to receive a free classroom poster. if you are interested in information about hosting a live webcast event at your school, museum, or other organization, send an e ‐ mail to : firstname. lastname @ example. org. know a science student in middle or high school who ’ s fascinated by climate? harvard university ’ s journal of emerging investigators ( jei ) is collaborating with the institute for earth science research and education to publish a series of peer - reviewed climate - related papers authored by middle - and secondary - school students. have you ever wondered how the objects orbiting around our solar system get their names? if so, your opportunity to engage your students in just such an adventure has arrived! the albert einstein distinguished educator fellowship program is now accepting applications for the 2013 - 2014 fellowship year. the einstein fellowship program is available to current k - 12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ( stem ) educators with a demonstrated excellence in teaching and leadership. the goal of the einstein fellowship program is to provide an opportunity for teachers to inform u. s. national policy and improve communication between the k - 12 stem education community and national leaders. nasa is accepting applications from graduate and undergraduate university students to fly experiments to the edge of space on a scientific balloon next year. the balloon competition is a joint project between nasa and the louisiana space consortium ( laspace ) in baton rouge. the astronomical society of the pacific ( asp ) has a mission to increase the understanding and appreciation of astronomy and to advance science literacy. the group is comprised of both professional and amateur astronomers, informal and formal educators. one of its awards is particularly reserved for high school teachers : the thomas j. brennan award. the asp is now accepting nominations. in order to be considered, nominees must be involved in activities relating to the teaching of astronomy at the high school level — in the classroom or planetarium, in teacher training, and / or by other appropriate means. letters of nomination should highlight how the nominee has distinguished himself or herself in this endeavor and / or cite exceptional achievement. recipients receive a cash award and engraved plaque, as well as travel and lodging to accept the award at the society ’ s 125th annual meeting in san jose in july 2013. the nomination deadline is december 31, 2012. submission guidelines and lists of past recipients can be found at http : / / www. astrosociety. org / membership / awards / awards. html. for additional information, please contact albert silva at 415 - 715 - 1400 or via email email @ example. com the


recipients can be found at http : / / www. astrosociety. org / membership / awards / awards. html. for additional information, please contact albert silva at 415 - 715 - 1400 or via email email @ example. com the peya program promotes awareness of our nation ’ s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. since 1971, the president of the united states has joined with the epa to recognize young people across the u. s. who are protecting our nation ’ s air, water, land, and ecology. it is one of the most important ways the epa and the administration demonstrate commitment to environmental stewardship efforts created and conducted by our nation ’ s young people. one outstanding project from each region is selected for national recognition. projects are developed by young individuals, school classes ( k - 12 ), summer camps, and youth organizations to promote environmental stewardship. thousands of young people from all 50 states and the u. s. territories have submitted projects to the epa for consideration. winning projects in the past have covered a wide range of subject areas, including : evaluation results consistently demonstrate that the experience is a life - changing event for many of the young people and sponsors who participate. find out how to apply. the annual deadline for the regional award program is december 31. the american geosciences institute ( agi ) is accepting nominations for the edward c. roy award for excellence in earth science teaching. given annually, this award is presented to one full - time k - 8 teacher in the u. s. or u. k. whose excellence and innovation in the classroom elevates students ’ understanding of the earth and its many processes. nasa ' s aeronautics research mission directorate is accepting scholarship applications from graduate and undergraduate students for the 2013 - 2014 academic year. the application deadline is jan. 14, 2013. nasa expects to award 20 undergraduate and five graduate scholarships to students in an aeronautical engineering program or related field. undergraduate students who have at least two years of study remaining will receive up to $ 15, 000 per year for two years and the opportunity to receive a $ 10, 000 stipend by interning at a nasa research center during the summer. the international children ’ s painting competition on the environment is organized every year by the united nations environment programme ( unep ), the japan - based foundation for global peace and environment ( fgpe ), bayer and the nikon corporation. it has been held since 1991 and has received more than 3 million entries from children in over 150 countries. the theme of


atmosphere over time. the team then incorporated the data into six new weather models. how will these models affect our perceptions of the changing arctic? read the whole story online. nasa has a new online science resource for teachers and students to help bring earth, the solar system, and the universe into their schools and homes. the u. s. geological survey ' s website states it in no uncertain terms : " there is no such thing as ' earthquake weather. ' " yet, from at least the time of aristotle, some people have professed links between atmospheric conditions and seismic shaking. for the most part, these hypotheses have not held up under scientific scrutiny and earthquake researchers have set them aside as intriguing but unfounded ideas. however, in the last decade, new efforts to identify effects of weather - related or climate - related processes on seismicity have drawn new interest. agi now offers award - winning videos and other electronic resources to help students, educators, and others explore the “ big ideas ” of earth science all year long. agi ’ s big ideas videos recently won three prestigious awards : digital video ( dv ) winner in education, dv winner in nature / wildlife, and videographer award of excellence. much has been written about the court decision passed down earlier this week by an italian judge, convicting seven members of the italian serious risks commission to six years in prison. the " l ' aquila seven " were convicted for inadequate warnings to residents of l ' aquila, italy, before a magnitude - 6. 3 earthquake struck the region on april 6, 2009, killing more than 300 people. though the story has received international attention and has ignited tensions throughout the scientific community, little attention has been paid to the exact roles each of the seven played in delivering the final advice to the public. now, max wyss, a seismologist and director of the world agency of planetary monitoring and earthquake risk reduction ( wapmerr ) in geneva, switzerland, explains in a comment on earth magazine ' s website that five of the infamous seven may have been convicted for saying nothing — when they were deprived of the chance of saying anything at all. read the story online now http : / / www. earthmagazine. org / article / voices - judged - unfairly - laquila - roles - and - responsibilities - should - have - been - considered the american geosciences institute ( agi ) recently announced plans for an initiative to address the critical need of increasing geoscience literacy


judged - unfairly - laquila - roles - and - responsibilities - should - have - been - considered the american geosciences institute ( agi ) recently announced plans for an initiative to address the critical need of increasing geoscience literacy. agi ’ s center for geoscience education and public understanding will serve as a hub for geoscience educational tools and materials, current information on geoscience topics, and geoscience critical issue forums defining the state of science knowledge on key topics. the u. s. environmental protection agency ( epa ) offers a climate education web site for students, teachers, and school administrators, including information and activities related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. now museums across the united states are eligible to receive these pieces of space history, in addition to the schools and universities that have received them since the end of the space the source of this material is windows to the universe, at http : / / windows2universe. org / from the national earth science teachers association ( nesta ). the website was developed in part with the support of ucar and ncar, where it resided from 2000 - 2010. © 2010 national earth science teachers association. windows to the universe® is a registered trademark of nesta. all rights reserved. site policies and disclaimer.


the getcontext ( ) function accesses a different context object for each thread. having separate thread contexts means that threads may make changes ( such as getcontext. prec = 10 ) without interfering with likewise, the setcontext ( ) function automatically assigns its target to the current thread. if setcontext ( ) has not been called before getcontext ( ), then getcontext ( ) will automatically create a new context for use in the current thread. the new context is copied from a prototype context called defaultcontext. to control the defaults so that each thread will use the same values throughout the application, directly modify the defaultcontext object. this should be done before any threads are started so that there won ' t be a race condition between threads calling getcontext ( ). for example : # set applicationwide defaults for all threads about to be launched defaultcontext. prec = 12 defaultcontext. rounding = round _ down defaultcontext. traps = extendedcontext. traps. copy ( ) defaultcontext. traps [ invalidoperation ] = 1 setcontext ( defaultcontext ) # afterwards, the threads can be started t1. start ( ) t2. start ( ) t3. start ( )... see about this document... for information on suggesting changes.


a century of comet data suggests a dark, jupiter - sized object is lurking at the solar system ' s outer edge and hurling chunks of ice and dust toward earth. " we ' ve accumulated 10 years ' more data, double the comets we viewed to test this hypothesis, " said planetary scientist john matese of the university of louisiana. " only now should we be able to falsify or verify that you could have a jupiter - mass object out there. " in 1999, matese and colleague daniel whitmire suggested the sun has a hidden companion that boots icy bodies from the oort cloud, a spherical haze of comets at the solar system ' s fringes, into the inner solar system where we can see them. in a new analysis of observations dating back to 1898, matese and whitmire confirm their original idea : about 20 percent of the comets visible from earth were sent by a dark, distant planet. this idea was a reaction to an earlier notion that a dim brown - dwarf or red - dwarf star, ominously dubbed nemesis, has pummelled the earth with deadly comet showers every 30 million years or so. later research suggested that mass extinctions on earth don ' t line up with the nemesis predictions, so many astronomers now think that object doesn ' t exist. " but we began to ask, what kind of an object could you hope to infer from the present data that we are seeing? " matese said. " what could possibly tickle [ comets ' ] orbits and make them come very close to the sun so we could see them? " rather than a malevolent death star, a smaller and more benign companion called tyche ( nemesis ' good sister in greek mythology ) could send comets streaming from the oort cloud toward earth. the cosmic snowballs that form the hearts of comets generally hang out in the oort cloud until their orbits are nudged by some outside force. this push could come from one of three things, matese said. the constant gravitational pull of the milky way ' s disk can drag comets out of their icy homes and into the inner solar system. a passing star can shake comets loose from the oort cloud as it zips by. or a large companion like nemesis or tyche can pull comets out of their comfort zones. computational models show that comets in each of these scenarios, when their apparent origins are mapped in space, make a characteristic pattern in the sky. " we looked at the patterns and asked, ' is there additional evidence of a pattern that might be


