" how it works currently tissue scientists are taking stem cells from pigs and putting them in nutrient broth - filled petri dishes, where they rapidly grow. the biggest slab of meat grown so far is about the size of a contact lens and contains millions of cells. the next step, specter says, is trying to take these cells and turn them into muscle tissue, using biodegradable scaffolding platforms. " the idea is you grow these cells into muscle tissue, and you eventually have the same sort of meat that you would take from the flesh of an animal, " he says. but muscle cells or tissue cannot just be placed on a platform and left alone. muscles require stimulation and exercise or they will atrophy and die. scientists currently use electrical impulses to stimulate the muscle cells grown in the laboratory, but haven ' t yet figured out how to do it on a mass - factory scale. " if you ' re growing it in a factory, [ there ' s a mass ] quantity of meat, " specter says. " it ' s difficult to see our way to zapping tons of electricity into muscle cells, because it will just be, if nothing else, extremely costly. so while that works in a lab and it works well, they are looking at other ways of doing it. " in addition to the technical complexities of making test - tube meat, there ' s also the issue of taste. specter says scientists assured him that there will be no taste differential between animal meat and test - tube meat. " i talked to one scientist and i mentioned this as ' synthetic meat, ' and she got annoyed, " he says. " she said, ' this isn ' t synthetic. it ' s organic. it ' s meat. it ' s two meat cells growing to become more meat cells. ' and depending on what your definition of any sort of life is, this is as fundamental as any animal is. "


topic category : other / general free range chickens and ducks dangerous to humanity the evidence is now clear : free - range chickens and ducks are a major, direct threat to humans worldwide. fortunately, we can prevent a massive, global replay of the spanish flu epidemic that killed perhaps 25 million people in 1918 – 19 simply by putting the world ’ s poultry into confinement houses. despite the protests of the “ natural and organic ” movement, letting our chickens outdoors encourages the bird flu virus to evolve. that could trigger millions of human deaths if the new h5n1 bird flu virus morphs again into an airborne form that can be transmitted directly between people. half of the recent asian victims of h5n1 have died. free - range chicken enthusiasts claim — loudly and without evidence — that “ factory chicken farms ” produced the new bird flu virus. in thailand, however, officials found that none of its modern, indoor chicken flocks had bird flu. in dramatic contrast, 56 percent of the backyard chickens and 47 percent of the backyard and free - range ducks had the disease. historically, modern flu epidemics have come from asia, apparently for two reasons : first, asia still has millions of chickens and ducks raised outdoors, in backyards and village streets where they interact with wild birds and people. that lets the virus pass back and forth among birds, humans — and even among pigs and cats. second, asia has a huge population of free - range ducks that graze in its rice paddies. thai officials have recently discovered that ducks can transmit the virus without showing symptoms themselves. thai officials initially culled all sick birds, and banned outdoor duck grazing. that produced a one - year lull in the epidemic. unfortunately, several thousand ducks illegally grazing in rice fields quickly produced a surge of dying chickens across a whole region. even without any known contact between the ducks and chicken flocks. one person died who worked directly with the chickens. the flu was first discovered in chinese geese. wild birds, especially waterfowl, have now spread the bird flu virus from china, thailand, and vietnam to russia, turkey, india, and europe. it ’ s likely to spread worldwide. the solution to the bird flu danger? we must put our poultry flocks indoors, where the birds are more comfortable, commit less cannibalism, and have less interaction with people and wild birds. this obvious precaution has drawn screeches of protest from free range poultry advocates. in germany, officials rescinded a ban on letting chickens outdoors after such protests —


cannibalism, and have less interaction with people and wild birds. this obvious precaution has drawn screeches of protest from free range poultry advocates. in germany, officials rescinded a ban on letting chickens outdoors after such protests — if the birds were covered by a net. what a strange ruling. nets characteristically have holes. what if droppings from wild birds fall through the net? in thailand, a quarter of the chicken flocks in net - walled open houses were infected. what possible benefits can outdoor poultry offer that would override the risk of another 25 million human deaths from spanish flu? there a absolutely no nutritional differences. free - range birds have also been found to carry more illness - causing bacteria, such as campylobacter and salmonella. spread to our kitchen counters, these bacteria are themselves potentially deadly to our kids. oddly, many of the advocates who demand that their chicken be raised outdoors spend the vast majority of their own hours inside air - conditioned homes, offices, schools, and cars. it ’ s time to step around the free - range chicken cult and eliminate the pandemic threat of bird flu. it ’ s time to put the world ’ s poultry flocks indoors. dennis t. avery center for global food issues ( director ) biography - dennis t. avery dennis t. avery is a senior fellow for hudson institute in washington, dc and the director for global food issues. he was formerly a senior analyst for the department of state. readers may write him at post office box 202, churchville, va 24421.


oatmeal is one of those foods we all sort of know is good for us even if we don ’ t really know why. it ’ s generally eaten at breakfast time, and without trying to state the obvious, it ’ s ( or at least should be ) just oats added to boiling water and / or milk. the oats can be prepared in a variety of ways, rolled oats ( where the oats have been rolled into flat flakes then steamed and toasted ) being the most common, but steel - cut oats ( where the whole inner portion of the oat kernel is cut into pieces ) are also regularly seen and are sometimes considered to be healthier. most of the oats we buy have been at least partially cooked since raw oats could take up to an hour to cook. the health benefits of oatmeal other than its vitamin and mineral content, oatmeal is reported to reduce the risk of a couple of serious health problems : heart disease and type 2 diabetes. many studies ( 1, 2 ) have looked into oatmeal ’ s effect on cholesterol, and the findings show that eating oatmeal on a daily basis can help reduce bad cholesterol, ldl, while leaving good cholesterol, hdl, unchanged. it does this by binding to the bad cholesterol and removing it from the system. this has a knock - out effect on the risk of heart disease as it can reduce the risk of clogged arteries. as a result of these studies ’ findings, the american food and drug administration permits oatmeal packaging to state that it can help reduce risk of heart disease. reducing bad cholesterol whilst maintaining high levels of good cholesterol also has an effect on the development of type - 2 diabetes ( 3 ), as many people who develop diabetes show the reverse pattern : low levels of good cholesterol with concurrent high levels of bad cholesterol. so, whether you are considered ‘ at risk ’ of developing diabetes or not, daily oatmeal can help prevent or delay its development. portion size and serving suggestions the recommended portion size for rolled oats is between ½ – ¾ cups, and less for steel - cut oats. these can be cooked on the stove or in the microwave, or baked in the oven, and it generally takes under 10 minutes. this is as most oats have been partially cooked before packaging, as said before, raw oats will take up to an hour to cook


on the stove or in the microwave, or baked in the oven, and it generally takes under 10 minutes. this is as most oats have been partially cooked before packaging, as said before, raw oats will take up to an hour to cook. many people aren ’ t particularly keen on the taste of oatmeal, and this may prevent them making this healthy breakfast part of their daily routine. luckily there are plenty of ways to spice up oatmeal, some healthier than others. adding fruit is an obvious option, bananas or berries are excellent choices, as are dried fruits and coconut. adding chopped nuts is another healthy addition to oatmeal, or try a couple of spoons of granola or dried cereal. for soft or sweet options you could try jam, maple syrup, cinnamon, stevia or yogurt. remember though that this is supposed to be a healthy meal, don ’ t undo your good work! the same goes for those who prefer to add milk to their oatmeal rather than water, try using low fat milk or cook it with water than add a bit of milk at the end for taste. is instant oatmeal good for you? nowadays plenty of companies sell instant oatmeal, the benefit of it being that it has a cooking time of 1 - 2 minutes. but, what are the other differences, and is it still good for you? while, instant oatmeal is very similar to rolled oats, the pieces have been more thinly rolled and cut into smaller pieces before steaming. the problems with instant oatmeal is that many of the products commercially available contain artificial flavourings and preservatives, as well as salt and sugar. it may take some detective work to find a variety that ’ s free of these, look for ‘ regular ’ flavour oatmeal as a starting point. some instant oatmeal varieties may actually have added health benefits when compared to regular oatmeal. for example, oat flour is sometimes added, and this increases protein and fiber levels. calcium carbonate can also be added too, giving instant oatmeal a higher calcium content, and sometimes vitamins are also artificially added. some people won ’ t like this sounds of this because it ’ s not natural, only you can decide what ’ s best for you, but remember that almost all oats you buy will have been pre - cooked to some level as otherwise the home cooking time becomes ridiculously long. for me


this because it ’ s not natural, only you can decide what ’ s best for you, but remember that almost all oats you buy will have been pre - cooked to some level as otherwise the home cooking time becomes ridiculously long. for me, the main difference is in taste and texture ; regular oatmeal is definitely a more satisfying breakfast, and if you don ’ t have time to prepare it each morning, try cooking a batch one day then covering and storing in the refrigerator, it can last up to four days like this. word of warning it seems then that eating oatmeal every day can support weight loss by helping one to stave off hunger. however, one study ( 4 ) found that people eating oatmeal each morning put on weight. further investigation found that the participants were adding sugar to their oatmeal, eating large portions and having mid - morning snacks. indeed, many people suggest 1 ½ cups of oatmeal as a portion, which is well above what ’ s recommended. ( 1 ) jenkins, d. american journal of clinical nutrition, february 2005 ; vol 81 : pp 380 - 87 ( 2 ) american journal of clinical nutrition, august 2002 ; 76 ( 2 ) : 351 - 8 ( 3 ) experimental and clinical endocrinology & diabetes, february 2008 ; 116 ( 2 ) : 132 - 4 ( photo : nate steiner. via flickr / cc attribution )


