get a more secure budget, a broader membership and strong powers to initiate scientific research and coordinate global environment strategies. rio + 20 also established a " high - level " forum to coordinate global sustainable development, though its format is still to be defined. achim steiner, head of unep, said it was an agenda for change : " world leaders and governments have today agreed that a transition to a green economy – backed by strong social provisions – offers a key pathway towards a sustainable 21st century. " hopes that rio would commit the world to move towards a green economy were diluted by suspicions among some developing nations that this was another way for wealthy nations to impose a " one - model - fits - all " approach. instead, the green economy was merely named as an " important tool " that countries could use if they wished. nations agreed to think about ways to place a higher value on nature, including alternatives to gdp as a measure of wealth that account more for environmental and social factors, and efforts to assess and pay for " environmental services " provided by nature, such as carbon sequestration and habitat protection. among the many vague, but potentially promising developments, was a recognition by all 192 governments that " fundamental changes in the way societies consume and produce are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development ". this appeared to mean different things to different people. eu officials suggests it could lead to a shift of taxes so workers pay less and polluters and landfill operators pay more. hillary clinton said it should be reflected in the way products are advertised and packaged. all nations " reaffirmed " commitments to phase out harmful fossil fuel subsidies. such changes will cost, but nobody wanted to put money on the table, which was cited by the g77 as a major cause of the weak outcome. developing countries wanted a $ 30bn per year fund to help in the transition to sustainability, but in the midst of a financial crisis in europe, nobody was willing to say how much money they would contribute. instead, there was a promise to enhance funding, but by how much and by whom were left to future discussions. brazilian president dilma rousseff said rich nations had not kept copenhagen promises on " green funding " and so were in no position to criticise others for a lack of ambition : " all countries must take responsibility. nobody can point the finger. " there was frustration that rio + 20 did not do more to guarantee the reproductive rights of women or to protect the world ' s oceans. a plan to rescue the high seas – which


" all countries must take responsibility. nobody can point the finger. " there was frustration that rio + 20 did not do more to guarantee the reproductive rights of women or to protect the world ' s oceans. a plan to rescue the high seas – which are outside national jurisdictions – was blocked by the us, nicaragua, canada and russia. instead, leaders say they will do more to prevent over - fishing and ocean acidification. the international union for the conservation of nature called the decision a " deep disappointment ". the strongest initiatives were made outside the negotiating halls, where significant agreements have been struck on investing in public transport, commitments made to green accounting by corporations and strategies agreed by cities and judicial bodies on reducing environmental impacts. the dynamism has been found in a 10 - day " people ' s summit " and campaigns to reduce plastics in the ocean and create a new sanctuary in the arctic. " there are real solutions to the problems governments have been unable to solve and those solutions have been on display all week in rio, just not at the conference centre, " said lidy nacpil, director of jubilee south – asia pacific movement on debt and development. the weak leadership shown in the conference halls has prompted many in civil society to rethink their strategies. sharan burrow, general secretary of the international trade union confederation, said a " red / green alliance was the only way forward ". if the current development model doesn ' t change, " we are going to see economic dislocation greater than we ' re facing now, " she said. " there will be more wars around water and energy, so we need labour and environment walking hand in hand. "


there was a brief warm spell around 9 september, on which date the highest september temperature for six years was recorded, but much of the rest of the month was cool. in fact it was the coolest september since 1993, and heavy rain during the third week caused floods. this was the result of a deep and slow - moving low pressure system delivering copious rain between 23 and 25 september. prior to that it was dry in east anglia and south - east england. the mean maximum temperature in september ranged from 20. 2c at st james ' s park, london, to 12c at lerwick, shetland. the central england temperature ( cet ) was 13. 1c, which is 1 degree below average. daytime temperatures were between 0. 2 degrees above average in east anglia and 1. 3 degrees below in western scotland. the highest recorded temperature was 29. 3c at both writtle in essex and cambridge on the afternoon of 9 september. the coldest night was that of 22 / 23 september, when braemar, aberdeenshire, recorded a minimum temperature of - 4. 1c. across england and wales there was 78mm of rain, which is 102 % of the average. scotland had 81mm, exactly on the average, while northern ireland had 98mm, or 123 % of average. much of that rain came from the slow - moving storm during the last week of september. up to 22 september it was relatively dry, but the following three days had widespread heavy rainfall which led to significant floods. during that period 131mm of rain fell on ravensworth, north yorkshire. the wettest location through the month was cluanie inn, wester ross, which measured 325mm of rain, while otterbourne in hampshire was the driest with 24mm. england and wales had an average 171 hours of sunshine, which is 116 % of the mean. only 11 septembers have been sunnier in the last 100 years. scotland had 127 hours, or 111 % of its average, and northern ireland recorded 139 hours, which is 113 % of the average. manston in kent was the sunniest location with 196 hours of sunshine, while kinlochewe, wester ross, had the lowest sunshine total with only 62 hours.


a second degree for your tech career think you want another degree? join the club. many techies decide to pursue graduate degrees as a way to advance their careers, hone an area of expertise or switch specialties. years ago, graduate program choices were limited, with many students choosing between an mba and a master ' s degree in computer science, depending on whether they wanted to seek a management job or maintain a technical career track. while those choices are still popular, the possibilities for extending education beyond a bachelor ' s degree have expanded as jobs for tech professionals have become more varied and multidimensional. this means game programmers are pursuing educational technology degrees to leverage their experience into a new industry, database pros are pursuing mbas to show off their management acumen and network engineers are studying multimedia to make a wholesale switch in a technical specialty. so techies need to start thinking about an advanced degree by sorting through the options. the old standbys - computer science : graduate programs in computer science offer a research - intensive environment for students to pursue specialties such as human - computer interaction and information networking. a master ' s may be required for top - notch positions at leading tech companies, while a phd is usually required for academia. graduate programs in computer science are known for being challenging and rigorous ; a bachelor ' s degree in computer science is typically required. - educational technology : master ' s degrees in educational technology offer students the chance to gain expertise in the use and theoretical foundations of technology to support learning - electrical and computer engineering : students seeking a master ' s in electrical and computer engineering delve into areas such as semiconductors, signal processing, microprocessors and digital system design. students will typically need an undergraduate degree in the field. - information systems : graduate programs in information systems ( or sometimes information systems management or information technology ) emphasize the use of it to tackle business problems with coursework on topics such as e - commerce, information security and knowledge management. - library science and information studies : though far from a traditional technology degree, techies are increasingly drawn to studies involving information architecture, knowledge management and content management. - mba ( master of business administration ) : the mba gives techies the chance to develop their business skills with coursework in areas such as entrepreneurship, finance, marketing and organizational behavior. with companies increasingly interested in well - rounded techies with business acumen, the degree is often a top choice among techies seeking to move beyond purely technical roles. the new guard - techno - mba : the techno - mba


marketing and organizational behavior. with companies increasingly interested in well - rounded techies with business acumen, the degree is often a top choice among techies seeking to move beyond purely technical roles. the new guard - techno - mba : the techno - mba combines traditional mba coursework with studies on the integration of it in the corporate world. techno - mba students often take courses dealing with information systems, it design and architecture and telecommunications. - computer animation, graphics and multimedia : these cutting - edge graduate programs typically focus on the skills and expertise required to work in areas such as film, tv and web production. the programs may be offered in different settings ; some may be part of a graduate school of arts and sciences, others might be in fine arts programs or film schools. - telecommunications : advanced degrees in telecommunications offer students the chance to explore areas bridging the business and regulatory realms by studying media policy, wireless networks, and communications systems and their development. which is best for you? before you decide on a program, consider your goals. techies seeking another degree are often motivated by boosting their salaries, positioning to enter management, developing an area of technical expertise and / or switching from one specialty to another. once you know what you want to achieve, you will have an easier time deciding what sort of program is for you. unlike undergraduate programs, graduate programs don ' t usually give you much time, if any, to roam from one interest to another. you will likely get the most out of the program if you enter it with a clear sense of what you want from your studies - - and from your career after graduation.


the house ranks architecturally with many of the great mansions built in the late colonial period ; however, it is the only house directly inspired from a plate in palladio ’ s, i quattro libri dell ’ architettura. it is arguably the most exquisite house remaining from the colonial period in america. architect william buckland cleverly adapted palladio ' s villa pisani design to satisfy the tastes of colonial annapolis. he re - designed the plan to accommodate the tastes for asymmetrical regional preferences and modified the hyphens from palladio ' s arched entries to more practical single storey connecting links. he also incorporated fashionable urban design by sinking the windows in the method mandated by the london building act of 1774. this device provided better protection from fire and gave the overall design a greater degree of visual solidity and three dimensionality ( see image at right ). this adaptation from palladio ' s model marks his maturity as an architect and ranks him as one of america ' s first and finest architects. the initial design of thomas jefferson ’ s monticello was taken from the villa cornaro in piombino dese, italy, in book ii, chapter xv of i quattro libri dell ’ architettura, but this facade was later covered up by jefferson ’ s own expansions to his house. thomas jefferson made two drawings of the hammond - harwood house when he served the government in annapolis in 1783 - 4. one could assume that jefferson recognized the house as derived from palladio because his knowledge of the four books of architecture was extensive. he referred to the book as his architectural “ bible ” and the plate of the villa cornaro follows the villa pisani plate ; and directly opposite the villa cornaro in some 18th century english transcriptions of the work.