the bbc news articles below address privacy concerns over states ' and corporations ' use of personal data. i think you will find the links useful. the basic summary is the following : 1. states collect personal info by various methods ( eg : cctv / closed - circuit tv in roadways ). corporations collect personal info by various means ( eg : credit card transactions ). 2. the info collected by a single entity ( state / corporation ) is considered seperately by itself. the combination of data collected by different entities is not considered by many people. 3. corporations are now building their businesses by data mining on previous customer interactions with them. this is common practice. 4. if there are no safeguards to prevent corporations from * * sharing * * personal info with other corporations / state, then in the future, an economy based on personal info will come up ( eg : a business targets only rich customers based on info obtained from their bank records, insurance companies may turn down requests based on info obtained from health services etc ). 5. if there are no safeguards to prevent state agencies from * * sharing * * personal info with other state agencies / corporations, it could lead to social discrimination. ( eg : traffic police may stop cars to do checks based on info obtained from other state agencies regarding race of the driver of car. ie. linking number plate to name, name to race, and race to probability of person committing a crime ). 6. different ways outlined are cctv ( closed - circuit tv ), number plate recognition, shop rfid, mobile phone triangulation, store loyalty cards, credit card transactions, electoral rolls, health service records, tv preferences recording, worker although some of them apply to only developed countries ( like cctv ), many could also apply to developing countries ( like credit card transactions, mobile phones ). 7. concerns outlined are a. loss of privacy b. loss of choice / consent by consumers 8. in the future, when rfid ( radio - frequence id ) tags become cheap, they could create ' an internet of things '. 9. there are great risks if the info contained in the databases are wrong / inaccurate or if it falls into wrong hands. * how we are being watched - http : / / news. bbc. co. uk / 2 / hi / uk _ news / 6110866. stm * britain is ' surveillance society ' - http : / / news. bbc. co. uk / 2 / hi / uk _


american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition - n. any of a class of yellow to red pigments, including the carotenes and the xanthophylls. - adj. of or relating to such a pigment. - n. organic chemistry any of a class of yellow to red plant pigments including the carotenes and xanthophylls. - adj. organic chemistry of, or relating to such a class of pigments. - n. any of a class of highly unsaturated yellow to red pigments occurring in plants and animals “ he was soon drawn deeply into studies of how the small variations in carotenoid structures are involved in biological functions. ” “ it starts with shorter days, which triggers a whole series of processes, says ed hedborn, a botanist who manages plant records at the morton arboretum outside chicago in lisle, ill. with less daylight, trees and other plants stop making chlorophyll, whose absence unmasks the yellow, orange and brown hues of the pigment carotenoid, which is always in the leaves, but hidden by the green. ” “ carotenoids are a group of over 600 compounds known as the carotenoid pigments. ” “ hey, protection from free - radical damage all day long - - can ' t beat that, especially when it comes to one type of cancer : oj contains something called carotenoid cryptoxanthin, and it ' s associated with a 15 - 31 percent reduced lung cancer risk. ” “ tomatoesone of the nutritional highlights of this fruit is the ' carotenoid ' nutrient lycopene, which research links with protection from conditions such as heart disease and cancer. ” “ tomatoestomatoes are rich in a so - called " carotenoid " nutrient, which has links to a reduced risk of heart disease. ” “ computer eye strain formula, a daily supplement sold by eyescience labs llc of columbus, ohio, contains astaxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoid antioxidants in the same family as those found in carrots. ” “ since birds with a high parasite load cannot store as much carotenoid pigments, their colouring is not as brilliant as that of healthier individuals. ” “ kale is an incredibly rich source of immune - boosting carotenoid and flavanoid antioxidants, as well as


american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition - n. a method of painting with opaque watercolors mixed with a preparation of gum. - n. an opaque pigment used when painting in this way. - n. a painting executed in this manner. century dictionary and cyclopedia - n. a method of painting with water - colors mixed and modified with white, so as to be opaque and to present a dead surface. this process is much used in italy to supply at a small price views of landscapes, ancient monuments, etc. it is well adapted to produce, in skilful hands, an excellent effect with little labor, especially when the observer is at some distance. the method is useful also for scenery in theaters and the like. - n. work painted according to this method. — - n. a pigment used in such painting. - noting the method of painting known as gouache, or a work executed by that method. - n. art a thick, opaque watercolour paint made with gum containing an inert white pigment to make it opaque - n. art a painting made with this paint gnu webster ' s 1913 - n. a method of painting with opaque colors, which have been ground in water and mingled with a preparation of gum ; also, a picture thus painted. - n. an opaque watercolor prepared with gum - n. a watercolor executed with opaque watercolors mixed with gum - borrowing from french. ( wiktionary ) - french, from italian guazzo, from latin aquatio, watering, from aquatus, past participle of aquari, to fetch water, from aqua, water ; see akw - a - in indo - european roots. ( american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition ) “ the standout image, though, was an 11 by 14 inch painting in gouache by brian floca from his " moonshot : the flight of apollo 11. ” “ illustrator stephanie buscema has that perfect “ retro cute ” thing going on with paintings of children, skillfully rendered in gouache. ” “ new yorker nancy stahl, whose specialty is wpa - style mock - heroic illustrations ( like the image at right ), says the fragility of her traditional medium - - the opaque watercolor known as gouache - - used to drive her crazy. ” “ for s. paolo, in verona, francesco painted a panel - picture in gouache, which is very beautiful, and


of her traditional medium - - the opaque watercolor known as gouache - - used to drive her crazy. ” “ for s. paolo, in verona, francesco painted a panel - picture in gouache, which is very beautiful, and another, also most beautiful, for the ” “ here she is working with both bodycolor and watercolor, in particular gouache, which is watercolor made opaque through the addition of an opacifier - - typically chalk - - which allows it to cover whatever is painted underneath. ” “ in this case, it ' s probably watercolor from his palette mixed with chinese white and gouache, which is watercolor that has an opacifier, typically chalk, added. ” “ they sell holbein gouache which is very good paint as is schmincke horadam. ” “ old masters - a way of working that was then common in commercial art, before being superseded by more modest media such as gouache, watercolour and digital image - making. ” “ about the contributor : diahn ott is an eclectic, self - taught artist, working primarily in water - based media such as gouache, watercolor and acrylics. ” “ once she has built and decorated a shrine in her studio, she sits down and paints it in lovely watercolor gouache. ” these user - created lists contain the word ‘ gouache ’. more words for intermediate and advanced spellers. inspired to publicity by the conversation at segway. thanks, pals! o before u. my favorite words the title says it all looking for tweets for gouache.


century dictionary and cyclopedia - n. tobacco : an indian name said to be still in use in some parts of canada. “ then taking out a short wooden pipe, he filled it with the coarse and bitter tobacco of brazil, of which the leaves belong to that old _ " petun " _ introduced into france by nicot, to whom we owe the popularization of the most productive and widespread of the solanaceae. ” “ they originated in south america, are part of the tomato and potato family and the name is french from the word " petun, " meaning tobacco. ” “ then taking out a short wooden pipe, he filled it with the coarse and bitter tobacco of brazil, of which the leaves belong to that old “ petun ” introduced into france by nicot, to whom we owe the popularization of the most productive and widespread of the solanaceae. ” “ moon, came out of the far woods, they took great care to propitiate the evil intelligences which sit upon her horns, plotting mischief to mortals, by liberal gifts of _ petun _, or collars of beads, or ears of maize, or skins of animals. ” “ they throw petun ( tobacco ) into the fire, and if, for example, they are addressing heaven, they say ” “ the natives of this continent call it _ petun _ ; those of the islands, _ yoli _. ” “ here they saw in cultivation the rank narcotic _ petun _, or tobacco, just beginning to spread out its broad velvet leaves to the sun, the sole luxury of savage life. ” “ _ tubb [ = a ] q _ and _ petun _ are the ancestors of the indian names for the weed, that by 1503, negroes in large numbers were living in america, deserting their masters to join the indians, that the negroes in ” “ _ petun _ became imbedded in several indian languages. ” “ _ petun _ ; the natives of the islands called it _ yoli _. ” looking for tweets for petun.