with its strategic location on the bosphorus peninsula between the balkans and anatolia, the black sea and the mediterranean, istanbul has been associated with major political, religious and artistic events for more than 2, 000 years. its masterpieces include the ancient hippodrome of constantine, the 6th - century hagia sophia and the 16th - century suleymaniye mosque, all now under threat from population pressure, industrial pollution and uncontrolled urbanization. hagia sophia interior © unesco / f. bandarin outstanding universal value strategically located on the bosphorus peninsula between the balkans and anatolia, the black sea and the mediterranean, istanbul was successively the capital of the eastern roman empire, and the ottoman empire and has been associated with major events in political history, religious history and art history for more than 2, 000 years. the city is situated on a peninsula which is surrounded by the golden horn ( halic ), a natural harbor on the north, the bosphorus on the east and the marmara sea on the south. the historic peninsula, on which the former byzantium and constantinople developed, was surrounded by ancient walls, built initially by theodosius in the early fifth century. the outstanding universal value of istanbul resides in its unique integration of architectural masterpieces that reflect the meeting of europe and asia over many centuries, and in its incomparable skyline formed by the creative genius of byzantine and ottoman architects. the distinctive and characteristic skyline of istanbul was built up over many centuries and encompasses the hagia sophia whose vast dome reflects the architectural and decorative expertise of the 6th century, the 15th century fatih complex and topkapi palace - that was continually extended until the 19th century, the suleymaniye mosque complex and sehzade mosque complex, works of the chief architect sinan, reflecting the climax of ottoman architecture in the 16th century, the 17th century blue mosque and the slender minarets of the new mosque near the port completed in 1664. the four areas of the property are the archaeological park, at the tip of the historic peninsula ; the suleymaniye quarter with suleymaniye mosque complex, bazaars and vernacular settlement around it ; the zeyrek area of settlement around the zeyrek mosque ( the former church of the pantocrator ), and the area along both sides of the theodosian land walls including remains of the former blachernae palace. these areas display architectural achievements of successive imperial periods also including the 17th century blue mosque, the sokollu me


: the city is an outstanding set of monuments, architectural and technical ensembles that illustrate very distinguished phases of human history. in particular, the palace of topkapi and the suleymaniye mosque complex with its caravanserai, madrasa, medical school, library, bath building, hospice and imperial tombs, provide supreme examples of ensembles of palaces and religious complexes of the ottoman period. the historic areas of istanbul include the key attributes that convey the outstanding universal value of istanbul as the parts of the city that had escaped major changes and deterioration in the 19th and 20th centuries and were already protected by national legislation at the time of inscription. vernacular timber housing in the suleymaniye and zeyrek quarters, was recognized as vulnerable at the time of inscription. despite the threat of pressure for change, many efforts have been executed in order to conserve and strengthen the timber structures within the site since then. changes in the social structure within the area have also affected the use of those structures. the urban fabric is threatened by lack of maintenance and pressure for change. the metropolitan municipality is attempting to rehabilitate the area to revive its degraded parts. the revival of the suleymaniye and zeyrek quarters is a long project which demands a long and careful process of cleaning, conservation and restoration. the suleymaniye complex has retained its structural and architectural integrity, except some minor changes in the commercial part of the compound. zeyrek mosque, originally the church of pantocrator, has suffered from several earthquakes. the integrity of the major monuments and archaeological remains within the four historic areas are largely intact but they are vulnerable due to the lack of a management plan. with the management plan, which is under approval process by related authority, it is aimed to address all the issues and solve the problems within the site gradually. the setting of the historic areas of istanbul and the outstanding silhouette of the city are vulnerable to development. the ability of the monuments and vernacular housing to express truthfully the outstanding universal value of the historic areas of istanbul has been compromised to some extent since inscription in terms of their design and materials. the conservation and restoration works in the setting of the historic peninsula are being led and followed by the central and local authorities as well as newly established institutions with the financial funds provided by the legal amendments. the setting and distinctive skyline of the historic peninsula continues to express the outstanding universal value of the property. however the ongoing ability of the wider maritime setting to do this depends on ensuring that development does not compromise views of the skyline. protection and management requirements (


the setting and distinctive skyline of the historic peninsula continues to express the outstanding universal value of the property. however the ongoing ability of the wider maritime setting to do this depends on ensuring that development does not compromise views of the skyline. protection and management requirements ( 2011 ) the historic areas of istanbul is legally protected through national conservation legislation. there is no specific planning legislation to protect world heritage sites. the management structure for the protection and conservation of the properties includes the shared responsibilities of national government ( the ministry of culture and tourism general directorate of cultural assets and museums, general directorate of pious foundation ) local administration and several state institutions. the approval of the conservation council has to be obtained for physical interventions and functional changes in registered buildings and conservation sites. the site management directorate for cultural and natural sites of istanbul was established within the istanbul metropolitan municipality in 2006 to coordinate management planning processes for world heritage sites of istanbul. the work of the directorate is supported by an advisory board and a coordination and supervising board. a site manager has also been appointed. a department was also structured under the ministry of culture and tourism to coordinate the management issues of the world heritage sites in turkey and to collaborate with relevant authorities for the implementation of the world heritage convention and the operational guidelines. the first conservation plans for zeyrek, suleymaniye and the land walls were prepared and approved in 1979 and 1981. a new conservation plan including world heritage sites was endorsed by the council of istanbul metropolitan municipality and submitted to the conservation council for approval. the impressive skyline of the historic peninsula with the topkapı palace, hagia sophia and suleymaniye is preserved by planning measures. the legal protection and the management structures are adequate for ensuring the proper conservation of the properties. the national government has allocated a large amount of funding for restoration and conservation projects within the site as part of the european capital of culture campaign, in addition to the ministry of culture and tourism ' s, the istanbul special provincial administration ' s, general directorate of pious foundation ' s and the local administration ' s annual budgets. finding a balance between change and preservation is a delicate issue in the historic areas. the management plan, which is currently being prepared in collaboration with all stakeholders in conformity with the related legislation, will address this issue. it will address the traffic and transport plan for the city, the urban regeneration strategy and tourism management, and will provide a proper framework to ensure that construction and infrastructure projects respect the outstanding universal value of the property. it will also include policies for conservation, standards for restoration and rehabilitation, management responsibilities,


the city, the urban regeneration strategy and tourism management, and will provide a proper framework to ensure that construction and infrastructure projects respect the outstanding universal value of the property. it will also include policies for conservation, standards for restoration and rehabilitation, management responsibilities, accessibility, visitor management, policies for increasing the perception of the site, increasing the quality of daily life, risk management, awareness raising and training. istanbul bears unique testimony to the byzantine and ottoman civilizations. throughout history, the monuments in the centre of the city have exerted considerable influence on the development of architecture, monumental arts and the organization of space, in both europe and asia. thus, the 6, 650 m terrestrial wall of theodosius ii with its second line of defences, created in ad 447, was one of the leading references for military architecture even before st sophia became a model for an entire family of churches and later mosques and before the mosaics of the palaces and churches of constantinople influenced eastern and western christian art. istanbul was built at the crossroads of two continents ; it was successively the capital of the eastern roman empire, the byzantine empire and the ottoman empire, and it has constantly been associated with major events in political history, religious history and art history in europe and asia for some 20 centuries. at the same time, however, istanbul is a large metropolis. with its population of some 3 million inhabitants, this historic city has undergone population growth in the past 30 years, which has profoundly changed its conservation conditions. the threat of pollution arising from industrialization and rapid and initially uncontrolled urbanization have jeopardized the historical and cultural heritage of the old town. the world heritage site covers four zones, illustrating the major phases of the city ' s history using its most prestigious monuments : - the archaeological park, which in 1953 and 1956 was defined at the tip of the peninsula ; - the suleymaniye quarter, protected in 1980 and 1981 ; - the zeyrek quarter, protected in 1979 ; - the zone of the ramparts, protected in 1981. the ancient city and the capital of the eastern roman empire are both represented : by the hippodrome of constantine ( 324 ) in the archaeological park, by the aqueduct of valens ( 378 ) in the suleymaniye quarter, and by the ramparts built starting in 413 upon the order of theodosius ii, located in the last of the four zones. the capital of the byzantine empire is highlighted by several major monuments. in the archaeological park there are the churches of st sophia and st