most pet owners can tell you that the first few days with a puppy in the house can be a handful, but the job of being a good pet parent does not stop when your new pal sleeps through the night for the first time. after you finish guiding your pup through his earliest life stages, it is important to keep in mind that he will be going through his own version of the " teen " years and will rely on a guiding hand. the accelerated development of dogs may make it seem as though they move straight from puppy to adult, but just like people, they also have an adolescent stage. although they may look grown up, they are still experiencing changes that can have a major impact on their behavior and health. " many pet owners may not realize that dogs experience adolescence, " says jeff werber, dvm, a nationally known veterinarian. " at this developmental stage, dogs are no longer puppies, but they are also not quite adults. adolescent dogs have specific mental, social, physical and nutritional requirements that often go unmet, so it is important to make sure we are addressing all the aspects that are part of these ' teenage ' years. " when your dog goes through the " teen " life stage - from about 6 months to 2 years - keep these tips in mind. - curb bad behaviors : chewing shoes, soiling the carpet, surfing the counter for scraps of food - these are just some of the behaviors that come up as your still - young dog grows into his adult body. it is important to focus on training during this time to break bad habits - otherwise you could be dealing with them for life. attending training classes not only helps your dog learn how to behave, it also helps owners discover solutions for unwanted behaviors. the added benefit of training is that it provides an opportunity to create a strong bond at one of the most impressionable periods of your dog ' s life. - establish good eating habits : just as kids have different nutritional needs than infants and adults, adolescent dogs need food uniquely tailored to their in - between needs. as your dog ' s body grows and changes, certain nutrients are particularly important for brain and skeletal development and digestive health. - supervise socializing : letting your dog interact with other animals is an essential part of responsible pet ownership. however, at the adolescent stage, it is important that you guide your dog ' s interactions carefully. as dogs ' reproductive systems develop, both males and females can show signs of aggression. you may also find your male dog marking his territory and female dogs


fast food tied to asthma, eczema and hay fever in kids monday, jan. 14 ( healthday news ) - - kids who eat fast food three or more times a week are likely to have more severe allergic reactions, a large new international study suggests. these include bouts of asthma, eczema and hay fever ( rhinitis ). and although the study doesn ' t prove that those burgers, chicken snacks and fries cause these problems, the evidence of an association is compelling, researchers say. " the study adds to a growing body of evidence of the possible harms of fast foods, " said study co - author hywel williams, a professor of dermato - epidemiology at the university of nottingham, in england. " whether the evidence we have found is strong enough to recommend a reduction of fast food intake for those with allergies is a matter of debate, " he added. these finding are important, williams said, because this is the largest study to date on allergies in young people across the world and the findings are remarkably consistent globally for both boys and girls and regardless of family income. " if true, the findings have big public health implications given that these allergic disorders appear to be on the increase and because fast food is so popular, " he said. however, williams cautioned that fast food might not be causing these problems. " it could be due to other factors linked to behavior that we have not measured, or it could be due to biases that occur in studies that measure disease and ask about previous food intake, " he said. in addition, this association between fast foods and severe allergies does not necessarily mean that eating less fast food will reduce the severity of disease of asthma, hay fever or eczema ( an itchy skin disorder ), williams said. the report was published in the jan. 14 online issue of thorax. williams and colleagues collected data on more than 319, 000 teens aged 13 and 14 from 51 countries and more than 181, 000 kids aged 6 and 7 from 31 countries. all of the children were part of a single study on child asthma and allergies. kids and their parents were asked about whether they suffered from asthma or runny or blocked nose along with itchy and watery eyes and eczema. participants also described in detail what they ate during the week. fast food was linked to those conditions in both older and younger children. consuming three or more weekly fast food meals was associated with a 39 percent increased risk of


watery eyes and eczema. participants also described in detail what they ate during the week. fast food was linked to those conditions in both older and younger children. consuming three or more weekly fast food meals was associated with a 39 percent increased risk of severe asthma among teens and three such meals for younger children was associated with a 27 percent increased risk of severe asthma, as well higher risk of rhinitis and eczema. fruit, however, appeared to reduce the incidence and severity of these conditions for all the children, and for incidence and severity of wheeze and rhinitis among the teens. according to williams, three or more weekly servings of fruit reduced the severity of symptoms 11 percent among the teens and 14 percent among the children. when looked at closely, the data among children was not as convincing as among teens. however, fast food meals were still associated with symptoms except for current eczema, and in poorer countries, except for current and severe asthma. " eating fast food is not healthy for a multitude of reasons, " said samantha heller, an exercise physiologist and clinical nutrition coordinator at the center for cancer care at griffin hospital in derby, conn. it ' s notorious for being high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fats and refined and processed carbohydrates, and low in essential healthy nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, healthy unsaturated fats and fiber, she said. " i cannot imagine any parent would choose the convenience of fast food over their child ' s health if they fully understood how deleterious a diet of fast and junk food is to children, " heller added. healthy compounds like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats are essential players in whole - body immunity. kids eating fast food regularly are subject not only to the disease - promoting and inflammatory effects of trans and saturated fats, excess sodium and refined carbohydrates but also likely to suffer from deficiencies of essential health - promoting compounds, heller said. " this can lead to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, behavior problems, and as this study suggests, possibly asthma, eczema and colds, " she said. eating at home more often not only saves money but also keeps families healthier, heller said. " for example, you can make healthy fast - food dishes in your own kitchen, such as black bean veggie burgers on whole - wheat buns with tomato and avocado, mashed potatoes with low


roman catholic priests from the order of the sacred hearts and led by father alexis bachelot, first arrived from europe in july of 1827. three priests and three lay brothers celebrated the first mass of record on hawaiian soil on july 14, 1827. under pressure by american protestant missionaries, who considered catholic doctrine a damning religious error, kamehameha iii twice expelled the catholics. when priests reappeared in 1837 and again faced expulsion, the sandwich island gazette newspaper came to the defense of religious freedom. the french in 1839 also brought pressure upon the king, and in that year kamehameha iii proclaimed a declaration of rights and edict of toleration that granted religious toleration throughout the islands. this was a period of fierce verbal attacks between catholics and protestants. the catholic mission wanted to have its own press. in 1841, it bought the gazette ’ s old equipment and set up a print shop on the site of the present our lady of peace cathedral, but father l. d. maigret complained to his european superiors : “ the protestants have excellent presses of the new kind, while we have only a bad one, the characters of which do not work. ” maigret received a new press from europe, and in 1852, the first catholic newspaper appeared, he mau hana i hanaia, works done, to begin a tradition of catholic publication that continues to the present. by helen g. chapin


hemoglobin is a crystallizable, conjugated protein consisting of an iron - containing pigment ( called heme or hematin ) and a simple protein, globin. in the lungs, it combines readily with oxygen to form a loose, unstable compound called oxyhemoglobin, a process called oxygenation. in the tissues of the body, where oxygen tension is low and carbon dioxide tension is high, oxyhemoglobin liberates its oxygen in... a swedish study has shown that teaching type 2 diabetes patients about their disease results in greater decreases in the hemoglobin a1c... read more » you may have been told that you need to lower your ldl ( bad ) cholesterol levels, and increase your hdl ( good ) cholesterol levels. while... read more » so you don ’ t have diabetes. should you still be worried about having an elevated risk of alzheimer ’ s disease? a new study out of the... read more » diabetes is much more prevalent in african - americans than other groups of people, and unfortunately if you already have diabetes you are... read more » source : adam encyclopedia of complicationshigh blood pressure and heart diseaseall patients with diabetes and high blood pressure should adopt lifestyle changes. these include... read more »


thursday, july 19 ( healthday news ) - - you may think of your birthday as only being important to your age and the possible presence of candles, cards and cake, but a new study suggests a link between your month of birth and longevity. researchers found that those who were born between september and november from the years 1880 to 1895 were more likely to reach the 100 - year mark than their siblings who were born in march. the study does not prove a cause - and - effect link, just an association. the meaning of the findings is unclear, and a researcher who studies lifespan called them mostly irrelevant to modern times. but, leonid gavrilov, from the center on aging at the university of chicago, who wrote the study with his wife, natalia gavrilova, said the findings point to the importance of the environment in which a child is conceived and later grows. " we believe that avoiding any potential sources of damage to developing fetus and child may have significant effects on health in later life and longevity, " gavrilov said. " childhood living conditions may have long - lasting consequences for health in later life and longevity. " the researchers looked at 1, 574 centenarians - - people who reached the age of 100 - - in the united states. they found that those people born between september and november had about a 40 percent higher chance of living to 100 than those born in march. of course, the chances that people born in 1889 - 1895 would even reach the century mark was very low to begin with. of those born in 1900 who were still alive at 50, just a third of 1 percent of men made it to 100, and just shy of 2 percent of women accomplished the feat, gavrilov said. why might month of birth - - or month of conception - - affect how long someone lives? one possibility is that seasonal diseases played a role, gavrilov said. s. jay olshansky, a professor of public health at the university of illinois at chicago who ' s familiar with the findings, said the study is not newsworthy. " the results are probably valid, but largely irrelevant in our modern world since they apply to birth months from more than a century ago. " regardless of the month someone was born or conceived, the odds are slim that you ' ll live to be 100. " this prospect has been rising through the 20th century, but not dramatically, " olshansky said. at best, he said, " this research might offer a partial and extremely small


the odds are slim that you ' ll live to be 100. " this prospect has been rising through the 20th century, but not dramatically, " olshansky said. at best, he said, " this research might offer a partial and extremely small explanation for a small fraction of why some people conceived and born more than a century ago lived for 100 years. " what does all this mean for your chances of living to 100 if you were born around the fall or - - perhaps less luckily - - in march? good question - - and one that won ' t be answered until people around your age start hitting the century mark. the study appeared in the journal of aging research. for more about healthy aging, try the u. s. national library of medicine. sources : leonid gavrilov, ph. d., research associate, center on aging, university of chicago ; s. jay olshansky, ph. d., professor, public health, university of illinois at chicago ; 2011 journal of aging research copyright © 2013 healthday. all rights reserved. healthdaynews articles are derived from various sources and do not reflect federal policy. healthfinder. gov does not endorse opinions, products, or services that may appear in news stories. for more information on health topics in the news, visit health news on healthfinder. gov.


