text:
Dear Husband, This Is Why I’m Always On My Phone
I sense your judgment. As you sit down and play with the toddler after our family dinner, I see your expression as I smile or laugh at my screen. I hear the muttering under your breath when you see me bathing the baby, phone in hand, or lounging with our oldest while I’m simultaneously tapping away on a text message. I acknowledge my slight addiction, but there’s so much more to my dependence on this small electronic device than you realize.
I admit it: I’m addicted to my phone. I realize we’ve read and discussed articles together about how terrible this is for us as individuals, as well as for the communication in our relationship. I also am aware of what a poor example it sets for our children. I know we’ve set goals in the past to be better about our screen time, only to fail miserably and be seemingly more addicted than before. While I try to be better about my phone usage around the kids, the trajectory of my waking hours is different as a stay-at-home mom. I’m not conversing with adults regularly, if at all, and my only company is a wild toddler that I can barely contain, a teething baby, and a dog.
Do you remember when our weekends were spent with friends? As young as I can remember, my life consisted of slumber parties and overnight camp. Since graduating college, having children, and moving out of state, my social network has drastically shrunk. I am no longer able to get together with friends nearly as often as I’d like to, so we chat on social networks and through text message instead.
Are you aware of how extroverted I am? I know you understand what that means on paper, but I don’t know if you fully comprehend it. I derive my energy from the company of others, preferably above the age of 5. When I have too much time alone or with the kids — which can be equally lonely, might I add — I get antsy and create any excuse to leave the house in search of an adult that will speak to me. I’m on a first name basis with several of the employees at Target. Even a conversation in the checkout line feels so good right now.
When I became a new mom 11 years ago, online moms’ groups were was my lifeline. Today with our three children, nothing has changed. These women have quite literally changed my life in both large and subtle ways, even though we can’t spend much time together in person. They’re the ones I lean on when I need to know if our youngest has been breastfeeding long enough on one side, or if they can recognize the mysterious rash on our toddler’s leg. They’re also the ones who are there for me when I’ve had a terrible day with the kids and just need to vent my frustrations – they truly understand the path I’m walking.
It’s not that I don’t want to be present in our everyday life, but being housebound has left me screaming inside for more social interaction. I am isolated and lonely, and leaving the house with all three kids in tow — even just to run an errand — takes more effort than it’s worth. Sometimes it’s easier to surrender with my cold cup of coffee, crouched over and feeding the baby as I sit in my pajamas. Sometimes even though I’m dying to just be myself again, it’s too exhausting to try to make normalcy happen — so I give up.
When you see my eyes glued to my tiny screen, I’m usually asking a friend for advice or simply laughing about something ridiculous that we both saw on a Facebook group. My support system is virtual, and although this has its drawbacks, it is also pretty amazing. I know you’re frustrated with my phone use. I hear your concerns, and I am acknowledging them. What you don’t realize, though, is just how much my people mean to me and how hard it has been for me to adjust to this new life, this new role, and how inadequate I sometimes feel at it. It’s nice to be told that I’m doing a good job, and I need to hear these things from an outsider — from my virtual village.
I don’t expect you to fully understand, but just know that I’m trying. I’m hoping that with each passing day and each new milestone, a little piece of me comes back. I know you miss who I was, and I miss me, too. Until then, my coffee is cold, my patience is thin, and my social life fits into the back pocket of my jeans.
This article was originally published on

domain: psychology


text:
Title: Global Supply Chain Finance Leader (Director level)
Job #755855, Kimberly-Clark Corp.
Location: Roswell GA
Reports to: Vp Finance
- POSITION SUMMARY
The Kimberly-Clark Global Supply Chain function leads the development and implementation of an enterprise-wide strategy and set of initiatives to optimize our global supply chain. Driving productivity in $12B of spend in this area is a key element of our long-term profitability model. The team is a key catalyst in driving business unit cost transformation agendas in the supply chain area.
The main purpose of this role is to:
• Be a key financial partner and strategic advisor to the Chief Supply Chain Officer (a GSLT level role) and her broader Global Supply Chain team
• Provide sound financial leadership, processes, and reporting to effectively manage K-C Global Supply Chain.
• Contribute to identifying strategic global supply chain opportunities through advanced financial and operational analysis
• Work with the Global Supply Chain team and regional teams to develop recommendations for end-to-end supply chain actions to drive savings and effectiveness
• Develop change initiatives that will improve productivity, maximize ROIC, and support Kimberly-Clark’s enterprise-wide growth and transformational vision
• Drive implementation of key programs and initiatives globally
• Be a source of business knowledge and problem-solving capabilities to assure sound analyses, recommendations, and actionable programs arise across a wide range of business opportunities.
• As a member of the Global Supply Chain Leadership team, jointly own and drive the delivery of supply chain objectives and capability improvements
• Lead corporate wide Finance initiatives related to Supply Chain areas such as cost, inventory and capital. At times will influence and lead the business unit CFOs and their teams in these initiatives.
Supply Chain Finance Leadership. The leader will be a critical member of the Global Supply Chain Leadership Team with specific responsibility to be a key source of financial expertise and counsel. Key customers include the Chief Supply Chain Officer, the VP of Global Safety, Quality, Sustainability, and CI, the Chief Procurement Officer, the Sr. Director of Transportation, Director, KCI End to End Supply Chain, regional supply chain leaders, and their deputies.
- Lead global supply chain business planning / FP&A, budgeting, business case development, and financial competency building. Apply financial concepts in an end-to-end business context covering manufacturing capacity planning and asset utilization; capital planning, investment and ROI across our entire mill network; S&OP; procurement; logistics and transportation; demand patterns and key drivers.
- Establish an effective finance / business analysis support infrastructure for the Global Supply Chain organization including direct support and processes to interact with and leverage local and regional resources.
- Work with the GSC leadership team to coordinate and develop capital investment proposals that support timely and profitable business decisions – this role, along with the Global Manufacturing VP will act as global capital process owners.
- Establish and operate financial processes that provide timely, accurate and meaningful data to effectively manage the Global Supply Chain and continually improve ROI. Provide ongoing budget and spending control oversight to the GSC team.
- Ensure application of efficient financial and operating controls supporting K-C’s requirements for an effective control environment.
- Have shared responsibility for talent development and succession planning within K-C’s Finance community.
Supply Chain Strategy and Analytics. The selected financial/strategic leader will partner and closely collaborate with the Chief Supply Chain Officer and her deputies in the development of the global supply chain strategy and agenda. Additionally, s/he will:
- Drive programs to influence the organization to make adjustments to existing strategies based upon new insights and learning that lead to higher impact/ROI
- Partner with CSCO to identify and prioritize potential business opportunities and evaluate potential investments/strategic partnerships by providing leadership and analysis of discrete business projects or initiatives
- Collaborate with the GSC organization to lead high-impact enterprise-oriented change by actively participating in building and executing supply chain capabilities, business strategies, objectives and plans.
Integrated Planning and Cross-Company Interactions. Work with business unit finance teams to implement end to end supply chain strategies and embed into BU plans – ensuring strategies/plans are correlated and integrated.
- Be critical catalyst in integrating and aligning global supply chain plans with financial BU plans across Kimberly-Clark – ensure GSC strategies result in actionable plans and get integrated into BU agendas.
- Drive process improvements designed to increase efficiency within the finance function and K-C as it pertains to optimizing our GSC spend.
Personal Impact and Communications. Add personal insight, galvanize discussion and debate across the organization on key strategic supply chain issues, generating ideas and creative frameworks.
- Use a combination of financial acumen, insights, and personal impact to build credibility and influence financial outcomes.
- Work jointly with the CSCO and her deputies in making presentations to senior management, the Board of Directors, and key external constituencies on strategic matters pertaining to global supply chain.
Ever wonder what it is like to belong to this global company? Here are some reasons to join us: http://bit.ly/WorkingatKC ! Interested in this job? You can contact Dorothy.Beach@KCC.com to receive more information.
K-C will support global relocation for the chosen candidate for the role, including assistance to obtain proper work authorization. The benefits provided will be per the terms of K-C’s applicable mobility policies. The benefits/policy provided will decided in K-C’s sole discretion.
CANDIDATE SPECIFICATION: KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
The ideal candidate possesses the following key experiences:
- More than 15 years of experience, and greater than half in a multinational/global business, with several years of experience in a finance leadership position in a complex, progressive, global environment along with a strong track record of personal achievement and advancement.
- Minimum of 5 years in finance leadership role supporting a manufacturing, distribution, and / or supply chain operation – strongly preferred in the consumer packaged goods industry
- Must possess and demonstrate high degree of financial, analytical and process leadership competence.
- Strong strategic agility, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills – proven high learning agility
- Demonstrated experience working in a fast paced setting; enthusiastic about the potential strategic options facing Kimberly-Clark; well-grounded in pragmatic approaches to structuring options available
- Experience working in the context of a large, complex, global organization where working across boundaries and leading through influence are keys to success.
- Experience in driving change to deliver business results – knows what it takes to transform an organization
- Executive stature – is viewed as promotable to a senior finance leadership role
- Strong interpersonal skills along with exceptional influence and change management skills – ability and credibility to establish a strong network with other business unit Finance leads and business leaders
- Excellent presentation, communication/influencing skills, and overall business acumen
- Decisive, yet collaborative and inclusive.
- Experience & proven competency as influential member of senior leadership team.
- International experience and an “in-market” experience is preferred
- Multilingual; strong global cultural awareness
The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. Statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required for this position.
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people – nearly a quarter of the world’s population – trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene, and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex, and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No.1 or No. 2 share positions in more than 80 countries. With more than 140 years of history of innovation, we believe in recruiting the best people and empowering them do their best work. If fresh thinking and a passion to win inspire you, come Unleash Your Power at Kimberly-Clark.
Kimberly-Clark is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
K-C requires that an employee have authorization to work in the country in which the role is based. In the event an applicant does not have current work authorization, K-C will determine, in its sole discretion, whether to sponsor an individual for work authorization. However, based on immigration requirements, not all roles are suitable for sponsorship.