- v. to find something again. gnu webster ' s 1913 - v. to find again ; to get or experience again. - from re - + find. ( wiktionary ) “ apparently that humour is way to classic for a man of your refind tastes. ” “ he has to refind the middle ground that made him so effective and such a valuable on - court presence earlier this season. ” “ it sounds like very intense emotional response in french while in english it is not. and of course ' retrouver ' meaning to see you somewhere and not to refind. xoxo ps - of course i may be wrong but this is what i can recall ” “ sometimes i ask him to call out when he sees one so i can refind it, which is just sad by any father - son measurement standard. ” “ i myself had received a battered gold locket that i lost intermittently, only to refind with great joy every time. ” “ can he refind the form that he had before his injury? ” “ after all, an index is a way to refind things you know you ' ve read as well as find out what you might read. ” “ people who use google ' s search history will also see a section " all results " with links to visited pages, and not yet visited - thus making it much easier to refind pages. ” “ obama being elected was, and still is, the best hope that our country can refind our values. ” “ to refind its voice, we must reclaim that center ground that refuses to pose everything in the black and white terms of fundamentalism, but also refuses to lose all sense of conviction by embracing a thoroughgoing relativism. ” ‘ refind ’ hasn ' t been added to any lists yet. looking for tweets for refind.


american heritage® dictionary of the english language, fourth edition century dictionary and cyclopedia - not common ; not usual ; infrequent ; rare ; hence, remarkable ; extraordinary ; strange. - synonyms scarce, unusual, unwonted, unique, singular, queer. see common. - exceedingly ; very : as, uncommon cheap. gnu webster ' s 1913 - adj. not common ; unusual ; infrequent ; rare ; hence, remarkable ; strange. - adj. marked by an uncommon quality ; especially superlative or extreme of its kind - adj. not common or ordinarily encountered ; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind “ now, this is what i call uncommon jolly, " said captain bunting, sitting down on his saddle before the cheerful blaze, rubbing his hands, and gazing round, with a smile of the utmost benignity on his broad, hairy countenance. ” “ that right there is what we call uncommon valor, " myer said. ” “ not uncommon from the ideologically interested pews of academe. ” “ it is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. - unknown ” “ again, paba banned a specific and rare method chosen for the good of the woman and used almost solely in uncommon, often serious second - trimester abortions. ” “ good question - i ' d call it uncommon, expecially as compared to polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is seen in up to 10 % of women and can also impact fertility. ” “ obama answers rezko questions in uncommon detail.... ” “ i swooned over the everyday ingredients in uncommon combination. ” “ the bird is sometimes described as uncommon to rare, although in appropriate habitat it may actually be quite common. ” “ kristine found it somehow right that her boss had a name uncommon for women. ” these user - created lists contain the word ‘ uncommon ’. listening to this as an audio book for the second time. tim o ' brien uses simple words and phrases to great effect. very few unfamilar and big words. the writing style reminds me of words from joh... words i use in my writing to paint pictures. looking for tweets for uncommon.


| about us | what ' s new | search | site map | contact us | this week ' s theme : words about words. lipogram ( lip - uh - gram ) noun a piece of writing that avoids one or more letters of the alphabet. [ from greek lipo - ( lacking ) + gram ( something written ). ] today ' s word in visual thesaurus. in spite of what it sounds like, a lipogram is not a message with a kiss. lipogram is a work written with a constraint. imagine you ' ve just started your great epic novel and one of the keys on your keyboard is broken. it would be trivial to manage without a q, x, or z, but writing without a single e - - ah, that ' d be some challenge. if it sounds undoable, consider that whole books have been written without an e, the most used letter in the english language. without an e, one has to give up some of the most common pronouns such as he, she, we, me, and so on. what ' s more, even the article " the " is barred. coming back to books written without es ( i ' m sure writing them is not something everyone can do with ease ), ernest vincent wright ' s 1939 novel gadsby is written without the second vowel. one of the best known e - less works is georges perec ' s lipogrammatic french novel, la disparition ( the disappearance ). its plot is full of wordplay, puzzles, and other word - fun. for example, a character is missing eggs, or is unable to remember his name because it needs e in the spelling. though it may be hard to believe considering the restriction under which it is written, the novel is said to be quite engrossing. apparently, many reviewers were not even aware that a special constraint was used in writing it. after writing the novel, perec faced a protest from the a, i, o, and u keys on his keyboard that they had to do all the work and e was leading an e ' sy life. so perec had no choice but to write a short work called les revenentes, where he put to work all those idle es : the only vowel used was e. if that doesn ' t sound incredible enough, here is more. la disparition has been translated into english as " a void " by gilbert adair. of course, the translation also doesn ' t have any e in it.


stop being so defensive! have you ever been in a conversation with a colleague, friend or family member about a sensitive topic and ended up in a power struggle, conflict or shutting down? or perhaps in response to someone else ’ s criticism, you find yourself justifying your behavior, blaming the other person or avoiding him or her all together? it sounds like defensiveness is at play. so, how do you stop being so defensive? you can start by practicing powerful, effective communication. one option is to ask curious, innocent, and neutral questions to understand accurately what the other person means, believes, or feels. for example, if someone acts upset, simply ask him / her directly about your assumption so he / she can confirm, deny, or qualify. for example, “ are you angry ( upset, frustrated, irritated ) about something? ” try to avoid questions that start with “ why ” as they tend to put others on the defense. for example, “ why are you so upset? ” makes an assumption ( which may or may not be accurate ) and will likely make the other person feel like they ’ ve done something wrong. instead, try “ i get the sense that you may be upset. am i reading this accurately? ” nothing more than feelings another way to approach a sensitive conversation is to make statements that start with “ i feel ”. if you ’ re simply stating what you genuinely feel and you use a neutral tone, the other person can ’ t say you ’ re wrong. your feelings are your feelings and clearly stating them will help to stave off a power struggle from the get - go. for example, instead of saying to your partner “ you ’ re always late ”, try “ i feel disappointed when we don ’ t get to eat dinner together. ”


while solar power gets a lot of attention in the us as a possible alternative energy source, european countries are focusing a great deal of attention on wind power. denmark gets 20 % of its power from wind, a percentage that ' s set to rise to at least 25 % by the end of the decade. most the danish wind farms use giant turbines ; these can be efficient, but expensive. another up - and - coming wind power nation, scotland, has decided to take a different approach : rooftop turbines. according to the financial times, the first five rooftop turbines in a pilot program have now been installed in fife, using a new turbine technology from the edinburgh - based firm renewable devices. not designed to totally replace grid power, the turbines are intended to provide supplemental power. the renewable devices design is the first to be able to dampen the noise and vibration enough to allow rooftop installation. for now, the turbines cost £10, 000, but renewable devices believes that they can get the price down to £1, 500 in short order. the buildings in fife installing the turbines received government subsidies, part of scotland ' s overall plan to generate 10 % of the country ' s power from renewable resources by 2010, and 40 % by 2020. for those of us without access to the ft article, the scottish executive website has a press release : launch of rooftop wind turbine pilot the first installation of a world - leading rooftop turbine took place today at a fife school. one rooftop turbine is being installed at each of five fife primary schools in the new pilot, and if successful, the turbines could be sited on houses and buildings across scotland. the revolutionary swift turbine has been developed by edinburgh company renewable devices limited, and is at the cutting edge of global renewables technology.


neither snow, nor sleet, nor hail, nor driving rains, not even invasive pat - downs and body scans at the airport can keep many of us from traveling long stretches of terrain this thanksgiving weekend to reunite with family and loved ones. as we get ready, then, to make our final holiday plans, i prepared some historical nuggets to remind us of our rich history associated with thanksgiving in america. • on december 4, 1619, captain john woodlief and 37 other english settlers arrived on what is now berkeley plantation at charles city, virginia. during a brief religious service, they gave thanks for their safe arrival after months at sea. this is believed to have been the first thanksgiving in the english - speaking new world. the new settlers didn ’ t participate in a feast • on december 13, 1621, plymouth colony governor william bradford announced a day of feasting and prayer in thanksgiving for the harvesting of a bountiful crop and having survived a harsh winter the year before. • historical records show that in america, thanksgiving feasts occurred in settlements in what is now texas, florida, maine, and virginia prior to the celebration in plymouth • the first official thanksgiving in plymouth took place in the summer of 1623. • between 1692 and 1705, nine days of thanksgiving were approved by virginia ' s legislature. • president george washington reserved november 26, 1789, as " a day of public thanksgiving and prayer " and as an official national celebration. • thanksgiving in the early 19th century was primarily popular in new england and to a lesser extent in the mid - atlantic states. • prior to president lincoln ’ s proclamation, three presidents : george washington, john adams and james madison issued informal proclamations of a national day of thanksgiving. • even before thanksgiving was designated a national holiday in the 19th century, the day became associated with traveling long distances to reunite with family and loved ones. in 1858, more than 10, 000 new york city residents reportedly headed to new england to spend thanksgiving with relatives. • beginning in 1846, sara joseph hale, editor of godey ’ s magazine published editorials, encouraging governors of states and territories to make thanksgiving a legal holiday. • in 1863, president lincoln proclaimed the last thursday in november as the national day of thanksgiving. the presidential proclamation was written by lincoln ’ s secretary of state, william h. seward. • the intercollegiate football association scheduled its first championship game ( yale vs. princeton ) on thanksgiving day in 1876, initiating an annual tradition that would last well over a century. • as late as the 1880 ’


of state, william h. seward. • the intercollegiate football association scheduled its first championship game ( yale vs. princeton ) on thanksgiving day in 1876, initiating an annual tradition that would last well over a century. • as late as the 1880 ’ s, the u. s. catholic church opposed the celebration of thanksgiving, viewing it as a protestant rite, while many southerners considered it strictly a ` ` yankee day. ’ ’ • william deloss love, a congregationalist minister and member of the sons of the american revolution wrote the first history of thanksgiving in 1895 : ` ` fast and thanksgiving days of new england ’ ’ • well before the tradition of the thanksgiving day parade, new york city became famous for its neighborhood societies, including the gilhooley musketeers, the original hounds of the eighth ward, and the secondhand lumber dealers association who participated in all - male carnivals or parades, called " fantasticals " which were comprised of musicians and participants dressed in gaudy costumes parading through the streets on their way to picnics and all - night dances. the new york times reported on november 28, 1884, the presence of " robbers, pirates, fiends, devils, imps, fairies, priests, bishops, gypsies, flower girls, kings, clowns, princes, jesters - - all in variegated and bewildering attire. ’ ’ • the first thanksgiving parade sponsored by r. h. macy and company began in 1924. by 1926 an average of 5, 000 children, attracted to the parade and other promotions, made their way through macy ' s every day during the christmas season. • november 25, 1925 : in the first professional football game played on thanksgiving day, fritz pollard, the first african - american quarterback in the nfl, led the akron pros to a 7 - 0 victory over jim thorpe and the canton bulldogs. the game marked the start of the thanksgiving tradition of pro football in america. • in 1927, president calvin coolidge delivered his thanksgiving proclamation over the radio before an evening musical program that culminated with mozart ’ s opera the magic flute. • in an issue of the saturday evening post in 1931, a thanksgiving advertisement for camel peddled cigarettes as something to be thankful for. • in 1934 on thanksgiving day, the chicago bears beat the detroit lion 19 - 16 in the first nfl game to be broadcast on national radio, nbc. • in 1939, in order to boost christmas sales, president franklin roosevelt moved thanksgiving up one week earlier. • in 1941,


