, bibliography format, etc. this unit may take up to six weeks, depending upon the level of the students ' abilities. it may be interspersed with other language arts activities throughout the semester, as a general theme for the semester, or the poetry, short stories, and other written materials may be introduced according to either theme or genre. i. introduce thematic unit : a. introduce new vocabulary words from reading selections, as well as words such as immigration, emigration, ethnic, ethnicity, foreign, foreigner, alien, quotas, nationalism, conflict, etc. - - - discuss the feelings these terms may evoke. b. journal entries or " freewrite " on being a newly arrived immigrant to a new culture ( describe sights, sounds, tastes, odors, etc., which may be new or foreign to you ), and tell how you may be treated by others or looked upon by others already here. imagine that you speak very little or none of the native tongue ; how would you try to communicate your needs? how might you be able to learn more about the culture, acceptable gestures or other polite behaviors? or imagine what it would be like for you to come to los angeles, specifically, as a new immigrant, speaking no english, and knowing very little or nothing at all about our customs, slang, gestures, the significance of various clothing styles, etc.? c. read aloud from volunteers ' journals, or in some other way provoke discussion. this is a good springboard for role - playing or short skits worked out cooperatively by small groups of two or three. d. using a map and / or a globe ( preferably, for better perspective ), discuss and show students - or better yet, let students find and show the class - where russia and specific eastern and central european countries are located. utilizing the lists of former ussr countries and their accompanying statistics, which we received in our summer institute, discuss and show students recent areas of conflict ( especially in the former yugoslavia and other countries where conflict has been reported in the news ), recent patterns of immigration to the u. s. from these places, and cite and discuss reasons for immigration quotas, fairness of quotas, reasons why people would want to leave their homeland, why they would choose the u. s. as their destination, etc. e. assign oral, cooperative learning group reports ( this will be both in class and homework assignment over several days - two weeks ). arrange for class trip ( s ) to school library, or for small groups to


. as their destination, etc. e. assign oral, cooperative learning group reports ( this will be both in class and homework assignment over several days - two weeks ). arrange for class trip ( s ) to school library, or for small groups to be sent for twenty to thirty minutes each to the library to gather information. assign each group to report on gathered information on a different ethnic group in eastern and central europe ( including background or historical information, culture, traditions, etc., as well as on what conflicts with their neighbors they may have ). as a group they must decide who will report on what, and in which order, and who will work on the accompanying large artwork / poster which they will use as a visual aid during their oral presentation. each student will be graded individually by both the teacher and their group leader, whom they will select, and graded also, as a group, by the teacher alone. grades will be based upon participation, quality of research and presentation, etc. f. interviews with immigrants from russia and eastern / central european countries may be done for extra credit, and will be worth two grades for both written and oral reports to the class. ii. introduce literature and reading assignments involving russian and central / eastern european authors or locales, as well as literature by other authors which involve ethnic conflict and resolution of conflict. a. assign independent book reports ( due in three weeks ). hand out suggested reading lists ( this list may be further enhanced with the assistance of your school librarian ), and guidelines, requirements, format, etc. for the book report. b. read, orally, as a class, short stories, novel excerpts, biographical and other non - fiction excerpts from several representative cultures - and follow up with discussion on conflict ( reasons for, and resolution of ). c. give short answer quizzes on each story or excerpt, utilizing the gamut of question levels / types from multiple choice, and fill - in short answers, through analytical, higher level thinking skill, short essays. d. daily, as students enter class, have journal entry questions on the blackboard or overhead projector, which ask for reactions to various characters and / or situations presented in the stories read previously in class or assigned for homework. " beyond " literature ( includes " debrief " and " evaluation " ) iii. assessment of learning, and of increased empathy for new immigrants to our community, as well as increased awareness of the cause of ethnic conflict in both our community and globally, and the potential for its resolution.


##brief " and " evaluation " ) iii. assessment of learning, and of increased empathy for new immigrants to our community, as well as increased awareness of the cause of ethnic conflict in both our community and globally, and the potential for its resolution. a. show videos, such as the pbs special, " romeo and juliet in sarajevo ", and read, as a class, " a child ' s diary of war " ( zlata ' s diary, excerpted in newsweek, february, 1994 ). follow up with oral discussion, or use in comparison with shakespeare ' s " romeo and juliet " and the diary of anne frank, both of which are core literature selections. how are these children like / unlike you? how is their life like / unlike yours? why? could these things happen here in l. a. ( or in the u. s.? ) b. give essay test ( s ) on the previous questions regarding ethnic conflict in both the literary selections, and in regard to our own community. ask students to always cite specific examples from the reading selections to support any statements they make in their essays. - utilize questions of synthesis, analysis, comparison and contrast, etc. - topics may also include : why is there conflict between ethnic groups - - in the eastern european nations? in our community? can and how can these conflicts be resolved so we may all live in peace as a community? and as a global community? - - - and probably the most relevant to our students, what can i do as an individual to avoid / resolve conflict in my life and community? - 3. have students read " the sniper " by liam o ' flaherty ( about an ira sniper who accidentally shoots and kills his own brother while on night patrol in dublin ), and have students write an essay / reaction paper regarding the horrors of war / armed conflict. c. assessment / grades will be based upon : journal ( graded periodically ), dialectic journal ( annotated during silent reading / notetaking, during oral reports, etc. ), short answer quizzes on reading selections, oral reports ( group ), vocabulary and spelling tests ( based on literature selections read in class ), and essays, as well as on participation in class reading and discussion, and book reports. * * * another excellent essay / discussion question : if i have pride in the group to which i belong, must i then, also, feel superior to members of other groups? ( a good one for students - and adults - to ponder! )


managing migration for the benefit of all the international organization for migration ( iom ) established in 1951, iom is the leading inter - governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non - governmental partners. with 127 member states, a further 17 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, iom is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. it does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants. iom works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people. the iom constitution recognizes the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement. iom works in the four broad areas of migration management : iom activities that cut across these areas include the promotion of international migration law, policy debate and guidance, protection of migrants ' rights, migration health and the gender dimension of migration. statement on diversity the international organization for migration undertakes to reflect the rich diversity of the population - at - large of the republic of moldova. in november 2010, the united nations country team decided to review diversity in all aspects of its hiring, management and related issues. the united nations in moldova welcomes suggestions to improve its policies and work in this area.


xxviii. in tajikistan modern education in tajikistan developed as the country emerged as a soviet socialist republic, under the soviet policy of standardizing the educational system throughout the soviet union, with language as virtually the only variable. in tajikistan, as in other central asian republics, this policy brought about nearly universal literacy and establishment of institutions of secondary and higher education that provided training in a wide range of occupations required by the local economy. before the soviets consolidated their control of central asia in 1924 the territory of tajikistan was divided between the emirate of bukhara ( q. v. ) and the province of samarkand in russian turkestan. three parallel educational systems functioned in these areas. the first was a centuries - old system of traditional schooling in maktabs and madrasas ( see iii, iv, above ; central asia ix ), which had gained strength through the 19th century. the curriculum usually included arabic conjugation and syntax ( sarf wa nahw ), theology ( kalam ), natural philosophy and theosophy ( hekmat - e tabiʿi wa elahi ), and islamic laws ( feqh ). those who wished to study literature and arithmetic usually did so privately. the language of instruction was persian, and textbooks were predominantly in persian and arabic ( ʿayni, 1362 s. / 1983, pp. 163 - 65 ). in 1910 there were ninety maktabs and madrasas in kojand, with a population of 40, 000 ; total enrollment was 1, 380 ( obidov, 1965, p. 10 ; medlin et al., pp. 10 - 45 ; wheeler, pp. 198 - 200 ). the second system comprised the “ russian - native ” schools, founded by russian officials and missionaries after the annexation of turkestan. both russian and native children were taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as elementary geography and history. native students received instruction in both russian and local languages ; religion was taught by local muslim clerics. in 1911 there were ten such schools with 369 students on the present territory of tajikistan ( obidov, pp. 10 - 12 ). the third system consisted of schools operated on “ new principles ” ( maktabha - ye osul - e jadid ), founded by activists of the jadid movement whose modernizing objectives included educational reform. in order to create a generally literate civil society, jadid educators broadened the traditional curriculum to include geography, natural sciences


