Doing u-substitution twice (second time with w) Example where we do substitution twice to get the integral into a reasonable form
Doing u-substitution twice (second time with w)
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- Let's see if we can take the integral of cosine of 5x over e to the sine of 5x dx.
- And there's a crow squawking outside of my window so I'll try to stay focused.
- So let's think about whether u-substitution might be appropriate. Your first temptation might to said,
- "Hey, maybe we let u equal sine of 5x, and if u is equal to sine of 5x,
- we have something that is pretty close to du up here." Let's verify that.
- So du could be equal to -- so du/dx (derivative of u with respect to x),
- well we just use the chain rule. Derivative of 5x is 5,
- times the derivative of sine of 5x with respect to 5x, that's just going to be cosine of 5x.
- If we want to write this in differential form, which is useful when we do our u-substitution,
- we could say that du is equal to 5 cosine 5x.
- Now when you look over here, we don't have quite du there. We have just cosine of 5x dx--
- sorry, I need cosine of 5x dx, just like that. So when you look over here,
- you have a cosine of 5x dx, but we don't have a 5 cosine of 5x dx,
- but we know how to solve that. We can multiply by 5 and divide by 5.
- 1/5 times 5 is just going to be 1. So we haven't changed the value of the expression.
- But when we do it this way, we see pretty clearly, we have our u and we have our du.
- Our du is 5 -- let me circle that and let me do that in that blue color --
- is 5 cosine of 5x dx. So we can rewrite this entire expression as --
- I'll do that 1/5 in purple -- this is going to be equal to 1/5 --
- I hope you don't hear that crow outside; he's getting quite obnoxious --
- 1/5 times the integral of, well all this stuff in blue is my du,
- and then that is over e to the u. So how do we take the anti-derivative of this?
- Well, you might be tempted to -- well, what would you do here?
- Well, we're still not quite ready to simply take the anti-derivative here.
- If I were to rewrite this, I could rewrite this as (this is equal to)
- 1/5 times the integral of e to the negative u du.
- And so, what might jump out of you is maybe we do another substitution,
- and we already use the letter u, so maybe we might use w. We'll do some "w-substitution."
- And you might be able to do this in your head, but we'll do w-substitution just to make it a little bit clearer.
- So let's -- this would've been really useful if this was just e to the u,
- because we know the anti-derivative of e to the u. It's just e to the u.
- So let's just try to get it in terms of the form of e to the negative something.
- So let's set -- and I'm running out of colors here -- w equal to negative u.
- And in that case, then dw (derivative of w with respect to u) is negative 1,
- or if we were to write that statement in differential form,
- dw is equal to du times negative 1 is negative du.
- So this right over here would be our w, and do we have a dw here?
- Well we just have du; we don't have a negative du there.
- But we can create a negative du by multiplying this inside by negative 1,
- but then also multiplying the outside by negative 1.
- Negative 1 times negative 1 is positive 1; we haven't changed the value.
- We have to do both of these in order for it to make sense.
- Or I could do it like this. So negative 1 over here, and a negative 1 right over there.
- And if we do it in that form, then this negative 1 times du --
- that's the same thing as negative du -- this is this right over here.
- And so we can rewrite our integral -- it's going to be equal to --
- now it's going to be negative 1/5 -- trying to use the colors as best as I can --
- times the indefinite integral of e to the -- well instead of negative u, we could right w.
- E to the w. And instead of du times negative 1 or negative du, we can write "dw."
- Now this simplifies things a good bit. We know what the anti-derivative of this in terms of w.
- This is going to be equal to negative 1/5 e to the w, and then we might have some constant there,
- so I just do a plus C. And now we just have to all of our un-substituting.
- So we know that w is equal to negative u, so we could write that --
- so this is equal to negative 1/5 -- I want to stay true to my colors -- e to the negative u,
- that's what w is equal to, plus C. But we're still not done un-substituting.
- We know that u is equal to sine of 5x. So we can write this as being equal to
- negative 1/5 times e to the negative u, which is negative u is sine of 5x,
- and then finally, we have our plus C. Now, there was a simpler way that we could've done this
- by just doing one substitution. But then you kind of have to look ahead a little bit
- and realize that it was not trivial to take -- not to bad to take your anti-derivative of e to the negative u.
- The inside that you might of have although you shouldn't really hold yourself
- when you feel too bad when you didn't see that inside.
- We could've rewritten that original integral -- let me rewrite it --
- it's cosine of 5x over e to the sine of 5x dx. We could've written this entire integral as being equal to
- cosine of 5x times e to the negative sine of 5x dx. And in this situation, we could've said
- u to be equal to negative of 5x, and say well, if u is equal to --
- or negative sine of 5x, then du is going to be equal to negative 5 cosine of 5x,
- and we don't have a negative 5 -- oh, dx, we don't have a negative 5 here,
- but we can construct one by putting negative 5 there, then multiplying by negative 1/5,
- and then that would've immediately simplified this integral right over here to be equal to
- negative 1/5 times the integral of -- well, we have our du -- let me do this in a different color --
- that's the negative 5 -- let me do it this way -- negative 5 cosine of 5x dx.
- So that is our du -- I'm just changing the order of multiplication -- times e to the u.
- This whole thing now is u this second time around. So if we did it this way, with just one substitution,
- we could've immediately gotten to the result that we wanted. You take the anti-derivative of this --
- I'll do it in one color now, just 'cause I think you get the idea -- this is equal to
- negative 1/5 e to the u plus C. u is equal to negative sine of 5x,
- so this is equal to negative 1/5 e to the negative sine of 5x plus C. And we're done.
- So this one is faster; it's simpler, and over time, you might even start being able to do this in your head.
- This top one, you still didn't mess up by just setting u equal to sine of 5x;
- we just have to do an extra substitution in order to work it through all the way.
- And I was able to do this video despite the crowing crow outside -- or squawking crow.
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Definitions of bullying
Bullying is when a person or a group repeatedly and intentionally uses or abuse their power to intimidate, hurt, oppress or damage someone else. It can be covert or cyber-based (happening online through social networks or even through mobile phones). Bullying can be physical or emotional.
According to the National Centre Against Bullying, there are five different kinds of bullying behaviour. They are:
1. Physical bullying: when physical actions such as hitting, poking, tripping or pushing, are used to hurt and intimidate. Repeatedly and intentionally damaging someone's belongings is also physical bullying, says the centre.
2. Verbal bullying: involves the use of negative words, like name calling, insults, homophobic or racist slurs, or words used to intentionally upset someone.
3. Social bullying: when lies, the spreading of rumours or nasty pranks are used. This includes repeated mimicking and deliberate exclusion.
4. Psychological bullying: involves the repeated and intentional use of words or actions which can cause psychological harm. Examples include intimidation, manipulation and stalking.
5. Cyber bullying: this is the big one at the moment and is when technology is used to verbally, socially or psychologically bully. It can occur in chat rooms, on social networking sites, through emails or on mobile phones.
- mutual arguments and disagreements
- single episodes of social rejection or dislike
- single-episode acts of nastiness or spite
- random acts of aggression or intimidation.
Find more bullying solutions and information
- 15 solutions to bullying and cyber bullying
- Helping when your child is bullied
- How bullies pick their victim
- My child is a bully
- What makes a bully
- What is bullying
- Facts and figures about bullying
- Is your child being bullied
- How to deal with bullying
- What parents can do about bullying
- When your child is a bully, here's what to do
- How to talk about bullying and cyber bullying
- Cyber bullying: here's what it is and how to tackle it
- How parents can prevent bullying
- School policies on bullying
This article was written by Fiona Baker, former editor in chief of Mother & Baby, Pregnancy & Birth and Wondertime magazines, for Kidspot, Australia's leading parenting and pregnancy resource. Sources include Bullying No Way , National Centre Against Bullying, Raising Children Network, Bullying Hurts brochure
- 1. Bunk beds for kids: The ultimate safety guide
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- 3. How to get kids to listen
- 4. How to stop nagging
- 5. How birth order affects siblings
- 6. Pool safety
- 7. Kaz Cooke's 5 sibling rivalry tips
- 8. United parenting: how to be on the same page
- 9. How to tackle cyber bullies
- 10. When your child is the bully, here's what to do


Summer is usually the time for beach fun and barbeques but if you're stuck inside with a miserable cold, you may be sick longer than usual.
Medical experts are now saying that summer colds can last longer and have a higher chance of recurring than winter colds.
Winter viruses that cause upper respiratory infections are joined in the warmer months by enterovirus. This virus spread by coughing, sneezing and fecal matter. On top of the typical common cold symptoms, enterovirus can cause diarrhea, sore throats and rashes and linger around longer.
Another summer-specific factors is constant exposure to re-circulated air, which can dry out the lining of the nostrils and provide easier access to viruses. Dr. Muhammed Choudhry of Texas Health WNJ says there are several way to battle these summer colds.
"Most of these should respond to rest and plenty of hydration. They are usually caused by viruses and should get better in a few days. If they do not, you should talk to your doctor and see if there's something else that needs to be done such as a prescription to an antibiotic," said Choudhry.
You can prevent summer colds by following these tips:
WASH HANDS OFTEN
GET PLENTY OF SLEEP
EAT A BALANCED DIET
AVOID CONTACT WITH SICK PEOPLE
Designed by Gray Digital Media


Studies of a thigh bone fossil have uncovered strong evidence that a human-like creature walked upright six million years ago rather than the widely accepted four million years ago.
Walking on two feet, bipedalism , is one of the characteristics that distinguishes apes from humans.
‘Dating the beginnings of bipedalism is very important in the human story,' said Chris Stringer, human evolution expert at the Natural History Museum. 'Because, for many experts, it would mark a clear divergence from the ancestral/ape pattern and show that the human lineage had really begun.'
‘Bipedalism probably does represent a fundamental first step in human evolution,’ Stringer said. ‘As Darwin recognised, walking on two legs frees up the arms and hands for tasks like carrying, tool making, and tool use. And much of what happened in human evolution later on stemmed from it.’
CT (Computed tomography) scans were carried out on the fossil thigh bone and the density patterns of the bone were much closer to a modern human than to an ape.
Reported on the National Geographic website, Robert Eckhardt, who lead the research team at Pennsylvania State University, said ‘In present-day chimps and gorillas, the thicknesses in the upper and lower parts of that bone are approximately equal. In modern humans, the bone on top is thinner than on the bottom by a ratio of one to four or more.’ The ratio in the fossil was one to three, showing a bone formation more in line for an upright walker.
Eckhardt and the research team report their findings in the journal Science .