##arts built starting in 413 upon the order of theodosius ii, located in the last of the four zones. the capital of the byzantine empire is highlighted by several major monuments. in the archaeological park there are the churches of st sophia and st irene, which were built in the reign of justinian ( 527 - 65 ) ; in the zeyrek quarter there is the ancient pantocrator monastery which was founded under john ii comnenus ( 1118 - 43 ) by the empress irene ; in the zone of the ramparts there is the old church of the holy saviour in chora ( now the kariye camii ) with its marvellous mosaics and paintings from the 14th and 15th centuries. moreover, the current layout of the walls results from modifications performed in the 7th and 12th centuries to include the quarter and the palace of the blachernes. the capital of the ottoman empire is represented by its most important monuments : topkapı saray and the blue mosque in the archaeological zone ; the sehzade and suleymaniye mosques, which are two of the architect koca sinan ' s major works, constructed under suleyman the magnificent ( 1520 - 66 ) in the suleymaniye quarter ; and the vernacular settlement vestiges of this quarter ( 525 wooden houses which are listed and protected ). source : unesco / clt / whc


other destinations galicia was one of the central points for western european megalithic culture ( 8000 - 2000 bc ), and physical remains are still visible today. nonetheless, galicians trace their cultural ancestry back to celtic tribes which began to settle around 1000 bc. celtic civilization in galicia had its heyday between 600 and 25 bc, up to when galicia fell under the power of the roman empire. still, a weak romanization meant the consolidation of a hybrid culture, bearing strong celtic traits. galicia is considered " the first country in europe ", following the establishment of the swabian kingdom in 411 ad. the swabian dynasty lasted until 585, when it was replaced by the visigoth dynasty. with the muslim occupation of southern iberia from 711 and the subsequent dismantlement of the visigoth empire, galicia began to consolidate itself as one of the main christian kingdoms in medieval iberia, namely thanks to the pilgrimage route to santiago de compostela. galicia was annexed to castile ( spain ) in 1486 ; this was the beginning of the so - called " dark centuries " ( seculos escuros ). since then, galicia has attempted to regain its independence or achieve greater autonomy up to this day. galicia only lost its formal denomination of " kingdom " in 1833. there was a failed attempt to proclaim a galician republic in 1931. since 1981, the ' galician statute of autonomy ' grants galicia extended autonomy within the framework of the spanish state. galicia has its own national parliament, president and symbols, although it is curtailed from international representation. many galicians claim for a greater autonomy or even independence ; others are happy with the current arrangements. galicians take great pride in their cultural heritage and architecture. you will find plenty of good examples of this by just ' getting lost ' in any galician city, town or village. santiago de compostela is a must, but it is also a good idea to wonder off the tourist track, as this is safe, unexpensive and highly rewarding. furthermore, galicia is well - known for its splendid landscapes, ranging from spectacular sea views to mountain areas. the local language is galician, a romance language sometimes referred as dialect of portuguese influenced by spanish orthography and the differences between the spoken languages are often blurry for outsiders. galician has a somewhat different accent from that of standard portuguese and has contains unique colloquialisms and traces of former cultures, using a number of pre - indo - european, celtic and germanic words not found in standard portuguese


blurry for outsiders. galician has a somewhat different accent from that of standard portuguese and has contains unique colloquialisms and traces of former cultures, using a number of pre - indo - european, celtic and germanic words not found in standard portuguese. galician ( or galego ) is galicia ' s own language. both galician and spanish are official in galicia, as recognized by the spanish constitution and the galician statute of autonomy. galician is understood by the vast majority of the population, and spanish can be spoken by virtually everyone ( although it is heavily influenced by the galician accent and vocabulary ). travellers should have no problems communicating in spanish or in standard portuguese. after the arrival of the castilian nobility towards the end of the middle ages, galician disappeared from the public eye and was preserved only privately. it was only in the 19th century that galician started to be reclaimed in all areas of everyday life. today, children are taught both spanish and galician in school, and the majority of the population speaks galician normally, although thatvaries very much depending on the location. young people study english at school, so they should have at least some basic knowledge of that language. the odd person may speak some french or even german ( expatriates especially ). the territorial organization of galicia is quite complex, and, as a visitor, you will not need to know it in detail, but bear in mind that galicians have an unique spatial perception regarding their surroundings and settlement pattern. for example, there some 317 municipalities in galicia ( concellos or concelhos ), and 53 small regions called comarcas or bisbarras. furthermore, the 317 concellos are also subdivided into a number of parishes ( parroquias ), and parishes may contain a number of lugares ( settlements ). galicians may refer to these jurisdictions when mentioning their locality, especially in rural areas. yet, galicia is also divided into four bigger provinces. these are : get in by plane probably the best option if coming from abroad. galicia has three international airports ( a coruna, vigo and santiago de compostela ), of which the main one is at the capital, santiago de compostela. this airport ( called lavacolla ) connects galicia with a number of european cities, such as london, dublin, frankfurt, liverpool, and rome. there also are flights between vigo and paris and brussels, and a coruna and lisbon and london. there are plenty of flights to a number of spanish cities and the odd charter flight to


as london, dublin, frankfurt, liverpool, and rome. there also are flights between vigo and paris and brussels, and a coruna and lisbon and london. there are plenty of flights to a number of spanish cities and the odd charter flight to south america. by car road communications from and to galicia are quite good, with plenty of motorways connecting galicia with spain and portugal. by train there are routes from portugal and cities in spain ( best one is probably from madrid ), although the service is slow and the choice of times is not the best. the introduction of a high - speed train due in ( approx. ) 2018 will come to drastically ease train access : there will be fast connections from and to madrid and, later on, lisbon and porto. there ' s a narrow gauge link between ferrol and asturias, operated by feve. by ferry although you cannot travel directly from the uk to galicia by ferry, you can get pretty close by taking the ferry from plymouth to santander ( brittany ferries ) or portsmouth to bilbao ( p & o ferries ). santander is in the region of cantabria on spain ' s northern coast. it lies between galicia ' s neighbour asturias and the basque country. bilbao is a bit more faraway but still worth the trip following all the coastline from the basque country to galicia. get around renfe runs trains in and out of santiago de compostela to all major cities in spain and portugal. the renfe website provides all travel times. expect long trips and not a great choice of times. for internal trips in galicia, only the a coruna - vigo line ( north to south along the atlantic coast ) can be considered as really effective, and the new high speed link ( avant ) connecting ourense, santiago and a coruna. feve ' s narrow gauge line covers the north coast from ferrol to the border with asturias. there are a number of bus companies that will take you to virtually anywhere in galicia, and indeed in and out of galicia. you will have to get yourself acquainted with these at the local bus station ( there is one in each city and town ), as they is a large number of possible routes and combinations. to the uninitiated, this can be confusing in the beginning. renting a car is always a good option, since it is not that common in galicia hence this keeps the price of renting relatively low. roads are good in general and driving might be fast but not vicious. indications in local areas may be scarce and


. observe the usual caution in larger towns and cities. of all larger cities, lugo, pontevedra and the capital - santiago de compostela - are probably the safest. having said that, you will be perfectly ok in any galician city just by using your common sense, and you will probably feel safer than in most western european cities. drug trafficking and drug - related activities and crime are not uncommon. however, this seldom transpires beyond some areas and rarely affects the occasional tourist. for all emergencies ( ambulance, fire brigade and police ) dial 112. galician people are normally welcoming and like to have the occasional chat with visitors but, paradoxically, they also have a reputation for being reserved people. indeed, their confidence may be hard to earn in the beginning, but if that is achieved, they will be open and honest with you. address people politely, even in a formal way if necessary, as this will always cause a first good impression and will open many doors. also, remember that your word is your reputation ( especially in rural areas ). do not promise anything or do not ' give your word ' if you are not intending to fulfill it. spoken agreements may be as binding as written ones for everyday issues to the eyes of a galician ( namely, in rural areas ). galicians often like to exchange stories, where you may find yourself doing most of the talking. yet, locals will indeed enjoy that with some amusement. do not expect to master the galician conversational code in just a few days. there is an intricate combination of idioms, gestures, and silences, too. the fact that you don ’ t know it, or that you use a different one, is what galicians often find interesting in visitors. if offered a gift of similar, you are not to accept it straight away. a polite refusal is expected. take it, eventually, if insisted upon ; you are not necessarily expected to give anything back. do not decline invitations for food or drink after a first of second polite refusal, especially in rural areas, as this may be considered rude. if you absolutely do not wish to eat or drink what you are offered state medical reasons ( a white lie ), as that will indeed be respected by your galician host. if you produce a gift do not expect something in exchange immediately ; the ' favour / gift - trade ' in galicia also has its own code and you may be retributed in time, or if you ever go back. do not openly discuss financial issues in public gatherings as


habitat manipulations and interactions one approach to controlling the whirling disease parasite is to try to minimize habitats that are especially prone to harbor populations of the tubifex worm that acts as the necessary alternate host of the parasite. several capital construction projects in streams have been attempted to reduce or isolate such habitats ( see slide 1 below ). the last of five such projects was completed in november 2004, and monitoring of these habitat projects will continue for several years. early indications are that isolating or removing significant, but isolated, patches of worm habitat will not always have the effect of reducing parasite activity in the entire area of the project. sometimes, there appear to be enough small habitat areas that they cumulatively have the same effect as the large area that was removed or isolated. in at least one stream ( beaver creek, south fork rio grande, the first one completed, october 2001 ) such a small project appears to have benefited the stream. fewer tams are observed there today, and for the last two years increased numbers of juvenile rainbow trout have been captured in annual population surveys. other research addresses the impacts that off - channel sites such as hatchery effluents and private ponds may have on stream fisheries. because these off - channel pond habitats can be conducive to dense tubifex populations, research has focused on two concepts : minimizing the number of worm - infective spores that might be introduced to such ponds, and preventing tams produced in these ponds from reaching the stream. for the first research concept, fish management plays a key role. at some hatchery sites, settling ponds are kept free of escaped fish, and this has had a positive effect in reducing the numbers of tams produced. at others we have conducted research on the number of catchable rainbow trout ( unexposed to m. cerebralis ) that can be safely stocked. nearly all of the fish are removed by anglers during the fishing season, leaving few stocked fish at large that might subsequently develop high concentrations of spores. the overall objective at cpw hatchery settling ponds that will likely never be free of the parasite is to allow no higher a density of tams in pond effluents than is found in the receiving water. at one off - channel site, a sand filter was constructed to determine whether this would be an effective way to trap tams ( see slide 2 below ). this filter has proven effective in removing tams, but it has lost much of its capacity in the two seasons it has been in use and no longer can