- e jadid ), founded by activists of the jadid movement whose modernizing objectives included educational reform. in order to create a generally literate civil society, jadid educators broadened the traditional curriculum to include geography, natural sciences, and arithmetic ; even reading and writing were taught by modern methods, and there was strong emphasis on the islamic religion ( allworth, pp. 130 - 40 ). prominent among these educators was sadr - al - din ʿayni ( q. v. ), who, as a member of the semisecret jamʿiyat - e tarbia - ye atfal ( association for children ’ s education ), encouraged the establishment of new schools and wrote textbooks suited to modern curricula, for example, tadhib al - sebyan ( 1909 ). such textbooks, emulating tatar models, included poems and edifying tales, emphasizing the virtues of love for one ’ s parents, telling the truth, and so on ( allworth, pp. 130 - 40 ; ʿayni, pp. 801 - 04 ). teaching in these schools, which grew rapidly after the turn of the century, was generally bilingual in tajik and uzbek, the latter under the influence of the tatars of russia, who had promoted nationalism among central asian turks. both the russian authorities in turkestan and the bukharan clergy took a negative view of jadid schools and occasionally shut them down. nevertheless, they seem to have attracted more students than the russian - native schools, though no reliable data are available on their number or enrollment in tajikistan ( medlin et al., pp. 46 - 62 ; shorish, 1972, pp. 80 - 100 ). the russian - native and jadid schools produced many of the teachers of the soviet period. all three of these systems were integrated into the new soviet system within a decade after 1917. the soviet government gave public education a high priority, particularly in regions with low literacy rates. between 1917 and 1919 the following educational objectives were adopted : universal literacy, nationalization of schools, provision of free coeducational instruction, instruction in native languages, abolition of religious instruction, and training of productive labor ( holmes, 1979 ). in tajikistan the literacy campaign was launched in 1925 with the organization of the state agency nist bad bisawadi ( down with illiteracy ) ; by the end of that year this agency had established forty - seven schools for adults. five years later there were 1,


campaign was launched in 1925 with the organization of the state agency nist bad bisawadi ( down with illiteracy ) ; by the end of that year this agency had established forty - seven schools for adults. five years later there were 1, 111 schools, attended by about 80, 000 men and women. classes were often held outdoors or in open cay - kanas ( q. v. ). the campaign gained momentum in the 1930s, when students and teachers were actively recruited in almost every village. because there was a shortage of teachers, each ministry, trade union, and communist organization was required to provide a certain quota. students were sent to villages to teach during their vacations, and many volunteers were recruited. outstanding teachers were rewarded with money or public recognition. attendance at literacy classes rose to a peak of 296, 000 in 1936. clerical opposition to this campaign, resulting from the conversion of many mosques into schools and from the atheistic content of teaching, proved ineffective. reported literacy for the group aged nine to forty - nine years jumped from 3. 8 percent in 1926 to 82. 8 percent ( 87. 4 percent of men, 77. 5 percent of women ) in 1939 ( shorish, 1972, pp. 170 - 86 ). two changes in alphabet, from persian arabic to roman in 1929 and then to cyrillic in 1940 ( borjian ), must have taxed the abilities even of people who were already literate. nevertheless, literacy was reported at 92. 6 percent in the 1959 census and above 99 percent in 1970, including men and women in both urban and rural areas ( narodnoe obrazovanie, nauka, p. 22 ; personal interviews ). the magazine jehan - e now ( new world ) and other periodicals introduced more effective teaching methods to teachers and provided texts for students, as well as promoting soviet “ patriotism ” and the latest social and economic plans of the communist party ( shorish, 1972, p. 184 ). a remarkable example of the textbooks used in the 1930s is panj dar car, referring to the completion of a five - year government economic plan in four years, owing to the hard work of ordinary citizens. during the first two decades of soviet rule the emphasis was on universal primary education. although a great majority of children had received elementary education by 1940, few continued on to secondary schools ( table 1 ). secondary - school enrollment rose rapidly in the following decades, however, and the numbers of schools and teachers increased. enrollment increased even more rapidly when laws


majority of children had received elementary education by 1940, few continued on to secondary schools ( table 1 ). secondary - school enrollment rose rapidly in the following decades, however, and the numbers of schools and teachers increased. enrollment increased even more rapidly when laws were passed making seven and then ten years of schooling compulsory, in the mid - 1950s and mid - 1970s respectively ( rakhimov et al. ; iusufbekov ; nove and newth, pp. 69 - 72 ). in the late 1920s and the 1930s a network of vocational and “ specialized ” secondary schools was created on the russian model, in order to train skilled workers and technicians for rapid industrialization and mechanization of agriculture in tajikistan. the first teachers ’ - training institutions ( dar al - moʿallemin ) were opened in the 1920s in tashkent and samarkand, both now in uzbekistan. the first on what is now tajik territory was established in dushanbe in 1925. between 1931 and 1954 teachers ’ training was consolidated in five higher pedagogical institutes in dushanbe, kojand ( leninabad ), and kulab. two of them, in dushanbe and kojand, were at first exclusively for women but were merged with their male counterparts in the late 1950s ( shorish, 1972, pp. 287 - 331 ). by 1980 seven more institutions of higher education had opened in dushanbe, including the state university of tajikistan, inaugurated in 1948 ( table 2 ). the number of students attending institutions of specialized and higher education increased sharply after the early 1960s, with the spread of correspondence and evening courses designed to permit workers to continue at their jobs while completing their education ( pennar et al., pp. 62 - 67 ; thompstone ). the percentage of employees in tajikistan with either specialized secondary or higher education grew from 9. 5 in 1960 to 22. 8 in 1987 ( narodnoe obrazovanie i kul ’ tura, p. 16 ). women ’ s education in tajikistan was particularly successful, at least in quantitative terms. whereas girls comprised less than 2 percent of all students in 1927 ( shorish, 1972, p. 211 ), in the academic year 1988 - 89 47 percent of students in specialized secondary education and 41 percent in institutions of higher learning were women. most women studied education, hygiene, and home economics. women constituted 38 percent of all schoolteachers ( 63 percent in urban areas, 29 percent in rural areas ; narodnoe


secondary education and 41 percent in institutions of higher learning were women. most women studied education, hygiene, and home economics. women constituted 38 percent of all schoolteachers ( 63 percent in urban areas, 29 percent in rural areas ; narodnoe obrazovanie i kul ’ tura pp. 139, 176, 227 ). the educational system encompassed nursery schools and kindergartens ; elementary schools ; academic, vocational - technical, and specialized secondary schools ; and institutions of higher education. education at all schools from the elementary level on up was free, and at specialized and higher levels stipends were available ; fees might be charged for meals and lodging at boarding schools, however. although nursery schools ( ) and kindergartens ( bagcaha - ye bacagan ) are neither free nor compulsory, they were heavily subsidized by the state from the early soviet period ( panachin ; kashin ). children under the age of three years attended nursery schools, and those from three to seven years of age attended kindergartens. in 1989 there were 894 nursery schools and kindergartens in tajikistan, with a total enrollment of 153, 000, 79 percent in urban areas, yet in 1988 only 16 percent of all children in the republic received preschool education. there was thus a significant disparity between urban and rural areas. in dushanbe ( q. v. ), where the population was predominantly russian, the figure was 56 percent, but in rural areas, where more than three - quarters of ethnic tajiks lived, it was only 5 percent ( narodnoe obrazovanie i kul ’ tura pp. 29 - 36 ). general education was divided into three phases : elementary ( grades 1 - 3 ), intermediate ( miana - ye naporra, grades 4 - 8 ), and secondary ( grades 9 - 11 ) ; before 1980 fourth grade was part of the elementary level. full - time attendance was compulsory through the eighth grade, after which there were several options : three years of academic training in preparation for higher education, three to four years of technical training in specialized secondary school ( providing additional general education, along with technical training for the certificate of “ specialist with intermediate qualifications ” ), two to four years of practical skills training in vocational - technical school ( to qualify as technician or skilled laborer ), and immediate entry into the labor force ( with the obligation of completing the required ten years of schooling in an evening or correspondence program ). during the 1980s the ratio of applications to admissions


- technical school ( to qualify as technician or skilled laborer ), and immediate entry into the labor force ( with the obligation of completing the required ten years of schooling in an evening or correspondence program ). during the 1980s the ratio of applications to admissions for both specialized secondary schools and institutions of higher learning was approximately 3 to 1 ( narodnoe obrazovanie i kul ’ tura, pp. 180, 230 ). the quality of schools varied considerably with location. in dushanbe several had the benefit of well - trained instructors, many of them russian. on the other hand, unsatisfactory buildings, shortages of equipment and textbooks, and poorly trained teachers have been persistent problems in rural areas. in those areas children were generally able to attend only elementary grades, after which they had to continue at boarding schools, which charged fees. some secondary schools operated seasonally in villages and on collective farms ( sheehy ; rakhimov et al. ). the language of instruction also varied ; it could be one of the local languages or russian. during the academic year 1988 - 89 66 percent of students attending general day schools ( grades 1 - 11 ) were taught in tajik, 22. 9 in uzbek, 9. 7 in russian, 1. 1 in kirgiz, and 0. 3 in turkmen ( narodnoe obrazovanie i kul ’ tura, p. 91 ). these figures correspond closely to the proportions of language groups in the republic overall. russian - language schools were also attended by native students, as in most fields access to higher education was impossible for those who did not know russian ( bilinsky ). in those schools the main foreign language taught was english, though it was also possible to study french and german ; the study of tajik was optional. in other schools courses in russian were provided from the first grade ( from the second grade before the 1970s ; shorish, 1976 ; rakowska - harmstone, 1970, pp. 241 - 50 ). instruction in russian was generally of poor quality in rural areas, owing to the poor training of the instructors. a few schools in dushanbe also offered, in the fourth through eighth grades, optional courses in persian as a language different from tajik and using the persian arabic alphabet. some textbooks, particularly those on tajik language, literature, and history, were in tajik, and some russian textbooks were translated into tajik. the quality of textbooks in tajik