domain: economics


text:
It has ended - 5% Challenge
Saturday, March 03, 2018
Well it is so hard to believe that 8 weeks have gone by!! It was so quick and so much fun. I am happy to say that I met my goal and I have increased my activity and I am taking time for me. All of this even though it has been super busy at work and dealing with my MIL and moving her closer to us.
I have been non stop but I am making the effort to stop and do something for me! I deserve it and I have earned it!!!
After mom died I promised myself that I would start looking out for myself and trying to be less stressed. Life throws enough stress at us without us having to look for it. This does not mean I am not still help everyone out but I am trying to get my priorities straight. First me then the rest!!! And if this is being selfish- so be it!!!
Thank you all for listening to me but I need to say this so that I can continue to work on it everyday!!
Thank to all my spark friends and team members for you continued support!!


Every quilt is an Adventure and leads the way to the next quilt. Hear the behind the scenes tales of 49 Pieces of Chocolat and the Sewing Room Vortex; Bob’s Quilt a Six Year Saga; Twilight in the Bronx and the Case of the Seam Ripper.
– 60 to 90 minutes
Please contact me: terificreations at gmail dot com. This is entirely up to you, and includes piecing, and quilting. Minimum 2 hours, not including travel time.
A retreat is a time of refreshment, direction, and renewal. A time to grow, explore, and discover more of who we are as quilt makers. The retreat can be directed making a quilt in my style (Twilight in the Bronx, or Moon Over Manhattan) or something you’ve wanted to work on in a focused way. A focus on thread, batting, and color; how they work together to create, and You develop our own personal style in a quilt.
Beginner Free Motion Machine Quilting
You can free-motion quilting on your home sewing machine. It’s easy when you know the tricks and tips that the “pros” use. We will learn to pair thread weight and needle size, when to adjust tension, and how shoving a queen size quilt into a 6” harp. This class covers the basics: stitch in the ditch, thread burying, straight lines and curves, moving right through to feathers. Join the machine quilting club!
Needles, Thread, & Tension Oh My!
Pairing needles and thread well solves a lot of piecing and quilting and machine tension issues. We’ll cover needle types and sizes, and what to use when including chrome, titanium, and non-stick. We will cover thread weight and how to match with needle type. I’ll share what I use in the bobbin when quilting and how to adjust tension on our sewing machines.
Teri thank you so much for the wonderful class, I feel so lucky to have been in your class I can’t wait to put my five hundred hours in to be able to do a better job. I just loved the class and you – Sylvia
And Now What?!
Doodle Your way to Better Quilting
Doodling is a great way to figure out and practice quilting motifs. We use printed quilt blocks to doodle and practice feathers, swirls, arcs, and more. We will draw with both our dominant and non-dominant hands for understanding the motion of each motif. Doodling is a great way to come up with a quilting plan.
Half Day or Full Day.
Full Day part of the day on sewing machines – kits available.
The Impractical Color Wheel
A color wheel is one of the best tools we can use in quilting however it can feel a bit overwhelming so let’s break it down to the basics focusing on color neighborhoods (next-door, across the street). We will embrace the color we love, and learn how to use it well in our machine quilting. We will explore thread weight and the difference between open and dense stitching.
Full or Multi Day.
Thank you so much for helping me with my quilting question. My quilting is looking so much better since I’m using your starting and stopping method. No more weird snarls or stray thread giving me a headache. Thanks again…you rock!!! – Jenice
Let Your Foot Loose be Fancy & Free
Stippling and stitch in the ditch are machine quilting go-to’s with good reason. Let’s let our foot loose and explore fun free-motion stitching. We will play with design, thread, fabric and batting to create some fun, one-of -a-kind quilts. This class focuses on trying new-to-us motifs, using our imagination and going for it with machine quilting on a domestic sewing machine.
Full or Multi


This adorable bubble romper is a wardrobe staple for your little one. The elasticated legs make for a snug, comfortable fit that gives them the freedom to wriggle, crawl and explore. Snap buttons at the bottom of the romper makes over the head dressing and diaper changes quick, easy and discrete. The romper is made from a super soft, organic cotton rib which is delicate on baby’s skin.
- Composition: Rib, 55% Organic Cotton, 40% Modal, 5% Elastane
- Snug fit around the legs;
- Snap buttons for easy dressing;
- Wash before wear;
- Machine wash in cold water inside out with like colors;
- Gentle cycle;
- Do not bleach;
- Tumble dry low;
- Iron at a low temperature on reverse.


text: A tranquilizer refers to a drug which is designed for the treatment of anxiety, fear, tension, agitation, and disturbances of the mind, specifically to reduce states of anxiety and tension.Tranquilizer, as a term, was first used by F.F. Yonkman (1953), from the conclusions of investigative studies using the drug reserpine, which showed the drug had a calming effect on all animals it was administered to. Reserpine is a centrally acting Rauwolfia alkaloid. The word directly refers to the state of tranquillity in a person and other animals.The term is considered popular or common, meaning it is not generally in use in the field of medicine. Specifically, it is used in reference to antipsychotic or neuroleptic medications.The term is generally used as a synonym for sedative.

domain: health


text:
When a snowstorm buried the Buffalo area under more than a foot of snow the day after Christmas, pedestrians in some spots were forced to walk in the street -- dodging cars, buses and trucks because sidewalks were clogged with snow. In a column that followed the storm, Buffalo News Suburban Editor Bruce Andriatch called on municipalities to begin ticketing property owners who fail to clear their sidewalks.
On the eve of the Buffalo Sabres' debut in the upcoming 48-game lockout shortened season, owner Terry Pegula met the media. One of his announcements was a contract extension for longtime General Manager Darcy Regier.
Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone has added another name to his list of coaches.
Pat Morris has been named as the team's offensive line coach. Morris has worked in the NFL for 15 years and has been a part of teams in Minnesota, Detroit and San Francisco. His most recent work as an offensive line coach came in 2011 with Tampa Bay. Many teams have led the NFL in rushing under his tutelage.
brings the most NFL experience to Marrone's staff.
The word coming from officials at the Buffalo VA Medical Center is that the facility might not have received warnings about the reuse of insulin pens.
The VA has faced heavy criticism for exposing more than 700 patients to dangerous viruses by reusing insulin pens indiscriminately over a two year period. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued separate warnings against such practices.
Questions have been swirling since New York State passed the toughest gun control measures in the nation.
In an effort to respond to those queries, the Cuomo administration has announced the establishment of a website and a toll free phone line where enthusiasts can get answers. The website can be reached at NY-Safe-Act-Dot-Com. The phone number is (855)
Critics claim that confusion over the law has arisen because the legislation was rushed to approval.
Western New Yorkers woke up to snow-covered roads Friday morning. But the lake snows eased up overnight and the National Weather Service canceled its Lake Effect Snow Advisory for Niagara, Orleans and Monroe Counties.

