammatically designated as masculine or feminine. " house, " in french, is feminine - " la mansion. " " pencil, " in french, is masculine - " le crayon. " one puzzled student asked, "... what gender is computer?... " the teacher did not know, and the word wasn ' t in her french dictionary. so for fun she split the class into two groups appropriately enough, by gender, and asked them to decide whether " computer " should be a masculine or feminine noun. both groups were required to give four reasons for their recommendation. the men ' s group decided that computers should definitely be of the feminine gender ( " la computer " ), because : 1. no one but their creator understands their internal logic. 2. the native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else. 3. even the smallest mistakes are stored in long - term memory for possible later retrieval. 4. as soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your pay check on accessories for it. the women ' s group, however, concluded that computers should be masculine ( " le computer " ), because : 1. in order to get their attention, you have to turn them on. 2. they have a lot of data but they are still clueless. 3. they are supposed to help you solve problems but half the time they are the problem. 4. as soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you ' d waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model. the women won. there was a doctor, a civil engineer, and a computer scientist sitting around late one evening, and they got to discussing which was the oldest profession. the doctor pointed out that according to biblical tradition, god created eve from adam ' s rib. this obviously required surgery, so therefore that was the oldest profession


computer scientist sitting around late one evening, and they got to discussing which was the oldest profession. the doctor pointed out that according to biblical tradition, god created eve from adam ' s rib. this obviously required surgery, so therefore that was the oldest profession in the world. the engineer countered with an earlier passage in the bible that stated that god created order from the chaos, and that was most certainly the biggest and best civil engineering example ever, and also proved that his profession was the oldest profession. the computer scientist leaned back in her chair, and with a sly smile responded, " yes, but who do you think created the chaos? " the gigantic computer took up a whole wall, dwarfing the two mathematicians standing before it. after much flashing and humming a sliver of paper emerged from the vitals of the machine. one mathematician, after studying it gravely, turned to the other and said with awe, " do you realise that it would take four hundred ordinary mathematicians a hundred years of calculations to make a mistake this big? " microsoft ( nasdaq : msft ) announced that it is selling advertising space in the error messages that appear in windows. acknowledging for the first time that the average user of their operating system encounters error messages at least several times a day, microsoft is trying to take financial advantage of the unavoidable opportunity to make an ad impression. " we estimate that throughout the world at any given moment several million people are getting a ' general protection fault ' or ' illegal operation ' warning. we will be able to generate significant revenue by including a short advertising message along with it, " said microsoft marketing director nathan mirror. he also mentioned that microsoft is intended to add banner ads into its blue screen of death in the near future. the justice department immediately indicated that they intend to investigate whether microsoft is gaining an unfair advantage in reaching the public with this advertising by virtue of its semi - monopolistic control over error messages. good morning everyboomie. ok then, i ’ ve got your quote, your jokes, & your coffee. now all you need is a few wise cracks from the head wise cracker, or is it wise quacker? it could be quacker. it seems every time i tell a wise crack i have to " duck " from someone throwing rotten fruit at me. i think i may be manic compulsive..... or something. most people, when they have an itch, will scratch it with their fingers by putting the fingers on the itch, and rapidly


gardening articles : care : : soil, water, & fertilizer improving soil with gypsum by garn wallace with shelly stiles gypsum is one of the best sources of calcium, the most important of the secondary plant nutrients. but calcium is more than a nutrient. it is the major balancing element in plants and soils. it protects, within limits, from nutrient excess and deficiency, problems caused by both high and low ph and heavy metal contamination. along with organic matter, calcium improves soil structure. gypsum as fertilizer pure gypsum is 23 percent calcium and 19 percent sulfate ( caso4 - 2h2o ). in the hierarchy of the 16 essential plant nutrients that begins with non - minerals hydrogen, oxygen and carbon, calcium is seventh and sulfur is ninth. calcium is the plant nutrient most likely to be unavailable to roots when needed. an essential nutrient itself, calcium also improves root uptake of other plant nutrients, especially ammonium nitrogen. calcium does not move from old to new plant tissues, so a constant supply of soluble calcium is needed. the growing points of both roots and shoots are sensitive to insufficient calcium, but roots more so. the ratio of calcium to sodium is more critical than the actual concentration of calcium. symptoms of calcium deficiency include - water - soaked, discolored areas on fruits, such as blossom end rot on tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash, or bitter pit or cork spot on apples and pears. tip burn on young leaves of celery, lettuce and cabbage. - death of terminal buds and root tips. - abnormal dark green appearance of leaves. - premature shedding of blossoms and buds. - weakened stems. calcium is most often deficient in high - rainfall, acid - soil areas, such as the pacific northwest west of the cascade mountains, and east of the mississippi river. these regions receive in excess of 40 inches of rainfall each year. deficiency symptoms, such as tomato blossom end rot, often appear there after a period of heavy rainfall. gardeners apply ground dolomite or limestone, primarily to raise soil ph, but also to replace lost calcium. but the calcium in limestone is not water soluble, however. it must be incorporated into the soil and brought into contact with soil acids before calcium ions ( ca + + ) are released. limestone does not migrate in the soil, and is effective only to the depth incorporated. in contrast, gypsum dissolves immediately in the moisture of the soil, allowing plant roots to absorb the calcium ions