determine whether this would be an effective way to trap tams ( see slide 2 below ). this filter has proven effective in removing tams, but it has lost much of its capacity in the two seasons it has been in use and no longer can handle the entire pond effluent. the backflush system that was installed has had only limited positive effect in restoring flow capacity. researchers have used a technique called “ flat screen ” filtration since 1998 to monitor tam densities in the wild. this method involved screening 500 gallons of water through a very small mesh and examining portions of the filtrate by microscope. although it was invaluable in discerning seasonal patterns of parasite presence and describing rough trends over the years, it was also regarded as imprecise. in 2004, a filtration device incorporating “ packed bed ” technology was constructed, based on a unit previously built by researchers in montana. using a mere 30 gallons per sample, this device ( see slide 3 below ) has the ability to detect tams at lower densities than the flat screen method, but is also labor intensive and not portable to remote locations. a series of tests during 2004 revealed that using the same 30 - gallon quantities in the flat screen technique could provide similar results as the packed bed technology ( see slide 4 below ). filtrates are larger from the flat screen technique, so fewer tams are actually seen, which results in less precision in the point estimate, but has the advantage of being more portable, taking less time, and remaining operational in freezing weather. currently, both methods are being used for monitoring, but the 500 - gallon quantities are no longer used in the flat screen method.


the simplest model of change – lewin ’ s freeze phases in the early 20th century, psychologist kurt lewin identified three stages of change that are still the basis of many approaches today. people like to feel safe, and in control, and their sense of identity is tied into their present environment ; particularly if it has been relatively stable for a while! this creates a feeling of comfort and any challenges to it, even those which may offer significant benefit, can cause discomfort. see why change hurts! talking about the future is rarely enough to move them from this ‘ frozen ’ state and significant work is usually required to ‘ unfreeze ’ them and get them moving. in frustration some managers start using a push method to get them moving – coercing them into a change. this can create a lot of unhappiness and frustration. the pull method of leadership, persuasion and modeling behavior takes longer but has a better long - term effect. the term ‘ change ready ’ is often used to describe people who are “ unfrozen ” and ready to take the next step. some people become ready for change fairly easily, whilst others take a long time to let go of their comfortable current realities. for lewin change is a journey. this journey may not be that simple and the person may need to go through several stages of misunderstanding before they get to the other side. a classic trap in change is for the leaders to spend months on their own personal journeys and then expect everyone else to cross the chasm in a single bound. transition takes time and needs leadership and support! but sometimes transition can also be a pleasant trap – it may feel better to travel hopefully than to arrive – particularly for the team leading the change. at the other end of the journey, the final goal is to ‘ refreeze ’, putting down roots again and establishing the new place of stability – embedding new processes and developing a new culture. in practice, refreezing may be a slow process as transitions seldom stop cleanly, but go more in fits and starts with a long tail of bits and pieces. there are good and bad things about this. in modern organizations, this stage is often rather tentative as the next change may well be around the next corner. what is often encouraged, then, is more of a state of ‘ slushiness ’ where freezing is never really achieved ( theoretically making the next unfreezing easier ). the danger with this that many organizations have found is that people fall into a state of change shock, where they work at


march 24 was world tuberculosis day, so worldfocus decided to take a deeper look at a disease that has long been a deadly threat. tonight ' s worldfocus special edition includes a piece by debra daugherty about how one south african community has combated the disease. read more about this public health campaign in cape town. worldwide, 200 million children under the age of five are deprived of basic health care. in the united states, more than 40 million people lack health insurance. as the u. s. wrestles with its own health care system, worldfocus explores success stories - - and cautionary tales - - of different health systems around the world. singapore has one of the best health care systems in the world, according to the world health organization, and the price tag is a mere 4 percent of the country ' s gdp ( compared to 17 percent in the u. s. ). in canada, the government guarantees all citizens basic medical services, and there is little paperwork, but long lines have sent some canadians to private clinics. in brazil, rich and poor alike benefit from free health care - - but offering so much has put a strain on the health system and conditions are substandard. our partners around the world also explore health care in britain, china, argentina and beyond. " health of nations " is a collection of signature videos, interviews, reporter observations and analysis from the field and blogger perspectives. health of nations worldfocus partner globalpost brings us a revealing story from egypt that shows a variation on the pillar of western - style marketing - - sex sells. but, as john jensen reports, sex is being used to promote better health, and in the process, these advertisements are also breaking some taboos. daljit dhaliwal speaks to dr. neil schluger, chief scientific officer of world lung foundation, for more about tobacco use among the estimated 1. 1 billion smokers in the world. he points out that getting rid of cigarettes would increase the health of the planet more than curing tuberculosis, aids or malaria. according to the world health organization, while cigarette consumption is declining in some countries, the number of smokers worldwide is on the upswing. those smokers also consume more cigarettes than ever. explore our maps of smoking rates around the globe. worldfocus spoke to margaret aguirre of the international medical corps, who is on the ground in haiti, about the organization ' s work there. aid workers are struggling to provide healthcare and safeguard against crippling disease as the


the globe. worldfocus spoke to margaret aguirre of the international medical corps, who is on the ground in haiti, about the organization ' s work there. aid workers are struggling to provide healthcare and safeguard against crippling disease as the aftermath of the disaster drags into its second week. the island of hispaniola is the last place in the caribbean where malaria still exists. producer gary strieker reports on how a new cooperative effort between the dominican republic, haiti and former u. s. president jimmy carter is trying to eradicate the disease. according to the world health organization, the h1n1 virus has peaked in much of the northern hemisphere, with substantial declines in the u. s. and canada. while the disease is still active in the u. s., increases are occurring in central and eastern europe, and in parts of west, central and south asia. for more, daljit dhaliwal interviews martin blaser. worldfocus special correspondent edie magnus traveled to chile, a country with universal health care coverage. however, treatment actually depends on what disease you have and how likely you are to be cured. victor rodwin discusses the intricacies of the health care system in chile and how it compares to the united states. he is a professor of health policy and management at the wagner school of public service at new york university. worldfocus contributing blogger ayo johnson writes about the high rates of hiv infection among women in sub - saharan africa, who make up an estimated 61 percent of those living with the virus. he argues that widespread gender inequality increases women ' s vulnerability to hiv.


" in case one desires to locate north and has no compass, a watch may be used. point the hour hand to the sun. in the morning, halfway between the outside end of the hour hand and noon is due south ; in the afternoon, one must reckon halfway backward ; for instance, at 8 a. m., point the hour hand to the sun and find the place halfway to noon. it will be at 10, which is due south. at 4 o ' clock, point the hour hand at the sun and reckon halfway, and the south will be found at 2 o ' clock, " wrote ernest thompson seton, artist, writer, and founder of the woodcraft indians youth program ( which inspired the boy scouts ) in his book the birch bark rule, which i found online at http : / / www. inquiry. net / outdoor / skills / seton / watch _ compass. htm. this rule for finding south using a watch is commonly reproduced and can be found on many websites, for example http : / / www. ehow. com / how _ 2043433 _ use - watch - as - compass. html or http : / / www. youtube. com / watch? v = - udurzmslpo. ( in honor of seton, i ' ll call it seton ' s rule. ) however, in general, it doesn ' t give the correct direction of south. if an observer ' s watch isn ' t set to local apparent time, seton ' s rule obviously doesn ' t give the right results : see chapter 2 of " sundials : their theory and construction " by albert waugh for an explanation. this isn ' t the only problem : suppose an observer ' s latitude is equal to the declination of the sun, so that in the morning the sun rises straight up from the east. then the sun ' s azimuth, measured east of north, takes only the value of 90 degrees ; but since the hour hand is constantly changing position, south from seton ' s rule must too be constantly changing position ( never even getting close to the correct direction ). in this brief page, i ' m going to explain why seton ' s rule fails and calculate the magnitude of its failure at two latitudes. what exactly does seton ' s rule predict? let ' s work the rule in reverse : suppose we know the direction of south and the hour ( assume local apparent time ), and we want to find the azimuth of the sun, measured east of north.