). both were formed in the 1920s with a view toward training the future builders of a communist society, and their memberships were drawn from families that had shown loyalty to the communists. at first the pioneriya recruited members from among students aged nine to fourteen years, later ten to fifteen years. komsomol membership included youths in their later teens and twenties. these organizations proved effective in the effort to eradicate illiteracy, in organizing students to work on crop harvests and construction projects, and ultimately in preparing them for party membership ( medlin et al., pp. 195 - 210 ). particularly during the early soviet period the komsomols sought to spread antireligious propaganda by organizing local associations like kodanasenasan ( lit., “ nonbelievers in god, ” or atheists ; shorish, 1972, p. 157 ). subsequently youth organizations opened membership to all young people within specified age groups. during the school year and at summer camps, as well as in the “ pioneer palaces ” ( qasrha - ye pioneran ), they organized extracurricular activities like theater programs, sports, music, chess, clubs for young naturalists and engineers, and discussion groups, as well as sponsoring children ’ s libraries and museums. these organizations published three periodicals : the thrice - weekly komsomoli tojikiston ( founded 1930, now javononi tojikiston ), of which 124, 000 copies were printed in tajik and 35, 500 in russian in 1980 ; pioneri tojikiston ( 1932 ), a biweekly with 281, 000 copies printed in 1983 ; and masʿal ( 1952 ), a monthly for elementary - school children, with 105, 000 copies printed in 1981 ( entsik - lopediyai iii, p. 421 ; v, p. 603 ; vi, pp. 227 - 28 ). since tajikistan obtained its independence in 1991 the educational system developed by the soviets has remained unchanged in essentials. the number of schools in which russian is the language of instruction has declined sharply, owing to emigration of russian residents. the tajik government has mandated that tajik again be taught in the persian arabic alphabet. the tajik ministry of education continues to produce the educational weekly omuzgor ( amuzgar ), formerly gazetai muallimon ( gazeta - ye moʿalleman ), which has provided guidance for teachers since 1932, though its cycle


utilize transportation tools in communications, traffic control, and monitoring and prediction to maximize the ability of the highway network to support evacuation operations. experience nationwide in the successful use of the transportation network in emergency evacuations with advance notice. communication tools. a critical element in emergency evacuations is the ability of emergency response officials to communicate to all segments of the population in the evacuation zone. the following communication tools can help emergency management communicate to the public : - traveler information - dial 511 is the single traffic information telephone number in use by states and local jurisdictions ( since 2000 ). as of 2008, nearly half of the states and metropolitan areas have 511 services. nationwide availability of 511 is expected by 2010. the service is provided free of charge or the cost of a local telephone call. in addition to telephone information, many states provide comprehensive traveler information on 511 information websites. evacuees with mobile or landline telephones ( or an internet connection ) can dial 511 to access current information for specific routes and roadway segments, including anticipated travel delays, traffic accidents, roadway blockages and lane closures. roadside sensors that monitor traffic along highways permit the calculation of travel times. - loud speakers that are located in the community can be used to alert people within a specific location, and loud speakers mounted on vehicles ( e. g., roving police cars ) can broadcast emergency information across different neighborhoods. - siren systems are used to alert people when immediate action or cover is required ( e. g., tornadoes or tsunamis ). - handouts providing evacuation information ( such as emergency preparedness steps, evacuation routes and locations for shelter and food ) can be distributed at highway rest areas, transit stops, turnpike service plazas, gas stations, hotels, etc. - reverse 911 enables emergency management to place thousands of phone calls simultaneously to residents to provide evacuation information. the service also enables communication with the hearing impaired with an optional telephone device for the deaf. - variable message signs ( vms ) are either pre - installed or portable, and they can be used to display information to direct motorists to the evacuation route and shelters. - commercial and public media are a critical resource for emergency management because they reach most segments of the population. after emergency response agencies brief the media, the media broadcasts this information through television networks, radio stations, newspapers, and websites. - emergency alert system ( eas ) enables the president and the heads of state and local government to provide immediate communications with the public. - public access cable television operated by local governments can broadcast emergency information


networks, radio stations, newspapers, and websites. - emergency alert system ( eas ) enables the president and the heads of state and local government to provide immediate communications with the public. - public access cable television operated by local governments can broadcast emergency information to the public. - cell phones are an increasingly useful and accessible means of communication. real - time traffic information can be broadcast directly to cell phone users who subscribe to traveler information services and travelers can use their phones to dial 511 and other information resources. - call centers located at state and local agencies can provide real - time information on the status of the emergency, tips for preparedness and evacuation routes. - traffic incident management ( tim ) assets enable jurisdictions to respond to incidents, which is particularly important during evacuations because of the priority on mitigating causes of congestion. - traffic counting devices are used to determine highway congestion levels. these data are relevant to decisions in regards to developing and using alternate routes and preparing for the number of people seeking shelter. - traffic signals that are controlled by traffic management centers ( tmcs ) can be optimized by tmcs for throughput on evacuation routes. traffic signals not controlled by tmcs must be changed at the location of the intersection. controlling traffic at intersections during evacuations may require police presence at major intersections for directing traffic. some jurisdictions include intersection control in their emergency planning. for example, the city of portland ’ s emergency management plan has provisions for controlling traffic at critical intersections. - traffic signal timing planning for emergency evacuations ahead of time expedites operations during the actual event. an important component to preparedness is sharing signal timing plans with law enforcement so that police can prepare for changes in traffic patterns. - traffic signal pre - emption devices change the traffic signal when an emergency vehicle approaches to allow it to proceed unimpeded through the intersection. - ramp meters allow for the timed entry of vehicles by stopping traffic on an interval basis, improving the efficiency of vehicles merging onto highways. - ramp gates prevent traffic from entering or exiting highways are used during contraflow operations. - traffic signs designate evacuation routes, contraflow patterns and the location of shelters. flip - down signs have emergency information on the flipped - down part of the sign ; the sign is flipped back up when conditions return to normal. similarly, pre - installed signs with signs attached to their back can display contraflow information to motorists. - pavement markings indicate when a road is an evacuation route or when a restricted lane can be used in an emergency. - high -


to normal. similarly, pre - installed signs with signs attached to their back can display contraflow information to motorists. - pavement markings indicate when a road is an evacuation route or when a restricted lane can be used in an emergency. - high - occupancy vehicle ( hov ) lanes can be used by non - hov vehicles or as an ingress lane for emergency vehicles in emergencies. - frontage roads with limited or controlled access and that are adjacent highways can be used by emergency vehicles. - reversible lanes can be switched to accommodate travel moving in the direction of the evacuation. - tmcs facilitate the safe movement of people and goods on surface roads during evacuations. - clarus is an effort of the u. s. department of transportation ’ s its joint program office and the federal highway administration ( fhwa ) road weather management program. it is supports traffic planning by predicting weather conditions in terms of its impact on transportation. - consequence assessment tool set / joint assessment of catastrophic events ( cats / jace ) provides disaster analysis in real time with contingency and logistical planning and consequence management. the cats program helps assess collateral damage to facilities, resources, and infrastructure, and it creates mitigation strategies for responders. - dynamic network assignment - simulation model for advanced road telematics ( planning version ) ( dynasmart - p ) is a state - of - the - art dynamic network traffic operational planning tool developed under the fhwa ’ s dynamic traffic assignment ( dta ) research project. it supports transportation network planning and traffic operations decisions through the use of simulation - based dynamic traffic assignment. - evacuation traffic information systems ( etis ) helps forecast where emergency transportation situations may arise and uses data from previous hurricane evacuation studies to estimate probable roadway congestion. - evacuation travel demand forecasting system. this system leverages internet - connected sensors and cameras along roads and highways to improve the surface transportation aspect of evacuation. the system proposes efficient evacuation algorithms that dynamically generate evacuation plans for both single and multiple incidents scenarios, based on real - time traffic information obtained from sensor data available through the internet. - hazard u. s. – multihazard ( hazus - mr2 ) is a software program that estimates potential losses from earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods. developed by the federal emergency management agency ( fema ) under contract with the national institute of building sciences ( nibs ), it uses geographic information systems ( gis ) software to map and display hazard data and the results of damage and economic loss estimates for


by the federal emergency management agency ( fema ) under contract with the national institute of building sciences ( nibs ), it uses geographic information systems ( gis ) software to map and display hazard data and the results of damage and economic loss estimates for buildings and infrastructure. estimating losses provides a basis for emergency response and recovery planning. - hurricane and evacuation ( hurrevac ) is a restricted - use computer program for government emergency managers to track hurricanes and assist in evacuation decision - making for their communities. - mass evacuation ( massvac ) uses macroscopic traffic flow models to forecast hurricane evacuation performance. - network emergency evacuation ( netvac ) models traffic flow in emergency evacuation conditions. - oak ridge evacuation modeling system ( orems ) models evacuation operations and planning and management scenarios for a variety of disasters. - plume modeling tools predict the behavior of a cloud of toxic material released into the environment. - sea, lake, and overland surges from hurricanes ( slosh ) is a computerized model run by the national hurricane center ( nhc ) to estimate storm surge heights and winds resulting from historical, hypothetical, or predicted hurricanes. - traffic estimation and prediction system ( treps ) analyzes real - time traffic data from different sources to select strategies for meeting traffic control, management, and operation objectives. author : houston, nancy published by : prepared by booze allen hamilton for the usdot fhwa source date : december 2006 other reference number : fhwa - hop - 06 - 109url : http : / / ops. fhwa. dot. gov / publications / evac _ primer / primer. pdf average user rating intelligent transportation systems > emergency management > response & recovery > evacuation & re - entry management intelligent transportation systems > emergency management > response & recovery > response management intelligent transportation systems > transportation management centers > permanent tmcs


the harts of quebec the first jewish settlers in the area now known as quebec ( but which was referred to as “ lower canada ” by the british ) arrived with the british soldiers during the “ french and indian war ” ( 1754 - 1763 ). ( jews and other non - catholics had not been permitted in new france. ) one of four jewish officers in the british army, lieutenant aaron hart ( born 1724, london, england ) had been living in new york. after the war, however, hart settled in the canadian town of trois - rivieres ( three rivers ). this scion of a mercantile family, it was not long before hart achieved success as a businessman and a landholder. as the jewish population in lower canada grew, hart became active in the community and was a founding member of montreal ’ s shearith israel synagogue. hart was equally blessed in his family life ; after his death at age 76, he was survived by his wife, catherine, four sons and four daughters. three of his sons were also fascinating historical figures : moses hart was a successful businessman whose political aspirations continually ended in failure. although his jewishness may have kept him from office, his failure at politics may also have been the result of his personal life – his wife left him due to his infidelity, he was excessively fascinated by steam ships, and he published philosophical tracts on judaism and deism. ezekiel hart, on the other hand, was very successful in politics. he was elected to the parliament of lower canada in 1807, but, after taking the oath of office on a hebrew bible, was made to stand down. when he was elected a second ( and third ) time, and recited the traditional oath of office, the legislature still pushed him out of office. benjamin hart suffered similar discrimination. the local militia commander felt that christians could not serve with or under a jew. during the war of 1812, however, benjamin served first as a private and eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant - colonel, a position of which he was stripped when he signed the annexation manifesto calling for political union with the united states. copyright © 2011 national jewish outreach program. all rights reserved. email this post