| this is a measure of the brightness of a celestial object. the lower the value, the brighter the object, so magnitude - 4 is brighter than magnitude 0, which is in turn brighter than magnitude + 4. the scale is logarithmic, and a difference of 5 magnitudes means a brightness difference of exactly 100 times. a difference of one magnitude corresponds to a brightness difference of around 2. 51 ( the fifth root of 100 ). the system was started by the ancient greeks, who divided the stars into one of six magnitude groups with stars of the first magnitude being the first ones to be visible after sunset. in modern times, the scale has been extended in both directions and more strictly defined. examples of magnitude values for well - known objects are ; | sun | | - 26. 7 ( about 400 000 times brighter than full moon! ) | | brightest iridium flares | | - 8 | | venus ( at brightest ) | | - 4. 4 | | international space station | | - 2 | | sirius ( brightest star ) | | - 1. 44 | | limit of human eye | | + 6 to + 7 | | limit of 10x50 binoculars | | + 9 | | limit of hubble space telescope | | + 30 |


- hhmi news - scientists & research - janelia farm - science education - resources & publications noscripttags. include a link to bypass the detection if you wish. investigate the specks, flecks, and particles in the air — with airborne junk detectors you can easily make. directions are in this activity from hhmi ’ s cool science for curious kids. involve children in collecting leaves, rocks, and other natural items, and use the collections to teach children math and science skills. this resource from oregon state university tells you what to do. use the insect fact sheet in this middle school curriculum from clemson university to help children identify and classify insects they might find outdoors. taking a “ virtual ” field trip is almost as good as being outdoors. explore a cove forest and a salt marsh with this program from clemson university. the hhmi bulletin is now available for your ipad — inspiring stories, beautiful art, and more. read. play. listen. learn about the innovative work of biomedical researchers and science educators worldwide supported by the howard hughes medical institute. look for the free app in the itunes app store. what is cool science? at cool science, we entertain questions of all kinds ( ask a scientist ). we encourage young scientists to get their hands dirty - virtually ( curious kids ). we offer high school and college students new approaches to cutting - edge science topics ( biointeractive ). we provide educators with a host of innovative resources they can use in their classrooms ( for educators ). we reveal what it takes to become a scientist ( becoming a scientist ). and we showcase an undergraduate science discovery project that may one day change the way science is taught ( sea ). we invite you to explore the many cool features of cool science. image : university of washington help children study plants and animals in local outdoor settings by adapting some of the activities from this curriculum developed by oregon state university. use these yale university activities — which require simple, inexpensive, and easily obtainable materials — to help children learn about volcanoes, magnetism, and other topics. when it ’ s too hot to be outdoors, educators, older students, and parents can try their hand at this visual and motor test that involves learning a new motor skill. this activity is from hhmi ’ s biointeractive.


< browse to previous essay | browse to next essay > seattle ' s union station re - opens as sound transit headquarters on october 16, 1999. historylink. org essay 7751 : printer - friendly format on october 16, 1999, seattle ' s historic union station is formally rededicated as the headquarters of the sound transit, the regional transit authority for king, pierce, and snohomish counties. the building was restored and adapted as part of a larger project directed by union station associates, llc, a partnership between paul allen ' s vulcan inc. and nitse - stagen & company, developer of the former sears building, among other projects. union station was built in 1911 as the oregon & washington railroad station to serve the union pacific railroad and milwaukee road. passenger rail service was consolidated in the nearby king street station by amtrak in 1971, and union station was vacated except for occasional special events in its vast barrel - roofed waiting room. the facility was the subject of numerous studies for a possible " multi - modal " transportation center for rail, light rail, and bus services. this vision was partially realized with the opening of the adjacent international district station of the downtown seattle transit tunnel in 1990. the voters of king, pierce and snohomish counties approved creation of a regional transportation agency, sound transit, and a $ 3. 9 billion rail and bus plan on november 5, 1996. the board of sound transit agreed on june 19, 1998, to locate its executive offices in union station. nitze - stagen organized the $ 21 - million project, which involved nbbj as the interior architects, ron wright & associates as the exterior architects, baugh construction co. as the general contractor, maria barrientos as project manager for sound transit under st property manager jeri cranney, and scores of artisans and craftspeople. the building re - opened on the evening of october 16, 1999, with a gala benefit for historic seattle and the release of a commemorative history prepared by history ink. shortly before the event, sound transit board president paul miller commented, " we ' ve asked how history will judge us. i see the restored union station as a symbol of the answer. we will be remembered by what we as an agency and we as a community can achieve. i believe that at the end of the next century, union station will stand as a tribute to a generation that stopped talking about the transportation problems that threaten our region and acted upon them. " walt crowley and heather macintosh, the story of


the battle of noyon - montdidier, 9 - 13 june 1918, was the fourth of general erich von ludendorff ’ s great offensives of the spring and summer of 1918 that came close to breaking the allied lines on the western front, but instead critically damaged the fighting capacity of the german army. the first and third of those offensives ( second battle of the somme and third battle of the aisne ) had created two giant salients in the allied lines. the noyon - montdidier offensive was designed to link these two saliants. this would straighten out the line and potentially threaten paris. two german armies – the eighteenth under general oskar von hutier and the seventh under general max von boehn were allocated to the attack. they were opposed by two french armies – the third under general georges humbert and the tenth under general charles mangin. the french also had access to american troops, who would play a part in defeating the offensive. the french had sufficient warning of the german attack. on 9 june the german eighteenth army attacked the french third army from the north. its attack was disrupted by a french counter - bombardment, but was still able to make some progress, although not on the same scale as in the earlier offensives. the german seventh army joined the offensive on 10 june, attacking the french tenth army from the east. this attack failed to make any significant progress. the two armies were meant to meet at compiegne, but only hutier made any progress towards the rendezvous. on 11 june the french and americans launched a counter attack which pushed the germans back from their most advanced positions. on 13 june the battle came to an end. it was a clear german failure, and was a clear sign that the german army was wearing down. it would launch one more offensive, on the marne in mid july, but that would soon be followed by the great allied counterattacks that would push the german armies back towards the french border. | | save this on delicious | help - f. a. q. - contact us - search - recent - about us - subscribe in a reader | subscribe to history of war | | browse archives at groups. google. co. uk |


standardized testing is a necessary part of admission to all types of pre - health programs. each pre - health specialty has its own required examination. medical college admission test ( mcat ) the medical college admission test ( mcat ) is a standardized, multiple - choice examination designed to assess the examinee ' s problem solving, critical thinking, writing skills, and knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine. scores are reported in verbal reasoning, physical sciences, writing sample, and biological sciences. medical colleges consider mcat scores as part of their admission process. almost all u. s. medical schools require applicants to submit mcat scores. many schools do not accept mcat scores that are more than three years old. optometry admission test ( oat ) the association of schools and colleges of optometry ( asco ) direct the optometry admissions test ( oat ) for applicants seeking admission to schools and colleges of optometry. the testing program is designed to measure general academic ability and comprehension of scientific information. pharmacy college admission test ( pcat ) the pharmacy college admission test ( pcat ) is a specialized test administered by the american association of colleges of pharmacy ( aacp ). the test helps identify qualified applicants to pharmacy colleges by measuring general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for the commencement of pharmaceutical education. dental admission test ( dat ) the dental admission test ( dat ) is conducted by the american dental association and has been in operation on a national basis since 1950. the dat is administered on computer on almost any day of the year. the testing program is designed to measure general academic ability, comprehension of scientific information and perceptual ability. the gre is the standardized exam required by most us veterinary schools and all masters in public health programs, physical therapy programs and occupational therapy programs. most of these educational programs require only the general test, which is tailored to your performance level and provides precise information about your abilities using fewer test questions than traditional paper - based tests. the test measures verbal, quantitative and analytical reasoning skills that have been developed over a long period of time and are not necessarily related to any particular field. a few require the writing assessment, which measures your proficiency in critical reasoning and writing. additionally, a few veterinary schools require a subject test, which measures your achievement in specific subject areas and assume undergraduates have extensive background in those disciplines. check the requirements for the schools to which you wish to apply. test preparation links