seton ' s rule predict? let ' s work the rule in reverse : suppose we know the direction of south and the hour ( assume local apparent time ), and we want to find the azimuth of the sun, measured east of north. we point the line bisecting the angle between the hour hand and the 12 due south. the hour hand now effectively gives the azimuth of the sun. starting from midnight, each hour the angle between the hour hand and the 12 increases by 30 degrees, or the angle between true south and the hour hand increases by 15 degrees, so each hour the azimuth of the sun increases 15 degrees, southing at noon ( 12 hours past midnight ). the awkward bisection comes from our twelve - hour watches, as seton rightly points out, " if our timepieces were rational and had a face showing 24 hours, the hour hand pointed to the sun would make 12 o ' clock, noon, always south. " seton ' s rule predicts that the sun ' s azimuth increases linearly over the whole day. but this is usually not how the sun behaves. consider the sun at middle latitudes : when it rises, it moves only a little in azimuth, but a lot in altitude ; when it souths, it moves a lot in azimuth, but very little in altitude. this is why hour lines in horizontal or vertical sundials designed for middle latitudes don ' t subtend equal angles from the dial center. spherical trigonometry gives an equation for the azimuth of the sun as a function of hour angle, latitude, and solar declination : azimuth, z = arctan [ sin ( hour angle ) / ( sin ( latitude ) cos ( hour angle ) - cos ( latitude ) tan ( solar declination ) ) ]. intuitively, the difference between real solar azimuth and azimuth as predicted by seton ' s rule is greatest when the sun rises highest in the sky, since the sun must waste a lot of time rising and so vary in azimuth extremely quickly ( like the latitude = declination example i gave where the azimuth changes between the values 90 and 270 degrees instantly ). i calculated the difference between real solar azimuth and azimuth as predicted by seton ' s rule for a latitude of 40 degrees north and a solar declination of - 23. 5 degrees ( northern hemisphere summer solstice ). you should


wwf ' s work in peru in 1997, wwf established a comprehensive country conservation programme. since then, the wwf peru programme office ( ppo ) has gone on to achieve a number of conservation goals. today, wwf concentrates its efforts primarily in 6 of peru ' s 14 priority ecoregions : * southwestern amazon moist forests * amazon river and flooded forests * humboldt current * napo moist forests * central andean yungas * northern andean montane forests. wwf peru programme office main goals are : * to protect peru ' s numerous endangered and / or endemic fauna and flora species, such as the marine turtle species, spectacled bear ( tremarctos ornatus ), giant river otter ( pteronura brasiliensis ), mountain tapir ( tapirus pinchaque ) ; and among the flora species the aguaje palm ( mauritia flexuosa ) and, the big - leafed mahogany ( swietenia macrophylla ). * to support the creation and effective management of natural protected areas through political advocacy and the design of conservation master plans, capacity building efforts, and supervision and control. * to strengthen the framework of peru ' s national protected areas system ( sinanpe ). specifically, with financial support from usaid - peru, the peru programme office recently helped to develop a national scorecard matrix to evaluate management capacity in natural protected areas, which has already been run twice in 28 natural protected areas. the ppo also prepared a draft biological monitoring tool and overall monitoring system for natural protected areas. to achieve these goals, wwf peru programme office works in the following areas :


webmd medical news laura j. martin, md nov. 21, 2011 - - texting among u. s. children is increasing in popularity, and as a result, more kids may be harassed or bullied via text messages, a new study finds. the study included 1, 588 young people aged 10 to 15 who answered questions online in 2006, 2007, and 2008 as part of the growing up with media survey. while there was not an increase in exposure to violent material, harassment, bullying, or unwanted sexual encounters on the internet during this time frame, there was an uptick in texting - related bullying or harassment. the study is published in pediatrics. rates of text messaging among adolescents increased from 59 % in 2008 to 72 % in 2009, while rates of internet use remained stable at 93 % from 2006 to 2008. it is too early to say why harassment and unwanted sexual communication is increasing among adolescent texters, but not internet users. " it may be because aggressive behavior is shifting from online to text messaging or it may be because text messaging is relatively new and we ' re all figuring out how to communicate well using it ; in this case, rates should stabilize as we become more familiar with it, " says study researcher michele ybarra mph, phd, of internet solutions for kids, inc. in san clemente, calif. parents can also use filtering software to prevent children from accessing inappropriate web sites, but no such technology is available for cell phone texting yet, she says. in the study, children were asked if or how often they visited violent sites, such as one showing images of war, death, or terrorism. they were also asked if they had been cyberbullied online or via text. those who said they had been targeted were asked how they felt after their worst experience. the online world may be becoming safer for children, ybarra says. " rates of violent exposures and experiences online do not seem to be increasing ; nor do rates of distress. " the majority of young people are not harassed, bullied, or targets of unwanted sexual communication online or via text messaging, and most of those who are do not report extreme distress even by their most serious experience. " for most young people, navigating technology - infused relationships is generally ok, " ybarra says. still one in four children who are harassed or bullied online or via text are " strongly and negatively " affected by the experience. " we need to do a better job of identifying these kids, and


is generally ok, " ybarra says. still one in four children who are harassed or bullied online or via text are " strongly and negatively " affected by the experience. " we need to do a better job of identifying these kids, and getting them the support and help that they need, " ybarra says. some of the onus falls on parents. " talk to your kids about your values and how you want and expect them to treat others, " ybarra says. " give concrete examples across modes. " at core, these are relationship and communication issues. " parents can help their children by talking to them about healthy relationships, how to communicate assertively but healthfully when their children are unhappy with others, " she says. " view technology as an additional space that you can help your child learn to navigate safely and independently, " ybarra says via email. " work with your children to go online and use text messaging safely. " victor strasburger, md, says the most important step parents can take is to take control of their children ' s media exposure. " that means setting limits, leaving the cell phone in a basket in the kitchen at bedtime and reporting hostile texts, " says strasburger, professor of pediatrics at the university of new mexico. " any technology in the bedroom means that parents will be absolutely unable to control what their children are exposed to. " sources : michele ybarra, mph, phd, internet solutions for kids, inc., san clemente, calif. ybarra, m. l. pediatrics, 2011. victor strasburger, md, professor of pediatrics, university of new mexico. the health news section does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. see additional information.


every now and then you read a book that richly echoes your own experience. the book that did that for me in 2010 was isabel wilkerson ' s the warmth of other suns : the epic story of america ’ s great migration, which recounts how more than 5. 5 million black americans abandoned the south in the half - century between world war i and 1970, radically transforming the black american population from primarily rural to primarily urban. i was born in washington, d. c. in 1943, then spent my middle and high school years in springfield, mass. so while much of this story unfolded before my time, as an african american who grew up in new england i am a child of the mass movement wilkerson retraces here. my mother, also born in d. c., was the daughter of mississippi migrants ; her father, swan, had made his way to the nation ' s capital in 1909, and he sent for his wife, ruby, within a few years. as for my father, he had been packed off to d. c. from durham, n. c., by his mother around 1930, joining an older brother who already lived there. in washington, she expected, he would be able to shape a life better than anything possible in durham. my mother and father met in 1940 in baltimore, where she was teaching school ; by then, they had both graduated from historically black howard university ( and my father had gone on to divinity studies there ). my parents ' stories are emblematic of the millions who would flee the south later in the 20th century. so too are the biographies of the three black migrants that wilkerson has chosen to focus on in the warmth of other suns. through them, her vivid, compelling prose and insights advance our understanding of the outsize social impact of this exodus — not just on black life in particular, but on american life in general. by taking us into the gritty lives these three lived in the south, wilkerson makes us feel the raw, restrictive racism that they and other black migrants traveled north and west to escape : - george swanson starling had attempted to organize black fruit pickers to demand better pay in florida ; he fled the state on the verge of becoming a victim of white mob violence. - mississippi sharecropper ida mae brandon gladney felt her life being crushed by the " invisible hand [ that ] determined white people were in charge and colored people were under them. " - and dr. robert joseph pershing foster, his medical credentials notwithstanding


sharecropper ida mae brandon gladney felt her life being crushed by the " invisible hand [ that ] determined white people were in charge and colored people were under them. " - and dr. robert joseph pershing foster, his medical credentials notwithstanding, was bumping up against the vexatiously low ceiling on black professional opportunity in his native louisiana. upon moving to " the promised land, " however, all three ( and, by extension, millions like them ) found it delivered far less than it had promised from afar. walking into a bar near new york city ' s penn station, for example, starling and a friend were served the drinks they ordered. but no sooner had they finished and paid their tab than the bartender picked up their glasses and smashed them under the counter. there were no " colored " or " white " signs in the city, notes starling, yet he found it " tricky " making his way through a place that " looked free " but was not always so for blacks. starling would ply even more treacherous waters on his travels throughout the deep south as a pullman porter. as a member of a loose network of activists, he covertly helped spread ideas and news of " freedom " by smuggling black newspapers such as the chicago defender into a southland that violently resisted the propagation of such radical notions.


blueberries are often touted for their nutritional benefits. some of those benefits are well known, while others are more obscure.? blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruit. anti - oxidants are responsible for neutralizing free radicals in the body, which can affect aging and contraction of diseases.? native americans once called blueberries " star berries " because the blossoms make a star shape.? blueberry juice may help alleviate persistent coughs.? blueberries can help ease digestive issues and prevent constipation.? many people equate cranberries with urinary tract health, but blueberries are also good at reducing bacteria growth that causes urinary issues.? some believe that blueberries can help reduce belly fat.? blueberries contain 14 mg of vitamin c and 0. 8 mg vitamin e per cup of blueberries.? blueberries were once used to make dyes and paints.? america ' s favourite muffin is the blueberry muffin.? maine harvests almost all of the blueberries in the united states.? blueberries may help prevent damage caused by heart disease, cancer and alzheimer ' s disease.? blueberries are the official berries of nova scotia, canada.? the anthocyanin found in blueberries can help improve eyesight.? blueberries are one of the only foods that are naturally blue in color.? the annual harvest of north american blueberries would cover a four - lane highway from chicago to new york if spread out in a single layer.? blueberries grow on a shrub that belongs to the heath family.? there are approximately 30 different species of blueberries.? blueberries were not cultivated until the beginning of the 20th century, becoming commercially available in 1916.? the white, powdery substance on blueberries is called " bloom. " bloom indicates fresh berries.