After failing to win reelection to the Congress Morris moved to Philadelphia and resumed his law practice. A series of newspaper articles on finance secured him the post of assistant to Robert Morris (no relative) in handling the finances of the new government (1781-85). In this position he planned the U.S. decimal coinage system. As a member of the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787 Morris played an active role, defending a strong centralized government and a powerful executive, opposing concessions on slavery, and putting the Constitution into its final literary form. He remained, however, a champion of aristocracy who distrusted democratic rule.
In 1789 Moris went to France as a private business agent, remained in Europe, and was appointed (1792) U.S. minister to France. During the French Revolution his sympathies lay with the royalists; he even helped plan a scheme to rescue Louis XVI. His recall was requested in 1794, but he traveled for several years before returning to America in 1798. From 1800 to 1803, Morris, a Federalist, was a U.S. senator from New York. He then retired to his estate. He condemned the War of 1812, going so far as to recommend the severance of the federal union. Morris was a strong advocate of the Erie Canal and served as chairman (1810-13) of the canal commission.
See his Diary of the French Revolution (1939), edited by his great-granddaughter, Beatrix Cary Davenport; biographies by T. Roosevelt (1888, repr. 1972), D. Walther (tr. 1934), and R. Brookhiser (2003); M. M. Mintz, Gouverneur Morris and the American Revolution (1970).
(born , Jan. 31, 1752, Morrisania house, Manhattan—died Nov. 6, 1816, Morrisania house) American statesman and financial expert. He was admitted to the bar (1771) and served in the New York Provincial Congress (1775–77) and the Continental Congress (1778–79). He distrusted the democratic tendencies of colonists who wanted to break with England, but his belief in independence led him to join their ranks. As assistant superintendent of finance (1781–85), he proposed the decimal coinage system that became the basis for U.S. currency. A delegate to the Constitutional Convention, he helped write the final draft of the Constitution of the United States. He served as minister to France (1792–94) and as a U.S. Senator (1800–03), and he was the first chairman of the Erie Canal commission (1810–16).
Learn more about Morris, Gouverneur with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Born in what is now part of New York City in 1752, Gouverneur Morris was of Welsh and Huguenot background. Morris graduated from King's College, known since the American Revolution as Columbia University, in 1768. He practiced law in the city starting in 1771.
Morris had a wooden leg as a result of an accident that occurred while he was climbing onto a carriage without anyone tending to the horses, which suddenly took off, catching his left leg in one of the carriage wheels on May 14, 1780. Physicians told Morris that they had no choice but to remove the leg below the knee.
On May 8, 1775, Morris was elected to represent his family estate in the New York Provincial Congress, an extralegal assembly dedicated to achieving independence. His advocacy of independence brought him into conflict with his family, as well as his mentor William Smith, who had abandoned the patriot cause when it moved towards independence.
Despite an automatic exemption from military duty because of his handicap and his service in the legislature, he joined a special "briefs" club for the protection of New York City, a forerunner of the modern New York Guard.
After the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, the British seized New York City and his family's estate. His mother, a Loyalist, gave the estate over to the British for military use. Because his estate was now in the possession of the enemy, he was no longer eligible for election to the New York state legislature and was instead appointed as a delegate to the Continental Congress.
He took his seat in Congress on January 28, 1778 and was immediately selected to a committee in charge of coordinating reforms in the military with General Washington. On a trip to Valley Forge, he was so appalled by the conditions of the troops that he became the spokesman for the Continental Army in Congress and pushed for substantial reforms in the training and methods of the army. He also signed the Articles of Confederation in 1778.
In 1779, he was defeated for re-election to Congress, largely because his advocacy of a strong central government was at odds with the decentralist views in New York. Defeated in his home state, he moved to Philadelphia to work as a lawyer and merchant.
In Philadelphia, he was appointed assistant superintendent of finance (1781-1785), and was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, before returning to live in New York in 1788.
During the convention, he was a friend and ally of George Washington and others who favored a stronger central government. Morris was elected to serve on a committee of five (chaired by William Samuel Johnson) that would draft the final language of the proposed Constitution. Catherine Drinker Bowen, in Miracle at Philadelphia, called Morris the committee's "amanuensis," meaning that it was his pen that was responsible for most of the draft.
"An aristocrat to the core," Morris believed that "there never was, nor ever will be a civilized Society without an Aristocracy". He also thought that common people were incapable of self-government and feared that the poor would sell their votes to rich people, and consequently thought that voting should be restricted to property owners. Morris also opposed admitting new Western states on an equal basis with the existing Eastern states, fearing that the interior wilderness could not furnish "enlightened" statesmen. At the Convention he gave more speeches than any other delegate, totaling 173.
He went to Europe on business in 1789 and served as Minister Plenipotentiary to France from 1792-1794. His diaries written during that time have become an invaluable chronicle of the French Revolution, capturing much of the turbulence and violence of that era. He returned to the United States in 1798 and was elected in 1800 as a Federalist to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James Watson, serving from April 3, 1800, to March 3, 1803. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1802. After leaving the Senate, he served as chairman of the Erie Canal Commission, 1810-1813.
At the age of 57, he married Anne Cary ("Nancy") Randolph, who was the sister to Thomas Mann Randolph, husband of Thomas Jefferson's daughter Martha Jefferson Randolph. He died at the family estate of Morrisania and is buried at St. Ann's Episcopal Church in the Bronx borough of New York City.
Morris's half-brother, Lewis Morris (1726-1798), was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Another half-brother, Staats Long Morris, was a Loyalist and major-general in the British army during the American Revolution. His nephew, Lewis Richard Morris, served in the Vermont legislature and in the United States Congress. His grandnephew was William M. Meredith, United States Secretary of the Treasury under Zachary Taylor. Morris's great-grandson, also named Gouverneur (1876-1953), was an author of pulp novels and short stories during the early twentieth century. Several of his works were adapted into films, including the famous Lon Chaney, Sr. film The Penalty.
Envoy to the Terror: Gouverneur Morris and the French Revolution.(Napoleon's Troublesome Americans: Franco-American Relations, 1804-1815)(Book review)
Jun 22, 2007; Envoy to the Terror: Gouverneur Morris and the French Revolution. By Melanie Randolph Miller. (Dulles, VA: Potomac Books, 2005....


Habitat Affects Escape Behavior of Birds
It seems birds of the same species raised in diverse settings behave differently in the face of a threat. Birds raised in an urban environment react differently than country-bred birds when faced with a predator.
A study undertaken by Diego Ibanez-Alamo, researcher at the University of Granada (UGR) and Anders Pape Moller from Paris-Sud University, highlights the fact that urbanization plays an influential role in a bird's survival strategies.
They analyzed the escape techniques of 1,132 birds belonging to 15 species in different rural and urban areas.
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The study showed that city birds have changed their behavior to adapt to new threats like cats, which are their main enemies in an urban habitat, instead of their more traditional enemies in the countryside, such as the sparrow hawk.
"When they are captured, city birds are less aggressive, they produce alarm calls more frequently, they remain more paralyzed when attacked by their predator and they lose more feathers than their countryside counterparts," explained by Juan Diego Ibanez-Alamo.
They were surprised to see that urbanization was directly linked with these differences. This finding gives rise to the concept that escape strategies evolve alongside the expansion of cities.
"It is crucial to discover how birds adapt to transformations in their habitat so that we can decrease their effects," said Ibanez-Alamo..
"Predation change caused by city growth is serious," outlined Ibanez-Alamo.
As the scientist indicates, tactics against their hunters are "crucial" so that birds can adapt to their new environment: "Birds should modify their behavior to be able to survive in cities because if not, they will become extinct at the mercy of urban growth."
These results appear in the journal, Animal Behavior.


FDA OKs Nexium for Kids 1-11
FDA Approves Nexium for Short-Term Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Young Children
Feb. 28, 2008 -- The FDA today approved short-term use of the drug Nexium for children aged 1-11 with gastroesophageal
reflux disease (GERD).
The FDA OK'd Nexium in two forms -- a delayed-release capsule and a liquid
form -- in doses of 10 milligrams or 20 milligrams for kids aged 1-11.
Nexium was already approved for children aged 12-17 in 20 mg or 40 mg
"This approval provides important information for appropriate dosing for
children ages 1-11 years with GERD," Julie Beitz, MD, director of the FDA's
Office for Drug Evaluation III in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
"Children prescribed this drug should be monitored by their physicians for
any adverse drug reactions."
Nexium is part of a class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
PPIs decrease the amount of acid produced in the stomach and help heal erosions
in the lining of the esophagus, a condition known as erosive
The FDA approved Nexium's use in children aged 1-11 for short-term treatment
of GERD based data extrapolated from previous studies done in adults, as well
as studies done in children.
In one study, 109 GERD patients aged 1-11 were treated with Nexium once
daily for up to eight weeks to evaluate Nexium's safety and tolerability. Most
of the patients showed healing of their esophageal erosions after eight weeks
The most common adverse reactions in children treated with Nexium were headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, gas, constipation, dry mouth, and
Nexium isn't approved for children younger than 1. The drug's safety and
efficacy hasn't been established in children in that age range, the FDA
Nexium is made by the drug company AstraZeneca.