historical records reveal a queer side to saint francis of assisi, one of the most beloved religious figures of all time. the 13th - century friar is celebrated for loving animals, hugging lepers, and praying for peace, but few know about his love for another man and his gender nonconformity. his feast day is today ( oct. 4 ). when francis ( 1181 - 1226 ) was a young man, he had an unnamed male companion whom he dearly loved - - and who was written out of history after the first biography. other franciscan friars referred to francis as “ mother ” during his lifetime. he also liked to be greeted as “ lady poverty. ” he encouraged his friars to live as mothers with children when in hermitage together, and used other gender - bending metaphors to describe the spiritual life. also known as ( see full image below ) early evidence of these and ways that francis crossed gender boundaries are gathered in the ground - breaking unpublished master ’ s thesis “ gender liminality in the franciscan sources ” by kevin elphick, a franciscan scholar and a supervisor on a suicide prevention hotline in new york. he wrote the thesis for a master ’ s degree in franciscan studies from st. bonaventure university in new york. francis ’ love for another man is described in his earliest biography, the first life of st francis of assisi by thomas of celano, a follower of francis who knew him personally. the biography was completed by 1230, just four years after francis died. celano says that when francis was in his 20s, before embracing a life of poverty, he dearly loved a special male friend : “ now there was a man in the city of assisi whom francis loved more than any other, and since they were of the same age and their constant association and ties of affection emboldened francis to share his secret with him, he would often take this friend off to secluded spots where they could discuss private matters and tell him that he had chanced upon a great and precious treasure. his friend was delighted and, intrigued by what he had heard, he gladly accompanied francis wherever he asked. there was a cave near assisi where the two friends often went to talk about this treasure. ” in his thesis, elphick points out, “ because homosexuality and ‘ gay ’ identities are modern constructs, it is impossible and inaccurate to attempt to read these modern categories into the personalities of historical figures. ” instead he uses the word “ homoaffectional ” to describe the


points out, “ because homosexuality and ‘ gay ’ identities are modern constructs, it is impossible and inaccurate to attempt to read these modern categories into the personalities of historical figures. ” instead he uses the word “ homoaffectional ” to describe the relationship of francis and his beloved companion. “ the relationship is inescapably homoaffectional, describing a shared intimacy between two medieval men. that this first companion disappears from the later tradition is cause for suspicion and further inquiry.... the tone in celano ’ s earliest account captures the flavor and intimacy of this relationship, perhaps too much so for an increasingly homophobic church and society. ” francis and his beloved friend are seldom depicted by artists, but they are shown together in the rare and hard - to - find image above : “ they shelter in a cave ” ( se cobijan en una cueva ) by spanish painter jose benlliure y gil. it is the 8th in his series of 74 images from the life of saint francis. the series was published by franciscans in valencia, spain, in 1926 in a book to mark the 700th anniversary of the saint ’ s death. a commentary in spanish about the picture is available online. elphick finds many more examples of what he calls “ gender liminality ” in historical documents on francis. he defines liminality as “ crossing the threshold of gender, either symbolically, or by actions within a person ’ s life that breach the social boundaries of gender. ” francis was born to a wealthy italian family in 1181 or 1182. as a young man he renounced his wealth, even stripping off his clothes, and devoted himself to a life of poverty in the service of christ. he connected with nature, calling all animals “ brother ” and “ sister ” and celebrating them in his famous canticle of the sun. | “ st. francis ‘ neath the bitter tree ” | by william hart mcnichols © fatherbill. org | “ st. francis and the sultan ” | by brother robert lentz, trinitstores. com in 1219 francis went to damietta, egypt, with the european armies during the fifth crusade. he hoped to discuss religion peacefully with the muslims. he tried to prevent crusaders from attacking muslims at the battle of damietta, but he failed. francis was captured and taken to the sultan malek al - kamil. at first they tried to convert each other, but each man soon recognized that the other already knew and loved


attacking muslims at the battle of damietta, but he failed. francis was captured and taken to the sultan malek al - kamil. at first they tried to convert each other, but each man soon recognized that the other already knew and loved god. they remained together, discussing spirituality, for about three weeks between sept. 1 and sept. 26. robert lentz celebrates their meeting as a model of interfaith dialogue in the icon “ st. francis and the sultan, ” pictured here. | “ st francis of assisi receiving the stigmata ” | by kevin raye larson © 1991, krayel. com along with the stigmata came other health problems. when francis sensed death approaching, he called for jacoba de settesoli, a roman noblewoman devoted to him and his teachings. francis stayed in her house when in rome. celano ’ s 13th - century account in the “ treatise on the miracles of blessed francis ” reports that francis greeted the news of her arrival at the male - only cloister with a decidedly queer statement that breaks gender rules : : “ blessed be god, who has guided the lady jacoba, our brother, to us. open the door and bring her in, for our brother jacoba does not have to observe the decree against women. ” francis died a few days later on oct. 3, 1226. two years after francis ’ death, pope gregory ix declared him a saint and commissioned celano ’ s biography, the one that includes the love between francis and his male companion. elphick adds an intriguing footnote about how the queer side of francis has manifested outside official christianity. francis is venerated in the yoruba religion of africa as orunmila, the orisha of wisdom, patron of animals and a transgendered deity who engages in same - sex eroticism. at the end of his thesis, elphick concludes that breaking gender rules is an extraordinary god - given power or “ charism ” that franciscans offer to the church and the world. “ what are the lives of figures like mother francis, brother jacoba and mother juana de la cruz revealing to us in our own day? i think that the franciscan charism of gender liminality has much to teach our church and fellow community of humans in our day. in a church divided over issues of ordination of women, inclusive language, and sexual orientation, i believe that the franciscan tradition has important figures to hold up and from whom to learn. for issues which we have


and fellow community of humans in our day. in a church divided over issues of ordination of women, inclusive language, and sexual orientation, i believe that the franciscan tradition has important figures to hold up and from whom to learn. for issues which we have not even yet begun to explore theologically in authentic ways, issues such as hermaphroditism, transsexuality, genderedness and sexual orientation, i believe the franciscan voice can be prophetic. ” call to artists : more images of francis with his beloved male companion are needed. please create them and send them to kittredge cherry for posting here at jesus in love. this profile is part of the glbt saints series by kittredge cherry at the jesus in love blog. saints, martyrs, mystics, prophets, witnesses, heroes, holy people, deities and religious figures of special interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( lgbt ) and queer people and our allies are covered on appropriate dates throughout the year. animal blessing events are happening all over the world this month for the feast of st. francis, the patron saint of animals. click here for our animal blessing prayer. do you want an artist to draw a portrait of your dog or cat? the jesus in love blog is offering personalized pet portraits again this year in honor of st. francis day. click here for details.


recycling programs prevent outdoor gear from piling up in landfills each day, people in the united states throw away enough trash to fill 63, 000 garbage trucks, according to the clean air council. the vast majority of refuse, including all types of outdoor gear, winds up in landfills. “ i don ’ t think the average consumer understands what happens to all the things that go into the trash bin, ” said kim coupounas, chief sustainability officer for golite. to prevent gear from joining the huge mounds of trash at the dump, outdoor companies have launched initiatives to help consumers recycle and repair clothing and equipment. this year, golite launched an “ i ’ m not trash ” recycling program, jetboil launched a device for recycling fuel canisters, and chaco continues to pour resources into an in - house sandal repair department - - one that returns the shine to beloved years - old footwear. even in europe, klattermusen of sweden is a brand that has launched a program that allows its used products to be returned to retailers - - for cash. educating the public many products make their way to the landfill simply because people lack the knowledge on how or where to recycle certain things, and this has been the case with fuel canisters. “ hundreds of thousands of fuel canisters, maybe up to a million worldwide, end up in landfills, ” chris lussier, vice president of sales and marketing for jetboil ( www. jetboil. com ) told snews®. “ there just hasn ’ t been a clear, safe and easy way to recycle them. ” he said that rei and other outdoor retailers told jetboil that their customers had been bringing canisters into stores and asking how they could dispose of them in the most environmentally friendly manner. to reduce waste in landfills, jetboil this month introduced the crunchit tool, a small device that allows people to puncture fuel canisters safely and easily so that the canisters are ready to be recycled in commercial and municipal recycling programs. the crunchit tool not only allows a person to puncture a canister safely, but it also helps the people picking up recyclables on the curb recognize that a canister is good to go. “ if you puncture the canister in two or three places, people picking up recyclables can easily see the canister is safe for recycling, ” said lussier. also, jetbo