lunar surface still active : study active moon a new study indicates the moon may not be as geologically dead as previously thought, showing signs that it is simultaneously stretching and shrinking. new high - resolution images from nasa ' s lunar reconnaissance orbiter, show parts of the moon ' s surface are being pulled apart by expansion, forming small narrow trenches or rift valleys in the mare basalts and the highlands of the lunar far side. the finding, which appears in the online edition of nature geoscience, contradicts the notion that the moon is a cold, dead world with a surface that ' s slowly shrinking as its interior cools. these linear valleys called graben, form when the crust stretches, breaks and drops down along two bounding faults. scientists estimate the graben formed less than 50 million years ago, which is recent by geologic time scales. study lead author dr thomas watters from the centre for earth and planetary studies at the smithsonian ' s national air and space museum in washington dc says, " the graben tell us forces acting to shrink the moon were overcome in places by forces acting to pull it apart ". earlier images taken by the lunar reconnaissance orbiter in 2010 show rounded cliffs called lobate scarps distributed across the moon ' s surface, evidence the moon shrank in recent geologic time and might still be shrinking today. the researchers believe tectonic movements associated with both the graben and lobate scarps may be a possible source of some of the shallow moonquakes still being recorded. planetary scientist dr michael brown from monash university in melbourne says the findings will force scientists to rethink lunar geology. " it ' s certainly come as a surprise, " says brown. " it means the geologic behaviour of the moon is more complex than originally thought. " the moon ' s lack of a global magnetic field had led scientists to conclude the lunar interior was mostly solid. " now there ' s a suggestion the lunar outer core is fluid and surrounded by a partially molten layer, " says brown. as to whether it ' s time to go back to the moon for a closer hands on look, brown says, " we want to understand the moon in greater detail, but it ' s a difficult political question ". " the moon has a lot of variation and was barely explored by the apollo landings. certainly it would be fascinating to send a robot probe to do some of the work, " says brown. " the only time they sent an actual geologist to the moon was on the very last mission. "


- get involved - education & events - publications & research - about aca food for thought! putting environmental education theory into practice giving kids a natural world of good — sixth in a series of six articles a child sits on the edge of her bench with rapt attention, waiting for the announcement. looking around, she realizes the chatter has subsided. one hundred and forty other warm bodies are perched on the edge of their benches too, waiting. " food waste update!!! " an energetic young woman bellows out over the crowd. the dining hall erupts into a raucous din. the children pound out a drum roll on the wooden tables. their eyes dance with excitement. with a huge grin, the instructor throws her hands in the air and every child follows suit. an expectant pause follows. " three pounds! " the woman announces, and the children burst into cheers and high fives. at every meal, she had weighed the food that was left over on the campers ' plates. she graphed the amount on a chart, and the weight had decreased at every meal. " what a great job you all have done! now, remind me again why we are making such a big deal about all of this? " a boy waves his hand in the air, " food comes from the earth and that it takes things like gas, water, and electricity to get it to our plate. " another boy interrupts, " yeah, and it takes land to grow the food — land that could be homes for animals if we didn ' t use it for crops. and they need their homes! " a girl chimes in, " if we waste less food, we can save those things, and do the earth a favor. " the woman looks impressed, " so that ' s what this conservation is all about? your choices? " " yeah, " the boy answered. " our choices matter and that rocks! " the vision for the camp mcdowell environmental center ( cmec ) is to connect people to the environment and their community by instilling the ideals of conservation and respect. at cmec, class topics include water ecology, geology, group problem solving, forest ecology, etc. each class is educational, fun — and makes an impact on the camper ' s life. interestingly, parents tell us that one of the most influential components of the program happens in the dining hall, through a program called food for thought ( fft ). although the food for thought program includes lots of hype, grown -


life. interestingly, parents tell us that one of the most influential components of the program happens in the dining hall, through a program called food for thought ( fft ). although the food for thought program includes lots of hype, grown - ups in crazy costumes, and full - scale cheering, there is a lot more to this experience than a carnival atmosphere or a camp competition. fft is an intentionally planned educational experience. it results in each camper developing a greater sense of responsibility for the natural world. the theory behind the practice so, you ask, how do you go from 120 fifth grade campers who don ' t eat their pizza crust to 120 thoughtful citizens? at cmec, we use a framework of environmental education to guide our activity selection according to the national project for excellence in environmental education, " environmental education is a process that aims to develop an environmentally literate citizenry that... has the skills, knowledge, and inclinations to make well - informed choice [ s ] ( naaee 2005 ). " at cmec, we see it as building a sense of responsibility for the environment. once you feel responsible for the environment, you have the inclination to make well - informed choices and will then take appropriate actions. to build this sense of responsibility, we use these four steps. the first step, appreciation, involves attitudes, emotions, and awareness toward a resource. to help create this appreciation, educators can use a number of different tools, such as, visiting a special place, sharing their own attitudes about the resource, and sensory awareness activities. at cmec, we might hike through a beautiful forest, canoe up a canyon, or wade in a pristine stream. each of these activities encourages an awareness of the resource and provides numerous " teachable - moment " opportunities to increase appreciation. the second step, knowledge, focuses on facts. the learner gains knowledge by accumulating factual information about the topic. most people are familiar with this type of learning because it is commonly used in public schools. we often learn facts through research, lectures, or reading. at camp, we accomplish factual knowledge through hands - on exploration, direct observation, and discovery. the third step, understanding, in - volves concepts. comprehension of concepts can be difficult. it often involves making connections between the facts that have been previously learned. educators find that models, experiments, diagrams ( like diagram 1 ), and visual aids can help the learner " get it. " in the outdoor setting, we conduct experiments with real materials,


making connections between the facts that have been previously learned. educators find that models, experiments, diagrams ( like diagram 1 ), and visual aids can help the learner " get it. " in the outdoor setting, we conduct experiments with real materials, handle the actual objects, and watch natural processes occur. the fourth step, responsibility, is demonstrated through action. the " sense " of responsibility is internal, but it guides choices and actions. to help children develop this sense, we need to guide them in the process of clarifying their own values. the adults at cmec act as role models, facilitate debates, lead service projects, and provide opportunities for children to act. although each of these steps is not required to develop a sense of responsibility for the environment, these steps guide the process well. it is a natural process with each step leading the learner on to the next step. putting the theory into practice at cmec, we use this framework to structure all of our programs. with the food for thought program, we focus on food as the resource. we have developed specific activities to lead the campers through each step of their development. the week begins with the staff displaying their excitement about this idea of food waste. they show the campers just how much was wasted at a meal, they dress up in funny costumes, they pop up in the middle of announcements to present amazing facts, etc. students are intrigued, their curiosity engaged, and the first step, that of appreciation, has begun. next, we feed them facts about food at every meal ( see the side bar on page 48 ). after eating hamburgers for dinner, campers put on a skit about bessie, the cow. the skit depicts the steps it took to get their hamburger to their plate ( growing, feeding, processing, transporting, preparing, and cooking the meat ). at breakfast, with an ingredient list in hand, a staff member traces each ingredient ' s journey to camp. they mark the journey on a map of the world, showing just how far the food has traveled to be a part of our breakfast. at lunch, we sing silly songs like " dirt made my lunch " ( banana slug string band 1997 ). from the song, the students learn about the natural resources ( soil, water, sunlight, etc. ) that were required to make their food. through these activities, the campers accumulate knowledge. to help the students grasp the more difficult concepts, staff use models, diagrams, and examples. students study species cards that explain how some


sunlight, etc. ) that were required to make their food. through these activities, the campers accumulate knowledge. to help the students grasp the more difficult concepts, staff use models, diagrams, and examples. students study species cards that explain how some plant and animal species are in decline because of loss of habitat — habitat that was converted to cropland. they dance to a camp song. one person starts singing and dancing. on the second verse, the singer invites friends to join the song and dance. with each new verse, all of the singers invite others to join in, until soon, the entire camp is up and dancing. this provides a visible lesson that each person ' s actions can make a difference. as the campers understand the connections, they begin to take action. their action is in the form of a personal choice — how much food do i need to put on my plate? each camper decides for him / herself. the staff model responsible and sanitary choices. if you are not sure that you will like the green beans, take a small amount at first. when you want more lemonade, pour half a glass at a time. pretty soon, the campers are coming up with their own solutions — such as cleanly cutting off their pizza crusts and offering them to a friend who likes to eat them like bread sticks. after each meal, they anxiously wait for the announcement of the food waste weight, eager to see evidence of the informed choices they have made. the campers celebrate as they see the charted weight drop as everyone works toward a common goal. these campers are thinking before they grab for the food platter, and they are making tangible contributions towards conservation. most importantly, they are learning that their actions make a difference. what better life lesson could we hope for at camp? using this approach at your camp this approach works well for the camp mcdowell environmental center whose primary goal is education. but our approach works just as well with more recreational summer camp programs. think of the added value to your program — fun and dynamic activities that dramatically impact children ' s lives. additionally, your kitchen staff will thank you, and your budget will reflect the savings! additionally, this educational approach can be utilized with any resource. let ' s look at an example. think of a natural resource that you would like your campers to protect. it may be a special waterfall, a particular animal species, or a unique grove of trees. provide activities that address each of the four steps in the framework. appreciation what could you do to