I was helping a friend with setting up her iMac computer yesterday for genealogy and she said something that caught my attention. She said, "I have to learn what all the genealogy terms mean." That brought home a common problem with all specializations; learning the jargon.
Jargon is a really a technical term I became acquainted with during my graduate studies in Linguistics at the University of Utah. It is defined as special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand. The main problem with jargon is that we often do not even know we are using it.
Take for example, the word "genealogy" itself, as in "I am doing my genealogy" or "I am working on my genealogy." What does that statement communicate to a non-genealogist? And sometimes we wonder why we get blank stares. The challenge is that there is really no way to avoid jargon. It is present in every (I mean every) activity and profession and interest in the entire world from skydiving to sewing. Every human activity has its own special set of insider terms.
Jargon can be very exclusionary. If you are the outsider, trying to understand what the "insiders" are talking about can be a formidable challenge. An extreme type of jargon is called an argot. Sometimes the word argot is associated with criminal activities so using the word jargon is more appropriate. Usually term "argot" is used to identify an extreme jargon specifically designed to exclude outsiders. What is more difficult is that the people who are using the jargon are usually not even aware that they are using specialized words and terminology.
I have noticed that many people who are new to genealogy are put off immediately by genealogists using terms they don't immediately understand. For example, they are asked if they have a pedigree chart or family group record. Although these terms seem so simple and fundamental, they are in fact very specialized uses of common words. If you add in the jargon associated with computers and computer use, coming into the world of genealogy can be formidable.
By the way, it often doesn't help to try to explain or define our "jargon" terms because we end up using even more jargon to define the terms. I suggest that when you are talking to non-genealogists, you think carefully about the terms you are using and ask frequent questions to see if those you are speaking to understand what you are saying.


Editor’s Note: Ronald E. Hall, Ph.D. is a professor at Michigan State University and the author of "The Melanin Millennium." He has lectured on skin color both domestically and internationally, and testified as an expert witness in skin color discrimination cases. His forthcoming book is a revised edition of "The Color Complex."
By Ronald E. Hall, Special to CNN
(CNN) - In the early part of this century, there were separate facilities for blacks and whites, the Ku Klux Klan was a popular white supremacist organization and racism was easy to see.
In 1964, civil rights legislation outlawed racial discrimination, and there has been an advance of racial equality, including the election, and re-election of the first black president.
But while overt acts of racism have declined, discrimination continues in another form: colorism.
Colorism is a manifestation of how Western imperialism has exported European ideals, most notably the universal idealization of light skin, to American shores.
Not only have whites discriminated against blacks because of skin color, but people of color have also discriminated against one another. While colorism has existed for some time, it has only been recently acknowledged, as seen in the increase of legal cases and studies examining this “ism.”
Colorism is rooted in the long span of American history. The NAACP’s Crisis magazine printed an editorial on a heated exchange between the light-skinned W. E. B. DuBois and the dark-skinned Marcus Garvey. DuBois referred to Garvey as "fat, black” and “ugly," as if to suggest that a dark skin color denoted inferiority. Such an exchange was not an anomaly. A prominent NAACP official referred to Garvey by skin color, as a "Jamaican Negro of unmixed stock.” The not-so-subtle derogatory remark implied that having dark skin was unattractive.
Recently, I was retained as an expert witness for a suit filed against Sears Holding Management Corp. in Chicago. The plaintiff in the case was African-American, and previously employed by the defendant as an executive. In filing suit, the plaintiff alleged she was denied equal pay, promotion and then terminated on the basis of her age, race and skin color. According to testimony, a light-skinned African-American male employee of the company with less seniority cooperated in the plaintiff’s eventual termination. The case is ongoing.
In 1989, the Federal District Court of Atlanta heard the case of Walker vs. the Internal Revenue Service. Tracey Walker, the plaintiff, alleged that her IRS supervisor discriminated against her via performance evaluations on the basis of skin color. This is a landmark case as both the plaintiff and her supervisor are African-Americans. The plaintiff is light-skinned, whereas the defendant, by comparison, is dark-skinned. The presiding judge determined that such discrimination is a fact in the African-American community but that the plaintiff had failed to prove it to his satisfaction in her particular case.
The issue has not only been among African-Americans. In Felix v. Marquez, a case litigated in 1981 by the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, the litigants were employees of the Office of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in Washington. The darker-skinned Felix alleged that the lighter-skinned defendant did not promote her because of colorism. During the trial, Felix contended that only two of her 28 fellow employees were as dark or darker in skin color than she, which Felix suggested is the reason she was not promoted.
The increase in legal cases has been telling of the increase in acknowledging colorism in the United States, and recent studies have also explored the topic around the world.
Eurogamy is a discriminatory marital pattern based on having light skin. Eurogamy was demonstrated in a study done in Asia using random samples of a mail-order bride magazine published from 1991 through 2000. In the study, 620 Asian females were questioned about their spousal preferences. When light skin was a requirement for marriage, 96% of the females requested Caucasian men, 2% requested Asian men and 2% requested Hispanic men.
Colorism is manifested in discriminatory references to skin color, even who is seen as a suitable mate: If there is no action, it will continue as another insidious “ism” of the new millennium.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ronald E. Hall.


Title IX built generation of better athletesby Alex Friedrich, Minnesota Public Radio
ST. PAUL, Minn. — For the girls at this year's Minnesota high school track and field championships, Title IX is a lesson in a history book.
The sports it helped open up now dominate the lives of many of the girls.
Take 18-year-old Aitkin, Minn., High School senior Emily Lundgren, who runs the 400 meters.
Lundgren, who has been captain of her track and basketball teams and also plays tennis, said sports have been a big part of her life since the first grade.
"That's what you do in your summer — you practice your sports," she said. "They mean a lot to me, to say the least. They've really made me who I am today."
Lundgren and her teammates are arguably better athletes because of Title IX. It has given them better coaching, training facilities and even sports and nutrition research than girls received 40 years ago.
The change is the result of Title IX, a landmark piece of federal legislation enacted 40 years ago tomorrow.
Designed to prevent gender discrimination in the nation's education system, Title IX has paid dividends. Ten times more young women now play high-school sports than in 1972, according to statistics from National Federation of State High School Associations. There are six times as many female college athletes in NCAA colleges.
But it has become better known for opening up sports to women. Critics, meanwhile, say that progress has come at the cost of men's programs.
Stronger high school athletes grow into better college players -- and a few into professional athletes.
One example of the resources now available is the basketball camp held for young girls this month at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Varsity women's basketball players helped run the girls through drills, teach them special moves and immerse them in the game.
One of the teachers is Alyssa Favilla, a St. Thomas sophomore varsity forward who said sports gave her structure.
"They taught me time management — and how to be a competitor," she said. "And I use that in the classroom, too."
With each generation since Title IX, female athletes have grown bigger, stronger and faster, said Mary Jo Kane, director of the University of Minnesota's center for research on women's sports.
"They are infinitely more gifted than they have ever been," Kane said. "And it is a direct result of the decision of Title IX."
Kane, 61, knows what it's like to have been excluded. She grew up a tomboy in Illinois in the 1950s and '60s and played touch football, basketball and baseball in her neighborhood. But her high school had no organized sports for girls.
The choice was little better for JoAnn Andregg, now associate athletic director at the University of St. Thomas. At her California high school, women's volleyball and basketball held second-class status: No coaches. No budget. No rights to the gym.
"That usually meant we got in there after the boys' team was finished practicing," Andregg said. "Then we got in there. And we had to wear these God-awful uniforms, these one-piece uniforms for practice and games. I remember that so distinctly. "
Title IX changed that. Now, high schools and colleges typically provide sports opportunities proportional to the number of enrolled students of each gender.
In the last four decades, the number of women's college teams per campus has almost quadrupled, according to a report by Brooklyn College professors R. Vivian Acosta and Linda Jean Carpenter. But that has led to criticism that growth has come at the expense of men's programs.
While women now outnumber men on many college campuses, critics note that fewer women play college sports.
The American Sports Council, a group that wants to Congress to overhaul Title IX, has filed two lawsuits contesting the requirement of proportional sports offerings. Council media director Jim McCarthy said cash-strapped colleges have limited or slashed men's sports such as swimming, volleyball and soccer to make room for women's sports such as rowing, ice hockey and bowling.
McCarthy said Title IX requirements have led to a quota system that excludes male athletes who normally would have a shot at sports.
"That's been an absolute outrage, because the law is supposed to protect against discrimination," he said.
The solution, McCarthy said, is to end proportionality -- or at least survey all students about their real sports interests.
"Let the students themselves have a voice in how the law is applied," he said.
Kane and other Title IX supporters don't oppose surveys. But she said the methodology of past attempts has been flawed, and new surveys would have to be constructed and administered correctly.
Title IX supporters also say colleges are
Kane says colleges could cut the fat from large football programs and use the savings to pay for women's sports without dropping men's.
Students still seem to prefer men's sports, judging from what some college athletes say.
"We've earned a lot of respect," Favilla said. "But I can see how they don't see us as equal sometimes. We don't dunk or don't sprint as fast. But usually they treat us well."
Andregg, of St. Thomas, is concerned with one ironic outcome of the legislation.
Thanks to Title IX, women's college sports have become more competitive. So men now want to coach them. According to the Brooklyn College report, more than half of women's college sports teams have male coaches. Before Title IX, only one in 10 did.
"We're going to have daughters coming up who never see a female coach," Andregg said of the trend. "And I just think that's a shame."
If that happens, Andregg says, girls won't have many female athletic role models - and that might risk the gains they've made in the past 40 years.