water from the ' tap ' [ like our ' green - house - gas ' or ghg emissions ] flowing into.. ' the ' bath ' [ like the global atmosphere ], raises the level of the bath - water [ like the rate of atmosphere ghg accumulation / concentration ]... but, the ' bath ' is also drained by... the ' plug - hole ' [ like the natural ' sinks for ghg '... [ affecting / slowing the rate of atmospheric ghg accumulation ]. to stop the bath over - flowing, the tap must turned off in the knowledge that the bath level will continue to rise while the tap is being turned off. this is true for emissions, once the need for unfccc - compliance in the form of safe and stable future ghg concentrations in the atmosphere is accepted. an assessment of ' contraction & concentrations ' and ' contraction & convergence ' and the c & c targets and modelling behind ' sink - efficiency ' in the uk government ' s ' climate act '. the ' 50 : 50 ' odds the uk government gave for avoiding a temperature rise globally of more than two degrees with their emissions scenario are in this context. they are linked the government ' s wholly unsubstantiated claim that atmosphere concentrations will fall after 2050 even though we are projected as only halfway through a 100 - year emissions ' contraction - event '. a letter 8th june 2011 from many eminent persons sent to the secretary of state for energy and climate change about these matters ishere working draft of ' cbat ' - the carbon budget analysis tool [ see here ] c & c in the context of cop - 15 copenhagen [ 12 / 2009 ] with a view on what went wrong and what it takes to get it right. presentation / animation - also for ' download and save ' as an swffile for internet browsers or a self - executing [ virus - free ] flash file for pcs. presentation / animation - c & c in the context of ipcc ar4 and the so - called reported quantitatively for the first time since ipcc far 1990. essentially, due to ' positive feedback ' effects in the carbon cycle, where rising temperature amplifies the rate at which atmospheric ghg concentration increases, accelerated rates of carbon emissions contraction are needed to meet a given concentration outcome. this is the increasingly crucial issue of changing rates of ' sink - efficiency '. in depth analysis of this in relation to the uk climate act is here in thisevidence to uk environmental audit committee. the


needed to meet a given concentration outcome. this is the increasingly crucial issue of changing rates of ' sink - efficiency '. in depth analysis of this in relation to the uk climate act is here in thisevidence to uk environmental audit committee. the rates for contraction : concentrations and contraction : convergence are compared in thisanimationas : - acceptable [ c1 ] dangerous [ c2 ] impossible [ c3 ] rates of c & c at four different theoretical rates of sink - failure. presentation / animation that relates the arithmetic of emissions contraction to issues of : - science, geo - technology, oil and gas depletion, growth and damages, clean energy and implementation. the arithmetic of emissions contraction relating to : - globalisation of consciousness ; climate science, rising risks ; trends of ' expansion and divergence ' ; ' contraction & convergence ' ; ' syntax for global climate policies ' ; presentation / animation and notes about future ' growth ', you should ask an economist ' how long is a piece of string '. he may tell you a witty woody allen one - liner about infinity being a really long time, ' especially towards the end ' ; [ in other words he ' ll probably try and avoid the question ]. if you ask a string - player how long is a piece of string, s / he ' ll give you a different answer. exactly twice half its length ' [ giving the perfect octave ] exactly three time a third of its length [ giving the perfect octave ] as in the audio - visually animatedimage above. this pythagorean ' stringularity ' true because it has ' ontological structure '.


the largest study ever completed of genetic factors associated with heart attacks has identified nine genetic regions, three of which are new, that appear to increase the risk for early - onset myocardial infarction. one of those new regions had been found previously to promote the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries. the report from the myocardial infarction genetics consortium is derived from testing completed on 26, 000 individuals — a total of 13, 000 heart attack patients and 13, 000 controls — in 10 different countries. “ for several decades it has been known that the risk for heart attack clusters in families and that some of this familial clustering is due to differences in dna sequence, ” said sekar kathiresan, m. d., director of preventive cardiology at massachusetts general hospital. “ we set out to find specific, single - letter differences in the genome that may be responsible for an increased familial risk for heart attack. ” the team used the international haplotype map, genotyping arrays, and a gene chip developed by one researcher ’ s team that can simulaneously screen for snps and copy - number variants, deletions, or duplications of gene segments. after analysis of the consortium ’ s samples identified snps that could be associated with heart attack risk, the researchers ran replication screens in three independent groups of samples. to analyze the effect of inheriting several risk - associated snps, participants were assigned a genotype score, which revealed that those with the highest number of risk - associated variants had more than twice the risk of an early - onset heart attack as those with the fewest. no risk associations were identified with copy - number variants. although researchers acknowledge that the increased risk associated with individual snps is minor, facts gained from the association could prove extremely valuable. “ one of the known variants we identified is at a gene called pcsk9, which was originally identified in 2003, ” explains dr. kathiresan. “ extensive study of that gene region has led to significant insight into the biology of atherosclerosis and heart attack and to efforts to develop targeted drugs. we are optimistic that investigating the mechanics of the newly mapped variants could yield similar insights. and since we already have effective ways to reduce heart - attack risk, individuals at higher genetic risk may benefit from earlier intervention, something that needs to be tested in future studies. ” the report appeared in the early online release of