domain: news


text:
March 14, 2020: 1:30 MST
– DUBNetwork reached out for clarification to the Canadian Hockey League as well as Hockey Canada regarding Hockey Canada’s recent statement about the cancellation of all hockey activities in Canada as well as the video statement provided below.
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) March 13, 2020
In the video, Tom Renney states “What it means is hockey in Canada is canceled.”
Hockey Canada did not reply to a request for comment regarding the status of the Canadian Hockey League.
The Canadian Hockey League did respond and gave the following clarification on how they were able to release the following statement via twitter.
The #CHL announces that the balance of the 2019-20 season and all hockey related activity shall be paused immediately until further notice.
— CanadianHockeyLeague (@CHLHockey) March 12, 2020
The response is as follows:
“The Canadian Hockey League is a partner of Hockey Canada and not an official member, therefore, our league is not affected by their programming decisions.”
When they meet on Tuesday, March 17th, the WHL (and probably the entire CHL) will be able to determine the course of action for themselves and not be subject to the decisions put forth by Hockey Canada.
March 12th, 2020
The Canadian Hockey League is announcing all three of its leagues will suspend play immediately. There are just 10 days remaining in the Western Hockey League regular-season schedule.
An official statement by the league has been issued
The Canadian Hockey League and its three regional leagues the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League, take the health and safety of our players, fans, volunteers, staff, and general public very seriously. CHL President Dan MacKenzie with Commissioners David Branch, Gilles Courteau, and Ron Robison have been monitoring the situation in regards to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) including what local, provincial, and federal health agencies have recommended. Following consultation with medical professionals and meetings today among the CHL Executive Council, and regional league Board of Governors, the CHL announces that the balance of the 2019-20 season and all hockey activity shall be paused immediately until further notice.
More to come.


text:
When the Tampa Bay Times began counting coronavirus cases in schools, the weekly four-county total was hovering around 120.
Those numbers crept up steadily and for the week that just passed, it will be well past 300 when the final reports arrive on Monday.
Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco are seeing as many as four or five cases in a single day in a single school. Only Hernando, by far the smallest of the counties, continues to show little known illness.
All of this is happening as local school districts await word from the state about what they can offer students in the way of distance learning in the second semester. Between 40 and 50 percent of students now learn virtually, allowing schools to limit crowded conditions, which helps contain the disease.
The Tampa Bay area experienced its first known COVID-19 teacher fatality on Tuesday. By all accounts, Michael Wanner, 61, contracted the virus outside school, went on quarantine and never returned. Plant City High School, where he taught science, has had a relatively low number of reported cases at 14.
Here is the county-by-county case breakdown for the past week:
Hernando County: The district’s five cases this week were in Spring Hill Elementary, which had two; and one each at Weeki Wachee High, Central High, and Explorer K-8.
Hillsborough County: Monday was an extraordinary day for Hillsborough reports, with 56 cases. Things slowed down, but by week’s end there had been a total of 177 cases including the weekend of Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
There were 11 cases over the course of four days at Sickles High in Citrus Park. All were students.
Steinbrenner and Sumner high schools were close behind Sickles, each with 10 cases. Alonso had nine.
There were seven cases at Plant High and six cases at Newsome High.
Trinity School For Children, a charter school, reported five cases on Thursday.
There were four cases each at Oak Grove Elementary, Webb Middle, Jefferson High and in the district offices.
These schools had three cases each: Riverhills and Mabry elementary schools; Coleman, Farnell, Mulrennan and Walker middle schools; and Pepin Academies.
These schools had two cases each: Grady, Northwest and Yates elementary schools; Barrington Middle School; Blake, Chamberlain, Durant, Hillsborough, Lennard and Robinson high schools; Maniscalco and Turner-Bartels K-8 schools; and Bridgeprep Academy of Tampa.
These schools had one case each: Belmont, Bevis, Bryan, Bryant, Burney, Carrollwood, Clark, Cypress Creek, Deer Park, Dover, Dunbar, Kenly, Lithia Springs, Lockhart, Lowry, McDonald, McKitrick, Muller, Oak Park, Pride, Riverview, Robinson, Roosevelt, Summerfield, Summerfield Crossings, Tampa Heights, Tampa Palms, Trapnell and B.T. Washington elementary schools.
These schools also had one case each: Benito, Davidsen, Giunta, Hill, Jennings, Liberty, Pierce, Smith, Sligh, Tomlin, Williams and Wilson middle schools; Bloomingdale, East Bay, Freedom, Spoto and Strawberry Crest high schools; Lutz K-8, and these charter schools: Florida Autism, Florida Connections, Learning Gate, New Springs, RCMA Wimauma, SLAM Apollo Beach and Woodmont.
Pasco County: This is the only county that releases quarantine statistics to the public, and to date there have been 6,378 students and employees affected by 426 cases. With about 18 percent of the area’s population in Pasco, those numbers suggest that some 31,000 students and staff have experienced quarantine across the four counties since classes resumed on Aug. 24
Eight of this week’s cases were among distance-learning students. There were seven cases each at Cypress Creek High School and Pine View Middle School. There were six cases each at Seven Springs Middle School, and at Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills high schools.
There were four cases each at Seven Oaks and Shady Hills elementary schools and at J.W. Mitchell High. There were three cases each at Land O’Lakes and Wesley Chapel high schools.
These schools had two cases each: Odessa Elementary; Centennial, John Long and R.B. Stewart middle schools; Gulf, Pasco and Wendell Krinn Technical high schools; and Marchman Technical College.
These schools had one cases each: Calusa, Gulf Highlands, Longleaf, Mittye P. Locke, Northwest, Quail Hollow, Sand Pine, Sanders Memorial, Schrader, Trinity Oaks, Watergrass, Wesley Chapel, West Zephyrhills and Wiregrass elementary schools; Bayonet Point, Hudson and Thomas E. Weightman middle schools; and Anclote, Fivay and River Ridge high schools.
Pinellas County: Daily case counts, as in the other counties, have roughly doubled in Pinellas since students returned on Aug. 24. With only four days in for the week, here is how they broke down:
Pinellas Park High and Sutherland Elementary each had three cases.
These schools had two cases each: Curlew Creek, High Point, Oakhurst, Ozona and Ridgecrest elementary schools; Carwise and Palm Harbor middle schools; Hollins and Palm Harbor University high schools; and Plato Academy Pinellas Park Charter.
These schools had one case each: Azalea, Bauder, Bay Point, Fairmount Park, Lakewood, Sexton, Skyview and Southern Oak elementary schools; Azalea, East Lake, Osceola, Safety Harbor and Tyrone middle schools; Bayside, East Lake, Northeast and Seminole high schools; Pinellas Gulf Coast Academy and Plato Academy Palm Harbor Charter.
The total for the week for all four counties, K-12, was 321, not including Friday’s cases in Pinellas. The total to date is 1,908.
Colleges and universities:
Since Oct. 25, the University of South Florida reported that 60 students and nine employees across the school’s campuses have tested positive. Cases listed are those that students, faculty or the health department report to the university and those who test positive at the Student Health Center.
Since Oct. 30, the University of Tampa reported that 54 students had tested positive. The school also reported 634 of its 755 reported cases from the beginning of the semester have recovered as “symptom free and not contagious.” These cases are those who self-report or are diagnosed at the student health center.
Over the same period, St. Petersburg College reported eight cases across its 13 campuses and Hillsborough Community College reported 11 cases across its four campuses. Eckerd College reported no active cases of residential students this week.