Great apes go through mid-life crisis
They may not take up surfing or start second careers as cupcake-makers, but chimpanzees and orangutans seem to go through a ‘mid-life crisis’, just like humans.
A study of 508 great apes in captivity shows that the animals’ sense of well-being bottoms out in their late 20s to mid-30s, the ape equivalent of middle age, before rebounding in old age.
The finding that mid-life crises may not be uniquely human suggests that the events might have a biological, rather than a sociological, cause.
Men and women worldwide, regardless of their wealth or status, experience a dip in happiness at middle-age, generally defined as from the mid-30s to late 50s. Despite this universality, social scientists have struggled to identify the underlying cause of the dissatisfaction. Social and economic factors, such as financial hardship and the failure to realize unrealistic ambitions, are possible causes.
Alexander Weiss, a psychologist at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and his team set out to see if there might be a biological factor involved in the crises. They sought to assess the well-being of captive chimpanzees and orangutans as judged by their keepers or those who knew them well.
The apes covered all age ranges, and their ‘happiness’ was rated through a survey answered by their keepers. The survey covered four criteria: the animals’ overall mood; how much pleasure they got out of socializing; their success in achieving goals such as obtaining food and objects they desire; and how happy the keeper would be if he or she were that animal for a week.
The survey is admittedly anthropomorphic, says Weiss, but he adds that it is easy for someone who spends a lot of time with an ape to gauge its mood. Moreover, his previous work shows that the measure of well-being is consistent when measured by different caretakers, and is based, in part, on inherited genetic factors.
Among three different groups of chimps and orangutans surveyed, the happiest tended to be the oldest and youngest, and the most dissatisfied tended to be in their 30s. The study, however, is a snapshot — it didn’t follow any of the apes over time — which means there could be confounding factors such as the early death of unhappy apes. Nonetheless, Weiss believes the results offer a true picture.


Even if, internationally, Austria is not considered to be a special case, there is still widespread agreement on the fact that cooperation and the coordination of interests between the federations is one of this country’s distinctive features. The common definition for this type of cooperation is “social partnership”.
The federations and chambers work in close contact with one or other of the two political parties, the Austrian People’s Party or the Social Democratic Party of Austria. The considerable economic growth and rise in employment and wages during the 1950s and 1960s created a favourable basis for the exchange of economic and socio-political interests. All this contributed to the wide-spread establishment of the Austrian system of social partnership in the 1960s. If the 1970s could be regarded as its heyday, the 1990s, in particular, have witnessed a change in this system’s significance.
Social partnership is neither anchored in the Austrian constitution nor laid down in any specific act. It is rooted in the free will of the players concerned. To a large extent, it is implemented informally and confidentially and is not normally accessible to the general public.
The umbrella federations of the social partners wield great influence as regards political opinion-forming and decision-making. Their co-operation has thus often been criticised as a “secondary government”, although the political omnicompetence often attributed to the social partners has, in fact, never existed as such. The co-operation and coordination of interests among the associations and with the government have only ever applied to specific fields of politics, such as income policies and certain aspects of economic and social policies, (e.g. industrial safety regulations, agrarian market legislation, labour market policies and principles of equal treatment). In these areas, during the past decades the social partners have substantially contributed to Austria’s economic, social and political stability – evidence of which can be found in economic growth, in the rise of employment, in the expansion of the welfare state and also in the often quoted “social peace”.
Several avenues for political decision-making are open to the large national federations. A traditionally used channel is their close relationship with one or the other of the long-standing government parties, i.e. the Social Democratic Party or the Austrian People’s Party. In addition, the federations are incorporated, both formally and informally, into the political opinion-forming process of the relevant ministries, as evidenced by their participation in a number of committees, advisory boards and commissions. Even at the parliamentary level, involvement of experts from the federations and chambers is a normal practice.
Austria’s accession to the European Union has expanded the federations’ scope in that they not only have privileged access to relevant information and documentation. Of even greater importance are their possibilities for influencing the Austrian position in proposing EU legislation. All in all, by comparison with many other countries, this means that the large national federations in Austria have excellent possibilities for shaping the policies relating to their interests. However, social partnership in the true sense of the word goes beyond this: its core task consists of the balancing of opposing interests in the aforementioned political fields through contextual compromises among federations or between the federations and the government.
Since the 1980s, economic, social and political changes have become apparent in Austria, too. Evidence of this lies in reduced economic growth, rising budgetary deficits, increasing competition and unemployment, and an expanding rivalry between the political parties. Against this backdrop, it has not only become more difficult for the federations to align the different interests of their members to a common denominator: reduced turnout in elections to the chambers and the general calling into question of compulsory membership are symptoms of change. In addition, it is not only becoming increasingly difficult, but also rarer, to strike a balance between the federations’ interests. Well-known institutions, such as the Paritätische Kommission für Lohn- und Preisfragen (Parity Commission for Wages and Prices), which – particularly in the comments of foreign observers – has been widely recognised as a central institution of the Austrian social partnership, have lost some of their significance. The changes are mainly manifest in the re-weighting of the influence of the players involved in the political decision-making process; the government has gained formative power and influence. In important budgetary, economic and socio-political questions it decides both the procedure and the core contents. Austria’s accession to the European Union has reinforced this development. At the same time, however, EU membership also entails a loss of terrain for the federations. Decisions on topics such as agricultural, competition and monetary policies are decided at EU level. Here, the influence of the federations is essentially limited to formulating the Austrian position, which is just one out of 15.
All this does not currently mean that the system of social partnership has come to an end. There are also visible signs of continuity. The privileged position of the national federations remains unchanged. In the political decision-making process a balance of interests can still be achieved. However, the influence has lessened. Not the end, but certainly changes and reforms of the social partnership, are currently on the agenda.


"From the creators of Animachines, a playful way for kids to learn actions, animals, and opposites."
Opposites are everywhere in our world. A day at the park will reveal busy kids and active animals doing opposite actions. There, on the slide: Sam goes up as Hiroko zips down. And there, in the tree: one squirrel climbs up and another scurries down. Not far away, Daddy is quiet but Simon is LOUD, while a mother bird is silent as she feeds her chirping babies.
In Kids Do, Animals Too ten pairs explain opposites to young children. Each pair features people and a different animal, including: fast, slow -- dogs in, out -- mice up, down -- squirrels on, off -- frogs ahead, behind -- ants quiet, loud -- birds under, over -- spiders wet, dry -- ducks toward, away -- butterflies asleep, awake -- squirrels, bats
The softly colored artwork features familiar park settings, and includes look-and-find details that cleverly connect each active scene. Meanwhile, the aptly crafted language keeps the action moving and the learning fun.


January 10, 2002
Parshat Vaerah (Exodus 6:2-9:35)
From the Torah's beginning until its end, God is portrayed as being personally involved in the welfare of humanity. Deism is not a Jewish notion. God is not an "unmoved mover," the proverbial clockmaker who after assembling and winding his ware, steps back watching it tick down, never to again involve Himself with it. On the contrary, God hears our innermost thoughts, feels our deepest concerns, judges us and guides us through our lives. A traditional Jewish concept of God is one that is interactive and intimately personal.
This week's Torah portion, Vaerah, begins with God hearing, and ultimately reacting to, the Israelites brutal enslavement. "I have now heard the moaning of the Israelites because the Egyptians are holding them in slavery, and I have remembered My covenant." (Exodus 6:5) The covenant being remembered is between God and the Israelite people. Curiously, it was the king of Egypt, and not God, or the Israelites themselves, who coined the phrase, "Israelite People." Acting out of panic, Pharaoh wanted to do away with the Hebrews, when he declared they were becoming too numerous. (Exodus 1:9)
Even so, the distinction placed on our understanding of covenant is an important one. The covenant serves to bind God to an entire group, not to an individual, or a handful of individuals. "The God of Israel is no mythological deity who mingles freely with men in history," writes philosopher Rabbi Emil Fackenheim in his book, "God's Presence in History." "Nevertheless, not messengers, not angels, not intermediaries, but God himself acts in human history."
God hears the cries of the people Israel and responds. The plagues used to dislodge the Hebrew slaves are physical indicators of God's personal involvement. Admittedly, not all the Hebrew slaves were liberated from their miserable environment. Over the span of several hundred years, countless generations of Israelites were born and died while held captive by Pharaoh and his cohorts, never having experienced the beauty of life.
Collectively, we have survived as a people, and the covenant between God and us continues. While unimaginably large numbers of Jews have suffered and died throughout history, the Jewish People continue to thrive; the covenant remains intact. To those who are turned off to faith because of great personal, or even national loss, little can be said; out of respect, perhaps nothing ought to be said. After the Holocaust, for example, a number of Jewish theologians have felt the covenant was so compromised that it is no longer binding.
All that notwithstanding, the spiritual question most of us encounter is whether life is little more than a series of coincidences. To some, our existence is the outgrowth of luck, possibly karma, astrology or magic. To the Jew, our people's existence is the result of God, and the covenant we have with Him. No doubt, life is made more palatable because of it. And, if the message conveyed throughout the Torah is correct, all peoples, Jewish or not, are additionally blessed to have a God who is personally involved in the day-to-day affairs of their lives.
Michael Gotlieb is the rabbi of Kehillat Ma'arav in Santa Monica.