canister is good to go. “ if you puncture the canister in two or three places, people picking up recyclables can easily see the canister is safe for recycling, ” said lussier. also, jetboil is working on promotional programs for the crunchit, and this will begin with educational materials for consumers. “ the first step is education, because consumers need to know how easy and safe it can be to recycle butane canisters, ” said lussier. the company also hopes to involve retailers in the process, and it might create recycling bins for shops, so that consumers can deposit canisters in the same place they purchase them. no need for junking one key in getting people to recycle their gear is to make them realize that their jackets, packs and other items don ’ t have to become part of the trash heap. in february, golite launched its “ i ’ m not trash ” program in which it takes back any golite item that consumers purchase so that the products can be reused, recycled or stored for future recycling. through its website, golite also offers consumers advice on how they might repair or recycle products, or where they can donate items in their local community, rather than putting stuff in the trash. now, each golite product hangtag has the “ i ’ m not trash ” message and directs consumers toward info on repurposing or recycling their gear. “ we try to help customers prioritize, ” said coupounas of golite ( www. golite. com ). “ the best option is to repair a product or repurpose it locally. there are so many local charities that accept clothing and gear. if it ’ s something they can ’ t repurpose and can ’ t donate locally, they can send it back to us. ” coupounas said that the company ’ s sustainability task force collects the items and determines whether they can be repaired. if that ’ s not possible, the company donates items to non - profits, or dissects the products and ships the pieces to repurposing companies near the company ’ s headquarters in boulder, colo. to encourage people to participate, golite offers those who send in items a one - time, 20 - percent discount on a future purchase. “ it ’ s a way of saying to people that we appreciate that they ’ re doing something good, ” said coupounas. reasons to recycle it ’


in items a one - time, 20 - percent discount on a future purchase. “ it ’ s a way of saying to people that we appreciate that they ’ re doing something good, ” said coupounas. reasons to recycle it ’ s natural to assume that most outdoor enthusiasts would recycle their gear primarily to limit their environmental footprint. but other factors also come into play. some folks stretch the life of gear simply to save a few bucks. as snews reported last year, the repair market has flourished since the recession, which has helped divert outdoor gear from reaching landfills. ( click here to read the march 2009 story, “ repair and care market thrives in tattered economy. ” ) but some people refuse to trash their gear for sentimental reasons. when 22 - year - old edward snow finally blew out the webbing on his chaco sandals, he sent them to the manufacturer to be repaired partly because he didn ’ t want to part with them. “ i guess there ’ s a sentimental value to them, ” snow told snews, explaining that he ’ s worn the sandals every day possible for more than three years. during school, he wears them around the montana state university campus in bozeman, and when school is not in session, he wears them while working as a kayaking instructor for back of beyond in bainbridge isle, wash. when snow sent his sandals to chaco ( www. chacousa. com ), he became the 10, 000th person to have his sandals repaired this year as part of the rechaco program. each year, chaco fixes the webbing and soles on about 15, 000 pairs of sandals in its facility in rockford, mich. the program, which includes 12 year - round employees, is unusual because few outdoor footwear companies have in - house repair operations. most companies outsource repairs to cobblers such as dave page in seattle ( www. davepagecobbler. com ). mike gavle, chaco ’ s director of customer service and operations, said the rechaco program has prevented about 28, 000 pounds of material from going into landfills. but the repair service has other benefits as well. for one thing, it keeps the company more in - touch with consumers. “ it ’ s easy for a footwear company to look at repairs as just an expense, but for chaco, it gives us a chance to have conversations with customers, ” said gavle. “ talking with


in - touch with consumers. “ it ’ s easy for a footwear company to look at repairs as just an expense, but for chaco, it gives us a chance to have conversations with customers, ” said gavle. “ talking with them is the best part of the job. there seems to be an interesting story behind every pair of sandals, and we want to continue those conversations. ” of course, another benefit of the rechaco program is that it can save consumers a few bucks. rather than spending up to $ 90 for a new pair of sandals, a person can spend $ 40 to have the soles repaired, or $ 36 to have the webbing fixed. snow said he decided to have his sandals repaired not only because he was attached to them, but also because it seemed like a good deal. “ honestly, it seemed cheaper than getting a new pair, ” he said. plus, he likes the idea that he ’ s at least doing a small part to prevent another piece of footwear from being pitched into a landfill. in europe, high - end swedish outdoor brand klattermusen ( www. klattermusen. se ) launched a program in spring 2010 called recover. it allows its retailers to take back used klattermusen products, for which the company has placed a return value of euro 1 - 20 ( about usd $ 1. 50 - 30 ), depending on its initial value. retailers will gather the items and return them postage paid to klattermusen, which will recycle or donate them as appropriate. each item has a tag sewn into it that shows the value, which the retailer can then rip off to show it ’ s been returned, returning that money to the consumers. sure, in the grand scheme of global consumerism, the amount of material outdoor and sporting goods companies divert from landfills is relatively small - - considering that just one person in the u. s. creates about 1, 700 pounds of trash each year. but, hey, every pound counts.


arizal & chaim vital isaac luria ( 1534 – july 25, 1572 ) ( hebrew : yitzhak lurya ), also called yitzhak ben shlomo ashkenazi and known as " the ari ", " ari - hakadosh ", or " arizal, " meaning " the lion, was a foremost rabbi and jewish mystic in the community of safed in the galilee region of ottoman palestine. he is considered the father of contemporary kabbalah. he is known for the mysticism and interpretation of his teachings in kabbalah known as lurianic kabbalah. while his direct literary contribution to the kabbalistic school of safed was extremely minute ( he wrote only a few poems ), his spiritual fame led to their veneration and the acceptance of his authority. the works of his disciples compiled his oral teachings into writing. lurianic kabbalah gave a revolutionary new account of kabbalistic thought that its followers synthesised with, and read into, the earlier kabbalah of the zohar that had disseminated in medieval circles. lurianic kabbalah describes new doctrines of the origins of creation, and their cosmic rectification, as well as a new descriptive paradigm of preceding kabbalistic teaching. the main popularizer of luria ' s ideas was rabbi hayyim ben joseph vital, who claimed to be the official interpreter of the lurianic system, though this was disputed by some. previous interpretation of the zohar had culminated in the first complete intellectual synthesis of kabbalah, in the rational school of moshe cordovero in safed, immediately before isaac luria. both schools gave kabbalah a philosophical depth of theology to rival earlier medieval jewish philosophy ( " hakira " ). under the influence of the esoteric mystical developments of jewish thought in 16th - century safed, kabbalah replaced hakira as the main jewish theology, both in scholarly circles, and in the popular imagination. lurianic thought, seen by its followers as harmonious with, and successively more advanced than cordoveran, mostly superseded it, and became the mystical dimension of most orthodox theology until today, with the later hasidic and mitnagdic movements differing in their interpretations of it. the sabbatean mystical heresy would also derive its source from lurianic messianism, but distort the kabbalistic interdependance of mysticism with halacha. hayyim ben joseph


their interpretations of it. the sabbatean mystical heresy would also derive its source from lurianic messianism, but distort the kabbalistic interdependance of mysticism with halacha. hayyim ben joseph vital hayyim ben joseph vital ( calabria, 1543 – damascus, 23 april 1620 ) was a foremost exponent of kabbalah. born in calabria, italy, as a young boy, hayyim vital was educated by the scholar, rabbi moses alshech. other than that, most of his early life is full of legends. for instance, it is claimed that at the age of twelve, he was told by a chiromancer that when he reached the age of twenty - four, he would find himself standing before two roads, and would rise or fall according to his choice. rabbi joseph karo is said to have paid special attention to vital ' s early talents and in 1557 requested that alshech take special care in his education as he was destined to succeed his teacher in the world of torah study. that same year, vital first became acquainted with the kabbalist rabbi lapidot ashkenazi, who would have a lasting influence on him. hayyim vital apparently married at a young age. according to one legend, his first wife was hannah, the daughter of a certain moses saadia. it was an unhappy marriage, and when he left his wife, the prophet elijah appeared to him in a dream and led him to a beautiful garden, where he saw the pious of all ages, in the form of birds, flying through the garden and studying the mishnah. in the center of the garden was god himself, seated on a throne that was surrounded by the pious, resting on elaborate tapestries. convinced by this vision that he was destined to become a kabbalist, rabbi chaim vital devoted the following two and a half years to the study of alchemy. upon completing his studies, elijah appeared to him again in a vision, and told him that he would succeed in his efforts and write a commentary on the zohar. from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


the community relations service is the department ' s " peacemaker " for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, and national origin. created by the civil rights act of 1964, crs is the only federal agency dedicated to assist state and local units of government, private and public organizations, and community groups with preventing and resolving racial and ethnic tensions, incidents, and civil disorders, and in restoring racial stability and harmony. with passage of the matthew shepard and james byrd, jr. hate crimes prevention act, crs also works with communities to employ strategies to prevent and respond to alleged violent hate crimes committed on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or disability. crs facilitates the development of viable, mutual understandings and agreements as alternatives to coercion, violence, or litigation. it also assists communities in developing local mechanisms, conducting training, and other proactive measures to prevent racial / ethnic tension and violent hate crimes committed on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. crs does not take sides among disputing parties and, in promoting the principles and ideals of non - discrimination, applies skills that allow parties to come to their own agreement. in performing this mission, crs deploys highly skilled professional conciliators, who are able to assist people of diverse backgrounds. for more than 45 years, crs has been asked to provide its experienced mediators to help local communities resolve conflicts and disturbances relating to race, color, or national origin. each year crs ' highly skilled conciliators bring hundreds of community - wide conflicts to peaceful closure across america and its territories. crs lends its services when requested or accepted by the parties. the service uses impartial mediation practices and conflict resolution procedures to help local leaders resolve problems and restore stability. crs has no law enforcement authority and does not impose solutions, investigate, prosecute, or assign blame and fault. all crs mediators are required by law to conduct their activities in confidence, without publicity, and are prohibited from disclosing confidential information. crs conciliators work with state and local officials and community leaders to provide a wide variety of services to address racial issues and prevent violent hate crimes committed on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. crs ' services include : - contributing expertise and guidance on methods