text:
The Discovery of Biodiversity
Today we take it as read that there are some places on Earth that contain more types of organisms than others. Placing a photograph of Greenland next to a photograph of central America for example would immediately contrast a cold and relatively barren region with richly tropical bioscope (Figure 1). However, such information was not always public knowledge and it wasn’t until the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when naturalists began making regular exploratory voyages to the far corners of the globe, that the first scientific observations of how biodiversity varies over the face of the Earth were made.
Describing the extraordinary diversity of plant life in a tropical rainforest, for example, Alfred Russell Wallace wrote of "the parasitic plants growing on the trunks and branches, the wonderful variety of the foliage, the strange fruits and seeds that lie rotting on the ground" (Wallace 1909). In an account of his expedition to South America, Alexander von Humboldt (pictured in Figure 2) commented that "there, the different climates are ranged the one above the other, stage by stage, like the vegetable zones, whose succession they limit" (von Humboldt 1845–1858).
Although the language used by Wallace and Humboldt is somewhat out-of-date, the observations they made were revolutionary in their detail as well as their scope. Humboldt in particular was a great traveller and from 1799 to 1804 he explored Venezuela, the Andes, Mexico, Tenerife, Cuba and the United States together with the botanist Aimé Bonpland (Jackson 2009). The specimens collected during these trips were numerous and diverse, ranging from plants to geological specimens, but crucially they were accompanied by precise records of their geographic location together with measurements of the atmospheric and geophysical conditions, such as temperature and elevation, at each location.
When Humboldt returned home to write up the results of what he had seen and collected during his voyages the first text he produced was entitled Essay on the Geography of Plants (Humboldt 1807). In this book Humboldt set out his vision of a world in which the Earth surface, the oceans, the atmosphere, and the creatures living in them, were intimately connected in what he called a “general physics of the Earth”. Key to this idea of a “unity of nature” was the geographical link between the organisms and specimens that had been collected, and the measurements of the physical world that had been made with instrumentation.
A focus on geography required him to develop new techniques, such as isotherms, for displaying his observations and they allowed him to recognise patterns in the data he had collected. In doing so, Humboldt turned his back on the prevalent religious explanations for phenomena seen in nature and instead sought process-based scientific explanations for the patterns he saw in his observations. Such a quantitative approach allowed him to investigate how Earth’s surface temperature varies with height, how heat and material is transported by winds and ocean currents, as well as how latitude affects the snowline of mountains (Jackson 2009). He interpreted his biological data in light of the physical measurements he made in order to make novel and bold statements about the factors that control the distribution of life on Earth, and as an example, in his Essay on the Geography of Plants Humboldt highlighted that local environmental conditions are frequently a better predictor of plant form than their evolutionary relationships (Humboldt 1807).
To Humboldt, then, should go the credit for founding a large part of what we know today as the discipline of biogeography. This discipline involves the systematic study of biodiversity and ecosystems in geographical space and through geological time, and it is the focus of this Ocean Race Topic. We first look at how biodiversity is measured and why it is important to us as human beings, before examining a first-order pattern in the distribution of biodiversity on Earth and evaluating hypotheses that have been proposed to explain it. We then revisit the course taken by the Golden Globe sailors, and by looking again at the voyage made by own sailor Antoine Cousot, we investigate the biodiversity of islands, which are special and often threatened havens for life on Earth. We finish by considering the future of biodiversity from a geographical perspective.
The Measurement and Importance of Biodiversity
Biodiversity in its broadest sense refers to the diversity of living things. There are several different ways to measure biodiversity and each quantifies a slightly different aspect of biological variety. Perhaps the simplest and most intuitive measure of biodiversity is morphological diversity. Sometimes we look at organisms without knowing what they called but we can recognise that they have different visual appearances. Birds are an example that you may have come across. Quite often we look into the garden or into a field and see a number of birds feeding or moving through a hedgerow. Some of these we recognise and instantly name: a blackbird, a robin, a blue tit and so on. However, some birds only visit particular countries or regions at certain times of the year, and classic examples are the fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) that is a winter migrant to the UK as a whole, and the avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) that lives in the east of the UK all year round but flocks to the southwest of the UK in winter. Since these winter migrants are not seen so regularly, their names are often not very familiar to us. However, when these birds arrive we are able to see that they have different visual appearances to the birds we are used to—the blue-grey back and the brown wings of the fieldfare, and the long upturned beak of the white and black avocet—and this allows to us to recognise a change in the morphological diversity of the birds that we see.
Another way to measure biodiversity is to think about the ways in which different organisms live. For instance, some organisms make food using the light of the sun (they are photosynthetic), others eat plants (they are herbivores) while some only eat other animals (they are predators). Feeding habit is one way to partition organisms into different groups, but there are several other things that can also be used. How does the organism move? Where does it live? How does it reproduce? What is its lifespan? Taken together, such factors can be used to place organisms into groups based on their ecological function. Doing this for particular groups of organisms or for particular regions allows for the measurement of functional diversity. For example, if a field contains a cow, a sheep and a kangaroo, we can instantly say that there are three different organisms in the field because they each look very different to one another. However, each of these organisms feeds by grazing, and so from the perspective of feeding habit there is just a single functional type in the field.
We have already used names in our discussion of morphological and functional diversity, and these names are the root of a third measure of biodiversity: taxonomic diversity. Organisms are all given names, and these names have two parts. Humans are known as Homo sapiens, and as we have seen the fieldfare is called Turdus pilaris while the avocet is called Recurvirostra avosetta. The first of these names, Homo for example, is the genus to which an organism belongs, while the second of these names, in this case sapiens, is the species to which an organism belongs. Genus and species are part of wider system of classification known as the taxonomic hierarchy. For humans, this hierarchy is as follows:
- Kingdom – Animalia
- Phylum – Chordata
- Class – Mammalia
- Order – Primates
- Family – Hominidae
- Genus – Homo
- Species – sapiens
Each of these different levels has certain distinguishing features. The phylum Chordata contains organisms with a spinal cord, the Class Mammalia (the mammals) contains organisms that nourish their offspring with milk produced in the mammary glands of the mother, while the Family Hominidae contains organisms that walk upright. The basic unit of the taxonomic hierarchy is the species, and when scientists discuss diversity they often mean the number of species, which is termed species richness. In principle it is possible to go to any region of the world and, given the right books and taxonomic training, count the number of species that are living there.
However, why would anyone want to do this? Why is biodiversity in any of its forms useful or important to us? The first thing to note is that organisms live within ecosystems, and these organisms play a role in the function of ecosystems. There are four broad categories of ecosystem function:
(1) Regulating functions, such as the transport, storage and recycling of nutrients.
(2) Supporting functions, such as the provision of suitable living spaces for biotic communities and individual species.
(3) Provisioning functions, such as the production of raw materials that are used for any purpose other than food.
(4) Cultural functions, such as the extent and variety of natural landscapes.
Humans exploit these ecosystem functions, which have a monetary as well a non-material benefit to society. For example, humans rely on ecosystem functions for the provision of food and nutrition, while tourism is enhanced in areas of outstanding natural beauty that are also able to provide opportunities for reflection and recreation (Christie et al. 2012). Many such ecosystem functions are enhanced by increased species richness, and case studies using plants, bacteria and aquatic plants such as seagrass have all shown that the probability of an ecosystem sustaining its overall function increases as species richness increases (Gamfeldt et al. 2008). It is therefore imperative that we take care of biodiversity because it has a positive effect on the function of ecosystems that we rely upon in our daily lives.
Establishing Patterns and Proposing Hypotheses
Owing to the importance of biodiversity for humanity as a whole, as well as an academic interest in why biodiversity is not uniform across the globe, scientists have built on the pioneering efforts of Humboldt and gathered data on the species richness of almost all ecosystems from the tropics to the poles. These data show that tropical regions generally contain more species than regions at higher latitudes. Certain areas such as the high Arctic and the interior of the Sahara Desert are characterized by very low richness (<100 species per 10,000km2), whereas others such as tropical rainforests contain extraordinarily high richness (>5000 species per 10,000km2). This pattern is highlighted in Figure 3, which shows the number of tree species found in three biomes situated on a latitudinal transect from low latitudes close to the equator (tropical biome) to to high latitudes near the poles (boreal biome).
This pattern is pervasive, and characterises groups ranging from the vascular plants shown as an example in Figure 3, to marine molluscs such as bivalves, as well as higher vertebrates such as lizards and salamanders. Owing to its ubiquity it is known as the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG). However, despite the importance of the LDG as a first-order feature of the biosphere, researchers have so far been unable to come up with single convincing explanation for it. To date, scientific research has focussed on testing the following four central hypotheses to explain the LDG:
(1) Habitat heterogeneity may control the diversity gradients in an area by influencing the composition of different communities
(2) In general, the species richness of a region is strongly associated with its present-day climate. For plants, it has been suggested that the geographical patterns of plant species richness are dependent on the amount of heat and water that is available to plants.
(3) Regional differences in species richness may also be explained by contrasting regional geological and climatic histories. These include climatic change associated with the waxing and waning of ice sheets during the last 2.6 million years, as well as tectonic events such as the uplift of mountains.
(4) Random placement of species geographic ranges on a bounded map (the world) produces a peak in species richness near the centre of the domain, and such geometric effects may explain regional–global richness gradients.
Hypotheses (1) (2) and (3) each clearly hark back to the work of Humboldt because they rely on the geographic linkage between biology, in this case species richness, and data on the physical properties of the world. However, the lack of scientific consensus on the exact cause of the LDG is problematic because it means that we do not fully understand the mechanisms responsible for the geographic variation in species richness. It also means that scientists are unable to fully predict, and hence mitigate, the ecological effects of the current climate and biodiversity crises, which threaten species-rich tropical ecosystems and the critical functions that they provide.
Ocean Racing and Global Biodiversity
The sailors in the Golden Globe Race 2018 began their voyages in Les Sables-d’Olonne in France, which sits at 46.49 degrees north. On the outward portion of the race the sailors made their way south across the Bay of Biscay, down the Atlantic Ocean and crossing the equator, before rounding the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa at 34.36 degrees south (Figure 4). On this outward Atlantic leg, once the sailors left the Mediterranean behind and headed south, their boats would have been propelled past the east coast of north Africa by the trade winds. This represents the start of a latitudinal transect that is truly extraordinary from a biogeographic perspective. To begin with the sailors passed the Sahara Desert, which is characterised by extremely low diversity and populated by plants and animals adapted to hot days, cold nights, and extremely low rainfall.
Next, they sailed past the grasslands and savannahs of the Sahel and Sudan. These zones are home to many species of grass, which coexist with trees that form woodlands in a balance that is thought to be regulated in a large part by fire. In particular, the expansion of grasslands and savannahs is promoted by frequent fires that burn using grasses as fuel and which prevent the establishment of woodlands. In contrast, once a woodland becomes established, the dense tree cover prevents the growth of grasses and creates a cool and humid microclimate that prevents large fires. These grasslands and savannahs are extraordinarily dynamic places, and an example of the phenomena that can be seen in this region of the world is the formation of vegetation into patterns in certain dryland ecosystems (Figure 5). It is thought that such vegetation patterns result from the enhanced infiltration of water into vegetated ground compared with bare ground which promote the growth of vegetation at very local scales but inhibit vegetation growth over a larger area because of competition for water (Mander et al. 2017). If you have Google Earth, you can explore these vegetation patterns for yourself at the following co-ordinates:
Spots – 11°34′ 27.91′′ N, 27°56′ 19.72′′ E
Labyrinths – 11°17′ 16.24′′ N, 27°59′ 29.92′′ E
Gaps – 10°59′ 25.85′′ N, 28°15′ 28.19′′ E
Once past these semi-arid parts of the African continent the sailors entered the equatorial region and passed the two principal blocks of tropical rainforest in West Africa. The first is the Guinea rainforest block, which stretches from Guinea and Sierra Leone through the Ivory Coast to Ghana, and the second is the Cameroon–Gabon rainforest block, which extends from Nigeria through Cameroon and Gabon into the Congo. The rainforests of the Cameroon–Gabon block are the second largest block of rainforests in the world after the rainforests of the Amazon, and they are separated from the Guinea rainforest block by a corridor of savannah in Benin and Togo known as the Dahomey Gap. By sailing this transect, from the Sahara all the way south to equatorial West Africa, the Golden Globe sailors have made an almost perfect traverse through the LDG.
After making their way through the Atlantic Ocean, the Golden Globe sailors rounded the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa. In doing so they passed an extraordinary exception to the LDG: the Cape Flora. Situated in temperate latitudes in a Mediterranean climate, the Cape Flora is a biodiversity hotspot that amounts to around 9,000 species in an area of 90,000 km2 (Linder 2005). This level of diversity is unique among plants at temperate latitudes and is comparable to the diversity of plants found in tropical rainforests. Plant groups that are typical elements of the Cape Flora today appear gradually in the geological record, and it is thought that their spread was facilitated by climatic changes associated with the evolution of the Benguela current and upwelling system in southern West Africa. The exceptionally high diversity of the Cape Flora may also have been enhanced by modified fire regimes, or by pollinator and habitat specialization.
The Biodiversity of Islands
The Cape Flora also contains a very high number of endemic species (~70%). Endemic species are species that only live in one geographical region, and in this respect the Cape Flora has levels of endemism that are more characteristic of islands such as Hawaii or Madagascar than a continental area (Linder 2005). Our own intrepid sailor Antoine Cousot stopped at the Canary Islands and passed the Cape Verde Islands on his voyage from France to Brazil, and the Golden Globe Race mentions Prince Edward Island, the Crozet Islands, the Kergulen Islands, Snares Islands, and the Bounty Islands in the sailing directions for its 2018 race.
Indeed, if you examine Figure 4 again, you can see that the land surface on which plants and animals live can be divided into two broad categories: islands and the mainland. Islands have long-fascinated biogeographers because they are intrinsically appealing objects to study; they are simpler than a whole continent or ocean and are visibly discrete objects that have clear boundaries (MacArthur and Wilson 1967). As a result of their discrete and bounded nature, scientists interested in the species that live on islands can also harbour a realistic hope that an island’s biota can be assessed with a degree of completeness. One of the most striking features of islands is the consistent relationship between the area of an island and the number of species it contains (Figure 6).
This relationship is known as the species-area relationship and it has been replicated many times in different islands across the world. It is a hugely important relationship today because many of the world’s species that are at the greatest risk of extinction due to climate change and destructive human activities are endemic to small islands. Endemic species are at high risk of extinction because their geographic range is often extremely small, their population size is typically low, and they are also often poorly equipped to deal with invasive predators such as rodents and cats that are frequently introduced to islands by humans.
Human activity is in the process of creating islands by the process of habitat fragmentation. Forests that were once continuous across great tracts of land are now reduced to isolated patches hundreds of miles apart. In the temperate latitudes the interstices between forests patches are often farmland that is used to grow crops that we consume directly, or indirectly though livestock, and in the tropics it is commercial logging that breaks rainforests into isolated fragments. If threatened species are to survive into the future, it is vital that scientists fully understand the mechanisms that underpin why species richness varies geographically. The research being done in this area relies on Humboldt’s insistence of linking collections of organisms and specimens to precise measurements of the physical world, and preventing the irreversible loss of global biodiversity will require us to pursue his vision of a “unity of nature”.
Christie, M., Fazey, I., Cooper, R., Hyde, T. and Kenter, J.O. 2012. An evaluation of monetary and non-monetary techniques for assessing the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services to people in countries with developing economies. Ecological Economics, 83, 67–78.
Fine, P.V. and Ree, R.H. 2006. Evidence for a time-integrated species-area effect on the latitudinal gradient in tree diversity. American Naturalist, 168, 796–804.
Gamfeldt, L., Hillebrand, H. and Jonsson, P.R. 2008. Multiple functions increase the importance of biodiversity for overall ecosystem functioning. Ecology, 89, 1223–1231.
Jackson, S.T. 2009. Alexander von Humboldt and the General Physics of the Earth. Science, 324, 596–597.
Humboldt, A. 1807. Essai sur la Géographie des Plantes, Levrault, Schell & Co., Paris.
Kohn, D.D. and Walsh, D.M. 1994. Plant species richness – the effect of island size and habitat diversity. Journal of Ecology, 82, 367–377.
Linder, H.P. 2005. The evolution of diversity: the Cape flora. Trends in Plant Science, 10, 537–542.
MacArthur, R.H. and Wilson, E.O. 1967. The Theory of Island Biogeography. Princeton University Press, 203 pp.
Mander L., Dekker S.C., Li M., Mio W., Punyasena S.W. & Lenton T.M. 2017. A morphometric analysis of vegetation patterns in dryland ecosystems. Royal Society Open Science, 4, 160443.