editorial : why japan ' s electricity crisis matters you may not read about it on the front page of the newspapers, but japan is undergoing a second electricity crisis. the first took place last spring and summer after the fukushima earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent meltdown of multiple nuclear power plants. that power crisis mostly affected tokyo and northern japan. this second crisis affects all of japan, and it has implications for the united states ( and the world ) at many different levels. from an energy perspective, japan is ( at least temporarily ) abandoning nuclear power — 30 % of its generating capacity — and replacing it with conservation and still - to - be - determined alternative sources. no country has faced such a rapid transition, so japan ' s successes and failures will be a lesson to us as we contemplate an exit from nuclear ( or perhaps even coal ). in the short run, japan has switched to older oil - and gas - fired power plants, leading to a jump in oil and liquified natural gas ( lng ) imports. those increased imports have nudged up the prices you pay for oil and gasoline. ironically, the facilities that the united states was building to import natural gas may now be used to export lng to japan and other countries hungry for clean fuels. that ’ s another reason natural gas prices in the united states won ’ t fall as much as you may have been led to believe. electricity conservation will also be used to balance the grid in the short term, and it is this aspect of the crisis that should most interest home energy readers. last year the shortages were concentrated in tokyo, and tokyo residents successfully cut demand by almost 15 %. this year, nearly all regions of japan will have inadequate capacity during the summer peak, though ironically, tokyo is in the best shape this year. watch for blackouts in kansai. the responses to last year ’ s shortage are already being felt globally. for example, sales of leds skyrocketed when both residential and commercial customers scrambled to cut demand while maintaining high - quality illumination. tokyoites were willing to pay a premium because they were more concerned about meeting their target reductions than about finding cost - effective solutions. as a result, increased sales have pulled led prices down the cost curve at least a year faster than expected. this translates into leds that are cheaper for u. s. customers. just as important, fixture designers have been linking those leds to wireless controls in ways that adjust output to actual lighting needs. japan now expects to fully replace cfls by 2030,


into leds that are cheaper for u. s. customers. just as important, fixture designers have been linking those leds to wireless controls in ways that adjust output to actual lighting needs. japan now expects to fully replace cfls by 2030, with a large fraction of illumination supplied by an entirely new technology — organic leds. to save air - conditioning energy and peak power, japanese offices and homes now operate at higher thermostat settings. the ever - creative fashion designers in tokyo have developed new textiles and clothing styles to help the japanese keep their cool at higher indoor temperatures. those highly breathable fabrics will no doubt soon appear in american specialty stores and then perhaps in walmart. japanese consumers are also buying pv to reduce their demand for grid - supplied electricity. this won ’ t lower the price of pv — that ’ s mostly determined by china — but you may eventually see new types of installations or components. japanese utilities typically require pv users to install batteries ; this raises the price but it is also stimulating different types of pv packages and connected appliances. there are dozens of other energy - saving gadgets, ranging from clever to silly, some of which will successfully cross the pacific. a political deadlock prevents japan from committing to either a nuclear or a renewables solution. the central government and industry leaders believe in nuclear power as the only feasible choice, while much of the public has lost faith in the utilities and the institutions that regulate them. many of the same trends are visible in the united states. but one thing is clear : the japanese crisis will be the mother of many new and ingenious ways to save electricity. - first page - previous page enter your comments in the box below : ( please note that all comments are subject to review prior to posting. )


analyzing combustion analyzers just talking about co can be confusing. although the terms used in this article are defined in the sidebar ( see “ terminology ” ), co can be deadly, and so i want to emphasize the basic information. test equipment can provide great information, but only if the operator understands what that information means. first, it is important to understand the difference between ambient carbon monoxide ( co ) and co air free or coaf ( also known as co undiluted and undiluted co ), which is a value calculated either manually or by the combustion analyzer. ambient co is the co that is in the air that occupants breathe. ambient co should be measured and monitored during the entire building analysis in order to protect the health and safety of the occupants and the analysts. coaf is the co that is present during the incomplete burning of the fuel in a combustion appliance. coaf comes from the combustion process and is generally measured before the exhaust gases have a chance to combine with dilution air introduced into the vent by a draft diverter. for most home assessments ( including bpi ), the probe of the analyzer must be inserted into the heating appliance exhaust air, before or upstream of the draft diverter, so that the co will not have combined with dilution air. this will provide what bpi defines as an undiluted sample. the coaf value on the combustion analyzer should be used. be certain to insert the probe in the correct location in the combustion appliance. most of the product manuals describe how to accomplish this. another serious issue that we should address is the effect of nitrogen oxides ( primarily no and no2 ) on the coaf reading. the electrochemical sensors that are used in these devices are targeted for co, but they can react with other gases, such as nitrogen oxides. this may generate an additive output, giving an elevated reading of co. the testo 327 - 1 described below has a nitrogen oxide filter built into it. bacharach advises adding nitrogen oxide filter or nox scrubber to the input, and one can be added to the uei input hose as well. ( see “ did this at home ” for more on the benefit of a nox scrubber. ) combustion analyzers were developed for boiler and furnace technicians, who use the information to adjust the appliance properly, and the analyzers provide a great deal of information — most of which is not required by bpi, resnet, or most weatherization protocols


it ’ s set to auto zero ). when the unit is turned on, the display screen will first read the software revision level as reu x. xx, which is then replaced by a countdown, which is finally replaced by the co screen reading in ppm. the ( up ) and ( down ) buttons are only used to calibrate the analyzer. the hold button freezes the display and stops the pump. the enter button restarts testing after the hold button has been pressed. the light button controls the backlight, and the i / o button turns the analyzer on and off. the monoxor iii will turn itself off after 20 minutes of keyboard inactivity unless the detected level of co is above 50 ppm. the backlight automatically turns off after 10 minutes of keyboard inactivity. when the monoxor iii is used for testing ambient co, the hose and probe assembly can be disconnected. note that if the hold button has been pressed, there is no screen indication of the hold condition, but the pump will be off, saving the battery and making the unit quieter. but it won ’ t be taking readings. during a test, the analyzer should be held above the water trap and filter, keeping the trap in a vertical position to optimize its effectiveness. flue gas condensate is acidic and very corrosive. it should remain in any of these analyzers for as short a time as possible. it is advisable to calibrate the monoxor iii every six months to ensure its accuracy. cylinders of co and a calibration kit can be purchased from bacharach for this purpose, or the unit can be sent back to bacharach. note that calibration, co sensor replacement, and pump replacement are all described in detail in the manual that comes with the analyzer. a nox scrubber could ( and in my opinion, should ) be added to the hose to reduce elevated readings. this is a simple and basic unit that can provide an ambient co value. inserted in the proper place in the flue, it will provide a co value but it will not be a coaf value. it is not ideal as a personal safety device because it has no alarms. but it may be a great starting place for a moderately priced way to take both required co readings. an infrared printer is available from bacharach, but the basic analyzer comes with a hard carrying case, hose, and manual. bacharach fyrite


be a great starting place for a moderately priced way to take both required co readings. an infrared printer is available from bacharach, but the basic analyzer comes with a hard carrying case, hose, and manual. bacharach fyrite tech60 the tech60 measures these exhaust gas components : o2, stack temperature, ambient temperature, and co. then it uses that information to calculate steady - state combustion efficiency, co2, excess air, and co air free. it is a true starter combustion analyzer ; it ’ s not meant to be used as an ambient co monitor for personal safety. as the manual points out, “ this analyzer does not have an audible alarm, and is not intended to be used as a safety device. ” the input hose and the thermocouple connect to the bottom of the analyzer. on the front panel there are a two - line display and six control push buttons. these buttons turn the analyzer on and off, scroll up and down through the display screens, enter the run mode, toggle the backlight on and off, and hold or freeze the display. ( the hold button will also turn off the pump. ) for performing coaf analysis, the probe should be in fresh air when the analyzer is turned on, despite the confusing line in the instructions that says the “ probe must be located in the area containing the burner ’ s combustion air supply, ” by which they mean “ fresh air. ” if you choose to set the fuel, f1 displayed on the screen equals natural gas, f2 equals # 2 oil, f3 equals propane, and f4 equals kerosene. after turning the analyzer on and allowing it to warm up in fresh air, insert the probe into the correct location on the combustion appliance to get the coaf reading. the accompanying manual provides graphics of a variety of appliances, showing where the probe should be inserted on each one. the display screen will display co in ppm on the top line and percent o2 on the bottom line. scrolling through the other display screens will provide stack temperature, efficiency, ambient temperature, and co air free. when the test is finished, if the co level is above 50 ppm, the analyzer will not turn off. the pump continues to run and the screen displays pur6 co ( which looks sort of like purge co ) until the level drops below 50 ppm. the purging process can be bypassed by pressing the on / off switch a second time