, the chicago bears beat the detroit lion 19 - 16 in the first nfl game to be broadcast on national radio, nbc. • in 1939, in order to boost christmas sales, president franklin roosevelt moved thanksgiving up one week earlier. • in 1941, congress reestablished that the 4th thursday in november would be observed as thanksgiving, making it a permanent national holiday. • in 1947, the first official national thanksgiving turkey was presented to president harry truman, who followed president lincoln ’ s example by pardoning it. • nbc began televising the thanksgiving parade in 1948. • by 1956, football games on thanksgiving began to be televised. • november 11, 1962 : before a national televised audience, 57, 598 fans at tiger stadium watch the lions sack green bay packers quarterback bart starr 11 times for 110 yards lost. it was the packers ’ only loss of the year. • from 1970 - 2005, the nfl played two games on thanksgiving, often featuring the detroit lions and the dallas cowboys. in 2006, the thanksgiving tripleheader began the same year nfl network launched its package of live primetime thursday games • in 1971, first lady patricia nixon presided over the traditional presentation of the thanksgiving turkey by the poultry and egg board and national turkey, while president nixon visited the washington redskins training camp. • november 25, 1976 : buffalo bills ’ running back o. j. simpson rushes for a league record 273 yards for a thanksgiving day game. • november 26, 1998 : troy aikman of the dallas cowboys throws for 455 yards against the minnesota vikings, an nfl record for thanksgiving day. • in 2003, president george w. bush spends thanksgiving day with american troops stationed in iraq. • in 2009, president barack obama pardons a north carolina turkey named “ courage ” during a ceremony attended by his daughters sasha and malia. courage would be retired to disneyland after leading the thanksgiving day parade there at the annual presentation of the thanksgiving turkey by the poultry and egg board and national turkey federation • of the number of places in the united states named after the holiday, turkey, texas, was the most populous in 2009, with 445 residents, followed by turkey creek, la. ( 362 ) and turkey, n. c. ( 272 ). there are also nine townships around the country named turkey, three in kansas. • minnesota was tops in turkey production with 47 million, followed by north carolina ( 31. 0 million ), arkansas ( 28. 0 million ), missouri ( 17. 5 million ), indiana ( 16. 0 million ) and virginia (


most active stories wed february 6, 2013 mothra? no, it ' s just a robot exoskeleton controlled by a moth originally published on wed february 6, 2013 9 : 24 pm what could go wrong? " researchers at the university of tokyo have strapped a moth into a robotic exoskeleton, with the moth successfully controlling the robot to reach a specific location inside a wind tunnel, " writes extremetech. but there is, apparently, a reason for this research. " fortunately, the japanese researchers aren ' t actually trying to construct a moth master race, " extremetech says. " in reality, it ' s all about the moth ' s antennae and sensory - motor system. the researchers are trying to improve the performance of autonomous robots that are tasked with tracking the source of chemical leaks and spills. ' most chemical sensors, such as semiconductor sensors, have a slow recovery time and are not able to detect the temporal dynamics of odors as insects do, ' says noriyasu ando, the lead author of the research. ' our results will be an important indication for the selection of sensors and models when we apply the insect sensory - motor system to artificial systems. ' " of course, mothra was once a hero. so maybe no one except godzilla should be worried. the scientists ' paper — " odour - tracking capability of a silkmoth driving a mobile robot with turning bias and time delay " — is posted here.


by ken ward jr. why does west virginia ' s timber industry mostly consist of loggers and sawmills? why doesn ' t the state have many furniture factories? forestry professors have made a career of trying to answer these questions. governor after governor has faced the problem. businessmen scratch their heads when confronted with this quandary. over the years, a list of possible answers has been compiled. basically, they point to problems that make production costs higher in west virginia than in surrounding states, making location here less desirable. among the problems commonly cited : - transportation - problems with west virginia ' s road system have become legendary. loggers in the state can ' t avoid the fact that heavy, bulky lumber must be hauled over winding, narrow roads. in many places, bridges are not sturdy enough to carry huge log trucks safely. industry experts say this situation has improved over the years. many support construction of corridor h from elkins to virginia as a further improvement that could help the timber industry. - the west virginia development office says it is disadvantaged because of the furniture industry ' s reliance on trade shows in north carolina. twice each year, producers, buyers and others connected with the furniture industry gather in the high point - winston salem area of north carolina to display their wares and take and place orders for the coming season. these shows give the western carolin a and virginia areas a distinct advantage as a location for this industry. - others have pointed to a lack of training of west virginia workers in woodworking skills required for furniture factories and other secondary wood processing businesses. - mingo county coal and timber baron buck harless blames the lack of furniture factories on west virginia ' s reputation for labor disputes and a high level of unionization among workers. harless believes this image is no longer accurate, particularly as the labor movement has lost political power and membership, but continues to plague state development efforts. - david e. white, a former west virginia university forest economist, blames a more complicated combination of wages and transportation problems. it costs more to transport timber products from rural timber counties like webster or randolph, so furniture plants would be better off in areas like charleston, with interstate highways and river barge transportation. but wages are higher in kanawha county than in rural, timber counties. low wages in those rural counties have helped make their sawmills competitive and offset high transportation costs for raw lumber. this hasn ' t been the case for secondary wood process ing. " in short, the comparative advantage that west virginia has for the primary processing of


eleven people have died so far from an outbreak of a rare non - contagious fungal meningitis, an inflammation of membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. the discovery of the outbreak, linked to an injectable steroid the patients were getting to treat pain, was first reported late last week by centers for disease control and prevention in atlanta. on tuesday the cdc said 119 people had been infected, and warned that the number will likely rise. fungal meningitis is very rare and, unlike viral and bacterial meningitis, is not contagious. how has this happened and does it touch your life? who is affected? the patients were injected in their spine with a preservative - free steroid called methylprednisolone acetate. some time after their treatment, the patients began reporting that they were feeling the hallmark symptoms of meningitis - - headache, fever, stiff neck and a sensitivity to bright lights. the potentially contaminated injections were given starting may 21, 2012, with tennessee so far reporting the most number of overall cases - - 35 cases, including four deaths. other states reporting deaths are maryland, michigan and virginia. updated case counts can be followed on this link to the cdc ' s site. in addition to the states where deaths have occurred, other states with confirmed cases are florida, indiana, minnesota, north carolina and ohio. the cdc says as many as 13, 000 people may have received medicine from the potentially contaminated injections. what should you do if you think you were infected?


in the 17th and 18th centuries mukha was famous as the center for exporting coffee grown in the yemeni highlands ( the coffee being given the name mocha in the west ). it was once a sprightly, whitewashed, cosmopolitan city spreading around a crescent - shaped bay, with superb buildings, palaces, mosques, coffee - houses, open squares and caravanserais capable of accommodating vast camel trains. before the 17th century sources are scarce. the anonymous greek seafarer who wrote the periplus of the erythrean sea, probably around ad100, describes the trade between egypt and india and mentions the region of " mouza " and of course mukha is mentioned by the tenth - century yemeni historian al - hamdani. visiting the port in 1616 on the nassau, a senior dutch merchant, pieter van den broecke, wrote that the " famous trading city is adorned with mosques and beautiful houses " and by 1618 the dutch and british east india companies have set up permanent " factories " or trading stations there. the french, belgians and danes ) and ultimately, the americans ) followed, as coffee drinking began to spread, and gold and silver poured into the city in payment for the exports. dominating the centre of the harbour front was an impressive governor ' s palace flanked by the great friday mosque ( still seen today ) with its imposing minaret used by sailors as a navigation mark as they made for harbour. beside the central jetty were a weighing house, a toll - house for the payment of import - export duties and warehouses. also, there were large numbers of flat - roofed merchants ' and administrators ' houses built of stone and brick, as well as, smaller rectangular mud - and – reed houses of tihama style strung out around the bay on the outskirts of town.