natural resource that you would like your campers to protect. it may be a special waterfall, a particular animal species, or a unique grove of trees. provide activities that address each of the four steps in the framework. appreciation what could you do to help them appreciate the resource? you can let them play there and learn to enjoy it. you can tell stories about it, sing songs about it and get them out there touching and feeling it. naturally, they will develop an emotional attachment to it, a sense of awe, and a feeling of wonder. knowledge this appreciation will lead them to seek knowledge about the resource. they will want to find out where the water comes from, how that animal survives in the wild or what lives in that grove of trees. allow them to explore these topics ; provide the resource books, time and tools to investigate, or an adult who can answer their questions. understanding as they gain knowledge, you will want to guide the campers into a deeper understanding of the resource. discuss with them the role the resource plays in the larger ecosystem. help them comprehend how the water from that waterfall came from the grove of trees above ; how the animal depends on that stream for its water ; how trees ' roots hold the soil ; and, how the soil filters the water that enters the stream. help them make the connections. responsibility now that they have appreciation, knowledge, and an understanding about the resource, when you provide them with an imaginary scenario, they can grasp that a pollutant added to the system impacts the waterfall, the animal, and the grove of trees. now, they don ' t want that to happen. they care and feel a responsibility for those resources. they will show that through their own actions. they pick up the litter they find in the stream, they don ' t tear off the branches of the tree, and they are careful not to disturb the animal ' s den. they are proud of their actions and know that they are making a difference! and you, too, can be proud of the difference you have made in their lives. tips for fft program - start out small. begin by just talking with your staff and campers about these ideas. - if you serve cafeteria style, work with your kitchen staff to allow the campers to request small, medium, or large portions. - beware of the competition factor! if you weigh the waste, campers will treat this as a competition between tables, sessions, etc. competitions can lead to unsanitary situations ( one camper eating


, medium, or large portions. - beware of the competition factor! if you weigh the waste, campers will treat this as a competition between tables, sessions, etc. competitions can lead to unsanitary situations ( one camper eating another camper ’ s left - overs ) and unhealthy situations ( a camper being forced to eat more than they should ). to counter this, regularly remind campers that the personal choices you make at the beginning of the meal are what determine how much you waste. - stress to the campers that the " why " of this program is much more important than the " how much. " | a few food facts | | daily, americans eat seventy - five acres of pizzas. an acre is about as big as a football field ( adai 1998 ). | | to produce the food and clothing each american uses in a year, it requires approximately four acres ( adai 1998 ). | | in one day, americans typically consume 815 million calories. that ’ s 200 million more than needed ( adai 1998 ). | | to reach our plate our food travels an average of twelve hundred miles. that ’ s as far as from birmingham, alabama, to new york city ( earthworks group 1989 ). | | on average, to produce one pound of ground beef, it takes sixteen pounds of grain and soy beans, twenty - five hundred gallons of water, and the energy equivalent to one half a gallon of gasoline ( earthwork group 1989 ). | | since 1947, camp mcdowell has been the camp and conference center for the episcopal diocese of alabama. the camp is located adjacent to the bankhead national forest in northwestern alabama. the camp mcdowell environmental center is a residential, nonprofit educational program that serves school groups, grades one through ten. the center serves thousands of students every year from a four - state area. | | banana slug string band. ( 1997 ). dirt made my lunch. songs from the earth. | | north american association for environmental education. the national project for excellence in environmental education. available at : www. naaee. org / npeee /. accessed 2 / 18 / 2005. | | alabama department of agriculture and industries ( adai ). ( 1998 ) alabama ag in the classroom. alabama agriculture classnotes. | | earthworks group ( 1989 ). 50 simple things you can do to save the earth. earthworks press p. 90. | heather montgomery, m. s., is the education coordinator for


august 22 marked the tenth anniversary of welfare reform. the 1996 legislation made radical changes to the process of receiving unearned government cash. the results have been massive reductions in child poverty, increases in employment, and a subsequent increase in the freedom of the poor from government control. in the mid - 1990s many attempted to incite fear to kill the reforms. senator daniel patrick moynihan ( d - ny ) proclaimed the 1996 law to be “ the most brutal act of social policy since reconstruction. ” he ridiculously predicted, “ those involved will take this disgrace to their graves. ” marian wright edelman, president of the children ' s defense fund, declared the new reform law an “ outrage... that will hurt and impoverish millions of american children. ” as expected, these projections were dead wrong. robert rector, senior research fellow at the heritage foundation, using government data, summarized welfare reform ' s success before congress. the facts tell a powerful story : when the poor are invited to live as people with dignity, within structures of liberty, they will usually do so. since the 1996 reforms child poverty has plummeted. some 1. 6 million fewer children live in poverty today than in 1995. poor black children have enjoyed the greatest decreases in poverty. after the early 1970s, reductions in black child poverty had stagnated. since 1995, however, the poverty rate among black children has fallen at an unprecedented rate - - from 41. 5 percent to 32. 9 percent in 2004. by 2001, black child poverty had fallen to 30 percent, the lowest point in american history. over a six - year period after welfare reform, 1. 2 million black children were liberated from poverty. although recent economic corrections have slightly increased black child poverty, the rate remains about one - fifth lower than in the period prior to reform. unprecedented declines in poverty also occurred among children of single mothers. after 1996, the poverty rate for children of single mothers fell dramatically from 50. 3 percent in 1995 to 41. 9 percent in 2004. since 1996, the employment rate of the most disadvantaged single mothers increased from 50 percent to 100 percent. employment of single mothers who are high school dropouts rose by two - thirds, and employment of young single mothers ( ages 18 to 24 ) nearly doubled. as mothers found employment, child poverty decreased. additionally, welfare caseloads have been cut in half, dropping from 4. 3 million families in 1996 to 1. 89 million today. the explosive growth of out - of - wedlock births has nearly halted


mothers found employment, child poverty decreased. additionally, welfare caseloads have been cut in half, dropping from 4. 3 million families in 1996 to 1. 89 million today. the explosive growth of out - of - wedlock births has nearly halted. as the policies of the “ war on poverty ” discouraged fatherhood, the out - of - wedlock birthrate went from 7. 7 percent in 1965 to 32. 2 percent 1995. however since 1996 ( and for several reasons besides welfare reform ), the long - term rapid growth in the out - of - wedlock birth rate faltered. having a good economy alone did not produce these results. remember, critics objected that the changes would hurt the poor during the good economy of the late 1990s. however, when the government finally began to recognize the poor people are not “ white trash ” or any other form of “ it ” but are real people capable of independent thinking, caring for their own families, making decisions formed by what is best, and given a chance to succeed, these results were inevitable. when our society provides incentives encouraging work, marriage, family, and accountability - - which are central to human dignity - - we see people thought to be helpless rise to the occasion. however, after a decade of good results, there is still more work to be done. there is still the wrong assumption that poor people need to be controlled by the surrogate decisions of government bureaucrats. poor parents should have the freedom to put their kids in good schools ; states should not be allowed to economically enable those who refuse to work, which creates poverty cycles ; fatherhood and marriage should be encouraged structurally ; and as a nation we must commit ourselves to helping the poor of all races build wealth. the principles of entrepreneurship, homeownership, family, saving and investing, and commitment to community will not only lift families out of poverty but empower them to enjoy lives of dignity for generations to come. purchase a subscription to the journal of markets & morality to get access to the most recent issues. read our free quarterly publication that has interviews with important religious figures and articles bettering the free and virtuous society. visit r & l today. phone : ( 616 ) 454 - 3080 fax : ( 616 ) 454 - 9454


key literacy component : text comprehension text comprehension allows readers to extract or construct meaning from the written word. students who misread words or misinterpret their meanings are at a disadvantage. proper instruction can boost students ’ skills in this key area. in this article : comprehension is the process of extracting or constructing meaning ( building new meanings and integrating new with old information ) from words once they have been identified. many struggling adolescent readers do not have difficulty reading words accurately ; they have difficulty making sense of the information and ideas conveyed by the text [ 2, 3 ]. comprehension varies depending on the text being read. even proficient readers may have difficulty comprehending particular texts from time to time. difficulties with comprehension may result from a reader ' s unfamiliarity with the content, style, or syntactic structures of the text [ 1, 4 ]. even as adults, many people struggle when reading shakespeare or the manual for installing a new computer program. what do good readers do? good adolescent readers are purposeful, strategic, and critical readers who understand the content presented in various types of texts. good readers set a purpose for reading successful readers establish different purposes for reading different kinds of text. they read computer manuals to figure out how to use a new computer or software program. they read the newspaper to find out what is happening in the community. they read mystery novels for enjoyment. good readers know that there are many purposes for reading, and they vary the ways in which they read depending on their purposes and the texts [ 1, 4 ]. good readers are strategic readers successful readers are mentally active readers. they make sense of what they read by drawing on knowledge and experiences that are relevant to the information and ideas in the text. good readers use knowledge of vocabulary, language structures, and genre to understand the text. they have a repertoire of reading strategies that is used before, during, and after reading to build meaning from the text [ 7, 1 ]. for example, before beginning a new mystery novel, good readers may consider the author ; the book ' s tone, organization, literary elements ; and other books written by the author. while reading a mystery novel, for example, successful readers constantly try to predict what will happen next. they also make text - to - text connections ; that is, they use information from previous mysteries that they have read to help understand the new mystery. good readers monitor their comprehension while reading by periodically checking their level of understanding of the text. if problems occur with comprehension while reading, good readers possess knowledge of