variety of services to address racial issues and prevent violent hate crimes committed on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. crs ' services include : - contributing expertise and guidance on methods and policies that calm tension and conflicts associated with race, color, or national origin or with preventing and responding to violent hate crimes committed on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. - enhancing strategies of state and local governments and community groups to prevent and respond to civil disorders. - improving lines of communication between parties experiencing tension or conflict, including federal, state, and local officials, community leaders and residents. - helping schools and universities effectively deal with incidents of tension or violence associated with race, color, or national origin or with preventing and responding to violent hate crimes committed on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. crs assists willing parties and explores opportunities to develop and implement local strategies that can help law enforcement, local officials, civil rights organizations, and interested community groups respond to alleged hate crimes and find ways to prevent future incidents. state and local law enforcement officials and community leaders may contact crs to request assistance in improving communication between law enforcement and community members in the aftermath of a hate crime. crs may help facilitate dialogues between law enforcement and community members to increase mutual understanding about the investigative and prosecutorial process as well as the concerns of people in the community. crs improves community response mechanisms, by facilitating the development of community capacity to help prevent hate crimes with services and programs that include : conciliation, mediation, training, technical assistance, and other tension reduction techniques. crs may introduce the community to representatives of agencies that respond to hate crimes, including federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, local government resources as well as community organizations ( advocacy organizations, and other service organizations ). crs also responds to requests for assistance from law enforcement and community organizations for contingency planning and self - marshalling training before large protests or events to help keep events safe. we facilitate meetings between all parties involved, and serve as a neutral entity to ensure logistics are coordinated and that information is shared appropriately.


today marks this year ’ s dr. martin luther king day. governments and many businesses are closed today to let citizens reflect on mlk ’ s contribution throughout his civil rights movement. many ponder on this day on what dr. king would do, had he not been assassinated in 1968 and is still alive today facing the challenges of our time. many children at our schools are asked to write and present the current day version of his famous “ i ’ ve a dream ” speech. no, i ’ m not going to write such a speech to address the apparent social gaps we have between various groups in our neighborhood. during the past november campaign, i had several opportunities to talk to our neighbors on this and covered the issue in this post. the extreme racial segregation that dr. king fought hard during the civil rights era may have gone now, but we do have social gaps between various groups in our ever changing communities – between latinos and non - latinos, between students and landlords, between immigrants and non - immigrants. let ’ s all recognize that. the only way to bridge that gap is to “ communicate ” – to reach out. and reaching out to the other sides needs means finding places or events where neighbors of different groups and ethnic origins can get together. there have been suggestions of launching major annual multi - ethnic events, or even several small block parties, in addition to the existing avenues we have – such as monthly meeting at the ncpca. i ’ d like to be part of organizing events such as these, as much as i can. however what is more importantly needed, is a true desire and attitude of reaching out to our fellow neighbors. instead of expecting the other side coming to us, let ’ s go out and talk to the other side. here are two examples that should give some hints what i ’ m talking about. ( 1 ) if we attend the ncpca monthly meeting at davis hall, let ’ s find and sit next to someone who we don ’ t know. let ’ s say ‘ hi ’, introduce ourselves, let ’ s find more about him or her. this should eliminate kind of suspicion many of us had the past about the fellow members. ( 2 ) if we ’ re part of a neighborhood watch program, let ’ s make a habit of going door to door introducing ourselves to our neighbors. let ’ s exchange our contact information. let ’ s talk a little about the neighborhood that we both share. these are only two examples. i ’ m sure we can be creative in finding more avenues


sweet corn season posted aug 17, 2012 - is summer even possible without fresh corn? there are those first tender local ears snapped up at the farmers market or grocers, the giant roasted corn - on - the - cob sold at the state fair, and the butter - slathered corn served at any number of backyard barbecues and holiday weekend picnics. so enjoy sweet corn while it ' s in season. and when you ' ve had enough straight off the cob, try some of these recipes for different takes on a summer favorite. three things to know about corn - - corn is considered america ' s first crop. native to north america, corn was cultivated in what ' s now mexico more than 6, 000 years ago. corn still ranks as the no. 1 crop in the united states, prompted by demand for corn for fuel ( ethanol ) as well as food. corn is also used as fiber and in bioplastics. - - production is on the rise. in 2009, u. s. farmers produced 13. 1 billion bushels of corn, an all - time record and 20 percent more than was produced in 2000. less than 1 percent is sweet corn - - the type people like to eat. an estimated 80 percent of the crop goes to feed livestock in the united states and overseas. - - a lot of grain is packed into every ear. a typical ear of sweet corn holds 800 kernels in 16 rows. a pound of corn equals about 1, 300 kernels. sweet corn averages 48 ears per bushel, a traditional measure the size of a round laundry basket equal to 9. 3 gallons. in 2009, u. s. corn farmers averaged almost 165 bushels per acre. for the best corn to shuck or not to shuck? during summer, at farmers markets and in grocery stores, shoppers go elbow to elbow over piles of sweet corn. some customers shuck all their corn on the spot. others yank back the husk to take a gander at the kernels. but corn farmers advise keeping the husk on : it protects the tender kernels and keeps them moist. fresh sweet corn starts losing sweetness as soon as it ' s picked, as sugar content starts turning to starch. refrigerate the ears until you ' re ready to cook them. in corn shopping etiquette, don ' t pull back the husk unless you intend to buy that ear. signs of freshness are a pale green ( not white or brown ) stem end and silks


schools are often the place where germs are spread easily from student to student and then, eventually home to you. that includes the flu virus. and as if the cold weather hasn ' t created enough problems for kids, now we have to factor in the increase in flu cases. " [ i ’ m ] trying to encourage students to throw away their kleenexes, " kindergarten teacher tara oltmanns said. oltmanns is not only teaching students the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, she ' s also coaching them on how to stay healthy. " make sure when they use restrooms, they take those times to wash their hands and use soap and water and scrub. we have a song we use in kindergarten to teach them those steps, " oltmanns said. " [ we ’ ve ] definitely hearing a lot about the stomach flu. we have heard about influenza out there, " sioux falls public schools health services supervisor molly satter said. satter says ways staff try to stop the spread of the flu include cleaning all surfaces with hospital - grade disinfectants and educating parents about the signs and symptoms of the illness. school officials also ask that students to stay home as long as they ' re infected. " they can return to school once they ' ve been fever - free for 24 hours without any fever - reducing medication, " satter said. another precaution many students and staff have taken is getting a flu shot. around half of the staff at sioux falls public schools have gotten their flu shot. oltmanns is one of the teachers who got a shot because she ' s learned a lesson or two about how easily young kids can spread germs. " they can get spread easily as the kids are younger too and maybe less immune. if they ' re taught the skills to keep each other healthy, they do a great job at it, " oltmanns said. satter says another misconception some parents and students have is that the flu is the same thing as the stomach flu. the flu, also known as influenza, often causes high fevers, body aches and a dry cough, not vomiting and diarrhea. influenza symptoms ( cdc ) :


simple equations introduction to basic algebraic equations of the form ax = b use this menu to view and help create subtitles for this video in many different languages. you ' ll probably want to hide youtube ' s captions if using these subtitles. - let ' s say we have the equation seven times x is equal to fourteen. - now before even trying to solve this equation, - what i want to do is think a little bit about what this actually means. - seven x equals fourteen, - this is the exact same thing as saying seven times x, let me write it this way, seven times x, x in orange again. seven times x is equal to fourteen. - now you might be able to do this in your head. - you could literally go through the 7 times table. - you say well 7 times 1 is equal to 7, so that won ' t work. - 7 times 2 is equal to 14, so 2 works here. - so you would immediately be able to solve it. - you would immediately, just by trying different numbers - out, say hey, that ' s going to be a 2. - but what we ' re going to do in this video is to think about - how to solve this systematically. - because what we ' re going to find is as these equations get - more and more complicated, you ' re not going to be able to - just think about it and do it in your head. - so it ' s really important that one, you understand how to - manipulate these equations, but even more important to - understand what they actually represent. - this literally just says 7 times x is equal to 14. - in algebra we don ' t write the times there. - when you write two numbers next to each other or a number next - to a variable like this, it just means that you - are multiplying. - it ' s just a shorthand, a shorthand notation. - and in general we don ' t use the multiplication sign because - it ' s confusing, because x is the most common variable - used in algebra. - and if i were to write 7 times x is equal to 14, if i write my - times sign or my x a little bit strange, it might look - like xx or times times. - so in general when you ' re dealing with equations, - especially when one of the variables is an x, you - wouldn ' t use the traditional multiplication sign. - you might use something like this - - you might