the end of the long summer it ’ s time for each of us to have a talk with our inner economist. if humanity is to survive the hardships that lie ahead due to climate change, we ’ ve got to abandon the now universal, but originally western, ethos of economic growth. that onward - and - upward, more - is - better paean to the accumulation of individual wealth and to the idea of earth - as - tool has led us blindly into a very tight spot. if we don ’ t abandon those notions and change the way our societies operate, we may face utter collapse. so argues veteran environmental journalist dianne dumanoski in the end of the long summer : why we must remake our civilization to survive on a volatile earth. the book skillfully weaves evidence from climatology, biology, history, anthropology, economics, and other fields to dispel any feel - good misconceptions about global warming, explain its causes, and try to prepare us for what ’ s ahead. if you were picturing a gradual climb in earth ’ s temperatures potentially making northern areas more hospitable, think again. “ volatile ” is the key word here. before the last 12, 000 years of nearly unprecedented climate stability — the period known as “ the long summer ” that allowed complex civilizations to develop — chaotic climate swings were the norm. climate varied more from decade to decade than it has in the past 12, 000 years. picture an ice age developing in the span of a lifetime, or even a decade — this scenario may confront us, depending on how the earth reacts to our toxic influences. the earth ’ s volatility is a key point, dumanoski stresses. science does not ( and cannot ) predict all, and she says that in the century ahead, we need to prepare for swift, wild surprises. “ nature is not like a mechanical escalator but like a leaping dragon, ” she writes. we ’ ve got to prepare for the worst even as we try to stop our ongoing damage to the earth. it ’ s not an original notion, but only a few have acted on it so far. for example, the san francisco chronicle reports that in california, known for its regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a panel of leaders is forming a “ plan b ” to deal with the disruptive effects of climate change. the end of the long summer helps readers get the big picture and think globally, but it is less clear on how we should act locally. the idea


of leaders is forming a “ plan b ” to deal with the disruptive effects of climate change. the end of the long summer helps readers get the big picture and think globally, but it is less clear on how we should act locally. the idea that we must redirect western civilization is daunting, so dumanoski suggests strategies drawn from human history of surviving past climate crises. what will it take to avert disastrous climate change? we thought we had 20, 30, 50 years to take on the climate crisis. we were wrong. the scary science, smart policies, and critical actions that could still avert disaster. read more she advocates a two - pronged strategy of “ survivability ” ( which she differentiates from individualistic, run - for - the - hills survivalism ) : reduce the activities that are “ disrupting the earth ’ s metabolism, ” she says, and improve the resilience of our communities and institutions by changing systems that make us vulnerable to climate change. dumanoski urges us to transform our global, must - keep - growing, too - big - to - fail economy and social systems. these systems prioritize the accumulation of financial capital over the generation of social capital. in the future, they will need to be based on trust and cooperation. there may be no one to bail us out if climate change interrupts international trade. we must revise our systems of producing food and “ essential ” goods to incorporate principles of functional redundancy, diversity, and compartmentalization. in crudely simple terms, we can ’ t rely on apples from washington or clothing and steel from china being delivered on demand if climate change rapidly destroys croplands and interrupts transportation. strong communities will be partially self - sufficient yet rely on multiple sources. they will have allies willing to help, and will warehouse a variety of foods and goods to get through hard times. dumanoski offers a number of policy suggestions — her own and others ’ — toward these ends. we could reinstitute grain stockpiles, which have largely disappeared from countries around the world since the 1990s, due to the policies of the united states, the world bank, and the international monetary fund. governments could mandate that manufacturers use diverse sources of raw materials, components, and services, and require companies to disclose their sources and suppliers, so that investors reward those who spread their risk. given the weak agreements that came out of the copenhagen climate talks, however, it ’ s hard to imagine world leaders agreeing


, components, and services, and require companies to disclose their sources and suppliers, so that investors reward those who spread their risk. given the weak agreements that came out of the copenhagen climate talks, however, it ’ s hard to imagine world leaders agreeing to change the underpinnings of the world economy. when the economy is mentioned in the same breath as climate change, it ’ s usually in reference to climate policies potentially hurting “ the economy ” or kick - starting a “ green economy. ” dumanoski suggests that the fundamental ideas that drive economic theory have to change in order to cope with the climate crisis. what would it look like to have a resilient community that functions in cooperation with the earth? could some indigenous societies serve as models? notably, the idea is not explored in the book. dumanoski does point to some encouraging trends in the growing activism for organic and locally grown food, the preservation of seed and farmland, crop diversity, and the acknowledgment of earth as gaia, a living organism. the end of the long summer gives us another in a string of much - needed wake - up calls. while it may be hard to imagine humanity responding as dumanoski very convincingly says we should, she emphasizes that we have the capacity to surprise ourselves. “ the only certain thing about the coming century is its immense uncertainty, ” she writes. it ’ s time to embrace that uncertainty and start preparing for climate change as best we can. sherry boschert is author of plug - in hybrids : the cars that will recharge america ( new society publishers ) and a cofounder of plug in america. interested? climate heroes : meet some of the people on the front lines of climate action. that means, we rely on support from our readers. independent. nonprofit. subscriber - supported.


distributed systems and applications dr. e. tuosto computer networks and distributed applications have a paramount role in all - day life. nowadays, it is hard to imagine stand - alone systems or applications. practically, any modern computing device offers the possibility of being connected with other devices. at higher level, applications aim at exploiting networking capabilities of systems and tend to be more and more interconnected and communicating themselves. programming this kind of distributed applications can result a hard task if not done at the appropriate level of abstraction. there are two main complex aspects to face with : ( i ) distributed systems are frequently made of heterogeneous devices and interact through many different communication infrastructure ; ( ii ) modern distributed systems have different tiers ( e. g., tcp / ip level, operating system, network system, etc. ). middlewares provide an abstraction of many low - level details of systems. they are meant to simplify software development and application integration by interfacing the application level with lower tier of distributed systems so that the programmer does not have to worry about implementation details. also, middlewares allow the programmer to integrate applications developed for different execution context and in different times. the course reviews some notions of concurrent and distributed programming ( e. g., threads and rmi ) and presents the main models and principles behind the middlewares that in the last years many vendors ( microsoft, ibm, sun, oracle ) have proposed. in fact, these proposals differ each other not only with respect to the technologies or architectures adopted, but also with respect to the underlying coordination models. the course also presents the use of some of the most common middlewares in the development of web - based and distributed applications.


about this site the main goal of across cultures is to celebrate canadian cultural diversity by highlighting the extraordinary contributions that different communities have made to canada, as well as the many challenges they have had to face, while acknowledging the less praiseworthy moments in canadian history regarding cultural diversity. the site is also intended as a tribute to filmmakers from various cultural and ethnic communities who have made it their work to show the canadian population the great richness of their cultures. lastly, the site is designed to help teachers present the issues around canadian multiculturalism in a dynamic and inviting way that also matches the goals of their academic programs. films and film clips the site features 120 films from the nfb collection ( 60 in english ; 60 in french in the french part ). of those, 48 ( 24 in english ; 24 in french in the french part ) include an audio description for the blind and visually impaired ; and 49 films ( 27 in english ; 22 in french in the french part ) are available with closed - captioning. users will also find 164 film clips ( 80 in english ; 84 in french in the french part ). these 120 films are only a fraction of nfb productions on canada ’ s ethnic and cultural communities ; however, they are representative of communities from all over the country, and altogether more than 60 years of film production are covered. the selection does not include films on aboriginal peoples, since another site – aboriginal perspectives – is devoted entirely to them. some people may be surprised at the omission of well known works from our list. they are absent because we were unable to obtain online broadcast rights for all the films we might have wanted to include and because the project, which is supported by the canadian memory fund, had to leave aside some newer works to give pride of place to those of high heritage value. how the site is organized the across cultures web site is divided into five sections : themes to explore ; cinema and representation ; points of view ; see everything, hear everything ; and for teachers. the themes section covers 6 themes formulated as questions. each theme includes film clips with accompanying questions, original articles and interviews with experts, public opinion polls, archival materials and classroom activities. cinema and representation considers the ways in which ethnic and cultural communities have been represented in nfb documentaries. in it, you will find film clips, archival materials, original articles by nfb experts, interviews with filmmakers and a classroom activity. the third section, points of view, addresses issues of racism, identity and social integration in canada. it comprises original articles by canadian experts


will find film clips, archival materials, original articles by nfb experts, interviews with filmmakers and a classroom activity. the third section, points of view, addresses issues of racism, identity and social integration in canada. it comprises original articles by canadian experts in the field, film clips and discussions. the see everything, hear everything section gives users access to all the complete films, film clips, archival artefacts and other types of audiovisual content available on the site. finally, for teachers offers lesson plans, web links and bibliographic resources. it contains a glossary of terms ( also available on the tools menu ) to familiarize users with the language of cultural diversity. our main focus is on the complete films, but we also include film clips as an easy introduction to each section. the clips allow teachers, students and other users to quickly pinpoint specific content – the issues raised in each theme, expert viewpoints, or aspects of ethnic and cultural representation, for example. of course, the complete films are always available and easily accessed for viewing. clearly, we cannot claim to cover every aspect of diversity, describe every issue, raise every question, or mention the challenges and achievements of every ethnic and cultural community in the country. across cultures does, however, provide an excellent introduction to the area for anyone interested in multiculturalism and the issue of cultural diversity in canada. we encourage users to visit two other sites our team has built with support from the canadian memory fund, which also deal with issues of cultural diversity : documentary lens and aboriginal perspectives.