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grassland plants of south dakota and the northern great plains
"Learning to identify and understand the plants that produce the forage, provide the cover, protect the soil, and enrich our lives in many ways is an essential first step to conserving our native grassland, whether they are the grasslands we own and manage, or the grasslands we hunt and hike over, or simply the grasslands we view from our vehicles. This photographic guide can help you discover and learn about the plants inhabitating our northern prairies and plains." David J. Ode, Botanist/Ecologist, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department Authors are James R. Johnson and Gary E. Larson
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Herbal In Italy
( Originally Published 1912 )
The Italian botanists of the Renaissance devoted them-selves chiefly to interpreting the works of the classical writers on Natural History, and to the identification of the plants to which they referred. This came about quite naturally, from the fact that the Mediterranean flora, which they saw around them, was actually that with which the writers in question had been, in their day, familiar. The botanists of southern Europe were not compelled, as were those whose homes lay north of the Alps, to distort facts before they could make the plants of their native country fit into the procrustean bed of classical descriptions.
One of the chief of the commentators and herbalists of this period was Pierandrea Mattioli [or Matthiolus] (Text-fig. 40), who was born at Siena in 1501, and died of the plague in 1577. We realise something of the frightful extent of this scourge, when we remember that it claimed as victims no less than three of the small company of Renaissance botanists, Gesner, Mattioli and Zaluzian. Leonhard Fuchs was brought into fame by his successful treatment of one of these epidemics. It should also be recalled that, while Gaspard Bauhin, one of the best known of the later herbalists, was practising as a physician at Basle, no less than three of these terrible outbreaks occurred in the town.
Mattioli was the son of a doctor, and his early life was passed in Venice, where his father was in practice. He was destined for the law, but his inherited tastes led him away from jurisprudence to medicine. He practised in several different towns, and became physician, successively, to the Archduke Ferdinand, and to the Emperor Maximilian II.
Mattioli's ` Commentarii in sex libros Pedacii Dioscoridis,' his chef-d'oeuvre, the gradual production and improvement of which occupied his leisure hours throughout his life, was first published in 1544. It was translated into many languages and appeared in countless editions. The success of the work was phenomenal, and it is said that 32,000 copies of the earlier editions were sold. The title does not do the book justice, for it contains, besides an exposition of Dioscorides, a Natural History dealing with all the plants known to Mattioli. The early editions had small illustrations only (Text-figs. 41, 42, 93 and 94), but, later on, editions with large and very beautiful figures were published, such as that which appeared at Venice in 1565.
Mattioli's descriptions of the plants with which he deals are not so good as those of some of his contemporaries.
He found and recorded a certain number of new plants, especially from the Tyrol, but most of the species, which he described for the first time, were not his own discoveries, but were communicated to him by others. Luca Ghini, for instance, had projected a similar work, but handed over all his material to Mattioli, who also placed on record the discoveries made by the physician, Wilhelm Quakelbeen, who had accompanied the celebrated diplomatist, Auger-Gislain Busbecq, on a mission to Turkey.
Busbecq brought from Constantinople a wonderful collection of Greek manuscripts, including Juliana Anicia's copy of the Materia Medica of Dioscorides, now in the Vienna Library (see pp. 8 and 154). He discovered this great manuscript in the hands of a Jew, who required a hundred ducats for it. This price was almost prohibitive, but Busbecq was an enthusiast, and he successfully urged the Emperor, whose representative he was, to redeem so illustrious an author from that servitudes." His purpose in buying the manuscript seems to have been largely in order to communicate it to Mattioli, who would thus be able to make use of it in preparing his Commentaries on Dioscorides.
The personal character of Mattioli does not appear to have been a pleasant one. He engaged in numerous controversies with his fellow botanists, and hurled the most abusive language at those who ventured to criticise him.
Another Italian herbalist, Castor Durante, slightly later in date than Mattioli, should perhaps be mentioned here, not because of the intrinsic value of his work, but because of its widespread popularity. At least two of his books appeared in many editions and translations.
Durante was a physician who issued a series of botanical compilations, bedizened with Latin verse. The best known of his works is the Herbaro Nuovo,' published at Rome in 1585 (Text-figs. 45 and 103). A second book, the original version of which is seldom met with, has survived in the form of a German translation, by Peter Uffenbach. The German version was named ` Hortulus Sanitatis.' As an illustration of Durante's charmingly unscientific manner, we may take the legend of the " Arbor tristis " which occurs in both these works. The figure which accompanies it (Text-fig. 45) shows, beneath the moon and stars, a drawing of a tree whose trunk has a human form. The description, as it occurs in the ` Hortulus Sanitatis,' ay be translated as follows :
"Of this tree the Indians say, there was once a very beautiful maiden, daughter of a mighty lord called Parisa taccho. This maiden loved the Sun, but the Sun forsook her because he loved another. So, being scorned by the Sun, she slew herself, and when her body had been burned, according to the custom of that land, this tree sprang from her ashes. And this is the reason why the flowers of this tree shrink so intensely from the Sun, and never open in his presence. And thus it is a special delight to see this tree in the night time, adorned on all sides with its lovely flowers, since they give forth a delicious perfume, the like of which is not to be met with in any other plant, but no sooner does one touch the plant with one's hand than its sweet scent vanishes away. And however beautiful the tree has appeared, and however sweetly it has bloomed at night, directly the Sun rises in the morning it not only fades but all its branches look as though they were withered and dead."
Much more famous than Durante was Fabio Colonna, or, as he is more generally called, Fabius Columna (Plate IX), who was born at Naples in 1567. His father was a well-known littérateur. Fabio Colonna's profession was that of law, but he was also well acquainted with languages, music, mathematics and optics. He tells us in the preface to his principal work that his interest in plants was aroused by his difficulty in obtaining a remedy for epilepsy, a disease from which he suffered. Having tried all sorts of prescriptions without result, he examined the literature on the subject, and discovered that most of the writers of his time merely served up the results obtained by the ancients, often in a very incorrect form. So he went to the fountain head, Dioscorides, and after much research identified Valerian as being the herb which that writer had recommended against epilepsy, and succeeded in curing himself by its use.
This experience convinced Colonna that the knowledge of the identity of the plants described by the ancients was in a most unsatisfactory condition, and he set himself to produce a work which should remedy this state of things. This book was published in 1592, under the name of ` Phytobasanos,' which embodies a quaint conceit after the fashion of the time. The title is a compound Greek word meaning "plant torture," and was apparently employed by Colonna to explain that he had subjected the plants to ordeal by torture, in order to wrest from them the secret of their identity. But it must be confessed that Colonna himself is by no means free from error, as regards the names which he assigns to them.
The great feature of the `Phytobasanos,' however, is the excellence of the descriptions and figures. The latter are famous as being the first etchings on copper used to illustrate a botanical work (Text-figs. 46 and 105). They were an advance on all previous plant drawings, except the work of Gesner and Camerarius, in giving, in many cases, detailed analyses of the flowers and fruit as well as habit drawings. We owe to Colonna also the technical use of the word "petaI," which he suggested as a descriptive term for the coloured floral leaves'.
By means of his wide scientific correspondence, Colonna kept in touch with many of the naturalists of his time, notably with de l'Écluse and Gaspard Bauhin.
A passing reference may be made here to a book which is rather of the nature of a local flora than a herbal, entitled Prosperi Alpini de plantis .iEgypti,' which was published at Venice in 1592. It contains a number of wood-cuts, which appear to be original. The one reproduced (Text-fig. 47) represents Salicornia, the Glasswort. The author was a doctor who went to Egypt with the Venetian consul, Giorgio Emo, and had opportunities of collecting plants there. He is said to have been the first European writer to mention the Coffee plant, which he saw growing at Cairo. Prospero Alpino eventually became Professor of Botany at Padua, and enriched the botanical garden of that town with Egyptian plants.


NASA scientists captured some footage of Plasma Indirection, a plasma shift on the surface of the Sun that looks like huge tornadoes churning. Pretty amazing stuff.
As if it could not make up its mind . . . darker, cooler plasma slid and shifted back and forth above the Sun’s surface seen here for 30 hours (Feb. 7-8, 2012) in extreme ultraviolet light. An active region rotating into view provides a bright backdrop to the gyrating streams of plasma. The particles are being pulled this way and that by competing magnetic forces. They are tracking along strands of magnetic field lines. This kind of detailed solar observation with high-resolution frames and a four-minute cadence was not possible until SDO, which launched two years ago on Feb. 11, 2010. So it’s our 2nd Anniversary!


The benefits of a post-secondary degree are plentiful. For example, an employee with a four year college degree earns 60 percent more than a worker with only a high school diploma. Paying for college, however, has become a daunting task and strain for many American students and families. The cost of higher education across the country is rapidly increasing, at almost double the rate of inflation, outpacing increases in financial aid and many families ability to pay. The combination of these factors result in too many students being unable to earn or complete their degrees due to financial constraints.
By one estimate, the federal government spent over $367 billion in 2005 aloneon subsidizing Americans' retirement savings and tax breaks to build upother assets like buying a home. Unfortunately, those subsidies gooverwhelmingly to those Americans who already have high-incomes; almostnone of it goes to the poorest Americans who need the most helpbuilding the financial assets that can lead to long-term economicopportunities and security.