xx or times times. - so in general when you ' re dealing with equations, - especially when one of the variables is an x, you - wouldn ' t use the traditional multiplication sign. - you might use something like this - - you might use dot to - represent multiplication. - so you might have 7 times x is equal to 14. - but this is still a little unusual. - if you have something multiplying by a variable - you ' ll just write 7x. - that literally means 7 times x. - now, to understand how you can manipulate this equation to - solve it, let ' s visualize this. - so 7 times x, what is that? - that ' s the same thing - - so i ' m just going to re - write this - equation, but i ' m going to re - write it in visual form. - so 7 times x. - so that literally means x added to itself 7 times. - that ' s the definition of multiplication. - so it ' s literally x plus x plus x plus x plus x - - let ' s see, - that ' s 5 x ' s - - plus x plus x. - so that right there is literally 7 x ' s. - this is 7x right there. - let me re - write it down. - this right here is 7x. - now this equation tells us that 7x is equal to 14. - so just saying that this is equal to 14. - let me draw 14 objects here. - so let ' s say i have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, - 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. - so literally we ' re saying 7x is equal to 14 things. - these are equivalent statements. - now the reason why i drew it out this way is so that - you really understand what we ' re going to do when we - divide both sides by 7. - so let me erase this right here. - so the standard step whenever - - i didn ' t want to do that, - let me do this, let me draw that last circle. - so in general, whenever you simplify an equation down to a - - - a coefficient is just the number multiplying - the variable. - so some number multiplying the variable or we could call that - the coefficient times a variable equal to - something else. - what you want to do is just divide both sides by 7 in


just the number multiplying - the variable. - so some number multiplying the variable or we could call that - the coefficient times a variable equal to - something else. - what you want to do is just divide both sides by 7 in - this case, or divide both sides by the coefficient. - so if you divide both sides by 7, what do you get? - 7 times something divided by 7 is just going to be - that original something. - 7 ' s cancel out and 14 divided by 7 is 2. - so your solution is going to be x is equal to 2. - but just to make it very tangible in your head, what ' s - going on here is when we ' re dividing both sides of the - equation by 7, we ' re literally dividing both sides by 7. - this is an equation. - it ' s saying that this is equal to that. - anything i do to the left hand side i have to do to the right. - if they start off being equal, i can ' t just do an operation - to one side and have it still be equal. - they were the same thing. - so if i divide the left hand side by 7, so let me divide - it into seven groups. - so there are seven x ' s here, so that ' s one, two, three, - four, five, six, seven. - so it ' s one, two, three, four, five, six, seven groups. - now if i divide that into seven groups, i ' ll also want - to divide the right hand side into seven groups. - one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. - so if this whole thing is equal to this whole thing, then each - of these little chunks that we broke into, these seven chunks, - are going to be equivalent. - so this chunk you could say is equal to that chunk. - this chunk is equal to this chunk - - they ' re - all equivalent chunks. - there are seven chunks here, seven chunks here. - so each x must be equal to two of these objects. - so we get x is equal to, in this case - - in this case - we had the objects drawn out where there ' s two of - them. x is equal to 2. - now, let ' s just do a couple more examples here just so it - really gets in your mind that we ' re dealing with an equation, - and any operation


where there ' s two of - them. x is equal to 2. - now, let ' s just do a couple more examples here just so it - really gets in your mind that we ' re dealing with an equation, - and any operation that you do on one side of the equation - you should do to the other. - so let me scroll down a little bit. - so let ' s say i have i say i have 3x is equal to 15. - now once again, you might be able to do is in your head. - you ' re saying this is saying 3 times some - number is equal to 15. - you could go through your 3 times tables and figure it out. - but if you just wanted to do this systematically, and it - is good to understand it systematically, say ok, this - thing on the left is equal to this thing on the right. - what do i have to do to this thing on the left - to have just an x there? - well to have just an x there, i want to divide it by 3. - and my whole motivation for doing that is that 3 times - something divided by 3, the 3 ' s will cancel out and i ' m just - going to be left with an x. - now, 3x was equal to 15. - if i ' m dividing the left side by 3, in order for the equality - to still hold, i also have to divide the right side by 3. - now what does that give us? - well the left hand side, we ' re just going to be left with - an x, so it ' s just going to be an x. - and then the right hand side, what is 15 divided by 3? - well it is just 5. - now you could also done this equation in a slightly - different way, although they are really equivalent. - if i start with 3x is equal to 15, you might say hey, sal, - instead of dividing by 3, i could also get rid of this 3, i - could just be left with an x if i multiply both sides of - this equation by 1 / 3. - so if i multiply both sides of this equation by 1 / 3 - that should also work. - you say look, 1 / 3 of 3 is 1. - when you just multiply this part right here, 1 / 3 times - 3, that is just 1, 1x. - 1x is equal to 15 times


also work. - you say look, 1 / 3 of 3 is 1. - when you just multiply this part right here, 1 / 3 times - 3, that is just 1, 1x. - 1x is equal to 15 times 1 / 3 third is equal to 5. - and 1 times x is the same thing as just x, so this is the same - thing as x is equal to 5. - and these are actually equivalent ways of doing it. - if you divide both sides by 3, that is equivalent to - multiplying both sides of the equation by 1 / 3. - now let ' s do one more and i ' m going to make it a little - bit more complicated. - and i ' m going to change the variable a little bit. - so let ' s say i have 2y plus 4y is equal to 18. - now all of a sudden it ' s a little harder to - do it in your head. - we ' re saying 2 times something plus 4 times that same - something is going to be equal to 18. - so it ' s harder to think about what number that is. - you could try them. - say if y was 1, it ' d be 2 times 1 plus 4 times 1, - well that doesn ' t work. - but let ' s think about how to do it systematically. - you could keep guessing and you might eventually get - the answer, but how do you do this systematically. - let ' s visualize it. - so if i have two y ' s, what does that mean? - it literally means i have two y ' s added to each other. - so it ' s literally y plus y. - and then to that i ' m adding four y ' s. - to that i ' m adding four y ' s, which are literally four - y ' s added to each other. - so it ' s y plus y plus y plus y. - and that has got to be equal to 18. - so that is equal to 18. - now, how many y ' s do i have here on the left hand side? - how many y ' s do i have? - i have one, two, three, four, five, six y ' s. - so you could simplify this as 6y is equal to 18. - and if you think about it it makes complete sense. - so this thing right here, the 2y plus the 4y is 6


five, six y ' s. - so you could simplify this as 6y is equal to 18. - and if you think about it it makes complete sense. - so this thing right here, the 2y plus the 4y is 6y. - so 2y plus 4y is 6y, which makes sense. - if i have 2 apples plus 4 apples, i ' m going - to have 6 apples. - if i have 2 y ' s plus 4 y ' s i ' m going to have 6 y ' s. - now that ' s going to be equal to 18. - and now, hopefully, we understand how to do this. - if i have 6 times something is equal to 18, if i divide both - sides of this equation by 6, i ' ll solve for the something. - so divide the left hand side by 6, and divide the - right hand side by 6. - and we are left with y is equal to 3. - and you could try it out. - that ' s what ' s cool about an equation. - you can always check to see if you got the right answer. - let ' s see if that works. - 2 times 3 plus 4 times 3 is equal to what? - 2 times 3, this right here is 6. - and then 4 times 3 is 12. - 6 plus 12 is, indeed, equal to 18. be specific, and indicate a time in the video : at 5 : 31, how is the moon large enough to block the sun? isn ' t the sun way larger? have something that ' s not a question about this content? this discussion area is not meant for answering homework questions. share a tip when naming a variable, it is okay to use most letters, but some are reserved, like ' e ', which represents the value 2. 7831... have something that ' s not a tip or feedback about this content? this discussion area is not meant for answering homework questions. discuss the site for general discussions about khan academy, visit our reddit discussion page. flag inappropriate posts here are posts to avoid making. if you do encounter them, flag them for attention from our guardians. - disrespectful or offensive - an advertisement - low quality - not about the video topic - soliciting votes or seeking badges - a homework question - a duplicate answer - repeatedly making the same post - a tip or feedback in questions - a question in tips & feedback - an answer that should be


interesting facts about apples • apples come in all shades of reds, greens, yellows. - • 2500 varieties of apples are grown in the united states and 7500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world. • the pilgrims planted the first united states apple trees in the massachusetts bay colony. • apples are a member of the rose family. • the most nutritious part of the apple is the skin. need some help in picking out the perfect apple for eating, baking or a recipe? sometimes it can be confusing when deciding which apples to take home from the produce isle or farm stand! this will help... the following information comes from " the apple journal " • arkansas black is well named with a deep red, almost black skin. it is rock hard, sweet and tart and a long storage apple. this apple is renowned for its long shelf life. it ' s good for making sauce and baking. • braeburn has high impact flavor. the crisp, aromatic braeburn blends sweetness and tartness just right for snacks and salads. it ' s also good in baking, applesauce and for freezing. braeburn color varies from greenish - gold with red sections to nearly solid red. braeburn was discovered as a chance seedling near nelson, new zealand in 1952. its probable parents are lady hamilton and granny smith. • criterion apples should be firm with smooth and clean skin. the criterion has the distinctive shape of a red delicious, but has a bold yellow color, often with a red blush. test the firmness of the apple by holding it in the palm of your hand. ( do not push with your thumb ). it should feel solid and heavy, not soft and light. • elstar is a firm apple with a reputation for its intense, sweet, tangy flavor, which is especially good for making applesauce. they are a distinctive apple for snacking, in salads and fruit trays. they tend to retain their effervescent flavor and hold up well during cooking. • fuji ' s spicy, crisp sweetness and firm flesh make it an excellent fresh eating apple. it ' s also good in baking or applesauce and stores well. fuji flavor improves in storage like fine wine. fuji skin color varies from yellow - green with red highlights to very red. it was bred from a cross between red delicious and ralls janet varieties in japan. • gala is a favorite for fresh eating. it is heart - shaped with distinctive yellow - orange skin with red striping