the fairs can be treasure troves of free information, but they can be tough to navigate. imagine a gymnasium crammed with tables for a hundred or more college reps, and snaking lines of overwhelmed teens and parents trying to figure out where to go. basically, you need a game plan : before you go : - first, go online and download the list of participating colleges and any information sessions. have your child decide which sessions he wants to hear, and which schools interest him most. - print out a stack of mailing labels with his name, address, anticipated graduation date, intended major ( if he knows it ), and e - mail address. if he ’ s still using an e - mail address such as hotstuff9 or firstname. lastname @ example. org, this would be an excellent time to pick a new one. printing labels will save him from writing the exact same information over and over on 50 clipboards at the fair. - lines tend to be long at college fairs, particularly at tables manned by reps from very popular colleges, so prioritize your time and your list of questions. admission requirements and majors are listed online, so ask the questions that are not : “ will professors or grad students teach my classes? ” “ how many freshmen return the next year? ” and “ how will i sign up for classes - with assistance from the same faculty advisor for all four years, or on my own, via computer screen? ” at the fair : - wear comfortable shoes, and bring a notebook and pen. vendors usually provide bags so you can tote all those brochures and free pencils, but it ’ s a good idea to bring your own, just in case. - plan your route by picking up a map when you first enter. some fairs group state schools in one section, or put all the military academies together, but there ’ s always some alphabetical arrangement, so organize your “ must see ” list alphabetically, then compare it to the map. - if you ’ re planning to attend a session on financial aid or another aspect of college admissions, double check the schedule when you first arrive and keep an eye on the time. - start making the rounds, spending the most time at colleges on your child ’ s list, but making sure you at least glance at other possibilities. there may be other schools here that would be a good fit too. keep an open mind. - encourage your child to move to the front of the lines - he may


the name aculeata is used to refer to a monophyletic lineage of hymenoptera. the word " aculeata " is a reference to the defining feature of the group, which is the modification of the ovipositor into a stinger ( thus, the group could be called stinging wasps ). in other words, the structure that was originally used to lay eggs is modified instead to deliver venom. not all members of the group can sting ; in fact, a great many cannot, either because the ovipositor is modified in a different manner ( such as for laying eggs in crevices ), or because it is lost altogether. this group includes the bees and ants and all of the eusocial hymenopterans ; it is, in fact, commonly believed that the possession of a venomous sting was one of the important features promoting the evolution of social behavior, as it confers a level of anti - predator defense rarely approached by other invertebrates. the use of the name aculeata has a long history at the rank of infraorder or division, and it is only with the advent of modern phylogenetics that the higher classifications of insects ( and other organisms ) have come to reject artificial ( paraphyletic ) grouping categories. while the aculeata is a good natural group, containing all the descendants of a single common ancestor, the supposed " other infraorder " of the apocrita - the " parasitica " or " terebrantia " - is not a natural group, just as the " sawflies ", the basal lineages of hymenoptera, are not. the aculeata are therefore maintained as a taxon, either at infraorder or division rank or as an unranked clade. however, the " parasitica " must be considered a paraphyletic assemblage ; the taxon " parasitica " is discarded and their interrelationships are subject of further study. provisionally, they all can be treated as s uperfamilies incertae sedis in the apocrita, without being placed in an infraorder. it is highly likely that at least some of these parasitic wasps - for example the stephanoidea - are as closely related to the aculeata as to other " parasitica ". on the other hand, among the parasitic wasps the ichneumonoidea seem particularly closely related to the aculeata. if taxonomic ranks are used,


- are as closely related to the aculeata as to other " parasitica ". on the other hand, among the parasitic wasps the ichneumonoidea seem particularly closely related to the aculeata. if taxonomic ranks are used, it may therefore be best to treat the latter as a division and divide the apocrita into some 6 infraorders representing lineages of about equal standing, one of which would unite the aculeata and the ichneumonoidea. note that having the same taxonomic rank does not imply equal evolutionary standing, whereas placement in the same higher - ranked taxon ideally does, or at least implies that regardless of what specific rank they have, the lower - ranked taxa are all part of the same evolutionary radiation. therefore, would the aculeata and the ichneumonoidea be placed in an infraorder, the former would still be considered a division and the latter a superfamily. despite having different ranks, they would be members of the same taxon and sister lineages. - tree of life web project : aculeata the series aculeata is further organized into finer groupings including : - superfamily ( 3 ) : apoidea · chrysidoidea · vespoidea - family ( 35 ) : ampulicidae · andrenidae · angarosphecidae · apidae · armaniidae · baissodidae · bethylidae · bethylonymidae · bradynobaenidae · chrysididae · colletidae · crabronidae · dryinidae · embolemidae · falsiformicidae · formicidae · halictidae · heterogynaidae · limnetidae · megachilidae · melittid ae · mutillidae · paleomelittidae · plumariidae · pompilidae · rhopalosomatidae · sapygidae · sclerogibbidae · scolebythidae · scoliidae · sierolomorphidae · sphecidae · sphecomyrmidae · tiphiidae · vespidae the ampulicidae, or cockroach wasps, is a small ( approx. 200 species ), primarily tropical group of sphecoid wasps, all of which use various cockroaches as prey items for their larvae. they tend to have elongated jaws, a pronounced neck - like constriction behind the head, a strongly petiolate abdomen, and deep grooves on the thorax


all of which use various cockroaches as prey items for their larvae. they tend to have elongated jaws, a pronounced neck - like constriction behind the head, a strongly petiolate abdomen, and deep grooves on the thorax. many are quite ant - like in appearance, though some are brilliant metallic blue or green. [ more ] the family andrenidae is a large ( nearly ) cosmopolitan ( absent in australia ) non - parasitic bee family, with most of the diversity in temperate and / or arid areas ( warm temperate xeric ), including some truly enormous genera ( e. g., andrena with over 1300 species, and perdita with nearly 800 ). one of the subfamilies, oxaeinae, are so different in appearance that they were typically accorded family status, but careful phylogenetic analysis reveals them to be an offshoot within the andrenidae, very close to the andreninae. [ more ] the apidae are a large family of bees, comprising the common honey bees, stingless bees ( which are also cultured for honey ), carpenter bees, orchid bees, cuckoo bees, bumblebees, and various other less well - known groups. the family apidae presently includes all the genera that were previously classified in the families anthophoridae and ctenoplectridae, and most of these are solitary species, though a few are also cleptoparasites. the four groups that were subfamilies in the old family apidae are presently ranked as tribes within the subfamily apinae. this trend has been taken to its extreme in a few recent classifications that place all the existing bee families together under the name " apidae " ( or, alternatively, the non - linnaean clade " anthophila " ), but this is not a widely - accepted practice. [ more ] bradynobaenidae is a family of wasps similar to the mutillidae. these species are often found in arid regions. [ more ] commonly known as cuckoo wasps, the hymenopteran family chrysididae is a very large cosmopolitan group ( over 3000 described species ) of parasitoid or cleptoparasitic wasps, often highly sculptured, with brilliantly colored metallic - like bodies ( thus the common names jewel wasp, gold wasp, or emerald wasp are sometimes used ). they are most diverse in desert regions of the world, as they are typically associated with solitary bee and wasp species, which are also most diverse in such areas. [


the common names jewel wasp, gold wasp, or emerald wasp are sometimes used ). they are most diverse in desert regions of the world, as they are typically associated with solitary bee and wasp species, which are also most diverse in such areas. [ more ] colletidae is a family of bees, and are often referred to collectively as plasterer bees or polyester bees, due to the method of smoothing the walls of their nest cells with secretions applied with their mouthparts ; these secretions dry into a cellophane - like lining. there are 5 subfamilies, 54 genera, and over 2000 species, all of them evidently solitary, though many nest in aggregations. two of the subfamilies, and hylaeinae, lack the external pollen - carrying apparatus ( the scopa ) that otherwise characterizes most bees, and instead carry the pollen in their crop. these groups, and in fact most genera in this family, have liquid or semi - liquid pollen masses on which the larvae develop. [ more ] crabronidae is a large family of wasps, that includes nearly all of the species formerly comprising the now - defunct superfamily sphecoidea. it collectively includes well over 200 genera, containing well over 9000 species. crabronids were originally a part of sphecidae, but the latter name is now restricted to a separate family based on what was once the subfamily sphecinae. as this change is very recent, it seems likely that the subfamilies of crabronidae will each eventually be treated as families in their own right, as they have been treated as such by many authorities in the past ( as in the catalog linked below ). [ more ] dryinidae is a family of hymenopteran insects with about 1, 400 described species found worldwide. these are solitary wasps whose larvae are parasitoids on other insects. the only known hosts are hemiptera, especially leafhoppers. [ more ] ants are social insects of the family formicidae ( ) and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order hymenoptera. ants evolved from wasp - like ancestors in the mid - cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. more than 12, 500 out of an estimated total of 22, 000 species have been classified. they are easily identified by their elbowed antennae and a distinctive node - like structure that forms a slender waist. [ more ] halictidae is a


. more than 12, 500 out of an estimated total of 22, 000 species have been classified. they are easily identified by their elbowed antennae and a distinctive node - like structure that forms a slender waist. [ more ] halictidae is a cosmopolitan family of the order hymenoptera consisting of small ( > 4 mm ) to midsize ( > 8 mm ) bees which are usually dark - colored and often metallic in appearance. several species are all or partly green and a few are red ; a number of them have yellow markings, especially the males, which commonly possess yellow faces, a pattern widespread among the various families of bees. they are commonly referred to as sweat bees ( especially the smaller species ), as they are often attracted to perspiration ; when pinched, females can give a minor sting. [ more ] the megachilidae are a cosmopolitan family of ( mostly ) solitary bees whose pollen - carrying structure ( called a scopa ) is restricted to the ventral surface of the abdomen ( rather than mostly or exclusively on the hind legs as in other bee families ). megachilid genera are most commonly known as mason bees and leafcutter bees, reflecting the materials they build their nest cells from ( soil or leaves, respectively ) ; a few collect plant or animal hairs and fibers, and are called carder bees. all species feed on nectar and pollen, but a few are cleptoparasites ( informally called " cuckoo bees " ), feeding on pollen collected by other megachilid bees. parasitic species do not possess a scopa. the brightly colored scopa leads to a colloquial name used occasionally in north america - " jelly - belly bees. " megachilid bees are among the world ' s most efficient pollinators because of their energetic swimming - like motion in the reproductive structures of flowers, which moves pollen, as need ed for pollination. one of the reasons they are efficient pollinators is their frequency of visits to plants, but this is because they are extremely inefficient at gathering pollen ; compared to all other bee families, megachilids require on average nearly ten times as many trips to flowers to gather sufficient resources to provision a single brood cell. [ more ] the family melittidae is a small bee family, with some 60 species in 4 genera, restricted to africa and the northern temperate zone. historically, the family has included the dasypodaidae and meganomiidae as subfamilies, but recent molecular studies indicate that melitt