. the pump continues to run and the screen displays pur6 co ( which looks sort of like purge co ) until the level drops below 50 ppm. the purging process can be bypassed by pressing the on / off switch a second time. like the monoxor iii, the tech60 comes with complete instructions for calibrating and replacing the filter and sensors at the back of the manual. a nox scrubber could be added to reduce elevated readings. kits are available that include the infrared printer, hard case, and a protective rubber “ boot ” or sleeve. did this at home i tested the uei c75 and the testo 327 - 1 on my own oil - fired boiler. the majority of measurements from the two analyzers were very similar. the coaf readings differed, however. the testo 327 - 1 measured 6 ppm and the uei c75 measured 37 ppm co. when i added a nox scrubber to the uei c75 hose, the co reading dropped to 5 ppm, clearly indicating to me the need for the nox scrubber. i have repeated these tests in other houses with the bacharach combustion analyzer, and have had similar results. in my case, neither of the original readings posed a problem, but in other circumstances these variations could cause the appliance to be out of tolerance. at 26 ppm, for example, the bpi building analyst standard states, “ recommend that the co problem be fixed. ” this might mean calling a service technician to service a problem that doesn ’ t exist, resulting in an unnecessary cost to the homeowner. the low additional cost of adding a nox scrubber makes it prudent to do so. the uei c75 combustion analyzer measures o2, co, and flue temperature and uses that information to calculate co2, steady - state combustion efficiency, co air free, and the amount of excess air. the temperature sensor and the flue gas probe plug into sockets in the bottom of the analyzer. on the face of the unit, there are a two - line display, four buttons, and a selector dial. the buttons allow the operator to turn the unit on and off, toggle the backlight, use the optional printer, turn the internal pump on and off, and hold the readings. the analyzer in its protective covering is relatively heavy, and the pump is also somewhat noisy, but the pump can be shut off with the push of a button, although it won


, turn the internal pump on and off, and hold the readings. the analyzer in its protective covering is relatively heavy, and the pump is also somewhat noisy, but the pump can be shut off with the push of a button, although it won ’ t be taking readings when the pump is off. with the pump off, the c75 beeps occasionally to let you know that it is not able to do its job. although this analyzer could be used to take ambient co readings without its hose, it is a bit much to lug around. it does have strong magnets on the back of the covering that allow it to be attached to the side of most combustion appliances. an optional infrared printer is available. the selector dial allows the operator to read any of the parameters that the c75 can measure. in the case of basic energy audits, the dial can be set to o2 / co and the o2 and ambient co or coaf can be clearly read. so charge up the batteries ( or install four aas ), hook up the hose, check the particle filter and the water trap, turn the c75 on in ambient fresh air, select o2 / co on the dial, and take your readings. there are 20 memory slots in the software where the data can be stored. ( or you can just write it down! ) even though the information is not necessary for just measuring the co level, it ’ s good practice to enter the type of fuel the appliance uses, so if the analyzer is being used for complete combustion analysis, it will be set up properly. although the temperature sensor plug is polarized, it can easily be plugged in backward, which provides strange readings. like the bacharach units, the c75 could be fitted with a nox scrubber to reduce elevated co readings. as with any of these devices, it ’ s a good idea to become familiar with all the functions and controls and read the manuals before you get into a real testing situation. standing in front of a roaring boiler and fumbling to turn the backlight on or off or storing the reading in one of the memory slots can be frustrating. the testo 327 is a comprehensive combustion analyzer with a bundle of capabilities that must be understood to be appreciated. it will allow you to gather all the information necessary to perform diagnostic analysis on a combustion system. it ’ s an investment. it can measure draft pressure as well as co. it can also provide stack temperature, percent co2, percent efficiency


appreciated. it will allow you to gather all the information necessary to perform diagnostic analysis on a combustion system. it ’ s an investment. it can measure draft pressure as well as co. it can also provide stack temperature, percent co2, percent efficiency, percent excess air, percent o2, ambient temperature, and delta temperature. the 327 is a solid - feeling device with strong magnets on the back of the case that allow it to be mounted on the side of most combustion appliances. the probes attach to connectors on the bottom of the analyzer. along with the connectors there is a temperature sensor permanently mounted in a “ cage, ” and there are sockets for the flue gas probe, gas outlet, pressure input, and ac power input. the on / off switch is on the top of the housing, and eight push buttons are located on the face. three orange buttons have variable functions, with their functions displayed on different screens of the display. the ( up ) and ( down ) buttons scroll the display. there is a button to toggle the backlight on and off, a menu button, and an esc button to cancel an operation. with the analyzer fully charged, the probe needs to be connected before the 327 is switched on. the manual says, “ any connected probe must be in the open air during the zeroing phase! [ emphasis theirs ] ” the zeroing or start - up process takes 30 seconds. pushing the menu button allows one to scroll through measuring, adjust, setup, mode, fuel select, and diagnostic menus. pushing the middle orange button under ok when measuring is displayed moves to the next menu level, cycling through flue gas, draft, co - airfree, smoke / oil, diff prs, delta temp, and ambient co. to measure the coaf, select flue gas and read the ppm co - af line. here you can also choose the type of fuel ; choices are oil # 2, nat gas, bioheat5, propane, oil # 5, oil # 6, kerosene, or wood. if you are only interested in coaf, you can use any of these fuels, because the co level will be the same for any of them. the beauty of this is that if you are testing in a combustion appliance zone ( caz ) with a gas water heater and an oil - fired boiler, there is no need to change the settings. you can set up the display screen on the 327


this is that if you are testing in a combustion appliance zone ( caz ) with a gas water heater and an oil - fired boiler, there is no need to change the settings. you can set up the display screen on the 327 so that the displays are in the sequence you want. for example, i have mine reading ºf t stac ( stack temperature ) first, then ppm co, pa draft, ppm co - af, % eff, and then a bunch of other stuff. performing a typical home energy assessment requires testing for co in the ambient air and in the exhaust products of combustion. co ambient is the co that is present in the air that is not contained in the combustion equipment. it is the co that the occupants are likely to be breathing. co air free or co - af or coaf is a mathematical calculation of the amount of co in a sample of air with the percent of oxygen removed. it is equal to co ppm x ( [ 20. 9 ] / [ 20. 9 – o2 ] ) the combustion analyzers make that calculation after the operator takes a “ clean - air ” sample ( generally outside ). the coaf is the value that most combustion safety programs ( including bpi ) are looking for ( along with the co ambient value ). an interesting feature of the 327 is the draft measurement process. a bar graph is displayed on the screen indicating the highest flue gas temperature corresponding to the highest draft rate. moving the probe moves the line on the bar graph. the physical opening in the probe should be oriented across the flow to allow for maximum airflow across the sensor. all of this information can be printed out on the optional, infrared connected printer. the basic 327 comes with the analyzer, flue gas probe, and charger. options include a hard case, ir printer, smoke pump, digital smoke spot meter, adapter for pressure readings, air temperature probe, flexible flue gas probe, and 9 - foot hose extension. the testo 327 is capable of providing a lot more information than just coaf. the instructions are based on german documents and don ’ t always clearly translate into english, but there is good information on the web, including instructional webinars from tool suppliers like trutech tools that specifically teach how to use the testo 327. testing for co may be one of the most complicated tasks the building analyst faces. the four analyzers described in this article have been developed to do more complex things, like combustion analysis and system


monsanto canada recently reported that the canadian food inspection agency ( cfia ) has granted approval for its latest gm offering, the intriguingly named " refuge in a bag " bt corn. with all the hype surrounding gm crops, it would be easy to dismiss this announcement as just another piece of press puff from the gm giant. but unfortunately this new development is actually something we need to keep a close eye on. as we have come to expect, the government has let the gm community police itself, leaving the companies that are peddling the new technology to regulate its use. first, it is important to understand what a " refuge " is when it comes to gm crops. despite the fact that animal welfare approved has blogged extensively on the many drawbacks and dangers of gm technology, the concept of " refuge " actually relates to a problem that we haven ' t covered in detail before - - namely the inevitable development of pest resistance to gm crops. the requirement for a " refuge " arose because it is widely accepted that pest insects will, over time, develop resistance to the crops that have been genetically modified to poison them. one would logically expect that if you expose a large number of pests to a single pesticide year after year, the survivors will eventually breed, leading in time to the emergence of a resistant population. this same process happens with gm crops - - it ' s simply that the gm crop has been genetically modified to express the thuringiensis ( bt ) insecticide within its plant tissues, rather than the farmer spraying it on to the crops to control the pests. indeed, the gm companies themselves admit that the development of resistance to their gm crops is inevitable, and the requirement for a " refuge " is promoted as an attempt to preserve the efficacy of the gm technology for as long as possible. so how does this " refuge " system work? whenever farmers sow a field with gm crops they are required to plant a certain proportion of non - gm seeds of the same crop type in order to provide a safe place - - a so - called " refuge " - - so that some insects which are still susceptible to the insecticide can survive and breed. the idea is that these susceptible insects will breed with resistant insects, thereby slowing down the development of resistance among the pest population. if you don ' t plant the refuge area then the only insects that survive are those which have developed some resistance to the gm toxin expressed by the crops. if those resistant insects are the only ones that breed, then the entire population will quickly become resistant