domain: geography


text:
Swansea University is urging volunteers to come and help with its annual fundraiser to help raise money and suicide awareness.
HOPEWALK 23 will take place on Sunday, October 22 in in aid of PAPYRUS, the suicide prevention charity which offers confidential support and advice to young people.
Organised by the University’s Wellbeing and Disability Service, the three-mile circular beach walk starts and finishes at The Secret Bar and Kitchen on Oystermouth Road and anyone who wants to take part should meet there at 10am.
Back in 2019 when the University hosted its first event just under 100 people turned up to take part and since then it has continued to go from strength to strength, succeeding in raising thousands of pounds despite the challenges of the pandemic and stormy weather.
Once again this year the Wellbeing and Disability Service is hoping members of the University and local community support the good cause.
Swansea University’s Head of Inclusive Student Support Services Holly Fisher said: “At Swansea University, mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention is a priority and partnering with vital services such as Papyrus allows us to develop in these areas. We are thrilled to support such a pivotal message and contribute to reducing the stigma around suicide and raise money for an excellent cause.”
PAPYRUS area manager David Heald said: “Suicide is the biggest killer of young people under 35 in the UK and we must reduce the number of young people who take their own lives by breaking down the stigma around suicide and equipping people with the skills to recognise and respond to suicidal behaviour.”
During October each year, HOPEWALKS take place across the UK to raise awareness of suicide in young people.
For further information please contact Carl Ely

domain: sociology


Democratic Sen. Liz Mattis, left, and Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson debate public policy during a one-hour televised debate broadcast on KCRG-TV9 in Cedar Rapids, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2022. Both seek to represent Iowa’s second congressional district, which includes Lynn County and much of northeastern Iowa. Elections on November 8th. (Kyle Sleichter/KCRG-TV9)
In this week’s On Iowa Politics podcast, District 1 candidates tackle core issues, discuss District 2’s past and future, and Suelanders struggle to fill the candidate’s event.
On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast aimed at recreating the kind of conversations that would happen when political reporters across Iowa gathered after the deadline for the day passed.
This week’s program is hosted by The Gazette Des Moines bureau chief Erin Murphy, and includes Gazette deputy bureau chief Tom Burton, Quad City Times’ Sarah Watson, Sioux City Journal’s Jared McNett, The Gazette Opinion editor Todd Dorman will appear.
The show is produced by Stephen M. Colbert and the music heard on the podcast is courtesy of Iowa bands Item 9 & The Mad Hatters and Copperhead.