We Can End Domestic Abuse
If your friend or loved one is experiencing domestic violence or is a survivor, there are many ways you can help to support them.
Do respect what she wants to do.
Every step is up to her.
Do share resources with your friend or loved one.
Professionals who work at shelters and on hotlines can help. You can’t do it all alone!
Do offer your unconditional understanding and support.
Start by helping them feel good about themselves. Emphasize their strengths.
Do be clear that you are there to listen, and not to judge.
There is an important balance between expressing concern and telling someone what to do. Encourage them to express their feelings and make their own decisions.
Do tell her it's not her/his fault.
Stress that she doesn’t deserve the abuse and that abuse is NEVER okay. Remind them often that you’re there for support whenever necessary.
Do identify the unhealthy behaviors.
Keep track of things you have noticed about the relationship and the abuser. Identify the changes you have seen in your loved one's behavior.
Do acknowledge the scariness of domestic violence.
It is scary and difficult to talk about interpersonal violence. Be prepared with good information.
Do encourage your loved one to build a support system.
A good support system includes the safe and healthy people in her life.
Don't spread gossip.
Gossip can put a victim in danger if it gets back to the abuser, so think before you speak. Your friend or loved one has taken a big step in coming to you—it is critical that they can trust you with confidential information.
Don't blame your friend or loved one for the abuse.
The victim should never feel as though the abuse is her fault.
Don't make them do something.
Don't force her to do something she is uncomfortable doing. They can make their own decisions. Don't try to end the relationship for them.
Don't criticize your loved one or her partner.
Even if you disagree with her choices. This may isolate them even more by making them feel that no one approves, or that they have to hide their relationship.


new zealand curriculum
The New Zealand Curriculum is
built around the acquisition of essential academic and practical
skills. It identifies 7 academic or essential
These are balanced by 8 practical
or essential skills:
- Language and languages
- Social sciences
- The arts
- Health & physical
- Communication skills
- Numeracy skills
- Information skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Self-management and
- Social and co-operative
- Physical skills
- Work and study skills
Each term, most schools prepare
student Progress Reports and hold parent-teacher evenings.
Subjects Taught At New Zealand Schools
The following is a general list of subjects taught in
New Zealand schools. Not all schools offer all the subjects
listed and others may offer additional disciplines. Some subjects
||Agriculture & Horticulture |
||Business Studies |
||Classical Studies |
||Media Studies |
||Physical Education |
||Social Studies |
||Graphics & Design |
||Clothing & Design
The school year begins in late January or early
February, after a summer holiday of about 6 weeks, and ends in
December. It is divided into 4 terms with breaks of two to three
weeks between them.
Secondary school students have slightly longer holidays
then primary school students.
Check with your local New Zealand school for actual term dates,
however the terms usually run as follows:
Term 1 - End of January to early April
Term 2 - Late April to end of June
Term 3 - Mid July to late September
Term 4 - Mid October to mid December (or early December for
New Zealand’s qualifications system is changing from traditional examination based awards to standards based qualifications. In 2002, level 1 of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) replaced School Certificate. The NCEA will replace Sixth Form Certificate in 2003 and University Bursaries in 2004.
National Certificate of Educational Achievement
NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) is New Zealand's main national qualification for secondary school students and part of the National Qualifications Framework.
The Qualifications Framework covers industry and education qualifications from year 11 (formerly Form 5) of secondary schooling and entry level to vocations, through to post-graduate level.
All qualifications currently on the Framework are made up of national standards. A standard describes what a learner should aim to achieve in a skill or knowledge area. Standards are set by written criteria along with a national moderation system. Learners who meet all requirements get credit for that standard; those who don't may be reassessed when they are ready.
Each standard is at a level from 1 to 8. Level 1 is similar to School Certificate level; level 2 to Sixth Form Certificate; levels 3 and 4 are similar to University Bursaries. Each standard also has a credit rating.
Schools can also use many standards from beyond the school curriculum. Any number or combination of standards may be assessed within a course, so schools can develop courses to suit their students.
Students accumulate Framework credits towards National Certificates and National Diplomas. As well as being able to work towards a range of National Certificates, eg, National Certificate in Computing, from 2002 school students will work towards a general qualification, the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Students can start on Framework qualifications at school and carry on in the workplace or tertiary studies.
NCEA provides the pathway to tertiary education and workplace training and gives everyone a full picture of what students know and can do.
- Challenges students of all abilities, in all learning areas
- Reports more details about a student's achievement
- Is officially recognised in New Zealand and internationally
- Is recognised by employers, universities and polytechnics and used as the benchmark for selection
- Provides opportunities to begin studying for tertiary and industry qualifications * Enables students to gain credits from traditional school curriculum areas AND alternative school curriculum programmes
- Has exams as well as internal assessment
- Has a national system for checking internal assessments
- Shows credits and grades for separate skills and knowledge in some standards
The National Qualifications Framework contains two types of national standards: achievement standards and unit standards. Credits from all achievement standards and all unit standards count towards NCEA.
Choosing A School
Most New Zealand students attend state-funded schools
and every student has the right to enrol at the state school
nearest to their home. If the school is at risk of overcrowding,
it can set a home zone that is geographically
defined. Students living in this zone have the right to go to
that school. Those living outside the zone can be enrolled only
under special circumstances. These include situations where
students have brothers or sisters attending the school or require
access to special programmes such as special education or Maori
language. If the school is still at risk of over-crowding,
selection is made through a supervised ballot.
ERO reports are available at no charge from New Zealand schools
and ERO offices.
Families also have the right to visit schools and meet with the
principal and staff before deciding to enrol their children as
State schools are fully funded by the Government. At
primary and intermediate level they are co-educational with
classes that include both boys and girls. Both co-educational and
single-sex schooling is available at secondary level.
State schools do not charge fees, however parents are expected to
make donations towards the support of special programmes or
services. These are also charges for stationery and uniforms.
Meals are not provided but snacks can generally be purchased from
the school Tuck Shop, but many parents prefer to
provide a packed lunch.
The term integrated schools generally refers
to schools with a religious focus - usually Roman Catholic
in denomination that used to operate as private institutions. In
recent years, these schools have been integrated into the state
system, hence the name, integrated schools, and receive
government funding. Although they follow the state curriculum
requirements, all have retained their special religious or
philosophical character. A small number of institutions, such as
Montessori or Rudolf Steiner schools, are secular in character.
Private or independent schools receive only limited
government funding and are almost entirely dependent on income
derived from student fees. There are no standard fees as each
school determines its own fee scale. Fees also vary according to
levels, with fees in Years 12 and 13 usually significantly higher
than those charged in Years 9 and 10.
Fees at primary schools also vary according to level, although
these are generally much lower than secondary school fees.
Private schools are governed by their own independent boards but
must meet government standards in order to be registered and they
are also subject to the same ERO audits as state schools.
Boarding schools exist mainly at secondary school level.
Currently 78 state and integrated schools and 24 private schools
have boarding arrangements.
The Correspondence School teaches a full range of school
Home-based schooling must meet the same standards as
registered schools, and approval to exempt the student from
regular schooling must be obtained from the Ministry of
A small annual grant is available for teaching materials.
Home schooling accounts for less than 1% of school enrolments.
Most schools require students to wear a uniform at all
times unless the school has an optional uniform policy. School
uniforms are sold by most major department stores and some
schools also operate their own Uniform Shops and sell both new
and second-hand items.
Teachers are not allowed to physically punish students
in their care. Legal disciplinary methods include removal of
privileges, extra homework or detention. Parents or guardians are
advised in advance if a child is given detention, as this will
require the child to stay at school for a specified time after
the end of the standard school day.
For serious offences, students may be suspended from school for a
period of time and if they are over 16 years of age, they can be
expelled permanently. Expulsion generally occurs when a
students conduct either sets a dangerous example to other
students or threatens their safety. There are formal procedures
for suspending or expelling a student.
Most secondary and primary schools expect students to do
homework. Each school has its own rules on the amount and type of
Parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring that a
child can get to school. Each year about 100,000 children use
school buses. Although school bus services are contracted by the
Ministry of Education, students are expected to meet the costs of
If a child has to travel a long distance to school, and there is
no public transport or school bus service, financial assistance
can be provided. Financial assistance and/or bus and taxi
services are provided for special education students.
If you plan to change schools, the principal of your
childs current school should be informed as soon as
Transfer involving a change in the level of schooling, such as
from primary to intermediate or intermediate to secondary,
require additional documentation. Details of application
procedures are provided by the school the student plans to
transfer to. Most intermediate and secondary schools have open