if you don ' t plant the refuge area then the only insects that survive are those which have developed some resistance to the gm toxin expressed by the crops. if those resistant insects are the only ones that breed, then the entire population will quickly become resistant and the insect - resistant genetic modification will be worthless. initially, farmers were required to sow 20 percent non - gm seed alongside 80 percent gm seed. but once the gm companies began " stacking " gm traits - - that is, incorporating more than one mode of insect protection and herbicide resistance together in the same crop - - the requirement dropped to 5 percent of non - gm crop to be grown with 95 percent gm. however, farmers were expected to follow strict guidelines on how the non - gm component was to be incorporated in their cropping plans. farmers had the option of growing blocks of non - gm corn either within a particular field of gm crops or in an adjacent field. alternatively, farmers could plant strips of non - gm seed within the gm crop, but the strips had to be at least four - - and preferably six - - rows wide. these blocks or strips then provided a clear non - gm " refuge " area. so what ' s the problem with monsanto ' s " refuge in a bag " system? well, the requirement for 5 percent non - gm corn is still there. but instead of the farmer having to buy different bags of gm and non - gm seed, and sow them separately, monsanto has mixed the 5 percent non - gm seed in with the gm seed - - hence the " refuge in a bag. " on the plus side, this means the farmer can ' t get out of planting the non - gm portion ( which has been a problem in some states ). but what happened to the block or strip of non - gm seed? well, as the seeds are mixed up together, the non - gm plants now grow scattered throughout the crop, rather than in dedicated areas. so how will a significant population of non - resistant insects survive and breed over time on random single non - gm plants, rather than in dedicated areas? these thoughts have crossed the minds of others, too. christian krupke, an entomologist from the university of purdue, has real concerns about monsanto ' s " refuge in a bag " technology, namely that using such seed mixes can actually promote greater pest resistance. in a press release from purdue krupke says that : " the concern with refuge - in - a - bag, or seed mixes,


s " refuge in a bag " technology, namely that using such seed mixes can actually promote greater pest resistance. in a press release from purdue krupke says that : " the concern with refuge - in - a - bag, or seed mixes, has always been sub - lethal exposure with toxic plants and non - toxic plants standing side - by - side. you could have a young corn rootworm beetle larva emerge, feed on a toxic plant but not die, and then move over to a non - toxic plant and feed until reaching adulthood. the larva now has sub - lethal exposure to bt. that ' s one of the ways that resistance can develop in an insect population more rapidly... it ' s that old adage that whatever doesn ' t kill you makes you stronger. we could be giving those larvae selective advantage in the long term. that was one of the reasons this technology wasn ' t embraced initially. " sub - lethal exposure works the other way, as well, krupke explains. larvae could feed on a refuge corn plant and become larger, then move to a bt plant to continue eating. because the larvae are larger, and it takes more bt toxin to kill bigger insects, the larvae might not ingest enough toxin to die. aside from krupke, other published papers, such as agi et al ( 2001 ) and onstad et al ( 2011 ), also express reservations at the efficacy of " refuge in a bag " to ensure the survival of susceptible insects. even the environmental protection agency has released a report stating that it expects resistance to occur within 8. 1 years for a 5 percent blended refuge, 11. 3 years for a 10 percent blended refuge and 20. 2 years for the 20 percent block refuge. so it would seem that monsanto ' s " refuge in a bag " is also a " shot in the foot, " as it will actually hasten the spread of resistance to bt among the insect population. this obviously has huge implications for both gm and non - gm growers. bt ( or bacillus thuringiensis ) is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces proteins called endotoxins that act as a natural insecticide. as bt is not a synthetic chemical product and it is very selective ( it ' s only toxic to a very specific range of target pests ) it is often used by organic growers. the spread of resistance to this natural pesticide - - a product that is selectively fatal to certain insects and non - toxic to just about everything else - -


a very specific range of target pests ) it is often used by organic growers. the spread of resistance to this natural pesticide - - a product that is selectively fatal to certain insects and non - toxic to just about everything else - - could cause real problems for growers who have never embraced gm technology, and certainly had no part in promoting resistance. so why would monsanto promote a product that could actively reduce the efficacy of one of its gm seed lines? we ' ve seen this time and again with other insecticide and pesticide products. rather than encourage the sustainable use of pesticides, too often agrochemical companies seek only to maximize short - term sales and profits. once insect or weed resistance begin to cause problems in the fields, the company can simply abandon it and roll out another " improved " product range - - and the whole process starts again. you can bet your bottom dollar that monsanto will have the next gm crop with a built - in insecticide already in development. besides, do you really think that monsanto and the other biotech companies are worried about creating problems for organic and other responsible growers, who rank among the most vociferous opponents of gm technology? me neither. agi, a. l., mahaffey, j. s., bradley, jr. j. r., and van duyn, j. w. ( 2001 ) efficacy of seed mixes of transgenic bt and nontransgenic cotton against bollworm, helicoverpa zea boddie. the journal of cotton science 5 : 74 - 80 onstad, d. w., mitchell, p. d., hurley, t. m., lundgren, j. g., porter, r. p., krupke, c. h., spencer, j. l., difonzo, c. d., baute, t. s., hellmich, r. l., buschman, l. l., hutchison, w. d., and tooker, j. f. ( 2011 ) seeds of change : corn seed mixtures for resistance management and integrated pest management. journal of economic entomology 104 ( 2 )


the age - old question of " what makes a good leader? " is making its latest debut on the education front in new york city. with all the recent developments regarding teacher evaluations, the discussion of principal evaluations has emerged. in order to improve education, every aspect of a school must be addressed - - including the principal. principals, like any other type of leader, have a lot of responsibilities. the main job of a principal is to ensure that the students in their school are receiving an effective education, and they must do whatever it takes to ensure that that happens - - no excuses. what are the qualities of a great principal? 1 ) providing constructive feedback to teachers at an event hosted by teacher group educators 4 excellence, 64 percent of teachers in the room said that their principals do not provide meaningful feedback. this is a scary statistic. as a student, i am constantly being evaluated and given feedback - - this is how i know where my weaknesses are, and how i can improve. teachers need the same type of support from principals. 2 ) accepting feedback from teachers, administrators, and students an effective leader must receive feedback from those they are leading - - and respect it. being a principal should not be a solo job - - every part of the school community needs to speak up, and be heard. a principal needs to take both praise and criticism constructively. if something is going right, build on it. if something is going wrong, find out why, and fix it. 3 ) being accessible and consistent a principal needs to be available to teachers, parents, and students as often as possible. a principal can ' t spend all their time cooped up in an office, or outside the school building, rather a balance of in the classrooms and in an office. a principal needs to be present to ensure that what is supposed to be happening is happening, and ready to address any concerns that may arise. 4 ) facilitating meaningful communication and collaboration between teachers communication is a fundamental concept across the board - - from personal things such as relationships to worldwide issues. a school is no exception - - the teachers and administrators must work together to improve classes, and the school as a whole. students working together is no foreign concept. group projects, peer tutoring, and other methods of student collaboration have existed for quite a while, and research has shown that this is beneficial for the students. teachers can learn a lot from each other, even across the disciplines. mr. dimitri saliani, principal of eleanor roosevelt high school, recognizes the importance of


have existed for quite a while, and research has shown that this is beneficial for the students. teachers can learn a lot from each other, even across the disciplines. mr. dimitri saliani, principal of eleanor roosevelt high school, recognizes the importance of continued learning, even as an educator : " i pride myself on being a learner, not just an educator. every teacher is a learner and has obviously enjoyed learning in their lifetime, hence their career choice, so i wondered how else we can learn from one another at erhs. " mr. saliani implemented a system that allowed teachers from all disciplines to attend his classroom visits with him - - regardless of the subject. i saw math teachers in my history class, history teachers in my science class, and so on. he concluded by stating, " it has invigorated the faculty and myself to learn from one another, to think about employing new teaching and learning strategies, and opened the door to new opportunities for collaboration. " a great principal goes beyond the simple teacher meetings, and creatively develops innovative ways for teachers to collaborate. 5 ) a constant effort to innovate and improve a great principal knows that there is always room for improvement. a principal should wake up every morning and ask " how can i make my school better? " principals need to be creative, and develop unique ways to engage the teachers and students. principals must be willing to take risks sometimes - - a school cannot be run the same tried - and - true way forever. evaluators : keep this in mind - - measure a principal not just using pre - established rubrics and methods - - but on creativity and innovation, two things that don ' t always end up on paper. a short, numbered list doesn ' t cover all the qualities of an effective principal - - a principal should have years of experience to complement the qualities i highlighted. in a release by educators 4 excellence, evan stone, co - founder and co - ceo states, " as school leaders, principals play a key role in evaluating and supporting teachers and we need to make sure that they get fair and useful feedback that will ultimately benefit teachers and students. " the bottom line is that in a school, everyone has a job to do, and everyone needs useful feedback in order to create the best learning environment possible. principals are no exception. everybody, speak up! share your thoughts on what makes a great principal, and how principals should be evaluated.