small bee family, with some 60 species in 4 genera, restricted to africa and the northern temperate zone. historically, the family has included the dasypodaidae and meganomiidae as subfamilies, but recent molecular studies indicate that melittidae ( sensu lato ) was paraphyletic, so each of the three historical subfamilies is now accorded family status, with dasypodaidae as the basal group of bees, followed by meganomiids and melittids, which are sister taxa.. [ more ] mutillidae are a family of more than 3, 000 species of wasp whose wingless females resemble ants. their common name velvet ant refers to their dense pile of hair which most often is bright scarlet or orange but may also be black, white, silver, or gold. their bright colors serve as aposematic signals. they are known for their extremely painful sting, facetiously said to be strong enough to kill a cow, hence the common name cow killer or cow ant is applied to some species. unlike a real ant, they do not have drones, workers, and queens. however, velvet ants do exhibit haplodiploid sex determination similar to other members of vespoidea ( jh hunt 1999 ). [ more ] wasps in the family pompilidae are commonly called spider wasps ( in south america, species may be referred to colloquially as marabunta or marimbondo, though these names can be generally applied to any very large stinging wasps ). the family is cosmopolitan, with some 5, 000 species in 6 subfamilies. all species are solitary, and most capture and paralyze prey, though members of the subfamily ceropalinae are cleptoparasites of other pompilids, or ectoparasitoids of living spiders. [ more ] rhopalosomatidae is a family of hymenoptera. it contains about 68 extant species in four genera that are found worldwide. three fossil genera are known. [ more ] scoliidae, the scoliid wasps, is a small family represented by 6 genera and about 20 species in north america, but they occur worldwide, with a total of around 300 species. they tend to be black, often marked with yellow or orange, and their wing tips are distinctively corrugated. males are more slender and elongate than females, with longer antennae, but the sexual dimorphism is not as extreme as is common in the tiphiidae, a


with yellow or orange, and their wing tips are distinctively corrugated. males are more slender and elongate than females, with longer antennae, but the sexual dimorphism is not as extreme as is common in the tiphiidae, a closely related family. [ more ] sphecidae ( latreille, 1802 ) is a cosmopolitan family of wasps that include digger wasps, mud daubers and other familiar types that all fall under the category of thread - waisted wasps. both of the traditional definitions of the sphecidae ( the conservative one, where all the sphecoid wasps other than ampulicids and heterogynaids were in a single large family, and the more refined one, where the 7 large sphecid subfamilies were each elevated to family rank ) have recently been shown to be paraphyletic, and the most recent classification is closer to the conservative scheme ; the families heterogynaidae and ampulicidae are the sister taxa to what are now two families ( instead of one ), the sphecidae and crabronidae. thus, the bulk of the sphecoid wasps are now placed in crabronidae, and sphecidae per se is a much more restricted concept, equivalent to what used to be the subfamily sphecinae. [ more ] the vespidae are a large ( nearly 5, 000 species ), diverse, cosmopolitan family of wasps, including nearly all the known eusocial wasps and many wasps. each social wasp colony includes a queen and a number of female workers with varying degrees of sterility relative to the queen. in temperate social species, colonies usually only last one year, dying at the onset of winter. new queens and males ( drones ) are produced towards the end of the summer, and after mating, the queens hibernate over winter in cracks or other sheltered locations. the nests of most species are constructed out of mud, but polistines and vespines use plant fibers, chewed to form a sort of paper ( also true of some stenogastrines ). many species are pollen vectors contributing to the pollination of several plants, being potential or even effective pollinators. [ more ] at least 4, 081 species and subspecies belong to the family vespidae. more info about the family vespidae may be found here. - the text on this page is licensed under the gnu free documentation license. it includes material from wikipedia retrieved wednesday,


farming for our future november 29, 2012posted by acroanmph in global health, public health. tags : agriculture, climate change, farming, food, global health, public health, renewable resources, sustainability, transitional farming, water we ’ re on track to deplete the earth of it ’ s ability to produce food. global crop land increased by 12 % but agricultural production by 150 % over the last 50 years. we ’ ve managed to keep barely ahead of the curve for overall food production. but not sustainably. the projected world population growth will pass 9 billion by 2050, and that means an increase in food production by 70 % and better methods of distribution to meet the food security demand. agriculture ’ s continued dependence on non - renewable fossil fuels for production / fertilizer / irrigation, machinery, processing, transportation, packaging and marketing has direct and unsustainable consequences for farmlands. a recent united nations study indicates that “ all continents are experiencing land degradation, with particularly high incidence along the west coast of the americas, across the mediterranean region of southern europe and north africa, the sahel and the horn of africa, and throughout asia. the greatest threat is the loss of soil quality, followed by biodiversity loss and depletion of water resources. ” farmed animals consume 70 % of the grains produced on u. s. farms. droughts have already caused food riots and war in recent years. irrigation currently accounts for 70 % of all water use and 19 % of farm energy use in the u. s. once groundwater sources are depleted, the amount of land available for cultivation will diminish substantially. groundwater levels of the north china plains have declined to the point where rice production, which accounts for 90 % of water usage there, are overexploited and now scarce. maintaining and improving ecosystems, including coastal habitats and oceans is also critical, as time reports “ the world has ignored the ominous constellation of factors that now make feeding humanity sustainably our most pressing task – even in times of economic and climatic crisis, ” writes professor cribb. but professor cribb isn ’ t the only scientist clamoring for politicians to take climate change seriously. in a recent study by the arc center of excellence for coral reef studies, it warned of a potential mass extinction as the number of ocean dead zones – waters starved of oxygen – increase at an accelerating pace. the tyndall centre for climate change research also put out a study that shows the increasing likelihood of frightening changes to rainfall, water


of a potential mass extinction as the number of ocean dead zones – waters starved of oxygen – increase at an accelerating pace. the tyndall centre for climate change research also put out a study that shows the increasing likelihood of frightening changes to rainfall, water supplies, weather systems, sea levels and crop harvests by the end of the century. progress exists somewhat in alternative forms of energy – nuclear, coal, wind and solar – but none produce liquid fuels. countries gather regularly to discuss these impending changes, but have yet to enact solutions on the largest crop lands. pickards mountain eco - institute, a chapel hill, nc educational farm and sustainability living center, was established by tim toben, an eco - revolutionary who believes sustainability will require more personal responsibility and that farms will be plentiful in rural areas by 2050 as americans minimize their grandiose lifestyles out of necessity. this transitional farming is self - sustaining and, he believes, is likely to become the new american dream. what kind of connection do you want to have with your food? will you make any changes to help ensure our planet is able to produce enough food for us in the next decades? would you live in a cob cottage or stop eating industrial meat in order to preserve the land? the future of farming : eight solutions for a hungry world ( www. popsci. com ) the association for the study of peak oil & gas ( www. peakoil. net ) regreening africa ( www. thenation. com ) children of our fields ( www. acroan. com ) hidden hunger in the heartland ( www. acroan. com )


nairobi — a rare monkey species, the tana river red colobus, that is only found in kenya, faces extinction due to encroachment on their habitat by human activities, the international union for conservation of nature and natural resources says. these monkeys are found in the kenya wildlife services ' only primate reserve in the country - the tana river primate reserve. the kws warden in charge of the reserve, mr francis mbaka, who has confirmed the developments, said human encroachment on the primate reserve that include farming, grazing and logging were the main cause of the declining population of the tana river red colobus monkey. " we have now embarked on a massive awareness campaign among communities living around the tana river primate reserve on the need to preserve the reserve for posterity, " he said. mr mbaka said human encroachment on the primate reserve had led to its fragmentation, posing a major threat to the tana river red colobus and the crested mangabey monkeys. " the most affected area of the reserve is around the mchelelo tented camp, which is home to the rare monkey species and more than 260 bird species, " he said. mr mbaka said 11 square kilometres of the 169 square kilometre reserve that is closed forest has been fragmented into patches, leading to a decline in the population of key monkey species. the tana river red colobus monkey is among 25 primates which have been included on iucn ' s list of endangered species. the world conservation body warns that the primates are in danger of becoming extinct due to unprecedented threat from destruction of tropical forests, illegal wildlife trade and commercial bush meat hunting. primates from 24 other countries in africa, asia and south america are also endangered.