This week, F1 in 2016 will finally arrive on the Mac App Store! [Video]
Feral Interactive has recently announced the arrival of F1 in 2016 on the Mac App Store. The racing game will arrive for all owners of macOS this week, more precisely on the 6th of April.
Developers Feral Interactive, famous for having taken on Mac numerous games dedicated to the Windows platforms, have worked hard to bring F1 2016 on the Mac. Despite the recent start of season 2017 Formula 1, the game in question remains the last official game available on the market, with the works for the version of 2017 is currently underway.
F1 2016 offers a spectacular realization of the single-seater, tracks, and physics. Everything has been further enhanced with a “Career mode” rather complex and varied, that there will be a true F1 driver, both on the track and in the various scenes.
After the trailer presentation of the macOS version, the developers have also announced a release date, which was fixed to 6 April. The game will be included directly in the Mac App Store at a price of 49,90€.
Via | 9to5Mac


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Small grain cereals (wheat, triticale, rye, oats and barley) are planted each year in California on about 550,000 acres from the northern border near Oregon to the southern border near Mexico. These versatile crops can be harvested as grain, straw, hay, green-chop or silage. Today, much of the small grain cereals grown in California are used for dairy cattle feed. Dairy sales topped $7.6 billion in 2021, 14.8% of the state’s crop cash receipts.
Crop yield and quality reduction from weeds is a major concern of small grain producers. From 2015-19, PCAs recommended herbicides on an average of 941,000 small grain acres/year. Many fields were treated more than once for weed control (de Souza Dias et al. 2021). During this period, the most common herbicide modes of action on applied acres were acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors (37.8%), synthetic auxins (31.8%) and protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors (17.7%). Major concerning weeds in California small grain crops include littleseed canarygrass (Phalaris minor), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), shepherd’s-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), London rocket (Sisymbrium irio), mustards (Brassica spp.), little mallow/cheeseweed (Malva parviflora), coast fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia), burning nettle (Urtica urens) and common chickweed (Stelleria media).
In 2021, concerns from PCAs in the southern San Joaquin Valley became urgent as they noticed a pattern of failures to control common chickweed (escapes) several years in a row. Some fields were becoming overgrown with the weed (Figure 1).
An Emerging Problem
As PCAs and pesticide product representatives noticed some ALS inhibitor herbicides weren’t working as well as expected to control common chickweed in small grains, they conducted field trials and reached out to UCCE Farm Advisors Nick Clark and Jose Dias and Specialist Brand Hanson. In 2021 when it was too difficult to dismiss the repeated escapes as mistakes in applications or poor environmental conditions, several UCCE Farm Advisors gave more attention to fields with escapes and conducted early evaluations attempting to repeat results PCAs and product reps saw in their trials.
The PCAs were concerned they were seeing effects of herbicide resistance. This is a genetic phenomenon occurring naturally as weeds are challenged to live when exposed to herbicides. Genetic variation in the weed population gives some individuals natural resistance to the damaging effects of the herbicide. The problem arises when the same herbicide is used repeatedly, and those naturally resistant individuals continue to reproduce and become dominant in the weed population.
The diligence of these PCAs is the reason the broader ag community alerted early to this potentially serious problem.
Early Warning Grows into Full-Blown Research
Early testing in a field with high common chickweed pressure and documented escapes from ALS inhibitors showed Clark, Dias and Hanson that herbicide resistance could not be ruled out as a potential cause of the escapes. In that field, Clark and Dias applied tribenuron methyl (Dupont Express Herbicide with Totalsol Soluble Granules) and pyroxsulam (Simplicity CA), two frequently used ALS inhibitors in California, at two and four times the highest allowable label rate. Clark and Dias observed that tribenuron slightly reduced the common chickweed growth and pyroxsulam had virtually no effect when compared to an untreated control (Figure 2). This evidence warranted more intensive studies on common chickweed populations with ALS inhibitor escapes. Clark partnered with California State University, Fresno Professor Anil Shrestha to conduct controlled environment trials. These were designed to learn whether these weeds were resistant to ALS inhibitors.
Seeds were collected by Clark and technicians Ben Halleck (UCCE) and Walter Martinez (Tulare County) from common chickweed in ALS inhibitor escape fields and an organic field where there was no recent ALS inhibitor application. The organic seeds were ALS inhibitor susceptible controls because their population was not pressured to evolve resistance. The weed seeds were planted in pots in a greenhouse and grown under a shade structure at Fresno State until they reached the ideal growth stage for ALS inhibitor control. After several experiment repetitions, Clark, Shrestha and Fresno State students Paola Vidales, Kiera Searcy and Jennifer Vidales confirmed what PCAs worried about. The common chickweed identified as ALS inhibitor escapes was in fact genetically resistant to tribenuron methyl and pyroxsulam (Heap 2023).
The UCCE and Fresno State team observed that the ALS inhibitor resistant common chickweed responded to increasing doses of pyroxsulam but not to tribenuron methyl. When the dose of pyroxsulam was increased up to eight times the max label rate, the treated common chickweed became more stunted and more of the plants died. Because the plants were not controlled with the maximum allowable rate, they are considered resistant. When using tribenuron methyl, the common chickweed plants sprayed with eight times the max allowable label rate appeared the same and survived as much as plants sprayed with half the label rate. Many of the plants survived the herbicide applications and eventually flowered, suggesting they may be reproductive.
The UCCE and Fresno State team held public field days at Fresno State. Product reps, PCAs and students gathered to observe the results of the study (Figure 3). The value of the field day was two-fold: 1) ag professionals and students learned about the confirmation of common chickweed populations in California that are genetically resistant to ALS inhibitors, and 2) the research team gleaned important insights from the ag professionals’ feedback. That feedback has been critical in guiding ongoing research.
The two different responses between the herbicides gave clues to the researchers about the ways the plants were expressing resistance to the herbicides. Fresno State professor Katherine Waselkov, specializing in genetics of herbicide resistance, joined the team to begin exploring the genetic basis of this problem in California. The major question Waselkov is researching is whether the Central Valley populations of chickweed showing resistance to ALS inhibitors have mutations in the ALS gene, which codes for the enzyme targeted by the herbicides. By extracting DNA, conducting PCR and sequencing the entire ALS gene, the lab can detect possible resistance mutations that occur in this enzyme. Changes in several amino acids that directly interact with the herbicides are likely to cause resistance. These changes have been detected in other countries’ chickweed infestations (Marshall et al. 2010; Laforest and Soufiane 2018). Waselkov’s different approach will also screen for other less common mutations that could cause resistance.
Pyroxsulam and tribenuron methyl are not the only ALS inhibitor herbicides used in small grains. Industry professionals pointed out mesosulfuron-methyl (Osprey Herbicide), although used less commonly, is also regularly applied to small grains. Additionally, it was pointed out that small grain fields where common chickweed was resistant to ALS inhibitors were recently rotated out of or into alfalfa, a common rotation partner, where multiple ALS inhibitor herbicides are applied to control several important weeds. For these reasons, the UCCE and Fresno State team continues to expand the controlled environment study to determine the presence of ALS inhibitor resistance in common chickweed with more herbicide products.
Fresno State Masters student Jennifer Valdez-Herrera is earning a degree in plant science through further study into ALS inhibitor resistance in common chickweed in California. Studying under Shrestha, Waselkov and Clark, Valdez-Herrera is addressing all the issues above in addition to studying the impact that uncontrolled common chickweed has on yield and quality of small grains.
Growers and PCAs are apt to point out ALS inhibitors are a very important tool for controlling multiple serious weeds in small grains and alfalfa. Further, there are still several other herbicide modes of action registered for California small grains and alfalfa which have activity against common chickweed. The PCAs are the first line of defense in the field and the first consultants for knowledge about how to remedy weed problems. Our team continues to consult PCAs to guide future research endeavors in this field to make sure the solutions we seek are relevant and applicable to the industry.
Dias, J. L. C. dS., Clark, N., Mathesius, K., Light, S., Hanson, B., Lundy, M. E., Shrestha, A., 2021. Poor control of common chickweed with ALS-inhibitor herbicides reported in multiple small grain fields in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Is it a new case of herbicide resistance in California? UC Weed Science Blog. Retrieved 7/28/23, https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=50181.
Heap, I., 2023. The International Herbicide-Resistant Weed Database. Retrieved 7/28/23, http://weedscience.org/Pages/Case.aspx?ResistID=24253.
Laforest, M., and B. Soufiane. 2018. Coevolution of two sulfonylurea-resistant common chickweed (Stellaria media) biotypes with different mutations in the acetolactate synthase gene. Weed Science 66: 439-445.
Marshall, R., R. Hull, and S. R. Moss. 2010. Target site resistance to ALS inhibiting herbicides in Papaver rhoeas and Stellaria media biotypes from the UK. Weed Research 50: 621-630.


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According to Canon Rumors, the legacy brand will introduce a new DSLR tomorrow. Speculation from over the past year says this will be a new addition to Canon’s 1D lineup, a series which has been heralded for its remarkably fast image processing speeds.
For those only vaguely aware of digital cameras, it’s the professional-looking Canon that is nearly a perfect square, with the lens sitting higher than you’re used to seeing. While further details have been sparse, the camera is expected to shoot mind-blowing rates of 12-14fps and kick it up to a 61-point autofocus system. It’s also projected to shoot up to ISO 51,200 thanks to an 18-megapixel sensor. From the sounds of it, Canon’s going to keep the loyalty of action shooters with its new D-series release.
Not to be outdone, Nikon is also supposedly bringing a new camera to the table. Nikon Rumors claims that next week the Nikon D800 is speculated to boast a 36-megapixel sensor, a 3+-inch LCD, and an ISO range of 100-6400. Keep an eye out for news on the anticipated releases.
- Best camera deals: Save hundreds on Canon, Nikon and more
- Cheap DSLRs: Huge savings on Canon, Nikon ahead of Mother’s Day
- Nikon D750 vs. D780: 5 years in the making, Nikon’s newest proves its worth
- Nikon D780 vs Canon EOS 6D Mark II: The battle of budget full-frame DSLRs
- Nikon crowns a new flagship: The 14 fps, 105-point Nikon D6


text:
Writer: Gail Simone
Artists: Adriana Melo (p), Dan Green (i)
Thorn's one-woman assault on the criminal organization known as the "100" continues with ferocious violence and chilling madness. She's pruning back the layers of the organization, leaving a bloody harvest in her wake. A relentless quest for vengeance, she'll keep on cutting until the person behind the murder of her parents is revealed, and weeded from the garden.
But what of Rose, trapped beneath Thorn's dominating psyche? Locked away inside the dark spaces of her own fractured mind, Rose has a visitor. Long buried memories, frightening and enigmatic, are exposed like a movie projected upon the screen of her soul, a tale of betrayal and corruption. But armed with these new insights, can Rose regain control over her own body, overthrowing the domination of her sociopath alter ego?
To make the situation worse, Rose's enemies are closing in on her. The "100" is readying for a confrontation. And the pyromaniac, Ashleigh, is hot on Thorn's trail. Finally, Rose receives some more very unhelpful "help" from the unscrupulous Dr. Chritlow, at the worst possible moment. Part five of six, "Fields of Gold" sets the stage for a cataclysmic conclusion to this powerful series.
"Don't move, Stevie. It's so sharp, so sharp. Know how I know? Know how I know, Stevie?"
Simone gives an impressive display of her artistry in this issue. The writing is tight and powerful. With a relentless pacing, the reader is pulled into Thorn's violent quest as it escalates from one brutal scene to another, leaving a number on each of her victim's forehead, apparently counting up to one hundred. These brutal action scenes are broken up by episodes in the surreal mental prison where Rose is held, with vagueness reminiscent of nightmares. The pacing rocks back and forth between the frantic and the forlorn with an insane tempo. It's a remarkable structuring of plot.
Despite the virtuoso plot management, Simone doesn't skimp on the characterization. Through sharp and focused dialogue, the diverse personalities of this story are made convincing, from the pathetic Chritlow, wallowing in selfish misery, to Thorn's menacing ravings. Giving rich color to the dialogue are the exceptional letters by Rob Leigh. The tone of the interior monologues of both Rose and Thorn are especially well conveyed through skillful lettering.
Of course, the art is exquisite. Rich with symbolism and compelling composition, the art's narrative strength is impressive. Facial and stance depiction clearly enforces character. The visual pacing keeps the reader engaged and turning the pages. Alex Bleyaert's colors are perfectly suited to this story, giving a harsh clarity to Thorn's mayhem and a splotchy roughness to Rose's mental explorations. Finally, Adam Hughes' cover art captures Thorn's lurid and macabre glee with a powerful image of her reaching out with a blood-drenched finger, as if to draw a number upon the forehead of the reader.
"When I get out of here I'm going to have a thousand cats."
This psycho-thriller is one of the best "horror" comics around. It's a compelling exploration of madness, combined with a top-rate vigilante adventure plot. Every aspect of this production is of the highest quality, from the story elements to the graphic implementations. And they all combine to create a horrific moral fable of victimization and revenge. This title is rich in symbolism, including the protagonist(s). The Rose and Thorn dichotomy can be viewed symbolic of the psychological trauma that radical violence engenders; on one hand, Rose is spiritually crushed and submissive, while Thorn is a pure embodiment of rage.
It's a rare treat when a comic reaches for a tough thematic premise, like victimization. This title makes the ambitious effort, and does so tastefully without ever descending into crass "exploitation" power fantasy. The writing is clear and chilling in depicting Thorn not as some "kewl" vigilante avenger or "anti-hero," but as a seriously demented young woman, a victim who now is trapped in the perpetuation of an endless cycle of violence. It is the themes of fractured self and helplessness that make this a superb horror comic. I highly recommend it.
What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!

domain: artistic


text:
Director of Outdoor Adventure and Activities
You: passionate outdoor activities visionary, eager to bring your love for hiking, mountain biking and everything outdoor adventure to an organization that continuously strives to be the premiere outdoor resort destination.
Us: Highly accomplished and world renowned resort in one of the most stunning scenic locations in the country looking for the Maverick that can elevate a phenomenal activities program to unmatched heights.
Lead, oversee and manage hiking, biking, resort activities, camp, tennis, Native American and guest programming at Enchantment Resort. Develop and implement unique programming, projects, special events and activities designed to increase revenue, promote the resort and enhance guests’ experience. The goal of this position is to elevate, implement and properly execute activities that would position the resort as the premier activity destination true to location.
Provide leadership and directions in order to position the resort as the premier outdoor activity destination.
- Devise, implement and supervise all activities to ensure compliance with the resort’s objectives with a sense of place.
- Responsible for department’s Revenues and Profitability.
- Work closely with the Enchantment Group Corporate Marketing Department to create unique events to promote the resort and destination.
- Coordinate all indoor and outdoor activities for all ages.
- Work with the Group Sales Department to develop special activities for group participation to optimize additional revenues and enhance the guests’ experience.
- Create, implement and maintain the Children’s Program within the resorts standards and comply with all legal requirements.
- Participate in trade shows to promote resort activities, especially hiking and mountain biking.
- Ensure all business analytics are performed in order to understand guests’ participation, cost and profitability of each activity.
- Properly manage all aspects of the Activity Center and Club Coyote.
- Oversee relationship with the US Forest Service and reporting requirements connected to the resort’s permits.
- Seek ways to enhance permits and utilization of local and state trails.
- Oversee contributions to the Boynton Canyon Preservation Fund and facilitate where and how those funds are utilized.
- Nurture relationships with mountain biking and hiking guides in order to utilize their expertise to further enhance the resorts programming.
- Develop and nurture strategic partnerships beneficial to promote all activities.
- Responsible for promoting, selling and executing all activities to future and in-house guests.
- Seek ways to collect guests’ feedback and analyze data to ensure the highest satisfaction.
- Supervise all training programs in accordance with the resort’s service and safety standards.
- Know all safety and emergency procedures for guest/team members and how to act upon them.
- Understand, adhere to and enforce accident reporting and prevention policies.
- Interview, hire, review performance and handle team member disciplinary actions as necessary.
- Responsible for payroll and cost controls for all team members and outside contractors.
- Prepare budgets and monitor expenses for department.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Project Management
- Organizational Skills
- Problem Solving
- Communication Proficiency
Activities Supervisor, Tennis Pros, Tennis Supervisor, Hike & Bike team, Camp Counselors, outside contractors
This job operates both an indoor office environment and, exercise rooms as well as outdoors at different activity fields. The noise level at many events can be loud. The job is often performed in outside weather conditions.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position. Evening and weekend work will be required frequently.
Minimal travel is expected for this position.
Required Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience. A minimum of 3 years’ experience in leading hotel/resort/destination activities programs. Must be certified in CPR/ First Aid for children & infants, or obtain within the first 90 days of employment.
Preferred Education and Experience
Background in recreation and child development preferred. Additional operational hotel management experience preferred.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Enchantment Resort is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Enchantment Resort does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the team member for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

domain: travel


THE REVIEW OF AXIAL FLUX PERMANENT MAGNET GENERATOR
Main Article Content
An Axial Flux Permanent Magnet generator (AFPM) becomes cost effective and attractive alternative to the radial flux permanent magnet generators, specially for low speed and high torque wind applications. This paper investigates and discuss about the different topologies of AFPM generator. The investigation is based upon their stator and rotor construction, their locations in generator, their sizes, and their material etc. The comparison of different topologies of AFPM generator is done in this paper. This paper also discusses basics of their manufacturing process. In last section simple design procedure of AFPM generator is discussed.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.


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Dear Supporters of The Glazov Gang!
With Jihad and Stealth Jihad on the attack, now more than ever is the time to get the truth out about the Unholy Alliance between the Left and Islamic Jihad — and how this Alliance is working 24/7 to destroy America and the West.
Because we are a fan-generated show, we need your help to keep going and to continue exposing the Unholy Alliance’s destructive agenda — an agenda that our establishment media and culture consistently cover up.
And so we were wondering, as our host Jamie Glazov asks in the video below, if you could take this moment to send a Christmas present to the Glazov Gang.
Please support the show that boldly tells the truth about the Left and Islamic Jihad!
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This is the kind of programming that your help makes possible. You are helping us make a difference!
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I would love to donate, but am not happy to do so with Paypal, as I was once played out by them (or somebody) using their services. If there is another way of donating, do let me know, and I will be very willing to donate, as I do appreciate the work that Jamie does, in enlightening the public of the truth.
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Starting in the basement at the breaker-box, I will be running the 12-2 along the Bottom Plate, on-top of a current run, and securing it with 1/2" Staples every 12". I will then bring the cable vertical onto the floor joist above the plate run, following the "coke-can" bend rule and stapling at the start of the bend.
The Romex will then be run smack in the middle of the face of the 2xX joist (>=~3" above and below) and secured every 12" with Staples.
I will use a current penetration to bring the Romex from the "joist bay" to the other side of a main-beam. I will leave 8" of service loop at this location. The Joists change orientation, so I will again be "inside" a "joist bay", after this 90° turn. I will run the Romex with Staples 12" spacing in the middle of the main beam.
I will drill a 3/4" hole in the center of the 2/4" plate, 2" from the edge of the stud, to go from the basement up into the stud-bay of the room above which will have the new J-boxes. I'll then run the romex with Staples every 12", leaving a 8" service loop at the entrance to 2-Gang Drawn Device Switch Box with Bracket
Once in the box I'll hook up the outlet, and switch, come out of the box leaving a service-loop, staple it to the middle of the stud and run vertically up the stud till I reach the height of the light fixture. Drill a 3/4" in the opposite stud to cross-over into the next stud bay. I'll toe-nail wooden blocking between the studs, and attach a 4" Octagon Box with screws through the back of the box, in the center of the stud-bay.
Does anyone see anything questionable here?
My main concerns are running the NM on the face of joists and studs, as well as the Octabox being mounted to blocking.
Also, as a bonus question, is there any issue with LED "Drivers" being on a circuit which is GFCI?
Thank you for your time.


text:
On the 8th of March, we celebrated International Women´s Day. Nevertheless, women still aren´t equal to men, because they receive higher salaries. According to the Portuguese Republic Constitution, article 59, number 1 a) “(…) to equal work equal salaries in way to guarantee a deserved existence (…)”. Although even if this is the law and it´s written on the Constitution, it is not respected at all.
This is not only a Portuguese problem. According to a study elaborated by the World Economic Forum, the gender pay gap is a global issue. The gap in Portugal was 16,3% in 2017. In 2018, it has increased to 16,7%.
As stated by the Portuguese Commission for Equality in Labour and Employment (http://cite.gov.pt/en/about_us.html), the gender pay gap is a multiple cause issue, one of them is little representation of women in sectors such as business management – which is also a higher payed sector. Besides that, jobs performed by women are victims of devaluation and consequently, lower salaries.
The inequality varies based on the performed economic activity, being that in sectors where there are more men, women earn more. In geographic terms, the region also affects wages. In cities like Lisbon or Oporto, there is a bigger difference. In cities such as Algarve the difference is smaller. The qualifications are also an important factor. The higher the qualifications, the less women earn.
Portugal is taking steps towards resolving this issue. According to a Portuguese newspaper, Jornal de Negócios, a degree has been approved to force companies to justify why there are differences between man and woman that are performing the same job. This measure is explored more deeply by another Portuguese newspaper, Público, saying that companies are forced to be transparent, and in case of gender pay gaps, they will be contacted by ACT (Authority for Working Conditions). Then, they will have to present a difference assessment plan, that should be implemented in a year. In case this does not happen, the company will be fined.
Público also says that women who finds themselves in this type of situations should ask for a legal opinion to CITE (Commission to Inequality in Work and Employment). This will be possible from the month of August.
Another measure is that the companies will have, at least, 20% of women in administration and inspection. From the beginning of 2020, this percentage will increase to 33,3%.
As stated by Porto Business School (Portugal), if we decrease the gender pay gap and have more female occupied jobs, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) will increase in 30 billions of dollars (9%). On a global level, the GDP will increase in 12 trillions of dollars and the women´s wage will increase in 2 trillions of dollars. Besides that, the workforce will increase by 240 million.
According to European Commission, the causes for this phenomenon are explained with women´s skills not being evaluated the same way as men (even on the same job). There is constant segregation and stereotypes. The lack of women in areas such as math, computing and engineering (that are strongly valuated and well paid areas) could help explain this phenomenon. Most women are occupying professional positions that are devaluated and weakly paid.
Another cause is the equilibrium between professional and personal life. When women have children, this equilibrium starts to tremble, due to the lack of infrastructures (such as day-cares and schools). In the EU (European Union), comparing working women with small children and men in the same situation we can notice a big difference – 65.8% versus 89.1%, respectively.
In a study elaborated by the World Economic Forum, Iceland, Norway and Sweden occupy the first places in the countries with the smallest gender pay gaps.
This issue is not only in Portugal. All around the EU and the world, there are gender wage gaps. Over time, measures are being taken to resolve it. Iceland stood out, reducing significantly its gender wage gap, closing it in 85,8%.


text:
What to do at Christmas if you’re divorced…
Christmas can have a way of tugging at your heart strings even if you are not a lover of all things ho ho ho. It’s a time for family, friends and celebrating spiritual and emotional blessings.
So what do you do when all of these things feel precarious and you are sad and vulnerable? Christmas can feel like salt in the wound.
But it doesn’t have to be a terrible day. It’s just a day after all! If you are not particularly religious and do not celebrate Christmas from a Christian point of view, then you can take whatever meaning you like from 25th December. If you have kids, then hopefully you will be spending some time with them over the festive period so you can enjoy celebrating your family then. If you don’t have kids, there is nothing stopping you doing whatever you like. So here are a few suggestions:
There is nothing like seeing others who are in more need than you to help you get a bit of perspective. Plus helping people out can give you a sense of purpose and joy that maybe life is not throwing at you right at this time. There are lots of charities who need help at Christmas. Try:
2. Slob Out
Why not treat Christmas like a duvet day? Take a day to yourself. Bung a pizza in the oven and get out tub after tub of Ben and Jerries and watch Box Sets, or play video games under the duvet until you doze off. Do what you so rarely get to do and take a real day off doing anything.
3. Eat Your Favourite Meal
Whose favourite meal is turkey? Hands up… Anyone? Anyone? OK thought so. Turkey is nice, don’t get me wrong, I like a turkey, I love pigs in blankets and a lovely crispy roastie, but it’s not my favourite meal. In fact there are several meals I adore – maybe a nice T-bone steak with a vat of bearnaise sauce and some fries, or anything from Ottolenghi, or a big platter of cheese with some crispy bread. Spend a day cooking if that’s your thing, or just treat yourself to a real… treat!
4. Go away
Most of us spend Christmas near to family by default, but there’s nothing to stop you going further afield. Got any trips you’ve always wanted to take? See the Northern Lights? Go to Australia and spend Christmas by the barbie? It’s yours for the taking. Get away and go and do something completely different.
5. Get someone else to do Christmas for you
Christmas traditions can be lovely but quite hard work. If you want to mark the day without the hassle, why not go to the pub, or take a spa break? Get someone else to do the hard work for you and be kind to yourself.
Take control of the day.
Whatever you do, take control of the day and make it what you want it to be. You pick the films, the meals, the entertainment, the location. It is just a day and it will pass. And it might just be really nice!