vol. 17 no. 25 summary of the ninth meeting of the conference of the contracting parties to the ramsar convention on wetlands : 8 - 15 november 2005 the ninth meeting of the conference of the contracting parties ( cop9 ) to the ramsar convention on wetlands was held from 8 - 15 november 2005, at the speke resort munyonyo in kampala, uganda. the theme of the conference was “ wetlands and water : supporting life, sustaining livelihoods. ” nearly 1000 participants representing 120 contracting parties, as well as a number of observer states, un agencies and intergovernmental and non - governmental organizations, attended the meeting. cop9, the first ramsar cop held in africa, adopted 25 resolutions on a wide range of policy, programme and budgetary matters, including : additional scientific and technical guidance for the implementation of the ramsar wise use concept ; engagement of the convention in ongoing multilateral processes dealing with water ; the convention ’ s role in natural disaster prevention, mitigation and adaptation ; wetlands and poverty reduction ; cultural values of wetlands ; and the emergence of avian flu. the cop also adopted the convention ’ s budget and work plan for the 2006 - 2008 triennium, and reviewed its strategic plan 2003 - 2008. during cop9, there were two technical sessions on the wise use of wetlands in integrated water management and culture and knowledge in wetland management as well as an informal ministerial dialogue, organized by the government of uganda. participating ministers adopted the kampala declaration, which emphasizes the role of the convention in arresting continuing loss and degradation of wetland ecosystems. a brief history of the ramsar convention the convention on wetlands of international importance especially as waterfowl habitat ( also known as the ramsar convention ) was signed in ramsar, iran, on 2 february 1971, and came into force on 21 december 1975. the convention provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. originally emphasizing the conservation and wise use of wetlands primarily to provide a habitat for waterbirds, the convention has subsequently broadened its scope to address all aspects of wetland conservation and wise use. this shift in focus reflects the increasing recognition of the importance of wetlands as ecosystems that contribute to both biodiversity conservation and human well - being. wetlands cover an estimated nine percent of the earth ’ s land surface, and contribute significantly to the global economy in terms of water supply, fisheries, agriculture, forestry and tourism. the ramsar convention is the only environmental treaty dealing with a particular ecosystem, and currently has 147 parties


percent of the earth ’ s land surface, and contribute significantly to the global economy in terms of water supply, fisheries, agriculture, forestry and tourism. the ramsar convention is the only environmental treaty dealing with a particular ecosystem, and currently has 147 parties. a total of 1524 wetland sites covering 129. 2 million hectares are included in the ramsar list of wetlands of international importance. parties to the convention commit themselves to : designate at least one site that meets the ramsar criteria for inclusion in the ramsar list and ensure maintenance of the ecological character of each ramsar site ; include wetland conservation within national land - use planning in order to promote the wise use of all wetlands within their territory ; establish nature reserves on wetlands and promote training in wetland research and management ; and consult with other parties about convention implementation, especially with regard to transboundary wetlands, shared water systems, shared species and development projects affecting wetlands. contracting parties meet every three years to assess progress in implementing the convention and wetland conservation, share knowledge and experience on technical issues, and plan for the next triennium. in addition to the cop, the convention ’ s work is supported by a standing committee, a scientific and technical review panel, and the ramsar bureau, which carries out the functions of a secretariat. there have been eight meetings of the cop since the convention ’ s entry into force : cop1 in cagliari, italy ( 24 - 29 november 1980 ) ; cop2 in groningen, the netherlands ( 7 - 12 may 1984 ) ; cop3 in regina, canada ( 27 may - 5 june 1987 ) ; cop4 in montreux, switzerland ( 27 june - 4 july 1990 ) ; cop5 in kushiro, japan ( 9 - 16 june 1993 ) ; cop6 in brisbane, australia ( 19 - 27 march 1996 ) ; cop7 in san jose, costa rica ( 10 - 18 may 1999 ) ; and cop8 in valencia, spain ( 18 - 26 november 2002 ). cop7 : at cop7, delegates focused on the interrelations between human societies and wetland habitats. they considered the convention ’ s implementation in each region and adopted 30 resolutions and four recommendations on policy, programme and budgetary issues. in addition, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the ramsar bureau and the unesco world heritage center. cop8 : with over 1000 participants, cop8 was the largest cop in the convention ’ s history. focusing on “ water, wetlands, life and culture, ” delegates adopted more than 40 resolutions addressing policy, technical, programme and


world heritage center. cop8 : with over 1000 participants, cop8 was the largest cop in the convention ’ s history. focusing on “ water, wetlands, life and culture, ” delegates adopted more than 40 resolutions addressing policy, technical, programme and budgetary matters, including wetlands and agriculture, climate change, cultural issues, mangroves, water allocation and management, and the report of the world commission on dams. they also approved the convention ’ s budget and work plan for 2003 - 2005, and its strategic plan for 2003 - 2008. the opening ceremonies for the ninth conference of the contracting parties ( cop9 ) to the ramsar convention were held on tuesday evening, 8 november 2005. antonio fernandez de tejada, representing spain, cop8 ’ s host country, handed over the ramsar flag to kahinda otafiire, the ugandan minister of lands, water and the environment. commending the government of uganda for hosting the first ramsar cop in africa, fernandez de tejada drew delegates ’ attention to new challenges facing the convention and called for boosting international cooperation for the conservation of wetland ecosystems. otafiire outlined uganda ’ s progress towards conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, and assured delegates that the theme of cop9 and the aims of the convention would be upheld during the conference. highlighting the findings of the millennium ecosystem assessment ( ma ), ramsar secretary general peter bridgewater noted that the rate of wetland degradation surpasses that of other ecosystems, and outlined two major tasks for the conference : identifying problems and promoting the convention. he stressed the need to balance the desire to add more sites to the ramsar list of wetlands of international importance with ensuring their representativeness and effective management. he called for synergies among biodiversity - related conventions, better environmental governance frameworks and capacity building. bakary kante, director, division of environmental conventions, unep, delivered an address on behalf of unep executive director klaus topfer. he highlighted : enhanced cooperation between unep and the ramsar convention ; wetlands ’ contribution to poverty reduction, disaster prevention and mitigation ; and opportunities created by market approaches to ecosystem services. speaking on behalf of ramsar ’ s international organization partners ( iops ), achim steiner, director general, the world conservation union ( iucn ), congratulated uganda on its achievements in wetland conservation and called for greater coherence among multilateral environmental agreements ( meas ) and broader stakeholder engagement. a civil society representative reported on the civil society forum held on


conservation union ( iucn ), congratulated uganda on its achievements in wetland conservation and called for greater coherence among multilateral environmental agreements ( meas ) and broader stakeholder engagement. a civil society representative reported on the civil society forum held on 4 november 2005. she stressed the importance of wetlands for poverty reduction and their ability to provide support services for sustaining livelihoods. she also proposed developing legally binding mechanisms to hold parties responsible for arrears in annual dues payments, and called on parties to make information accessible to civil society organizations and local communities. speaking on behalf of donor countries, kathelyne craenen ( belgium ) noted that wetland conservation continues to be a lower priority on the donor agenda. she requested that wetlands be put on national and international investment agendas and called on parties to advocate for the wise use of wetlands and their resources. youth representatives presented their concerns and proposals, asking delegates to ensure that information is easy to understand and to remember that youth will be impacted by cop9 decisions. philippe jacob, secretary general, danone group, presented the triennial ramsar wetland conservation awards in the categories of science, management, and education, respectively to : shuming cai, chinese academy of sciences, china ; sh. a. nezami baloochi, department of environment, province of gilan, iran ; and a shared award between reiko nakamura, ramsar centre, japan and the wetlands centre, australia. on wednesday morning, 9 november, antonio fernandez de tejada, spain, officially opened cop9, inviting delegates to consider the agenda and other organizational matters. delegates elected kahinda otafiire ( uganda ) as cop9 president, and tony slatyer ( australia ) and flavio chazaro ( mexico ) as vice - presidents. delegates adopted the agenda without amendment ( cop9 doc. 1, rev. 2 ), and the rules of procedure ( cop9 doc. 2 ), with minor amendments. the cop then established a credentials committee comprised of delegates from each of the six ramsar regions, namely : benin ( africa ), thailand ( asia ), switzerland ( europe ), peru ( the neotropics ), canada ( north america ), and new zealand ( oceania ). delegates also established a finance committee, chaired by trevor swerdfager ( canada ), with, albania, algeria, australia, austria, bahamas, china, colombia, japan, the netherlands, nicaragua, nigeria, the russian federation, switzerland, the uk, and the us designated as members


by trevor swerdfager ( canada ), with, albania, algeria, australia, austria, bahamas, china, colombia, japan, the netherlands, nicaragua, nigeria, the russian federation, switzerland, the uk, and the us designated as members. the secretariat noted that the committee is open to all parties and observers. president otafiire presented the list of registered observers ( cop9 doc. 31 ), stating this list would remain open as new observers are registering daily. argentina objected to registering the uk overseas territories conservation forum as uk - based, as this non - governmental organization ( ngo ) relates to the falkland / malvinas, south georgia and south sandwich islands and rejected all references to these as uk territories. the uk reiterated its position on the sovereignty of the islands. report of the standing committee and the scientific and technical review panel on wednesday, gordana beltram ( slovenia ), standing committee chair, presented the report on the committee ’ s work during the 2003 - 2005 triennium ( cop9 doc. 3 ), highlighting work related to : preparation for cop9 ; review of work by the scientific and technical review panel ( strp ) ; financial matters relating to the implementation of the convention ; and creating synergies between the convention and other meas. she called for greater attention to social and economic considerations related to wetland ecosystems in the committee ’ s future work. the report was adopted with minor amendments. max finlayson ( australia ), strp chair, presented the report on the strp ’ s work during the 2003 - 2005 triennium ( cop9 doc. 4 ). in providing technical advice for cop9, finlayson highlighted the panel ’ s work in preparing the following documents : additional scientific and technical guidance for implementing the ramsar wise use concept ( cop9 dr1 ) ; a conceptual framework for ramsar ’ s wise use concept ( annex a ) ; a revised strategic framework and guidelines for further development of the list of wetlands of international importance ( annex b ) ; an integrated framework for ramsar ’ s water - related guidance ( annex c ) ; ecological “ outcome - oriented ” indicators for assessing the convention ’ s implementation effectiveness ( annex d ) ; and an integrated framework for wetland inventory, assessment and monitoring ( annex e ). during the ensuing discussions, countries expressed general support for the frameworks prepared by the strp. they also agreed to establish a contact group to consider annexes a and b of the resolution on additional scientific and technical guidance for implementing the ramsar wise use concept