joseph w. jones ecological research center at ichauway the southeast border of ichauway, located in baker county, is formed by thirteen miles of the flint river. ichauway protects some of the richest species diversity of the southeastern coastal plain, with resources that include approximately 17, 000 acres of mature longleaf pine woodlands, innumerable depression wetlands, 25 miles of streams, and 5, 000 acres of old - field habitat. woodruff foundation officials researched options for the best use of ichauway following woodruff ' s death in 1985. they developed the center ' s future goals after reviewing a comprehensive ecological inventory of the property. the center was named in honor of joseph w. jones, who was woodruff ' s longtime associate, a senior vice president of the coca - cola company, and chairman emeritus of the woodruff foundation. by 1993 core staff members were hired in research, forest and wildlife management, and administrative support. in 1996 the staff moved into a newly constructed campus, where as of 2006 more than 100 employees and 25 graduate and undergraduate students from regional universities work on - site. research at the jones center investigates questions relating to the restoration and the conservation management, including prescribed burning, of longleaf pine ecosystems ; conservation biology of rare species ; and the development of economic opportunities through the integration the ichauway site is used by the jones center as both an outdoor laboratory for research, conservation, and restoration of regional ecosystems, and as an educational demonstration site for ecology and natural resource management. landowners, land managers, natural resource policy makers, conservation groups, and affiliated university classes are prioritized outreach constituents. regional schoolteacher activities are conducted annually. field demonstrations and workshops often relate to prescribed fire, longleaf pine forest ecology and sustainable management, ecological restoration of threatened ecosystems and wildlife habitat, traditional quail habitat management, threatened and endangered plants and wildlife, wetland protection and management, watershed conservation, and the importance of water resources and aquatic ecosystems in southwest georgia. the fire forest : longleaf pine - wiregrass ecosystem ( conyers, ga. : georgia wildlife press, 2001 ). georgia wildlife federation, the flint river, vol. 9, georgia wildlife ( conyers, ga. : georgia wildlife federation, 2002 ). lindsay r. boring, j. w. jones ecological research center at ichauway a project of the georgia humanities council, in partnership with the university of georgia press, the university system of georgia / galileo, and the office of the governor.


how your breasts produce milk in just nine short months, your body nourishes and grows a fetus into a baby. then, it produces food for this new baby. here ’ s how it ’ s done : changes before the birth of your baby long before your baby ’ s birth, your body silently prepares you to be your baby ’ s primary source of nourishment. during pregnancy, hormones stimulate the mammary glands of your breasts to produce milk. the whole process starts in your brain, where your pituitary gland secretes two special hormones : - prolactin, which prompts your body to start producing milk - oxytocin, which signals your breast to release the milk as your baby sucks by about the sixth month of your pregnancy, you ’ re ready to make milk. your breasts may increase in size. changes after the birth of your baby prolactin and oxytocin are produced in response to the last stages of pregnancy and labor and then later by nipple stimulation during breastfeeding. here ’ s how this works : - prolactin stimulates the glands in your breasts to produce milk. - breastmilk moves into your milk ducts, where it pools until you ’ re ready to feed your baby. - during breastfeeding, as your baby nurses, the nipple stimulation from her sucking causes the release of oxytocin, which opens the channels, letting the milk flow. the breastfeeding clock breastfeeding is a natural process, but both the baby and mom need to learn how to make the experience productive and comforting. here ’ s an idea of what to expect : week 1 : during the first three to four days after you give birth, your breasts secrete a thick, yellowish, translucent fluid called colostrum, which is high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and antibodies. frequent, short feedings these first few days help both you and your baby adjust to breastfeeding and increase milk production. transitional milk comes in after about three to five days of breastfeeding. it marks the change from colostrum to regular breastmilk. as the milk comes in, your breasts may become very full and feel tender. continue to breastfeed every two to three hours ; don ’ t skip feedings or prolong the time between feedings. consistency is important to help your body establish milk production and to synchronize with your baby ’ s needs. week 2 : by this time you may feel more comfortable with