- green with red highlights to very red. it was bred from a cross between red delicious and ralls janet varieties in japan. • gala is a favorite for fresh eating. it is heart - shaped with distinctive yellow - orange skin with red striping. gala is just the right size for snacking and is great in salads, good for baking and very good in applesauce. • ginger gold sweet, tangy and juicy, ginger gold apples are an early apple, harvested in august and available until september. this is a crisp and juicy apple with excellent taste. the ginger gold apples are round with a smooth green - yellow skin that has a slight red blush. ginger gold apples were discovered in a virginia orchard in the foothills of the blue ridge mountains. • golden delicious has firm, white flesh and sweet crisp flavor. it is the preferred " all purpose " cooking apple since it retains its shape and rich, mellow flavor when baked or cooked. its skin is so tender and thin that it doesn ' t require peeling for most recipes. golden delicious is very good in fresh salads and freezes well. great as a snack or a lunchbox treat. • granny smith has crisp mouth - watering tartness. bright green granny smith has a pink blush. its tartness really comes through when baked and sauteed. • gravenstein is a terrific sauce and pie apple. it is a roundish, irregularly shaped apple with a very short stem. the color varies, but is usually a greenish yellow background covered with broad red stripes. the gravenstein is crisp, juicy, aromatic and full of old - fashioned tart - sweet flavor. • jonagold is a blend of jonathan and golden delicious apples, offering a unique tangy - sweet flavor with firm flesh. jonagold is excellent both for eating fresh and for cooking. jonagolds make great fried apples. simply saute in a little butter and add a little cinnamon. no sugar needed! • jonathan apples are generally small to medium in size and dark to bright red. their flesh is yellowish - white, occasionally with red veins and they are crisp, tender, juicy, aromatic and moderately tart. jonathan apples are another all - purpose apple for cooking, baking or fresh eating. • mcintosh is a very popular variety that is shiny red in color and has a juicy, sweet, and slightly tart flavor, and is used as a snack or in salads and desserts. the peak time of year for its availability is from early fall to late winter. •


that is shiny red in color and has a juicy, sweet, and slightly tart flavor, and is used as a snack or in salads and desserts. the peak time of year for its availability is from early fall to late winter. • mutsu, also called crispin, is sweet, firm and crisp. it is good for sauce, pies and fresh eating. the mutsu is a japanese apple and can be substituted in recipes with the granny smith variety if mutsu are not available in your area. • red rome apples are referred to as the " baker ' s buddy, " this apple was discovered as a chance seedling in the early 1800s on a farm near rome township, ohio. famed for its storage qualities, this mildly tart apple is primarily used for cooking and is especially good baked or sauteed. the rome apple is typically available beginning in september. • winesap is the apple with old - fashioned flavor. winesap has a spicy almost wine - like flavor that makes it the cider maker ' s first choice. violet red in color, it ' s great as a snack and in salads. apple tasting and charting! bring in a large variety of apples. ( during peek season there are many - many! ) have the children taste them and see which one they like the best. with older kids you can chart and tally the results........ you can also do this with applesauce ( flavored vs. unflavored and also taste test cider vs. apple juice. apples snacks and recipes great for kids! apple theme of art, crafts, games, diversity, and more... apples from left to right are ~ granny smith, mcintosh, fugi, braeburn, gala, and golden delicious...


1. since the first slaves arrived from africa in 1619, there was a tremendous need for the protection and enforcement of a person ' s civil rights. 2. in 1808, congress bans the importation of slaves from africa. 3. in 1863, president lincoln issues the emancipation proclamation, declaring " that all persons held as slaves " within the confederate states " are, and henceforward shall be free. " 4. on may 17, 1954, the united states supreme court in brown v. board of education of topeka, kansas, declares that racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional. 5. on december 1, 1955, rosa parks refused to give up her seat at the front of the " colored section " of a bus to a white passenger. in response to her arrest montgomery ' s black community launched a successful year - long bus boycott. montgomery ' s buses were desegregated on dec. 21, 1956. 6. in early 1957, the southern christian leadership conference, a civil rights group, is established by martin luther king, charles k. steele, and fred l. shuttlesworth. 7. martin luther king is arrested and jailed during anti - segregation protests in birmingham, ala. he writes " letter from birmingham jail, " which advocated nonviolent civil disobedience. 8. on august 28, 1963, the march on washington for jobs and freedom is attended by about 250, 000 people, the largest demonstration ever seen in the nation ' s capital. martin luther king delivers his famous " i have a dream " speech. the march builds momentum for civil rights legislation. 9. on july 2, 1964, president johnson signed the civi rights act. this act was the most sweeping civil rights legislation since reconstruction. it prohibited any kind of discrimination based on race, religion, color, or national origin. 10. in november 2009, barack obama, an african - american senator from illinois, is voted in as the 44th president of the united states. on february 2, 2009, eric holder is elected in a vote of 75 to 21 as the first african - americna attorney general of the united states.


derived from the renowned multi - volume international encyclopaedia of laws, this concise exposition and analysis of the essential elements of law with regard to family relations, marital property, and succession to estates in india covers the legal rules and customs pertaining to the intertwined civic status of persons, the family, and property. after an informative general introduction, the book proceeds to an in - depth discussion of the sources and instruments of family and succession law, the authorities that adjudicate and administer the laws, and issues surrounding the person as a legal entity and the legal disposition of property among family members. such matters as nationality, domicile, and residence ; marriage, divorce, and cohabitation ; adoption and guardianship ; succession and inter vivos arrangements ; and the acquisition and administration of estates are all treated to a degree of depth that will prove useful in nearly any situation likely to arise in legal practice. the book is primarily designed to assist lawyers who find themselves having to apply rules of international private law or otherwise handling cases connected with india. it will also be of great value to students and practitioners as a quick guide and easy - to - use practical resource in the field, and especially to academicians and researchers engaged in comparative studies by providing the necessary, basic material of family and succession law. the author. list of abbreviations. preface. general introduction. selected bibliography. part i. person chapter 1. the status of a person. chapter 2. registration of civil status. chapter 3. personality right. chapter 4. names. chapter 5. nationality. chapter 6. domicile and residence. chapter 7. mentally handicapped persons. part ii. family law chapter 1. marriage. chapter 2. divorce. chapter 3. cohabitation without marriage. chapter 4. filiation. chapter 5. adoption. chapter 6. parental authority. chapter 7. guardianship. chapter 8. kinship and relationship of affinity. part iii. matrimonial property law chapter 1. rights and obligations of part iv. succession law introduction. chapter 1. intestate succession. chapter 2. testamentary succession. chapter 3. acts inter vivos related to the estate. chapter 4. acquisition and administration of the estate. list of enactments and rules. index of cases. general index


by steve graham, networx it ’ s a shame to see rows of bagged fall leaves on trash day, even if homeowners use cute orange jack - o - lantern bags. there are so many beneficial uses for autumn leaves that are better than sending them to the landfill. granted, the leaves will break down fairly quickly in the landfill, but it ’ s still a waste. here are 10 better options for autumn leaves, along with an important warning. 1. make a garden path : this is perhaps the simplest way to use leaves, as they do not need to be shredded. mix whole leaves with gravel or wood chips to create a dry, weed - blocking path through garden spaces. 2. make mulch : shredded leaves are a perfect organic mulch. the leaves can limit weeds and help retain winter moisture. in mild climates, a bed of leaves can insulate some tender plants from winter ’ s chills. as the leaves break down, they will also add nutrients to the soil. be sure to shred the leaves, as whole leaves might block water and starve the plants. also don ’ t pile up the leaves against the plants. give them room to breathe, and limit leaf cover to a couple of inches. any more can be too much of a good thing. 3. mix leaves into the soil : if you don ’ t plan to maintain the vegetable garden or annual flowerbeds through winter, till shredded leaves into the garden. the decomposing leaves will add nutrients, boost the organic content, improve the soil structure and encourage earthworms and other beneficial creatures, leading to less work in the spring to prepare for another growing season. though the leaves will add nitrogen, experts also suggest adding some slow - release nitrogen fertilizers to hasten the decomposition of the leaves. 4. add to compost heap : if you are already composting, you can make an even more valuable soil amendment by adding shredded leaves to the compost bin or pile, as suggested by hgtv ' s kimberly lacy on hometalk. com, a home improvement social network. whole leaves work, but they will take longer to decompose. leaves add an important carbon - rich balance to food scraps and grass clippings. in the vernacular of composting, the leaves add good “ browns ” to the “ greens ” in the mix. if home composting seems stinky and daunting, you can also look for local companies or city departments that collect autumn leaves for large


of composting, the leaves add good “ browns ” to the “ greens ” in the mix. if home composting seems stinky and daunting, you can also look for local companies or city departments that collect autumn leaves for large - scale composting projects. 5. save for spring compost : if you are composting your autumn leaves, you may also consider saving a couple of bags of leaves. “ brown ” carbon - rich materials can be tough to find in the spring and summer, when you might be adding more fresh fruit scraps and grass clippings to the compost mix. dumping in some dried - out fall leaves can quickly provide some balance. 6. make lasagna ( for the garden ) : this is basically yet another way of composting the leaves. also known as sheet composting, lasagna gardening is a simple and effective way to transform a lawn or weed patch into a rich garden bed. start with cardboard or a few layers of newspaper. soak this layer, then pile on layers of “ browns ” and “ greens. ” alternate leaves and shredded newspaper ( browns ) with food scraps and grass clippings ( greens ). 7. make leaf mold : if you have more patience, you can create leaf mold, an extra rich type of compost, out of leaves and water. leaf mold retains water well, and is packed with beneficial fungi, as well as calcium and magnesium. however, be warned that leaf mold can take up to three years to make. simply pile leaves into a large bin, thoroughly wetting down the leaves. put a tarp or other cover over the bin and let fungi do their thing. mary robson of washington state university cooperative extension suggests that the bottom of the leaf pile will have decomposed into black leaf mold within six to 12 months, but the whole pile may take up to three years to break down.