the ensuing discussions, countries expressed general support for the frameworks prepared by the strp. they also agreed to establish a contact group to consider annexes a and b of the resolution on additional scientific and technical guidance for implementing the ramsar wise use concept ( cop9 dr1 ). report of the secretary general on wednesday, secretary general bridgewater reported on the implementation of the convention at the global level over the 2003 - 2005 triennium ( cop9 doc. 5 and doc. 6 ) and highlighted the prospect of reaching 160 contracting parties by cop10. bridgewater noted that the secretariat has managed to balance the convention ’ s budget since cop8, but underscored the need to work “ smarter, not harder ” in the 2006 - 2008 triennium. noting that 110 parties had submitted national reports, a smaller number than desired, he stressed the need to simplify the national reporting format and continue regular communication between the secretariat and parties. on the strategic plan 2003 - 2008, bridgewater highlighted the need to focus on key issues in order to increase the percentage of attainable targets. he also highlighted six imperatives extracted from parties ’ national reports : understanding new international institutional frameworks and how ramsar fits into them ; reinforcing and developing the convention ’ s strong scientific basis ; effectively managing the list of wetlands of international importance ; promoting integrated management approaches ; developing a communication, education and public awareness ( cepa ) programme that responds to the needs of local people ; and ensuring the convention is effectively managed intersessionally through the standing committee and the secretariat. regional overviews of implementation delegates reviewed implementation of the convention and draft resolutions on the cop9 agenda in regional group meetings held on thursday, 10 november. on friday evening, 11 november, the groups met to approve appointments to the standing committee. africa : chaired by fanuel a. demas ( namibia ), the africa regional group ’ s discussions focused on making the most of the first ramsar cop held in africa. ghana urged parties to strengthen the region ’ s position and representation by fulfilling their credential requirements and paying their dues, as the region has the largest outstanding portion, and participating in the strp and other committees. on the draft resolutions, delegates called for inclusion of africa - focused proposals in several resolutions, including on : engagement in multilateral processes on water ; natural disaster prevention ; and the ramsar endowment fund. regarding ramsar sites no longer meeting criteria for listing, the secretariat noted that, as drafted, more than half of the african ramsar sites may


on : engagement in multilateral processes on water ; natural disaster prevention ; and the ramsar endowment fund. regarding ramsar sites no longer meeting criteria for listing, the secretariat noted that, as drafted, more than half of the african ramsar sites may be removed from the list with possible contractual ramifications for parties. the americas : the americas regional group, chaired by john bowleg ( bahamas ), reviewed regional positions on several draft resolutions. on scientific and technical aspects, peru, supported by canada, opposed language on water rights. several delegates expressed concern with the draft resolution on [ transboundary ] [ transnational ] ramsar sites, citing, inter alia, sovereignty issues. on natural disaster prevention, cuba suggested language referring to the impact of extreme climactic events and the us emphasized pre - disaster management and prevention. the group opposed the draft resolution on wetlands of the antarctic proposed by switzerland. asia : the asia regional group, co - chaired by yasaman rajabkhah shalmany ( iran ) and djismun kasri ( indonesia ) considered various draft resolutions. on the revised strategic framework and guidelines for future development of the list of wetlands of international importance, one delegate noted that the guidelines should not deviate from national laws. the group approved the suggested amendments concerning ecological indicators. on designation and management of [ transboundary ] [ transnational ] ramsar sites, delegates could not form a common position on use of terms “ transboundary ” or “ transnational. ” on streamlining the implementation of the strategic plan, many countries said its targets are unrealistic. regarding the revised modus operandi of the strp, several parties suggested country rotation in selecting experts. many countries supported the convention ’ s work on wetlands and poverty reduction and natural disaster prevention. regarding an information text on managing wetlands and waterbirds in response to avian flu, some countries said the focus should be on waterbirds only, while others noted that some of the recommendations in the text are beyond the scope of the convention. on friday morning, 11 november, the group considered financial and budgetary matters. several parties underscored the need for a strong secretariat and adequate budget to implement the strategic plan. parties also highlighted the need for mechanisms to resource the small grants fund ( sgf ) and to fund regional projects. europe : europe regional group chair gordana beltram ( slovenia ) opened the discussions on draft resolutions. on cultural values of wetlands, delegates favored recognizing cultural values in addition to the already established ecological character in identifying


determining values of wetland ecosystems and how to incorporate these values into decision making. culture and knowledge in wetland management : secretary general bridgewater stressed that it is more important to use culture in the management and wise use of wetlands than to use it as a criterion for site designation. thymio papayannis, mediterranean institute for nature and anthropos, reviewed activities of the mediterranean wetlands ( medwet ) cultural working group and, discussing changing cultural landscapes, noted loss of traditional activities. he emphasized incorporating cultural aspects into wetland management, while respecting social specificity of culture. traditional elders from the paroo river area in australia highlighted aboriginal values identified in a cultural mapping project and the importance of building relationships among relevant stakeholders. sansanee choowaew, thailand, emphasized a culture - based approach to managing wetlands, and highlighted, inter alia, joint efforts between temples and local communities, and marking temples as wildlife refuges. monica herzig, mexico, highlighted local community involvement in the planning process, and said culture is a broad term and a systematic approach has yet to be developed. maria jose vinals, spain, discussed progress made in the mediterranean region for incorporating cultural values in wetland management through : restoring cultural heritage ; increasing wetland awareness ; conserving cultural landscapes ; and valuing cultural tradition. during the course of cop9, delegates heard several special presentations on wetland - related issues and activities. address by the president of uganda : uganda ’ s president yoweri museveni addressed the cop on monday afternoon, 14 november. president museveni highlighted threats to wetland ecosystems, which cover 13 percent of the country ’ s land area and include the headwaters of the river nile, and outlined possible solutions. he identified as threats : deforestation and silting of wetland ecosystems ; conversion of wetlands into agricultural lands, including pastures, farms and rice paddies ; international environmental ngos for their opposition to energy plans, which he said leads to over - reliance on firewood ; and predominance of the rural population and agriculture in uganda. he noted as solutions : universal education ; reafforestation programmes, which generate income for local communities ; electrification through hydro, geothermal and solar energy projects ; and industrialization. millennium ecosystem assessment : on saturday, 12 november, rebecca d ’ cruz, synthesis team co - chair, presented the millennium ecosystem assessment ( ma ) synthesis report on “ ecosystems and human well - being : wetlands and water. ” she stressed that ecosystem services are vital to human well - being, lamenting that many of these


, synthesis team co - chair, presented the millennium ecosystem assessment ( ma ) synthesis report on “ ecosystems and human well - being : wetlands and water. ” she stressed that ecosystem services are vital to human well - being, lamenting that many of these services are overused, mismanaged or degraded, and highlighted policy choices available to reduce wetland degradation while maintaining benefits. distinguishing between free and economically valued services, she said many of the social and economic benefits have not been taken into account by decision makers. she said economic instruments promote conservation and wise use, and noted difficulties in valuation due to differing cultural values. noting accelerated wetland degradation, d ’ cruz highlighted a reduction of human well - being, especially in developing countries, coupled with an increased demand for wetland services. she said policy decisions must address trade offs between current and future use, and emphasized cross sectoral and ecosystem approaches. she noted the report would help set the future agenda for ramsar, and could be used to raise awareness on wetlands. wetland conservation and sustainable use in uganda : on wednesday, 9 november, paul mafabi, uganda national wetlands programme, provided an overview of wetland conservation and sustainable use over the last 15 years in uganda, noting that wetland management began with a ban on wetland drainage. he said that wetland issues were incorporated into a poverty eradication plan in 2000, and that a wetlands sector strategic plan was created in 2001. in describing current achievements, mafabi highlighted : an increased level of awareness ; best use practices ; creation of policy and legal frameworks ; and the creation of inventories, which have provided vital information for decision making. mafabi also highlighted specific challenges for wetland policy, including the need to improve enforcement mechanisms. he underscored the need to : develop a solid knowledge base ; create political and public interest by using the right arguments ; build capacity at all levels for implementation ; and adopt realistic policies and laws. mafabi closed by highlighting the importance of ensuring institutional sustainability, and stressed that wetland ecosystems can play a vital role in peoples ’ livelihoods and contribute to their income, and that wetland ecosystem services can “ pay their own way. ” cop9 delegates considered 27 draft resolutions beginning on wednesday, 9 november. these resolutions were submitted by parties or prepared in advance by the standing committee and the strp. twenty - five draft resolutions were adopted by the conclusion of the meeting on tuesday, 15 november. the draft resolution on wetlands of the antarctic was withdrawn, and the draft resolution on [ transnational ] [ transboundary ] ramsar sites was