NINE BANDED ARMADILLO
Photo Credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dasypus novemcinctus
OTHER NAMES: Armadillo, Common Long-Nosed Armadillo
DESCRIPTION: The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) cannot easily be confused with any other North American wild mammal. The armadillo’s body is covered with an armored carapace or shell. The carapace is a double layer of horn and bone, segmented into three main divisions: an anterior scapular shield covering the shoulder; a posterior pelvic shield covering the hip region; and a middle section comprised of a series of bands connected by soft, infolded skin between the bands. The head and legs are covered with thick scales, and the tail is encased in a series of bony rings. Coloration of nine-banded armadillos is generally grayish brown, with yellowish-white scales along the side of the carapace. The armadillo has a long, pointed snout, small eyes, and large, cylindrical ears. The armadillo’s pointed snout, short, stout legs, and heavy claws are well suited for digging and burrowing. Armadillos have a limited number of vocalizations: a low, wheezy grunt associated with digging and rooting; a wheezy grunt uttered by recently captured individuals; an audible buzzing noise given when highly alarmed or fleeing, a pig-like squeal given by frightened individuals; and a weak purring given by young attempting to nurse from an unrelated female. Total length ranges from 24 to 31 inches and weights vary from 8 to 15 pounds. There are six subspecies of Dasypus novemcinctus in Central and South America, but only one subspecies, D. n. mexicanus occurs in North America.
DISTRIBUTION: Dasypus novemcinctus mexicanus’ original distribution was from the lower Rio Grande Valley between Mexico and Texas, southward through Mexico and Central America to northwestern Peru on the west side of the Andes, and all of South America to northern Argentina east of the Andes, including the islands of Grenada, Trinidad, Tobago, and Margarita. The range of the nine-banded armadillo has undergone rapid expansion into the southern United States since the late 1800s. The recent rapid expansion of the armadillo’s range was facilitated by a number of factors: reduction in the number of large carnivores; climatic and biotic changes; and accidental and deliberate relocations of animals to unoccupied areas. Armadillos now occur throughout the southern and southeastern U.S., as far north as Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska. These animals are common throughout most of Alabama, but less common in several northeastern counties.
HABITAT: The armadillo is very adaptable and does well in most habitat types found in Alabama. They generally avoid or are scarce in very wet or very dry habitats. Habitat suitability likely depends more on the characteristics of the substrate or soils, rather than vegetation type due to the armadillo’s feeding and burrowing behavior.
FEEDING HABITS: A major portion of the armadillo’s time spent outside its burrow is devoted to feeding. They typically start foraging as they emerge from their burrow and move at a slow pace following an often erratic course. Prey is apparently detected by smell, although sound also may play a role. Typical foraging behavior involves quickly probing with the nose and occasionally pausing to dig for prey. Armadillos are opportunistic feeders and consume a wide variety of food items. Invertebrates, primarily insects, make up roughly 90 percent of their diet. Small vertebrates and plant material make up the remainder of their diet. Researchers also have seen evidence of armadillos feeding on small reptiles and amphibians, the eggs of ground-nesting birds, and carrion.
LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY: Armadillos seem to exhibit a polygynous mating system, with most females paired with a single male and most males paired with more than one female. Den burrows have an enlarged nest chamber and are more complicated than a burrow dug for other purposes. The nest is a bulky mass of dried plant debris crammed into the nest chamber without any obvious structure. Armadillos in areas with poorly drained soils will construct above ground nests of dry plant material. Most breeding among armadillos occurs during the summer (June-August). The normal gestation period is 8 to 9 months, with most young born between February and May. The armadillo exhibits monozygotic polyembryony in which a single fertilized egg normally gives rise to four separate embryos at the blastula stage of development. This results in a litter of four genetically identical haploid clone offspring. Dasypus is the only genus of vertebrates in which this reproductive phenomenon occurs. The offspring are precocial and begin accompanying the female outside of the burrow at about 2 to 3 months of age. By 3 to 4 months, the young are self-sufficient. Most males reach sexual maturity between 6 to 12 months of age, but females do not become sexually mature until they are 1 to 2 years old.
REFERENCES: Author: Chris Cook, Wildlife Biologist, June 2005
Armstrong, J. Controlling Armadillo Ddamage in Alabama. ANR-773. Alabama Cooperative Extension System. 2pp.
Layne, J. N. 2003. Armadillo. Pages 75-97 in G. A. Feldhamer, B. C. Thompson, and J. A. Chapman, eds. Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Conservation. Second edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD and London, U.K.
Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker’s Mammals of the World, sixth edition, volume one. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD and London, U.K. 903 pp.
Outdoor Alabama Magazine Article, Nine-banded Armadillo
Watchable Wildlife Article


Chatrooms, social networking sites “behind generation that can’t spell”November 23rd, 2010 - 6:33 pm ICT by ANI
London, Nov 23 (ANI): A study has suggested that Internet chatrooms and social networking sites are to be blamed for children spelling words incorrectly.
The study says as people type at speed online, there is now a “general attitude” that there is no need to correct mistakes or conform to regular spelling rules.
And this means that children who have been brought up with the Internet do not question wrongly spelt words.
“The increasing use of variant spellings on the internet has been brought about by people typing at speed in chatrooms and on social networking sites where the general attitude is that there isn’t a need . . . to conform to spelling rules,” the study stated.
“We are now witnessing the effect these linguistic variations are having on children born into the computer age with such a high level of access in and out of schools,” the Scotsman quoted report author Lucy Jones, a former student at Manchester University, as saying.
“They do not question their existence,” she stated.
The paper, which surveyed a group of 18 to 24 year olds as part of the research, found that the majority believe that unconventional spellings are used on the Internet because it is faster and has become the norm.
More than one in five (22 percent) said they would not be confident in writing an important e-mail without referring to a dictionary or spell checker.
Despite the widespread use of so-called “variant” spelling, almost a third of those questioned said that alternative non-standard spellings are “completely unacceptable”.
Two thirds believe that dictionaries should contain variant spellings.
“From this most recent survey we can conclude that the unprecedented reach and scale of the internet has given rise to new social practices and it is now an agent in spelling change,” Jack Bovill, chair of the English Spelling Society, added. (ANI)
- Traditional art of letter writing 'dying out' among kids - May 21, 2010
- Merriam-Webster's Word of the Summer is Sarah Palin's 'refudiate' - Sep 08, 2010
- Excessive Internet browsing affects mental health - Sep 26, 2010
- Indian kids worst victims of cyberbullying, says study - Jan 18, 2012
- Attempting to save English from horrors of 'text-speak' - Jun 07, 2010
- Twitter, MySpace, Facebook revamping dictionaries - Jan 09, 2010
- Teen drinking linked to higher internet use - May 10, 2011
- 'More Indian teens using networking sites to communicate' - May 23, 2012
- A million kids worldwide addicted to Facebook - Nov 04, 2011
- Social networking teens may turn drinks, drugs addicted - Aug 26, 2011
- Mobile phones can produce hilarious text - Jan 09, 2011
- Britain nurturing kids into becoming 'couch potatoes' - May 04, 2011
- Government all for Internet freedom: NSA - May 16, 2012
- Now, a robot that can read and learn like a human! - Dec 07, 2010
- UK kids with own Internet profile are 'vulnerable' to grooming online - Apr 20, 2011
Tags: bovill, computer age, dictionaries, dictionary, e mail, english spelling, internet chatrooms, linguistic variations, lucy jones, manchester university, report author, scotsman, social networking sites, social practices, spell checker, spelling change, spelling rules, spelling words, spelt, variant spellings


Time to think big
Did the designation of 2010 as the first-ever International Year of Biodiversity mean anything at all? Is it just a publicity stunt, with no engagement on the real, practical issues of conservation, asks Simon Stuart, Chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission.
Eight years ago 183 of the world’s governments committed themselves “to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth”. This was hardly visionary—the focus was not on stopping extinctions or loss of key habitats, but simply on slowing their rate of loss—but it was, at least, the first time the nations of the world had pledged themselves to any form of concerted attempt to face up to the ongoing degradation of nature.
Now the results of all the analyses of conservation progress since 2002 are coming in, and there is a unanimous finding: the world has spectacularly failed to meet the 2010 Biodiversity Target, as it is called. Instead species extinctions, habitat loss and the degradation of ecosystems are all accelerating. To give a few examples: declines and extinctions of amphibians due to disease and habitat loss are getting worse; bleaching of coral reefs is growing; and large animals in South-East Asia are moving rapidly towards extinction, especially from over-hunting and degradation of habitats.
|This month the world’s governments will convene in Nagoya, Japan, for the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Conference of the Parties. Many of us hope for agreement there on new, much more ambitious biodiversity targets for the future. The first test of whether or not the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity means anything will be whether or not the international community can commit itself to a truly ambitious conservation agenda.|
The early signs are promising. Negotiating sessions around the world have produced 20 new draft targets for 2020. Collectively these are nearly as strong as many of us hoped, and certainly much stronger than the 2010 Biodiversity Target. They include: halving the loss and degradation of forests and other natural habitats; eliminating overfishing and destructive fishing practices; sustainably managing all areas under agriculture, aquaculture and forestry; bringing pollution from excess nutrients and other sources below critical ecosystem loads; controlling pathways introducing and establishing invasive alien species; managing multiple pressures on coral reefs and other vulnerable ecosystems affected by climate change and ocean acidification; effectively protecting at least 15 per cent of land and sea, including the areas of particular importance for biodiversity; and preventing the extinction of known threatened species. We now have to keep up the pressure to prevent these from becoming diluted.
We at IUCN are pushing for urgent action to stop biodiversity loss once and for all. The well-being of the entire planet—and of people—depends on our committing to maintain healthy ecosystems and strong wildlife populations. We are therefore proposing, as a mission for 2020, “to have put in place by 2020 all the necessary policies and actions to prevent further biodiversity loss”. Examples include removing government subsidies which damage biodiversity (as many agricultural ones do), establishing new nature reserves in important areas for threatened species, requiring fisheries authorities to follow the advice of their scientists to ensure the sustainability of catches, and dramatically cutting carbon dioxide emissions worldwide to reduce the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification.
If the world makes a commitment along these lines, then the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity will have been about more than platitudes. But it will still only be a start: the commitment needs to be implemented. We need to look for signs this year of a real change from governments and society over the priority accorded to biodiversity.
|One important sign will be the amount of funding that governments pledge this year for replenishing the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the world’s largest donor for biodiversity conservation in developing countries. Between 1991 and 2006, it provided approximately $2.2 billion in grants to support more than 750 biodiversity projects in 155 countries. If the GEF is replenished at much the same level as over the last decade we shall know that the governments are still in “business as usual” mode. But if it is doubled or tripled in size, then we shall know that they are starting to get serious.|
IUCN estimates that even a tripling of funding would still fall far short of what is needed to halt biodiversity loss. Some conservationists have suggested that developed countries need to contribute 0.2 per cent of gross national income in overseas biodiversity assistance to achieve this. That would work out at roughly $120 billion a year—though of course this would need to come through a number of sources, not just the GEF. It is tempting to think that this figure is unrealistically high, but it is small change compared to the expenditures governments have committed to defence and bank bail outs.
It is time for the conservation movement to think big. We are addressing problems that are hugely important for the future of this planet and its people, and they will not be solved without a huge increase in funds.