is, they use information from previous mysteries that they have read to help understand the new mystery. good readers monitor their comprehension while reading by periodically checking their level of understanding of the text. if problems occur with comprehension while reading, good readers possess knowledge of useful " fix - up " strategies and implement them to gain a better understanding of what is being read [ 7, 1 ]. successful adolescent readers use post - reading strategies, such as summarizing, to help remember what they have read and to clarify misunderstandings. when good readers read a chapter in a history text, they know that, at the end of each section, it is helpful to stop and summarize what has been learned so as to better understand and retain new information. good readers also know and are able to apply a variety of reading strategies to help them comprehend what they read [ 5, 1 ]. good readers are critical readers comprehension is necessary but not sufficient for developing adolescents ' critical awareness of all texts. critical readers analyze how writers, illustrators, and others involved represent people and their ideas. to be fully literate, adolescents must develop a critical awareness of how all texts position them as readers and must consider such factors as how authors ' backgrounds and cultures influence their writing [ 4, 6, 7 ]. good readers apply critical thinking skills to texts found in printed and electronic media to consider how authors manipulate electronic and print information in different ways and for varying purposes. what challenges do adolescent readers face with text comprehension? adolescents struggle with text comprehension for different reasons. some adolescents simply lack sufficient fluency to achieve comprehension. some fluent students lack comprehension strategies, such as generating questions, summarizing, and clarifying misunderstandings. others have learned strategies only in the context of reading narrative texts, such as stories. some students learn on their own how to transfer strategies used in one domain, such as literature, to other domains, such as history and science. other students do not learn how to transfer these strategies on their own and are never taught how to apply them to the expository text found in science, history, math, and other content areas. still other students have limited background knowledge in these domains [ 8, 9 ]. the structure of middle and high school texts also presents challenges for struggling readers. expository text is the most prevalent text structure in most middle and high school texts. in contrast with narrative text, students have had less exposure to expository text and, more important, have not been taught comprehension strategies within the context of expository text.


is the most prevalent text structure in most middle and high school texts. in contrast with narrative text, students have had less exposure to expository text and, more important, have not been taught comprehension strategies within the context of expository text. common categories of expository text are cause / effect, problem / solution, comparison / contrast, chronological order or sequence, concept idea with examples, and proposition with support. students encounter expository text across their content - area courses. expository text is found in newspaper and magazine articles, science and social studies texts, research articles, and primary source documents. the prevalence of expository text categories varies by discipline. for example, chronological order and cause / effect are common in history texts. geography texts make frequent use of description and comparison / contrast. social studies texts use analysis and evaluation of perspectives, arguments, and interpretations using proposition - support structures. if students are not familiar with the various types of texts used in middle and high school, they may encounter challenges in comprehending what they read. how can instruction help adolescent students with text comprehension? although many struggling adolescent readers need more specific and intense instruction in reading from reading specialists, all teachers can assume responsibility for helping students comprehend texts that are used in their classrooms. the goal of text comprehension instruction is to help students become active, purposeful, and independent readers of science, history, literary, and mathematics texts. key findings from research show that learning how to use comprehension strategies can improve adolescent readers ' text comprehension [ 11, 12, 8, 3 ]. the following sections describe the comprehension strategies teachers can incorporate into their content - area instruction and suggestions for teaching these strategies so that students can use them independently. integrate text comprehension strategies into instruction some comprehension strategies are general and can be used across different kinds of text. the following strategies can be adapted for use with most types of text. - read aloud passages from subject - matter text ; - as you read, stop now and then to model the kinds of questions successful readers ask themselves as they read. for example, " why does the author tell me this? " " did i understand this correctly? " " what seems to be the most important point or idea? " ; - repeat this modeling several times with different texts ; and - guide students in generating their own questions with content - area texts [ 11, 12, 14 ]. - explicit information in the text, that is, the answer is evident in the text and can often can be copied or repeated ( sometimes referred to as a "


in generating their own questions with content - area texts [ 11, 12, 14 ]. - explicit information in the text, that is, the answer is evident in the text and can often can be copied or repeated ( sometimes referred to as a " right there " response ) ; - implicit information found in several different places in the text ; that is, the answer is in the text, but the reader has to pull it together from different parts of the text ( sometimes referred to as a " pulling it together " response ) ; - implicit information found in the text and the reader ' s own prior knowledge and experiences, that is, the answer must be generated from a synthesis of information from the text and the reader ' s prior knowledge and experiences ( sometimes referred to as a " text - and me " response ) ; and - students ' prior knowledge and experiences alone ; that is, the student does not have to read the text to answer the question, but reading the text will inform the answer ( sometimes referred to as an " on my own " response ) [ 11, 12, 14 ]. margie went into the schoolroom. it was right next to her bedroom, and the mechanical teacher was on, waiting for her. it was always on at the same time everyday except saturday and sunday because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours. the screen was lit up, and it said, " today ' s arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper fractions. please insert yesterday ' s homework in the proper slot. " margie put her homework in the slot with a sigh. she was thinking about the old schools they had when her grandfather ' s grandfather was a little boy. all the kids from the whole neighborhood came laughing and shouting into the schoolyard, sitting together in the same schoolroom, going home together at the end of the day. they learned the same things, so they could help one another on the homework and talk about it. and the teachers were people... the mechanical teacher flashed on the screen : " when we add the fractions 1 / 2 and 1 / 4 " margie was thinking about how the kids must have loved it in the old days. she was thinking about the fun they had. excerpted from the fun they had by isaac asimov - who was the author of this story? ( " right there " question ) - what does margie like about the " old schools "? ( " pulling it together " question ) - when does this story take place? (


by isaac asimov - who was the author of this story? ( " right there " question ) - what does margie like about the " old schools "? ( " pulling it together " question ) - when does this story take place? ( " text and me " question ) - should we have " mechanical " teachers? ( " on my own " question ) expert readers monitor their comprehension as they read by continuously identifying when they do and when they do not comprehend the information, ideas, and other messages contained in the text. when comprehension breaks down, expert readers are able to use comprehension monitoring or other problem solving strategies to help them comprehend. many struggling readers do not use monitoring strategies or use them inappropriately [ 11, 12, 14 ]. - read aloud selected text passages. - stop at various points to " think aloud " about what may or may not be understood. questioning, prediction, and summarizing are used as monitoring strategies. - provide examples of other problem - solving strategies and how they are used in response to comprehension difficulties. examples of problem - solving strategies include re - reading the text, asking oneself questions about the text, and reading before or after the portion of text where comprehension difficulties occurred [ 11, 12, 14 ]. the teacher reads aloud the title of a newspaper article. " ' do or die time for the kiwi. ' i ' m confused. i thought kiwi was a kind of fruit. how can a kiwi fruit have ‘ do or die time '? maybe farmers are having problems growing kiwi fruit? i need to read more to find out if i ' m right. " the teacher reads aloud the next sentence from the article. " ' although they ' re 0 - 4, the kiwi curlers may still have winnable games against germany and italy. ' oh i get it, curling must be some kind of sport because it talks about " winnable games " and a score of 0 - 4. i don ' t really know anything about curling, but i do know that this article is about sports and kiwi is the name of one of the teams. the article must have something to do with the olympics because i know the olympics are going on now and it says that the kiwi team is playing against other countries — germany and italy. " - identify and / or formulate main ideas, - connect the main ideas, - identify and delete redundancies, and - restate the main ideas and connections using different words and phrasings. use text structure as


and italy. " - identify and / or formulate main ideas, - connect the main ideas, - identify and delete redundancies, and - restate the main ideas and connections using different words and phrasings. use text structure as adolescents build their knowledge of science, social studies, mathematics, and literature, learning to use knowledge of the structure of the particular text helps them comprehend the more complex texts that they encounter in these disciplines [ 16, 17 ]. selecting strategies that are useful for comprehending text structures involves examining the content, language, and structure of text with which students may have difficulty and then identifying specific strategies that will help students use these patterns and structures to aid in comprehension [ 16, 17 ]. teaching students to use graphic and semantic organizers that differ based on the category of expository text the organizer represents is one way to help students understand and use text structure to comprehend complex texts. a graphic organizer that lends itself to chronological order differs from an organizer that is useful for cause and effect. teachers can model the use of graphic organizers to show the different categories of expository text and then encourage students to use the various organizers to record and organize important information and concepts from the texts they are reading [ 2, 10 ]. - placing text passages on the overhead projector, - reading the passages aloud, - underlining key signal or transition words, and - explaining how these words provide clues for using text structure to aid comprehension. for example, explain that when students encounter the word consequently, it serves as a signal for the direction that the text will take next, in this case that a result of some action or event is about to be described or discussed. teachers can model and emphasize the use of signal or transition words orally as they discuss content and ask questions that require students to use these words in their responses [ 16, 17 ]. use graphic and semantic organizers teach students how to use graphic and semantic organizers to help them organize ideas and concepts during and after reading. graphic organizers are diagrams or other visuals that help students identify and see the relationships among concepts, ideas, and facts in a text. these organizers can be used with either narrative or expository text and in fact can be used to illustrate or represent the text structure itself. a semantic organizer, sometimes called a semantic map or web, is a type of graphic organizer that uses lines to connect a central concept or main idea with related or supporting facts or ideas [ 11, 5, 12, 14, 18 ]. teaching students to use graphic and semantic