pink dolphin – boto or albino? pink dolphins? no, you ' re not drunk. they really exist. but, they should be differentiated because the cause of their pink color is not the same in all dolphins. bout or boto ( lat. inia geoffrensis ) belongs to a group of primitive dolphins and differs significantly from other species. most interestingly, silver - gray offspring become pink with age. beautiful pink! scientists still do not know the exact cause of their beautiful pink color. these jumps are a rarity! you will almost never see bout that pops out of the water like its oceanic cousins, because they are less active. their eyes are almost stunted, so because of their poor vision they must rely on well - developed natural sonar and echo - locating capability. as in the spinal cord they have one unconnected vertebra, boto dolphins have the ability to turn their head for 180 degrees, which enables them to spin faster and to penetrate easier through the underwater trees, especially during the rainy season when the rivers flood large areas of forests and wetlands. at their round head they have a long snout with bristly hairs, which resembles a bird ' s beak, and it is of great importance when the prey must be drawned out of it hiding place, hollow tree or flooded scrub vegetation. their teeth are not used for chewing food, they usually tear it apart. they usually hunt independently, but when they notice a shoal of fish, they quickly group in order to improve and facilitate the catch. they hunt the fish by hitting it hard and stunning it until it stops struggling, or they throw it above the water level to eat it, or let ' s say swallow it, more correctly. they feed on small fish such as piranhas, but and armored catfish, squid, shrimp, crab, crayfish, small turtles and other small animals can be found on their menu. in order to digest fish bones and armor of turtles, they have developed three stomachs. females are usually larger than males, they may be long up to 2 - 3m, and heavy up to 100 - 160 kg. males are usually about 2 meters long and weigh about 94 kilograms. babies at birth are about 80 inches long and weighing 15 kilograms. their homeland are the rivers of south america, the amazon and orinoco, and therefore they ' re often called the amazonian river dolphins. we used to enjoy watching the dolphins cruising the seas and oceans, but boto dolphins are the exact opposite - they


are the rivers of south america, the amazon and orinoco, and therefore they ' re often called the amazonian river dolphins. we used to enjoy watching the dolphins cruising the seas and oceans, but boto dolphins are the exact opposite - they are great loners, who are rarely met with members of their species, which is why they avoid major river flows, and would rather remain in a slightly marshy backwaters. the only enemies of boto dolphins are humans and fishing nets. today, unfortunately, they ' re endangered species. pollution, excessive and uncontrolled fishing, destruction of boto dolphins habitat, did not only reduce the number of dolphins, but it also destroyed and reduced the areas where they could live. unlike these natural and normal pink dolphin, albino dolphins are wonderful, but unnaturally pink. their color comes from the inability of their organism to create melanin, the pigment that gives color to the skin. because of the sensitivity of skin to sunlight albino dolphins spend more time under water. obviously, the nature itself took care for those unique species to survive and be a part of its flock. apart from this lack, albino dolphins are completely healthy. love for the color pink and the dolphins, especially the pink ones, awaken the imagination and creativity, so you can try the making a cake in the shape of this unique dolphin and give it to your barbie doll...


background : hepatitis c virus ( hcv ) is the most common bloodborne pathogen in the united states and is an important cause of patient morbidity and mortality, but it is unclear whether screening to identify asymptomatic infected persons is appropriate. purpose : to synthesize the evidence on risks and benefits of screening for hcv infection. data sources : medline ( through february 2003 ), cochrane clinical trials registry ( 2002, issue 2 ), reference lists, and experts. study selection : controlled studies of screening and antiviral therapy and observational studies on other interventions, risk factors, accuracy of antibody testing, work - up, harms of biopsy, and long - term outcomes. data extraction : using preset criteria, the authors assessed the quality of included studies and abstracted information about settings, patients, interventions, and outcomes. data synthesis : there are no published trials of screening for hcv infection. approximately 2 % of u. s. adults have hcv antibodies, with the majority having chronic infection. risk factor assessment could identify adults at substantially higher risk. antiviral treatment can result in a sustained virologic response rate of 54 % to 56 %, but no trials have been done specifically in asymptomatic patients likely to be identified by screening. data are insufficient to determine whether treatment improves long - term outcomes. there are no data to estimate the benefit from counseling or immunizations. although risks of biopsy and treatment appear minimal or self - limited, data on other adverse effects of screening, such as labeling or anxiety, are sparse. conclusions : antiviral treatment can successfully eradicate hcv, but data on long - term outcomes in populations likely to be identified by screening are lacking. although the yield from targeted screening, particularly in intravenous drug users, would be substantially higher than in the general population, data are inadequate to accurately weigh the overall benefits and risks of screening in otherwise healthy asymptomatic adults.


the flash provides a way to pass temporary objects between actions. anything you place in the flash will be exposed to the very next action and then cleared out. this is a great way of doing notices and alerts, such as a create action that sets flash [ : notice ] = " post successfully created " before redirecting to a display action that can then expose the flash to its template. actually, that exposure is automatically done. example : class postscontroller < actioncontroller : : base def create # save post flash [ : notice ] = " post successfully created " redirect _ to posts _ path ( @ post ) end def show # doesn ' t need to assign the flash notice to the template, that ' s done automatically end end show. html. erb < % if flash [ : notice ] % > < div class = " notice " > < % = flash [ : notice ] % > < / div > < % end % > since the notice and alert keys are a common idiom, convenience accessors are available : flash. alert = " you must be logged in " flash. notice = " post successfully created " this example just places a string in the flash, but you can put any object in there. and of course, you can put as many as you like at a time too. just remember : they ’ ll be gone by the time the next action has been performed. see docs on the flashhash class for more details about the flash.


architect : william deane butler & iarnrod eireann architects originally constructed for the drogheda and dublin railway company, this was the first of the four major dublin railway termini to be constructed. still in use today, it has been renamed connolly station after james connolly who was executed for his part in the 1916 rising although many people still refer to it as amiens station. the station was built between 1844 - 46, and it is constructed on an axis with talbot street allowing the central tower to act as a signpost for the station. a symmetrical five bay facade with three towers and an enormous entrance arch – the main facade does not hang together particularly well as an integrated design. in the late 20th century iarnrod eireann architects renovated the building by adding a new entrance foyer to the south and cleaning the brickwork inside the shed. in addition to the mainline trains, connolly also services the local dart and suburban rail services. these trains operate from platforms adjacent to the main railway shed, on an elevated railbed before crossing the river via the loopline bridge. the removal of the traffic access ramp to the south has allowed a terminus of sorts for the luas light rail system, which had now been negated by the extension of the route to the point on north wall quay.


ash dieback, caused by chalara fraxinea has increasingly been observed in european countries on ash trees ( fraxinus excelsior ) in the last ten years. because ash dieback may represent a serious threat to forest, amenity and nursery ash trees, c. fraxinea was added to the eppo alert list. however, much data is lacking on its pathogenicity ( other biotic and abiotic factors could be involved in ash dieback ), biology, geographical distribution and economic impact. therefore eppo organized a workshop to bring together researchers and experts in forestry quarantine to discuss recent research progress and advice nppos how to slow down the spread of this disease. at the kind invitation of the “ norsk institutt for skog og landskap ” ( norwegian forest and landscape institute ) the workshop was organized in oslo. a total of 44 experts from 23 countries participated in this workshop. warm thanks are due to mr bjørn økland and his colleagues for the fine organization of the meeting and their warm welcome in oslo. the workshop discussed in particular the following main topics : the workshop participants agreed, based on the current knowledge of this pest, several observations, conclusions and recommendations which are considered essential for nppos. technical visit ( view more pictures of the workshop > > ) the causal agent of dieback of european ash ( fraxinus excelsior ) was first ( 2006 ) described as chalara fraxinea. study of the teleomorph of c. fraxinea revealed a species complex but that the strain causing ash dieback should be re - assigned as hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus ( 2009 ). a new real - time pcr test for the identification of chalara fraxinea was presented which has been recently accredited by the french accreditation body. the test is specific for c. fraxinea and does not cross react with the non - pathogenic hymenosciphus albidus. f. excelsior and f. angustifolia are susceptible but c. fraxinea has not been reported on f. ornus ( although some susceptibility was seen in inoculation experiments ). regarding american and asian fraxinus spp. more information is required regarding their susceptibility to c. fraxinea. many uncertainties still remain regarding the life cycle, infection process and the influence of environmental conditions and further research is required to address these. reports of the spread and impact of c


is required regarding their susceptibility to c. fraxinea. many uncertainties still remain regarding the life cycle, infection process and the influence of environmental conditions and further research is required to address these. reports of the spread and impact of c. fraxinea were presented from austria, czech republic, denmark, estonia, finland, germany, latvia, lithuania, norway, slovakia, slovenia and sweden. a large endangered area of the eppo region is however not infested yet ( in particular the western part of europe ). the economic and environmental impact of this disease is very substantial. for instance in denmark it is estimated that 60 - 90 % of ash stands are affected and will disappear. comparable impacts were reported from germany, including serious losses in nurseries growing ash plants. the ecological value of f. excelsior is very important e. g. as a valuable species on river banks and in cultural landscapes. it is necessary to systematically collect data regarding the impact of c. fraxinea, including survey results regarding the spread of the disease and its presence in nurseries, number of diseased trees removed, costs of measures. in infested areas c. fraxinea is not only found in forest and amenity plantations but also in nurseries ( including on 1 - year old seedlings ), as reported by austria. severe impacts on young ash plants in nurseries were reported by germany. the importance of maintaining apparently tolerant specimens in infested stands was underlined as these may form a basis for the development of future tolerant populations. if trees in the urban environment are infested, the progress of the disease may be slowed down by removing leaves on the ground during autumn to lower ascospore production. it is observed that ash dieback symptoms are more serious in ash trees planted in wet and organic rich soils. although questions regarding spread mechanisms still remain, it is likely that natural spread is the most important factor on the continent. however, for endangered areas which are not infested yet the introduction ( uk, irl ) or spread can be slowed down by preventing the spread associated with plants for planting. plants for planting which are produced in nurseries outside infested areas from disinfected seeds and traded in spring ( to avoid trade of asymptomatic plants ) pose a lower risk. chalara fraxinea identity, hosts and life cycle hymenoscyphus species associated to european ash a. m. hietala & h. solheim ( no ) mechanisms of spread and