Following Oceanaâ€™s newly released report on the harmful impacts of illegal fishing, one of the questions that I as Oceana's Northeast representative was asked most often was, â€śWhere is this happening?â€ť The short answer: Illegal fishing happens everywhere, from the most distant waters near Antarctica to just off the U.S. coast.
This week brought great news for shark populations that are dwindling both in U.S. waters and worldwide. Today, the Delaware House of Representatives introduced a bill prohibiting the possession, trade, sale and distribution of shark fins within the state. If passed, House Bill 41 would make Delaware the first East Coast state to pass a ban on the shark fin trade, following in the footsteps of Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii and Illinois.
Current federal law prohibits shark finning in U.S. waters, requiring that sharks be brought into port with their fins still attached. However, this law does not prohibit the sale and trade of processed fins that are imported into the country from other regions that could have weak or even nonexistent shark protections in place.
This unsustainable catch is driven by the demand for shark fins, often used as an ingredient in shark fin soup, and kills millions of sharks every year. Delawareâ€™s bill would close the loopholes that fuel the trade and demand for fins, and ensure that the state is not a gateway for shark products to enter into other U.S. state markets.
Not only was there great news coming out of the U.S., international shark lovers have reason to celebrate as well. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), voted this week to place stricter regulations on the trade of manta rays, three species of hammerheads, oceanic whitetip and porbeagle sharks, acknowledging that these species are in dire need of protection. When countries export these species, they are required to possess special permits that prove these species were harvested sustainably. This decision will greatly curb illegal overfishing and reduce the numbers of endangered sharks killed globally.
History was made today in Bangkok, when Parties to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) voted to protect five species of sharks and two species of manta rays. The seven protected species are: oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus), porbeagle (Lamna nasus), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), great hammerhead (S. mokarran), smooth hammerhead (S. zygaena), oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris) and reef manta ray (M. alfredi).
All seven species are considered threatened by international trade â€“ the sharks for their fins, and the manta rays for their gills, which are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. CITES protection is an important complement to fisheries management measures, which, for these species, have failed to safeguard their survival.
The vote was to list the animals for protection under Appendix II which does not entail a ban on the trade, but instead means that trade must be regulated. Exporting countries are required to issue export permits, and can only do so if they can ensure that they have been legally caught, and that their trade is not detrimental to the speciesâ€™ survival.
All of the proposals received the two-thirds majority needed to be accepted â€“ but the listing is not yet final. Decisions can be overturned with another vote during the final plenary session of the meeting, which wraps up on Thursday. This is what happened with porbeagle sharks in the 2010 CITES meeting in Qatar â€“ an Appendix II listing approved by the Committee evaporated with another vote in plenary. As a result, at that meeting, none of the proposed shark species were granted protection. Now, three years later, weâ€™re hopeful that the international community finally sees the importance of regulating the trade that puts these animals at risk.
Keep your fingers crossed!
Happy Friday, everyone.
It's been a rough few weeks for the oceans at CITES, but now it's time to pick up the pieces. If CITES taught us anything, it's that the work of the ocean conservation community is more important than ever.
This week in ocean news,
....Rick at Malaria, Bed bugs, Sea Lice and Sunsets discussed one of the more shady aspects of CITES: the secret ballots, which were invoked for votes on bluefin tuna, sharks, polar bears, and deep water corals.
â€¦The Washington Post reported that Maryland is cracking down on watermen who catch oysters in protected sanctuaries or with banned equipment. Once a principal source of oysters, the Chesapeake now provides less than 5 percent of the annual U.S. harvest.
â€¦For the first time, scientists were able to use videos to observe octupusesâ€™ behavioral responses. The result? The octupuses had no consistent reaction to one film -- in other words, they had no â€śpersonality.â€ť Curiously, other cephalopods display consistent personalities for most of their lives.
â€¦The New York Times wondered if the 700,000 saltwater home aquariums in the United States and the associated trade in reef invertebrates are threatening real reef ecosystems.
This is the ninth in a series of dispatches from the CITES meeting in Doha, Qatar.
As Oceana marine scientist Elizabeth Griffin put it: â€śThis meeting was a flop.â€ť
CITES has been a complete failure for the oceans. The one success -- the listing of the porbeagle shark under Appendix II -- was overturned yesterday in the plenary session.
â€śIt appears that money can buy you anything, just ask Japan,â€ť said Dave Allison, senior campaign director. â€śUnder the crushing weight of the vast sums of money gained by unmanaged trade and exploitation of endangered marine species by Japan, China, other major trading countries and the fishing industry, the very foundation of CITES is threatened with collapse.â€ť
Maybe next time -- if these species are still around to be protected.
The failure of CITES means that Oceanaâ€™s work â€“ and your support and activism â€“ is more important than ever. You can start by supporting our campaign work to protect these creatures.
Here's Oceana's Gaia Angelini on the conclusion of CITES:
This is the eighth in a series of dispatches from the CITES conference in Doha, Qatar.
More difficult news out of Doha today.
While seven of the eight proposed shark species (including several species of hammerheads, oceanic whitetip and spiny dogfish) were not included in Appendix II, the one bright spot was for the porbeagle shark, which is threatened by widespread consumption in Europe.
The porbeagleâ€™s Appendix II listing is a huge improvement because it requires the use of export permits to ensure that the species are caught by a legal and sustainably managed fishery.
And there is a slight chance that the other shark decisions could be reversed during the plenary session in the final two days.
Here are Oceana scientists Elizabeth Griffin and Rebecca Greenberg reflecting on the shark decisions:
This is the seventh in a series of posts from CITES. Check out the rest of the dispatches from Doha here.
Eight shark species have been proposed for listing to Appendix II of CITES, including the oceanic whitetip, scalloped hammerhead, dusky, sandbar, smooth hammerhead, great hammerhead, porbeagle and spiny dogfish.
Listing these species, which are threatened by shark finning, is necessary to ensure international trade does not drive these shark species to extinction.
Here's Oceana's Ann Schroeer from our Brussels office with an optimistic outlook on the upcoming shark proposals at CITES.
This is the latest in a series of posts from CITES. See the rest of the dispatches here.
Over the weekend, CITES failed to include 31 species of red and pink coral in Appendix II, trade protections that were promised during the last CITES Conference more than two and a half years ago.
These corals are harvested to meet the growing demand for jewelry and souvenirs. The unregulated and virtually unmanaged collection and trade of these species is driving them to extinction.
Many of the corals are long-lived, reaching more than 100 years of age, and grow slowly, usually less than one millimeter in thickness per year. These colonies are fragile and extremely vulnerable to exploitation and destruction, and their biological characteristics severely limit their ability to recover.
Oceana campaign director Dave Allison had this to say about the corals decision (first video), as well as the failure of CITES to protect marine species in general (second video.)
Happy Friday, ocean fans. It's almost spring, and a surfing alpaca exists in the world. Things are looking up.
Before we get to the week's best marine tidbits, an important announcement: Oceana board member Ted Danson will be answering questions live on CNN.com on April 1, so send your ocean queries in, stat!
Also, don't forget that today is the last day to take the Ocean IQ quiz for a chance to win prizes, including a trip with SEE Turtles.
This week in ocean news,
â€¦Yes, CITES failed to deliver on bluefin tuna yesterday, but as Monterey Bay Aquariumâ€™s Julie Packard pointed out, at least the conversation is changing. Bluefin is now in the same rhetorical realm as endangered land creatures such as tigers and elephants.
â€¦Deep Sea News wrote a requiem for a robot -- the Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE) that was lost at sea last week during a research expedition to the Chilean Subduction Zone. On a recent dive, ABE had detected evidence of hydrothermal vents. At the time of its loss, ABE had just begun a second dive to home into a vent site and photograph it.
This is the fifth in a series of dispatches from CITES. You can read the other dispatches here.
Although there were repeated calls from delegates from the E.U., U.S. and Monaco to allow time for parties to meet and arrive at a compromise position, a Libya delegate forced a preemptory vote on the E.U. proposal, which resulted in a 43 to 72 vote, with 14 abstaining.
Campaign director Dave Allison called the defeat "a clear win by short-term economic interest over the long-term health of the ocean and the rebuilding of Atlantic bluefin tuna populations."
The decision could spell the beginning of the end for the tigers of the sea.
Here's Oceana's Maria Jose Cornax on the decision: